As Fundamentalist Baptist, we accept the Bible as the only and final authority in all matters of beliefs and behavior. And we as immersed and congregated believers of the Lord Jesus Christ declare our beliefs and convictions in this constitution. We recognize that in cases when the Bible is not explicit, this constitution may serve as the guideline for decision making in church affairs that we may conduct the work of the Lord Jesus Christ decently and orderly. We affirm that in cases of discrepancies between the Bible and this constitution, the former shall prevail. We recognize that the Bible is inspired and infallible. Whereas this constitution is fallible and errant. And we strongly affirm that in no cases shall this constitution be used to hinder the fulfillment of this church's purposes. [Return to List]

The name of this church shall be CORNERSTONE BAPTIST CHURCH, of Quezon City, Metro Manila. However, the corporate name of this church shall be SENIOR PASTOR of CHIEF CORNERSTONE FUNDAMENTAL BAPTIST CHURCH, incorporated as a religious corporation sole under the Philippine Laws. [Return to List]

Our purpose is to glorify God through an unqualified obedience of the bible; by gathering for a congregational worship; by evangelizing the lost through Biblical methods; by edifying the saved through a sound exposition of the Scripture; by establishing indigenous local churches at home and abroad; and by contending for the faith through Scriptural methods.

In relation to the said purpose, it is the church's sole authority to establish, operate, maintain, and dissolve any para-church ministries necessary for the achievement of that purpose. [Return to List]

Having been saved from eternal damnation when we put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and His works at Calvary, having been baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we do now in the presence of God, and this assembly most solemnly and joyfully enter into covenant with one another, as one body in Christ.

We engage, therefore, as the Holy Spirit enables us, to walk together in brotherly love, to exercise Christian care and watchfulness over one another; to participate in one another's joys; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation; to consider one another to provoke unto love and good works, and to forsake not the assembling of ourselves together.

We also engage to strive for the advancement of this Church in grace, knowledge, and holiness; to promote it's prosperity and spirituality; to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace; to sustain it's worship, ordinances and doctrines, to give it a pre-eminence over all human institutions; to contribute regularly and cheerfully to the support of the pastor, the ministries and expenses of the Church; and the spread of the gospel to other nations.

We further engage to maintain family and personal devotions, to educate our children in the Word of the Lord, bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; to seek the salvation of our kindred and acquaintances; and to pray for one another.

We moreover, engage to walk circumspectly and watchfully in the world, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts; to be just in our dealing, faithful in our engagements and exemplary in our deportment; to refrain from gossip, backbiting, and excessive anger; to abstain from the sale or use of intoxicating drink and any form of tobacco, and from the abuse of drugs and from every appearance of evil; to maintain a clear line of separation from all ecclesiastical compromise and apostasy and all worldly and sinful pleasures, practices and associations; endeavoring by example and effort to win souls to Jesus Christ and to live for His glory.

Finally, we engage that, when we move from this place we will as soon as possible unite with other local church of like precious faith and practice where we can carry out the principles of God's Word and the spirit of this covenant. [Return to List]

We believe in the verbal and plenary inspiration of the Scriptures.  We believe in the Triune God, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit.  We believe in the doctrine of creation.  We believe in the fall of man, and fact of sin. We believe in salvation by grace through faith only based upon the merits of God the Son. We believe in the eternal security of the believers.  We believe in the virgin birth, and vicarious blood atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe in the personality of the Devil and his angels.  We believe in the reality of Heaven and Hell, and the resurrection of the saved to eternal life and the lost to the eternal damnation.  We believe in the authority of the local church.  We believe in the priesthood of the believer.  We believe in Biblical separation. We believe in the imminent and pre-tribulational rapture of the church and the visible and personal premillenial return of Christ. [Return to List]

Section One - Admission

Any person who confesses to be scripturally saved and shows evidences of such confession, may, by the Church’s decision, be accepted into the Church membership, after following the scripture water baptism (mode of baptism: immersion) and agreeing with the Church’s constitution and statement of faith. Each candidate may be accepted into the Church’s membership and fellowship in one of these two ways:

1. Profession of faith and baptism. A candidate should have a personal testimony of his scriptural salvation followed by baptism by immersion.
2. Letter of Recommendation. A candidate should obtain such letter from the church where he came from.
3. Procedure for Application and Admission. Each candidate should comply with the above requirements and inform the Pastor about the intention. The candidate will be interviewed by the Pastor and then, if accepted, will be recommended to the Church for acceptance vote during the regular business meeting. Objections to the candidate’s admission must be raised to the Pastor before the meeting when the candidates will be presented. The candidate’s full name must be posted in the Church’s bulleting or must be read in the Sunday service announcement for all the members knowledge.

