Crosspoint Bylaw Revisions

Crosspoint Bible Church has a constitution, which lays out some of the fundamental principles and procedures of the church. It also has a set of bylaws, which defines some of the more practical aspects of how the church operates. The bylaws are intended to be more fluid as needs change.
As was announced at the annual meeting last year, the elders have determined that the existing bylaws are in need of revision, primarily to address the changing needs of the church’s organizational structure. The elders established a Bylaw Revision Team, consisting of three elders (one of whom is on staff) and one layperson. The team members are Doug Paziak (the chairman of the team), James Richardson, Kevin Stone, and Matt Sampson.
Due to the level of revision required, the proposed bylaws were written from scratch, using the existing bylaws as a reference. After careful study and consideration, the team, with input from the elders, developed a draft of the proposed bylaws. Copies of this draft are available in the Information Center.
Because the document is new, virtually every section has some level of revision, with some changes more significant than others. What follows is a brief summary of the major changes.
The office of Deacon is introduced, which will be filled by men who will assist the elders in serving and caring for the congregation.
The size of the Board of Elders is reduced. A smaller number of elders, along with the addition of the deacons, will benefit the church with more effective leadership and better care.
The current Ministry Council structure is removed. The proposed bylaws contain a more flexible leadership structure, with Ministry Teams and Deacon Teams that can be adjusted as the church’s needs change.
The expectations and privileges of membership are defined and expanded. This should help provide some clarity regarding membership, and why it is good for both the individual and the church.
The section on Church Practices is expanded and revised, and a section on Member Meetings is added. Both sections are designed to reflect the way the church is already handling these issues.
There are many other, smaller revisions throughout the bylaws, and in order to go into more detail and offer a chance for questions and comments, a town hall meeting has been scheduled for Sunday evening, September 18. Please plan on attending. Everyone is invited. This process is intended to allow members to engage with the development of the bylaws before the final draft is proposed.
After the town hall, the Board of Elders will continue to receive feedback for a time, before presenting a final proposal to the membership. Per the church constitution, the final proposal must be presented to the members by October 9. This allows four weeks for members to consider the document before voting at the annual meeting on November 6.
It is the goal of the Bylaw Revision Team and the Board of Elders that these bylaws will help Crosspoint better perform the ministries that God has called it to, and that God will use this revision process to strengthen the church. Please pray that God will be honored throughout it all. And please pray for wisdom for the elders and the members throughout the coming weeks.
If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with Doug Paziak or any of the other elders or team members.