Early in 2017 the Leadership Team of Immanuel Baptist Church asked me write a new constitution for our congregation. Over the course of several months I did so, drawing liberally upon a number of earlier confessions and existing constitutions espousing a Reformed Baptist faith. Once the constitution was complete, the team selected several of the leading men in the church to vet my labors. Over the course of several more months we did exactly that, enjoying some vigorous debate and making a number of important changes. Also, we consulted the Director of Missions for our region here in Northern California, as well as one of the attorney’s serving the California Southern Baptist Association. Finally, for around three more months, the Constitution Committee went through the entire document with the members of our church, answering their questions, addressing their concerns, and making still more changes. The result is a constitution that reflects the prayer, wisdom, and extended labor of countless Baptist folk, all of whom desired to craft and live by a Statement of Faith, Church Covenant, and system of bylaws that reflect the true teaching of Scripture. With much gratitude to God I am pleased to present it to you here, and also eager to receive any feedback by which this labor of love might be improved. My hope and prayer is that this constitution will be a blessing to a great many of my Baptist brothers and sisters. You may read it HERE. – Dean Davis
