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Bylaws For Radiant Life Church 1010 Old Two Notch Road

Elgin, SC 29045

A South Carolina Religious Nonprofit Corporation

Revision 6 Adopted: April 22, 2012

Organized: January 1986

Constituted: June 20, 1991

Incorporated: August 30, 1991

Phone: (803) 788-‐5213

Website: www.BeRadiant.cc

E-‐mail address: [email protected]

Associational Affiliation: Columbia Metro Baptist Association

RLC Bylaws Revision 6 – March 7, 2012 2

PREAMBLE

These are the bylaws of Radiant Life Church, herein referred to as “Radiant Life Church,” the “church,” or the “Corporation,” a religious nonprofit corporation organized pursuant to the laws of the State of South Carolina. The church declares and establishes these bylaws to preserve and secure the principles of our faith and to govern the church in an orderly manner. These bylaws will preserve the liberties and set forth the responsibilities of each individual church member and the freedom of action of this body in relation to other churches.

Article One Purposes

The Corporation is organized as a local, Bible-‐believing New Testament church exclusively for religious purposes. Its mission is to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ, and its vision is to be authentic followers of Jesus Christ who are radically committed to making disciples, caring for people, and engaging our community and our world for Christ (i.e. to be “Radically Missional”). The church exists to do any and all things related to and in connection with the carrying out of the purposes herein above set forth.

Article Two Statement of Faith

The church affirms the Holy Bible as the inspired and inerrant Word of God and the only objective foundation for the understanding and practice of our Christian faith. We believe there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe in the deity of Jesus Christ, in his virgin birth, in his sinless life, in his death on the cross, in his bodily resurrection, in his ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in


his personal return. We believe people receive forgiveness of sins and eternal life through Jesus Christ. A more complete statement of the doctrinal beliefs of the church is most accurately reflected in the Baptist Faith and Message, as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 2000.

Article Three Nonprofit Status and Liquidation

The church is not organized for profit. In the event of liquidation or dissolution of the church, the remaining assets of the church shall be distributed consistent with the law and according to the articles of incorporation (the “articles”). If the articles do not provide for distribution of the church’s assets upon dissolution, the assets shall be liquidated and distributed for payment of all outstanding debts and obligations, and the remaining assets shall be distributed to the Cooperative Program of the South Carolina Baptist Convention.

Article Four Governance and Affiliation

The church shall look to the articles, these bylaws, the laws of the State of South Carolina with reference to religious nonprofit corporations (including the South Carolina Nonprofit Corporation Act), and Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or the corresponding section of any future Federal tax code) for guidance in the operation of its affairs. The church is an autonomous and democratic Baptist Church under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The membership of the church retains the right to exclusive self-‐government in all phases of the spiritual and temporal life of this church. The church is subject to the control of no other religious body, but it recognizes and sustains the obligations of mutual counsel and cooperation, which are common among Southern Baptist churches. Insofar


as is practical, the church will cooperate with and support the Columbia Metro Baptist Association, the South Carolina Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention.

Article Five Ordinances

The church observes two ordinances given by Christ: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism is a believer’s public and symbolic identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Baptism shall be by immersion in water (unless prohibited by a baptismal candidate’s special needs) and administered by ordained ministers or whomever the church may authorize. A person shall be received for Baptism who: • receives Jesus Christ by personal faith; and • indicates commitment to follow Jesus Christ as Lord. The Lord’s Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby a member of the church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine, commemorates the death of Jesus Christ and anticipates His second coming. The Lord’s Supper will be observed at least once per quarter during a worship service and may be observed on other occasions as authorized by the church. All persons who have trusted in Christ by faith, whether or not they are members of the church, are welcome to participate in the Lord’s Supper. The Pastor and Deacons (or other designated individuals) shall be responsible for the preparation and administration of this memorial ordinance. (1 Corinthians 11:23-‐34)


Article Six Membership

Section 1 – General • The New Testament presents a picture of definable groups of people

who, once committed to the Lord, identified themselves with and committed themselves to a particular local body (Acts 2:42-‐46; Romans 16:1; I Corinthians 1:2; II Corinthians 8:1; Philippians 1:1; Acts 11:26).

• Membership is open to people who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, have been baptized by immersion, and who are united together by covenant as one body in Christ. Persons duly received by the members will constitute the membership.

• The members of the church shall mean the membership of the Corporation as a local church. Persons subsequently becoming members of the local church congregation shall be members of the Corporation, and persons ceasing to be members of the local church congregation shall cease to be members of the church.

Section 2 – Candidacy Any person may offer himself/herself as a candidate for membership in the church in any of the following ways:

• By profession of faith followed by baptism; • By letter of recommendation from another Baptist church or a church

of like faith and understanding of church ordinances; • By statement of a prior conversion experience in another Baptist

church or a church of like faith and understanding of church ordinances when no letter is obtainable; or

• By restoration to church membership after having been removed due to disciplinary action (see Section 7).

