Constitution and Bylaws

CONSTITUTION OF WEAKLEY COUNTY BAPTIST ASSOCIATION

 

PREAMBLE

For the more certain preservation and security of the principles of our faith, and to the end that this body may be governed in an orderly manner consistent with the accepted tenets of Southern Baptist churches, and for the purpose of preserving the liberties inherent in each individual church and the freedom of action of this body with respect to its relation to other churches of the same faith and order, we do declare and establish this constitution.

 

This body shall be known as the Weakley County Baptist Association.

 

Purpose Statement:

To assist the Churches of the Weakley County Baptist Association in accomplishing, together, the Great Commission.

The intentions and objectives of this Association shall be:

     1. To promote Christian fellowship and cooperation among the churches affiliated      with the Weakley County Baptist Association.

     2. To uphold the doctrines and principles of our Baptist faith as set forth in the Articles      of Faith* and to encourage the churches of the Weakley County Baptist Association to      be loyal to and practice these doctrines and principles.

     3. To promote the teaching and preaching of God’s Word.

     4. To promote the enlisting and training of all Christians for service.

     5. To promote missions, benevolence, stewardship, Christian discipleship and      education, true worship of the Living God, personal evangelism and the presentation      of the Gospel message to the lost with the end goal of bringing all persons to a saving      knowledge and relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

     6. To cooperate with the Tennessee Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist      Convention in a world mission program.

     7. To provide information concerning the programs of the Tennessee Baptist      Convention, the Southern Baptist Convention and the Baptist World Alliance.

*Articles of Faith referred to here are found in the year 2000 minutes, entitled “The Baptist Faith and Message.”

 

Section 1. This Association shall consist of elected messengers from Baptist churches accepting the Baptist Faith and Message as adopted by the Southern Baptist Convention in year 2000, which are financially and otherwise cooperating with the Association, and which are in sympathy with the principles and purposes of the constitution.

Section 2. Each cooperating church shall be entitled to four messengers to the Annual Meeting of the Association.

Section 3. A church desiring to affiliate with this Association shall present at the

annual meeting of the Association or at a meeting of the Associational Leadership Team at least nine (9)months prior to the next annual meeting of the Association, Letters of Petition and other evidence setting forth the articles of faith on which the church was organized, together with satisfactory reasons for their existence. This data will be referred to the Associational Leadership Team, which shall meet with representatives from the Church filing the Petition, as soon as possible after the application is made. Upon satisfactory evidence of soundness of faith and harmony with the objectives of this body, the Associational Leadership Team may recommend the church to the Association and oversee the church throughout the period of watch-care. After a satisfactory period of watch-care (no less than six [6] months and no more than one [1] year) the ALT will bring a recommendation which it deems

appropriate to the annual meeting of the Association. The recommendation to admit a church must pass by four-fifths (4/5) majority of those messengers present and voting.

Section 4. The Weakley County Baptist Association reserves the right, by a four-fifths (4/5) majority of the messengers present at its annual meeting, to withdraw fellowship and refuse to seat messengers of any member church that departs from the teaching of the New Testament, and/or fails to cooperate or breaks fellowship with the Association. Any church may voluntarily withdraw its affiliation from this body by making a written statement to the annual meeting of the Association or to the Associational Leadership Team. The Associational Leadership Team may seek reconciliation. If a church affiliated with this body fails to represent itself at any annual meeting of the Association, either by messenger or written report, the Associational Leadership Team may seek to restore fellowship. If the said church fails to represent itself at the next annual meeting of the Association, either by messenger or written report, the said church shall no longer be considered a cooperating church or a member church of the Association.

 

Section 1. The Weakley County Baptist Association shall not exercise authority over the churches.

Section 2. It shall, nevertheless, be the duty of the Association to offer appropriate support, counsel and assistance to any church requesting, and likewise, it shall be the right of the Association to refuse to seat messengers from any church which may be declared by the Association to be unorthodox in principles or disorderly in practice or for other reasons described elsewhere in the Constitution.

 

Section 1. The Association shall hold an Annual Meeting at such times and places as the body shall elect.

Section 2. A special meeting of the Association may be called by the Association in session, or by the Associational Leadership Team. Notification of such meeting must be mailed one week prior to the date of the special meeting. The notice must be mailed to the; pastors, clerks, and chairman of deacons of affiliated churches, giving time, place, and purpose of the meeting.

