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Preface

DNA
Someones DNA is what makes that person who that person is. So, what
makes us who we are? What has God woven into our fabric as a church? The
shape of our DNA is based on what the Bible says about the nature of the
church, but our traits are unique to what God desires for us. All human DNA is
the same basic shape and structure, but traitsskin and hair color, height,
weight, etc.change depending on the individual. In that way, all churches,
while based on the same structure, should also be unique expressions of
God's character.
There five elements that make up our DNA as a church are found in our Vision
Statement: to be a community of broken people on a journey of
transformation into Christs image that leads us to reflect the grace of God.
This Vision Statement expresses how we participate with God in making His
Kingdom a reality. It contains the five essential elements of what we are
about at Trinity Chapel: Community, Brokenness, Journey, Transformation,
and Grace.

Community is the context for spiritual growth. As we grow more and more
in love with God in Trinity, we will want to participate in and enjoy
relationships with each other that reflect the selfless, sacrificial, uniting
love of the Trinity. As a small piece of the larger Church, we do this by
sharing daily life together, walking in authenticity and transparency, and
spending time exploring Gods Word and responding through worship
together, as well as serving in ministry and outreach together.

Brokenness is the idea that each of us has a history of self-obsession that

has limited our intimacy with the Trinity and with others. Only when we
begin to cast aside our self-absorption can we embrace the life God has
designed for us. This is a life-long spiritual exercise in learning to die to our
own will and desires. As a church, our role is to swim upstream in a larger
culture that has embraced a consumer-centered mindset. Instead, we are
to encourage believers to lose their lives in order to find them. We believe
that as we commit our lives and days to God, He and He alone can reshape
our hearts to look more like His.

Journey is the recognition that our pursuit of God and His pursuit of us is a
gradual and continual process that happens in the context of the lives He
has given us. God has written a story that includes each of us, and we
discover more and more of Him as we walk along, in growing awareness of
how our small story fits into His larger story. Which leads us to the reality
that we are not journeying alone, but instead we have a community of

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fellow travelers with whom we can grow in love and good works.

Transformation reflects the idea that the journey is about spiritual growth
and transformation that occurs through spiritual disciplines that engage the
Word of God and the Spirit of God. Gods Word and prayer are fundamental
in our enjoyment of the Trinity. We complement these foundational
practices with the spiritual disciplines. Solitude and silence, prayer and
fasting, worship and study, fellowship and confession (as well as many
others) help us engage our Spirit with Gods. Because God is the One who
transforms us, we want to provide environments in which His people can
interact with Him and be changed.

Grace is the core distinctive of life in Christ, and it focuses on the reality
that God has pursued us and loves us without condition. Through grace,
God saves, accepts, redeems, and frees us. Rather than focusing on
performance or on the attempt to attain perfection for perfections sake,
our faith is to be lived out in our relationship with the Trinity, moment by
moment. God transforms us to reflect and offer His grace and acceptance
to others. We seek to be quick to forgive, support, and view others as God
does, trying to understand their perspectives, needs, strengths, and
insecurities in order to share grace and the truth of who the Trinity is in
their lives. Grace does not free us to sin but rather to have a relationship
with God, meaning that our deeper desire is to know God and be known
by Him rather than to choose sin. We seek Him to transform us from the
inside out rather than just addressing behavior changes. As sinners apart
from God, we did not deserve His grace, but He freely gives His grace to
us through faith, forgives us, and draws us to know and love Him.

The goal of all of this is that we express God's character in ways that are
unique to each of us individually and also collectively, as a church family. In
Galatians 4:19, we read the mission of the church expressed: "my little
children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed
in you!"
Christ formed in you.
What comes to your mind as you hear this phrase?

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OVERVIEW
of Ministry Partner Class
Part 1

What is a Ministry Partner?

Part 2

Mission/Vision/Values

Part 3

Doctrinal Statement (Overview)

Part 4

History of Trinity Chapel

Part 5

Ministry Organization and Leadership

Part 6

MP Commitment

Appendices
A: Sharing Your Story
B: Spiritual Disciplines
C: How to Study the Bible
D: Spiritual Gifts
E: Constitution
F: Homework

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PART ONE

MINISTRY PARTNERSHIP
The Purpose of the Ministry Partner Class
1. To clarify the mission, vision, and values of Trinity Chapel as it relates to
the journey of spiritual formation.
2. To create unity through a shared commitment to the direction God is
leading us.
3. To give an opportunity for people to make a commitment to making Trinity
Chapel their church home where they invest themselves and their
resources.

The Picture of Ministry Partnership

The idea behind ministry partnership, rather than membership, is to
highlight the concept of partnership. All of us, as followers of Christ, are
invited to express ourselves as a part of the body of Christ. When we come to
know Christ, we are members of the body of Christ; our choice is whether or
not well partner together for ministry. Consider the analogy of the body
described in 1 Corinthians 12:12-20:
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the
members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one bodyJews or Greeks,
slaves or freeand all were made to drink of one Spirit.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot
should say, Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,
that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear
should say, Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,
that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body
were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body
were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God
arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If
all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are
many parts, yet one body.
Consider also 2 Peter 1:3-4:

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His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and
godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own
glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and
very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers
of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the
world because of sinful desire

The Prerequisites to Ministry Partnership

First, you know Christ as your savior.
Second, you are ready to make a commitment to Trinity Chapel.

The Process of Ministry Partnership

First, complete the Ministry Partner Class.
Second, complete all homework.
Third, signify that you will submit to the doctrine and vision of TCBC.
Homework:
Whats your story? (Write out your testimony)
Where are you in your journey?
Spiritual Gifts and Passion in Ministry
MP Commitment

Turn in the homework within the next week!

Weve found that those who put it off rarely get back to it.

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PART TWO

VISION
The vision of Trinity Chapel is to be a community of broken people on a
journey of transformation into Christs image that leads us to reflect the
grace of God.
The key ideas are the DNA of this church body that we discussed earlier;
community, brokenness, journey, transformation, and grace.

MISSION
The mission of Trinity Chapel is to engage people in spiritual transformation
through deepening intimacy with the Trinity.
The purpose of the journey is biblical spiritual formation.
Our ministries are organized around this mission, with the goal that our lives
are organized around Gods will. Dallas Willard, in his book Renovation of the
Heart: Putting on the Character of Christ, says that spiritual formation occurs
when all of the essential parts of the human self are effectively organized
around God, as they are restored and sustained by him. Spiritual
transformation in Christ is the process leading to that ideal end, and its result
is love of God with all of the heart, soul, mind, and strength, and of the
neighbor as oneself.
In what ways does this definition of spiritual formation make sense to you?
In what ways does the idea of spiritual transformation excite you or scare
you?

Overview of the Journey

The journey begins with placing our faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:810).
God saves us and calls us to Himself. It's a journey of relationship with God.
Spiritual formation itself is a journey or a process. (Colossians 1:27-29).
There are stages of growth on the journey.
Our mission statement lays out our goal for the church. Our vision statement
tells us what we will look like as we pursue the goal. And our values tell us
how we do what we do along the way.
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VALUES
Our commitment is to be a people who are:
Worshipful: valuing and exalting God above all other things. This is the value
from which all the other values flow. (Phil. 1:20-23; John 4:21-23; Romans
12:1-2; Matt. 15:7-11)
Prayerful: seeking Gods heart and listening to Him through the exercise of
spiritual disciplines. Our heart is that prayer is central to all we do. (Phil. 4:6; 1
Thess. 5:16-18; Colossians 4:2)
Biblical: believing that the Bible is the word of God, we seek to center our
lives around what God reveals about Himself, the world, and ourselves. (Psalm
19:7-14; 2 Tim 3:16; James 1:22-25).
Gracious: allowing Gods grace to reach into the depths of our being, we
desire to reflect that grace as we seek to be the restoring presence of Christ to
others wherever they are on their journey. Grace produces an openness and
authenticity toward self and others. (Eph. 2:8-10; 4:32; Titus 2:11-13)
Generous: understanding that God has given everyone unique gifts for
serving others, we desire to give resources, time, and talents for the building
of Gods kingdom. (Mark 10:42-45; Eph. 2:11-18; 4:1-24; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; Ro.
12:4-8)
Compassionate: knowing that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only hope of
the world, we see our world around us as our mission field. (John 14:6; Acts
1:8, Matt 28:19-20, John 17:13-18)
Relational: understanding that we have a relational design (in the image of
the Trinity), we seek to make relationships the foundation for everything we
do. (Hebrews 10:24-25; Phil. 2:3-4; Romans 12:4-5; Gal. 6:2)
Sacrificial: following Christs example, we desire to live sacrificially
believing that life is found not in getting more and more but giving more and
more. (Jn 15:12-13; Phil. 2:4-8; Luke 9:23-25)
Unified: loving one another and standing together with a common love for
Christ above all, even each other. As we do life together, our desire is for unity
and oneness as an expression of Gods love for us. (John 17:20-23; Eph. 2:1315; Psalm 133:1)
Which part of the mission, vision, and values excites you the most?
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PART THREE

DOCTRINAL STATEMENT
Scripture
We believe that all Scripture is breathed out by God (2 Tim 3:16). We
understand the whole Bible to be inspired in the sense that holy men of God
were moved by the Holy Spirit to write the very words of Scripture. Therefore,
we believe the Bible is verbally and completely inerrant in its original writings
(2 Tim 3:1617; 2 Pet 1:2022; John 10:35; Matt 5:18).
Triune God
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and
Holy Spirit (Deut 6:4; Isa 44:6; Matt 28:1819; 2 Cor 13:14).
The church
We believe in the church of Jesus Christ, that it is a spiritual organism made up
of all believers in Christ, that in its local manifestation it is an autonomous
assembly of believers and that its ordinances are baptism and the Lords
Supper (Col 1:18; Phil 1:1; 1 Cor 11:2331; Matt 28:1920).
The persons of Christ and the Holy Spirit
We believe Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin
Mary and is, therefore, fully God and fully man. The Holy Spirit was sent by the
Father to convict the world of sin, to glorify Jesus and to transform the lives of
believers into the likeness of Christ (Matt 1:2025; John 1:12, 14).
The work of Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to the
Scriptures as a substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in him are
redeemed and justified because of his shed blood (2 Cor 5:21; 1 Pet 1:1819;
Rom 3:26; 5:1).
Resurrection
We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, his ascension
into heaven and his present life as high priest and advocate (Rom 1:4; 6:111;
8:3134; 1 Cor 15:1219; Acts 1:9; Heb 7:25; 9:24).
Humanity
We believe that humanity was created in the image of God; that he sinned
and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which is
separation from God; and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature
subsequently displayed in thought, word and deed (Gen 1:2628; 3; 9:6; Rom
5:12; Jas 3:9).
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Salvation
We believe that all who place their faith in the finished work of Christ on the
cross are born of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God, a
relationship in which they are eternally secure (Eph 2:89; Rom 8:1, 2934;
12:12; Heb 7:25; 10:14, 19; John 10:2829; 1 John 5:13).
Return of Christ
We believe in our blessed hope (Titus 2:13) the personal, premillennial and
imminent return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (Acts 1:11; Rev. 20:4; 1
Cor 15:5152; 1 Thess 4:1617, 1:10).
Eternity
We believe that all people will experience a bodily resurrection after death. The
nonbeliever will suffer punishment and torment, and the believer will be in
heaven (Luke 10:15; 23:43; Rev. 20:13; 2 Cor. 5:8).
Clarifications?

