Accountability Board (Three Non Members)

Qualifications & Position Descriptions

What to do with the Accountability Board

The Accountability Board is a special board outside of the organization. The Accountability Board does not have the authority to meet or get together on its own for any reason. The Accountability Board only has one purpose; to hear any accusations that have been brought to it by the unanimous vote of the Board of Directors. In the case that the Board of Directors unanimously believe that the Senior Pastor/President has committed any of the five sins mentioned in the Constitution and Bylaws (Article X), they are authorized to call the Accountability Board to conduct an investigation. If, after the investigation, the Accountability Board believes that the Senior Pastor/President has committed any of the five sins mentioned in that article, they have the authority to either discipline the Senior Pastor/President or dismiss him/her.

It is important to know that the establishment of this Accountability Board is necessary to avoid the Pastor being voted out by the Board of Directors. This article takes away that authority while still ensuring that in order for the Senior Pastor/President to be removed then he/she really does have to be living in unrepentant sin.

Facts About the Accountability Board

We created this article because the IRS wants each church and non profit organization to have a way for the Senior Pastor/President to be removed. Without the Accountability Board, the IRS wants the Bylaws to state that the Board of Directors has the right to remove the President at any time that it wishes. We do not agree with that position and have created the Accountability Board to keep you in charge.

The Accountability Board is an outside board. They do not have any authority in the church or have the right to meet on their own.

The Accountability Board cannot have any members that are related to the Pastor and the members of the Accountability Board should not be related to each other. Additionally, the Pastor may not serve on the Accountability Board.

The members of the Accountability Board should not be made up of individuals that are members of the church or serve on the Board of Directors. It is best if they are leaders of other ministries.

The members of the Accountability Board are nominated by the Senior Pastor/President and then confirmed by the Board of Directors. This means that the Senior Pastor/President shall carefully select the members. These ought to be people that he/she trusts and that love him/her enough to tell him/her the truth.

To properly implement the Accountability Board, the Senior Pastor/President needs to select three or five individuals and ask them to serve. If they accept, fill out the form on the following page and store it in the church's Corporate Records book.

Article X Accountability Board

There shall be an Accountability Board made up of no less than three (3) persons and no more than Give (5). The Accountability Board shall be made up of individuals nominated by the Senior Pastor/President of the corporation and confirmed by a two-thirds majority of the Board of Directors after careful consideration. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17; Acts 15). The Board of Directors shall consider the nominations and vote to have each nomination appointed.

Section 1 Purpose
The purpose of the Accountability Board is to:

1. Provide a spiritual covering by prayerfully giving necessary aid, instruction, guidance, protection and correction as well as counsel, wisdom and fellowship to the Senior Pastor/President (II Timothy 3:16, 17; Acts 15) and,
2. To hear accusations against the Senior Pastor/President of the corporation brought to them by a unanimous vote of the official Board of Directors excluding any disqualified individuals serving on the Board of Directors and make a determination as to whether the Senior Pastor/President has committed any of the infractions listed below.
3. The Board of Directors may call the Accountability Board into session to conduct an investigation and/or dismiss the President if they find him guilty of any of the following accusations against the President:

• Adultery
• Embezzlement
• Compulsive Lying
• Sexual Impurity
• Conviction of a felony that is a violation of Scripture
• The Senior Pastor/President not acting in the best interest of the church.

The Accountability Board will determine if the Senior Pastor/President is guilty or innocent and whether to discipline or dismiss him from office. The Accountability Board is the only entity that has the authority to dismiss the Senior Pastor/President from his position if, after being called into session in accordance with the provisions of this Article and after considering all accusations against him; they determine that it is the best course of action for him and the church. The decision of the Accountability Board is final.

Section 2 Structure
Any Member of the Accountability Board may be replaced or removed at any time deemed necessary by request of the Senior Pastor/President and confirmation of the Board of Directors of the corporation, provided that it not be after the Accountability Board has been called to officially meet in accordance with Section 1 of this Article.

The representative nominated by the Senior Pastor/President and confirmed by the Board of Directors shall chair the Accountability Board.

Future vacancies shall be nominated by the Senior Pastor/President and confirmed by the Board of Directors.

A record of the current and past Members of the Accountability Board shall be kept in a log under the custody of the official Board of Directors. The log shall clearly list the names of each member and the current chairman.

Any successor Senior Pastor/President to the founding or current Senior Pastor/President shall keep the Accountability Board that was in existence at the time he became Senior Pastor/President. He may, after a six-month period, make nominations for replacements of no more than one representative per year. When establishing any new Accountability Board member he must follow the procedure set forth in Section 1 of this Article.

Section 3 Quorum
100% of the Accountability Board must be present to constitute a quorum. The Accountability Board may only meet if it has been called to do so with a unanimous vote by the official Board of Directors according to the provisions of this Article.

Section 4 Determination
Any action taken by the Accountability Board is valid by a unanimous vote.

Section 5 Power
The Accountability Board shall have no innate power or authority as a legal organizational entity, except that which is invested in them by these Bylaws. Their decisions, when called together in accordance with Section 1 of this Article, shall be final.