This information was presented by Pastor Ken Currie at the Special Congregational Meeting on Sunday, September 13, 2020. See the PDF of this document, which was distributed at the meeting.

This webpage summarizes and highlights the impact of the proposed amendment to Bethlehem’s Constitution and Bylaws (current and proposed) regarding the formal establishment of “Campuses.” The following summarizes the main areas of change:

1. Formal establishment of ‘Campuses.’

The proposal defines the nomenclature and the effects (below). The term Campus is intended to convey and acknowledge the New Testament significance of worshiping, fellowshipping, and ministering together at our campus locations while maintaining the reality that the campuses are part of a larger whole: Bethlehem Baptist Church. Each Bethlehem member is currently affiliated with a Campus, and new members will be affiliated with a particular Campus when they become a member.

2. Delineating lines of authority for Campus meetings.

Many of the functions currently conducted at an All-Church Quarterly Strategy Meeting (QSM) may be delegated to Campus meetings. These include the following:

a) Accept members into the Church, give letters of transfer or recommendation to members, drop members from the Church roll, and discipline members;

b) Call and reaffirm Elders and Deacons of the Church who have been recommended by the Council of Elders;

c) Approve the call and job description of those Staff Elders who receive compensation from the Church for fulfilling their elder responsibilities.

3. ‘All Church’ or ‘Campus’ designation for meetings.

Meetings shall be designated “All Church” or “Campus.” All-Church meetings are those in which the entire membership of Bethlehem is invited and encouraged to participate. Campus meetings are those conducted for the membership affiliated with an individual campus as we carry out responsibilities as a local expression of the body of Christ. 

Additional Notes Concerning All-Church Meetings and Campus Meetings

• We should not be thinking in terms of just “either/or” (either an all-church QSM, or a campus-specific QSM), but rather potential “both/and.”
• Given our proposed bylaws amendment (PDF)—to be voted on at the 10/18/20 QSM—to allow electronic congregational meetings, we will have a valuable new tool for facilitating onsite interactions between the campuses as a regular part of our QSMs.
• Given the value of campuses staying connected in a timely manner for Global Outreach reports; Church Planting reports; Treasurer Reports; 150th Anniversary events; updates from Bethlehem College & Seminary CityJoy, and Campus Outreach; and voting on the annual budget (and other all-church topics, as they arise), QSMs may have an initial “all-church” session. This option would avoid duplication of presentations and scheduling challenges for presenters. The meeting could then segue into a campus-specific session of reports, updates, and votes for matters pertaining to each campus.
• Some functions must remain in an “all-church” format, including approval of the annual budget and amendments to the Constitution or By-Laws.
• Elders and deacons will continue to be vetted and recommended by the full Council of Elders prior to their call by the Church. All elders are and will remain members of the Bethlehem Council of Elders while serving at a specific campus as well. 
• A member of Bethlehem is a member of the Church, not merely a Campus. Therefore, all members are able to attend and participate at any Campus meeting.