Statement of Practices
Revised February 28, 2026
1 — Membership
1.1 — Process
1.1.1 — Candidates for membership at Bethany Baptist Church, hereinafter referred to as “Bethany” or “the Corporation” are required to complete a membership class except when waived in individual cases by the elders.
1.1.2 — Candidates will be recommended by the elders for membership on the basis of a credible profession of faith, a baptism upon that profession of faith, and agreement with our Statement of Faith.
1.1.2.1 — Bethany’s baptismal practice shall be by immersion unless physical or other conditions prevent baptism by immersion.
1.1.2.2 — When applicable, the elders shall determine whether a candidate’s prior baptism is acceptable.
1.1.3 — Membership will be granted upon (a) successful completion of the membership class (unless waived), (b) a membership interview with one of the elders and with at least one other member, (c) recommendation from the elders, and (d) a majority vote of the voting members in attendance at any member meeting.
1.1.3.1 — Members who are below the age of 18 are not considered members of the Corporation and thus are not able to vote until the age of 18.
1.1.3.2 — Candidates who are members of another church must go through the above membership process and resign their membership from their former church, if applicable.
1.1.4 — Once a staff pastor is offered and accepts the position, upon employment both he and his wife will become members.
1.1.5 — Having joined the membership of Bethany, members will maintain their commitment to the Statement of Faith.
1.1.6 — Duties
1.1.6.1 — All members are expected to regularly gather for the worship services of Bethany and participate in member meetings.
1.1.6.2 — All members are to emulate the character of Jesus Christ and mature their faith. They should seek to keep pure in doctrine, faith, and lifestyle, forsaking sin and walking in holiness. They are to pursue the Lord Jesus Christ through the ordinary means of grace, such as reading the Bible, prayer, confession of sin, and ongoing discipleship. Members should pray for each other regularly, patiently bear with one another, seek biblical reconciliation, seek to live carefully and honorably before the world, promote faithful gospel ministry, and seek to sustain the ministries and worship of Bethany through regular support.
1.2 — Dismissal
1.2.1 — By Church Discipline
1.2.1.1 — Following the process of church discipline and a two-thirds vote of the members present at a members meeting, any member will be removed from membership as an act of discipline.
1.2.2 — By Resignation
1.2.2.1 — A member may request to resign his or her membership from Bethany at any time. The request for resignation must be made in writing, be acted upon at an elders’ meeting and then presented to the members at any member meeting. The request for resignation requires an affirmative vote of a majority of the voting members present at a members’ meeting and will be considered effective the date such vote occurs.
1.2.2.2 — The elders may elect not to present the request for resignation to the members if the requesting member is in the process of church discipline and attempts at restoration are being taken (Matthew 18).
1.2.2.3 — Members who resign their membership are encouraged to join another evangelical church.
1.2.2.4 — Evidence that a member has joined another evangelical church may serve as a request for resignation from membership from Bethany.
1.2.2.5 — Members who have stopped attending Bethany and do not respond to communication by the elders may be removed by vote of the members.
1.3 — Church Discipline and Restoration
1.3.1 — Purpose
1.3.1.1 — Church discipline is the process of confronting a member regarding unrepentant sin, including a denial of our Statement of Faith or neglecting the membership duties, which may culminate in the removal of that member from membership in the church as an act of discipline. The purpose of church discipline is to maintain unity of the church body, defend the honor of Christ, and restore each offending member to Christian fellowship.
1.3.1.2 — The responsibility for administering the process of church discipline rests with the elders, and the responsibility to remove the member from membership rests with the members (Matthew 18:17; 1 Corinthians 5:4-5).
1.3.2 — Neglect of Member Duties
1.3.2.1 — The process will be informed and guided by the principles of God’s Word as outlined by the multiple steps in Matthew 18:15-20, and will be treated as a private offense as outlined below.
1.3.3 — Private Offense
1.3.3.1 — All grievances between members will be dealt with in accordance with the principles of Matthew 18:15-20. No public charge will be considered until the initial steps of Matthew 18 have been pursued and the elders have become involved.
1.3.3.1.1 — Charges, when made, must first be submitted in writing to the elders. The elders may take such action as it deems proper.
1.3.3.1.2 — Before a charge is brought to the members, any person charged with a private offense will be given adequate notice and opportunity to be heard by the elders.
1.3.3.1.3 — No member will be removed from membership as an act of discipline for a private offense during the same members meeting during which the charge is presented.