Questions?

Why is doctrine important?

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PART FOUR

HISTORY
Trinity Chapel was planted in August 2004 as a result of a shared vision by
founding pastor Ted Wueste and Christ Chapel Bible Church.
Initially, Trinity Chapel met in rented space at the Gladney Center behind
Harris Methodist Hospital SW.
For the first three and half years, Trinity Chapel was supported financially and
had a leadership team under the protection and oversight of Christ Chapels
elders.
In January 2008, Trinity Chapel became legally independent, elected its first
elders and later that spring appointed its first deacons.
In March 2008, Trinity Chapel moved from temporary facilities to our current
location. The church owns the building.
Discuss: How did you get involved at Trinity Chapel? What is your history
with Trinity?

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PART FIVE

MINISTRY
Organization and Leadership

Living together as Community. Our Ministries:

Childrens MinistryTCBC Kids strives to live out Trinity Chapels vision and
mission through partnering with families. We build community through
events like the Ice Cream Social and Kids Cook. We foster spiritual
transformation through our Sunday morning programming. We encourage
the development of servant-hearted kids through events like our Annual
Service Project and Trunk or Treat Neighborhood Outreach.
Student MinistryTCBC Students is designed to lead students toward a
deeper passion for the glory of God and equip parents to do the same, the
goal being students and parents who love God with their head, heart, and
hands. On Sunday mornings students participate in Bible Study and prayer.
Monthly events like retreats, team-building events and service opportunities
give opportunity for community and service. Weekly StuCo groups foster
authentic relationships centered on the truth of Gods word.
Adult Ministry:
TCBC Women - Our Womens Ministry encourages women to discover and
enjoy the unique way God made them. Activities include weekly Bible studies
through the fall and spring, an annual overnight retreat, a monthly book club
in the summer, and quarterly fellowship opportunities. For more info contact
Sarah Soule, sarahs@trinitychapelbc.org
TCBC Men -The goal of mens community is to meet the unique needs of
men, spiritual & otherwise, through meaningful relationships, exhortation, &
events, as they strive to live as godly men in various aspects of their faith &
life. This happens through several venues: weekly Bible studies, an annual
retreat, and quarterly workdays for campus improvements and fellowship.

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Community Groups - Our mission is to engage people in spiritual

transformation through deepening intimacy with the Trinity, and we believe
that true spiritual transformation takes place in the context of an honest,
authentic community of people who love each other enough to be
transparent and accepting. Our community groups of 8-12 people strive to
be that authentic, honest, and transparent community that encourages each
person in the group to know how much God loves and cares for them, and
encourages each other to greater intimacy with the Trinity, with each other,
and with others.
Sunday Morning Connections - Connecting points are designed to be a
natural place for new people to join in and become involved in the wider
church body. These are medium-sized adult groups that meet on Sundays at
the church for fellowship, Bible study, prayer, and/or service. Examples
include:
Growing Families: Growing Families is composed of married couples in
their 20s and 30s, some with children and some without, that meet
together at 9:30 every Sunday morning (including Sanctuary Sundays)
upstairs. Led by the ever youthful Rick and Beckie Hinze, this class studies
and fellowships together. Contact Rick for more information at
rick.hinze@gmail.com.
Young Adults Group (YAG): This group, composed of people in their 20s
and 30s, meets Sunday evenings for fellowship, prayer, study and service.
Each Sunday service is devoted to one element of our Mission and Vision, but
they always find a way to squeeze in a lot of fun. Contact Joel Cox for more
information at coxjoel@gmail.com
Journey: An adventure in spiritual formation - at 11am on Sunday
mornings in the glass room upstairs, Geoff Weckel will lead a study
answering the questions: What is spiritual formation? How do you study
scripture from a spiritual formation perspective? How is spiritual formation
applicable to daily living? Dont miss it!
Reflecting Gods Grace (Serving and Outreach):
Serving within the church is strongly encouraged after:
6 months of attendance (as a general rule)
Qualifying under our Ministry Safe guidelines if you are working with Kids or
Students
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Reaching outside the church walls. Part of the biblical spiritual formation
process includes serving others (Matt 25:35-40). Our ministries are:
One Reach--This outreach focuses on one-on-one spiritual direction and
discipleship. Ministry Partners (aka Church Members) are encouraged to
seek out people for whom they can pray and minster to in their sphere of
influence. The church at large also participates in this by providing services
to people both in and outside the church body by providing pastoral care,
benevolence and financial consulting, as well as many other support efforts.
City Reach--Through this outreach, we seek to be involved in meeting needs
and building relationships in our surrounding neighborhood and city. We
partner with several organizations in the community, including Pregnancy
Lifeline (crisis pregnancy center), Young Lives (ministry to teenage mothers),
Apartment Life (ministry to residents in nearby apartment complexes), and
Neighborhood Needs (community center that provides food, clothing, and
mentorship/counseling). As we become aware of specific needs, we gather
donations of items or volunteers as a church body to provide. Other
examples of this ministry include The Grace Project (groups within the church
choose people in the community to bless at Christmas), Trunk or Treat
(annual Halloween event for our apartment neighbors in the church parking
lot), and Camp Trinity (annual week-long Vacation Bible School at the church
in the summer).
Global Reach--Global missions are included in our outreaches. We financially
support missionaries in Africa, the Middle East, India, and the United States.
In recent years, we have sponsored mission trips to Sudan (focused on
church planting and seminary teaching) and Belize (focused on childrens
ministry).

Budget and Finances

Our fiscal year begins September 1 and ends on August 31 every year. In
2011-12 our budgeted giving and expenses were 563,000 and 575,000
respectively. In 2012-13 we are on budget and expect to remain so through
the end of the year thanks to the generosity of our Ministry Partners and
other donors. We have a reserve of more than 100,000 for emergencies.
The budget and financial statements are available upon reasonable request.

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Staf
The TCBC staff exists to make our mission and vision into an everyday,
practical reality, to serve the body as a whole, and to provide leadership to
the various ministries of the church. However, their primary role is to equip
every person in the church body for ministry (Eph 4:11-13).
TCBC is under the leadership of a "shepherding team" (composed of the
elder board + the pastors) that meets regularly to give guidance, direction,
accountability, and support to the church and staff.

Elders
Elders are responsible for prayer, guarding the spiritual lives of worshippers,
and for making sure sound doctrine is taught in the church.
Elders are also called shepherds and overseers in Scripture. Thats why we
refer to our elder board and pastors as a Shepherding Team. They are
advocates of spiritual growth in the church, not a board of directors,
focused on the logistical matters of the church. Serving 2-year terms, elders
are less like a board of directors, and more like fathers and spiritual decisionmakers for the Trinity Chapel church body.
Specifically, our shepherding team carries out three functions:
Oversee the body: give prayerful direction to the corporate and
individual membership of Trinity Chapel.
Protect the body: guard against false teaching, disunity, danger, and
other divisive issues, spiritual and otherwise.
Shepherd the body: counsel, care for, discipline, and direct our
membership in various ways and situations.
The current elder board consists of: Jeff Bryan, Rick Hinze, Ray Steward,
Geoff Weckel, and Chairman Ed Wueste.

Deacons
Deacons are given ministries that help make sure the Elders and Pastors are
able to stay faithful to the ministry of shepherding through the Word of God
and prayer (Acts 6).
The word deacon is a Greek word (deaconos) that means "servant." In a
church, the deacons are official servants of the body. While we are all called
to be servants, deacons take on specific administrative and ministerial roles
in the body. The Bible does not specify what these roles are to be - just that
they are to serve in partnership with the elders.
How can structures and environments help move us toward our vision?
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How can they hinder? How do we ensure that we keep the vision in mind?
How do we express grace to one another?
What is church discipline?

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PART SIX

MP COMMITMENT
The Ministry Partner Commitment is a commitment to partner together with
others at Trinity Chapel to do the work of ministry. This involves submitting to
the doctrine and vision. Submission to the doctrine and vision means that
you are on board with the direction that the leaders are taking Trinity Chapel.
We ask that each person signify that they are on board by doing the
homework and filling out the commitment found in Appendix F. The specific
commitment reads as follows:
Having trusted Christ as my Savior, and in submission to Trinity Chapels
doctrinal statement, vision, strategy and values, I feel led to become a
ministry partner at Trinity Chapel. In doing so, I commit to the following:
1. Involvement in a community of broken people
Corporate worship
Small group fellowship
2. Engagement in the journey of transformation into Christs image
Personal spiritual disciplines
Corporate learning and study
3. Commitment to reflecting the grace of God
Serving the body of Trinity Chapel
Sharing my story of grace
Giving financially

*Once you turn in the Homework, the Shepherding Team will read
through the Homework and affirm each person for Ministry Partnership.

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APPENDICES S

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APPENDIX A

SHARING YOUR STORY

An evangelistic testimony is not an insiders story for insiders. It is not a story
for the encouragement of Christian believers. An evangelistic testimony is a
clear statement of your conversion so that an unbeliever can understand the
Gospel and respond accordingly.
Is mine worthy?
No matter your past, because you have been saved from sin, death and hell
and saved to a mighty and loving Godyou have a powerful testimony. It is a
valuable tool because:
People identify with a testimony. Everyone loves a story.
A personal testimony has authority in it (John 9:25).
A personal testimony can be used in many different situations.
A step-by-step process of preparing your testimony
Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you prepare the words you speak.
Be brief and honest with your story. Your testimony might include
the following:
o Share something about your life before knowing Christ. What was
life like? What were your pursuits other than God? Give sufficient
detail so that people can see that you are a real person.
o Share how you realized your need for Christ: What steps led to your
conversion? How did God get your attention?
o Share the basics of the Good News. Share the gospel as the Bible
outlines it: How did you come to understand the Gospel as a reality?
o Share how you came to know Christ, if you can remember the
details. What were you thinking? When and where did it happen?
What did you say or pray?
o Share the difference Christ has made in your life. What are your
pursuits like now? What is your life like now? What changes have you
felt, and what issues are you resolving?
Center on Christ. Obviously, because it is your testimony, you must
talk about yourself. However, the person that you desire to elevate
and hold out to the lost world is Jesus Christ, not yourself. At the
conclusion of your testimony, you may want to ask a few questions:
o The Comprehensive Question: Does what Ive shared make
sense?
o The Clarifying Question: Have you ever placed your trust in Jesus
Christ?
o The Commitment Question: Would you like to place your trust in
Jesus Christ?
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Who could you share with? Part of learning to share your testimony is sharing
it. Are there people you know who dont know Jesus? What opportunities do
you have that you could share your story with them?