Having completed the Discovery Class for New Member Candidates and being in agreement with the Statement of Commitment for Church


Members (see Section 4), candidates will be presented to the congregation as new members at the end of any Sunday morning worship service. Section 3 – Designation In an effort to properly reflect the membership of the church, two (2) church rolls will be maintained by the church Clerk, which are to be updated periodically and reported to the church.

• Active members: All members who are currently involved in the activities and functions of the church, and who demonstrate their active status by being present a minimum of 12 times in a 12-‐month period and giving to the church.

• Inactive members: Members are inactive as a result of moving from the church’s ministry area and not having joined another church, or are members who have been inactive for twelve (12) months. Inactive members may be reinstated to active status by personal request.

Section 4 – Responsibilities Statement of Commitment for Church Members

Having completed the Discovery Class for New Member Candidates and being in agreement with the mission and vision of Radiant Life Church, I joyfully commit myself to be an active member of this local body of believers in Jesus Christ. I understand from God's Word that I am no longer a slave to the Law or to the sinful nature, but have been set free to serve God in righteousness by the power of His Holy Spirit. (Romans 6:14-‐18; 7:4-‐6) As an expression of my personal relationship with Jesus Christ and by His grace, I will endeavor always to:

• love the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind and strength, and others as myself; (Deuteronomy 6:5; Leviticus 19:18; Mark 12:30-‐31)

• grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus; (2 Peter 1:3-‐9; 3:18)

• live in a manner that honors God and is consistent with biblical principles of morality and ethics; (1 Corinthians 10:31; Romans 13:13-‐14; Ephesians 4:1; 2 Thessalonians 3:6)


• give myself first to the Lord and then faithfully support my church with my prayers, time, talents, spiritual gifts, and financial resources as the Lord has prospered me; (1 Corinthians 12; 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 8:1-‐15; 2 Corinthians 9:6-‐8)

• selflessly love, serve and edify the body of Christ; (Philippians 2:1-‐8; John 13:34-‐35; John 13:4-‐17; Romans 14:19)

• seek the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace with regards to my relationships; (Ephesians 4:3)

• appropriately share my faith in both word and deed, being careful to discern the particular context of those with whom I am sharing so as not to hinder the work of the gospel; (Matthew 28:19-‐20; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 9:19-‐23 2 Timothy 1:7-‐8)

• maintain unity in the essential matters of the Christian faith; (Ephesians 4:4-‐6, 11-‐15)

• make allowance for liberty in non-‐essential matters of opinion concerning how Christians live out their faith before God; (Romans 14; 1 Corinthians 10:33-‐33)

• and be loving and gracious in all matters. (Ephesians 4:29-‐32; 1 Corinthians 13)

Section 5 – Voting Rights • Except as provided herein, every active member shall be entitled to

vote at all elections and on all questions properly before the church, provided the member is present (proxy voting is prohibited).

• Members under the age of eighteen may not vote on matters concerning personnel, contracts, large purchases (such as real estate), banking or mortgages, or amendment of the articles or bylaws.

• Inactive members are not entitled to vote. Section 6 – Termination Membership may be terminated for the following reasons:

• Death; • Transfer of membership to another Baptist church of like faith and

order;


• Proof of membership in a church of another denomination; • Personal written request of the member; or • Dismissal according to Section 7. Section 7 – Discipline The church has a biblical responsibility to withdraw fellowship from any church member who is living in persistent and unrepentant disobedience to biblical standards of moral behavior or refuses to reconcile with another church member against whom he has sinned. Every effort will be made by the Pastor and the Deacons to restore such a member in accordance with the biblical guidelines found in Matthew 18:15-‐17, 1 Corinthians 5:1-‐13, 2 Corinthians 2:5-‐11 and Galatians 6:1. If these efforts are unsuccessful, the offending member will immediately be placed under church discipline, and the Pastor will inform the church of the member’s change in status during a regular or special business meeting that is scheduled no more than two weeks following this disciplinary action.

During this meeting, the Pastor may give a general explanation for the action taken, but at no time will he provide a detailed account of the offense(s) nor divulge the identity of third parties that may be involved in the offense(s). The purposes of church discipline are to:

• bring conviction of sin on the part of the offending member; • encourage repentance leading to the restoration of full fellowship with

the church; and • preserve the work of the gospel and the testimony of the church in the

community.

The church may restore membership to any person previously excluded at their request with evidence of the excluded person’s repentance. Restoration of fellowship does not necessarily imply restoration to a position of church leadership. This will depend upon the biblical qualifications for the particular leadership position, as well as the normal selection process for ministry leaders.


