Church Charter

Tucson True Light Church Charter:

I. 

Chapter 1 General Provisions

a. 

Article 1: Name

i.      

This church shall be called Tucson True Light Church.

b.      

Article 2: Rules of Faith

i.      

This church believes that the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, and that the Bible alone is the standard for all faith and action, and that it is the highest standard for all attitudes toward life, ways of thinking, and value judgments of the members. Therefore, all provisions of the charter are subject to the teachings of the Bible, and we agree with the confession of faith contained in the “Baptist Ideal” adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in 1963.

c.      

Article 3: Mission and Purpose

i.      

This church functions as a gospel community that is culturally relevant and transforms the lost of this age into disciples of Jesus Christ, and is dedicated to worship, nurturing,
evangelism, and social service.

d.      

Article 4: Cooperation

i.      

The operating authority of this church belongs to the members who constitute this church, and it is not subject to interference or sanctions from denominations or other churches. However, as a church affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention of North America, our church participates in, cooperates with, and supports the Southern Baptist Convention, the Arizona General Assembly, and the Catalina Regional
Conference.

II.              

Chapter 2 Regular Members

a.      

Article 5: Qualifications

i.      

Regular members of this church are men and women who believe in Jesus Christ as their savior, have completed the new family class conducted by the church, and have been baptized (therefore, infant baptism is not recognized), are 18 years of age or older, and regularly attend church meetings, support the church with prayers and material goods, and actively participate in church ministry according to their respective gifts.

b.      

Article 6: Admission

i.      

Those who wish to become regular members of this church must possess the qualifications for regular
membership in Article 5 of Chapter 2, agree to the creed and policies of this church, pledge to faithfully fulfill the responsibilities and duties of a regular member, and then obtain the approval of a majority of the regular members
present at the general service.

c.      

Article 7: Rights

i.      

Regular members of this church may participate in the Holy Communion according to the teachings of the Bible and have the right to vote in the general meeting.

d.      

Article 8: Expulsion and Methods of Restoration of Regular Member Qualifications

i.      

Section 1: When the person himself/herself requests expulsion in writing.

ii.       

Section 2: In case of transfer to another church and confirmation of membership in that church

iii.       

Section 3: In case of death

iv.       

Section 4: In case of absence from church for more than 6 months without a justifiable reason and neglect of the duties of a regular member

v.       

Section 5: In case of regular member who has caused harm to others through immoral acts or has slandered the holiness of the church and has not repented and is subject to
disciplinary action.

vi.       

Section 6: The disciplinary procedure shall be based on Matthew 18:15-17, but the management committee
shall have the jurisdiction over supervision and decision, and in case of excommunication, expulsion shall be made by a vote of 2/3 of the members present at the general meeting.

vii.       

Section 7: The purpose of disciplinary action is to guide the member who caused the problem to repent
quickly and restore the relationship with God, and to protect the holiness of the church.

viii.       

Section 8: In case of evidence of repentance of the person who has been expelled, the member's status
may be restored by a vote of 2/3 of the members present after review by the management committee as soon as possible and reporting to the general meeting.

III.              

Chapter 3 Office

a.      

Article 9: Senior Pastor

i.      

Section 1: The senior pastor is the spiritual leader of the church and is responsible for presenting the vision and direction of the church and leading the church to function effectively under the sovereignty of Jesus Christ. The senior pastor helps all church members to use their individual gifts to minister and nurtures the church members with the Word of God. The senior pastor may attend all meetings as a leader in worship, word proclamation, education, and ministry.

ii.       

Section 2: The senior pastor must have completed a master’s degree in divinity from a regular seminary and be ordained by the Southern Baptist Convention or its affiliated church.

iii.       

Section 3: In the event of the senior pastor’s absence, a pastor search committee shall be convened to select a qualified pastor. In this matter, the executive committee shall recommend at least five and at most nine candidates to the church and appoint them as members of the search committee after approval by the management committee. The search committee chair shall be a deacon and shall be elected by the search committee. The search committee may recommend only one candidate to the church at a time. The pastor candidate recommended by the invitation committee is confirmed as the senior pastor by a vote of more than three-fourths of the congregation present at the general meeting. The general meeting for the invitation of the pastor must be officially announced for at least two consecutive weeks prior to the convocation.

iv.       

Section 4: The senior pastor must notify the Steering Committee and the Office Committee at least 2 months in advance of his/her resignation. If 80% of the Steering Committee and the Office Committee agree to recommend a recommended pardon, it is confirmed by a vote of 80% of the General Meeting. The General Meeting regarding the
resignation of the pastor must be officially announced for at least two consecutive weeks prior to the convocation.

v.       

Section 5: The senior pastor reviews the performance of all officers’ duties once a year, while the Steering Committee reviews the performance of the senior pastor’s duties once a year.

vi.       

Section 6: The Steering Committee reviews the senior pastor’s compensation and benefits once a year, and the resolution is confirmed by a vote of 80% of the congregation at the General Meeting.

vii.       

Section 7: The retirement age for a senior pastor is 65 years old. However, at the request of the church, he or she may serve until the age of 70.

b.      

