PREAMBLE

We adopt this Constitution and Bylaws in order to have a clear statement of our faith and to insure that this body conducts its business in an orderly Christian way so as to preserve the rights of the church and its members.  The Constitution establishes the basic nature of Crosspoint Fellowship Church and the Bylaws establish the administrative organization and operation of the church.

CONSTITUTION

ARTICLE I.  NAME

This body shall be known as the Crosspoint Fellowship Church of Howard County, Inc., Howard County, Maryland.

ARTICLE II.  ARTICLES OF FAITH

The Articles of Faith of Crosspoint Fellowship Church shall be as follows:

The church leadership, to include all pastoral staff, Elders and elected positions, shall have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior, shall strive to abide by the Church Covenant, and shall affirm the following statements of the church’s doctrine and comprehensively agree to the Crosspoint Statement of Faith document:

1)    The authority of the Bible as the inspired and inerrant Word of God,

2)    Every person is lost and separated from God by sin,

3)    The virgin birth of Jesus Christ begotten by the Holy Spirit,

4)    That Jesus Christ, as God’s Son, shed His blood, died, was resurrected, and will bodily and visibly return to the earth,

5)    Personal salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ,

6)    The indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of believers at the moment of salvation,

7)    Eternal security of the believer,

8)    Direct access of each believer to God by prayer through Jesus Christ,

9)    Believer’s baptism,

10) The eternal destiny of believers to be with the Lord in Heaven and of nonbelievers to be separated from God in Hell.

ARTICLE III.  CHURCH COVENANT

God established a covenant relationship, first with His people Israel and then a new covenant with His people, the church.  As members of God’s covenant family known as Crosspoint Fellowship Church, we commit ourselves to God and to one another to be Christ-like in our lives and relationships through the presence, guidance, and power of God’s Holy Spirit.

We will love one another as Christ loved us, honor one another above ourselves, be kind and compassionate to one another, encourage and build up one another, comfort one another, and offer hospitality to one another.

We will have a spirit of unity based on our common bond in Christ, be united in mind and convictions, meet together regularly, have equal concern for each other, suffer when one suffers and rejoice when another is honored, and consider others more important than ourselves.

We will use our God-given knowledge to instruct one another, use our spiritual gifts to bless one another, use the Word of God to teach and admonish one another, and nurture one another toward spiritual maturity as measured by the life and ministry of Jesus.

We will confess our sins to one another, pray for each other, warn those who are idle, encourage the discouraged, help the weak, be patient with one another, forgive one another as the Lord forgave us, and gently restore those who sin.

We will not talk negatively about one another, not pass judgment on one another, not put any stumbling block in one another’s way, not be morally impure, not use obscenities, not be greedy, but we will be filled with the Spirit.

ARTICLE IV.  Government

The government of the church shall be in the hands of the members.  The church shall not be subject to the control of any other religious group or body, but will counsel and cooperate with other evangelical churches in any ways benefiting the Kingdom of God.