Article Seven Meetings

Section 1 – Worship The church shall hold regular meetings for worship, teaching, training, outreach, and fellowship at the principle church location and/or other locations in the community as designated by the church. Section 2 – Regular Meetings Regular business meetings shall be held on the second Wednesday in the months of February, May, August and November. The location of these meetings shall be the principle church location unless otherwise directed by the Pastor or the Administrative Business Council. Regular business meetings are for active church members only. The Moderator shall serve as moderator at all business meetings. In his/her absence, he/she shall designate another active church member to serve as moderator.

Section 3 – Special Meetings Special business meetings may be called at any time by the Pastor, the chairman of the Deacons, or the Administrative Business Council. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in the notice.

Section 4 – Notice Notice of all meetings shall be provided at a reasonable time and no less than two weeks prior to the appointed time of the meeting. The notice may be communicated in person, by announcement from the pulpit, or by mail, church bulletin, telephone, facsimile, or electronic mail. The notice shall include the date, hour, place, and agenda of all such meetings. If the


meeting is a special meeting, the notice shall include a description of the matter to be considered. To the extent applicable, the statutory notice requirements of the South Carolina Nonprofit Corporation Act shall apply to all notices [e.g., S.C. Code Ann. § 33-‐31-‐705 (Notice of Meeting), S.C. Code Ann. § 33-‐31-‐141 (Notice), or the corresponding sections of any future amendments to the South Carolina Nonprofit Corporation Act], provided, however, that any statutory provision which may be varied by the articles, bylaws, or rules of the church shall not apply if the articles, bylaws, or rules do vary that statutory provision. Section 5 – Record Dates The record date for determining the members entitled to notice of a meeting is the business day preceding the date on which notice is first given. The record date for determining the members entitled to vote at a meeting is the date of the meeting. Section 6 – Quorum A quorum shall consist of those active members who attend the meeting, provided it is a regular meeting or one that has been properly called. Section 7 – Voting Except as otherwise provided by these bylaws or state law, all matters shall require the approval of a majority of those present and voting. Proxy voting is prohibited.

A two-‐thirds vote shall be required for business related to personnel, contracts, large purchases (such as real estate), banking or mortgages, or amendment of the articles or bylaws. A secret, written ballot shall be used for such business.


Article Eight Administrative Business Council

Section 1 – General The Administrative Business Council (the “ABC”) shall serve as the board of directors of the Corporation. The terms “council member,” “council members,” and “Administrative Business Council” shall correspond to the terms “director,” “directors,” and “Board of Directors,” respectively, as those terms are used in the South Carolina Nonprofit Corporation Act and as they are commonly referred to and understood in the governance of corporations. Section 2 – Responsibilities The ABC shall have general supervision of the Church between its business meetings; shall manage the affairs of the church in accordance with the church’s mission and vision; make recommendations to the church; review all legal and financial matters of the church; provide for the care and maintenance of all properties owned by the church; and perform such other duties as are specified in these bylaws and by state law or properly required of it by the church. Moreover, should a dispute arise as to the interpretation of Scripture, the Pastor and the ABC shall be the authoritative interpreter of Scripture for the Church. Section 3 – Qualifications and Composition Qualifications for service on the ABC are found in 1 Timothy 3:1-‐8. Council members are to be men and women of integrity who have a heart for Kingdom work and are committed to the mission and vision of the church. The ABC shall be made up of the Pastor, Clerk, Treasurer, Moderator, chairman of the Trustees, full time ministerial staff, the chairpersons of the Personnel, Finance, Facilities, Nominating, and Mission Committees, and


the chairman of the Deacons. Additional persons may be invited as needed, but cannot vote. The ABC is not intended to replace the Church Ministry Council. Length of service on the ABC will flow with the terms of chairperson elections and rotation of Standing Committees and church officers. ABC members may not be removed by judicial proceeding even if a judicial removal procedure is otherwise permitted by state law. Section 4 – Vacancies Any vacancies on the ABC shall be filled pursuant to the procedure established by these bylaws for filling the underlying office held by the departing council member. Section 5 – Registered Agent The chairman of the Trustees or another person designated by the ABC shall serve as the registered agent for the Corporation. The ABC shall ensure that the appropriate change of registered agent form is filed with the South Carolina Secretary of State when a change of registered agent is made. Section 6 – Meetings & Quorum The ABC shall meet at least monthly, at the time calendared at the previous meeting or at the call of the Pastor, at such times and places as shall be designated in a notice provided to each council member and the Pastor at a reasonable time prior to the appointed time of the meeting. The notice may be by mail, church bulletin, telephone, facsimile, or electronic mail. The notice shall include the date, hour, and place of all such meetings. To the extent applicable, the statutory notice requirements of the South Carolina Nonprofit Corporation Act shall apply to all notices of Council meetings [e.g., S.C. Code Ann. § 33-‐31-‐822 (Call and Notice of Meetings), S.C. Code Ann. § 33-‐31-‐141 (Notice), or the corresponding sections of any future amendments to the South Carolina Nonprofit Corporation Act].