Article 10: Qualifications and Duties of Assistant Pastors and Evangelists

i.      

Section 1: The qualifications of an assistant pastor are similar to those of a pastor.

ii.       

Section 2: An assistant
pastor assists a pastor, performs the pastor’s duties in the pastor’s absence, and performs duties assigned by the church.

iii.       

Section 3: An evangelist assists a pastor and assistant pastor, performs the pastor’s duties in the pastor’s absence, and performs duties assigned by the church.

iv.       

Section 4: In regular times, an evangelist contributes to the development of the church through home visitation evangelism and other instructions from the pastor.

c.      

Article 11: Deacons

i.      

Section 1: Deacons are servants of this church who actively assist the pastor, faithfully carry out their assigned responsibilities, and set an example of faith for the congregation, and promote the development of the congregation’s faith and fellowship.

ii.       

Section 2: Deacons are elected from among the congregation members who are male and female, who conform to 1 Timothy 3:8-13, who believe in Jesus as their Savior and have been baptized for at least 5 years, and who are 35 years of age or older.

iii.       

Section 3: Deacons must complete spiritual leadership training provided by this church.

iv.       

Section 4: Deacons are elected through a recommendation by the Executive Committee and a resolution by the Steering Committee, and after receiving the approval of more than 2/3 of the members present at the General Assembly, they can serve as deacons of this church.

v.       

Section 5: The term of office for a deacon is 4 years, and after 4 years, they can serve again after 1 year. However, they may continue to serve with the recommendation of more than 2/3 of the Office Committee and the Steering Committee and the approval of more than 2/3 of the General Assembly.

vi.       

Section 6: An ordained deacon or elder who transferred from a church with the same religious line as this church may serve as a deacon of this church after attending this church for two years, upon recommendation by the Office Committee, deliberation by the Steering Committee, and approval by more than 2/3 of the members present at the
General Assembly.

vii.       

Section 7: A deacon's recommended pardon is confirmed by an 80% vote of the General Assembly when 80% of the Steering Committee and the Steering Committee agree to recommend the recommended pardon. The General Assembly regarding the resignation of a deacon must be officially announced for at least two consecutive weeks prior to the convocation.

viii.       

Section 8: The retirement age of a deacon is 65. However, at the request of the church, they may serve
until the age of 70 and may serve as a pastor or department head even after retirement.

IV.              

Chapter 4 Home Church

a.      

Article 12: Home Church

i.      

Section 1: Definition - Home churches are gatherings held weekly in homes, led by laymen, for the purpose of evangelizing non-believers and serving believers.

ii.       

Section 2: Organization and Positions

1.      

Members of each home church
are called home church members, and each home church appoints a pastor, a prospective pastor, and a teacher to take charge of ministry.

2.      

A pastor is a lay leader in
charge of a home church, and after completing all spiritual leadership courses offered by this church, he or she is recommended and approved by the pastor meeting and approved by the senior pastor.

3.      

In the case where a person has not completed the prescribed course to become a pastor, he or she may be appointed as an acting pastor with the consent of the home church members and the recommendation of the pastor to whom he or she belongs.

4.      

The spiritual leadership course and pastor election are conducted according to the three methods.

V.              

Chapter 5 Church Staff

a.      

Article 13:                                                                         

i.      

Section 1: Employment of Staff

1.      

This church may invite or hire staff according to the needs of the church. When hiring each staff member, the church must have a documented job description. The hiring of staff members other than the pastor shall be deliberated and decided by the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee shall decide on the compensation for staff members.

ii.       

Section 2: Church Staff

1.      

Members shall be church
secretaries, accompanists, administrators, or guardians and childcare workers who maintain church life. When necessary, the choir director shall also be included.

iii.       

Section 3: Retirement Age

1.      

Church staff members shall be 65 years of age.

iv.       

Section 4: Qualifications of Church Staff

1.      

Members of the church shall be regular members of the church in principle. Members who are not regular members may also be eligible due to circumstances, but they must be Christians who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior and have no immoral issues.

VI.              

Chapter 6 Trustees

a.      

Article 14:

i.      

Trustees shall be nominated by the Business Committee and approved by the Executive Committee and shall consist of four members. The elected trustees shall be responsible for the legal management of church property. Trustees shall not have the right to buy, sell, mortgage, lease, or transfer title to church property without the specific approval of the church. Trustees shall not have the right to buy, mortgage, lease, or sign any legal document regarding church property. Trustees shall perform the function of affixing their signatures when it is necessary to buy, mortgage, lease, or sign any legal document regarding church property.

VII.              

Chapter 7 Departments and Committees

a.      

Article 15: Each Department

i.      

Section 1: This church may form departments as needed, and in such cases, job descriptions for each department must be provided. The head of each department shall be a deacon in principle but may be a layperson if necessary. The appointment of a department head shall be approved by a majority vote of the Steering Committee and the office
Committee upon the recommendation of the senior pastor.

ii.       

Section 2: The following temporary committees may be created upon resolution of the Steering Committee
and the Office Committee as needed:

(1) Pastor Recruitment Committee

(2) Charter Revision Committee

(3) Facility Improvement and Expansion Committee

(4) Other necessary committees.

b.      