Section Two - Dismissal

1. Death
2. Request
1. Any member who personally wishes to withdraw from the membership of this Church. The request must be in writing stating clearly the reason(s) for such decision.
2. Any member who wishes to transfer to another church of like faith and order, may be given a letter of recommendation as to his membership status.
3. Exclusion
   1. Any member who is guilty of immorality, unchristian conduct and of persistent breach of this constitution may be dismissed from the membership after exercising church discipline and there is no evidence of repentance on the offender.
   2. Any member who has not been in attendance for one year without just cause and after failing to listen to Church members’ visits and exhortations shall be automatically removed from the membership.
   3. Dismissal will be by pastoral endorsement and presented to the congregation with substantial evidence and/or witnesses for recognition.
   4. Any member who unites with another church of unlike faith and order, or with a church, which the Pastor cannot recommend or endorse, shall be dismissed.
4. Discipline

   The purposes of church discipline shall be to help the errant members recognize and repent of their sins; to restore them to fellowship with the Lord and with the brethren; and to maintain the purity within the local and spiritual body of Christ.

1. Grounds for Discipline. The following are examples of possible grounds for discipline:
   1. Disorderly and unchristian conduct - 2 Thess. 3:6, 14, 15
   2. Causing division or strife in the congregation - Romans 16:17
   3. Deviation from the doctrinal stand and conviction of this church - Tit. 3:10; 1 Tim. 1:20
   4. Moral offenses - 1 Cor. 5:1-7, 11; 6:9; Gal. 5:19, 21
   5. Persistent constitutional violation
 
2. Procedure

In all cases where dismissal is considered, the Pastor shall exercise every scriptural means of persuasion and prayer to restore the errant member back onto the fellowship of the church. When all persuasions in accordance to Biblical principles failed, and the errant member is unrepentant, the Pastor shall inform the congregation about the errant member’s disciplinary discharge from the membership of the church. The discharge member, then, shall be considered a disobedient brother. The church in such a case must practice separation from sin. Fellowship may be extended only when genuine repentance is evident and restitution is assured. Restoration to the church membership maybe considered only when fellowship is restored, when the Pastor recommends him and the whole church with no dissenting vote is agreeable.

In cases where discipline is considered, the Pastor shall exercise every scriptural means of persuasion to repentance and restoration to the fellowship of the church. When genuine repentance is present then fellowship shall be retained, but membership shall be withheld for a period of time as determined by the Pastor.

This procedure shall apply to sins committed in public, involving church members or known by church members, or when the church’s testimony is damaged as a consequence of sin. In all cases, the Pastor shall decide on whether to bring the matter to the church considering the spiritual condition of the church and the gravity of offense.

Section Three - Restoration

Those who have been dismissed from the membership by reason of church discipline may be accepted into the fellowship and membership after personal and public (if necessary) confession of sins, and showing satisfactory evidences of genuine repentance. A period of at least one year or as determined by the Pastor, from the date of formal apology made, shall be required before the disciplined member may be accepted by the whole church with no dissenting vote, following the Pastor’s recommendation. [Return to List]

Section One - Regular Meetings

This church shall meet every Sunday morning and evening for worship, singing praises to God, teaching and preaching the Word; every Sunday afternoon for visitation and soul-winning works; every Wednesday evening for the teaching of the Word, prayer and fellowship. The ordinances of Baptism and Lord’s Supper, and other church meetings shall be announced as the Pastor so schedules.