The Pastor shall be the chairman of the ABC and the Moderator shall serve as the facilitator at all meetings of the ABC. The chairman of the Deacons shall be the vice chairman of the ABC and serve in the absence or disability of the Pastor. The Clerk shall be the secretary of the ABC and shall keep a record of all proceedings at the meeting of the ABC, give notices, and perform such other duties incident to the office or properly required of him or her by the ABC. A quorum at any ABC meeting shall consist of a majority of the ABC as constituted at the time of such meeting. The acts approved by a majority of those present at any meeting at which a quorum is present shall constitute the acts of the ABC, except where a greater than majority vote is required by these bylaws or state law. No proxy votes may be allowed. Section 7 – Compensation No council member shall be compensated for his or her service as a council member, and the church shall not directly or indirectly lend money to or guarantee the obligation of a council member.

Article Nine Professional Ministerial Leadership

Staff Section 1 – Staff Overview The church may engage full-‐time or part-‐time ministry and administrative staff who shall be responsible for leading the congregation, the organizations and the programs of the church to fulfill the mission and vision of the church. Detailed descriptions of staff responsibilities may be found in the Radiant Life Church Personnel Handbook. These staff positions may include, but are not limited to:


• Pastor • Associate Pastor • Pastor of Student Ministry • Pastor of Children’s Ministry • Worship Ministry Leader • Church Administrative Assistant (not an RLC member) • Church Facilities Manager Section 2 – Staff Function The Pastor is the primary overseer of the church and is responsible for leading the congregation to fulfill its mission and vision as a New Testament Church. (Acts 20:28; 1 Tim. 3:1-‐7, 5:17; Titus 1:6-‐9; 1 Pet. 5:2-‐3). His primary responsibilities are to provide spiritual instruction and strategic leadership to the members, staff, and ministries of the church, serve as leader of pastoral ministries, and assist in caring for church members and the community. The Pastor of Student Ministry is responsible for the planning, administering, coordinating, supervising, and evaluating of a comprehensive student ministry in keeping with the mission and vision of the church. The Pastor of Children’s Ministry is responsible for the planning, administering, coordinating, supervising, and evaluating of a comprehensive children’s ministry in keeping with the mission and vision of the church. The Worship Ministry Leader, working with the worship team, is responsible for the planning, coordination, operation, and evaluation of a comprehensive worship ministry in keeping with the mission and vision of the church. The Church Administrative Assistant is responsible for administrating those tasks and functions relevant to the church office on a day-‐to-‐day basis. This person will also be responsible for delegating tasks to the part-‐time paid or volunteer workers associated with the church office.


The Church Facilities Manager will support and supervise the maintenance and care of all buildings, grounds, furnishings, maintenance equipment, and maintenance supplies of the church. Section 3 – Staff Selection Pastor The pastor shall be chosen by the Pastor Search Committee and called by the church during a special business meeting called specifically for that purpose. A four-‐fifths (80%) vote is required to elect. Prior to this meeting, the candidate will deliver a message during a Sunday morning Worship Celebration. The Pastor shall continue to serve until the relationship is ended by resignation with at least 30 days written notification to the Personnel Committee or termination. A four-‐fifths (80%) vote is required for the termination of a Pastor. Ministry Staff

Ministry staff shall be chosen by the Personnel Committee for employment in their respective positions and called by the church during a special business meeting called specifically for that purpose. A two-‐thirds (2/3) vote shall be required to elect.

Service in ministry staff positions shall continue to serve until the relationship is ended by resignation with at least two weeks written notification to the Pastor, expiration of a predetermined period of service, or termination. A two-‐thirds (2/3) vote shall be required for the termination of a ministry staff member.

Administrative Staff

Administrative staff may be hired by appropriate supervisors, with approval of the Personnel Committee, following the screening and interviewing process.


Section 4 – Staff Selection Process A Pastor shall be chosen and called by the church whenever a vacancy occurs. A Pastor Search Committee shall be elected by the church upon nomination by the Nominating Committee and will be responsible for selecting and presenting a suitable pastoral candidate for the church’s consideration. The Pastor Search Committee shall bring to the consideration of the church only one nomination at a time. The membership of the Pastor Search Committee shall consist of seven members and two alternates, and shall be reflective of the congregation’s gender, age, ethnicity, and length of membership. The Personnel Committee shall perform the search process for all other ministry staff positions. Section 5 – Staff Screening All candidates for ministry or administrative staff positions may be required to submit to screening procedures including but not limited to credit checks, address verifications, and criminal and academic background checks. Any information obtained during the screening process shall be considered highly confidential and shall be kept in a sealed file and stored in a locked cabinet indefinitely with access limited to the officers or staff authorized by the ABC and indicated on the exterior of the file. Without exception, all staff and volunteers who will work with minor children must undergo a comprehensive screening process. This process must include, but may not necessarily be limited to, an address verification and criminal background check. Any information obtained during the screening process shall be considered highly confidential and shall be kept in a sealed file and stored in a locked cabinet indefinitely with access limited to the officers or staff authorized by the ABC and indicated on the exterior of the file.


