TRIBE - Constitution
and Bylaws, Adopted June 23, 2013
1.
Definition of terms
Site –
The local church consisting of followers of Jesus, with their families, associated
together for the purpose of worship and service in the community, agreeable to
the Scriptures, and living in submission to each other.
Multi
site – A site that has multiple locations for worship and ministry. Even
though it encompasses multiple sites it is treated as one site because they are
all linked financially and have one Council over all of the sites.
Council
– Elected leaders that are responsible for the care and direction of the
site. They must be a leader and a member.
Leaders
– People appointed by a site pastor to lead ministries at that site. They do
not have to be members.
Members
– Those that attend a site and have been recognized as members for the purpose
of accountability and being able to vote on various issues that affect a site.
Pastors
– Ordained ministers within Tribe as a whole. They serve at a site or in
a mission capacity. If they serve at a site then they must also be a
leader at that site and by the nature of their office that and their spouse are
considered members. If they are elected to serve on a council then
they will serve as any other leader within the site.
Site
Pastors – Ordained ministers that are responsible for health of a site.
By the nature of their office they and their spouse are members and are a part
of the leadership and council. They moderate all membership, leadership
and council meetings.
Summits
– Meetings that are comprised of all the pastors of all the sites and lay representatives
that serve on the councils of various sites. The purpose is to grow,
maintain, serve and have accountability for Tribe as a whole.
Trybe
Incorporated – This is the non-profit that Tribe supports to better enable us
to serve in the community
2.
Summits
General
Nature of a Tribe Summit
Tribe
will hold a yearly Summit meeting of all Tribe pastors. Each site council
may also elect a member of the council to attend that is not a pastor.
All
pastors ordained in Tribe are expected to attend. The expenses of those
attending shall be defrayed by the sites, which they respectively represent
Spouses
are always invited as guests. The moderator of a summit may also invite
other guests. When guests have been invited specifically to be a part of the
ordination process at a Summit, they may participate in the examination.
Guest are never allowed to vote, and may be dismissed at the discretion of the
moderator to give privacy for various issuing that might be discussed.
A quorum
of at least half of the site pastors, being met at the time and place
appointed, are needed to conduct business
Special
Summits may also be called with the agreement of four site pastors, or two if
there is less that four site pastors in Tribe. Notice of the special meeting
shall be sent not less than ten days in advance to each site pastor and to the
council of every site. In the notice, the purpose of the meeting shall be
stated, and no business other than that named in the notice is to be
transacted.
Moderators
and Clerks
During
the Summit one of the site pastors will be chosen to serve as a moderator and
another as clerk.
The
moderator and clerk will organize the next Summit meeting, keep track of and
inform members of any Summit business, enact any actions decided upon at the
Summit meeting.
The
moderator has all authority necessary for the preservation of order and for the
proper and expeditious conduct of all business at the Summit, and for convening
and adjourning the Summit according to its own ruling.
In any
emergency, or special circumstances, they may by circular letter or email
change the time or place, or both, of meeting to which the Summit stands
adjourned, giving reasonable notice thereof.
The
clerk is to keep records of each Summit. It is the duty of the clerk, in
addition to recording the transactions, to preserve the records carefully, and
to grant extracts from them whenever properly required. Such extracts
under the hand of the clerk shall be given to the council or site pastor of all
sites.
Each
clerk shall keep a full and accurate record of its proceedings, and shall send
it up to each site council for review. The report will contain all the
important changes, which may have taken place, such as ordinations, forming of
new sites and any other changes to the status of a site.
Joining
and Leaving Tribe
Summits
will authorize new sites, other churches wishing to join Tribe, and any other
partnerships that Tribe as a whole might have with other churches or
organizations. Before receiving any church into Tribe, the Summit shall
designate a commission to meet with the church's leadership to make certain that
the leaders understand and can sincerely adopt the doctrines and polity of
Tribe as contained in its Constitution.