Section Two – Business Meetings

1. All business meetings, either regular or special, shall be called and moderated by the Pastor. If the office of the Pastor is vacant, these meetings shall be called by the Pastor’s teaching staff and deacons, and moderated by one male teaching staff as endorsed by the other staff and the deacons.


2. Annual regular business meetings shall be held every last Sunday of February.

Section Three - Special Quorum

A quorum shall consist of 50% + 1 of the voting members of the church. A member 18 years old and above shall have a voting privilege in all business meetings. Disciplined members shall not comprise of the quorum. [Return to List]

Since workers, officers and staff are in leadership position of respect and example, all those who have been appointed to offices must conscientiously endeavor to live faithful lives of godliness unto the Lord, diligent and supportive of all church ministries and services, within and without the church’s premises. All worker, staff, and other leaders shall be appointed and installed as the need arises and scriptural qualifications are sufficiently met as stated in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.

Section One - PASTOR

1. Qualifications

The Pastor should be male; called of God to preach; meeting the scriptural standards set forth in 1 Tim. 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-11. He must believe and adhere to, without qualification, the doctrinal statement, biblical conviction and church constitution.  He must have an unquestionable and blameless testimony within and without the church.

2. Call

Should the office of the Pastor be vacant, a committee composed of the teaching staff, music director, deacons, shall recommend a qualified man, after consultation with the other church leaders, to the church. After hearing him preach and allowing sufficient time for proper interview and research, the membership shall vote on his taking the pastorate. This committee should consider first possible candidate from the church leadership before extending a call to non-members.

He shall be chosen by a 2/3 vote of the voting members present, provided there is a quorum. He must also sense the Lord's leading as well as the church’s approval before assuming the position.

3. Tenure

Having been properly chosen or elected, the Pastor shall serve until such time as he resigns from his office or until such time as he is no longer qualified according to scriptural grounds. The grounds shall be doctrinal heresy, immorality, gross public misbehavior, and deliberate persistent constitutional violation. In such a case the committee (as mentioned in no. 2) shall determine the validity of disqualification with all the necessary care and substantiation of supporting evidences. Witnesses must be established. After the accusation in which the 2/3 vote of the voting members is required, provided there is a quorum to disqualify the Pastor.

4. Responsibilities

The Pastor, as the human head of the local church, is responsible to Jesus Christ, shall preach and teach the Word of God. He shall administer the two ordinances (i.e., Baptism and the Lord’s Supper) of the church. He shall be the spiritual leader of the church and shall advance the spiritual life and condition of the congregation. He is the overseer of all phases of the church work and other church-related ministries. He is to ensure that the things he taught and preached are being followed or lived by the congregation. He has the discretion to schedule special meetings (revivals, missions, and conferences) and invite guest speakers as pulpit supply. He is the ex-officio member of every organization of the church, as such he must be consulted in any activity. He is to protect the pulpit ministry from any teaching or preaching that will not edify the local church. He is to preserve also the unity of the congregational body and keep it from strife, discord, division, and factionalism.

Consideration should be given to the present economic standard of living and the availability of the church’s funds.  Since the Pastor is expected to devote his time and energy to the fulfillment of the church’s purposes and prioritize the need of the ministry, it would be proper that the church should look after his physical needs (1 Cor. 9;4-15) and his family’s physical needs.

Section Two - TEACHING STAFF

Qualifcation, Appointment, Responsibilities and Tenure

This shall comprise of male teachers and preachers, and female teachers (for the Children’s Ministries). They are chosen and appointed by the Pastor according to scriptural qualification, to assist him in his teaching and preaching responsibility. Their number shall be determined by the Pastor. Every staff should agree with, and support the Pastor on his doctrinal position, ministerial philosophy, and church administration policies. They should not in any way, directly or indirectly, verbally or in writing, contradict the Pastor’s position on areas mentioned above. Any differences and disagreement must be addressed and brought before the Pastor for clarification and resolution. They shall be the spiritual workforce of the Pastor and the church in the outreach ministry, church planting ministry and other church related external works. They could help the Pastor, upon his request, in screening the baptismal and membership candidates, and in deciding and enforcing church discipline. They must strengthen the church’s spiritual condition and advance it’s ministry by the exercise of their specific spiritual gift. They should maintain a harmonious relationship with the other church leaders and members. They shall cease to serve in this capacity upon their voluntary resignation, death or church discipline due to grave disqualification.

