Manual

St. George’s Baptist Church

“Building Community”

History
St. George's Baptist Church

The Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention assigned missionaries to Grenada on August 9, 1975. Through a radio programme sponsored by the Southern Baptist Convention, contact was made with a prisoner on death row at the Richmond Hill prison, Leon Edwards. A Bible study at the prison and in St. George's became the focal points of the beginning of Grenada Baptists.

Worship services began at the St. George's chapel on Tyrrel Street, on December 7, 1975. Missionaries Manget and Elaine Herrin served the church from its inception to the time the first local was installed as pastor in 1982. While pastor Herrin was on furlough in the United States in 1979, missionary, Kenneth Wellmon served the church as pastor.

In 1981, the church divided to give birth to the Grand Anse Baptist Church.  A number of persons from the Grand Anse area were being bussed every Sunday to church at St. George’s. As the number of persons increased, it became difficult to bus everyone to service. A decision was therefore made to start a congregation in Grand Anse with those who were being bussed and living to the South of the Golf Course.

On June 15, 1982, Osbert James, a recent graduate of the Barbados Baptist College, and the first local to be called by the St. George's Church, became pastor of the church. He was ordained by the church in December 1983.  In 1987, he resigned to go abroad to do further studies in the USA.

The Church called Pastor Roystan Isaac, also a graduate of the Barbados Baptist College, to become its pastor. He and his family served the church faithfully for six years. In 1993, he resigned because of a sense of being called to new ministries.

By then the former pastor, Osbert James, had returned after completing studies at the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in the US. He was asked by the church to become its pastor, and he began his ministry in June of 1993.

In 1994, the church began a church training programme called the discipleship hour. Each Sunday evening for thirteen weeks members attended one of several classes offered. There were 2 terms each year.

In 1995, the church called Pastor James to full-time ministry; he became the fist fully paid minister that the church had ever called. Though the missionaries who served the church were full-time, their salaries were paid by the Southern Baptist Convention. The St. George’s Church, in calling a full-time minister, made a leap of faith.

Deacons were elected for the first time in the Church’s History in 1995, and the deacon family ministry plan commenced in 1996 with five districts.  The first five deacons were Clifton Griffith, Cosil McDonald, Jeremiah Williams, Elma Roberts and Judith Lett.
                                                 Basic Baptist beliefs and/or Characteristics

                                                                  Christian Distinctive

1.       Orthodox doctrines of God and Christ ‑‑ Baptists subscribe to the affirmations of the Apostles Creed and the Christological definitions of the early ecumenical councils.

                                                                 Protestant Distinctive

2.       Authority of the Scripture‑‑Bible is inspired, authoritative, sufficient for all doctrine; each Baptist has the right and responsibility to read and interpret the Bible for him/herself.

3.       Justification by Faith-- result of God's grace, but person is responsible for exercising faith.

4.       Priesthood of all Believers-- Every Christian has equal access to God and has the same responsibility to minister in Christ's name--function may be different, but status is the same.

5.       Perseverance of the Saints-- since salvation is a gift of God, the recipient is eternally secure (not all Protestants believe this.)

                                                             Ecclesiological Distinctive

6.       Baptism is for believers only‑‑since baptism is a symbol of faith, it is only for those who have exercised faith, not infants.

7.       Baptism is by immersion‑‑Baptists believe this was a New Testament practice, and that it best fits the symbolism of dying and rising with Christ.

8.       Church is body of baptized believers‑‑Baptists do not have territorial or society‑wide view of the church, although most Baptists do accept the idea of "invisible church", composed of all  believers, not just members of the local churches.

9.       Local church is subject only to Christ, not to any earthly authority‑‑no hierarchy; each church, association and convention is independent {modified somewhat by some groups and by practical considerations such as economics}

10.     Baptists have "ordinances", not sacraments‑‑Lord's Supper and baptism are not means of grace, but symbolic acts done as expressions of faith and in remembrance of the work of Chri

Item to Which Baptists Have the Strongest Claim

11.     Religious liberty‑‑throughout their history, Baptists have been among the staunchest defenders of "Soul Liberty", freedom of conscience in matters of religion, and have argued that faith cannot be coerced.

12.     Separation of Church and State.

Baptists believe that the local temporal church is subject to no other authority except that of its head, Christ. The government, therefore, is not to make laws dictating how the church is run, who can be its officers or determine its fiscal policy.

Brief History of Baptists

                                                           English Baptist, 17th Century

The Baptist denomination grew out of the Anglican church in England in the 1600's. When Henry VIII (Act of Supremacy 1534) pulled the Church of England out of the Roman Catholic fold, many people thought that maybe the spirit of reformation which had hit the continent (beginning with the Lutheran Reformation) would transform the English church; however, the church remained essentially Catholic in doctrine and practice.

 It was Henry's son Edward, under the encouragement of his Protestant advisors, who first gave the church a distinctive colouring of its own. As early as 1549, the church adopted a new prayer book which guided worship liturgy, and in 1552 when it was revised, it prescribed an even more Protestant style of worship. In addition  the church  adopted a new doctrinal standard

called the Forty Two Articles  (later reduced to 39) which had  a distinctive Calvinist colouring.

Puritanism

There were a number of people within the Church of England who felt the reformation had not gone far enough. Eventually a distinct group emerged to advocate for a more complete reform. They were called Puritans because they sought a "pure Church." What they wanted basically was to simplify worship patterns, modify church government from the Episcopal type to more Presbyterian type and to adopt more Calvinistic doctrines. They did not desire to leave the church - only reform it. The changes they advocated were resisted.

Separatism

Not able to reform the church, a number of the Puritans eventually left to form their own independent congregations. These people were called Separatists.  There were two types: those who separated out of pragmatism and those who separated out of principle[1] The first type (pragmatic) felt that though they would prefer to remain in the Church of England, they could better promote reform from the outside of it. Those who left on principle had the deep conviction that the church ought to be liberated of government connection - of this type Baptist are more closely related.