1.3.4 — Public Offense
1.3.4.1 — Grievances of a public and/or scandalous nature should be dealt with in accordance with the principles of 1 Corinthians 5, in order to protect the honor of Christ and His church.
1.3.4.2 — A member may be removed from membership as an act of discipline for a public offense during the same members meeting during which the charge is presented.
1.3.5 — Restoration
1.3.5.1 — Any disciplined member, upon confession of his or her sins, and upon giving satisfactory evidence of repentance, may be restored to membership (2 Corinthians 2:6-8) following (a) a membership interview with at least two elders, (b) recommendation from the elders, and (c) an affirmative vote of a majority of the voting members present at a members meeting.
2 — Elders
2.1 — Composition of the Elders
2.1.1 — The elders will be comprised of male members of Bethany who have been affirmed by the members as elders. It will include all staff pastors the members have called. The number of elders making up the elders will be based on the shepherding needs of Bethany. A majority of the elders will be members not in the regular employ of Bethany.
2.2 — Elder Qualifications
2.2.1 — The elders of Bethany are men who have been called to shepherd the members of Bethany through teaching and leading. The primary focus of such men is to be: prayer, the ministry of the Word, and to maintain sound doctrine; priorities that should characterize both the individual elders and the elders as a whole. The elders are to be men of wisdom and experience who have been called to lead Bethany and who serve as examples of maturity in Christ to the rest of the members. Elders who aspire to the office desire a noble task.
2.2.2 — The elders must satisfy and maintain the biblical qualifications found in 1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9; and 1 Peter 5:1-3.
2.3—Elder Responsibilities
2.3.1 — The elders are responsible for teaching and leading the members. This will involve taking responsibility to teach God’s Word, administer baptism and the Lord’s Supper, plan and conduct worship services, examine and instruct potential members, pray for the members, shepherd and care for the members, equip the members for the work of the ministry, examine and recommend all candidates for offices and positions, oversee and evaluate the work of ministry, establish goals and policies, and serve as examples of Christian living. Elders maintain doctrinal soundness, provide leadership in matters of church discipline, and mobilize Bethany for world missions.
2.3.2 — To facilitate their fulfillment of these responsibilities, the elders may recommend the appointment of deacons to serve the various needs of the members of Bethany.
2.3.3 — The elders will meet regularly to seek God’s will through study of the Word, prayer, and the wisdom of others for the purpose of carrying out the responsibilities noted above and in accordance with the Elder Practices guidelines.
2.3.4 — A majority of the elders will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business in whatever mode or platform the chairman decides (either online or in-person).
2.3.4.1 — If it is impossible to assemble a quorum of the elders due to catastrophic circumstances, the quorum may be reduced to 50% of able, residual members. All quorum requirements shall return to their normal requirements as soon as possible.
2.3.5 — Matters of Church Finance
2.3.5.1 — Once a year at a member meeting, the elders will present a budget for the following year. The elders will also present an annual report.
2.3.5.2 — The elders will consult with the Financial Secretary and the Deacon of Treasury prior to presenting the budget to the congregation.
2.3.5.3 — The elders will obtain approval from the members for new expenditures other than those designated or approved budget funds.
2.3.5.4 — The elders will be responsible for fund allocation to pay all obligations of Bethany and for the management of all finances of Bethany.
2.3.5.5—The elders may transfer up to two and one-half percent (2.5%) of the total approved annual budget per quarter between unrestricted general ledger accounts without prior member approval. All such transactions shall be reported in writing at the next quarterly business meeting.
2.3.5.6 — The elders will appoint a financial secretary to administer the church finances under the authority of the elders. The financial secretary cannot concurrently serve as an elder.
2.3.5.7 — No financial obligation outside of the approved budget may be incurred against Bethany by any of its members, employees, or any other individual or group without the approval of the elders.
2.3.5.8 – A sub-committee of lay elders will be responsible for reviewing and recommending pastoral compensation and may appoint others to assist them in this task.
2.3.5.9 — An elder may abstain from voting on matters that have or would have the appearance of a conflict of interest.
2.4 — Selection of Elders
2.4.1 — It is God who gifts and appoints the elders of His church. Bethany will implement this truth by trusting God to direct the leadership and the members in the recognition of new elders.