 

Section 1. The Associational Leadership Team shall be composed of the ALT Leader, Finance Director, Moderator of the Association, three Layperson representatives [church size based], three Pastor representatives [church size based], two members at large [diversity/geography based] and four Major Team Leaders [Missions, Church Development, Evangelism and Ministry].

Section 2. The Associational Leadership Team shall care for every interest of the Association and direct its activities in the interim between the annual meetings, and shall carry out the policies and will of the Association.

Section 3. The Associational Leadership Team shall hold regular meetings at such times and places as it shall decide. Special meetings may be called by any member of the ALT, but may only be held if all members have been notified of time, place, and purpose of the meetings by notice of the Moderator, ALT Team Leader or the Director of Missions.

Section 4. The Associational Leadership Team shall have power to fill vacancies among the officers of the Association that may occur during the year and to appoint any special teams deemed needful to carry out the duties of the Association. In filling vacancies the ALT shall listen and give priority consideration to Team recommendations.

Section 5. The Associational Leadership Team shall coordinate the ministry of the Major Teams.

Section 6. The ALT shall develop a yearly calendar of events.

Section 7. The ALT shall develop a yearly budget for the Association.

Section 8. The ALT shall bring nominations for ALT membership to the Annual Meeting.

Section 9. The ALT shall plan the Annual Meeting of the Association.

Section 10. The ALT shall present an annual report to the Churches of the Weakley County Baptist Association at the Annual Meeting.

 

SECTION 1: The Director of Missions is the Executive Director of the Association and shall be elected by the Associational Leadership Team upon recommendation of an ad hoc Nominating Team of the Associational Leadership Team, with a three-fourths (3/4) majority vote necessary for election. The term of employment shall be for an indefinite period of time and may be terminated by him or the Associational Leadership Team at any time or by the Association at any annual meeting, with a thirty day notice. His employment shall be in cooperation with the Missions Department of the Tennessee Baptist Convention.

SECTION 2: The Director of Missions will work under the general direction of the Associational Leadership Team. He shall make reports of his work to the Associational Leadership Team at the Associational Leadership Team Meetings, an annual report to the messengers of the Association meeting at the Annual Associational Meeting, and whatever reports are required or asked for by the Missions Department of the Tennessee Baptist Convention. He shall have no vote at the annual meeting or Associational Leadership Team meetings, but will be encouraged to provide spiritual leadership and counsel to both the ALT and the Association.

 

Section 1. The Administrative Officers Team of the Weakley County Baptist Association shall be made up of the Director of Missions, the Moderator of the Association, the Clerk of the Association, the Treasurer of the Association and the Associational Secretary and any others which the Associational Leadership Team shall see fit to select and include.

Section 2. Each selected member of the Administrative Officers Team must be a member in good standing of a participating church of the Association.

Section 3. Nominations for positions on the Administrative Officers Team of the Weakley County Baptist Association shall be made by the Associational Leadership Team.

 

Section 1: The ministry of the Association shall be formed around the permanent four Major Teams within the Associational Leadership Team that will direct the various ministries of the Association. The Major Teams are: the Ministry Team; the Missions Team; the Evangelism Team and the Church Development Team.

Section 2: Each Team Leader shall be a member of the Leadership Team and will be responsible for the overall leadership of the team.

Section 3: Each Team Leader shall be responsible for enlisting additional team members from cooperating churches of the association.

Section 4: Each Team Leader is authorized to develop new teams under the major team when necessary or needed.

Section 5: The Team Leaders shall report regularly to the Associational Leadership Team. They will bring a summary of the year’s activities to the annual meeting.

 

Section 1: The purpose of the Church Development Team shall be to assist the churches and encourage cooperation to become Great Commission churches through intentional ministry.

Section 2: The Church Development Team shall continue to support and oversee the Music Ministry Team, the Youth Ministry Team, the Men’s Ministry Team and the Women’s Missionary Union Team.

Section 3: The Church Development Team shall encourage the creation of additional Teams to assist the Churches of the Association in the areas of age-graded ministries, gender specific ministries, stewardship, leadership, music, conflict resolution and worship.

Section 4: The Church Development Team Leader shall report regularly to the Associational Leadership Team. The Team Leader will bring a summary of the year’s activities to the annual meeting.

 

Section 1: The purpose of the Evangelism Team shall be to assist the churches and encourage cooperation in reaching people for Christ and accomplishing the Great Commission.

Section 2: The Evangelism Team shall continue to support and oversee the Vacation Bible School Team, the Sunday School Team, and the Discipleship Training Team.

Section 3: The Evangelism Team shall assist the churches in evangelism training, revival preparation, youth evangelism events and special projects, evangelism strategy, and joint evangelistic projects.

