Join in the future of governance and leadership of Community Church!
The Elders and Executive Leadership of Community Church have been working over the last year to propose an update to the church bylaws. This document, which governs the church, was written in the 1980s when the church was first formed yet we are still operating under them today. The proposed changes to the bylaws reflect the growth and expansion of ministry at Community Church as well as establishes a groundwork for the future.
Changing the bylaws requires a vote of the members of the congregation. To ensure that we are providing as much information about proposed changes as possible, we will be offering members at each campus an opportunity to hear from the Pastors and Elders along with seeing the draft documents and having a chance to ask any questions.
*You can view both the current version and the proposed updates to the bylaws below.
After these town hall meetings we will be holding a meeting of the congregation on Sunday, September 15th at 12:45pm to vote on the proposed revised bylaws.
If you have questions in advance, please contact Eric Barz, Executive Pastor, at eric.barz@communitymi.org
View the existing bylaws View the proposed updates
Why make a change?
- After reviewing, we discovered that the original document has become dated, and in some places, irrelevant.
- Trustees need to cut the grass, trim the hedges…
- Elders need to create/teach Sunday school material to the children…
- Written to support a strategy of ministry that was developed from the 1970’s and 1980’s mindset, written for a church of about 200 or 300 people, in a single site.
- A desire to have a constitution that reflects our present reality/position and especially a constitution that has breadth to guide future growth.
- A need to protect our religious liberties.
What has the process been?
- Elders and Lead Pastor of the church reviewed and decided updated bylaws was appropriate for our church at this time.
- The Elders created a sub-committee to create a first draft. This included 3 Elders and 3 pastors on staff who met on multiple occasion and put in a few hundred hours of cumulative work.
- The church hired an attorney with a focus on church governance, who provided his legal expertise to the document.
- The entire Elder board have had extensive input into the bylaws. All Campus Pastors have been provided the constitution for feedback and input.
- Pastors deliberately met with a number of long-term members to make them aware, to let them know, to garner feedback and to honor them.
- Three Town Hall meetings, one in each campus during the summer of 2024 to provide clear communication to members about this process, answer any questions, hear any concerns and receive feedback.
- Multiple communications to the church body to ensure that no one is unaware, and that all members are included in this.
- Present this to the membership of the church. The Elders will call a special meeting in the Fall of 2024 where we will vote to receive the new constitution.
What Stays the Same?
We will keep all of the same leadership teams, all of which are still fulfilling the same responsibilities as before. Elders are still ultimately responsible to provide oversight to the church. A Sunday experience at Community Church will not look any different as a result of the new constitution.
What changes? Three main items.
We will keep all of the same leadership teams, all of which are still fulfilling the same responsibilities as before. Elders are still ultimately responsible to provide oversight to the church. A Sunday experience at Community Church will not look any different as a result of the new constitution.
What changes? Three main items.
- Fresh and updated language throughout. Drafted the constitution with broader language that will be suitable for our church as it currently stands, preparing and supporting us for more campuses and church growth.
- Shifting away from formal membership toward a process of engagement with people.
- Specific protections of religious liberties.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why change the bylaws?
Our church has experienced significant numeric and campus growth in recent years. Our current constitution no longer reflects the state of the church as an organization. It’s common place for churches to update or amend bylaws that were adopted many years ago. That’s what we’re doing.
2. What does the new bylaws do that helps us now?
The language and direction of the new bylaws is suited to the structure, impact, size and ministry model of Community Church. Additionally, it is written in a manner that enables us to continue to grow without the constitution becoming quickly outdated or irrelevant. It also protects our religious liberties.
3. Who has charge and responsibility of Community Church?
This remains unchanged from our current bylaws to our proposed, new constitution. In exactly the same way, the Elders of our church have charge, authority and responsibility for the leadership of the ministry. They have delegated that responsibility to staff, of whom, the Lead Pastor takes on the senior role for the day to day running of the ministry. The Lead Pastor operates under the authority of the Elder board.
4. Why are we shifting away from membership?
The current privileges of membership have become redundant and too difficult to implement. For example, the church has become too large for a broad number of members to vote in new officers in the church, because those nominated are unknown.