2.4.2 — As those entrusted with the task of knowing and shepherding the members, the elders will evaluate and recommend men of Bethany to serve as elders. Any voting member may recommend a man they believe to be qualified for the position of elder by submitting his name to the elders.
2.4.3 — If there is unanimous agreement among the elders for a nomination, the candidate will be presented to the members at a member meeting.
2.4.4 — The elders will give the members at least two months to provide input regarding the nomination. Members will be encouraged to talk to the candidate, and any who have concerns about a candidate should communicate their concerns to the elders, prior to the vote. All responses will be considered by the elders in determining whether or not to present the candidate for a vote by the members.
2.4.5 — Upon an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the voting members present at a regular member meeting (or special member meeting held for this purpose), the candidate will be affirmed as an elder.
2.4.6 — Once an elder is affirmed, his service will be dependent upon continuing to meet the qualifications for an elder. Each elder is to serve a fixed term of three years, which may be renewed once, upon re-nomination by the elders and an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the voting members present at a member meeting. After two terms, they are required to step down as an elder for at least 12 months. The staff pastors will serve as members of the elders without term limit.
2.5 — Termination of an Elder
2.5.1 — Upon affirmative vote of three-fourths of the elders, the elders will recommend terminating an elder term and will refer the matter to the members.
2.5.2 — Following an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the voting members at a regularly scheduled or specially called member meeting, the elder’s term will be terminated.
2.5.3 — An elder who has been terminated may also be removed from membership, if needed, as an act of discipline through a separate act of church discipline.
2.6—Structure of the Elders
2.6.1 — The elders are structured as a plurality (Acts 14:23; c.f. Acts 20:17; Titus 1:5; 1 Timothy 4:14)
2.6.2 — Selection of the elder chairman, vice-chairman and secretary, as well as assignment of all other responsibilities will be done within the elders.
2.6.3 — Elder Chairman
2.6.3.1 — The chairman, or in his absence the vice chairman, will be responsible for setting the agenda, scheduling meetings, and guiding discussion.
2.6.3.2 — The chairman serves as the president of the corporation.
2.6.3.3 — The chairman, in consultation with the other elders, will select an elder to preside at all member meetings.
2.6.3.4 — Special meetings of the elders may be called at the discretion of the chairman.
2.6.4 — Elder Vice Chairman
2.6.4.1 — The vice chairman is responsible for chairing elders’ meetings in the absence of the chairman.
2.6.4.2 — The vice chairman of the elders is also the vice president of the corporation.
2.6.5 — Elder Secretary
2.6.5.1 — The secretary is responsible for taking accurate minutes of elder and member meetings.
2.6.5.2 — The secretary of the elders is also the secretary of the corporation.
2.6.5.3 — The secretary of the elders is also responsible for maintaining an accurate membership list but may delegate the administration to the church staff and/or a deacon.
3 — Deacons
3.1 — Appointment of Deacons
3.1.1 — The elders recommend the appointment of deacons to serve the various needs of the members of Bethany.
3.2 — Deacon Qualifications
3.2.1 — Deacons are to be men and women who are members of Bethany who have been affirmed and set apart by the members for service to Bethany, because of their spiritual gifts and godly character.
3.2.2 — Deacons must meet the qualifications set forth in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 and the model provided in Acts 6:1-7.
3.3 — Deacon Responsibilities
3.3.1 — Deacons are to care for the practical needs of the members of Bethany and attend to the facilities used for public worship and ministry.
3.3.2 — Each deacon will be appointed to a particular area of ministry.
3.3.3 — Deacons will be responsible for the organization and administration of the assigned ministry. Their responsibilities might include recruiting volunteers, directing activities, promoting the ministry among the members, communicating with the elders, coordinating with the church office, disbursing funds, training a successor, or other such tasks.
3.4 — Selection of Deacons
3.4.1 — The elders will evaluate the men and women of Bethany and nominate potential new deacons. Any voting member may recommend a man or woman they believe to be qualified for the position of deacon by submitting his or her name to the elders. Upon an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the elders for a nomination, the candidate will be presented to the members at a member meeting.
3.4.2 — The elders will give the members at least two months to provide input regarding a nomination.
3.4.3 — Upon an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the voting members present at a member meeting, the candidate will be affirmed as a deacon.
3.4.4 — A deacon will be elected to a fixed term lasting three years, which may be renewed once, according to the process outlined above. After two terms, a deacon is required to step down for at least 12 months.