 

Within the separatist movement there were people who were called non-separating separatists who felt that they could bring change to the church from within,  and the "independents." who were borderline‑ semi‑separatists; they worshipped within the Church of England but had churches outside the Church of England      

English General (atonement) Baptists

General Baptists believed that man has freedom to believe in Christ and that whomever believed will be saved; they also held that no one was predestined to salvation or damnation, but that the saved may renounce their faith and lose their salvation. They also believed that all the local churches made up only one church.[2]

John Smythe . d. 1612.

Smythe was a well educated preacher and teacher. He was dismissed from the Church of England for personal preaching. In 1606 he emerged as leader of a separatist congregation at Gainsborough. The church split (intentionally) because it had become too large and thus, conspicuous in a time when it was illegal to be outside of the Church of England. The church split into two groups: one led by Smythe and the other by John Robinson which ended up in America. The Smythe group went to Holland where there was more toleration for religious dissenters. There Smythe baptized himself by affusion (pouring) and was thus called se‑Baptist or self baptized. Smythe then baptized the others.

About 1610 Smythe said he made a mistake about baptizing himself and sought membership from the Mennonites (1611). There then arose a conflict between Smythe and Thomas Helwys about Smythe's seeking sanction from the Mennonites. In 1611, Helwys and a group returned to England. Smythe and most of the group remained in Holland where all but Smythe were given membership in the Mennonite church. This group ceased to be Baptist

Thomas Helwys

Helwys and his group returned from Holland to England and set up at a place at the edge of England called Spitafield. This congregation was later called Baptist. They did not practice baptism by immersion, thus some people do not call them Baptist.  After Helwys death, the leader was Thomas Murton. By 1644, there were five separatist General Baptist churches, and they had adopted immersion.

Particular (atonement) Baptists

Particular Baptists were so called because they believed in a particular atonement - that Christ died only for the elect whom he had predestined to be saved. They also believed that man was totally depraved, responded to irresistible grace, and the saved were eternally secure.

Particular Baptists came from the independent separatist puritans. Their first church (JLJ) was named for Jacob, Lathrop and Jessey who were pastors. The JLJ independent congregation had a long history. About 1633, a group (A) left the congregation. By 1634, they were joined by another group (B). Between 1633 ‑1638, this group (A+B) began to believe the proper subject for baptism was the believer. Another group (C) left the JLJ congregation because they (C) believed in believer's baptism; they joined the group of A+B. We must note that the JLJ church was not Baptist.

                                                              The First Baptist Church

By 1640, some members began to have questions about how baptism is to be done. The particular Baptists heard about a group in Holland which practiced baptism by immersion, and so they sent Richard Blount to Holland. When he returned he baptized the members by immersion (1641). To some people this was the first Baptist church.

The Name Baptist

Baptist did not name themselves. The opponents of Baptists called them Anabaptist, but they preferred to be called "Brethren," the "Baptized Churches" and the "Churches of the Baptized Way." In 1644, in a  book called The Anabaptist Foundations Found False the term Baptist was used to describe Baptists. In 1654, a Baptist wrote using the word to describe Baptist: "a moderate Baptist." The term “Baptist” therefore was a nickname given to those who “plung’d over head and eares”[3],

                                                       English Baptists ‑ 1st and 19 cent.

The period 1689‑1750 was a time of stagnation for English Baptists characterized by theological tension. There were conflicts between the General and Particular Baptists primarily on the doctrine of the atonement.  Within each group there was also conflict:  for example, among the Particular Baptists there was conflict between Calvinist and Hypercalvinists, among the General Baptists, hyperarminianism led to the rejection of all doctrines that seemed irrational.

                                                          LEADERSHIP PROBLEMS

When the Baptist work bbegan they had pastors who were well educated, but with the restrictions on education imposed by the state on those who were not of the state church, there developed the problem of leadership. The Act of Toleration was passed soon after William of Orange and Mary started to rule. Though the Act said that dissenters (among whom Baptists were numbered) could worship, it prevented them from holding office or attending Cambridge and Oxford Universities.

Trend to Unite

In the 19th century there was among Baptists in England a trend towards unity. Smallness, common goals made such unity desirable; however, the Baptist Union was not formed until 1831. After 1891, the General Baptists and Particular Baptists came together. 

The following section was adapted from Leon McBeth’s Pamphlet on Baptist Beginnings.[4]

The Baptist Association

Beyond the local congregation, the oldest form of organization in Baptist life is the association. Very early in their religious evolution, Baptists entered into fellowship with other believers who shared a common faith. As early as 1624 and again in 1630, several General Baptists churches in London acted together in discussing doctrine and in corresponding with other believers. Though not formally organised as an association, they sowed the seed for later development of the organization called the Association, and by 1560 the Baptist association was well established.

The General Assembly

Each branch of English Baptists called its national organization the General Assembly. It was composed of representatives from various churches and associations, and usually met in London.  The function of the General Assembly was to provide fellowship, counsel and comfort to Baptists who lived during difficult days of persecution.

It must be noted, however, that General and Particular Baptists developed sharply different concepts of the function and authority of the denominational meetings.  General Baptists considered a meeting of the general assembly to be a meeting of the “General Baptist Church” with full authority to perform churchly acts. This gave the denomination a certain amount of jurisdiction or control over local congregations.

Particular Baptists, on the other hand, never allowed an association or General Assembly to become  “the Church” or to do churchly acts (of this type is the St. George’s Baptist following the Southern Baptist tradition through which we came). Particular Baptists leaned over backwards to protect the freedom of the local church and prevent the denomination from interfering in their affairs.