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APPENDIX B

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES
During summer 2008, Trinity Chapel took an eight-week look at various
spiritual disciplines, or pathways to knowing and connecting with God.
Knowing that one of your ministry partner commitments is to practice daily
times of reflection, study, etc., heres an overview of some of the pathways
you might want to pursue.
Dallas Willard, in The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God
Changes Lives, and Richard Foster, in Celebration of Discipline: The Path to
Spiritual Growth, (both of which are available on the website bookstore) have
compiled a list of spiritual disciplines and practices they believe were modeled
in the life of Christ. These disciplines are typically organized into two
categories: the disciplines of abstinence and the disciplines of activity.
Disciplines of letting go
These practices allow us to relinquish something in order to gain something
new. We abstain from busyness in ministry, family life and work. We stop
talking for a while to hear from God. We give up buying another material
possession to experience God more fully. 1Pet 2:11 warns us to abstain from
the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Identify what is
keeping you from experiencing greater strength and perspective. Do you talk
too much? Are possessions controlling you? Are you too worried about what
others think? Choose disciplines that will help you become more dependent on
God.
Solitude: spending time alone to be with God. Find a quiet place to be
alone with God for a period of time. Use the Bible as a source of
companionship with God. Listen to him. Remain alone and still.
Silence: removing noisy distractions to hear from God. Find a quiet
place away from noise to hear from God. Write your thoughts and
impressions as God directs your heart. Silence can occur even in the
midst of noise and distraction. But you must focus your attention on
your soul. This could mean talking less or talking only when necessary.
And it could mean turning off the radio and the TV.
Fasting: skipping one or more meals to find greater nourishment from
God. Choose a period of time to go without food. Drink water and, if
necessary, take vitamin supplements. Feel the pain of having an empty
stomach and depend on God to fill you with his grace.
Frugality: learning to live with less money and still meet your basic
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needs. Before buying something new, choose to go without or pick a

less-expensive alternative that will serve your basic needs. Live a
simple, focused life.
Chastity: voluntarily choosing to abstain from sexual pleasures for a
time (those pleasures that are deemed morally right in the bond of
marriage) in order to find higher fulfillment in God. Decide together as a
couple to set aside time to go without sexual pleasures in order to
experience a deeper relationship with God in prayer.
Secrecy: avoiding self-promotion. Practice serving God without others
knowing. Give in secret. Serve behind the scenes in a ministry that you
are assured few will know about.
Sacrifice: giving of our resources beyond what seems reasonable to
remind us of our dependence on Christ. Choose to give of your time or
finances to the Lord beyond what you normally would.
Disciplines of Activity
Dallas Willard writes, The disciplines of abstinence must be counter-balanced
and supplemented by disciplines of engagement (activity).2 Its choosing to
participate in activities that nurture our souls and strengthen us for the race
ahead.
Study: spending time reading the Scriptures and meditating on its
meaning and importance to our lives. We are nourished by the Word
because it is our source of spiritual strength. Choose a time and a place
to feed from the Word of God regularly.
Worship: offering praise and adoration to God. His praise should
continually be on our lips and in our thoughts. Read psalms, hymns or
spiritual songs, or sing to the Lord daily using a praise tape. Keep praise
ever before you as you think of Gods mighty deeds in your life.
Prayer: talking to and listening to God about your relationship with him
and about the concerns of others. Find time to pray to God without the
distraction of people or things. Combine your prayer time with
meditation on the Scriptures in order to focus on Christ.
Fellowship: mutual caring and ministry in the body of Christ. Meet
regularly with other Christians to find ways to minister to others.
Encourage one another.
Confession: regularly confessing your sins to the Lord and other
trusted individuals. As often as you are aware of sin in your life, confess
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it to the Lord and to those you might have offended.

Submission: humbling yourself before God and others while seeking
accountability in relationships. Find faithful brothers or sisters in Christ
who can lovingly hold you accountable for your actions and growth in
Christ.
*Note: Spiritual Disciplines are all about creating environments where
we can grow in our love for Christ. Another great resource is Adele
Calhouns Spiritual Disciplines Handbook.

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APPENDIX C

HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE

Studying the Bible can be confusing, but it doesnt have to be. Lets examine a
method called inductive Bible study that we can use as a step-by-step process
for discovering and understanding biblical truth:

Observe: Ask yourself, What do I see? Observe the passage as a whole,

keeping an eye out for themes and ideas, and then observe each verses
details.
Interpret: Ask yourself, What does it mean?
Apply: Ask yourself, How does it work? or What does it mean to me?
Your answers to these questions will help you apply the text to your daily
life.
Synthesize: Integrate the passages youre studying with what youve
learned in church or Bible studies. In this step, choose a few life
applications to help you apply what youve read.

Inductive Bible study (IBS) will help you develop a deeper knowledge of
Scripture, grow in your faith and change your life, its important for you to
slow down and examine what the verses are saying. This is essential! You
cannot effectively study scripture inductively in five minutes a week. Instead,
you must dwell, process, read, connect and think through the text, meanings
and principles found in Scripture. IBS allows you to begin with the Bible, see it
in its environment and take it apart yourself.
The following process, adapted from William and Howard Hendricks, should
shed more light on the above statements:
Observation: Ask and answer the question, What do I see? You must
assume the role of a biblical detective, making sure that you dont miss
any details.
Interpretation: Ask and answer the question, What does it mean?
Dont jump to this step. You must observe the text before you begin to
interpret it.
Application: As and answer the question, How does it work? not Does
it work? The Bible is already relevant because it is revealed. Its a return
to reality, and it changes the lives of those who read it and heed it.
Helpful hints
Here are a few key points to help you with this style of Bible study:
Observation: First, observe the paragraph as a whole: look for context (the
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environment in which something dwells); look for themes (central ideas, truths
or commands the passage focuses on); look for the obvious (things that are
easy to see). These will help you shape the overall meaning of the passage.
Then look at the specific verses: Which words are emphasized? What is
repeated? Which words are related to each other? What are similarities or
contrasts?

Heres one helpful system. (Its just one example though. Come up with your
own ways!):

Underline verbs: Go through the passage and underline all the action
words in each sentence.
Star (*) commands: Designate specific commands, admonitions,
exhortations, warnings or promises.
Box connecting words: examples: but means contrast; and, like
or likewise mean comparison; because or for mean reasons or
results; so that, in order that or that mean purpose; therefore
means conclusions; if or then mean conditions.
Circle key terms: Important theological or thematic (main idea, etc.)
words in the passage.
Highlight repetition: any word, phrase, idea, etc., that occurs often in
your passage
Define terms: If you dont know what something is, who someone is,
etc., stop and define it! Its OK to put a question mark somewhere in
order to remind you to figure it out at some other point.
Link words: Add arrows, lines, words, etc., that help you see the
relationships of words or ideas within the entire sentence. Ask questions:
Who did this action? What did that person do? Whom did it benefit?
When did it happen? Why did they do it? How was it accomplished?

Interpretation: First, its vital to remember that your interpretation must

build on your observationsyou cant skip the vital first step, lest you
interpret incorrectly! Remember, interpret literally (unless otherwise
specified), and interpret in context (of the surrounding verses, of the book in
which its found, and of the entire Bibles truth). As you interpret, its also
helpful to know the literary, historical and theological context in which youre
reading. Compare it to other passages; compare it to concordances (a tool
that lets you trace terms or concepts across scripture). And compare it to the
culture in which it was originally written. (Bible dictionaries or Bible handbooks
are great for this.)
The final step in interpretation is dealing with figurative language. First,
determine the genre of the text youre reading. It could be exposition,
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narrative, wisdom literature, parables or allegories, prophetic or apocalyptic

literature, poetry or others. If you are indeed dealing with figurative language
that is, if the text tells you it is figurative; if its a figure of speech; if a literal
interpretation would be impossible, absurd, immoral or contrary to the
passage, authors plan or other Scripture or doctrineask yourself what kind it
issimile, metaphor, hyperbole, metonymy, synecdoche, personification,
irony, etc. Then interpret what the passage means.
Application: Reading and interpreting scripture does no good if you dont
apply it to your life. Do not skip the first two steps and assume you know what
a passage means to you! Thats dangerous and leads to pooror heretical
theology. As you apply, you must first know the text (through the first two
steps) and know yourself (your strengths and limitations; who you are; etc.).
Then youve got to ask, How does this Scripture relate to my life? Meditate
on the passage. Dwell in it. What is God teaching you? Is there an example to
follow? A sin to avoid? A promise to claim? A prayer to repeat? A command to
obey? A condition? A verse to remember? An error to correct? A challenge to
face? Something else? Figure that out, then practice, practice, practice!
As you apply well, its helpful to state your goal. Then come up with specific
steps that youll follow to get yourself there. And follow through! Remember
the old adage, Hell is paved with good intentions. Its theologically off, but
the principle relates: You can have great goals and do nothing about them,
so get moving. Ask, What does it mean to me? and get going!
Thats a quick overview of IBS. Remember, its a tool designed to help you
observe, interpret. and apply the Bible to your life. But the accomplishment
isnt a good analysis. The accomplishment, goal and purpose of any Bible
study is God working in you to change your life and bring you closer to
Himself. Allow this to be your goal as you study the Bible, and let us know if
you need help advice or further resources.

