Lighthouse Baptist Church
and Christian Academy

1. The pastor shall preach the Gospel regularly and shall be at liberty to preach the whole counsel of the Word of God as the Lord leads him. He shall administer the ordinances of the church, act as moderator at all church meetings for the transaction of church matters, supervise the teaching ministries of the church, and tenderly watch over the spiritual interests of the membership.

2. The church shall make nominations for officers in June prior to the September church administration meeting. The pastor and Board of Deacons shall interview all qualified candidates. The pastor shall present the candidates of the various Boards at the annual church administration meeting. He shall serve as the president of the corporation. He shall publicly inform all newly elected officers of the particular function and the responsibilities of their respective offices. The pastor(s) shall interview qualified candidates and appoint leadership positions except officers. He shall extend the right hand of fellowship to all new members on behalf of the church and perform such other duties as generally appertain to such a position. The pastor shall be free to choose the means and methods by which he exercises the ministry that God has given him.

3. All appointments for public worship and Bible study and the arrangements thereof including time and place and the use of the property belonging to the church for purposes other than the stated appointments shall be under the control of the pastor.

1. The Board of Deacons shall assist the pastor, in such manner as he shall request, in promoting the spiritual welfare of the church, in conducting the religious services, and in performing all other work of the church. They shall make provision for the observance of the ordinances of the church. They shall, if requested by the pastor, consider applications for church membership. They shall, in cooperation with the pastor, disburse the benevolence fund. They shall assist the pastor in visitation and all other evangelistic efforts of the church. They shall provide the pulpit supply and act as leaders for the church meetings if the office of pastor is vacant. The Board of Deacons shall assist the pastor in caring for the administrative needs of the church's various ministries as requested by the pastor.

2. Immediately following the annual church administration meeting, the Board of Deacons shall assemble and elect, from their own number, a chairman who shall be vice president of the corporation, a vice chairman, and a secretary.

1. The Board of Finance shall consider all plans and facilities needed to accommodate the actual and anticipated growth of the church and shall make recommendations to the church of programs to satisfy those needs.

2. They shall be responsible for all fund raising activities of the church and will monitor those activities to assure that they are meeting the needs for which they were designed.

3. They will provide for the care and upkeep of the property, equipment, grounds, etc. of the church.

4. They will prepare the annual budget and submit to the pastor and the church membership for approval and adoption. The budget will be submitted at the September business meeting for that succeeding calendar year. The proposed budget must be displayed or otherwise made available prior to annual church administration meeting in September.

5. They will prepare the annual budget and submit to the pastor and the church membership for approval and adoption. The budget will be submitted at the September business meeting for that succeeding calendar year. The proposed budget must be displayed or otherwise made available prior to annual church administration meeting in September.

   The budget shall include estimates as to the anticipated liabilities, costs, and expenses of conducting the affairs of the church for that year as well as an estimate of the total amount of the anticipated gifts and offerings for the year.

   Expenditures or commitments of the church funds outside the limits of the budget must have the approval of the pastor and the members of the Board of Finance. If Pastorate is vacant. Chairman of the Board of Finance must approve and the members of the Board of Deacons.

6. The Board of Finance shall not have the power to borrow money or to sell or encumber any real estate belonging to the church unless such action is authorized by the church in accordance with these bylaws.

7. This board shall designate which bank will be used to deposit the funds of the church.

8. This board must approve the Church Accountant's monthly, quarterly and annual financial reports before their submission to the church.

9. They shall review and update Employee Manual yearly as needed in accordance with the Bylaws and Constitution. See the Employee Manual for current policies and procedures.

10. A yearly special procedures engagement (audit) will be performed by an outside firm finances permitting. Otherwise, a group of people selected by the Board of Finance will perform the special procedures engagement (audit).

The church clerk shall:

1. Certify and keep at the office of the Church, the original bylaws or a copy, including all amendments or alterations to the bylaws.

2. Keep at the place where the bylaws or a copy are kept a record of the proceedings of meetings of the Board of Deacons, with the time and place of holding, the notice of meeting given, the names of those present at the meetings.

3. Sign, certify, or attest documents as may be required by law.

4. See that all notices are duly given in accordance with the provisions of these bylaws. In case of the absence or disability of the Secretary, or his or her refusal or neglect to act, notice may be given and served by the Pastor, or by the Chairman of the Board of Deacons.

5. Be custodian of the record of the church, including the membership roll, baptisms, and certificates or ordination, licenses and commissions.

6. See that the reports, statements, certificates, and all other documents and records required by law are properly kept and filed.

7. Exhibit at all reasonable times to proper persons on terms provided by law the bylaws and minutes of proceedings of the Board of Deacons or the minutes of the meetings of the church members.

8. Keep an account of any special events in the life of the church, which are of historical interest and give a report at the annual church administration meeting of the status of the church membership roll in the past year.

9. Keep all records at the office of the Church and deliver them to any successor upon leaving office.

10. Serve as the secretary of the corporation.

The Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer shall:

1. Have charge and custody of, and be accountable and responsible for, all funds of the Lighthouse Baptist Church, and deposit all funds in the name of the Church in banks, trust companies, or other depositories as shall be selected by the Board of Finance.

2. Serve as treasurer of the corporation.

3. Keep an accurate record of every member's giving. Statements of their annual giving will be sent to every member no later than January 31 of the next year. The records of giving of any one member will not be revealed to any other member. The records of giving may be opened by the Pastor and at least one Deacon at the request of the Pastor and/or the Deacon Board if there is substantial reason for the request or if there is reason to believe that the records may not be accurate (such as complaints from the church members as to the accuracy of their annual giving statements).

4. Be responsible for posting to individual accounts, counting offerings, making deposits promptly, providing offering envelopes to all members, and preparing special reports and statements as required or requested.

5. The procedure for the counting of the offerings will be as follows:

   1. The Head Usher or acting head usher and an assistant, will count the offering (no offering envelope will be opened by the Head Usher) immediately after it has been taken and will log the total amount for his records.

   2. The Head Usher will give a copy of the log to the Treasurer, the Chairman of the Board of Finance and the Pastor.

   3. The Treasurer will count the offering, log into the records of giving, make the deposit and give the deposit slip to the Church Accountant.

6. Will be a voting member(s) of the Board of Finance.

7. Oversee that Church Accountant duties are being completed and done in a timely manner.

8. Oversee the yearly special procedure engagement (audit) by outside firm finances permitting. Otherwise, a group of people selected by the Board of Finance will perform the special procedures engagement (audit).

The minister of Sunday school shall supervise the Sunday school. In consultation with the pastor he shall recommend the appointment of the teachers of the Sunday school. He shall preside at the teacher's meetings, and report on the condition of the Sunday school at the annual church administration meeting.

The minister of hospitality, in cooperation with the pastor, shall appoint a sufficient number of assistants to care for the work of ushering and extending the official hospitality of the church to its members and visitors.

Under the direction and guidance of the pastor, the associate pastors of the church shall assist the pastor in carrying out the ministries of the church.

1. All officers shall prepare a written report of their work for the annual church administration meeting and shall surrender any records in their possession to the church clerk at the close of their term of office to be filed as a permanent record of the work of the church. All records are the property of the church and must be kept in the church office.

2. Any officer who neglects his duties as outlined in the Bylaws for a period of three months may be removed from his office at the discretion of the pastor and another may be appointed by the pastor and voted on by the church membership to serve the unexpired term. In the vacancy of Pastorate, the Board of Deacons will oversee those duties.

A public installation service in which all newly elected officers of the church are to be dedicated to their respective offices and the ordination of newly-elected deacons shall be held at a public church service following their election at the annual church administration meeting.