Membership Criteria for Genesis Church of the Assembly of God in Highland City, Fl.

Excerpted from Genesis Church Bylaws

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Section 1. Membership Eligibility.  Active voting membership in this assembly shall be open to all those who possess the following qualifications:

a. A testimony to an experience of the “new birth.”

b. Having been baptized in water by immersion.

c. Evidence of a consistent Christian life (Romans 6:4; 8:1-4; 13:13, 14, Ephesians 4:17-32; 5:1, 2, 15; 1 John  1:6,7).

d. An indication of a willingness to contribute regularly to the financial support of the

church of which he is to become a member.

e. Acceptance of the Tenets of Faith as set forth in Article IV of these bylaws.

f. Having reached at least 16 years of age.

g. Having regularly attended services of, and supported, this assembly for a period of

at least three consecutive months prior to the date of application for membership.

h. Agreement to being governed by the bylaws of this assembly, and of the

Peninsular Florida District Council of the Assemblies of God, as both may be amended from time to time. 

Section 2. Procedure for Membership Recognition

The pastor shall be responsible to see that the secretary maintains a current membership roll, which shall be subject to revision by the pastor and the Sectional Committee. Those individuals eligible for membership who shall desire to  become members of this church shall make written application to the pastor or church advisory board. The pastor and the church advisory board shall have the right and authority to determine the eligibility and acceptability of all    applicants for membership by majority vote. Those approved for membership by the church board shall be received  into the church publicly at any of its regular services, and their names thereupon added to the church membership roll. No applicant for membership shall be accepted as a member within 30 days before an annual business meeting or within 10 days before a special business meeting.

 Section 3. Voting Membership

1. All active members in good standing 16 years of age and older shall constitute the voting membership of the assembly, except in matters pertaining to real estate where the minimum age is 21.
2. b.   Members who shall have withdrawn their financial support from the assembly, or who are no longer in harmony with its doctrines or stated purposes, or who have been absent for three consecutive months or more, shall not vote in the business of the assembly until reinstated to active membership by the Executive Committee.
3. The pastor and the Executive Committee shall examine and revise the membership role annually or as it deems wise.

 Section 4.  Pastor and Spouse

By virtue of office the pastor shall be considered an active voting member of the church during his tenure. The pastor’s spouse shall become an active voting member simultaneously with the pastor, subject to section 10 of this Article.

 Section 5. Transfer Members

 A member in good standing of another Assemblies of God church, who satisfies the standards for membership eligibility specified in Section 1 of this Article VI (other than the attendance and support requirements), may apply  for membership by submitting a letter of transfer from the pastor of the other assembly, upon the approval of a  majority of the church advisory board and the pastor.

 Section 6. Junior Membership

Junior membership shall be available for young people under 16 years of age who give evidence of the new birth, meet the scriptural standards for membership as specified in these bylaws, and are approved by majority vote of the church advisory board and pastor.

 Section 7. Associate Members

 The church advisory board, at any regular or special meeting, may approve associate members by a majority vote. Eligibility for associate membership is available to any person who is a member in good standing of an Assemblies of God church in another community, who is in this community on a temporary basis, and who intends to return to his or her home church. Associate members shall be entitled to all the privileges of regular members, except that they shall not be eligible to vote and shall not be eligible for any of the offices described in Article VII of these       bylaws.

 Section 8. Honorary Members

The church advisory board, at any regular or special meeting, may approve honorary members by a unanimous vote of the members present. Honorary membership is available to any member who has left the church indefinitely.  Honorary membership recognition shall continue as long as the member maintains a consistent Christian life, remains sound in doctrine, and maintains a cooperative attitude toward the home assembly.

  Section 9. Inactive Membership

Active voting members who shall without good cause absent themselves from the services of the assembly for a period of 3 consecutive months or more, or who cease to contribute of their means to its support for a period of 3 consecutive months, may be declared inactive members by a majority vote of the church advisory board, and thereupon shall lose their voting privileges until they are restored to the fellowship, their standing to be settled by action of the assembly through its church board.

 Section 10. Discipline

                A. Grounds

Discipline is an exercise of scriptural authority for which the church is responsible (Matthew 16:19; 18:15-20; Luke 17:3; John 20:23; Acts 16:4; Ephesians 5:11; 1 Timothy 5:20; 2 Timothy 4:2; Hebrews 13:17). The purpose of discipline is to promote repentance and restoration through exposing sinful behavior. It is to be redemptive in nature as well as corrective. Any member of the assembly is subject to discipline on the basis of unscriptural conduct or doctrinal departure from the Tenets of Faith of this assembly, as determined in the sole discretion of the church board. The discipline of ministers who hold credentials with the Assemblies of God is administered by the District  Council and General Council of the Assemblies of God.

 B. Procedure

 The assembly will follow the disciplinary procedure set forth in Matthew 18:15-20. This procedure consists generally of the following steps: (1) The pastor or a designated member of the church board discusses the charges with the member in an effort to resolve the matter privately; (2) if the first step does not resolve the matter, then the  member shall meet with the pastor and church board or with a designated committee of the church board in an effort to resolve the matter privately; (3) if the first or second steps do not resolve the matter, then the member or the    church board may submit the matter to the membership of the assembly in a special business meeting called for that purpose. Only active voting members of the church shall be permitted to attend such a special business meeting. The decision of a majority of the voting members present at such a meeting shall be final. A member found guilty may be dismissed from membership in the church (Matthew 18:17). However, lesser disciplinary sanctions may be   imposed as appropriate, depending on the circumstances of each case. 

C. Resignation

Members who are under discipline by this assembly forfeit and waive the right to resign from membership in this assembly. Resignations from membership are possible only by those members in good standing who are not under any disciplinary action.

Interested parties that fulfill the above requirements should go to the Membership Covenant page to determine if they can make such a commitment to become a part of the Genesis Church body of believers.