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APPENDIX DD

SPIRITUAL GIFTS
NOTE: this Q&A is taken from gotquestions.org (with permission)
Question: How does God distribute spiritual gifts? Will God give me the gift I
ask for?
Answer: Romans 12:38 and 1 Corinthians 12 make it clear that each
Christian is given spiritual gifts according to the Lords choice. Spiritual gifts
are given for the purpose of the edification of the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:7;
14:12). The exact timing of when these gifts are given is not specifically
mentioned. Most assume that spiritual gifts are given at the time of spiritual
birth (the moment of salvation). However, there are some verses that may
indicate that God sometimes gives spiritual gifts later, as well. Both 1 Tim 4:14
and 2 Tim 1:6 refer to a gift that Timothy had received at the time of his
ordination by prophecy. This likely indicates that one of the elders at
Timothys ordination spoke under Gods influence of a spiritual gift that
Timothy would have as an enablement for his future ministry.
We are also told in 1 Cor 12:2831 and 14:1213 that it is God (not we) who
chooses the gifts. These passages also indicate that not everyone will have a
particular gift. Paul tells the Corinthian believers that if they are going to covet
or long after spiritual gifts, they should set aside their fascination with the
spectacular or showy gifts and, instead, strive after the more edifying gifts,
such as prophesyingspeaking forth the word of God for the building up of
others. Now, why would Paul tell them to strongly desire the best gifts if they
already had been given all that they would be given and if there was no
further opportunity of gaining these best gifts? It may lead one to believe that
even as Solomon sought wisdom from God in order to be a good ruler over
Gods people, God will grant to us those gifts that we need in order to be of
greater benefit to his church.
Having said this, it still remains that these gifts are distributed according to
Gods choosing, not our own. If every Corinthian strongly desired a particular
gift, such as prophesying, God would not give everyone that gift simply
because they strongly desired it. Why? Where would be those who are needed
to serve all of the other functions of the body of Christ?
There is one thing that is abundantly clear: Gods command is Gods
enablement. If God commands us to do somethingsuch as witness, love the
unlovely, disciple the nations, etc.he will enable us to do it. Some may not
be as gifted at evangelism as others, but God commands all Christians to
witness and disciple (Matt 28:1820; Acts 1:8). We are all called to evangelize
no matter if we have the spiritual gift of evangelism. A determined Christian
who strives after learning the word and developing his teaching ability will
become a better teacher than one who may have the spiritual gift of teaching
but neglects the gift.
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In summary, are spiritual gifts given to us when we receive Christ, or are

they cultivated through our walk with God? The answer is both. Normally,
spiritual gifts are given at salvation, but they also need to be cultivated
through spiritual growth. Can a desire in your heart be pursued and developed
into your spiritual gift? Can you seek after certain spiritual gifts? 1 Cor 12:31
seems to indicate that this is possibleearnestly desire the best gifts. You
can seek from God a spiritual gift and be zealous after it by seeking to develop
that area. At the same time, if it is not Gods will, you will not receive a certain
spiritual gift no matter how strongly you seek after it. God is infinitely wise,
and he knows with which gifts you will be most productive for his kingdom.
No matter how much we have been gifted with one gift or another, we are
all called upon to develop a number of areas mentioned in the lists of spiritual
gifts to be hospitable, to show acts of mercy, to serve one another, to
evangelize, etc. As we seek to serve him out of love, for the purpose of
building up others for his glory, he will bring glory to his name, grow his
church, and reward us (1 Cor 3:58; 12:3114:1). God promises that as we
make him our delight, he will give us the desires of our heart (Ps 37:45). This
would surely include preparing us to serve him in a way that will bring us
purpose and satisfaction.
Question: What is the difference between a talent and a spiritual gift?
Answer: There are similarities and differences between talents and spiritual
gifts. Both are given by God. Both grow in effectiveness with use. Both are
intended to be used on behalf of others, not for selfish purposes. 1 Cor 12:7
states that spiritual gifts are given to benefit others not ones self. The two
great commandments deal with loving God and others, so it follows that one
should use ones talents for that purpose. But talents and spiritual gifts differ
in to whom they are given and when. A personregardless of the persons
belief in God or in Christis given a natural talent as a result of a combination
of genetics (some have natural ability in music, art or mathematics) and
surroundings (growing up in a musical family will aid one in developing a
talent for music), or because God desired to endow certain individuals with
certain talents (for example, Bezalel in Ex. 31:16). Spiritual gifts are given to
believers by the Holy Spirit (Rom 12:3, 6) at the time of their placing their
faith in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. At that time, the Holy Spirit
gives to the new believer the spiritual gift or gifts he desires the believer to
have (1 Cor 12:11). There are three main lists of spiritual gifts:
Romans 12:38 lists the spiritual gifts as follows: prophecy, serving others
(in a general sense), teaching, exhorting, generosity, leadership and showing
mercy. 1 Cor 12:811 lists the gifts as: the word of wisdom (ability to
communicate spiritual wisdom), the word of knowledge (ability to
communicate practical truth), faith (unusual reliance upon God), the working
of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues (ability to speak in a
language that one has not studied) and interpretation of tongues. The third list
is found in Eph 4:1012, which speaks of God giving to his church apostles,
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prophets, evangelists and pastor or teachers. There is also a question as to

how many spiritual gifts there are as no two lists are the same. It is also
possible that the Bibles lists are not exhaustive, that there are additional
spiritual gifts beyond the ones the Bible mentions.
While often one may develop ones talents and later direct ones profession
or hobby along those lines, spiritual gifts were given by the Holy Spirit for the
building up of Christs church. In that, all Christians are to play an active part
in the furtherance of the gospel of Christ. All are called and equipped to be
involved in the work of the ministry (Eph 4:12). All are gifted so that they
can contribute to the cause of Christ out of gratitude for all he has done for
them. In doing so, they also find fulfillment in life through their labor for Christ.
It is the job of church leaders to help build up the saints so they can be further
equipped for the ministry to which God has called them. The intended result of
spiritual gifts is that the church as a whole can grow, being strengthened by
the combined supply of each member of Christs body.
To summarize the differences between spiritual gifts and talents: First, a
talent is the result of genetics or training, but a spiritual gift is the result of the
power of the Holy Spirit. Second, a talent can be possessed by anyone,
Christian or non-Christian, but spiritual gifts are only possessed by Christians.
Third, although both talents and spiritual gifts should be used for Gods glory
and to minister to others, spiritual gifts are focused on these tasks. Talents can
be used entirely for non-spiritual purposes.
Question: Are the miraculous gifts of the Spirit for today?
Answer: First, it is important to recognize that this is not a question of
whether God still performs miracles today. It would be foolish and unbiblical to
claim that God does not heal people, speak to people and perform miraculous
signs and wonders today. The question is whether the miraculous gifts of the
Spirit, described primarily in 1 Corinthians 1214, are still active in the church
today. This is also not a question of if the Holy Spirit can give someone a
miraculous gift. The question is if the Holy Spirit does still dispense the
miraculous gifts today. Above all else, we entirely recognize that the Holy
Spirit is free to dispense gifts according to his will (1 Cor 12:711).
In the book of Acts and the Epistles, the vast majority of miracles are
performed by the apostles and their close associates. 2 Cor 12:12 gives us the
reason why, The things that mark an apostlesigns, wonders and miracles
were done among you with great perseverance. If every believer in Christ
were equipped with the ability to perform signs, wonders and miracles, signs,
wonders and miracles could in no way be the identifying marks of an apostle.
Acts 2:22 tells us that Jesus was accredited by miracles, wonders and
signs. Similarly were the apostles marked as genuine messengers from
God by the miracles they performed? Acts 14:3 describes the Gospel message
being confirmed by the miracles Paul and Barnabas performed.
1 Corinthians 1214 deals primarily with the subject of the gifts of the Spirit.
It seems from that text that ordinary Christians were sometimes given
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miraculous gifts (1 Cor 12:810, 2830). We are not told how commonplace
this was. From what we learned above, that the apostles were marked by
signs and wonders, it would seem that miraculous gifts being given to
ordinary Christians was the exception, not the rule. Outside of the apostles
and their close associates, the New Testament nowhere specifically describes
individuals exercising the miraculous gifts of the Spirit.
It is also important to realize that the early church did not have the
completed Bible, as we do today (2 Tim 3:1617). Therefore, the gifts of
prophecy, knowledge, wisdom, etc., were necessary in order for the early
Christians to know what God would have them to do. The gift of prophecy
enabled believers to communicate new truth and revelation from God. Now
that Gods revelation is complete in the Bible, the revelatory gifts are no
longer needed.
So which spiritual gifts does TCBC recognize as operative in todays
world?
These are the gifts of the Spirit that Trinity Chapel believes the Bible teaches
to be valid and working today:

Service: The ability to identify and care for the physical needs of the body
through a variety of means. The Greek word for this gift is the same as that
for ministry or deacon, but the gift should not be confused with the
office (Rom 12:7).
Teaching: The ability to clearly explain and effectively apply the truths of
Gods word so that others will learn. This requires the capacity to
accurately interpret Scripture, engage in necessary research, and organize
the results in a way that is easily communicated (Rom 12:7; 1 Cor 12:2829; Eph 4:11).
Exhortation: The ability to motivate others to respond to the truth by
providing timely words of counsel, encouragement and consolation. When
this gift is exercised, believers are challenged to stimulate their faith by
putting Gods truth to the test in their lives (Rom 12:8).
Giving: The ability to contribute material resources with generosity and
cheerfulness for the benefit of others and the glory of God. Christians with
this spiritual gift need not be wealthy (Rom 12:8).
Leadership: The ability to discern Gods purpose for a group, set and
communicate appropriate goals, and motivate others to work together to
fulfill them in the service of God. A person with this gift is effective at
delegating tasks to followers without manipulation or coercion (Rom 12:8).
Mercy: The ability to deeply empathize and engage in compassionate acts
on behalf of people who are suffering physical, mental, or emotional
distress. Those with this gift manifest concern and kindness to people who
are often overlooked (Rom 12:8).
Wisdom: The ability to apply the principles of the word of God in a

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practical way to specific situations and to recommend the best course of

action at the best time. The exercise of this gift skillfully distills insight and
discernment into excellent advice (1 Cor 12:8).
Knowledge: The ability to discover, analyze and systematize truth for the
benefit of others. With this gift, one speaks with understanding and
penetration. Some also associate supernatural perception with this gift (1
Cor 12:8).
Faith: The ability to have a vision for what God wants to be done and to
confidently believe that it will be accomplished in spite of circumstances
and appearances to the contrary. The gift of faith transforms vision into
reality (1 Cor 12:9).
Helps: The ability to enhance the effectiveness of the ministry of other
members of the body. This is the only usage of this word in the New
Testament, and it appears to be distinct from the gift of service. Some
suggest that while the gift of service is more group-oriented, the gift of
helps is more person-oriented (1 Cor 12:28).
Administration: This word, like helps, appears only one time in the New
Testament, and it is used outside of Scripture of a helmsman who steers a
ship to its destination. This suggests that the spiritual gift of administration
is the ability to steer a church or Christian organization toward the
fulfillment of its goals by managing its affairs and implementing necessary
plans. A person may have the gift of leadership without the gift of
administration (1 Cor 12:28).
Evangelism: The ability to be an unusually effective instrument in leading
unbelievers to a saving knowledge of Christ. Some with this gift are most
effective in personal evangelism, while others may be used by God in
group evangelism or cross-cultural evangelism
(Eph 4:11).
Shepherding or pastoring: Peter was commissioned by Christ to
shepherd his sheep, and Peter exhorted the elders in the churches of Asia
Minor to do the same. A person with this spiritual gift has the ability to
personally lead, nourish, protect, and care for the needs of a flock of
believers. Not all people with the office of pastor (elder, overseer) have or
need the gift of pastoring or shepherding, and many with this gift do not
have or need the office (Eph 4:11; John 21:16; 1 Pet 5:2; Acts 20:28).