When a
Summit determines to dissolve Tribe’s relationship with a site, the Summit
shall communicate in writing to the site council the reasons for the
dissolution and what they would need to do to resolve the matter. The Summit
shall give them no less than sixty (60) days to resolve the matter before
dissolving the relationship.
In the
case of a site that is dissolving the Summit will:
Allow
the members to transfer their membership to another site, with the consent of
the individuals and the council of the receiving site; or
Grant a
letter of dismissal to an individual so requesting, testifying of them being in
good standing at their site.
That the
individual was a member in good standing of Tribe at the date of
dissolution. Until such time as the person is received by a site the
Summit shall continue to provide pastoral oversight; or
Place
individuals under the oversight of a commission of the Summit acting as a
council for up to one year, renewable, until such time as either a new site can
be formed or such persons are dismissed to membership in another site.
The
Summit has the power:
To
receive and issue appeals, complaints, and references brought before it in an
orderly manner. In cases in which a site council cannot exercise its
authority, it shall have power to assume original jurisdiction.
To
monitor and aid sites in apprenticeships; to examine and ordain pastors; to
receive, dismiss, install, remove and judge site pastors, pastors and members
of councils;
To
review the records of councils, redress whatever they may have done contrary to
order and take effectual care that they observe the Constitution of
Tribe;
To
disassociate a site from Tribe;
To
establish the site pastor relation and to dissolve it at the request of one or
both of the parties, or where the interest of religion imperatively demands it;
To set
apart new site pastors to plant and to do their proper work; to require all
pastors to devote themselves diligently to their sacred calling and to censure
the delinquent;
To see
that the lawful injunctions of the previous summits are obeyed;
To condemn
erroneous opinions which injure the purity or peace of the Tribe; to visit
sites for the purpose of inquiring into and redressing the evils that may have
arisen in them; to unite or divide Tribe, at the request of the members
thereof; to form and receive new sites; to take special oversight of sites
without a site pastor; to dissolve sites; to dismiss sites with their
consent;
To
devise measures for the enlargement of Tribe; in general, to order whatever
pertains to the spiritual welfare of the sites under its care;
And,
finally, to propose such measures as may be of common advantage to Tribe at
large.
3.
Council
The
council consists of the site pastor(s) and leaders elected by the congregation
to serve on the council. Each council must have two members that
are not site pastors.
If there
are five or more council members, the site pastor(s) and two other members
shall constitute a quorum. If there are fewer than five members, the site
pastor(s) and one other member shall constitute a quorum.
A site
pastor should moderate each council meeting. If a site has more than one
site pastor then the site pastors will determine which one will moderate by a
majority decision. In cases where a majority cannot be determined amongst the
site pastors, the council will elect one of the site pastors as the
moderator. In cases where there is no site pastor, the council will elect
a moderator from amongst themselves.
Leaders
that serve on the council will ordinarily serve for three-year terms. In situations
deemed necessary by the council, leaders may be elected to shorter terms.
They may serve for two consecutive terms before they must take one year
off. Pastors other than the site pastors may be elected by the
congregation to serve on the council, in such cases that will serve as any
other leader.
Site
pastors are not subject to terms and term limits. Site pastors are
automatically on the council when the members vote them into office.
Other pastors must be voted in separately.
When a
site has no site pastor and there are five or more members, three shall
constitute a quorum; if there are less than five members, two shall constitute
a quorum; if there is only one, they do not constitute a council, but they
should take spiritual oversight of the site, should present it to the moderator
of the Summit, should grant letters of dismissal, and should report to the
Summit any matter needing the action of the Summit.
Any
council, by a majority vote of its members, may fix its own quorum, provided
that it is not smaller than the quorum stated in these paragraphs.
Should
prudential reasons at any time make it advisable, the site pastor(s) with the
concurrence of the council may have another council member or invite another
site pastor of Tribe to perform this service.
The
council shall hold stated meetings at least quarterly. Moreover, a site
pastor has power to convene the council when they may judge it requisite; and
they shall always convene it when requested to do so by any two council
members. When there is no site pastor, it may be convened by two members of
council. The council shall also convene when directed so to do by a
Summit meeting.
