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ARTICLE I — Name

This association shall be known as the Baptist Missionary Association of Central Arkansas (formerly Lonoke Baptist Association.)

 

ARTICLE II — Membership

This association shall be composed of regular Missionary Baptist Churches desiring to cooperate in the work of the Master, recognizing Christ as their only Head and Lawgiver, and the New Testament as their only sufficient rule of Faith and Practice.

 

ARTICLE III — Meetings

This association of churches will hold annual meetings on Thursday following the third Sunday in September and called meetings may be held, when deemed necessary, by the Missionary Committee.

 

ARTICLE IV — MESSENGERS

Each church cooperating in this association shall be entitled to three messengers whose qualifications shall be determined by the church electing them. But, no person shall represent a church of which he is not a member. Each messenger should be furnished with satisfactory evidence of his election.

The object of this association of churches is to carry out in a cooperative way all things contemplated in the Commission given by Christ to churches, according to New Testament methods — preaching the gospel, orphanage, Christian education and general benevolence.

 

ARTICLE V — AUTHORITY

This being a voluntary association of equal and independent churches, it has no ecclesiastical authority, nor can it ever interfere in any way with any church in the exercise of her divine prerogatives, but will ever uphold and defend the absolute and unqualified independence of the churches.

 

ARTICLE VI — ADMITTANCE

Any regular Missionary Baptist Church desiring to unite with this association of churches may be admitted upon a petitionary letter accompanied by messengers who shall vouch for her orthodoxy.

 

ARTICLE VII — OFFICERS

The messengers of the churches of this association when convened, shall elect annually, a moderator, a first vice moderator, a second vice moderator, treasurer and an assistant treasurer, a clerk and an assistant clerk. These officers shall assume the duties of their respective offices at the conclusion of the annual session in which they are elected.

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ARTICLE - COMMITTEES

This association of churches shall have at least one standing committee which shall be known as the Missionary Committee. Each church shall be allowed one member to serve on this committee. In the case of a special or called meeting, at least three days’ notice shall be given each church.

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The duty of this committee shall be to do the expressed will of the churches giving out information, locating fields of ministry, raising and distributing funds, etc. A simple majority of the church-elected committeeman of the local association shall constitute a quorum. This committee shall report to each annual session of the association.

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The Missionary Committee shall be the executive of this association between the annual sessions to care for any and all business which shall arise during the year. The secretary of the committee shall contact each church, notifying them of the time and place of meeting and the nature of the business to be transacted or considered. Sufficient time shall be given to permit church action prior to the meeting time on all major considerations.

 

The Missionary Committee shall elect a sub-committee which will consist of nine (9) members, five (5) of whom shall constitute, a quorum. Tenure on this committee shall be three years with three (3) members elected annually. This committee shall be an Advisory Committee, the duties being:

a.         make recommendations concerning new missions projects and personnel.

b.         remain available to missionary personnel for assistance as desired between annual sessions.

c.          evaluate the work and progress being made in each project and recommend either continuation or termination of the support of               the project, the missionary, or both.

 

ARTICLE IX — REPORTS

Each cooperating church in this association should send with their messengers to the annual meetings, a letter with the following information: name and address of the church; names of messengers attending the meeting; name and address of church elected missionary committeeman, pastor, and church clerk; pertinent email addresses and Web site information; also money to defray expenses of the annual meeting; plus a place for any church desiring to petition our association to sign, stating they have adopted the Statement of Principles of Cooperation and the Doctrinal Statement.

 

ARTICLE X — MINUTES

It will be the duty of messengers assembled at the conclusion of each regular session to make arrangements to have the minutes printed and distributed among the cooperating churches.

 

ARTICLE Xl — AMENDMENTS  

The Statement of Principles of Cooperation may be amended at any time by a two-thirds majority of the messengers present, provided it be offered in writing in the first session of the meeting, discussed and tabled until some subsequent session, except Article V, respecting the independence of the churches which shall forever remain intact