3.5 — Authority
3.5.1 — Although deacons are given responsibility in specific areas of ministry, fundamentally their role is to serve. Therefore, each deacon will function under the authority and oversight of the elders.
3.5.2 — Diaconal positions will be determined by the elders based on the practical needs of Bethany.
3.5.3 — If the elders determine that Bethany no longer needs a particular diaconal position, they may bring that position to an end at the close of the term.
4 — Staff
4.1 — Staff Pastors
4.1.1 — A staff pastor will be called by Bethany for an indefinite period of time.
4.1.2 — A staff pastor must: (a) be a man qualified by professional training or experience, (b) meet all membership qualifications, (c) continue to hold to historic Baptist-congregational principles that Bethany was founded upon, and (d) continue to hold to the Statement of Faith without reservation.
4.1.3 — A staff pastor must evidence by his life his endeavor to satisfy and maintain the qualifications set forth in 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1:6-9, and 1 Peter 5:1-3.
4.1.4 — A staff pastor will perform the duties incumbent upon his office as enjoined in the Word of God.
4.1.5 — Following a unanimous recommendation of the elders, the elders will publicly notify the members of when they will be voting on the candidate for the position of a staff pastor.
4.1.5.1 — The elders will offer the opportunity for the members to ask appropriate questions of a staff pastor candidate prior to the vote.
4.1.5.2 — The elders will give the members the opportunity to hear the staff pastor teach or preach at Bethany at least twice prior to the vote.
4.1.5.3 — A call will be made upon an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the voting members present at a members meeting.
4.1.5.4 — The number and roles of positions held by staff pastors will be limited to those deemed necessary by the elders, to carry out an effective spiritual ministry and for whom salaries have been allocated in the church budget. Each pastor is a member of the elders.
4.1.5.5 — Once a staff pastor is offered and accepts the position, upon employment both he and his wife will become members.
4.2 — Lead Pastor
4.2.1 — A lead pastor is subject to the requirements for a staff pastor and is considered one of the staff pastors.
4.2.2 — Whenever the lead pastor position is vacant, the elders will ensure regular preaching of the Word until the next lead pastor is called.
4.2.2.1 — The elders will serve as the search committee and may appoint others to assist them in this task.
4.2.2.2 — Following a pastoral search process and a unanimous vote of the elders, the elders will schedule and publicly notify the members at a member meeting for the purpose of calling a candidate for the position of lead pastor.
4.2.3 —The lead pastor and elders serve as the spiritual leaders of Bethany. The lead pastor will supervise the church staff. The lead pastor, in agreement with the elders, will have the authority to manage the church staff as he deems necessary to administer church affairs. He will preach the Word regularly and administer the ordinances.
4.3 — Termination or Resignation of Staff Pastors
4.3.1 — Termination of Staff Pastors
4.3.1.1 — Whenever the qualifications of a staff pastor are questioned, the elders will consider the matter and will, within 60 days, determine a course of action.
4.3.1.2 — The elders may reject a staff pastor’s membership resignation and choose not to present it to the members; this may occur if the resignation comes about while the staff pastor is under investigation or for any other biblical reason.
4.3.1.3 — Upon affirmative vote of three-fourths of the elders, the elders will recommend termination of the staff pastor and will refer the matter to the members.
4.3.1.4 — Following an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the voting members at a regularly scheduled or specially called members meeting, the staff pastor will be terminated.
4.3.1.5 — A staff pastor who has been terminated may also be removed from membership as a separate act of church discipline.
4.3.2 — Resignation of Staff Pastors
4.3.2.1 — A staff pastor who resigns from his position will maintain his membership.
4.3.2.2 — Following his resignation, he may then resign his membership.
4.3.3 — Severance
4.3.3.1 — If a staff pastor is terminated or resigns, the elders may authorize up to four months’ salary and benefits as severance pay.
4.3.3.2 — Should the staff pastor secure new employment at any time during that severance pay period, the elders may authorize termination of that compensation. In the event that compensation from the new employment is lower than that provided by Bethany, the elders may authorize compensation to offset any difference in salary and benefits for the remainder of the severance pay period.
4.4 — Ministry Staff
4.4.1 — The lead pastor, in agreement with the elders, may hire other ministry staff. Compensation, fringe benefits and incidental expenses to be provided will be determined by the lead pastor, subject in each instance to review and approval by the elders and subject to the provisions of Section 2.3.5 (Matters of Church Finance).