**We know that there are churches and denominations who believe in more, or
different, gifts than we do. If you want an explanation as to why we stand where we
do, please ask a pastor after class.

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APPENDIX E

TCBC CONSTITUTION
CONSTITUTION OF TRINITY CHAPEL BIBLE CHURCH
Preamble
We, the members of Trinity Chapel Bible Church, do adopt and establish the
following articles to which we voluntarily submit ourselves.
ARTICLE I
Purpose
The purpose of this body of believers is to glorify God by:

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(1) Developing a family of believers, which is first and foremost coming to

know, enjoy and love God through the Lord Jesus Christ;
(2) Laboring and striving according to His power to present every believer
complete in Christ;
(3) Regularly meeting together for the worship of God and for the equipping
of the believers for the work of service to the building up of Christ through
the faithful teaching of the Scriptures, through prayer, through the singing of
praises to God and through fellowship;
(4) Committing to work together and to be accountable to one another to
permit God to develop the spiritual gifts of this body of believers for serving
one another and others as God leads both financially and otherwise;
(5) Evangelizing through the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
locally and worldwide;
(6) Supporting and working with other Christian ministries in harmony with
God's Word; and
(7) The ordination of qualified men to the ministry, until the return of the
Lord Jesus Christ.

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ARTICLE II
Doctrine
SECTION 1. The Scriptures
We believe that "all scripture is given by inspiration of God," by which we
understand the whole Bible is inspired in the sense that holy men of God
"were moved by the Holy Spirit" to write the very words of Scripture. We
believe that this divine inspiration extends equally and fully to all parts of the
writings - historical, poetical, doctrinal, and prophetical - as appeared in the
original manuscripts. We believe that the whole Bible in the originals is
therefore without error. We believe that all the Scriptures center about the
Lord Jesus Christ in His person and work in His first and second coming, and
hence that no portion, even of the Old Testament, is properly read, or
understood, until it leads to Him. We also believe that all the Scriptures were
designed for our practical instruction (Mark 12:26, 36; 13:11; Luke 24:27, 44;
John 5:39; Acts 1:16; 17:2-3; 18:28; 26:22-23; 28:23; Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 2:13;
10:11; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21).
SECTION 2. The Godhead
We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons - the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit - and that these three are one God, having
precisely the same nature, attributes, and perfections, and worthy of
precisely the same homage, confidence, and obedience (Matt. 28:18-19;
Mark 12:29; John 1:14; Acts 5:3-4; 2 Cor. 13:14; Heb. 1:1-3; Rev. 1:4-6).
SECTION 3. Angels, Fallen and Unfallen
We believe that God created an innumerable company of sinless, spiritual
beings, known as angels; that one, "Lucifer, son of the morning" - the highest
in rank - sinned through pride, thereby becoming Satan; that a great
company of the angels followed him in this moral fall, some of whom became
demons and are active as his agents and associates in the prosecution of his
unholy purposes, while others who fell are "reserved in everlasting chains
under darkness unto the judgment of the great day" (Isa. 14:12-17; Ezek.
28:11-19; 1 Tim. 3:6; 2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6).
We believe that Satan is the originator of sin, and that under the permission
of God, he, through subtlety, led our first parents into transgression, thereby
accomplishing their moral fall and subjecting them and their posterity to his
own power; that he is the enemy of God and the people of God, opposing
and exalting himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped; and
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that he who in the beginning said, "I will be like the Most High," in his warfare
appears as an angel of light, even counterfeiting the works of God by
fostering religious movements and systems of doctrine, which systems in
every case are characterized by a denial of the efficacy of the blood of Christ
and of salvation by grace alone (Gen. 3:1-19; Rom. 5:12-14; 2 Cor. 4:3-4;
11:13-15; Eph. 6:10-12; 2 Thess. 2:4; 1 Tim. 4:1-3).
We believe that Satan was judged at the Cross, though not then executed,
and that he, a usurper, now rules as the "god of this world"; that, at the
second coming of Christ, Satan will be bound and cast into the abyss for a
thousand years, and after the thousand years he will be loosed for a little
season and then "cast into the lake of fire and brimstone," where he "shall be
tormented day and night forever and ever" (Col. 2:15; Rev. 20:1-3, 10).
We believe that a great company of angels kept their holy estate and are
before the throne of God, from whence they are sent forth as ministering
spirits to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation (Luke 15:10; Eph.
1:21; Heb. 1:14; Rev. 7:12).
We believe that man was made lower than the angels; and that, in His
incarnation, Christ took for a little time this lower place that He might lift the
believer to His own sphere above the angels (Heb. 2:6-10).
SECTION 4. Man, Created and Fallen
We believe that man was originally created in the image and after the
likeness of God, and that he fell through sin, and, as a consequence of his
sin, lost his spiritual life, becoming dead in trespasses and sins, and that he
became subject to the power of the devil. We also believe that this spiritual
death, or total depravity of human nature, has been transmitted to the entire
human race of man, the Man Christ Jesus alone being excepted; and hence
that every child of Adam is born into the world with a nature which not only
possesses no spark of divine life, but is essentially and unchangeably bad
apart from divine grace (Gen. 1:26; 2:17; 6:5; Pss. 14:1-3; 51:5; Jer. 17:9;
John 3:6; 5:40; 6:35; Rom. 3:10-19; 8:6-7; Eph. 2:1-3; 1 Tim. 5:6; 1 John 3:8).
SECTION 5. The Dispensations.
We believe that the dispensations are stewardships by which God
administers His purpose on the earth through man under varying
responsibilities. We believe that the changes in the dispensational dealings
of God with man depend upon changed conditions or situations in which man
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is successively found with relation to God, and that these changes are the
result of the failures of man and the judgments of God. We believe that
different administrative responsibilities of this character are manifest in the
biblical record, that they span the entire history of mankind, and that each
ends in the failure of man under the respective test and in an ensuing
judgment from God. We believe that three of these dispensations or rules of
life are the subject of extended revelation in the Scriptures, viz., the
dispensation of the Mosaic Law, the present dispensation of grace, and the
future dispensation of the millennial kingdom. We believe that these are
distinct and are not to be intermingled or confused, as they are
chronologically successive.
We believe that the dispensations are neither ways of salvation nor different
methods of administering the so-called Covenant of Grace. They are not in
themselves dependent on covenant relationships but are ways of life and
responsibility to God which test the submission of man to His revealed will
during a particular time. We believe that if man does trust in his own efforts
to gain the favor of God or salvation under any dispensational test, because
of inherent sin his failure to satisfy fully the just requirements of God is
inevitable and his condemnation sure.
We believe that according to the "eternal purpose" of God (Eph. 3:11)
salvation in the divine reckoning is always "by grace through faith," and rests
upon the basis of the shed blood of Christ. We believe that God has always
been gracious, regardless of the ruling dispensation, but that man has not at
all times been under an administration or stewardship of grace as is true in
the present dispensation (1 Cor. 9:17; Eph. 3:2, 9, ASV; Col. 1:25; 1 Tim. 1:4,
ASV).
We believe that it has always been true that "without faith it is impossible to
please" God (Heb. 11:6), and that the principle of faith was prevalent in the
lives of all the Old Testament saints. However, we believe that it was
historically impossible that they should have had as the conscious object of
their faith the incarnate, crucified Son, the Lamb of God (John 1:29), and that
it was evident that they did not comprehend as we do that the sacrifices
depicted the person and work of Christ. We believe also that they did not
understand the redemptive significance of the prophecies or types
concerning the sufferings of Christ (1 Pet. 1:10-12); therefore, we believe
that their faith toward God was manifested in other ways as is shown by the
long record in Hebrews 11:1-40. We believe further that their faith thus
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manifested was counted unto them for righteousness (cf. Rom. 4:3 with Gen.
15:6; Rom. 4:5-8; Heb. 11:7).
SECTION 6. The First Advent
We believe that, as provided and purposed by God and as preannounced in
the prophecies of the Scriptures, the eternal Son of God came into this world
that He might manifest God to men, fulfill prophecy, and become the
Redeemer of a lost world. To this end He was born of the virgin and received
a human body and a sinless human nature (Luke 1:30-35; John 1:18; 3:16;
Heb. 4:15).
We believe that, on the human side, He became and remained a perfect
man, but sinless throughout His life; yet He retained His absolute deity, being
at the same time very God and very man, and that His earth-life sometimes
functioned within the sphere of that which was human and sometimes within
the sphere of that which was divine (Luke 2:40; John 1:1-2; Phil. 2:5-8).
We believe that in fulfillment of prophecy He came first to Israel as her
Messiah-King, and that, being rejected of that nation, He, according to the
eternal counsels of God, gave His life as a ransom for all (John 1:11; Acts
2:22-24; 1 Tim. 2:6).
We believe that, in infinite love for the lost, He voluntarily accepted His
Father's will and became the divinely provided sacrificial Lamb and took
away the sin of the world, bearing the holy judgments against sin, which the
righteousness of God must impose. His death was therefore substitutionary
in the most absolute sense - the just for the unjust - and by His death He
became the Savior of the lost (John 1:29; Rom. 3:25-26; 2 Cor. 5:14; Heb.
10:5-14; 1 Pet. 3:18).
We believe that, according to the Scriptures, He arose from the dead in the
same body, though glorified, in which He lived and died, and that His
resurrection body is the pattern of that body which ultimately will be given to
all believers (John 20:20; Phil. 3:20-21).
We believe that, on departing from the earth, He was accepted of His Father
and that His acceptance is a final assurance to us that His redeeming work
was perfectly accomplished (Heb. 1:3).