Every
council shall keep an accurate record of its proceedings, which record shall be
submitted at least once in every year to the inspection of the Summit.
Every
council shall keep an accurate record of baptisms and dedications, membership,
and of the deaths and dismissing of members.
Meetings
of the council shall be opened and closed with prayer.
The
council is charged with maintaining the spiritual government of the site, for
which purpose it has power:
To
inquire into the knowledge, principles and Christian conduct of the members
under its care; to censure those found delinquent; to receive members into the communion
of the Church; to remove them for just cause; to grant letters of dismissal to
other churches, which when given to parents, shall always include the names of
their non-communing, baptized or dedicated children;
To
approve of leaders, and to require these leaders to devote themselves to their
work; to examine the records of the proceedings leadership meetings; to approve
and adopt the budget;
To
approve actions of special importance affecting church property;
To call
or all site meetings when necessary; to establish and control of, small groups,
ministries and missions of the site.
To
exercise, authority over the time and place of the preaching of the Word and
the administration of the Sacraments, over all other religious services, over
the music in the services, and over the uses to which the church building and
associated properties may be put; to take the oversight of the singing in the
public worship of God; to ensure that the Word of God is preached only by such
men as are sufficiently qualified; to assemble the people for worship when
there is no site pastor; to determine the best measures for promoting the
spiritual interests of the site and congregation;
To
observe and carry out the lawful injunctions of Summit meetings; and to appoint
representatives to the Summit, who shall, on their return, make report of their
diligence.
4. Leaders
Leaders
consist of anyone officially leading a ministry or function at a Tribe
site. They do not necessarily have to be members but that must be
appointed by a site pastor and serve at the will of the site pastor(s) and the
council.
A site
pastor will moderate all leadership meetings, or they may appoint another
leader to moderate in their place. The site pastor(s) will also elect a
clerk to keep appropriate records of the meeting. Any leader may request
a copy of the notes.
A site
pastor will call a leadership meeting at least once a quarter. Other
leadership meetings may be called whenever requested by the site pastor or the
council.
Leaders
shall submit a budget for the ministry they lead to the council to be approved
by the members at a yearly meeting to approve the budget.
All
meetings should be opened and closed with prayer.
Duties
It is
the duty of a leader to minister to those who are in need, to the sick, to the
friendless, and to any who may be in distress. It is their duty also to
develop the grace of liberality in the members of the site, to devise effective
methods of collecting the gifts of the people, and to distribute these gifts
among the objects to which they are contributed.
Leaders
shall have the care of the property of the site, both real and personal, and
shall keep in proper repair of all buildings belonging to the site. In
matters of special importance affecting the property of the site, they cannot
take final action without the approval of the council.
In the
discharge of their duties leaders are under the supervision of the site-pastor
and the authority of the council. In a site in which it is impossible for
any reason to secure leaders, the duties of the office shall devolve upon the
council.
Qualities
They
should be those who are responsible and prudent, an example to the flock, and
who govern well in their families, in the community and in the Kingdom of
Christ, and should have a good report of them that are outside the Church.
They
should possess a willingness to learn, be trained, and be blameless in life,
sound in the faith and apt to teach. They should exhibit a sobriety and
holiness of life becoming of the Gospel.
They
should set a worthy example to the flock entrusted to their care by their zeal to
evangelize the unconverted and make disciples. All those duties that
private Christians are bound to discharge by the law of love are especially
incumbent upon them by divine vocation, and are to be discharged as official
duties. They should pray with and for the people, being careful and
diligent in seeking the fruit of the preached Word among the flock.
It
belongs to these offices, both severally and jointly, to watch diligently over
the flock committed to their charge, that no corruption of doctrine or morals
enter therein. They should visit the people at their homes, especially the
sick. They should instruct the ignorant, comfort the mourner, nourish and
guard the children of the Church.
Leaders
should cultivate their ability teach the Bible and should improve every
opportunity of doing so.