Section Three - OTHER STAFF

Qualifcation, Appointment, Responsibilities and Tenure

1. Church Secretary

He/She is chosen by the Pastor among the church leaders. He/She must be spiritually qualified and has a degree of competence in recording and the minutes of meeting. He/She is to keep a file of all these meetings and ensure their keeping for future use. He/She is to update the church membership file, the status of each member, minutes of meetings, and other church or legal documents. He/She may decide to employ the help of Church Clerk.  He/She is to agree with and support the Pastor on his doctrinal position, ministerial philosophy, and church administration policies. He/She should not in any way directly or indirectly, verbally or print, contradict the Pastor’s position on the areas mentioned above. Any misunderstanding or disagreement must be addressed and brought personally before the Pastor for clarification and resolution. He/She should maintain a harmonious and sound relationship with the other church leaders and members. He/She serves in this capacity until disqualification, death, personal resignation, or discipline happens.

2. Church Treasurer

He/She is chosen by the Pastor upon the recommendation of the deacons. He/She is selected among the church leaders according to spiritual qualification and a degree of competence in bookkeeping. He/She counts the offering in front of at least one deacon. He/She records all church income (tithes, offerings, donations, etc.) and church related expenditures. He/She makes quarterly reports of church funds to the Pastor. He/She is to give the members a quarterly acknowledgments of tithes, offerings and other gifts. He/She authorizes all expenses and purchases with concurrence with the Pastor, except in capital expenditures wherein she and the Pastor have to obtain the deacon’s recommendation. He/She is to prepare annual church expected expenses report and submits it to the Pastor. He/She may employ the help of the Church Clerk in matters of recording, record-keeping, and reports preparation. He/She is to maintain a harmonious and sound relationship with the other church leaders and members. He/She serves in this capacity until death, disqualification, personal resignation, or discipline happens.

3. Church Clerk

He/She is chosen among the leaders by the Pastor. He/She should be endorsed by the church secretary and the church treasurer. He/She helps the church secretary and the church treasurer in recording and record-keeping. He/She works closely with the Pastor and the church officers mentioned. He/She may serve as the official depositor of all church collection to the church official bank. He/She is to maintain a harmonious relationship with the other church leaders and members. He/She serves in this capacity until death, disqualification, personal resignation, or discipline happens.

4. Music Director

He must be a male Christian leader who has been involved in the church music ministry for at least one year. The Pastor with consultation from the choir members should appoint him as the overseer of the entire church music ministry. Spiritual qualification musical competence must be seriously considered in the selection. He should agree with and support the Pastor's doctrinal position, ministerial philosophy, and church administration policies. Any disagreement or misunderstanding must be brought before the Pastor for clarification and resolution. These must be seen in his leadership and relationship with the other church leaders and members. He must evidently reinforce the entire church programs through music. He should train and upgrade the musical skill of choir members. He should appoint the church organist upon the Pastor's recommendation. He should schedule regular and special practice without prejudice to other ministry. He should oversee the spiritual well being of choir members. He should recruit new members with the Pastor's recommendation. He serves in this capacity until death, disqualification, personal resignation, or discipline happens.

Section Four - DEACONS

1. Qualification and Appointment

1. Men nominated by the church leadership according to scriptural qualification stated in 1 Tim 3:8-13.
2. Nomination shall be initiated by the Pastor and asking the leadership to do the same.
3. The number of the deacons and nominations shall also be determined by the Pastor.
4. Nominations must be from the church leadership. If this has been exhausted, then it may be from the qualified membership, provided there is a Pastor endorsement.
5. The Pastor and the male teaching staff must screen the nominations according to the spiritual qualification, ministerial philosophy, and agreement with Pastor’s doctrinal position and church administration policies.
6. The Pastor shall appoint those who are qualified and present them to the membership for recognition.