In their Second London Confession (1677), Particular Baptists dealt with how to deal with problems that occurred in local churches:

In cases of difficulties or differences, ...  it is according to the mind of Christ, that many churches holding communion together, do by their messengers meet to consider and give their advice in, or about that matter in difference to be reported to all the churches concerned; howbeit these messengers assembled, are not entrusted with any church-power properly so called; or with any jurisdiction over the churches themselves... or to impose their determination on the churches or its officers.

This statement is an attempt to resist any attempt to derail the autonomy of the local church by associational leaders.

                                                          Baptist Beginnings in America

Baptists in America have almost no connection with Baptists in England - that is to say that no overt attempt by Baptists in England to spread the Baptist witness in the American colonies was attempted - although strictly speaking, there was some connection. One may say, however, that the Baptist Church in America was formed by persons who had left England because of religious persecution.

Roger Williams (1603‑1683) was born in England, attended Cambridge and later became an Anglican priest. However, he became critical of the church and subsequently left it. He arrived in America and was offered a teaching job by the Massachusetts Puritans, but he declined since they were not separatists. He joined the separatists, but later went to Salem, non‑separatists puritans’ territory. He criticized the puritans and was banished from the colony but was told he could wait until after Winter to leave. However, he continued to talk and try to convert people, and so they tried to send him back to England.  He fled and would have died had it not been for the Indians who helped him. From them he bought land on which he established Providence Plantation.

Williams used Providence Estate as the place where people who were suffering from the same persecution as he could come. This place, Rhode Island, was the first colony with complete religious liberty.

A church was founded at Providence in 1637. Roger Williams and Ezekiel Hollimand were instrumental in the founding of the church. Hollimand baptized Williams and Williams baptized Hollimand and the several others. Williams was probably not baptized by immersion. The church became the Baptist Church of Providence; it is considered the first Baptist church in America. Williams did not remain a member of this church; he withdrew and never belonged to a Baptist or any other church.

Newport Church

John Clarke (1609‑1676) was a company doctor from England. He founded a church in 1638. There was little evidence that it was founded then and little evidence that it was not. It was probably founded sometime between 1638‑1644.

There is small evidence that there is a connection between this church and Baptist churches in England. The name Lucan was on the roll; there was also a name of a man "Lucan" in a Baptist church in England. By 1648, the Newport church practiced baptism by immersion.

There were a number of Baptists besides Particular and General Baptists

Separate Baptists

This group came about as a result of the people being converted at the Great Awakening and did not come directly from another Baptists group. They were generally very emotional and evangelical, very much afraid of crippling institutions such like educational institutions, and had a looser definition of doctrine (basically moderate Calvinist) and were loose about organizations.

Regular Baptists

The Regular Baptists are the old camp of Baptists. After the revivals led by Jonathan Edwards (the Great Awakening) a number of similar revivals broke out in the churches of New England and the Middle Colonies.  Often these revivals brought division. As persons coming from one denomination merged with Baptists, they brought with them some of their own understandings. There had arisen a split in the Congregational church: those who were anti revivals were called “Old Lights” and those who were pro revivals were called “New Lights”.  A number of “New Lights” became Baptists, bringing with them their revival fervour. Their new ideas affected Baptist theology. Baptists then had their own divisions. The emerging groups were called Regular and Separates.  The Regulars were more of the city churches and shied away from the emotionalism of revivalism; the Separates viewed revivals as a genuine work of the Holy Spirit.

A brief comparison between the Separate and Regular Baptists

                                  Regular                       Separate

Worship-                   regular pattern;

                                  regular liturgy;

                                             

Hymns ‑        puritan hymns            popular tunes

Preaching ‑                more learned             more emotional

Ministry ‑                   more educated           less emphasis on education.

 

Separate Baptists are more likely to stress emotional conversion than Regular Baptists.

United Baptists

A union of Regular and Separate Baptist occurred. Initial attempts at union were delayed for a number of reasons.[5]  This union did not occur in the same place and all at once - one of the first places was Kentucky.  Quite often, the three terms separate, regular and united ‑ were used.  The name "United Baptists” never really stuck.  Although some groups were “united” many people continued to use their old names. The joined Baptists had increased interest in missions.

                                                         Baptists Organized for Mission

Baptist and other non‑Roman Catholics were not always involved in Foreign Missions before the time of William Carey who is considered the father of protestant missions. When Carey was sent to the Indians, various branches of the Eastern Church, especially the Nestorians and the Eastern Orthodox, Celtic and Roman Catholics had been sending missionaries for over 1500 years. The way Baptists and other Protestant groups have done Missions was modelled after the Roman Catholic.

Carey was by no means the first Protestant missionary or the first to advocate missions. He was influenced by Moravian missionaries. William Carey and others organized the Baptist Missionary Society in England. A missionary society was different from a missionary association or convention. It was a parallel denominational group (then of Men) who believed in foreign missions and provided the resources ‑ financial and otherwise, for the support of the mission enterprise.

Baptists Associations organized for missions

The Philadelphia association (1707) was the first association in America. Other associations were in time started after the Philadelphia model. These were organized for mutual support, fellowship, the preservation of pure doctrine, and later, the ordination of men to the ministry.

William Carey quickly attracted the attention and support of Baptist in America.

The breakthrough for Baptist missions in America came from the Second Awakening. The energy from this phenomenon was channelled into benevolent societies of which the mission effort was one. The Haystack meeting of 1808 saw young men committing themselves to the mission endeavour. Among these were Luther Rice and Adoniram Judson.

In 1810 the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was formed. In1812 Judson and his wife, Anne Hasseltine, sailed for the mission field - India.

                                                Baptist in The USA organized for Missions.

William Carey wrote many Baptists in America for the support of the mission effort and suggested that American Baptists start an independent mission effort. Although Carey and Luther Rice were commissioned and sent by the Congregational missionary society, about $3,000 of their support was provided by American Baptists. In Boston in 1812 a Baptist Missionary society was formed for the propagation of the gospel.

