Reasons for Dismissal

Reasons for Dismissal

(1) If a church that is primarily characterized by the Spirit, his gifts, and personal experience ceases to strive to root and tether all their activities and beliefs to the authority of the Scriptures, this may be grounds for dismissal. This does not apply to churches that are continuationist but also committed to growing in their understanding of and belief in the functional authority of Scripture.

(2) If a church that is primarily characterized by its emphasis on the Word of God but is reluctant or even opposed to embracing the full range of the Spirit’s gifts and activities, this may be grounds for dismissal. This does not apply to churches that may presently be cessationist but are committed to the passionate pursuit of all spiritual gifts, especially prophecy.

(3) If a church comes to find itself in opposition to any of the core values of CCN, this may be grounds for dismissal.

(4) If a church should come to reject any of the 6 theological convictions of CCN, this may be grounds for dismissal. These include the five Solas of the Reformation; a high view of God’s sovereignty; the biblically governed practice of all spiritual gifts; a complementarian view of women in ministry; governance by a plurality of male elders; and water baptism.

(5) If a church should find that it disagrees with any of the 15 doctrinal convictions as expressed in our statement of faith, this may be grounds for dismissal.

(6) If a church comes to endorses and/or practices any of the following theological positions, this may be grounds for dismissal: Open Theism, Word of Faith, the prosperity gospel, NAR, 5-fold ministry as a necessary structure for a church to thrive, strategic spiritual warfare, opposition to the public platform exercise of prophecy, and the use of tongues in the corporate gathering without interpretation. There are likely variations and shades of belief in some of these positions/practices that are open to discussion. But a full-scale embrace of any of them may be grounds for dismissal.

(7) Sexual, financial, or relational misconduct that warrants church discipline may be grounds for a pastor of a CCN church to be dismissed. However, if the Elders of the church apply discipline according to biblical guidelines, the church itself may remain in the network.

(8) If a leader in a church is accused of abuse in any form, be it sexual, spiritual, or financial and the church leadership fails to handle the charges in appropriate ways that include, when necessary, reporting to officials as each state requires, bringing in independent third-party investigators as needed, and removing said leader from positions of authority and leadership in the church as warranted may be grounds for dismissal.

(9) A church may be dismissed from membership if they consistently fail to fulfill the requirements and expectations of the network, including but not limited to contributing financially. 

(10) A church may be dismissed from membership at the sole discretion of the CCN board of directors determined by a majority vote.