2. Responsibilities

1. They are to assist the Pastor in administering the church’s affairs pertaining to governmental regulations and requirements.
2. They assist the Pastor in the administration of the church ordinances. They should help in the collection, count, and deposit of all church income in the form of tithes, offering, etc.
3. They assist the Pastor in the maintenance of the church building, properties, and it’s facilities. These must be done in consultation with the Pastor.
4. They and their families, if any, must maintain a good and faithful Christian testimony within and without the church. They are to be faithful and supportive in all church services and programs.
5. They are to support the Pastor in his duties and serve him in a way that he could concentrate in the spiritual responsibilities so as to advance the entire purposes of the church.
6. They are to consult the Pastor regarding church funds and the acquisition of capital and real properties.
7. They shall be the official signatories together with the Pastor and the Church Treasurer on all church disbursements and bank accounts. The Pastor, however, should select only some of them to serve in this capacity.

3. Tenure

1. Every deacon shall be of equal position with the rest. No one shall be preeminent over the other.
2. The Pastor shall call and moderate all their meetings
3. They shall serve in this capacity until death, disqualification, personal resignation, or discipline happens.

Section Five

Disqualification, resignation, and church discipline shall all be determined by the Pastor. The Church Leadership consists of the Pastor, teaching staff, other staff, music director and the choir, and deacons. All church leaders are required to conscientiously and evidently abide with the “Leadership Guidelines.” [Return to List]

Committee creation, continuation, and cessation shall be determined by the Pastor.  He must be convinced of the need for such a group that will work on specific task. All committees shall be disbanded immediately after it’s main reason for creation has been accomplished. [Return to List]

All ministries are subservient parts of the church and shall under no circumstances be considered as separate and independent from the church, but will be considered as an extension of the church. All the officers and literatures must meet the approval of the pastor or his duly appointed representative. All financial support from the general fund of the church to its ministries shall have the approval of the Pastor, Church Treasurer and Deacons.

Section One - Departments

1. Sunday School
2. Music Ministry
3. Visitation and Soul-winning
4. Missions and Outreaches
5. Christian Education (i.e. Christian Academy, Bible Institute, Leadership Training Ministry, etc.)
6. Media Ministry (i.e. Literature, Radio, TV, Translation)
7. Others as determined by the Pastor

Section Two - Restrictions

No ministries shall be created, continued, and abolished without the approval of the Pastor and the majority of the church leadership. [Return to List]

We believe that service for the Lord Jesus Christ is a great privilege, and thus requires a realization of its high responsibility. All officers and workers in leadership position in this church must commit themselves by signature to the following covenant:

1. That I will endeavor to be an example of the believer and faithful witness of Christ in life and word. 1 Tim. 4:12-16
2. That I will regularly attend all the regular services, business meetings, and the church’s ministries except for some unavoidable circumstances. Heb. 10:24-25
3. That I will notify my officer-in-charge in advance if I am unable to attend. I Cor. 4:2
4. That I will adhere wholeheartedly to the church’s doctrinal statement, constitution, standards, and convictions. Col. 3:17
5. That I will cooperate with my fellow workers, support the programs of the church and be loyal to the Pastor. Eph. 4:1-3; Heb. 13:17
6. That I will voluntarily resign from any position if I cease to be qualified. I realize also the consequences of non-voluntary resignation, that I will be subjected to a Pastoral and/or church discipline. Church discipline, however, is not extinguished in the case a leaders resigns from a position, should such action be necessary to keep the church’s testimony.
7. That I will be faithful to my Lord and an example to others by giving my tithes, and offerings in support of the work and ministries in this church. Mal. 3:8-10
8. That I will maintain the biblical separation position against any spiritual, political, and social association that might affect or contradict the church’s stand. [Return to List]

This church is pioneered and planted as an independent, indigenous, local and fundamental Baptist Christian church by Pastor Roberto-Jose M. Livioco in April of 1983 here in Quezon City. He as the church pioneer and planter may help in the church affairs upon the request of the office of the Pastor and or upon the request of the 2/3 vote of the voting members. Provided, he still is a true fundamentalist in principle and practice. This church shall remain an indigenous local church. Its authority comes from the Lord Jesus Christ. It shall not be a member of any denomination, association, fellowship or convention. It's sole guide in faith and practice is the BIBLE.

