Eaglebrook Church Mission Statement

Eaglebrook Church exists to

• Connect people to God and to others through weekly worship services, small groups and other gatherings. We strive to
• Empower people through Bible based training with the goal of releasing them into ministry. The people of Eaglebrook will have significant
• Impact locally through outreach and globally through missions support and participation.

 

Eaglebrook Church Statement of Faith

Scripture

We believe the Scriptures, both Old and New Testament, to be the inspired Word of God; without error in the original writings; the complete revelation of His will for salvation; and the divine and final authority for Christian faith and all of life.

God

We believe in one God, Creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Jesus Christ

We believe Jesus Christ is true God and true man, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died on the cross, a sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. He arose bodily from the dead and ascended into heaven where, at the right hand of God the Father, He is our High Priest and Advocate. In the person of the Holy Spirit, He indwells the believer.

Holy Spirit

We believe the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ and, during this age, to convict, regenerate, seal, indwell, guide, instruct, and empower the believer for godly living and service.

Mankind

We believe that man was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is, therefore, lost; and only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can salvation and spiritual life be obtained. 

Salvation

We believe the shed blood of Jesus Christ and His resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who believe. Only those who receive Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit and thus become children of God.

Ordinances

We believe water baptism and the Lord’s Supper are ordinances to be observed by the Church during this age. They are, however, not to be regarded as means of salvation or prerequisites for church membership.

The Church

We believe the true Church is composed of all persons who are regenerated by the Holy Spirit through saving faith in Jesus Christ. These Christians are united together in the Body of Christ, of which He is Lord and Head, and are now commissioned for the God-given task of proclaiming the gospel to every person. Only members of the true church shall be eligible for membership in this church, which has the right and responsibility under Christ to decide and govern its own affairs.

Christ’s Return

We believe in the personal and certain return of our Lord Jesus Christ. This fact should be a powerful motivator for guiding the personal life and service of the believer.

Judgment

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead. Believers will enjoy everlasting life and fellowship with the Lord, and unbelievers will be judged and experience eternal separation from God.

 

Eaglebrook Church By-Laws

ARTICLE I – MEMBERSHIP

Section 1 -- Requirements

Voting Membership

A person who meets the following requirements may be considered for voting membership:

1. Professes faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and desires to seek Him further in their life.
2. Agrees with the statement of faith and agrees to operate by the by-laws of this church.
3. Eighteen (18) years of age or older.
4. Participates regularly.
5. Expresses a desire to connect, be empowered, and make an impact through this community.

A person will be received into membership after they have completed the course of instruction for new members, have given a personal testimony to the Elders and/or their appointed representative, have been recommended by the Elders for membership and received a 2/3’s vote of those present at a meeting where a congregational quorum has been established.

Names of new member candidates to be voted on for membership shall be announced to the congregation no less than two weeks before the congregational meeting at which the membership vote is to be taken. Except in unusual circumstances, objections by members to such candidates becoming members shall be submitted in writing to the Elders at least two days in advance of said membership meeting and shall be for Biblical reasons only.

 

Section 2 – Process

New member candidates shall be recommended by the Elders for membership and receive a 2/3’s vote of those present at a meeting where a congregational quorum has been established. Names of new member candidates to be voted on for membership shall be announced to the congregation no less than two weeks before the congregational meeting at which the membership vote is to be taken. Except in unusual circumstances, objections by members to such candidates becoming members shall be submitted in writing to the Elders at least two days in advance of said membership meeting and shall be for Biblical reasons only.

 

Section 3 -- Responsibilities

Following Jesus as a member of this church by carrying out the mission of this church:

Eaglebrook Church exists to

• Connect people to God and to others through weekly worship services, small groups and other gatherings. We strive to
• Empower people through Bible based training with the goal of releasing them into ministry. The people of Eaglebrook will have significant
• Impact locally through outreach and globally through missions support and participation.

 

Section 4 -- Role in Eaglebrook Church Governance

Voting members of Eaglebrook Church will always have the right to vote on the following:

1. Changes, revisions or Amendments to the church by-laws, Mission Statement or Statement of Faith
2. Hiring or removal of the Senior Pastor, Associate Pastors or Elders
3. Candidates for Elder Board
4. Encumbrance of Debt
5. Acquisition or disposal of “real” property
6. Annual Budgets
7. Candidates for Church Membership
8. Other recommendations from the Elder Board

 

Section 5 -- Restoration/Discipline

It shall be part of the ministry of this Church to encourage and equip its members to live in accordance with the teachings of Scripture. Should disciplinary intervention become necessary to accomplish this ministry, love should be the motivation. Biblical guidelines and protocol shall be followed as outlined in such passages as Matthew 18:15-17; Galatians 6:1; I Corinthians 5; Titus 3:10; 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15; James 5:19-20; and 2 Corinthians 2:5-11.