Rice had returned from India to raise funds. He went throughout America trying to get Baptists to support the mission effort. Thirty-three men met in the 1st Baptist church of Philadelphia and formed the Triennial convention on May 18, 1814.

Among Baptists there were two types of missionary societies

1.       Baptist Missionary society. The society was project oriented. One became a member by giving financial contribution.

2.       Associational. This type worked through churches rather than individuals and its support came from the churches.

Triennial conference

The Triennial Convention attempted to include both types in its organization and was successful for a while. In 1826, the dissolution of the triennial convention began.  At a meeting of which 2/3 of the people were from Massachusetts and New York, the decision was taken to become only a Foreign Missionary society and transferred the staff from Washington D.C. to Boston.

Relationship between the Baptists in the North and Baptists in the South was rocky and reached its darkest point with the Southern Baptists forming their own regional organization.

The following are some of the causes of division:

          ‑Regionalism

          ‑The control of the Foreign Mission apparatus by the Baptist from Boston

          ‑Fundamental disagreement about how missions ought to be done

          ‑The question of Slavery

                                              Formation of the Southern Baptist Convention

 

Causes of Separation

Slavery ‑ every single institution that had strong ties both in the North and South split over the issue of slavery: Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterian.

Slavery was endemic to the South. It was a vital part of its economy. The fortunes of Slavery fluctuated in the South. Although there were Southern churches which opposed slavery, with the invention of the cotton gin, cotton picking by slaves became extremely profitable and many of these churches became “hoarse” on the issue of slavery.

Abolitionist sentiment (the desire for the abolition of slavery) ‑ back in the cities, abolitionist sentiment was growing.

Arguments for slavery

It was argued that slavery was instituted by God who perpetuated the institution when he made it part of the institution of Israel. In addition, it was argued that Paul supported slavery see A Scriptural Defense of Slavery by Storton Stringfellow.  Richard Furman, the first president of the Southern Baptist Convention also supported Slavery.

Dissatisfaction with the ABHMS

People in the South felt they were not getting enough for their money.

 Southern Baptists felt that although they made substantial financial contributions to the American Baptist Home Missions Society they did not receive their fair allotment of home missionaries.

Ecclesiological differences

Some people felt the society method was better for doing missions; others felt a thoroughly organized, efficient system would ensure a better job is done. In addition Baptists in the South had problems attending the meetings in the North to conduct the organization’s business and therefore were usually poorly represented at those meetings.

The Southern Baptist Convention was born in Augusta, Georgia in 1845. Today it works through several agencies /boards: The Foreign Mission Board, the Home Mission Board, the Sunday School Board, and Annuity Board. There are some 6 Seminaries.

In 1975, Southern Baptist Missionaries, Manget and Elain Herrin arrived in Grenada; this was the genesis of Grenada Baptists.

Caribbean Baptist Fellowship[6]

                                                              Historical Background

Baptists have existed in various Islands/territories of the Caribbean since the 1780's. For reasons of colonialism, deeply rooted in Caribbean history which contributed to insularity rather than unity, there was very limited opportunity for meeting each other and working with each other.

At the eleventh Congress of the Baptist World Alliance held in Miami, Florida, USA in June 1965, and at the insistence of the Reverend Dr. Ruben Lopez of Brazil, a proposal to launch a five-year programme of evangelism in the Americas and the Caribbean was accepted.

The "Crusade of the Americas" served to bring Baptists of the Caribbean region closer together and revealed the need as well as the opportunity and possibility for a closer working relationship.

At the invitation of the Jamaica Baptist Union, a meeting was held at the Baptist Conference Centre in Duncans, Trelawny, Jamaica, June 1-3, 1969, with thirty-seven representatives of fourteen island/territories voting to recommend the formation of an organization to be known as the Caribbean Baptist Fellowship.

The organization was formally constituted at a meeting at the Conference Centre of the Florida Baptist Convention, Lake Yale Florida, USA, on April 3, 1970, comprised of the following thirteen member bodies: Bermuda Baptist Mission, Bahamas National Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention, Jamaica Baptist Union, Puerto Rican Baptist Association, St. Kitts Baptist Work, Guadeloupe Baptist Mission, the Guyana Baptist Mission, Haitian Baptist Convention, Cayman Islands Baptist Mission St. Thomas Baptist Association (U.S.V.I.),

St. John's Baptist Association (U.S.V.I.), The Baptist Union of Trinidad and Tobago and the Trinidad Baptist Mission.

Application sent to the Baptist World Alliance Executive Committee for recognition of the Caribbean Baptist Fellowship as a regional entity in that body was formally approved at its annual meeting in Tokyo, Japan in July 1970.

Purpose and Function

[The following are the purposes and functions of the Caribbean Baptist Fellowship]:

1)      Promote fellowship, cooperation and service among Baptists throughout the Caribbean, by means of correspondence, called meetings, study and the promotion of appropriate activities for the development of Christian maturity, ministry and witness.

2)      Produce and promote the use of appropriate and culturally relevant literature and media materials for the spiritual nurture of our people and the growth of our churches.

Purpose and Function (continued)

3)      Encourage and coordinate efforts in evangelism, mission and church development designed to result in the strengthening of existing churches and the planting of new congregations.

4)      Serve as a channel of communication, understanding and cooperation among Baptists within the region.

5)      Seek as far as possible to come to the speedy assistance of persons in need both at regional and international levels.

6)      Advance the study of Baptist beliefs, polity and practices.

7)      Actively pursue the safeguarding of human rights including religious liberty, justice and individual freedoms.

8)      Be faithful to the biblical prophetic role and the historic Baptist tradition in addressing moral, social, economic and political issues as they affect human life and well-being.