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We believe that He became Head over all things to the church, which is His
body, and in this ministry He ceases not to intercede and advocate for the
saved (Eph. 1:22-23; Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:1).
SECTION 7. Salvation Only Through Christ
We believe that, owing to universal death through sin, no one can enter the
Kingdom of God unless born again; and that no degree of reformation
however great, no attainments in morality however high, no culture however
attractive, no baptism or other ordinance however administered, can help
the sinner to take even one step toward heaven; but a new nature imparted
from above, a new life implanted by the Holy Spirit through the Word, is
absolutely essential to salvation, and only those thus saved are sons of God.
We believe, also, that our redemption has been accomplished solely by the
blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, who was made to be sin and was made a
curse for us, dying in our room and stead; and that no repentance, no
feeling, no faith, no good resolutions, no sincere efforts, no submission to the
rules and regulations of any church, nor all the churches that have existed
since the days of the apostles can add in the very least degree to the value
of the blood, or to the merit of the finished work wrought for us by Him who
united in His person true and proper deity with perfect and sinless humanity
(Lev. 17:11; Isa. 64:6; Matt. 26:28; John 3:7-18; Rom. 5:6-9; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal.
3:13; 6:15; Eph. 1:7; Phil. 3:4-9; Titus 3:5; James 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:18-19, 23).
We believe that the new birth of the believer comes only through faith in
Christ and that repentance is a vital part of believing, and is in no way, in
itself, a separate and independent condition of salvation; nor are any other
acts, such as confession, baptism, prayer, or faithful service, to be added to
believing as a condition of salvation (John 1:12; 3:16, 18, 36; 5:24; 6:29; Acts
13:39; 16:31; Rom. 1:16-17; 3:22, 26; 4:5; 10:4; Gal. 3:22).
SECTION 8. The Extent of Salvation
We believe that when an unregenerate person exercises that faith in Christ
which is illustrated and described as such in the New Testament, he passes
immediately out of spiritual death into spiritual life, and from the old creation
into the new; being justified from all things, accepted before the Father as
Christ His Son is accepted, loved as Christ is loved, having his place and
portion as linked to Him and one with Him forever. Though the saved one
may have occasion to grow in the realization of his blessings and to know a
fuller measure of divine power through the yielding of his life more fully to
God, he is, as soon as he is saved, in possession of every spiritual blessing
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and absolutely complete in Christ, and is therefore in no way required by God

to seek a so-called "second blessing" or a "second work of grace" (John 5:24;
17:23; Acts 13:39; Rom. 5:1; 1 Cor. 3:21-23; Eph. 1:3; Col. 2:10; 1 John 4:17;
5:11-12).
SECTION 9. Sanctification
We believe that sanctification, which is a setting apart unto God, is threefold: It is already complete for every saved person because his position
toward God is the same as Christ's position. Since the believer is in Christ,
he is set apart unto God in the measure in which Christ is set apart unto God.
We believe, however, that he retains his sin nature, which cannot be
eradicated in this life. Therefore, while the standing of the Christian in Christ
is perfect, his present state is no more perfect than his experience in daily
life. There is, therefore, a progressive sanctification wherein the Christian is
to "grow in grace" and to "be changed" by the unhindered power of the
Spirit. We believe also that the child of God will yet be fully sanctified in his
state as he is now sanctified in his standing in Christ when he shall see his
Lord and shall be "like Him" (John 17:17; 2 Cor. 3:18; 7:1; Eph. 4:24; 5:25-27;
1 Thess. 5:23; Heb. 10:10, 14; 12:10).

SECTION 10. Eternal Security

We believe that, because of the eternal purpose of God toward the objects of
His love, because of His freedom to exercise grace toward the meritless on
the ground of the propitiatory blood of Christ, because of the very nature of
the divine gift of eternal life, because of the present and unending
intercession and advocacy of Christ in heaven, because of the immutability
of the unchangeable covenants of God, because of the regenerating, abiding
presence of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of all who are saved, we and all true
believers everywhere, once saved shall be kept saved forever. We believe,
however, that God is a holy and righteous Father and that, since He cannot
overlook the sin of His children, He will, when they persistently sin, chasten
them and correct them in infinite love; but having undertaken to save them
and keep them forever, apart from all human merit, He, who cannot fail, will
in the end present every one of them faultless before the presence of His
glory and conformed to the image of His Son (John 5:24; 10:28; 13:1; 14:1617; 17:11; Rom. 8:29; 1 Cor. 6:19; Heb. 7:25; 1 John 2:1-2; 5:13; Jude 24).
SECTION 11. Assurance
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We believe it is the privilege, not only of some, but of all who are born again
by the Spirit through faith in Christ as revealed in the Scriptures, to be
assured of their salvation from the very day they take Him to be their Savior
and that this assurance is not founded upon any fancied discovery of their
own worthiness or fitness, but wholly upon the testimony of God in His
written Word, exciting within His children filial love, gratitude, and obedience
(Luke 10:20; 22:32; 2 Cor. 5:1, 6-8; 2 Tim. 1:12; Heb. 10:22; 1 John 5:13).
SECTION 12. The Holy Spirit
We believe that the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the blessed Trinity,
though omnipresent from all eternity, took up His abode in the world in a
special sense on the day of Pentecost according to the divine promise, dwells
in every believer, and by His baptism unites all to Christ in one body, and
that He, as the Indwelling One, is the source of all power and all acceptable
worship and service. We believe that He never takes His departure from the
church, nor from the feeblest of the saints, but is ever present to testify of
Christ; seeking to occupy believers with Him and not with themselves nor
with their experiences. We believe that His abode in the world in this special
sense will cease when Christ comes to receive His own at the completion of
the church (John 14:16-17; 16:7-15; 1 Cor. 6:19; Eph. 2:22; 2 Thess. 2:7).
We believe that, in this age, certain well-defined ministries are committed to
the Holy Spirit, and that it is the duty of every Christian to understand them
and to be adjusted to them in his own life and experience. These ministries
are the restraining of evil in the world to the measure of the divine will; the
convicting of the world respecting sin, righteousness, and judgment; the
regenerating of all believers; the indwelling and anointing of all who are
saved, thereby sealing them unto the day of redemption; the baptizing into
the one body of Christ of all who are saved; and the continued filling for
power, teaching, and service of those among the saved who are yielded to
Him and who are subject to His will (John 3:6; 16:7-11; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor.
12:13; Eph. 4:30; 5:18; 2 Thess. 2:7; 1 John 2:20-27).
We believe that the permanent endowment of some gifts of the Holy Spirit to
specific individuals, such as speaking in tongues and miraculous healings,
were necessary in the first century but are no longer necessary. This does
not mean that God will not perform miracles from time to time as He deems
necessary, but rather that specific individuals are no longer permanently
gifted by the Spirit with the power to perform the so-called sign gifts. We
believe that speaking in tongues was never the common or necessary sign of
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the baptism nor of the filling of the Spirit, and that the ultimate deliverance
of the body from sickness or death awaits the consummation of our salvation
in the resurrection (Acts 4:8, 31; Rom. 8:23; 1 Cor. 13:8).
SECTION 13. The Church, a Unity of Believers
We believe that all who are united to the risen and ascended Son of God are
members of the church which is the body and bride of Christ, which began at
Pentecost and is completely distinct from Israel. Its members are constituted
as such regardless of membership or non-membership in the organized
churches of earth. We believe that by the same Spirit all believers in this age
are baptized into, and thus become, one body that is Christ's, whether Jews
or Gentiles, and having become members one of another, are under solemn
duty to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, rising above all
sectarian differences, and loving one another with a pure heart fervently
(Matt. 16:16-18; Acts 2:42-47; Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Eph. 1:20-23; 4:310; Col. 3:14-15).
SECTION 14. The Sacraments or Ordinances
We believe that water baptism and the Lord's Supper are the only
sacraments and ordinances of the church and that they are a scriptural
means of testimony for the church in this age (Matt. 28:19; Luke 22:19-20;
Acts 10:47-48; 16:32-33; 18:7-8; 1 Cor. 11:26).
SECTION 15. The Christian's Walk
We believe that we are called with a holy calling, to walk not after the flesh,
but after the Spirit, and so to live in the power of the indwelling Spirit that we
will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. But the flesh with its fallen, Adamic
nature, which in this life is never eradicated, being with us to the end of our
earthly pilgrimage, needs to be kept by the Spirit constantly in subjection to
Christ, or it will surely manifest its presence in our lives to the dishonor of our
Lord (Rom. 6:11-13; 8:2, 4, 12-13; Gal. 5:16-23; Eph. 4:22-24; Col. 2:1-10; 1
Pet. 1:14-16; 1 John 1:4-7; 3:5-9).
SECTION 16. The Christian's Service
We believe that divine enabling gifts for service are bestowed by the Spirit
upon all who are saved. While there is a diversity of gifts, the same Spirit
energizes each believer, and each is called to his own divinely appointed
service as the Spirit may will. In the apostolic church there were certain
gifted men - apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers - who
were appointed by God for the perfecting of the saints unto their work of the
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ministry. We believe also that today some men are especially called of God
to be evangelists, pastors and teachers, and that it is to the fulfilling of His
will and to His eternal glory that these shall be sustained and encouraged in
their service for God (Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:4-11; Eph. 4:11).
We believe that, wholly apart from salvation benefits which are bestowed
equally upon all who believe, rewards are promised according to the
faithfulness of each believer in his service for his Lord, and that these
rewards will be bestowed at the judgment seat of Christ after He comes to
receive His own to Himself (1 Cor. 3:9-15; 9:18-27; 2 Cor. 5:10).
SECTION 17. The Great Commission
We believe that it is the explicit message of our Lord Jesus Christ to those
whom He has saved that they are sent forth by Him into the world even as
He was sent forth of His Father into the world. We believe that, after they
are saved, they are divinely reckoned to be related to this world as strangers
and pilgrims, ambassadors and witnesses, and that their primary purpose in
life should be to make Christ known to the whole world (Matt. 28:18-19; Mark
16:15; John 17:18; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:18-20; 1 Pet. 1:17; 2:11).
SECTION 18. The Blessed Hope
We believe that, according to the Word of God, the next great event in the
fulfillment of prophecy will be the coming of the Lord in the air to receive to
Himself into heaven both His own who are alive and remain unto His coming,
and also all who have fallen asleep in Jesus, and that this event is the
blessed hope set before us in the Scripture, and for this we should be
constantly looking (John 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:51-52; Phil. 3:20; 1 Thess. 4:13-18;
Titus 2:11-14).
SECTION 19. The Tribulation
We believe that the translation of the church will be followed by the
fulfillment of Israel's seventieth week (Dan. 9:27; Rev. 6:1-19:21) during
which the church, the body of Christ, will be in heaven. The whole period of
Israel's seventieth week will be a time of judgment on the whole earth, at the
end of which the times of the Gentiles will be brought to a close. The latter
half of this period will be the time of Jacob's trouble (Jer. 30:7), which our
Lord called the great tribulation (Matt. 24:15-21). We believe that universal
righteousness will not be realized previous to the second coming of Christ,
but that the world is day by day ripening for judgment and that the age will
end with a fearful apostasy.
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SECTION 20. The Second Coming of Christ

