CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I - NAME
This body shall be known as the Duck River Association of Missionary Baptists.
ARTICLE II - PURPOSE OF THE ASSOCIATION
A. FELLOWSHIP (John 1:3)
To guide the churches to a mature understanding of Christian love in theory and practice, and to systematically create opportunities for the demonstration of this love through true fellowship.
B. SERVICE-COOPERATION (Galatians 5:13b and I Corinthians 3:9a)
To serve our churches by combining our resources and influences to accomplish together what cannot be done singly (such as missions effort, area revivals, programs for teaching and training); and to cooperate with the churches and agencies of the Tennessee and Southern Baptist Conventions.
C. EVANGELISM-MISSIONS (Matthew 28:19-20 and Matthew 9:36)
To assume together the responsibility for the spiritual welfare of all people, using all possible forms of missions and ministries to bear convincing witness of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord in order to lead people to Christ and offer every individual an opportunity for growth in a New Testament church.
D. TRAINING-DISCIPLING (Ephesians 4:11-15)
To strengthen and equip churches to make disciples in obedience to the Great Commission through Associational training, materials, and mutual assistance.
ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP
A. The two-fold nature of an Association, and the two-fold sense in which the terms are used, shall be recognized as follows:
1. The group of churches that constitute this common fellowship shall be Missionary Baptist Churches that are in harmony and cooperation with the objectives set forth in this Constitution, and shall be in doctrinal harmony with the historic faith and practice of Baptists, substantially as set forth in the Baptist Faith and Message, a statement adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention, June 14, 2000 and consistent with the Bible, God’s Holy Word, which is our authority for faith and practice.
2. The organized body known as the Association, when authoritatively assembled, shall be composed of messengers duly elected by the churches and missions and reported by letters from the churches and missions. Such messengers from each church or mission shall be received on the following basis: Five messengers from each church or mission, and one additional messenger for every 25 members over 100 but in no event shall any church or mission have more than twelve messengers. Churches or missions may elect an alternate for each messenger.
B. Baptist churches desiring affiliation with the Association shall petition the Association for membership. The petition shall be referred by the Executive Board to the Credentials Committee. The Credentials Committee shall report back to the Executive Board within ninety (90) days. The Executive Board shall place the church under watch care for a period of not less than 90 days before said petition shall be presented to the Association at an Annual Session. Members of such churches are encouraged to freely participate in the programs, activities, and fellowship of the Association, but they have no voting rights and may not serve in any elected position of the Association. A two-thirds majority vote of the messengers present and voting at the Annual Session in which the church is being considered for full membership shall be required for the reception of a church into the Association.
C. The Association shall have no right or power to exercise ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the churches. It may advise, give counsel, and propose measures, but cannot enforce them upon the churches. However, the Association retains the right to refuse to recognize messengers from any church which departs from the objectives of this body, or which persists in disorderly practices.
ARTICLE IV - MEETINGS
A. Regular: The Association shall meet annually at such time and place as it shall designate at its preceding annual session.
B. Special: Special meetings of the Association may be called at any time by action of the Executive Board. The member churches shall be notified in writing at least one week before the called meeting. The purpose of the special meetings shall be stated, but other necessary items of business may be transacted.
C. Government: The Association, when convened, shall conduct its business according to parliamentary rules as set forth in Robert's Rules of Order, Revised.
ARTICLE V - OFFICERS
A. Election:
The Officers of the Association shall be elected annually (note exception on Trustees below) and shall take office as such immediately preceding adjournment of the annual session at which elected and shall hold office until immediately preceding adjournment of the next annual session.
Nominations for the officers shall be presented by the Nominating Committee to the Executive Board who shall present such nominees at the Annual Session of the Association to be considered for election by the messengers.
If more than one person is nominated for any position, the vote shall be by written ballot. The one receiving a majority of the votes cast shall be elected.
Vacancies that occur are to be filled by the Executive Board of the Association upon nomination from the Nominating Committee.
B. Officers Elected Shall Be:
Moderator: The Moderator shall preside over all meetings of the Association with the exception that he may ask the Vice-Moderator to preside at given times. He shall be an ex-officio member of all committees. He shall have the prerogative to refer any issue presented from the floor to the appropriate committee for study and recommendation. He shall perform such other duties as he may be charged with by the Association.
Vice-Moderator: The Vice-Moderator shall assist the Moderator in all the work, as he may direct, and shall automatically, in the event of his removal by death or otherwise, become Moderator.
Clerk: The Clerk shall keep a record of the proceedings of the meetings of the annual session and the Executive Board, keep a file of the minutes, and have the minutes printed and distributed.