Article Ten General Church Officers, Deacons &

Other Leadership Section 1 – Overview The leadership structure of the church is based upon the nature of the church as revealed in Scripture, as well as the necessary legal requirements for a recognized religious organization. The leadership structure of the church is intentionally designed to facilitate the mission and vision of the church. The officers of the church shall be a Pastor, Clerk, Treasurer, and Moderator. The terms “Pastor”, “Clerk”, “Treasurer”, and “Moderator” shall correspond to the terms “president”, “secretary”, “treasurer”, and “moderator”, respectively, as those terms are used in the South Carolina Nonprofit Corporation Act and as they are commonly referred to and understood in the governance of corporations. All officers shall be elected by the church and shall be members of the church in good standing at the time of their election. The officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws, the church, and the parliamentary authority adopted by the church. Section 2 – Officer Functions • Pastor – The Pastor is responsible for providing spiritual instruction

and strategic leadership to the members, staff, and ministries of the church (see Article 9, Section 2). The Pastor shall have such other powers and perform such other duties incident to the office or properly required of him by the church, these bylaws, and state law.

• Clerk – The Clerk is responsible for keeping an accurate record of all proceedings at the meetings of the Church; give notices; have custody of the corporate seal; attest when necessary the signature of a deacon or officer; affix the seal to all instruments required to be executed under seal and as authorized by the Church; attend to any and all


filings required by state law; maintain the Church’s records; keep a register of the names and addresses of the Church members with dates of admission and termination; keep an accurate history of the Church; prepare written reports of the Church; write letters of transfer of membership; issue letters of dismissal voted by the Church; and prepare annual information for the Columbia Metro Baptist Association, the South Carolina Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention. The Clerk shall have such other powers and perform such other duties incident to the office or properly required of him or her by the church, these bylaws, and state law.

• Treasurer – The Treasurer shall be responsible for seeing that offerings are properly received, counted, and deposited in the church’s bank account(s); disburse these moneys by checks or other means as authorized by the church; properly credit each contributor for their offerings and prepare for mailing a quarterly record of contribution to each contributor; keep an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements; and render written reports of the church’s account(s). The Treasurer’s reports shall be made available for audit at the request of the ABC. The Treasurer shall have such other powers and perform such other duties incident to the office or properly required of him or her by the church, these bylaws, and state law.

• Moderator – The Moderator shall preside at all business meetings of the church consistent with the guidelines for a presiding officer in the parliamentary authority adopted by the church.

• Trustees – The Trustees shall, at the direction and discretion of the church, sign all church-‐approved contracts/documents, and keep the official copies of the articles, bylaws, and policy and procedure documents.

• Deacons – The Deacons shall at all times consider themselves as servants of the church. It shall be their duty to look after the spiritual well-‐being of the congregation, to cooperate with the Pastor and other officers of the church in the furtherance of their duties, to visit the sick and care for the needy, and to perform such other duties as usually pertain to that office.

• Other Leadership Positions – The church shall have such other officers, ministry leaders, and/or ad hoc committee leaders as the Holy Spirit may direct to carry out the mission and vision of the church.


Section 3 – Enlistment & Election • Pastor – The Pastor shall be called and elected as provided in Article

Nine. • Clerk, Treasurer, and Moderator – The church membership shall elect

the Clerk, Treasurer, and Moderator based on names presented by the Nominating Committee.

• Trustees – The number of Trustees will be determined annually and elected by the church membership.

• Other Leadership Positions – The duties, method of enlistment, and terms of office of all leaders shall be according to the instructions of the church unless otherwise provided in the bylaws.

• Deacons – The Deacons shall be elected as provided in Section 4 below.

Section 4 – Deacon Elections The church will have a minimum of three Deacons, if possible. It will be the responsibility of the Pastor and the Deacon board to determine the number of Deacons needed to effectively fulfill the Deacon ministry. Deacons will be elected at least two weeks prior to a new church ministry year and shall serve on a rotation basis. The term of Deacons will be three years. The Deacons shall elect their officers and shall be organized to assist the Pastor in all matters pertaining to the ministry of the church.

• Prior to the first Sunday in July during a morning worship service, church members shall nominate one candidate for each vacancy on the Deacon board. Those deacons presently serving and those rotating off the board shall not be eligible for nomination.

• Those candidates that accept the nomination of the church body shall be interviewed by the Pastor and current Deacon board in order to confirm eligibility.

• The names to appear on the final ballot shall be selected from those eligible candidates receiving the highest number of nominations. The final ballot shall contain at least two (2) names, if possible, for every vacancy to be filled. These names will be published two (2) weeks prior to Deacon elections.


• The nominees will prepare their testimony to be given/made available to the congregation before the election.