Section 4: The Evangelism Team shall encourage the creation of additional Teams to assist the Churches of the Association when necessary or needed.

Section 5: The Evangelism Team Leader shall report regularly to the Associational Leadership Team. The Team Leader shall bring a summary of the year’s activities to the annual meeting.

 

Section 1: The purpose of the Missions Team shall be to assist the churches and encourage cooperation through mission action within the association and beyond.

Section 2: Team members will assist churches in areas such as local mission strategy, new church starts, mission funding, mission trips, mission education, and mission projects.

Section 3: The Missions team shall be organized into three teams: Local Missions Team, North American Missions Team and International Missions Team

Section 4: The Missions Team shall continue to support: mission development, pioneer mission work, church planting, local mission outreach and the Great Commission within the Association.

Section 5: The Missions Team shall encourage the creation of additional Teams to assist the Churches of the Association when necessary or needed.

Section 6: The Missions Team Leader shall report regularly to the Associational Leadership Team. The Team Leader shall bring a summary of the year’s activities to the annual meeting.

 

Section 1: The purpose of the Ministry Team shall be to support the special ministries of the Association.

Section 2: The Ministry Team shall continue to support the Counseling Ministry Team, Disaster Relief Team, Jail Ministry Team, Special Events Ministry team, The R.G. Lee Center and the Baptist Collegiate Ministry Team.

Section 3: The Ministry Team shall encourage the creation of additional Teams to assist the Churches of the Association when necessary or needed.

Section 4: The Ministry Team Leader shall report regularly to the Associational Leadership Team. The Team Leader will bring a summary of the year’s activities to the annual meeting.

 

The Association shall elect a Board of Trustees composed of five (5) members in whose name all property owned by the Association shall be held in trust for the Association. The Board of Trustees shall be elected annually upon recommendation by the Associational Leadership Team, and shall be active members of participating churches.

The duly elected trustees shall hold in trust the title to all property of the Association and shall represent the Association in all matters of legal responsibility regarding the purchase, improvement, and disposal of Association property. They shall have no power to buy, sell, mortgage, lease, or transfer any property of the Association without a specific vote of the Association or the Associational Leadership Team authorizing such action. They shall be the registered agents for service of process.

 

Section 1: The Association shall be financially guided by an annual budget prepared by the Finance Director and the Finance Team, assisted by the Director of Missions, and the Association Treasurer. The Budget must be approved by the ALT, then presented and adopted by the messengers of the Association at the Annual Meeting.

Section 2: Prior to the preparation of the annual budget the Association Leadership Team will consider and recommend adjustments to the compensation of the Director of Missions and any other staff of the Association for the next fiscal year. The Finance Director and the Finance Team will consider the recommendations of the Association Leadership Team but may modify the recommendations for cause in the preparation of the final recommended budget.

Section 3: The Association and the Major Teams shall be required to operate within the Annual Budget, unless the Associational Leadership Team, in regular or specially called meeting, authorizes an expenditure of funds by reallocation of budget funds, or by use of reserve funds, if allowed by the set guidelines of such reserve funds, or by other means.

Section 4: Should any team created under the Major Teams have need of funds for ministry projects, the team must petition the appropriate Major Team for authorization. The request should be documented on forms for this purpose developed by the Finance Director. The request shall be considered by the Major Team Leader, who shall solicit approval and authorization from the Director of Missions for expenditure of Association funds. The Director of Missions, upon receiving the request, shall review the budget and the funds available and determine if the request for funds can be granted. The Director of Missions can, without Associational Leadership Team approval or consideration, grant approval of funds, if the requested funds are under $ 1,500 and the same is clearly within the Budget and the funds are available in the Budget. Should the funds not be available, or the request be determined to be a non-budgeted item, or the request is in excess of $1,500, or for any other reason the Director of Missions desires approval of the Association Leadership Team, the Director of Missions shall seek approval of the request from the Associational Leadership Team at the next scheduled ALT meeting. Should time be of the essence in need for the funds a special meeting of the ALT, including a meeting by conference call, shall be called at the discretion of the Director of Missions and the Association Leadership Team leader.

Section 5: Should the Major Team request be denied by the Director of Missions, a petition for the request may be presented to the Associational Leadership Team for re-consideration.

