Church Constitution and Bylaws
Podcast Transcript: 2/5/24
Since we’re introducing new church bylaws and a new church covenant this coming Sunday, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about what these things are. What are bylaws? What are they for? And what is a church covenant? Why is this important? What do these have to do with the laws of our country and church membership, or voting as part of the organization of the church? We’ll try to address all these things today in episode 10. Let’s get started.
In a short, simple statement, what are bylaws? Bylaws are a set of rules adopted by an organization that outline its structure, operations, and decision-making processes. They include details like who the officers of the organization are, procedures for meetings and decision-making, and they might also include a framework for the activities of the organization.
By law, hence the name, a 501c3 (that’s a non-profit) operating in the United States must have bylaws.
Why are they important? Well, they’re important for many reasons, but I want to outline the most important for our understanding.
First, bylaws can give clarity and reduce confusion in the organization of the church. Because we’re able to write down, in easy-to-understand language, our rules and procedures, and to define terms, we decrease the likelihood that there will be confusion, especially when it comes to how decisions are made.
Second, bylaws are able to provide order to the church. And this is closely related to giving clarity. The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:40, “But all things should be done decently and in order.” Order is good. Disorder is bad. Disorder is not helpful to anyone. So, it is better that all the members of the body are in agreement and on the same page. The bylaws give us a way to put our rules and procedures in writing so that all things can be done “decently and in order.”
What’s one way that bylaws create order? Well, for example, if one of the ways important decisions are made in the church are by a congregational vote, it might be important to know what we mean by congregation. The bylaws specify who a member of the congregation is and who has the ability to cast a vote when making an important decision. Because we have agreed upon who a member is, and who is allowed to participate in the decision-making process, this provides some order in the organization.
Third, bylaws create a system of accountability, that is, accountability for members and the officers of the organization. For example, the bylaws specify that a board of elders (pastors) will be responsible for leading the church. What recourse does the congregation have if one or more of those elders veer off from the church’s values or mission? Well, the bylaws provide procedures for bringing decisions made by the elders under review and, if need be, for dismissing an elder. Well, what if we have a church member who is discovered living in open and unrepentant sin? Does the church have to maintain the validity of that person’s membership in the church? No, because the bylaws have procedures, according to Scripture’s teaching on church discipline, which provide a way to keep members accountable, and if need be, to dismiss a member. It’s important that we have a system of accountability, but not just that. It’s important that this system is agreed upon and is available in writing. That’s what the bylaws give us.
So, three ways the bylaws are important to the local church: 1. They give clarity and reduce confusion, 2. They provide order, and 3. They give us a system of accountability. There are, of course, many other reasons bylaws are important, but these are probably the most important for us to understand right now. So, that’s the bylaws.
Now, what about a church covenant (Constitution)? A church covenant is usually connected with the church bylaws. As a document it has a different purpose. What is a church covenant? Again, let me just use a short, simple statement. A church covenant is a public proclamation and agreement between members of a congregation that they 1. Have decided to unite as a church, and 2. Have agreed to abide by certain beliefs and commitments as members of that church body. Basically, a church covenant says, I agree to believe or to do x, y, and z as a member of this body. For example, “I promise to maintain a lifestyle that is consistent with Scripture,” or “I promise to give generously and consistently to the support of the church and it’s ministries.” A church covenant gives us a way to say “yes” to being a faithful member of the body of Christ. And it provides a church with a simple outline to sit in front of perspective members, to say, “This is who we are, and this is what would be expected of you if you were to join with us.”
Ok, so hopefully we have a little better understanding of bylaws and the church covenant. But now, let me explain the limitations of these documents. As important as these documents are, they are not supreme. These documents are not the ultimate judge of faith and practice in the local church. The only document that can be held as authoritative for faith and practice in the church is the Bible. In this way, any and all external documents come under the authority of Scripture. If our constitution and bylaws don’t line up with Scripture, we don’t change Scripture, we change the bylaws. This is why we decided to adopt new bylaws in the first place, because we want to be sure that our bylaws are biblically sound and hold Scripture up as the authoritative, primary source.
The constitution and bylaws are important. They’re necessary by law. They do lots of good things for us. They clarify and provide order. But they are not primary and thus they are limited.