If, however, the member should choose to continue in his/her unrepentant condition, he/she shall be removed from membership following the guidelines noted in the Removal section below.

 

Section 6 -- Removal

The Elder Board may remove inactive members and will do so via written (email if possible) notification. The Elder Board may also remove a member for cause. This could be for inappropriate conduct or doctrine that is so opposed to the church’s doctrine and witness as to destroy the possibility of fellowship. Those members will also be notified in writing.

  

Section 7 -- Renewal

There will be an annual renewal of membership to validate the membership roll. Members who decline to renew may be removed. Such changes will be reviewed and approved by the Elder Board.

 

 

ARTICLE II – GOVERNMENT

Section 1 – General

Eaglebrook Church follows a congregational form of government, with the members of this church having the ultimate authority over how the church functions and operates.  However, by design, a degree of that authority has been delegated to the Board of Elders, to oversee the regular day-to-day operations of the church

 

1. The church year for fiscal purpose is the calendar year.
2. All elders, teachers and leaders of ministries will be members of the church. Non-members may be invited to teach on a temporary basis at the discretion of the Pastors or Elder Board.
3. Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall be the guideline for running meetings.
4. Property.
   1. This Church shall have the power to hold property as is authorized by the laws of the State of Wisconsin and as is deemed necessary for the business of the Church.
   2. The church shall have the power to use and/or dispose of such property.
   3. All such property shall be held in the name of the Church.
5. Upon dissolution of this Church, assets shall be distributed according to the rules outlined by the Internal Revenue Code for a 501 (c) (3) Corporation. No part of the net earnings of the organization shall benefit members or elders personally.

 

Section 2 – Pastors and Elders

1. THE BOARD OF ELDERS
1. Members of the Elder Board shall be men or women who are members of this church meeting the spiritual qualifications of “overseer” as outlined in 1Timothy 3 and Titus chapter 1.
2. As a church, we affirm that throughout Scripture, in both Old and New Testaments, women are described as serving in various positions of leadership, including the role of Worship Leader (Exodus 15:20-21), Judge/National Leader (Judges 4-5, Micah 6:4), Prophet (Exodus 15:20, 2 Kings 22:14, Nehemiah 6:14, Luke 2:36-38, 1 Corinthians 11:5), Evangelist (John 4:28-30, 39; 20:16-18), Minister of the Gospel (Romans 16:3, 6, 12; Philippians 4:2-3), Teacher (Acts 18:26), Deacon (Romans 16:1-2), and Apostle (Romans 16:7).  We believe that God empowers His people for ministry, both men and women, through the power of His Holy Spirit, and that He encourages each individual to use those gifts in service to others (Acts 2:17-18; 1 Corinthians 12:4-7; Romans 12:4-8, Galatians 3:28)
3. It is recommended that only one family member will serve on the Elder Board at a time
4. The Board of Elders will consist of no fewer than three or more than nine Biblically qualified voting members of the church, including the Senior Pastor. A quorum of the Elder Board shall be a minimum of one-half of the Elder Board. Elders will be elected for a 3-year term and may not serve for more than two consecutive full terms. They may be re-elected after one year’s absence from the Board of Elders. The terms of office being so arranged that one-third shall expire each year. No member shall serve unless receiving three-quarters of an affirmative vote of a quorum of the voting membership.
5. A nominating committee for Elders shall consist of six voting members: 3 from the church membership at large, two members of the Elder Board, and the Senior Pastor.
6. The Board of Elders has vested in it the powers and authority usually ascribed to a Board of Directors or Board of Trustees in a corporation and will have authority to use these titles, when necessary, in handling corporate or civil matters. The church shall be incorporated under the laws of the State of Wisconsin as a non-profit religious organization, and the officers of the corporation are as follows:

President …………………………...Chair of the Board of Elders
Vice President……………………...Vice Chair of the Board of Elders
Secretary……………………………Secretary of the Board of Elders
Treasurer……………………………Treasurer of the Board of Elders

7. The Elder Board will elect from its membership a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer to serve one-year terms. The duties of these officers of the Elder Board are as follows:

CHAIR
The chair will preside at all business meetings of the Elder Board and the church, sign checks in the absence of the Treasurer, and serve as ex-officio member of all committees.