9)      Serve as the regional expression of the Baptist World Alliance (BWA), encourage participation in its programmes and ministries and be a channel of communication between the BWA and the member bodies of the CBF.

10)    Undertake such additional functions as the CBF may decide from time to time.

Grenada Baptist Association[7]

The Foreign Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention assigned missionaries to Grenada on August 9, 1975. Through a radio broadcast sponsored by the Southern Baptist Convention, contact was made with Leon Edwards who was a prisoner at the Richmond Hill prison. A Bible study at the prison and also in St. George's became the focal points of the beginning of ministry in Grenada for Grenada Baptists.

Worship services began at the St. George's Chapel on Tyrell Street on December 7, 1975. From these beginnings the Baptist witness grew. Missionaries sponsored by the Jamaica Baptist Union began cooperative efforts with Southern Baptists Missionaries already here.

Throughout the years Grenada Baptists have sought to live by the Motto "Serving the Whole Man." This has been evidenced by the Grenada Baptist Dental Ministry, by local projects designed to meet spiritual, social and physical needs, and by the consistent proclamation of the Word of God. Grenada Baptists were the first to respond to the needs of residents affected by the 1983 intervention by United States Forces by replacing or repairing roofing material and window glass. Regular ministries to hospitals, homes for the aged and orphanages are means of reaching out to people with the love of Jesus Christ.

The Grenada Baptist Association, incorporated by an act of parliament on the 30th of November 1984, is the voluntary coming together of member Baptist Churches for fellowship, training and development of church members. Each member church engages faithfully in regular programmes of Bible Study, Fellowship and Worship for all members.

Regular services are held at 9:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. on Sundays and at 7:00 P.M. on Thursday in all member churches.

The Grenada Baptist Association is affiliated with the Caribbean Baptist Fellowship and the Southern Baptist Convention. The members of the Grenada Baptist Association are Emmanuel Baptist Church (1977), Grand Anse Baptist Church (1981), Grand Bacolet Baptist Church (1982) and St. George's Baptist Church (1975)

Constitution & Bylaws

                                                       St. George’s Baptist Church

                                                                      Preamble

  We declare and establish this constitution to preserve and secure the principles of our faith and to govern the body in an orderly manner. This constitution will preserve the liberties of each individual church member and the freedom of action of this body in relation to other churches.

I.         Name

  This body shall be known as the St. George's Baptist Church of Grenada, located at the intersection of the Springs and Belmont roads, St. George's.

II.      Objectives

  To be a dynamic spiritual organism empowered by the Holy Spirit to share Christ with as many people as possible in our church, community, and throughout the world.

  To be a worshipping fellowship, experiencing an awareness of God, recognizing His person, and responding in obedience to His leadership.

  To experience an increasingly meaningful fellowship with God and fellow believers, showing through our love for one another that we are Christ's disciples.

  To help people experience a growing knowledge of God and man.

  To be a church which ministers lovingly to persons in the community and the world in Jesus name.

  To be a church whose purpose is to be Christ-like in our daily living emphasizing total commitment of life, personality and possessions to the lordship of Christ.

  To be a community saturated in and permeated by Christ's love -  involved in the lives of each other, being supportive and helping in times of need, and sharing in each others joy in times of celebration.

 

                                                     III Statement of Basic Beliefs

 

                                                                 1. The Scriptures

The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God, and are the only sufficient, certain and authoritative rule of all saving knowledge, faith, and obedience.

                                                                         2. God

There is but one God, the Maker, Preserver and Ruler of all things, having in and of Himself all perfection, and being infinite in them all; and to Him all creatures owe the highest love, reverence and obedience.

                                           III Statement of Basic Beliefs (Continued)

3. The Trinity

God is revealed to us as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being.

                                                                   4. Providence

God from eternity decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and perpetually upholds, directs and governs all events; yet so as not in any wise to be the author or approver of sin nor to destroy the free will and responsibility of intelligent creatures.

                                                                      5. Election

 Election is God's eternal choice of some persons unto everlasting life - not because of foreseen merit in them but because of His mercy in Christ. God is continually wooing all men to himself, but His election of some to salvation is based on His foreknowledge of their response to His saving work in Christ.

                                                               6. The Fall of Man

God originally created man in His own image, and free from sin, but through the temptation of Satan, man transgressed the command of God and fell from his original holiness and righteousness. Henceforth, his posterity inherits a nature corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His law, are under condemnation, and as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual transgressors.

                                                                 7. The Mediator

Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is the divinely appointed mediator between God and man. Having taken upon Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the law, suffered and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried and rose again on the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose right hand He liveth to make intercession for his people. He is the only Mediator, the Prophet, Priest and King of the Church, and Sovereign of the universe.

                                                                  8. Regeneration

Regeneration is a change of heart, wrought by the Holy Spirit, who quickens the dead in trespass and sin, enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the Word of God, and renewing their whole nature so that they love, and practice holiness. It is a work of God's free and special grace alone.

                                                                   9. Repentance

Repentance is a grace of God by which a person being, by the Holy Spirit, made sensible of the manifold evil of his sin, humbles himself for it with godly sorrow, detestation of it, and self-abhorrence, with a purpose and endeavour to walk with God so as to please Him in all things.

 

III Statement of Basic Beliefs (Continued)

                                                                       10. Faith

Saving faith is the belief, on God's authority, of whatsoever is revealed in His Word concerning Christ; accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification, sanctification and eternal life. It is wrought in the heart of the believer by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied by all other saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness.

                                                                      

11. Justification

Justification is God's gracious and full acquittal of sinners, who believe in Christ, from all sins, through the satisfaction that Christ has made; not for anything wrought in them or done by them, but on account of obedience and satisfaction of Christ, they receiving and resting on Him and His righteousness by faith - a faith He gives them.