4.4.2 — The number and roles of ministry staff will be limited to those deemed necessary by the lead pastor, in consultation with the elders, to carry out effective ministry and for which salaries have been allocated in the church budget.
4.4.3 — Ministry staff must be members in good standing.
4.4.4 — Ministry staff will be involved in the spiritual ministry of Bethany, providing leadership in a diaconal capacity, serving the practical needs of Bethany. Therefore, in addition to the requirements above, they must meet the qualifications of a deacon, set forth in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 and the model provided in Acts 6:1-7.
4.4.5 — Should it become necessary to terminate ministry staff, termination without cause may be made by the lead pastor in consultation with the elders.
4.5 — Custodial and Maintenance Staff
4.5.1 — The lead pastor, in agreement with the elders, may hire or terminate custodial and maintenance staff as they deem necessary and as is allocated for in the church budget.
5 — Member Meetings
5.1 — Regular Member Meetings
5.1.1 — Regularly scheduled member meetings will be held in January, April, June, and October, or on such other date or dates as the elders may determine.
5.1.2 — The elders, in consultation with the deacons, will determine the agenda for member meetings.
5.1.3 — Unless otherwise specified, all votes require a simple majority.
5.1.4 —The elders will present a proposed annual budget at least eight weeks prior to an up or down vote, typically at the annual meeting. If for any reason, the vote is not called until the following fiscal year, the church will continue to operate using the previous year’s budget.
5.1.5 — The chairman may appoint a parliamentarian for the members meeting.
5.2 — Special Member Meetings
5.2.1 — A special member meeting may be called at the discretion of the elders.
5.2.2 — The members may act on membership recommendations of the elders at any member meeting.
5.3 — Notification
5.3.1 — Notification of any member meeting must be given to the members at least two Sundays prior, not including the actual date of the meeting.
6 — Miscellaneous
6.1 — Physical Properties
6.1.1 — Upon an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the voting members present at a member meeting, the elders may purchase, encumber, or dispose of any real property of Bethany. Notification of any proposed action must be given to the members at three consecutive regularly scheduled worship services prior to the member meeting.
6.1.2 — The elders will have the authority to purchase, sell and maintain, and will have complete supervision over all personal property of Bethany.
6.1.3 — The chairman or vice-chairman, and the secretary of the elders will be required to sign any official documents that relate to real property transactions.
6.1.4 — To minimize scheduling conflicts, no meetings except regularly scheduled worship services of Bethany will be held in the church buildings without prior permission of the church office.
6.2—Solicitations
6.2.1 — No one will be permitted to solicit funds from Bethany members, the members as a whole, or any organization within Bethany for the work of Bethany, a related ministry or activity, or any other objective without prior approval of the elders. This does not restrict the various organizations of Bethany from carrying on regular and ordinary functions, provided these functions are related to the church budget.
6.2.2 — Neither the church directory nor any other list that includes the names of members of Bethany, or of any organization within Bethany, may be used by any person or organization for any promotional or any other purpose not related to maintaining the unity of Bethany.
6.3 — Rules of Order
6.3.1 — Robert’s Rules of Order will be the guide for conducting all member meetings of Bethany, except as otherwise provided in the Scriptures, the Constitution, or this Statement of Practices.
6.4 — Voting
6.4.1 — Provided all provisions for notification have been met, a quorum will be understood to be met by those members present in whatever mode or platform the elders present (either online or in-person). All votes will be tallied based on the number of votes cast by members present. The elders are not required to provide an online option for members who cannot attend if the meeting is held in person.
6.4.2 — No absentee ballots or proxies will be permitted for any vote at any member meeting.
6.4.3 — A secret, written ballot must be used on a question at any member meeting if approved by a simple majority of the voting members present.
6.5 — Indemnification
6.5.1 – The Corporation will indemnify, to the fullest extent allowed under the Oregon Nonprofit Corporation Act or any successor law, any current or former director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation who is made, or threatened to be made, a party to an action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative, or otherwise (including an action, suit, or proceeding by or in the right of the Corporation), by reason of the fact that the person is or was a director, officer, employee, or agent of the Corporation or a fiduciary within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 with respect to any employee benefit plan of the Corporation. The Corporation will pay for or reimburse the reasonable expenses incurred by any such person in any such proceeding in advance of the final disposition of the proceeding if the person sets forth in writing (1) the person’s good-faith belief that the person is entitled to indemnification under this provision and (2) the person’s agreement to repay all advances if it is ultimately determined that the person is not entitled to indemnification under this provision. No amendment to this provision that limits the Corporation’s obligation to indemnify any person will have any effect on such obligation for any act or omission that occurs before the later of the effective date of the amendment or the date notice of the amendment is given to the person. This provision will not be deemed exclusive of any other provisions for indemnification or advancement of expenses of directors, officers, employees, agents, and fiduciaries that may be included in any statute, bylaw, agreement, general or specific action of the board of directors, vote of the members, or other document or arrangement.