VICE CHAIR
The Vice Chair will perform the duties of the Chair in their absence.

SECRETARY
The Secretary will keep a record of the proceedings of all business meetings of the Elder Board and the church and maintain the official Church Membership Roll.

TREASURER
The Treasurer will oversee the church’s finances, working through the church staff and bookkeeper as directed by the Elder Board or the church. All funds will be kept in a bank approved by the Board, and all accounts will be paid after authorization of payment. At the annual business meeting the Treasurer will present a report and statement of cash account. Such report and statement will be audited by a public accountant if the Board has appointed an accountant for the purpose. Un-audited statements will be available at all other business meetings and presented to the Board at regular meetings.

8. The Elder Board will oversee the ministries of the church and may appoint committees to carry out functions deemed necessary.
9. The Elder Board will administer and supervise the care and use of all church property.
10. The Elder Board will prepare a yearly budget and present it for church approval at each annual business meeting. Before committing any major expenditure not in a budget category, the expenditure will be approved by the church membership at the annual or special business meeting. This meeting will be called for that purpose by announcement at any regular service. If unusual circumstances demand immediate or emergency actions, the Elder Board may take the necessary emergency actions to address the situation, while notifying the congregation of the situation and actions/expenditures as soon as possible.
11. Should disciplinary intervention for an Elder become necessary, restoration of the Elder is the primary goal, and love the intention. Biblical guidelines and protocol shall be followed.
12. Should an Elder need to be removed following disciplinary intervention, the next step would be to initiate removal action following congregational due process. An affirmative vote of two-thirds of a quorum of the voting membership at a duly constituted meeting shall be required to remove an elder.  

 

2. DEACONS AND DEACONESSES
1. Deacons and Deaconesses shall be men or women who are members of this church and meet the qualifications of a deacon/deaconess as outlined in 1 Timothy 3 and Romans 16.
2. The Deacon and Deaconess Committees will be self-managed.
3. Every Deacon and Deaconess will be accountable to the Elder Board.

 

3. THE SENIOR PASTOR

1. As outlined in the New Testament, the Senior Pastor shall meet the spiritual qualifications of an Elder and shall perform the functions of the ministry (preaching, teaching, spiritual leadership, et. al.). Under the direction of the Elder Board, they will oversee and direct the ministries of all associate pastors and staff, reporting regularly to the church membership on the status of the ministries of the church. They are ex-officio, voting member of the Elder Board and all Committees. They will abstain from voting on matters pertaining to their own employment or compensation.
2. Senior Pastoral candidates will be selected by the Board of Elders and presented to the voting members for approval. An affirmative vote of three-quarters of a quorum of the voting membership at a duly constituted meeting shall be required to call a pastor. By virtue of the call, they shall be a voting member of the church. Their term of office will continue until they resign or is terminated by the voting membership of the Church. An affirmative vote of two-thirds of a quorum of the voting membership at a duly constituted meeting shall be required to remove a pastor.
3. Removal of a Senior Pastor will follow the same procedure as removing an Elder above.

 

4. ASSOCIATE PASTORS
1. Associate Pastors will work under the direction of the Senior Pastor and will be ex-officio, non-voting members of the Elder Board. They will be ex-officio voting members of all committees to which they are assigned by the Senior Pastor. As outlined in the New Testament, the Associate Pastor shall meet the spiritual qualifications of an Elder.
2. Associate Pastoral candidates will be selected, disciplined and removed following the same procedures as a Senior Pastor.

 

Section 3 -- Business Meetings

1. The annual business meeting of the church will be held prior to December 31 of each year. The agenda and proposed budget will be distributed at least two weeks prior to the meeting.
2. Special business meetings may be called for stated purposes by the Elder Board. Written agenda will be provided at least one week preceding the meeting.
3. A quorum will consist of at least twenty-five percent of the voting membership at the business meeting.

 

Section 4 -- Provision for Changes, Revisions or Amendment

Changes in the Mission Statement, the Statement of Faith, or the Church By-Laws may be desired from time to time. The following procedure is to be followed:

1. Any member may submit proposed changes to the Elder Board at least four weeks prior to the annual business meeting or any special business meeting of the church.
2. The Elder Board will place the proposed changes on the agenda for the meeting.
3. The Elder Board will consider the changes and make recommendations to the congregation
4. Approval by two-thirds of the voting members present is required for adoption.

Approved by the congregation on July 17, 2022