Treasurer: The Treasurer and Financial Secretary shall keep a full and correct record of all money received and disbursed by them under the instruction of the Association and report same to the Executive Board each time it meets and annually to the Association. The Treasurer and Financial Secretary shall be bonded.
Assistant Treasurer: The Assistant Treasurer shall be kept informed of the financial affairs of the Association. In the absence of the Treasurer, he shall be authorized to perform all functions of the Treasurer.
Trustees: Three Trustees shall be elected, each to serve a term of three years on the rotating system; one Trustee to be elected each year for a term of three years. The Nominating Committee shall bring recommendations to the Association for trustees at the same time other officers are nominated. The Trustees shall serve as legal custodians of the property of the Association and shall perform such duties as assigned to them by the Association. In all matters they are subject to the Association.
ARTICLE VI - EXECUTIVE BOARD
A. Membership: The Executive Board of the Association shall be composed of the Moderator, Vice-Moderator, Clerk, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Trustees, the pastor and one lay member of each of the member churches and missions (the said lay member to be elected by his own church or mission), elected program organization directors of the Association, and the Director of Missions.
B. Officers: The Officers of the Executive Board shall be the duly elected Moderator, Vice-Moderator, and Clerk of the Association.
C. Authority and Duties: The Executive Board, during the interim between the annual sessions of the Association, shall have all the power of the Association and shall promote all phases of the work of the Association consistent with this Constitution and By-laws and the express actions of the Association.
D. Quorum: The presence of at least one Executive Board member from 25 percent of the churches and missions shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
E. Meetings:
1. Regular: Regular meetings of the Executive Board shall be held at
least four(4)times annually.
2. Special: Special meetings of the Executive Board may be called at any time by the Moderator or any three officers of the Association by giving forty-eight (48) hours notice thereof to the membership.
ARTICLE VII - BY-LAWS
The Association may adopt such by-laws, not in conflict with the Constitution, as it may deem advisable. These by-laws may be amended at any meeting of the annual session by a two-thirds majority of the messengers present and voting provided the changes have been presented in writing to the Constitution and By-Laws Committee and to the Executive Board no later than the Executive Board meeting immediately prior to the annual session.
ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENT
The Constitution may be amended at any meeting of the annual session of the Association provided notice in writing of the proposed amendment has been presented to the Constitution and By-Laws Committee and to the Executive Board no later than the Executive Board meeting immediately prior to the annual session. A two-thirds majority vote of the messengers present and voting shall be required to amend this Constitution.
BY-LAWS
I. COLLECTIONS: No collection of money or pledges for any purpose shall be taken during any annual session of the Association except by permission granted by a two-thirds majority vote of the messengers present and voting.
II. NOMINATING COMMITTEE: A Nominating Committee of six (6) members shall serve the Association. Each year two are appointed by the newly-elected Moderator for a three year term on a rotating basis, designating the chairperson. Three or more of these shall be laymen. The committee shall be chosen from different geographical areas of the Association.
The Nominating Committee shall nominate the officers of the Association (see Article V-Officers, Section 1. Election, paragraphs three 3) and four 4) and Section 2. Officers Elected Shall Be: Subsection, Trustees), chairpersons and personnel of all standing committees, and program organization directors. The committee should contact each person who is to fill a position even though those persons may have served during the previous year. Vacancies that occur are to be filled by the Executive Board of the Association upon nomination from the Nominating Committee.
Program organization directors and personnel on standing committees should be recommended to the Executive Board who shall present such personnel at the annual session of the Association to be considered for election by the messengers. The names of all other program organizational personnel who are selected by the program organization directors to serve with them in the various places of responsibility shall be submitted to the Nominating Committee by the program organization directors so that the Nominating Committee can recommend these to the Executive Board for consideration to serve in these respective positions. (See also By-Law IV.)
III. OTHER STANDING COMMITTEES: The standing committees listed below shall be set up on a three year rotating system exempting the BCM Advisory Committee and all members of any committee serving by reason of other positions they hold.
A. Annual Meetings Program Committee: This committee of seven (7) shall consist of three (3) nominated members, one of which shall be chairperson. The other four shall be the Moderator, the Clerk, the Director of Missions and the Music Director. At each annual session this committee shall propose the date(s), the meeting places(s), and preacher(s) for next year's annual session. They shall plan a well-balanced program for the annual session each year and have it ready for presentation to the Executive Board at its meeting immediately preceding the annual session.
B. Baptist Collegiate Ministries Advisory Committee: This committee of five (5) shall consist of three (3) nominated members plus the Director of Missions and the Moderator. These will join committee members from New Duck River Association and William Carey Association to make up a joint BCM Advisory Committee whose responsibility it is to help administer the Baptist Collegiate Ministries work at Motlow State Community College, to promote the work of the same, and to give support to the BCM Director.