5. Pastors
Before a
person can be ordained as a pastor at Tribe, they must receive a call to a definite
work. Ordinarily the call must come from a Tribe site. If the call comes
from another source, the Summit shall always make a record of the reasons why
it considers the work to be a valid Christian ministry. A proper call
must be written and in the hands of the Summit clerk prior to being acted upon
by the Summit. It must include financial arrangements (such as salary,
vacation, insurance, retirement, etc.) between those calling and the one
called, and assurance that the definite work will afford the liberty to
proclaim and practice fully and freely the whole counsel of God, as contained
in the Scriptures. Every site should be under the pastoral oversight of a site
pastor and when a site has no site pastor the Summit should supple a temporary
site pastor until a regular one can be placed by the a Tribe Summit with the
approval of the site’s council and members.
Site
pastors called by a Tribe site and must be approved by their council and by
membership vote. The pastor must then be approved at a Tribe summit
Sites
may pursue other pastoral staff on their own, at their own discretion and process,
but if they are to be ordained within Tribe then they must follow the
requirements of ordination as prescribed at a Tribe Summit.
A
mission site pastor has the same description as every other site pastor.
It is distinguished from a regular site pastor in that they do not govern an
actual Tribe site, but work in the capacity of missionary, evangelist or
consultant. Mission site pastors have the right of judicial process at a
Tribe Summit. It is the intention of Tribe that mission site pastors enjoy the
same status as other site pastors within Tribe.
6. Examination
for Ordination
Examination
for ordination is granted to those that have completed a Tribe Apprenticeship
or for those that have approved as eligible to transfer of their ordination at
a Tribe Summit.
The
examination at a summit meeting shall be as follows:
Give a
statement of their Christian experience and inward call to preach the Gospel in
written form and/or orally before the Summit (at the discretion of the Summit):
Be
tested with a written and/or oral examination by the Summit (at the discretion
of the Summit) for their:
Acquaintance
with experiential religion, especially their personal character and family
management (based on the qualifications set out in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, and Titus
1:6-9),
Demonstrates
completion of a designated training in Greek and Hebrew.
Bible
content, theology, the Sacraments, and Church history
The
practices and constitution of Tribe
The must
have completed an approved course of training
They
shall prepare a thesis on some theological topic assigned by the Summit.
The
candidate shall prepare an exegesis on an assigned portion of Scripture,
requiring the use of the original language or languages.
They
shall further be required to preach a sermon before the Summit
No Summit
shall omit any of these parts of trial for ordination except in extraordinary
cases, and then only with three-fourths (3/4) approval of the Summit
Whenever
a Summit shall omit any of these parts, it shall always make a record of the
reasons for such omissions and of the trial parts omitted. While our
Constitution does not require the candidates to hold every statement and/or
proposition of doctrine in agreement with others in the Summit, it is the right
and responsibility of the Summit to determine if the candidate is out of accord
with any of the fundamentals of Tribe these doctrinal standards and, as a
consequence, may not be able to in good faith sincerely work within Tribe.
If the
Summit is satisfied with the examination of the applicant, it shall then
proceed to ordain them in the following manner: The moderator shall propose to
them the following questions, namely:
Do you
believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as originally given, to
be the inerrant Word of God, the only infallible rule of faith and practice?
Do you
sincerely receive and adopt the doctrine and practices of Tribe?
Do you
promise to strive for the purity, peace, unity and edification of the Church?
Do you
promise to submit yourself, in the Lord, and to Tribe as the church you wish to
serve?
The
applicant having answered these questions in the affirmative, the moderator
shall offer a prayer suitable for the occasion,
A
commission will then be elected by the Summit to go to the site and conduct an ordination
ceremony.
7. Tribe
Apprenticeship
Tribe
Summits shall determine general requirements for pastoral apprenticeship and
areas of competency require for ordination. In no case may an apprentice, site
pastor, or council omit from the course of study any of the subjects prescribed
as tests for ordination without obtaining the consent of Tribe Summit, and
where such consent is given the Summit shall record the fact and the reasons
therefore.
