Articles
Article 1: Name and Location
Article 1.1: Name
The name of this church shall be Fusion.
Article 1.2: Location
The principal location of Fusion Church is 125 4th Avenue Lowell, MA 01854.
Article 2: Statement of Faith
Article 2.1: The Bible
We believe that the Bible, consisting of sixty-‐six books of the Old and New Testaments, was given by divine inspiration to the men who penned them and is the Word of God (2 Tim. 3:16-17, 2 Peter 1:19-21, I Thessalonians 2:13)
Article 2.2: The Godhead
We believe there is only one living and true God, the creator, sustainer and ultimate authority. We believe God exists in three persons, namely the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Who are equal in Their divine perfection and harmonious in the execution of their distinct offices. (Genesis 1:1, Hebrews 11:3, Nehemiah 9:6, Matthew 28:19, John 5:17, John 14:16-17, John 15:26, Ephesians 2:18)
Article 2.3: The Father
We believe God the Father is father to His eternal Son, Jesus Christ, whom He raised from the dead, by and for His glory. He is also father to all who are adopted into his family through faith in Jesus Christ. He has made himself known to us through His son, the Holy Spirit, His scriptures and the world He created. (Matthew 11:25, Luke 10:21, I Corinthians 8:6, Philippians 2:9-11, Galatians 4:5-6, Ephesians 1:5)
Article 2.4: The Son, Jesus Christ
We believe that Jesus Christ humbled Himself and assumed human form, by being born to a Virgin Mary, thus combining in their completeness the Divine and human natures into one eternally unique person Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 9:6, Matthew 1:18-26, John 1:14, Hebrews 2:14)
We believe that God provided redemption and hope for humanity through the mediatorial work of Jesus Christ, Who voluntarily offered Himself on the cross as a perfect sacrifice for sin, the just suffering for the unjust, bearing sin for all who believe in Him and experiencing separation from God in their place. On the third day after His death Jesus rose from the dead in the bodily form. He ascended into heaven where He reigns at the right hand of the Father, where He performs the ministry of intercession. He shall come again, personally and visibly, to complete His saving work and to consummate the eternal plan of God. (Matthew 20:28, Hebrews 9:11-12, I Peter 3:18, I Timothy 2:5-6, I Thessalonians 4:16)
Article 2.5: The Holy Spirit
We believe the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity and that He proceeds from the Father and the Son. His principal ministries, are the leading, comforting, correcting, applying of the Holy scriptures both through reading and hearing to the lives of the saints, empowering the saints for ministry, sanctifying the saints, and maintaining His gifts in the lives of the saints. (2 Thessalonians 2:7, John 16:8-11, John 14:16-18, John 14:26, John 16:13, 2 Thessalonians 2:13, I Peter 1:1-3, Romans 8:2, Acts 1:8, Ephesians 3:16, I Corinthians 2:1-4)
Article 2.6: Humanity
We believe that Humans were created by a special act of God: that we were created in the image and likeness of God and that we were given the responsibility and privilege of caring for God’s creation. (Genesis 1:27, Colossians 3:10, Acts 17:24-28)
We believe that through the trials of Adam and Eve the perfect harmonious relationship between God and humanity was broken by sin and as a result humanity became depraved and gained an inherently sinful nature. (Genesis 3:1-6, Romans 5:12-18, Romans 3:10-12, Romans 2:23, Ephesians 4:18, I John 1:8-10)
Article 2.7: Salvation
We believe that salvation is wholly by grace through faith in the saving work of the Son of God, Jesus Christ and applied by the Holy Spirit. In justification the believer is absolved of his guilt and declared righteous in the sight of God. In adoption the believer is constituted a member of the household of God. In sanctification the principle of the new life is strengthened and developed increasingly. In glorification this work will come to its perfect culmination in an ultimate and complete renewal of human nature. Repentance and faith are essential attitudes to be found in any one person who rightly claims the blessing of salvation. They emphasize the fact that it is not through human merit of any kind but the grace of God that redemption is achieved. (Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, Ephesians 1:1-3, John 3:3-5, Romans 5:1, Romans 4:4-5, Acts 13:39, I Corinthians 13:1, I John 5:11-13)
Article 3: Principles of Organization
Article 3.1 Board of Elders
Recognizing that Jesus Christ is the head of this church, and that the pastors are called by God as spiritual leaders of the church. The church shall elect a Board of Elders, which shall have the authority to organize, guide and direct all church activities. This authority shall be in accordance with the Word of God and the Bylaws of Fusion Church. The Board of Elders can be made up of members of the congregation as well as pastoral staff. The Board of Elders is to contain an odd number of members so as to always support a majority.