Section One - Autonomy

This church is established as an independent fundamental Baptist church. It believes and practices the principles of self-governing, self-supporting, and self-propagating local church. No church, denomination, association, or any organization shall dictate to its decision-making. All decision-making lies in the pastor and church partnership. This partnership, however, does not mean an absolutely equal partnership. But as stated in the previous article (V-XI) in relation to the process of decision-making. The pastor and the church leadership shall be final in all spiritual matters.

Section Two - Authority

The authority of this church comes from the Lord Jesus Christ only and He is recognized as the only shepherd of this congregation. However, the Pastor shall be the Lord Jesus Christ's representative or undershepherd vested with authority from the word of God.

Section Three - Association

This church is an independent church and shall not be a member, associated or affiliated with any denomination, fellowship, convention, or any religious and non-religious organization. It shall not be associated with, neither work with, nor receive any kind of support from any apostate, liberal, neo-orthodox, neo-evangelical and pseudo-fundamental groups. It shall not be identified with, for whatever purpose, be spiritual, political, and social, charismatism, ecumenism, new age movement, third wave phenomenon, and cultism.

Section Four - Agreement

This church agrees to uphold its doctrinal statement, convictions, standards, and this constitution diligently and faithfully. However, this fallible constitution shall not be allowed in anyway, directly or indirectly, to prevail over the Bible and its teachings and principles. [Return to List]

This church will officially use only the Authorized King James Version of the Bible (1611) in teaching and preaching ministries. No modern Bible versions (i.e NASV, NIV, etc.) must be used, endorsed, and promoted. This church will only uphold the Received Text of the Greek manuscript and not the other Greek text such as the Wescott-Hort of 1881. All literatures and materials that are sound, true and fundamental to the Scriptures may be used and distributed in this church following the approval of the pastor. [Return to List]

The church shall be supported only by biblical methods of tithes and offerings. It shall not engage with, or be supported by any fund-raising method and program such as bingo, raffle, etc., or by any method that is contrary to the biblical methods. No one shall be solicited by any church leader or member of this church for fund-raising program without the Pastor's recommendation. All financial collections shall be disbursed properly according to the scriptural stewardship principles and the advancement of the church's purposes. The budget adopted by the church leadership in one of the Leadership meetings shall be observed in financial disbursements. All changes may be made in advance with the approval of the pastor and the church treasurer. The books of account shall be audited annually by a retainer. [Return to List]

Section One - Authorization to Preach

Any male person giving evidence of a divine call to the gospel ministry by the possession of spiritual gifts and spiritual qualification, and accepting without reservation the doctrinal statement, standard, conviction, and constitution of this church may be licensed and authorized to preach upon the recommendation of the Pastor and the recognition of the membership at a called business meeting.

Section Two - Ordination

In this case, section one shall apply, and an ordination council organized and invited by the Pastor, shall thoroughly examine the candidate with regard to his salvation, call, doctrinal soundness, moral and spiritual qualifications, and personal fitness. After satisfactory examination by the council, he shall be recommended and ordained to the gospel ministry. [Return to List]

This church has the right to acquire or sell real properties and equipment upon the recommendation of the pastor with the approval of the unanimous vote of members. The church may also receive donated assets, provided, the donor's donation requirement on the donee will not contradict the church's doctrinal statement, standard, conviction and this constitution. Donation must have the approval of the pastor and the leadership. All property, building and equipment shall not be used for purposes other than those stated in Article VI and IX without the approval of the pastor and deacons such as wedding and funeral. Disciplined members may not use the said assets without the approval of the pastor. [Return to List]

In the event of the dissolution of this church as a religious corporation, all of its debts and obligations shall be paid in full. None of its assets shall be distributed or divided among its members, but shall be donated or transferred to a church of like faith, conviction, standard and order upon the unanimous approval of the members following the Pastor's recommendation. The donation and transfer of assets shall be done in accordance with the Bureau of Internal Revenue code and the laws of the Republic of the Philippines. [Return to List]

The church shall adopt the calendar year. The church year shall start on the day after the third Sunday of April and end on the third Sunday of April of the following year. [Return to List]