Those
received into apprenticeship should be sponsored by a Tribe site or partnering
site. They should believe that they are called to preach the Gospel, be
willing submit to the care and guidance of the site pastor in their course of
study and of practical training to prepare for the pastorate.
It shall
be the duty of the site pastor and their council to mentor them and show a kindly
and sympathetic interest in them, and to give counsel and guidance in regard to
studies, practical training, and the institutions of learning they should
attend.
Apprentices
should attend all Tribe Summits in so much as it is possible. Within the
first year of their apprenticeship shall be examined by the Summit on experiential
religion and on their motives for seeking the ministry. If the testimonials and
the examination prove satisfactory, the other site pastors and council members
will work to find a viable call for the apprentice in a church or non-profit.
The Summit
shall require apprentice and site pastors to give a report at least once a year
regarding their progress.
A
transfer of the apprenticeship to another site may be requested by the
apprentice, the sponsoring site pastor or council, or by a Tribe Summit.
If this is the case all parties must either agree or the matter must be
arbitrated at a Tribe Summit
An
apprentice shall also, at their request, be allowed to withdraw from the
ordination and or training process.
Sponsoring
site pastors and councils, and/or summits may also, for sufficient reasons, end
the apprenticeship; but in such a case it shall report its actions and the
reasons therefor to the appropriate parties involved, including the apprentice,
and sponsoring site pastor and council, as well as the reason being examined at
a Tribe Summit.
8. Tribe
Sites
All
sites shall be entitled to hold, own and enjoy their own local properties,
without any right of reversion whatsoever to Tribe; Tribe only possess the name
and its incorporation.
The
provisions of constitution are to be construed as a solemn covenant whereby
Tribe as a whole promises never to attempt to secure possession of the property
of any site against its will, whether or not such site remains within or
chooses to withdraw from this body. All site pastors, pastors, council,
leaders and members of Tribe are hereby prohibited from making any such
attempt.
While a
site consists of all the members of a particular site, and in matters
ecclesiastical the actions of such local site shall be in conformity with the
provisions of this Constitution, nevertheless, in matters pertaining to the
right to affiliate with or become a member of Tribe, a Tribe Summit has the
right to withdraw from o to sever any affiliation of connection with any
site, action may also be taken by a site; and as long as such action is taken
in compliance with the prescribed process outlined in the Constitution
A 2/3
vote of all those present at a Tribe Summit is required to dissociate with a site.
The site must also be allowed opportunity to appeal the action or the
opportunity to make changes that would bring them into compliance with Tribe as
a whole.
In
similar fashion a 2/3 vote at a site membership meeting is required for a site
to disassociate with Tribe.
It is
expressly recognized that each site shall be competent to function and to take actions
covering the matters set forth herein as long as such action is in compliance
with the civil laws and with the Tribe constitution. This right shall
never be taken from a site without the express consent of and affirmative
action of such site.
Sites
abide and remain in association with Tribe only so long as they themselves so
desire. The relationship is voluntary, based upon mutual love and
confidence, and is in no sense to be maintained by the exercise of any force or
coercion whatsoever. A particular site may withdraw from Tribe at any
time for reasons which seem to it sufficient.
Sites
that wish to leave Tribe or that have been asked to leave Tribe by a Tribe
Summit may not take the name Tribe with them; the site pastor must either leave
the site or leave their ordination with Tribe; and the site may not use the
Tribe incorporation.
If the
site is dissolved at a Tribe Summit at the request of a site and no disposition
has been made of its property by those who hold the title to the property
within six months after such dissolution, then those who held the title to the
property at the time of such dissolution shall deliver, convey, and transfer to
the nearest Tribe site all property of the dissolved site; and the receipt and
acquaintance of the nearest Tribe site, or its proper representatives, shall be
a full and complete discharge of all liabilities of such persons holding the
property of the dissolved site. The nearest sites receiving such property shall
apply the same or the proceeds thereof at its discretion.