It is the position of the Elders of Community Church that the Bible does not mandate or provide an expressed model for formal membership in a local church. Rather, when a person is ‘born again’, they are immediately members of the body of Christ. The moment you walk through the doors, you belong here and can consider this your church home.
5. Will I no longer be a member?
If you are a member that will still be reflected in our church database as a point of history. But what it means moving forward now changes. We are shifting our future focus from membership and creating a fresh pathway where people are ‘active and engaged’ in the life of the local church.
6. How does a person now ‘belong’ and ‘engage’ in the life of the church’?
Community Church will be introducing a fresh initiative called ‘Next Steps’ gathering, which will be offered throughout the year in all of our campuses. It will have a greater emphasis on helping people become ‘active & engaged’ in the life of the church. It will promote 6 concrete next steps for any person in the church. Those steps are…
Our church has experienced significant numeric and campus growth in recent years. Our current constitution no longer reflects the state of the church as an organization. It’s common place for churches to update or amend bylaws that were adopted many years ago. That’s what we’re doing.
2. What does the new bylaws do that helps us now?
The language and direction of the new bylaws is suited to the structure, impact, size and ministry model of Community Church. Additionally, it is written in a manner that enables us to continue to grow without the constitution becoming quickly outdated or irrelevant. It also protects our religious liberties.
3. Who has charge and responsibility of Community Church?
This remains unchanged from our current bylaws to our proposed, new constitution. In exactly the same way, the Elders of our church have charge, authority and responsibility for the leadership of the ministry. They have delegated that responsibility to staff, of whom, the Lead Pastor takes on the senior role for the day to day running of the ministry. The Lead Pastor operates under the authority of the Elder board.
4. Why are we shifting away from membership?
The current privileges of membership have become redundant and too difficult to implement. For example, the church has become too large for a broad number of members to vote in new officers in the church, because those nominated are unknown.
It is the position of the Elders of Community Church that the Bible does not mandate or provide an expressed model for formal membership in a local church. Rather, when a person is ‘born again’, they are immediately members of the body of Christ. The moment you walk through the doors, you belong here and can consider this your church home.
5. Will I no longer be a member?
If you are a member that will still be reflected in our church database as a point of history. But what it means moving forward now changes. We are shifting our future focus from membership and creating a fresh pathway where people are ‘active and engaged’ in the life of the local church.
6. How does a person now ‘belong’ and ‘engage’ in the life of the church’?
Community Church will be introducing a fresh initiative called ‘Next Steps’ gathering, which will be offered throughout the year in all of our campuses. It will have a greater emphasis on helping people become ‘active & engaged’ in the life of the church. It will promote 6 concrete next steps for any person in the church. Those steps are…
- Gather consistently – Gathering weekly at your campus
- Baptism – Professing your faith publicly through baptism
- Join a Group – Doing life together with a community group
- Give generously – Lives change when we give!
- Join a Team – Find a place to Serve
- Inviting – Your invitation matters!
These steps represent a practice and picture of someone belonging, engaged and active in the life of the church. This is a dynamic and ongoing partnership with the church body.
7. How does a person become an Elder or join other committees?
Our Nominating Committee will continue to screen and vet candidates from all campuses, for roles as Elders, Deacons, Trustees and Nominating Committee Members. Their task and responsibility will be the same; to ensure that candidates meet the biblical qualifications for such roles in the Church. The nominating committee is chaired by an Elder, it contains additional members of the Deacons, Trustees and Staff, as well as selected individuals in our church who are in good Biblical standing and are active and engaged in the life of ministry.
Our Nominating Committee will continue to screen and vet candidates from all campuses, for roles as Elders, Deacons, Trustees and Nominating Committee Members. Their task and responsibility will be the same; to ensure that candidates meet the biblical qualifications for such roles in the Church. The nominating committee is chaired by an Elder, it contains additional members of the Deacons, Trustees and Staff, as well as selected individuals in our church who are in good Biblical standing and are active and engaged in the life of ministry.
