PROPOSED CHANGES TO CONSTITUTION
Dear members of Tabernacle Bible Presbyterian Church,
The Board of Elders will be proposing changes to the church constitution during the ACM to be held tentatively on 29th June this year. We are presenting these changes early in the year so that members can pray about these changes and clarifications can be made before the ACM to be held this year.
The rationale of the changes are as follows:
- To change from “Bible Presbyterian Church” to “Bible-Presbyterian Church” to reflect Tabernacle BPC as being associated with the Singapore Bible-Presbyterian movement rather than the Bible Presbyterian Church in America.
- To update the official church address to the one currently used by Tabernacle BPC.
- To change from “Board of Elders/Session” to “Board of Elders” reflect the Board of Elders (BOE) as the decision-making body of the church as according to the Bible-Presbyterian form of government. The current wording in the constitution reflects the period of history when Tabernacle BPC had one elder and thus no functioning BOE, thus making it necessary to bring in the rest of the Session to deliberate on decisions. The proposed changes reflect how the Lord has blessed us with a BOE which can now exercise herself in the duties and responsibilities required of her.
| Current | Proposed |
| Title – TABERNACLE BIBLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | Title – TABERNACLE BIBLE-PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH |
| Article 1 – The name of the Church shall be Tabernacle Bible Presbyterian Church |
Article 1 – The name of the Church shall be Tabernacle Bible–Presbyterian Church |
| Article 2 – The address of the Church shall be at 133 Fidelio Street, Singapore 458518 | Article 2 – The address of the Church shall be at 9A Gilstead Road, Singapore 309063 |
| Article 7.2 – Baptised infants upon coming of age in that they can satisfy the Board of Elders/ Church Session as to their faith shall be received into communicant membership by reaffirmation of faith. | Article 7.2 – Baptised infants upon coming of age in that they can satisfy the Board of Elders as to their faith shall be received into communicant membership by reaffirmation of faith. |
| Article 8.1.1 – Communicant Members – Persons who can satisfy the Board of Elders / Church Session as to their Christian faith, knowledge, and manner of life and who have been baptised or have reaffirmed their Christian faith or transferred from another Bible-Presbyterian church or another Bible-believing church shall be Communicant Members. They shall be eligible to vote at congregational meetings provided that they are 18 years and above. No member under the age of 21 shall be eligible to stand for election to the Church Session. No communicant member, other than those commissioned by the Board of Elders / Church Session, shall be a member of another church. |
Article 8.1.1 – Communicant Members – Persons who can satisfy the Board of Elders as to their Christian faith, knowledge, and manner of life and who have been baptized or have reaffirmed their Christian faith or transferred from another Bible-Presbyterian church or another Bible believing church shall be Communicant Members. They shall be eligible to vote at congregational meetings provided that they are 18 years and above. No member under the age of 21 shall be eligible to stand for election to the Church Session. No communicant member, other than those commissioned by the Board of Elders, shall be a member of another church. |
| Article 8.2 – If any member shall be found by the Board of Elders / Church Session to have acted in a manner unbecoming of a member or by his act or omission be likely to hinder the witness of the Church or render it of ill repute, the Board of Elders / Church Session shall request him to appear before the Board of Elders / Church Session. The Board of Elders / Church Session shall have the power to admonish, rebuke, suspend, depose or ex-communicate the member and where the Board of Elders/Church Session considers expedient so to do, adopt, follow or adapt the procedure laid down in the Bible-Presbyterian Book of Discipline. | Article 8.2 – If any member shall be found by the Board of Elders to have acted in a manner unbecoming of a member or by his act or omission be likely to hinder the witness of the Church or render it of ill repute, the Board of Elders shall request him to appear before the Board of Elders. The Board of Elders shall have the power to admonish, rebuke, suspend, depose or ex-communicate the member and where the Board of Elders considers expedient so to do, adopt, follow or adapt the procedure laid down in the Bible-Presbyterian Book of Discipline. |
| Article 8.3 – A member whose membership is suspended or removed as provided above may, within one month from the receipt of notice of the suspension or removal, appeal to the general meeting of members against the decision of the Board of Elders / Church Session. | Article 8.3 – A member whose membership is suspended or removed as provided above may, within one month from the receipt of notice of the suspension or removal, appeal to the general meeting of members against the decision of the Board of Elders. |
| Article 10.2 – The spiritual oversight of the Church in matters of doctrine, principles of government, church elections, admission and discipline of members and the administrative oversight of the Church shall be the specific responsibilities of the Board of Elders / Church Session. | Article 10.2 – The spiritual oversight of the Church in matters of doctrine, principles of government, church elections, admission and discipline of members and the administrative oversight of the Church shall be the specific responsibilities of the Board of Elders. |
