MONTAGUE COMMUNITY CHURCH CONSTITUTION
Statement of Faith
Preamble
Montague Community Church is a community of believers in the triune God who have answered the call of the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus in a confused and lost world. Those who become members of Montague Community Church join in our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ, who, through the transforming power of the Holy Spirit learn to become fully submitted followers, loving God and loving others as themselves. Our vision is to reach Siskiyou County and beyond for Jesus, in union with other followers, from other churches, joined together in Kingdom work. Our vow to one another as members of Montague Community Church is to walk with each other through the difficult times in life without fear of judgment while discerning God’s truths through his Word, and to celebrate with each other through the victories of life. Montague Community Church is a place where every person is welcomed to discover and grow in their relationship with the Living God. Our life together consists of the following disciplines experienced through the Biblical way of serving Christ:
- Weekend worship where God is exalted, fellowship is experienced, gifts are given, and the Word is proclaimed.
- Small groups and classes where people can focus on the details of their relationship with God, work on areas of struggle, experience loving accountability, and share in the daily lives of fellow followers.
- Outreach opportunities where we show God’s love in practical ways through random acts of kindness.
- Mission trips where we reach beyond our community into the broader world with God’s unconditional love.
The following are our beliefs:
Articles of Religion
Article I. Of the Holy Trinity-- We believe in the one living and true God, both holy and loving, eternal, unlimited in power, wisdom and goodness, the Creator and Preserver of all things both visible and invisible. Within this unity there are three persons of one substance, power and eternity — the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Article II.Of the Father--We believe the Father is the Source of all that exists, whether of matter or spirit. With the Son and the Holy Spirit, He made man, male and female, in His image. By intention He relates to people as Father, thereby forever declaring His goodwill toward them. In love, He both seeks and receives penitent sinners.
Article III. Of the Son of God-- We believe in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, truly God and truly man. He died on the cross and was buried, to be a sacrifice both for original sin and for all human transgressions, and to reconcile us to God. Christ rose bodily from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and there intercedes for us at the Father's right hand until He returns to judge all humanity at the last day.
Article IV.Of the Holy Spirit-- We believe in the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father and the Son, and is of the same essential nature, majesty, and glory, as the Father and the Son, truly and eternally God. He is the Administrator of grace to all, and is particularly the effective Agent in conviction for sin, in regeneration, in sanctification, and in glorification. He is ever present, assuring, preserving, guiding, and enabling the believer.
Article V. Of the Holy Bible-- We believe that the books of the Old and New Testaments constitute the Holy Scriptures. They are the divinely inspired and infallibly written Word of God, fully inerrant in their original manuscripts and superior to all human authority, and have been transmitted to the present without corruption of any essential doctrine.
Article VI.Of the Church-- We believe that the Christian Church is the entire body of believers in Jesus Christ, who is the founder and only Head of the Church. The Church includes both those believers who have gone to be with the Lord and those who remain on the earth, having renounced the world, the flesh and the devil, and having dedicated themselves to the work which Christ committed unto His church until He comes. The Church on earth is to preach the pure Word of God, properly administer the sacraments according to Christ's instructions, and live in obedience to all that Christ commands. A local church is a body of believers formally organized on gospel principles, meeting regularly for the purposes of evangelism, nurture, fellowship and worship.
Article VII. Of God’s Purpose for Humanity—We believe that God’s greatest desire is for human relationship. We believe that this relationship is lived out through the two great commandments which require us to love the Lord our God with all the heart, and our neighbors as ourselves. This commandment summarizes the divine law as it is revealed in the Scriptures. They are the perfect measure and norm of human duty, both for the ordering and directing of families and nations, and all other social bodies, and for individual acts, by which we are required to acknowledge God as our only Supreme Ruler, and all persons as created by Him, equal in all natural rights. Therefore, all persons should so order all their individual, social and political acts as to give to God entire and absolute obedience, and to assure to all the enjoyment of every natural right, as well as to promote the fulfillment of each in the possession and exercise of such rights.
Article VIII. Of Marriage and the Family-- We believe that every person is created in the image of God, that human sexuality reflects that image in terms of intimate love, communication, fellowship, subordination of the self to the larger whole, and fulfillment. God's Word makes use of the marriage relationship as the supreme metaphor for His relationship with His covenant people and for revealing the truth that this relationship is of one God with one people. Therefore, God's plan for human sexuality is that it is to be expressed only in a monogamous lifelong relationship between one man and one woman within the framework of marriage. This is the only relationship which is divinely designed for the birth and rearing of children and is a covenant union made in the sight of God, taking priority over every other human relationship. We adhere to the teachings of Scripture regarding gender identity, sexual conduct, and the sacredness of marriage.
Article IX. Of Free Will-- We believe that humanity's creation in the image of God included ability to choose between right and wrong. Thus, individuals were made morally responsible for their choices. But since the fall of Adam, people are unable in their own strength to do the right. This is due to original sin, which is not simply the following of Adam's example, but rather the corruption of the nature of each mortal, and is reproduced naturally in Adam's descendants. Because of it, humans are very far gone from original righteousness, and by nature are continually inclined to evil. They cannot of themselves even call upon God or exercise faith for salvation. But through Jesus Christ the prevenient grace of God makes possible what humans in self effort cannot do. It is bestowed freely upon all, enabling all who will to turn and be saved.
Article X. Of Baptism—As a means of grace where God works invisibly in us quickening, strengthening, and confirming our faith in him, baptism is the Holy Spirit’s work of initiating all who believe into the body of Christ, the church (1 Corinthians 12:13). Baptism is an act of faith indicating one’s commitment to Jesus Christ. Baptism is not a means of salvation, rather an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s death to sin, the washing away of guilt, and the new life in Jesus (Romans 6:3-5). The preferred method of baptism is immersion, however those who are unable to be immersed may use sprinkling or pouring. Only those who make a public profession of Christ may be baptized. Baptisms will be conducted only by those who are ordained through Montague Community Church and only in corporate services of worship. In the case of imminent death, any baptized believer may conduct baptism.
Article XI.Of the Lord’s Supper—The Lord’s supper, or communion is a sign of the new covenant instituted by God through Jesus Christ and is viewed as a means of grace through which God works in us. Through communion we remember the body and blood of Jesus given on our behalf for the remission of sin. Communion reminds us of the atoning work of Jesus on the cross and the continuing work of sanctification through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Those appointed by the Montague Community Church Administrative Board will preside over communion.
Organization
Administrative Board– The governing body of Montague Community Church shall be the Administrative Board. The purpose and function of the Administrative Board is to ensure that the Church is fulfilling its mission to “Promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” The Administrative Board consisting of not less than three (3) Board Members and no more than eleven(11), including the Pastor andBoard Members. Paid staff members are not eligible to serve on the Administrative Board, except that the Pastor is an ex-officio Director.
Pastor– The Pastor is accountable to the Administrative Board in leading the staff to fulfill the vision and mission of Montague Community Church. The Pastor will determine what is needed in order to accomplish the mission and present to the Administrative Board staffing needs, facility needs, and an annual budget. All staff are accountable to the Administrative Board.