Soviet Evangelicals Since World War II, Walter Sawatsky, 1981

l organs of power or from individual persons. § 24. (a) Anyone believing in Christ as his personal Savior, having experienced the rebirth through the Word of God and the Holy Spirit, hav- ing experienced water baptism on faith and having attained the age of ma- jority,® may be a member of a local church. / (b) Accepting church members from other congregations is carried out by the church after receiving notification from the church in which he or she was a member. / (c) Each church member takes an active part in the life of the church, Constitution of the ECB Church in the USSR 485 serves the Lord in accordance with his calling, exercises the right to elect and to be elected for service, bears responsibility before God and the church for his spiritual condition (1 Pet. 2:5, 9; Gal. 6:1, 2). § 25. (a) Each believer, wishing to receive water baptism on faith,!° declares this to the presbyter of the church and / after appropriate spiritual instruc- tion/ he is examined. (b) / After the church has decided about satisfying this request,/ the baptism is performed in natural water or in a baptistry. § 26. Each church belonging to the AUCECB union maintains its inde- pendence and decides the most major internal church questions at a / members / meeting. The election and reelection of church workers, the ac- cepting and expelling of members, as well as other spiritual questions are presented / by the presbyter, but managerial and financial matters/ by the executive committee. § 27. For the daily services and conduct of current affairs the church, / : accord with Holy Scripture (1 Tim. 3:1-12; Titus 1:5-9; Acts 6:3-6),/ elects: (a) For the presbyterial tasks there is a presbyter / or if necessary several presbyters, one of/ whom is the chief person, responsible for the worship service and the spiritual education of church members and for carrying out the church statutes in the church; as well as deacons and preachers, who participate instead of a presbyter in conducting worship services and fulfilling the church statutes. Other church members as designated by the presbyter / or the person responsible for the worship service/ may also participate in the preaching and worship services of the church. Commentary: / (1) The presbyter may conduct conversations with deacons, preachers, choir leaders, and church members about the wor- ship service and other spiritual questions, devoting special attention in this to the education of young believers, and also for the preparation of recommendations to be approved by decision of the members meeting. (2) In each congregation baptism, communion, marriage and other practices are performed, as a rule, by elected ordained presbyters and upon designation of the presbyter, by other workers. these practices, including excommunication, can be performed by elected but not yet or- dained church workers. /1! (b) For fulfilling the immediate functions co