9. The
Organization of a Site
Only the
authority of a Tribe Summit can organize a new site.
In the
organization of a site, whatever be the way in which the matter originated, at
least 30 days before an appointed Tribe Summit a petition, subscribed to by
those persons seeking to be organized into a Tribe site, shall be sent to each
site pastor.
If the
request is granted then the summit will appoint a commission entrusted with the
power to organize the site.
The
commission will examine prospective council members of the new site in the following:
Familiarization with Tribe values and practices, Christian experience, their
knowledge and acceptance of the constitutional standards of Tribe, and their
willingness to assume the responsibility of the council according to the
qualifications set forth in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
10.
Election of Council
Every
site shall elect leaders to the council in the following manner: At such
times as determined by the council, members may submit names of leaders to the
council, keeping in mind that each prospective officer should be a leader and a
member who meets the qualifications set forth in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
After
the close of the nomination period of nominees for the council, each nominee
shall then be examined by the council in:
Christian
experience, personal character and family management (qualifications set out in
1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9)
Knowledge
of Bible content
Knowledge
of the system of doctrine, government, discipline contained in the Constitution
of Tribe
The
duties of the council to which they have been nominated, and their willingness
to give assent to the questions required for the council.
The
council will then approve the number of candidates needed to fill the positions
and report the nominees to the members along with the number of council spots
available, giving at least thirty (30) days prior notice of the time and place
of a member meeting for elections. If no suitable candidates are found
then nominations may be reopened.
The
candidates with the majority of votes will be placed on the council.
However in every case a majority of all the voters present shall be required to
elect. In the event of a tie the site pastor(s) will decide.
A site
pastor is, by virtue of their office, the moderator of all member
meetings. In the event of multiple site pastors, the site pastors will
decide amongst themselves by majority vote who to elect as moderator. If
there is no site pastor, the council shall appoint one of their number to call
the meeting to order and to preside.
All
members in good and regular standing, but no others, are entitled to vote in
the election of council at the site to which they respectively belong.
The
voters being convened, the moderator shall explain the purpose of the meeting
and then proceed by private ballot without nomination.
If it
appears that a large minority of the voters are averse to a candidate, and
cannot be induced to concur in the choice, the moderator shall endeavor to
dissuade the majority from prosecuting it further; but if the electors are
nearly or quite unanimous, or if the majority insist upon their right to choose
their council member, the election shall stand.
11. Site
Membership
All
persons attending the site are entitled to the watchful care, instruction, and
government of the church, whether or not they have made a profession of faith
in Christ.
Anyone
who has made a profession of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, having
stated their desire to become a member of a Tribe site, and that site having
accepted them into their body, may be a member of Tribe.
All
pastors are automatically members of the site to which they are called.
12. Membership
Meetings
Membership
meeting consists of all the members of a particular Tribe site, and only members
are entitled to vote.
Whenever
it may seem for the best interests of a site that a membership meeting should
be held, the council shall call such meeting and give public notice of at least
one week. No business shall be transacted at such meeting except what is
stated in the notice. The council shall always call a membership meeting
when requested in writing to do so:
by
one-fourth (1/4) of the members of a site of not more than one hundred (100)
such members
by
one-fifth (1/5) of the members of a site of more than one hundred (100) and not
more than three hundred (300) such members,
by
one-sixth (1/6) of the members of a site of more than three hundred (300) and
not more than five hundred (500) such members,
by
one-seventh (1/7) of the members of a site of more than five hundred (500)
members but not more than seven hundred (700) such members,
by one
hundred (100) of the members of a site of more than seven hundred (700) such
members.
Upon
such a proper request, if the council cannot act, fails to act or refuses to act,
to call such a congregational meeting within thirty (30) days from the receipt
of such a request, then any member or members in good standing may file a
complaint that will call a Tribe Summit to moderate by instituting a commission
or electing another site pastor to call a members meeting of that site and be
present to deal with the issue. In such case the commission will elect a
moderator from within the commission or the elected site pastor will serve as
the moderator of the meeting.