We believe that the period of great tribulation in the earth will be climaxed
by the return of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth as He went, in person on
the clouds of heaven, and with power and great glory to introduce the
millennial age, to bind Satan and place him in the abyss, to lift the curse
which now rests upon the whole creation, to restore Israel to her own land
and to give her the realization of God's covenant promises, and to bring the
whole world to the knowledge of God (Deut. 30:1-10; Isa. 11:9; Ezek. 37:2128; Matt. 24:15-25:46; Acts 15:16-17; Rom. 8:19-23; 11:25-27; 1 Tim. 4:1-3;
2 Tim. 3:1-5; Rev. 20:1-3).
SECTION 21. The Eternal State
We believe that at death the spirits and souls of those who have trusted in
the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation pass immediately into His presence and
there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the glorified body
when Christ comes for His own, whereupon soul and body reunited shall be
associated with Him forever in glory; but the spirits and souls of the
unbelieving remain after death conscious of condemnation and in misery
until the final judgment of the great white throne at the close of the
millennium, when soul and body reunited shall be cast into the lake of fire,
not to be annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting destruction from
the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power (Luke 16:19-26;
23:42; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23; 2 Thess. 1:7-9; Jude 6-7; Rev. 20:11-15).
ARTICLE III
The Membership
SECTION 1. Definition
For purposes of church government, the membership shall consist of all the
Ministry Partners of Trinity Chapel Bible Church.
SECTION 2. Qualification for Membership (Ministry Partnership)
Any person desiring to unite with Trinity Chapel Bible Church shall be
examined by the Shepherding Team and shall satisfy such body of his
personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior by affirmation of such faith, and shall
agree that Jesus is God; that He was virgin born; that He died as a voluntary
substitute for sinful man; that He was bodily raised from the dead; that God
imputes righteousness to the believer upon acceptance by faith of His Son as
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Savior and gives the believer eternal life; that Jesus will bodily return to the
earth and that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God.
SECTION 3. Receiving into Membership
Upon the Shepherding Team being satisfied of the applicant's qualifications
he shall be received into membership of the church and introduced to the
Ministry Partners at an appropriate time thereafter.
SECTION 4. Termination of Membership
If a Ministry Partner engages in conduct which, in the opinion of the Elder
Board, is detrimental to the ministry, unity, peace or purity of the church and
such Ministry Partner remains unrepentant, then the Board, by unanimous
vote, may declare such Ministry Partners membership terminated, remove
the Ministry Partners name from the roll and announce such removal from
the pulpit of the church on the first Sunday following removal.
At death, the name of a member shall be removed from the roll.
Upon a Ministry Partner joining another church, membership shall be
terminated.
SECTION 5. Ministry Partner Meetings
A Ministry Partner meeting may be called at any time by the Elders, by the
giving of notice of the time, place, and purpose at all worship services on the
Sunday at least one week previous to the day of the meeting. In case of an
emergency, the Ministry Partners will be notified by mail provided that such
notice is placed in the mail not less than five days before the meeting. The
Elders shall always call a Ministry Partner meeting when requested in writing
to do so by ten percent of the Ministry Partners of the church, except as
provided for in Article V, Section 2(4) (c). No business shall be transacted in
such meeting except that stated in the call. The Elders shall call a Ministry
Partner meeting at least once a year to report on the goals for the ensuing
Church Year and to hear the recommendations of the Ministry Partners.
SECTION 6. Quorum
A quorum for the transaction of business in all Ministry Partner meetings
shall consist of twenty-five (25) percent of the Ministry Partners of this
church who are eligible to vote. Only Ministry Partners in good standing and
who have attained to the age of eighteen (18) years and upward shall be
eligible to vote at any business meeting.
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SECTION 7. Minutes
Minutes of all Ministry Partner meetings shall be taken by the secretary of
the Board of Elders or by a substitute appointed by the Elders and shall be
kept in a well-bound book.
SECTION 8. Order
In the transaction of business in all Ministry Partner meetings, Robert's Rules
of Order shall be used in all cases not covered by this constitution.
ARTICLE IV
Government
The government of this church, under the leadership of Jesus Christ, is
vested in the Shepherding Team (Elders and Pastors) and Deacons duly
elected by the Ministry Partners.
ARTICLE V
Officers, Pastors, Non-Pastoral Staf and Teachers
SECTION 1. The Officers
The officers of the church shall consist of a Board of Elders, a Shepherding
Team (Elders and Pastors), a Board of Deacons, and a Church Treasurer. Each
officer shall be installed in an appropriate ordination service prescribed by
the Elders.
SECTION 2. Pastors
(1) Qualifications. For a man to be considered for Pastor, he shall show
evidence of having successfully completed college and seminary training, or
shall offer an educational equivalent judged satisfactory by the Elders. Also,
every Pastor must meet the requirements of I Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9
and subscribe to the Doctrinal Statement of the Constitution of the church.
(2) Selection. Any Pastor of the church shall be chosen by the Ministry
Partners for an indefinite period (unless otherwise specified in the call), upon
the recommendation of the Elders after prayerful investigation and
examination. Only such a man shall be recommended for the pastorate who
conscientiously subscribes without mental reservation to the Doctrinal
Statement and Constitution of this church, and who is or will become
independent of any denomination. The selection of a Pastor shall be voted
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on at a regularly called meeting of the Ministry Partners. Each Pastor shall

be recommended to the church by the Elders and shall be elected by a threefourths (3/4) majority vote of the qualified Ministry Partners present at a
meeting duly called and constituted for the express purpose of considering
such recommendation. After his election, the Pastor-elect shall be installed
at an appropriate service prescribed by the Elders. Each Pastor's salary shall
be set by the Elders.
(3) Duties. It shall be the duty of each Pastor to perform the duties given
to him by the Elders. Each Pastor shall be an ex-officio member of all boards
and committees without vote. Each Pastor shall spiritually encourage the
Elders and Deacons and share with them the shepherding responsibilities for
the church.
(4) Shepherding Team. All pastors are members of the Shepherding Team,
which is composed of all the Elders and all of the Pastors. The Shepherding
Team is responsible for shepherding the Ministry Partners and for the overall
operation of the church. Pastors are not automatically considered to be
Elders, but may be elected to the Elder Board the same as any Ministry
Partner.
(5) Termination. Termination of a Pastor relationship can be effected in any
of the following manners:
(a) If at any time a Pastor shall tender his resignation to the Elders, such
resignation may be accepted by the Elders upon any terms specified by
the Elders.
(b) The termination of the pastoral relationship can be accomplished by
a unanimous vote of all of the Elders at a special or regularly called
meeting, provided that written notice of such proposed termination has
been mailed to the Pastor and Elders at least one week prior to such
meeting. Any Elder who cannot attend the meeting shall express his
vote on termination in writing. If so terminated, the Pastor shall receive
a minimum of one month's salary after the time of termination.
(c) The termination of the pastoral relationship can be instituted by the
Ministry Partners in the following manner. If a petition signed by twenty
percent of the Ministry Partners, requesting such termination, shall be
presented to the Elders, they shall cause to be called a Ministry Partner
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meeting for consideration of the question. The moderator of this

meeting shall be the chairman of the Board of Elders or any member of
the Board of Elders so designated by the Elders. Upon reading of the
petition to the Ministry Partners and discussion thereon, a vote by secret
written ballot shall be taken. A simple majority vote of all those present
shall be sufficient to cause termination. The pastor shall be entitled to a
minimum of one month's salary after such termination.
SECTION 3. Non-Pastoral Staf
Any staff member shall be approved by the Elders. Any staff member may
be terminated by a vote of the Elders present at a special or regularly called
meeting. The salary of staff members shall be set by the Elders.
SECTION 4. Teachers
All teachers will be approved by the Elders before teaching in the church.
Any teacher may be terminated at any time when, in the opinion of the
Elders, the teacher's conduct is detrimental to the ministry, unity, peace or
purity of the church. All teachers shall agree to the Doctrinal Statement of
the church and shall not teach anything contrary to the Doctrinal Statement.
SECTION 5. The Elders
(1) Qualifications. The qualifications are specifically set forth in 1Timothy
3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. Additionally, each man nominated for Elder must
subscribe to the Doctrinal Statement of the church.
(2) Selection. The Board of Elders shall be composed of not more than the
maximum number of members as determined by the Board of Elders. The
positions of such Board of Elders shall be numbered consecutively, beginning
with Number 1, and each Elder shall hold the office of Elder designated by
that numbered place.
In addition, each Elder shall be assigned to a class in such a manner that
there shall be a minimum of two classes at all times, each with the same
number of members insofar as is possible.
Elders shall be elected for a term of two years and to a numbered place and
class so that at the end of the Church Year the terms of all the members of
one class shall expire.

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(a) Nomination. At least four weeks before the last Sunday of the
Church Year every year and for four consecutive Sundays it shall be
announced from the pulpit and published in the church bulletin the
names of all of the Elders who are members of the class whose terms
expire that year. Such announcement shall also contain nominations by
the Board of Elders for the office of Elder for each of the members of the
class whose terms are expiring, and nominations for the office of Elder
for any vacancies existing on such Board of Elders.
Additional candidates for the office of Elder can be nominated by any
voting Ministry Partner of the church until the close of the morning
service two weeks before the election by presenting the nomination in
writing to a member of the Board of Elders and all such nominations
shall be to a particular and designated numbered place on the Board of
Elders. All persons so nominated from the Ministry Partners shall be
subject to being certified by the Board of Elders as meeting
constitutional and scriptural requirements of the office to which they are
nominated, and such certification shall be a prerequisite to such
nomination, and the refusal of the Board of Elders to certify a nominee
shall prevent his being voted upon by the Ministry Partners. It shall not
be necessary for there to be a nomination or candidate for every
vacancy on the Board of Elders.
(b) Election. The election shall be at a duly constituted Ministry
Partner meeting presided over by the chairman of the Board of Elders or
by any member of the Board of Elders so designated by the Elders. The
ballots shall be designed so that all nominations for each place on the
Board of Elders shall be voted upon separately.
To be elected, an Elder must receive at least a three-fourths majority of
the votes of the qualified Ministry Partners present and voting, and the
failure to so receive a three-fourths majority shall result in an unfulfilled
vacancy on such Board of Elders.
In the event there is more than one nominee for a particular place and
the election shall result in no three-fourths majority by any of such
nominees, the name of the nominee receiving the highest number of
votes on the first ballot shall again be submitted to the Ministry Partners.
This second ballot shall be taken at the same meeting if practicable, but
if not practicable, at a meeting held not less than two weeks later for
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which notice of one week has been given by announcement from the
pulpit during the regular service and a notice included in the church
bulletin. Said nominee receiving the highest number of votes on the
first ballot must receive at least three-fourths majority of the votes of
the qualified Ministry Partners present and voting on such second ballot
and the failure to so receive a three-fourths majority shall result in an
unfulfilled place on such Board of Elders.
(c) Special Election. Upon the death, the resignation, or the removal
from office of a member of the Board of Elders, provided that there shall
remain more than one year in the unexpired term of such Elder, the
Board of Elders may at its discretion call a Special Election for a
replacement for such Elder to serve the balance of the unexpired term.
Such election shall be conducted as soon as practicable and with all
notices and requirements as stipulated for regular elections. If no
replacement is elected at such Special Election, such vacancy shall
continue until the next regular election.
(3) Duties. It shall be the duty of the Elders to care for the church and its
spiritual condition, to guard the purity of doctrine and life of the church, and
to discipline the church in accordance with the Word of God. The Elders shall
assist the Pastors in the administration of the Lord's Supper, act for the
church in the reception and dismissal of Ministry Partners, and examine all
seeking membership in the church. It shall be the duty of the Elders to assist
the pastors in counseling the needy, comforting the afflicted, visiting the
sick, and supplying the pulpit of the church when necessary. It shall be the
duty of the Elders to supervise the operation of the church with its various
organizations. The Elders shall supervise the Church School, the missionary
work of the church, the distribution of benevolent funds, the young people's
work, and any other organization or activity of the church. The Elders shall
appoint ministry teams from the Ministry Partners to assist them in the
operation of the church. The Elders shall approve the church budget to be
prepared by the Church Treasurer.
(4) Officers and Committees. The Elders shall annually elect a chairman,
a secretary, and committee chairmen as are necessary for the functions of
its aims as a Board and shall appoint from its members committees for the
effectual oversight of the spiritual welfare of the church.