Article 3.2 Appointment of Elders
All new Elder appointments must be both nominated by a two-thirds majority of the existing Board of Elders and voted upon with a two-thirds majority by the voting members at the Annual Business Meeting as outlined in Article 5.
Article 3.3 Elder Term Length
The Elder term shall be two years in length and have as their start and end dates the first and last days of the fiscal year as defined in Article 6. Elders may serve consecutive terms.
Article 3.4 Moderating Elder at Annual Business Meeting
An Elder not on pastoral staff must moderate the Annual Business Meeting as defined in Article 5. These duties include but are not limited to calling the meeting to order, overseeing any and all voting processes and closing the meeting.
Article 3.5 Removal of an Elder
An Elder may be removed from office prior to completion of the Elder term by a two-thirds majority vote by the Board of Elders. The Elder in question will not be granted a vote in these situations.
Article 4: Pastors and Staff
Article 4.1 Pastoral and Elder Qualifications
The New Testament uses the following terms for pastor: pastor (I Peter 5:2-4), elder, bishop, and overseer (Titus 1:5-7, Acts 20:17, 28). All pastors shall meet the biblical qualifications for the office as set forth in I Timothy 3:1-7 and shall subscribe without reservation to the Statement of Faith, and Bylaws of Fusion Church.
Article 4.2 Removal of Staff
Any and all removal of staff must be a two-thirds vote from the Board of Elders. Reasons for removal can include but are not limited to unsatisfactory performance of job description and not representing the beliefs and values of Fusion as outlined by the Bylaws.
Article 5: Annual Business Meeting
Article 5.1 Scheduling the Annual Business Meeting
The Annual Business Meeting shall be held between sixty and thirty days before the beginning of the Fiscal Year as defined in Article 6. This meeting will contain but is not limited to the approval of the budget by the membership.
Article 5.2 Qualifications of Voters
All voters at the Annual Business Meeting must be members of Fusion.
Article 6: Fiscal Year
Article 6.1: Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of Fusion shall begin on the first day of January and close on the 31st day of December.
Article 7: Validity of These Bylaws
Article 7.1: Validity of These Bylaws
The ratification of this set of Bylaws makes null and void any and all previous Bylaws used by Fusion Church by any and all names. The ratification of these Bylaws will be accepted into effect by a two-thirds majority of the Board of Elders within 30 days of their completion.
Article 8: Amendments
Article 8.1 Amendments to Bylaws
These Bylaws, excluding Article 2: Statement of Faith, may be amended, altered, waived or repealed by a two-thirds majority vote of the Board of Elders to refer it to a congregational vote as well as a two thirds majority vote of qualified voters in accordance with article 5, section 2. Any amendments to these bylaws would happen at the Annual Business Meeting unless a separate business meeting is called at another time and the proposed amendments are posted thirty days in advance of said meeting.
Article 8.2 Amendments to Statement of Faith
The Statement of Faith may be amended by a unanimous referral for congregational vote by the Board of Elders followed by a three-fourths majority vote of qualified voters in accordance with article 5, section 2. Any amendments to the Statement of Faith would happen at the Annual Business Meeting unless a separate business meeting is called at another time and the proposed amendments are posted thirty days in advance of said meeting.