                                                                12. Sanctification

Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified by the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. This sanctification is progressive through the supply of divine strength, which all saints obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in cordial obedience to all Christ's commands. In the process of sanctification, the believer takes upon him/herself certain attributes of Christ given at the time of salvation in the Fruit of the Spirit (see Gal. 5:22)

                                                      13. Perseverance of the Saints

Those whom God has accepted in the beloved, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere to the end. The New Testament teaching is not that a man shall persevere regardless of what he is in character; rather, it asserts that the justifying and regenerating grace of God so revolutionizes his character that he can never again be what he was before (2 Cor. 5:17, 1 John 3:9). And though he may fall through neglect and temptation, into sin, whereby he grieves the Spirit, impair his graces and comforts, bring reproach on the church, and temporal judgements upon himself, yet he shall be renewed again unto repentance, and be kept by the power of God.

                                                                   14. The Church

The Lord Jesus is the head of the Church which is composed of those who have accepted Him by faith and are His disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its government. To do his work locally and because of certain distinctive, Christians have banded themselves into peculiar bodies and to the individual members of his Church he has given gifts to exercise in the building up of his body.

                                                                     15. Baptism

Baptism is an ordinance of the Lord Jesus Christ, obligatory on every believer, wherein he is immersed in water in the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the Holy Spirit, as a sign of fellowship in His death and resurrection, of remission of sins and of his giving himself up to God to live and walk in newness of life. Baptism is a post-salvation experience and imparts no saving grace. It is only a symbol.

III Statement of Basic Beliefs (Continued)

                                                             16. The Lord's Supper

The Lord's Supper is an ordinance of Jesus Christ to be observed by His churches till the end of the world. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate His death, to confirm faith in His saving work and to be a bond, pledge and renewal of believers' communion with Him and their church fellowship. Though the church may determine its frequency of observance, whenever it is observed, it should be a memorial of His death and a sign of His new covenant.

                                      17. The Lord's Day III Statement of Basic Beliefs

The Lord's Day is a Christian institution of regular observance and should be employed in the exercises of worship and spiritual devotion - both public and private. Christians generally observe the Lord's Day on the first day of the week because that is when Jesus rose from the dead, and because that is the day on which the New Testament Christians met for worship.

                                                          18. Liberty of Conscience

God alone is the Lord of the conscience, and He has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men which are contrary to His word. Civil magistrates, being ordained of God, subjection in all lawful things commanded by them ought to be yielded by us in the Lord, not because of fear of punishment, but because it is what Christ would have us do.

                                                              19. The Resurrection

The bodies of men after death return to dust, but their spirits depart immediately to God -- the righteous to a place of bliss; the wicked to a place of torment. The condition both of bliss and torment is not complete. At the last day, the bodies of all the dead, both righteous and wicked, shall be raised and each assigned to its eternal abode -- the righteous to eternal life; the wicked to eternal torment.

                                                                  20. Judgement

God has appointed a day when he will judge the world by Jesus Christ - a time when everyone shall receive according to his deeds his reward. For all practical purposes, the destination of each person is determined by him/her through his/her decision either to accept or reject Christ while alive. The judgement, in addition to being a time of reward-giving, shall be a time of assigning each person to his/her eternal abode.

III.   Church Covenant

Having been led as we believe by the Spirit of God to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour and, on the profession of our faith, having been baptized in the name of the father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, we do now in the presence of God and this assembly most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another as one body in Christ.

We engage, therefore, by the aid of the holy Spirit to walk together in Christian love; to strive for the advancement of this church in knowledge, holiness, and comfort; to promote its prosperity and spirituality; to sustain its worship, ordinances, doctrines and discipline; to contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, and the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel through all nations.

We also engage to maintain family and secret devotions; to educate our children in the way of the Lord; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; to walk circumspectly in the world; to be just in our dealings, faithful in our engagements, and exemplary in our deportment; to avoid being quarrelsome and overly critical (all tattling and backbiting) and excessively angry; to abstain from the sale or use of intoxicating drinks as a beverage; to use our influence to combat the abuse of drugs, abuse of children, the spread of pornography and the destruction of the environment; and to be zealous in our efforts to advance the kingdom of our Saviour.

We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly and sisterly love; to remember one another in prayer; to aid one another in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and Christian courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offence, but always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the rules of our Saviour to secure it without delay.

We moreover engage that when we move from this place we will as soon as possible unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God's Word.

                                                        V. Polity and Relationships

The government of this church is vested in the body of believers who compose it. Persons duly received by the members of this church shall constitute its membership. (See Article I of the Bylaws).

All internal groups created and empowered by the church shall report to and be accountable only to the church, unless otherwise specified by church action.

This church is subject to no other ecclesiastical body, but it recognizes and sustains the obligations of mutual counsel and cooperation which are common among Baptist churches. Insofar as is practical, this church will cooperate with and support the Grenada Baptist Association, the Caribbean Baptist Fellowship, and the Southern Baptist Convention.

                                                                      BYLAWS

                                                           I. Church Membership

 

Section 1. General

This is a sovereign and democratic Baptist church under the lordship of Jesus Christ. The membership retains unto itself the exclusive right of self-government in all phases of the spiritual and temporal life of this church.

The membership reserves the exclusive right to determine who shall be members of this church and the conditions of such membership.

Section 2. Candidacy

Any person may offer him/herself as a candidate for membership in this church. All such candidates shall be presented to the church at any regular church service in any of the following ways:

                        (1)        By profession of faith in Jesus Christ as lord and Saviour and for baptism according to the policies of this church.

                        (2)        By promise of a letter of recommendation from another evangelical Church in keeping with the baptism policies of this church.

(3)               By restoration upon a statement of prior conversion experience and baptism in an evangelical church - where no letter is available

Should there be any dissent as to any candidate, such dissent shall be referred to the church council for investigation and the making of a recommendation to the church within thirty (30) days. A three-fourths vote of those church members present shall be required to elect such candidates to membership.