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(5) Termination. Termination of an Elder to serve on the Board of Elders

can be effected in any one of the following manners:
(a) If at any time an Elder shall tender his resignation to the Board of
Elders, it shall be accepted.
(b) The termination of an Elder can be accomplished by a unanimous
vote of the Elders if an Elder shows himself by person or attitude to be
disturbing the purity, peace, or unity of the church; who has changed his
views regarding the Doctrinal Statement and Constitution; or whose life
and activities are consistently unbecoming an officer in a Christian
Church. Such vote on divestiture shall occur at a special or regularly
called meeting, provided that written notice of such proposed
termination has been mailed to the Elders at least one week prior to
such meeting. The Elder named in the motion for divestiture shall not
be permitted to vote. Any Elder who cannot attend the meeting shall
express his vote on termination in writing.
(c) The office of Elder shall also be terminated by expiration of term or
death.
(6) Quorum. A quorum for the transaction of business in all Elders
meetings shall consist of a majority of the total number of Elders. All actions
taken by the Board of Elders shall require a unanimous vote of the Elders
present at a duly constituted meeting of the Elders.
(7) Communication. Minutes of all Elders meetings shall be available upon
request by any Ministry Partner of the church at any reasonable time and
place.
SECTION 6. The Deacons
(1) Qualifications. The qualifications for the Deacons are specifically set
forth in I Tim. 3:8-13. Additionally, each person nominated for Deacon must
subscribe to the Doctrinal Statement of the church.
(2) Selection. The Board of Deacons shall be composed of not more than
the maximum number of members as determined by the Board of Elders.
The nomination and election of Deacons shall be the same as for Elders
except for term of office and classes. The term of office for a Deacon shall
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be two years. No person shall be elected for more than two successive
terms.
(3) Duties. The Board of Deacons shall operate under the general
supervision of the Board of Elders. The Deacons shall be responsible for the
properties of the church and the maintenance of them in proper repair. They
shall also support the elders in the financial and benevolence activities of the
church.
(4) Officers and Committees. The Elders shall select the chairman of the
deacon board. The Deacons shall elect a secretary and committee chairmen
as are necessary for their functioning as a Board and shall appoint from its
members committees for the accomplishment of its various duties.
(5) Termination. Termination of a Deacon to serve on the Board of Deacons
can be effected in any one of the following manners:
(a) If at any time a Deacon shall tender his or her resignation to the
Board of Deacons, it shall be accepted.
(b) The Termination of a Deacon can be accomplished by a unanimous
vote of the Elders if a Deacon shows himself or herself by person or
attitude to be disturbing the purity, peace, or unity of the church; who
has changed his or her views regarding the Doctrinal Statement and
Constitution; or whose life and activities are consistently unbecoming an
officer in a Christian Church. Such recommendations of divestiture shall
occur at a special or regularly called meeting, provided that written
notice of such proposed termination has been mailed to the Deacon and
the Elders at least one week prior to such meeting. Any Elder who
cannot attend shall express his vote on termination in writing.
(c) The office of Deacon shall also be terminated by expiration of term or
death.
6) Quorum. A quorum for the transaction of business in all Deacon
meetings shall consist of a majority of the total number of Deacons. All
actions taken by the Board of Deacons shall require a unanimous vote of the
Deacons present at a duly constituted meeting of the Deacons.

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(7) Communication. Minutes of all Deacons meetings shall be available

upon request of any Ministry Partner at any reasonable time and place.
SECTION 7. Treasurers
A church treasurer shall be selected by the board of elders. The treasurer
shall be responsible for overseeing all books pertaining to the churchs
financial affairs. The treasurer shall have lead responsibility for preparing the
church budget. Annual audits shall be conducted and made available to the
Board of Elders and Board of Deacons.
ARTICLE VI
Church Year
For the purpose of determining terms of office for all church officers, the
church year shall begin on the first day of September and shall end on the
last day of August of the following year.

Article VII
Amendments
This Constitution may be amended at a duly announced meeting of the
Ministry Partners providing the proposed amendment has been
conspicuously posted in written form, or a letter sent to Ministry Partners,
and announced from the pulpit, for a period of two consecutive Sundays
preceding said meeting; and provided further, that any such proposed
amendment shall receive an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the qualified
Ministry Partners present at a duly constituted meeting of the Ministry
Partners.
Article VIII
Ordinances
SECTION 1. Baptism
Baptism is one of the two ordinances instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ. If a
Ministry Partner has not been baptized, the Elders shall recommend that
such Ministry Partner be baptized as an act of obedience and testimony. The
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mode of baptism being only a testimony to a spiritual reality shall be by

sprinkling or immersion at the candidate's option.
SECTION 2. The Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper shall be administered as frequently as the Elders shall
order during the church year.
Article IX
Ordination
The church shall have the authority to ordain qualified men to the gospel
ministry. Such men shall be ordained and given a commission to preach and
administer the ordinances by an ordination council composed of the
Shepherding Team. The ordaining council shall thoroughly examine all
applicants for ordination as to their call to the Christian ministry, education,
Christian experience, reputation, character, doctrinal belief, and
demonstrated efficiency in Christian service.

Article X
Dedication of Children/Parents
It shall be the policy of the church to have children dedicated to the Lord in a
brief ceremony where the parents are committed to rear the children in the
nurture and admonition of the Lord and request the dedication ceremony.
Article XI
Fiscal Policy
Except in cases approved by a unanimous vote of the full Board of Elders, the
church shall not acquire property or services unless they are paid for in full
when acquired or upon receipt of the bill for same; this stipulation does not
negate the Boards ability to lease property and/or equipment as needed by
the church in order to fulfill its mission and purposes. No officer or Pastor of
the church is authorized to incur on behalf of the church a debt or execute
evidence of debt requiring the payment of interest.
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APPENDIX F

HOMEWORK

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YOUR STORY
Your journey, your time, your passions
Name: __________________________________________________
Tell us your story
Please look back at Appendix A for principles to help you with this. Take the
rest of this page to write out your personal testimony and tell us a bit of your
life story.

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Where are you on your journey?

Be as descriptive as you are able. Are you new in your faith? Have you been
in Christ for a while but feel like youve hit a wall? Are you in a new place of
longing for the deeper things of God? How do you feel like you need to grow?
What are the next steps for you on the journey?

How much time can you serve?

In asking for your commitment to be servant-minded, we want to honor your
time. We also want to be realistic and are asking that you will prayerfully be
realistic, as well, in determining how much time youre ableand willingto
pour into a TCBC ministry partner position. Your gifts and talents can be used
in a number of ministries, and knowing your time commitment will help us,
as well as help you, know how you can best serve. Please take time this
week and think honestly through your life and determine your ability to
commit.

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Where does your passion lie?

The last thing we need to know, to help us get you plugged into serving the
body well, is where you feel compelled to serve. Think about your gifts, passions, abilities, experience and personality and let us know what interests
you. (If youre confused by this or arent sure where you best fit, let us know.
Were here to help you figure that out!)

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YOUR COMMITMENT
Name: ____________________________
Scripture
We believe that all Scripture is breathed out by God (2 Tim 3:16). We
understand the whole Bible to be inspired in the sense that holy men of God
were moved by the Holy Spirit to write the very words of Scripture.
Therefore, we believe the Bible is verbally and completely inerrant in its
original writings (2 Tim 3:1617; 2 Pet 1:2022; John 10:35; Matt 5:18).
Our triune God
We believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son and
Holy Spirit (Deut 6:4; Isa 44:6; Matt 28:1819; 2 Cor 13:14).
The church
We believe in the church of Jesus Christ, that it is a spiritual organism made
up of all believers in Christ, that in its local manifestation it is an autonomous
assembly of believers and that its ordinances are baptism and the Lords
Supper (Col 1:18; Phil 1:1; 1 Cor 11:2331; Matt 28:1920).
The persons of Christ and the Holy Spirit
We believe Jesus Christ was begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin
Mary and is, therefore, fully God and fully man. The Holy Spirit was sent by
the Father to convict the world of sin, to glorify Jesus and to transform the
lives of believers into the likeness of Christ (Matt 1:2025; John 1:12, 14).
The work of Christ
We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to the
Scriptures as a substitutionary sacrifice, and that all who believe in him are
redeemed and justified because of his shed blood (2 Cor 5:21; 1 Pet 1:1819;
Rom 3:26; 5:1).
Resurrection
We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, his ascension
into heaven and his present life as high priest and advocate (Rom 1:4; 6:1
11; 8:3134; 1 Cor 15:1219; Acts 1:9; Heb 7:25; 9:24).
Humanity
We believe that humanity was created in the image of God; that he sinned
and thereby incurred not only physical death but also spiritual death, which
is separation from God; and that all human beings are born with a sinful
nature subsequently displayed in thought, word and deed (Gen 1:2628; 3;
9:6; Rom 5:12; Jas 3:9).
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Salvation
We believe that all who place their faith in the finished work of Christ on the
cross are born of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God, a
relationship in which they are eternally secure (Eph 2:89; Rom 8:1, 2934;
12:12; Heb 7:25; 10:14, 19; John 10:2829; 1 John 5:13).
Return of Christ
We believe in our blessed hope (Titus 2:13) the personal, premillennial and
imminent return of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ (Acts 1:11; Rev. 20:4; 1
Cor 15:5152; 1 Thess 4:1617, 1:10).
Eternity
We believe that all people will experience a bodily resurrection after death.
The nonbeliever will suffer punishment and torment, and the believer will be
in heaven (Luke 10:15; 23:43; Rev 20:13; 2 Cor 5:8).

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Having trusted Christ as my Savior, and in submission to Trinity Chapels

doctrinal statement, vision, strategy and values, I feel led to become a
ministry partner at Trinity Chapel. In doing so, I commit to the following:
1. Involvement in a community of broken people
Corporate worship
Small group fellowship
2. Engagement in the journey of transformation in Christs image
Personal spiritual disciplines
Corporate learning and study
3. Commitment to reflecting the grace of God
Serving the body of Trinity Chapel
Sharing my story of grace
Giving financially

Name: _______________________________________

Signature: ____________________________________

Date: _________________

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