• Church members shall vote by secret ballot. Those candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected as Deacons.

Section 5 – Qualifications • All officers and church leaders shall be members of the church. • Officer and other leadership qualifications shall be based on the

characteristics defined in the New Testament scriptures (John 12:26; 1 Cor. 11:1; Luke 22:22; 1 Peter 5:2-‐5).

• The qualifications for Deacon shall be consistent with those listed in 1 Timothy 3:8-‐13.

Section 6 – Officer Rotation • Pastor – A Pastor’s call shall continue until the relationship is

terminated at the request of the Pastor. Thirty days notice shall be given, unless otherwise mutually agreed.

• Clerk, Treasurer, and Moderator – These officers shall be elected by the church, serve a three-‐year term, and may be nominated for reelection.

• Trustees – Trustees shall serve on a rotation basis. Each year the term of one trustee shall expire and an election shall be held to fill the vacancy. After serving a term of three years, no trustee shall be eligible for re-‐election until the lapse of at least one year.

• Deacons – Each year the term of office of one-‐third of the number of Deacons shall expire, and an election shall be held to fill the vacancies. In case of death, removal, or incapacity to serve, the church may elect a new Deacon to fill the unexpired term. After serving a term of three years, no Deacon shall be eligible for reelection until the lapse of one year.


Section 7 – Termination Officers, Deacons, and leaders may be dismissed for any of the following reasons:

• moral or ethical failure; • theological deviation; • mental or physical incapacitation; or • failure to fulfill responsibilities.

The principles of Matthew 18 shall be used to implement dismissal by the ABC and the Deacon board. Any officer, Deacon or leader may resign by written notification to the ABC. Section 8 – Screening All candidates for officer, Deacon, or leadership positions shall be required to submit to screening procedures including but not limited to credit checks, address verifications, and criminal and academic background checks. Any information obtained during the screening process shall be considered highly confidential and shall be kept in a sealed file and stored in a locked cabinet indefinitely with access limited to the officers or staff authorized by the ABC and indicated on the exterior of the file. Section 9 – Compensation Officers shall be paid such compensation as the church may approve and authorize. The church shall not directly or indirectly lend money to or guarantee the obligation of an officer.


Article Eleven Standing Committees

Section 1 – General All committees are advisory groups and have no powers except those delegated and approved by church vote.

• Standing committees shall be comprised of active members. • The specific responsibilities of each committee will be as presented by

the Nominating Committee and approved by the church. • Each standing committee shall elect its officers. • Committee members shall rotate off after a three-‐year term and may

be eligible to serve in the same capacity after a lapse of one year. • The ABC may create ad-‐hoc committees for short-‐term purposes, the

members of which will be presented by the Nominating Committee for church approval.

Section 2 – Responsibilities • Nominating Committee – The Nominating Committee shall coordinate

the staffing of all church leadership positions filled by volunteer workers and meet to consider nominations to fill all vacancies.

• Personnel Committee – The Personnel Committee shall assist the church in matters related to church staff administration, including those called by church action. The committee may delegate such functions as necessary in order to establish supervisory/management responsibilities.

• Finance Committee – The Finance Committee shall develop and present the annual budget for church approval and shall manage the expenditures of all budgeted funds; develop written guidelines and establish internal policies and procedures for the conduct and operation of the financial business of the church; establish such bank accounts and other financial arrangements with banks and other fiduciaries as deemed in the best interest of the church; arrange for and report on all audits conducted of the church finances; and


establish and monitor the procedures of collecting, handling, managing, and reporting of all funds.

• Facilities Committee – The Facilities Committee shall have general charge of the administration and maintenance of the church’s facilities and grounds.

• Mission Committee – The Missions Committee shall provide oversight and make recommendations to assure the alignment of all ministries and activities with the mission and vision of the church.

Section 3 – Election and Qualifications Standing committees shall be approved and members elected from the church body. The specific duties and responsibilities of each committee will be as presented by the Nominating Committee and approved by church vote. Nominations for the Nominating Committee shall come from the Deacons and Personnel Committee. The Personnel Committee shall be elected by the church upon nomination by the Nominating Committee and shall assist the Pastor in the selection and administration of ministry staff. Section 4 – Termination Standing committee members may be dismissed pursuant to Article 10, Section 7. Standing committee members may resign by written notification to the ABC.

Section 5 – Screening All candidates for committee positions may be required to submit to screening procedures including but not limited to credit checks, address verifications, and criminal and academic background checks. Any information obtained during the screening process shall be considered highly confidential and shall be kept in a sealed file and stored in a locked


cabinet indefinitely with access limited to the officers or staff authorized by the ABC and indicated on the exterior of the file.

Article Twelve Service and Ministry Program Teams

Section 1 – General • A service team is formed to carry out a specific task needed by the

church. Team members serve to meet a need or task based on expertise, talents, passion, or calling.