Article 16: Each Committee

i.      

Section 1: The Steering Committee shall be composed of the senior pastor (if there is an assistant pastor, the assistant pastor shall also attend as a representative of the clergy) and the heads of each department.

ii.       

Section 2: The Steering Committee shall meet once a month in principle but may meet at any time at the request of the senior pastor.

iii.       

Section 3: The Steering Committee shall present the direction and vision of the church and shall look after the spiritual state of the congregation. The Steering Committee shall decide on general matters related to the ministry and shall supervise the budget, settlement of accounts, and execution of the budget.

iv.       

Section 4: The term of office of the Steering Committee members, excluding the senior pastor, shall be one year, but they may be reappointed with the approval of 2/3 or more of the Steering Committee and the Office Committee, and with the approval of more than half of the members present at the General Assembly.

v.       

Section 5: The Office Committee shall be composed of the heads and class leaders of each department. The Office Committee shall plan and execute the administration of each church department under the guidance of the Office Committee so that it runs smoothly and shall strive for mutual cooperation between each department.

vi.       

Section 6: Each executive committee member shall prepare and submit to the Steering Committee a business report once a year, a business plan for the new year, a budget, etc., and shall be responsible for submitting a written activity report every month.

vii.       

Section 7: The Steering Committee shall convene once a month in principle, but the pastor may convene the committee at any time, as necessary.

viii.       

Section 8: All executive committee members (heads and class leaders) shall be full members of this church who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior, and their appointment shall be approved by a 2/3 or more vote of the Steering Committee upon recommendation by the Steering Committee and shall be passed by a majority vote of the General
Assembly.

ix.       

Section 9: The term of office of an executive committee member shall be one year, but reappointment is possible with the approval of a majority of those present at the General Assembly.

VIII.              

Chapter 8 Meetings

a.      

Article 17: General Assembly of Believers

i.      

Section 1: The election, resolution, voting, or approval at the General Assembly of Believers shall be passed by a majority vote of at least 2/3 of the members present, unless the method is already specified in other articles of the Constitution. The chairperson of all meetings shall be the senior pastor, and in the event of an absence, the Steering Committee shall elect one person as the chairperson.

ii.       

Section 2: The General Assembly shall be the highest decision-making body of the church and shall deliberate and decide on important agenda items of the church, such as the appointment and dismissal of pastors and deacons, amendments to the charter, financial statements, budget review, purchase, construction, relocation of church buildings, and excommunication. However, considering the current state of the church, the Steering Committee may delegate its duties to the Steering Committee and the Steering Committee.

iii.       

Section 3: The members of the General Assembly shall be more than half of the regular members aged eighteen or older.

iv.       

Section 4: The General Assembly shall be convened at least once a year in principle but may be convened at the request of the pastor or 1/3 of the members when necessary. It must be announced in the church at least one week prior to the meeting.

IX.              

Chapter 9 Church Finance

a.      

Article 18: Church Finance and Offerings

i.      

Section 1: The finances of the church are provided by the voluntary offerings of the members, and in accordance with the teachings of 1 Corinthians 16:2, 2 Corinthians 8:1-15, 9:1-15, and Malachi 3:10, all members of the church.

1.      

give materially to support the church,

2.      

regularly give on the first day of every week (Sunday), and

3.      

give as best they can with the help of the Lord’s grace.

ii.       

Section 2: The budget is prepared by the Finance Department, approved by the Office Committee and the Management Committee, and deliberated and approved by the General Assembly. Expenditures are made according to the budget, according to the bylaws, and are made through the confirmation signature of each department head after based on the statement of expenditures of this church.

iii.       

Section 3: The Office Committee elects two auditors each year. The auditors are responsible for auditing the accounting status of the church at least twice a year and reporting the results in writing to the General Assembly.

X.              

Chapter 10 Supplementary Provisions

a.      

Article 1:

i.      

Section 1: Matters not recorded in this Charter shall be submitted to the General Assembly for decision by a majority vote of the Steering Committee and the Executive Committee based on the teachings of the Bible.

ii.       

Section 2: This Charter may be amended by a proposal by at least 1/3 of the members present or by a proposal by the Steering Committee and then approved by a 2/3 vote of the General Assembly.

iii.       

Section 3: This Charter shall take effect immediately upon approval by the General Assembly.

XI.              

Chapter 11 Bylaws

a.      

Article 1:

i.      

Section 1: The fiscal year of this church shall be from January 1 to December 31.

ii.       

Section 2: The opening of the offering envelopes shall be done in the presence of at least two designated finance committee members, and the accuracy of the offering amount shall be
ensured.

iii.       

Section 3: As a rule, the number of individual offerings shall not be publicly announced.

iv.       

Section 4: At the end of each year, an auditor appointed by the Executive Committee shall review the finance department ledger, and the results shall be reported to the operating and executive committees and the general assembly.

v.       

Section 5: Amendments to the Bylaws shall be in accordance with Articles 1 and 2 of the Supplementary
Provisions.

vi.       

Section 6: The records of the enactment and amendment of the Charter are as follows:

1.      Enacted February 4, 1996

2.   Amended June 2007