C. Budget and Finance Committee: The Budget and Finance Committee shall have seven (7) members of which three (3) are to be nominated. The other four (4) members are to be the Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Financial Secretary, and Stewardship Director. This committee shall distribute the proposed budget of the Association to the Executive Board at least fourteen (14) days prior to the Executive Board meeting immediately prior to the annual session. The proposed budget shall be approved or modified by the Executive Board and recommended to the messengers at the annual session. The committee shall seek to enlist all member churches in regular support of it. This committee shall make needed adjustments during the year as necessary.
D. Christian Life Committee: This committee of three (3) shall seek to help churches apply Christian principles to every area of life, including morals, family, citizenship, race and daily work. They are to keep the churches informed on legislation affecting these.
E. Constitution and By-Laws Committee: This committee of three (3) shall make annual study of the Constitution and By-Laws and bring recommendation of any changes to the annual session for approval in accordance with Article VII and VIII of the Constitution.
F. Counseling Ministry Advisory Committee: This committee of eleven (11) shall consist of nine (9) nominated members plus the Director of Missions and the Moderator. This committee shall be responsible for determining policies, setting goals, making long-range plans, and promoting the ministry of counseling among the churches of the Association and in the communities of the Association.
G. Credentials Committee: This committee shall consist of six (6) members. Two (2) persons from Coffee County churches, two (2) persons from Franklin County churches, and two (2) persons from Grundy County churches shall be nominated. This committee shall counsel with churches considering seeking admission to the fellowship of the Association and examine the credentials of said churches with reference to their soundness of faith and doctrinal positions, their intent to cooperate with the other churches of the Association, their desire to contribute financially to the work of the Association, and their relationship to the Tennessee Baptist and Southern Baptist Conventions. This committee shall recommend appropriate action to the Association concerning churches' request for admission to the body.
H. History Committee: This committee of three (3) plus staff support shall gather valuable historical data concerning the Association and member churches and shall preserve this information in good form for records and future reference.
I. Long-Range Planning Committee: This committee shall consist of nine (9) nominated members. Three (3) persons from Coffee County churches, three (3) persons from Franklin County churches, and three (3) persons from Grundy County churches shall be nominated to make up this nine (9) member committee. This committee shall have the responsibility of leading the Association to plan for the future taking into consideration both the needs and ministries of the Association. They shall make an annual review of and update any strategy plans of the Association.
J. Personnel and Ethics Committee: This committee of six (6) shall:
1. Maintain and submit for official approval job descriptions for all staff members, including
benefits and privileges; select all personnel for recommendation and election; act as advisory committee on call for any group.
2. Make known standards of right relations for church and associational leadership and act as an advisory committee on call for any group.
K. Resolutions Committee: This committee shall have three (3) members who are to be responsible for receiving, reviewing, preparing, and presenting resolutions during the annual session of the Assoc- iation, and shall initiate resolutions on such matters as may be requested by the Executive Board for presentation at the annual session.
IV. PROGRAM ORGANIZATIONS: (Sunday School, Discipleship Training, W.M.U., Baptist Men, Missions Development, Evangelism, Stewardship, Music, Youth, Media Library). These ten (10) program organization directors shall submit to the Nominating Committee the names of personnel needed to fill positions in the Association similar to those in the organizational structure of the respective program organizations of the Tennessee Baptist Convention or Southern Baptist Convention and/or to meet the needs of the churches.
V. ASSOCIATIONAL COUNCIL: This council shall be chaired by the Director of Missions and composed of Moderator, all program organization directors, and chairpersons of all standing committees. They shall plan and correlate all work of the Association through the calendar and other ways.
VI. DUTIES OF MEMBER CHURCHES: It shall be the duty of each member church to send the Associational Clerk such statistical matters as may be required by the Association in time for it to be processed for the annual session of the Association. Member churches are encouraged to participate in the activities and programs of the Association, to contribute financially to the work of the Association, to mutually care for each other, and to encourage individual members of the churches to volunteer to be available for service in the kingdom of God through the Association.
VII. EXPENDITURES: The Executive Board of the Association shall be given a two weeks prior written notice on any expenditure over $2,500.00 from the general fund to be proposed at any given Executive Board meeting. If such notice is not possible, then any expenditure over $2,500.00 should be announced at one regular or special meeting, then voted on at a subsequent meeting. This provision does not apply to expenditures previously approved as a part of the budget. Neither does this provision apply to the expenditure of designated funds for their designated purposes.