6.5.2 — The elders shall review and approve any request for indemnification or advancement of expenses under Section 6.5.1 above. If a quorum of the elders is not available for an indemnification determination because of the number of elders seeking indemnification, the requisite determination may be made by the membership or by special legal counsel appointed by the membership.
6.6 — Amendment
6.6.1 — This Statement of Practices may be amended only upon an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the voting members present at any member meeting.
6.6.2 — The elders will submit any proposed amendment to the Statement of Practices in written form at least two months prior to such a member meeting.
6.7 — Power Reserved to Members
6.7.1 — Any member of Bethany will have the right to present any matter, question, or issue before the members – except the calling of a staff pastor – as a motion at any member meeting of the church.
6.7.2 — The elder chairman may defer any matter, question or issue raised by a member of Bethany at any member meeting to the elders unless the matter, question or issue was presented in writing to the elder chairman at least two weeks in advance of the meeting.
6.7.3 — Any elder may postpone a vote on any matter, question, or issue until the next member meeting unless that same matter, question or issue was previously postponed. If a matter, question, or issue is presented by the elders, only a majority action by the voting members present at the member meeting may postpone the vote until the next meeting, unless that same matter, question or issue was previously postponed.
6.8 — Tax Exempt Status; Dissolution
6.8.1 — The Corporation is organized and will be operated exclusively for religious purposes, within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or any corresponding provision of any future federal internal revenue laws.
6.8.2 — The Corporation is not organized for profit, and no part of its net earnings shall inure to the benefit of any director or officer of the Corporation, or any private individual, except that the Corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation to its directors, officers and employees for services rendered, and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes of the Corporation.
6.8.3 — Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Corporation shall not conduct or carry on activities not permitted to be conducted or carried on by an organization exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Code or by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under Section 170(c)(2) of the Code. No substantial part of the activities of the Corporation shall be devoted to attempting to influence legislation by propaganda or otherwise, except to the extent that an organization exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Code, or any corresponding provision of any future federal internal revenue laws, can engage in such activities without incurring any penalties or excise taxes or losing its status as an organization exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Code. The Corporation shall not, directly or indirectly, participate in or intervene in (including by the publication or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. The Corporation shall not have objectives or engage in activities that characterize it as an “action” organization within the meaning of the Code.) The Corporation is prohibited from engaging in any excess benefit transaction as defined in Section 4958(c) of the Code.
6.8.4 — In the event that the elders of the church determine that there is reasonable cause to dissolve Bethany as a corporate entity, the elders shall recommend dissolution to the members. The elders shall call a special member meeting. Notice of the meeting shall be sent in writing to the members and posted at all entrances to the church building no less than sixty days prior to the meeting. The notice shall state that the purpose of the meeting is to consider dissolution of the corporation and how the assets of the corporation will be distributed after all creditors have been paid. At least two-thirds of the members present at the meeting must vote in the affirmative to approve the proposal of dissolution.
6.8.5 — Upon the dissolution or final liquidation of the Corporation, and after the payment or provision for payment of all the liabilities of the Corporation, the remaining assets of the Corporation will be distributed to one or more religious organizations that qualify as tax-exempt organizations under Code Section 501(c)(3) or any corresponding provision of any future federal internal revenue laws and which are in agreement with the letter and statement of the Church’s then current Statement of Faith, as determined by the members. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Circuit Court of Washington County, Oregon, exclusively for a Code Section 501(c)(3) purpose or purposes similar to those set forth in this Statement of Practices and the Corporation’s then-current Articles of Incorporation, or to such organization or organizations, as said court shall determine, that are organized and operated exclusively for similar Code Section 501(c)(3) purposes. No director or officer of the Corporation, or any private individual, shall be entitled to share in the distribution of any of the corporate assets upon dissolution of the Corporation or the winding up of its affairs.