 

Section 3. New Member Orientation

            All new members of this church are expected to participate in the church's new member

            orientation.

 

Section 4. Rights of Members

                        (1)        Every member of this church is entitled to vote at all elections and on all questions submitted to the church in conference, providing the member is present or provisions has been made for absentee balloting.

 

                        (2)        Every member of the church is eligible for consideration by the membership as candidates for elective offices in the church.

           

(3)        Every member of the church may participate in the ordinances of the church as administered by the church.

Section 5. Termination of Membership

Membership shall be terminated in the following ways: (1) death of the member, (2) dismissal to another Baptist church, (3) exclusion by action of this church, or (4) erasure upon request or proof of membership in a church of another denomination

Section 6. Discipline

It shall be the practice of this church to emphasize to its members that every reasonable measure will be employed to assist any troubled member. The pastor, deacons and other church leaders will be available for providing counsel and guidance. The attitude of members to one another should be guided by a concern for redemption rather than punishment.

Should some serious condition exist which will cause a member to become a liability to the general welfare of the church, the pastor and deacons will take every reasonable measure to resolve the problem in the spirit of Matt 18 (see vv. 15-35). If it becomes necessary for the church to take action to exclude a member, a two thirds vote of the members present is required; and the church may proceed to declare the person to be no longer in the membership of the church. All such proceedings shall be pervaded by a spirit of Christian kindness and forbearance.

 

The church may restore to membership any person previously excluded, upon the request of the excluded person, and by a vote of the church upon evidence of the excluded person's repentance and reformation.

 

                                                 II. Church officers and Committees

All who serve as officers of this church and those who serve on church committees, or are leaders of church programs, shall be members of this church. Each officer or committee member must endeavour always to live in accordance with the spirit of the church covenant. Should there arise a situation where the individual believer, because of his/her action or inaction, as the case may be, has his/her witness compromised and that of the church jeopardized, such a person should voluntarily remove his/herself from the position of responsibility until such time as he/she feels his/her and the church's witness is no longer at risk.

Section 1. Church Officers

The church shall elect as its officers the pastor, the associate pastor, the deacons, the secretary and the treasurer and the moderator.

(1)        The Pastor

The pastor is responsible for leading the church to function as a New Testament church and to fulfil its objectives.  The pastor is to lead the congregation and the organizations to fulfil their tasks.           

The pastor is leader of the pastoral ministries of the church. As pastor shall work with the associate minister, deacons and leaders of church organizations to: (1) lead the church in the fulfilment of its mission, (2) proclaim the gospel to believers and unbelievers, and (3) care for the church's members and other persons in the community.

The pastor shall be chosen and called by the church whenever a vacancy occurs.  The election shall take place at a meeting called for that purpose, of which at least one week's public notice has been given.

The pastor selection committee shall be elected by the church to seek out a suitable pastor, and its recommendations will constitute a nomination.  Any church member has the privilege of making other nominations according to the policy established by the church.  The committee shall bring to the consideration of the church only one name at a time.  Election shall be by ballot, an affirmative vote of three fourths of those present being necessary for a choice.  The pastor, thus elected, shall serve until the relationship is terminated by his request or the church's request.  He shall preside at meetings of this church, and if so designated may serve as moderator in all business meetings in keeping with the rules of order authorized in these bylaws

The pastor may relinquish the office as pastor by giving at least one month's notice to the church at the time of resignation. The church may declare the office of the pastor to be vacant. Such action shall take place at a meeting called for that purpose, of which at least one week's notice has been given. The meeting may be called upon the recommendation of a majority of the church council and the deacons or by written petition signed by not less than one-fourth of the resident church members. The moderator of the meeting shall be designated by the members present by majority vote, and he/she shall be someone other than the pastor. The vote to declare the office vacant shall be by secret ballot; an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present being necessary to declare the office vacant. Except in instances of gross misconduct by the pastor so excluded from office, the church shall compensate the pastor with not less than one-twelfth of his total annual compensation. The termination shall be immediate and the compensation shall be rendered in not more than thirty days.

            (The same process is applicable to the associate minister).

 (2)       The Associate Pastor

 The associate pastor is the pastor's first assistant and will, in the pastor's absence, exercise pastoral privileges and responsibilities. The associate pastor will be responsible to the pastor. The associate pastor will give supervision to all education activities of the church and be responsible for effective operation of the youth/young adult program for which the associate will enlist a youth council.

Under the general direction of the pastor, the associate pastor is responsible for all worship services during the pastor's absence, and the associate pastor will give supervision and leadership to all mission stations of the church

When the pastor is available, the associate minister is to refer all funerals and weddings to him; the associate pastor may perform these services in the pastor's absence or upon his request

The associate minister does not have the prerogative to select and install officers, either for staff or organizations. The associate pastor should refer all matters of policy and general programs to the pastor and church for confirmation.

These are the general responsibilities and duties of the associate minister. No effort is made to detail the associate minister's work. Freedom to exercise good judgement and aggressive leadership is left to associate minister.

(3)        Deacons

The church shall elect deacons by ballot at regular business meetings of the church.  There shall be one deacon elected for assigned service for every twelve to fifteen church families.

                                   

Deacons shall serve on rotation basis.  Each year the assigned term of office of one third of the number of deacons shall expire, and election shall be held to fill vacancies and to add to the deacons such numbers as the church size warrants.  In case of death or removal or incapacity to serve, the church may elect a deacon to fill the unexpired term.  After serving a term of three years' assignment, a deacon shall be eligible for re-election only after the lapse of at least one year.  There shall be no obligation to constitute as an assigned deacon one who has been a deacon in another church; but in such instances as one might be chosen by this church for assignment as a deacon, his previous ordination by another church of like faith and order shall suffice for this church.