| Article 11.2 – The chairman of the Church Session shall be the Senior Pastor or in his absence the Pastor. If the Church has no Pastor, then the Session will choose from among themselves a chairman. The Church Session shall appoint from among themselves a Clerk of Session and a Treasurer. | Article 11.2 – The chairman of the Church Session shall be the Senior Pastor or in his absence the Pastor. If the Church has no Pastor, then the Board of Elders will choose from among themselves a chairman. The Church Session shall appoint from among themselves a Clerk of Session and a Treasurer. |
| Article 12.3 – The Board of Elders / Church Session shall nominate candidates for election to the Church Session. Nominations may also be submitted by any member of the congregation to the Board of Elders / Church Session. | Article 12.3 – The Board of Elders / Church Session shall nominate candidates for election to the Church Session. Nominations may also be submitted by any member of the congregation to the Board of Elders. |
| Article 13.3 – All the categories of pastors shall possess the spiritual, educational and other qualifications as laid down by the Board of Elders / Church Session and such other requirements and conditions the Board of Elders / Church Session may determine from case to case. | Article 13.3 – All the categories of pastors shall possess the spiritual, educational and other qualifications as laid down by the Board of Elders and such other requirements and conditions the Board of Elders may determine from case to case. |
| Article 13.4 – The Pastor shall be subject to the discipline of the Board of Elders and in accordance with the procedure in the Bible Presbyterian Book of Discipline. | Article 13.4 – The Pastor shall be subject to the discipline of the Board of Elders and in accordance with the procedure in the Bible-Presbyterian Book of Discipline. |
| Article 13.7 – The Pastor shall be the Moderator / Chairman of the Church Session, except for prudential reasons, when the Board of Elders / Church Session shall appoint one of its Elders as Chairman of a particular meeting. | Article 13.7 – The Pastor shall be the Moderator / Chairman of the Church Session, except for prudential reasons, when the Board of Elders shall appoint one of its Elders as Chairman of a particular meeting. |
| Article 13.8 – A Pastor may serve in another Bible-Presbyterian church in such a capacity, with the approval of the Board of Elders / Church Session. Such position in a particular church shall be honorary. | Article 13.8 – A Pastor may serve in another Bible-Presbyterian church in such a capacity, with the approval of the Board of Elders. Such position in a particular church shall be honorary. |
| Article 14.1 – A candidate for election to the office of an Elder shall be a Deacon of not less than six years’ standing, duly nominated by the Board of Elders/Church Session and elected by a majority vote of the members of the Church at the Annual Congregational Meeting, save that the Board of Elders/Church Session may in its absolute discretion, shorten the qualifying period. | Article 14.1 – A candidate for election to the office of an Elder shall be a Deacon of not less than six years’ standing, duly nominated by the Board of Elders and elected by a majority vote of the members of the Church at the Annual Congregational Meeting, save that the Board of Elders may in its absolute discretion, shorten the qualifying period. |
| Article 14.7 – Elders shall be subject to the discipline of the Board of Elders/Church Session, in the same manner and procedure applied to pastors. | Article 14.7 – Elders shall be subject to the discipline of the Board of Elders, in the same manner and procedure applied to pastors. |
| Article 15.6 – Deacons and Deaconesses shall be subject to the discipline of the Board of Elders/Church Session, in the same manner and procedure applied to pastors and elders. | Article 15.6 – Deacons and Deaconesses shall be subject to the discipline of the Board of Elders, in the same manner and procedure applied to pastors and elders. |
| Article 18.9 – The Senior Pastor, and in his absence, the Pastor shall be the Chairman of the Meeting except for prudential reasons, when the Board of Elders/Church Session shall appoint one from among them as Chairman of the Meeting. | Article 18.9 – The Senior Pastor, and in his absence, the Pastor shall be the Chairman of the Meeting except for prudential reasons, when the Board of Elders shall appoint one from among them as Chairman of the Meeting. |
Inactive Communicative Members
The proposal for inactive communicant membership was passed at the ACM held on 3 July 2016. The BOE is proposing for these to be added under Article 8 of the Constitution.
- Members who have been absent from worship service for a continuous period of 6 months other than reasons of illness, working or studying overseas or reasons deemed valid and acceptable to the Session, shall automatically be moved to the Inactive Communicant Members list.
- Inactive Communicant Members shall have no right to vote or participate by asking questions in all Congregational Meetings of the Church.
- Inactive Communicant Members who resume worship services for a continuous period of 6 months shall be restored to the status of Communicant Members.
Following ACM 2024, the proposed changes must be submitted for approval by the authorities before they can be adopted.
Please pray about the proposals listed above. Do find Pastor or Elder John if you have any queries of the proposed changes.
Thank you and God bless.
Yours affectionately,
Pastor Clement Chew