The
quorum of the membership meeting shall consist of one fourth (1/4) of the site
members, if the site has not more than one hundred (100) such members, and of
one-sixth (1/6) of the members if a site has more than one hundred (100) such
members.
The site
pastor shall be the moderator of member meetings by virtue of their office, except
in the extreme case outlined above. If it should be impracticable or inexpedient
for them to preside, or if there is no site pastor, the council shall appoint
one of their number to call the meeting
A clerk
shall be elected by the council to serve at that meeting or for a definite period,
whose duty shall be to keep correct minutes of the proceedings and of all
business transacted and to preserve these minutes in a permanent form, after
they have been attested by the moderator and the clerk of the meeting.
They shall also send a copy of these minutes to the council of the site.
13. The
Dissolution of the Pastor Relation
All
Tribe site pastors must tender their resignation of their pastoral charge at a
Tribe Summit, the Tribe Summit will then give reason to the site pastor and to their
council why they should or should not accept the resignation.
If any
site council desires to be relieved of its site pastor, a similar procedure shall
be observed.
The members
by a secret ballot with four-fifths (4/5) majority vote may also petition a Tribe
Summit to dissolve the relationship.
But
whether the site pastor, the council or the members initiate proceedings for a dissolution
of the relation, the site pastor must not physically leave the field until the
Summit or its commission empowered to handle uncontested requests for
dissolution has dissolved the relation.
A Tribe
Summit may appoint a temporary site pastor when the pastoral relation of the site
pastor is dissolved.
The
dissolution of all other pastoral relations at sites will be handled at the
discretion of the site-pastor and/or council. However if a pastor was received into the site
by a vote of the members, then a vote is required to remove them if they do not
wish to leave. Disputes shall be moderated at a Tribe Summit.
All
other pastoral relations and calls are at the will of the council
14. Removal
of a council member
A
council member may have reasons, which they deems valid for being released from
the active duties of the council. In
such a case the council, after conference with them and careful consideration
of the matter, may, if it thinks proper, accept their resignation and dissolve
their relationship with the council.
A
council member may also become unacceptable to the site pastor, the council, or
to the majority of the site, which the council member serves. In such a case
the site may take the initiative by a majority vote at a member meeting remove
the council member. In such a case the
proceeding must be examined at the next Tribe Summit.
When a
council member has been released and is again elected to a council in the same
or another site, the election must be examined and approved at a Tribe Summit.
When a
council member cannot or does not for a period of one year perform the duties
of their office, their position shall be dissolved by the council and the action
reported to the members.
15. Discipline
All
persons, being members of Tribe are subject to its discipline and entitled to
the benefits thereof.
Proper disciplinary
principles are set forth in the Scriptures and must be followed.
Instruction
in the Word;
Members’
responsibility to admonish one another (Matthew 18:15, Galatians 6:1);
If the
admonition is rejected, then the calling of one or more witnesses (Matthew
18:16);
If
rejection persists, then Tribe must act through site councils and summits unto
admonition, suspension or revoking of membership, leadership or council, or
pastorates, and excommunication.
Nothing,
therefore, ought to be considered by any council or summit as an offense, or
admitted as a matter of accusation, which cannot be proved to be such from
Scripture or Constitution.
Original
jurisdiction (the right first or initially to hear and determine) in relation
to members, leaders and council members shall be in the council of the site of
the member or leader. In the case of a site or a site pastor original
jurisdiction is at a Tribe Summit.
16. Amending
the Constitution of Tribe
The Constitution
of Tribe, which is subject to and subordinate to the Scriptures of the Old and
New Testaments, the inerrant Word of God, consists of its doctrinal standards
set forth in the Constitution.
Amendments
to the Constitution of Tribe as well as any organic unions and/or consolidation
of Tribe with any other ecclesiastical body can be effected only in the
following manner:
The
approval of the proposed amendment or proposed union by three-fourths (3/4) of
those present and voting at a Tribe Summit.
The
advice and consent of three-fourths (3/4) of the Tribe sites.