• A ministry program is an ongoing function of the church that is intended to lead the congregation in fulfilling the mission and vision of the church.

• The following is a general description of responsibilities for service and ministry program teams.

Section 2 – Responsibilities • Deacon Ministry Team – Assists the Deacons in caring for church

members, carrying out ministry projects, and performing other duties related to the mission and vision of the church.

• Discipleship Ministry Team – Assists the Pastor, staff and Discipleship Coordinator in overseeing the ministry of Christian education and providing opportunities for members and guests to connect, serve, and grow as followers of Jesus Christ.

• Radiant Life Group Ministry Team – Provides direction, administration, and oversight of the small group ministry. Team members include the Small Group Pastor, RLG Coaches, and RLG Leaders.

• Worship Ministry Team – Assists the Worship Team Leader(s) in preparations for Sunday Worship Celebrations and other worship-‐related events through the use of their gifts and talents in the areas of music, drama, and creative arts, audio/visual, and computer technologies, and any other area that may enhance worship.


• Children’s Ministry Team – Assists the Children’s Pastor in overseeing the ministry and outreach to children (Nursery – fifth grade) and their families.

• Student Ministry Team -‐ Assists the Student Pastor in overseeing the ministry and outreach to students (grades 6-‐12) and their families.

• Women on Mission – Assists the WOM Director in ministering to women, promoting local, state, national, and international missions, and coordinating missions projects.

• Men’s Ministry Team – Assists the Men’s Ministry Director in ministering to men and coordinating local, state, national and international missions projects.

• Senior Adult Ministry Team – Assists the Senior Adult Pastor in ministering to senior adults, performing service projects, and coordinating outreach to seniors in the community.

• Worker and Child Protection Team – Assists the Children’s and Student Pastors in screening ministry team members and assuring compliance with the RLC Worker and Child Protection Policy and Procedures.

• Facilities Team – Assists the Facilities Manager and Facilities Committee in the care and maintenance of church facilities and grounds.

• Communications Team – Responsible for overseeing the design and administration of all print, digital, and web-‐based promotional communications related to the church.

• Greeter Team – Greets all members and guests on Sunday mornings, and provides direction, registration, and check-‐in services, and informational materials to all guests.

• Usher Team – Greets members and guests as they enter the Worship Center, distributes worship bulletins, and collects offerings during Worship Celebrations.

• Fellowship Team – Plans and coordinates church-‐wide receptions and social events.

• Counting Team – Responsible for counting and securing offerings received during Worship Celebrations.

• Food Pantry Team – Assists the Food Pantry Director with receiving and organizing food and personal items for the Food Pantry, as well as distributing these items to the needy families of our community.


• Church Library Team – Provides for the organization, care, and check-‐out of all library books and materials.

Section 3 – Approval • All service and ministry program team leaders are recruited by the

Nominating Committee for church approval, will serve for a term of one year, and may be nominated for additional one-‐year terms.

• Volunteers may serve on a service or ministry program team with the approval of the team leader.

Section 4 – Rotation • Service team leaders may serve for a period of one year and may be

nominated for additional one-‐year terms. • Service team members may serve indefinitely. • Ministry program leaders may serve for a period of one year and may

be nominated for additional one-‐year terms. Section 5 – Qualifications • Service team leaders shall be active members of the church, but

service team members are not required to be church members. • Ministry program team members must be active members of the

church. • All service and ministry program members must serve enthusiastically

according to their gifts and abilities and fully support the mission and vision of the church.

• Guests are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities for service according to their gifts and abilities.

Section 6 – Duties Service and ministry program teams shall have such duties and responsibilities as are specified by the church.


Section 7 – Church Ministry Council The leaders of the service and ministry program teams will form the Church Ministry Council. This council will be responsible for calendaring of all events and activities of the church, and shall have such other duties and responsibilities as are specified by the church. The church calendar shall be reviewed and approved by the ABC. Section 8 – Termination Service and ministry program team members may be dismissed pursuant to Article 10, Section 7. Service and ministry program team members may resign by written notification to the ABC.

Section 9 –Screening All service and ministry program team members may be required to submit to screening procedures including but not limited to credit checks, address verifications, and criminal and academic background checks. Any information obtained during the screening process shall be considered highly confidential and shall be kept in a sealed file and stored in a locked cabinet indefinitely with access limited to the officers or staff authorized by the ABC and indicated on the exterior of the file. Without exception, all service and ministry program team members who will work with minor children must undergo a comprehensive screening process. This process must include, but may not necessarily be limited to, an address verification and criminal background check. Any information obtained during the screening process shall be considered highly confidential and shall be kept in a sealed file and stored in a locked cabinet indefinitely with access limited to the officers or staff authorized by the ABC and indicated on the exterior of the file.