 

In accordance with the meaning of the work and the practice in the New Testament, deacons are to be servants of the church. Their task is to serve with the pastor and other leaders in performing the pastoral ministries tasks of (1) leading the church in the achievement of its mission, (2) proclaiming the gospel to believers and unbelievers, and (3) caring for the church's members and other persons in the community.

 

(3)        Moderator

The church shall elect annually a moderator as its presiding officer. The moderator may be the pastor or any other church member. In the absence of the moderator, the chairman of deacons shall preside; or in the absence of both, the secretary shall call the church to order and preside for the election of an acting moderator,

 

(4)        Church Secretary

The church shall elect annually a secretary as its clerical officer.  The secretary shall be responsible for keeping a suitable record of all official actions of the church, except as otherwise herein provided.  The secretary shall be responsible for keeping a register of names of members, with dates of admission, exclusion, death, or erasure, together with a record of baptisms, dedication of infants and marriages. 

 

The secretary shall issue letters of exclusion voted by the church, preserve on file all communications and written official reports, and give required notice of all meetings where notice is necessary, as indicated in these bylaws.  The secretary shall be responsible for preparing the annual report of the church to the association.

The church may delegate some of the clerical responsibilities to an assistant church secretary who will assist the secretary.  All church records are church property and shall be kept in the church office when an office is maintained.

 

(5)        Church Treasurer 

The church shall elect annually a church treasurer as its financial officer.  It shall be the duty of the treasurer to receive, preserve, and pay out, upon receipt of vouchers approved and signed by authorized personnel, all money or things of value paid or given to the church, keeping at all times an itemized account of all receipts and disbursements.  It shall be the duty of the treasurer to render to the church at each regular business meeting an itemized report of the receipts and disbursements of the preceding month.  The treasurer's report and records shall be audited annually by an auditing committee or public accountant.

 

Upon rendering the annual account at the end of each fiscal year and its acceptance and approval by the church, the records shall be delivered by the treasurer to the church secretary, who shall keep and preserve the account as a part of the permanent records of the church,

 

(6)        Trustee

The church shall elect three or more trustees to serve as legal officers for the church.  They shall hold in trust the church property.  Upon a specific vote of the church authorizing each action, they shall have the power to buy, sell, mortgage, lease or transfer any of the church property. When the signatures of trustees are required, they shall sign legal documents involving the sale, mortgage, purchase or rental of property, or other legal documents related to church-approved matters.

 

Trustees shall serve on a rotation basis, with one new trustee being elected every three years.

 

Section 2.        Committees

           

The committees of this church shall be a nominating committee, a finance/stewardship committee, a building and grounds committee, an usher committee, an ordinance and flower committee, a fellowship and bus committee, a missions/evangelism committee, a church ministries committee, a media services committee, and such other regular and special committees as the church shall authorize. Additional regular committees shall be added by the amendment procedure prescribed within these bylaws. All church committee members must be recommended by the nomination committee and elected by the church unless otherwise specified within these bylaws. 

Committee members shall serve on a three-year rotation basis, with one third to be elected each year. (detailed job descriptions and responsibilities will be found in the Church Operations Manual).

 

                                                 III. Church Program Organizations

The church shall maintain Bible Teaching (Sunday School) Church Training, Baptist women, Baptist Young Women, Baptist Men, Baptist Young Adults, and Baptist Youth work. The leaders of church groups shall be nominated by members of the groups, and such nomination made known to the nominating committee. The leader will be elected by the church at its annual election.

 

                                                      IV. Church Program services

The church media centre (library) will be the resource centre for the church. Its personnel will seek to provide and promote the use of printed and audiovisual resources. They also will provide consultation to church leaders and members about printed and audiovisual resources.

 

                                                           V. The Church Council.

The church council shall serve the church by leading in planning, coordinating, conducting and evaluating the ministries and programs of the church and its organizations.

           

The primary functions of the church council shall be to recommend to the church suggested objectives and church goals; to review and coordinate ministry and program plans recommended by church officers, organizations and committees; to recommend to the church the use of leadership calendar time, and other resources according to program priorities; and to evaluate achievements in terms of church objectives and goals.

 

Regular members of the church council shall be the pastor, presidents/chairpersons of church programs, organizations and committees; media centre director/librarian, and chairperson of deacons. 

 

All matters agreed upon by the church council which call for action not already approved, shall be referred to the church for approval or disapproval.

 

VI. Church Ordinances.

 

Section 1. Baptism

 

  This church shall receive for baptism any person who has accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour by personal faith, who professes him publicly in any worship service, and who indicates a commitment to follow Christ as Lord.

 

(1)        Baptism shall be by immersion in water

 

(2)        The pastor or whomever the church shall authorize shall administer baptism. The deacons shall assist in the preparation for, and observance of baptism.

 

(3)        Baptism shall be administered as an act of worship during any worship service of the church.

 

(4)        All person desiring baptism shall be counselled by the pastor or other person so authorized.

 

Section 2. The Lord's Supper

 

The church shall regularly observe the Lord's Supper quarterly, the first Sunday of the quarter. Unless otherwise scheduled by the church, the observance shall generally alternate between morning and evening services of worship. The pastor, assisted by the deacons, shall administer the Lord's Supper. (The above not withstanding the ordinance may also be observed on any other day of the week or time as the church decides). The ordinance committee shall be responsible for the physical preparation for the supper.

                                                            VII. Church Meetings

 

Section 1. Worship Services

  The Church shall meet regularly each Sunday Morning, Sunday evening, and Thursday evening for the worship of almighty God. Prayer, praise, preaching, instructions, fellowship and evangelism shall be among the ingredients of these services. The pastor shall direct the services for all the church members and for all others who may choose to attend.

 

Section 2.  Special Services.