Please find below a summary of the proposed changes to the Cross Family Church Bylaws that are being presented to the church membership for approval at the June 29, 2025, Family Meeting. After much time in prayer and consideration, the Trustees have unanimously approved these proposed changes and are presenting them to the membership for approval.
Per the current (and the proposed) Bylaws, any proposed changes to the Bylaws require a 2/3 majority vote of the membership to be adopted. We understand that you may have questions regarding these proposed changes. We have scheduled two informational meetings where the Trustees will be available to answer any of your queries. The first meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 18th, from 6:00 - 7:30 PM at the Cross Family Hub. The second meeting is scheduled for Sunday, June 22nd, immediately after the morning Worship Service at American Academy. The Trustees will be available at both dates/times/locations to meet with you. As always, you are welcome to contact one of the Trustees (Bryce Ulrich, Danny Wolfe, & Aaron Woods) directly if you prefer.
Per the current (and the proposed) Bylaws, any proposed changes to the Bylaws require a 2/3 majority vote of the membership to be adopted. We understand that you may have questions regarding these proposed changes. We have scheduled two informational meetings where the Trustees will be available to answer any of your queries. The first meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 18th, from 6:00 - 7:30 PM at the Cross Family Hub. The second meeting is scheduled for Sunday, June 22nd, immediately after the morning Worship Service at American Academy. The Trustees will be available at both dates/times/locations to meet with you. As always, you are welcome to contact one of the Trustees (Bryce Ulrich, Danny Wolfe, & Aaron Woods) directly if you prefer.
Summary of Proposed Changes
- All uses of the title “Trustee” and “Trustees” have been replaced with “Elder” and “Elders.”
- All uses of the title “Senior Pastor” and “President-Senior Pastor” have been replaced with “Lead Pastor” and “President-Lead Pastor.”
- Any mention of our sending church, Northeast Houston Baptist Church, and their legal oversight of Cross Family Church, has been removed. Their oversight ended on our 5th anniversary. This change removes Section 5.03 completely.
- The qualifications of an Elder have been updated to reflect the Scriptural basis of 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. The number and tenure of Elders has also been updated to reflect five-year terms instead of three, the inclusion of an Executive Pastor on the Elder board if one is ever hired, and a clause limiting the percentage of staff Elders (Lead Pastor & Executive Pastor) to no more than 40% of the entire Board of Elders.
- The consent needed for approval of an action item by the Elders has changed from a majority consent to unanimous consent. Any action of the Elders will now require unanimous approval per the updated Section 6.26.
- Any additional Pastors serving on staff at Cross Family Church in the future, beyond the Lead Pastor & Executive Pastor, will be Advisory Elders. They will be included in the Elder meetings but will not be voting members.
- The requirements to remove the Lead Pastor from office have been modified. It now requires a unanimous vote of the Elders under Section 6.26 (versus a 2/3 majority vote of the Trustees previously), and then a simple majority vote of the church membership (versus a 2/3 majority vote of the church membership previously).
- The fiscal year has changed from “July 1st - June 30th” to “September 1st - August 31st.”
- All uses of the title “Trustee” and “Trustees” have been replaced with “Elder” and “Elders.”
- All uses of the title “Senior Pastor” and “President-Senior Pastor” have been replaced with “Lead Pastor” and “President-Lead Pastor.”
- Any mention of our sending church, Northeast Houston Baptist Church, and their legal oversight of Cross Family Church, has been removed. Their oversight ended on our 5th anniversary. This change removes Section 5.03 completely.
- The qualifications of an Elder have been updated to reflect the Scriptural basis of 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. The number and tenure of Elders has also been updated to reflect five-year terms instead of three, the inclusion of an Executive Pastor on the Elder board if one is ever hired, and a clause limiting the percentage of staff Elders (Lead Pastor & Executive Pastor) to no more than 40% of the entire Board of Elders.
- The consent needed for approval of an action item by the Elders has changed from a majority consent to unanimous consent. Any action of the Elders will now require unanimous approval per the updated Section 6.26.
- Any additional Pastors serving on staff at Cross Family Church in the future, beyond the Lead Pastor & Executive Pastor, will be Advisory Elders. They will be included in the Elder meetings but will not be voting members.
- The requirements to remove the Lead Pastor from office have been modified. It now requires a unanimous vote of the Elders under Section 6.26 (versus a 2/3 majority vote of the Trustees previously), and then a simple majority vote of the church membership (versus a 2/3 majority vote of the church membership previously).
- The fiscal year has changed from “July 1st - June 30th” to “September 1st - August 31st.”
To view the full red-redline Bylaws proposal, please click the link below to download the full document.