Article Thirteen Mediation of Disputes

Section 1 – Disputes The church follows the biblical formula for redemptive resolution of disputes as found in Matthew 18 and 1 Corinthians 6, so that every effort is made to live at peace and resolve disputes in private. Section 2 – Church Conflict It shall be the practice of the church to emphasize to its members that every reasonable measure will be taken to resolve conflict using the principles of Matthew 18. Should parties involved be unable to settle their disputes using this guideline, then biblically based and legally binding Christian mediation shall be used. Section 3 – Agreement Procedures If a condition should exist that causes a member to become a liability to the welfare of the church, every reasonable effort will be made to resolve the problem in a spirit of Christian kindness and forbearance. Upon determination that the welfare of the church is best served by the exclusion of the member, the church may take this action at a meeting called for this purpose. (See Article 6, Section 7)

Article Fourteen Ordaining, Licensing & Commissioning

Section 1 – Ordaining and Licensing of Ministers Licensing – Any individual that makes known to the church that he or she believes God has called him or her to vocational ministry may be


recommended to the church by the Pastor and Deacons and may, by a majority vote, be licensed to the ministry. Ordaining – In the event the church is requested to ordain a person to vocational ministry, the procedures will be as follows: • The church will express its approval by two-‐thirds vote of the members

present at any regular business meeting of the church. • The Pastor shall organize a council to examine the candidate

concerning his fitness for the ministry. Upon receiving a favorable report, the church shall proceed with the ordination.

Section 2 – Ordaining Deacons When the church elects a deacon who has never been ordained, the Pastor shall assemble an ordination council to perform the ordination ceremony during a Sunday Worship Celebration. Section 3 – Commissioning Missionaries Although every follower of Jesus Christ is called to live as a missionary in fulfilling the Great Commission, God calls some to serve as vocational missionaries at the local, state, national, or international levels. Any present or former member of this church who, by his or her leading and convictions, feels called by God to the work of vocational missions may be commissioned by the church to serve in this capacity. This act will require a majority vote of the members present at any business meeting.

Article Fifteen Annual Responsibilities

Section 1 – Accounts and Records • The fiscal year of the church shall begin on January 1 and end on

December 31 of each year. The church ministry year shall begin on


September 1 and end on August 31 of each year. • The church shall have an annual budget to serve as the guide for the

financial operation of the church. The budget shall be presented to the church for a vote with discussion at the annual meeting.

Section 2 – Policy Manuals The Policy and Procedures Manual for Radiant Life Church, cross-‐referenced with the bylaws, consists of the following sections and groups empowered to administrate any necessary amendments for church approval:

• Administration – Staff / Deacons / Administrative Business Council • Facilities – Facilities Committee • Finance – Finance Committee • Leadership – Nominating Committee / Staff • Ministry – Staff / Deacons / Mission Committee / Ministry Teams • Personnel – Personnel Committee Section 3 – Inspection of Records Except for those persons with express authorization, members shall not be entitled to inspect any records of the church containing information deemed confidential by the ABC, including but not limited to records containing information regarding the individual financial contributions of other members. All other records are open for inquiry, subject to the requirements and limitations of S.C. Code §§ 33-‐31-‐1602 through -‐1620.

Section 4 – Auditing Procedures: Financial and Security • The Finance Committee will conduct an annual audit and arrange for

an independent audit every other year. • The Worker and Child Protection Team will be responsible for an

annual review of background screening records for all individuals serving with children and students under the age of 18.


Article Sixteen Signatory Authority

The ABC may authorize any officer, officers, agent, or agents of the Church to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of an on behalf of the Church, and such authority may be general or confined to special instances. All checks, drafts, or orders for the payment of money, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Church, shall be signed by individuals who have received such authority from the ABC.

Article Seventeen Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the church in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the articles, the bylaws, state law, biblical teaching, or any special rules of order the church may adopt.

Article Eighteen Amendment

These bylaws may be amended at any regular business meeting of the church or at a specially called meeting by a two-‐thirds vote, provided: (1) the amendment has been submitted in writing at the previous regular meeting; (2) the amendment has been reviewed and approved by the appropriate committee; (3) the amendment has been published at least twice in the church bulletin or newsletter prior to being voted on; and (4) the meeting notice states that the purpose, or one of the purposes, of the meeting is to consider the amendment of the bylaws and contains or is accompanied by a copy and summary of the proposed amendment.


Article Nineteen Adoption

These bylaws shall be adopted and take immediate effect if and when two-‐thirds of the members present and voting at the business meeting at which the vote is taken shall vote in favor of same. This vote shall take place not less than thirty days after formal presentation to the church. These bylaws abolish, supersede, and take the place of any constitution, rules, bylaws, and amendments thereto that preceded them. A current copy of these bylaws shall at all times be kept by the Clerk and another copy shall be kept in the church’s principal office. All amendments and revisions shall, after passage, be prepared by the Clerk and incorporated into the bylaws. Adopted and effective as of ________________________, 2012. ______________________________________ Clerk

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