 

Section 1: The Association Teams shall meet prior to the Association Annual Meeting in the month of September for a Team Organization, Training and Leadership Conference (T.O.T.A.L.). The meeting shall begin with a plenary combined session for worship and group instruction. Following that session the Major Teams shall separate for training workshops and organizational activity. At the break-out sessions the Major Teams shall nominate an individual from their Teams as the Major Team Leader for the coming year. That nomination shall be presented to the Association at the Annual Meeting. The Messengers may also make nominations from the floor at the Annual Meeting. The Major Team Leaders are elected by the Messengers at the Annual Meeting.

Section 2: The ALT shall select an ad hoc Nominating Team to present nominations for the other members of the ALT for the coming year. The Nominating Team shall consist of four members from the ALT – two pastors and two laymen. In addition the Nominating Team shall have 3 preachers and 3 laymen from the Association that are not members of the ALT. The Messengers may also make nominations for the members of the ALT from the floor at the Annual Meeting. The ALT is elected by the Messengers at the Annual Meeting.

 

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 Associational Leadership Team no later than the Associational Leadership Team meeting immediately prior to the annual meeting. A two-thirds majority vote of the

messengers present and voting at the Annual Meeting shall be required to amend this Constitution.

 

This Constitution shall be considered approved and adopted on 14th day of June, 2012 and shall supersede all previous Constitutions of the Association.

 

 

SECTION 1: The remuneration of the Director of Missions shall be established at the Annual Association meeting as recommended by the Associational Leadership Team. This shall include both salary and benefits; i.e., retirement, hospitalization, housing, utilities, etc. The Association shall reimburse approved travel expenses for attendance at the Southern Baptist Convention, The Tennessee Baptist Convention, and State Evangelistic Conference, and whatever other meetings the Director of Missions is required to attend by the Association.

SECTION 2: The Director of Missions, in cooperation with the Missions Team and the Associational Leadership Team shall give supervision, planning, and direction to the work of the Association in its mission program. He shall correlate the work of the Association with that of the Tennessee Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention, and keep the Association advised of all such activities, programs, and endeavors in which the association shall have a part. The Associational Leadership Team shall have the right to give the Director of Missions and the Missions Team directives relating to the work of the Association.

SECTION 3: The Director of Missions may conduct three revivals during the year, with only two outside the Association; and may participate in any World Missions Conferences authorized by the Associational Leadership team.

SECTION 4: The Director of Missions shall be permitted to keep all monies received while supplying for churches in the Association, either at the request of the pastor or the churches themselves, but he shall be expected to fill the pulpit of any pastor during illness or death in the family without additional pay, unless previously engaged.

SECTION 5: The Director of Missions shall be allowed, with pay, a two-week vacation after one year of employment and for every year thereafter until he has served in full-time vocational Christian service for ten years, after which he will be allowed three weeks. The time of this vacation period shall be selected by the Director of Missions, keeping in mind the over-all activities within the Association and with the approval of the Associational Leadership Team.

SECTION 6: The Director of Missions shall promote all the works of the Association Teams and organizations, prepare an annual associational calendar with the guidance of the Associational Leadership Team and directors and team leaders of all stated teams and organizations, and faithfully encourage the churches of the Association to contribute to the Association and to the Cooperative Program. He shall assist individual churches as requested in the financial programs, World Missions Conferences, and other work carried out by the Association. When called upon, he shall take the lead in counseling with churches in the establishing of new missions. He shall seek to promote soul-winning in the Association and assist the Association in conducting Vacation Bible Schools in churches within the Association unable to have VBS, who have requested assistance by the Association. He shall aid any church seeking his help in areas of disruptive fellowship within that church.

SECTION 7: The Director of Missions shall not serve as interim pastor for any church in or out of the Association but may preach for not more than four consecutive Sundays in any one church, unless the pastor is ill or permission is granted by the ALT in unusual circumstances.

SECTION 8: The Director of Missions shall work with each church within the Association that requests his help, with the first church requesting such help being given preference.

 

DUTIES OF THE MODERATOR: The Moderator shall preside at the Annual Meeting of the Association and be a member of the Associational Leadership Team.

 

DUTIES OF CLERK: The Association Clerk is required to take minutes, prepare, and keep accurate records of the Associational Leadership Team meetings and the Annual Associational Meeting. The Clerk shall record the actions of the Association Annual Meeting. In addition the Clerk is to act as recording secretary of the Associational Leadership Team.

 

DUTIES OF THE TREASURER: The Association Treasurer shall receive and deposit in a bank or in other authorized depositories, all funds of the Association; keep accurate records of all receipts, disbursements, assets

and liabilities; disburse monies according to the adopted budget or at the direction of the Director of Missions or the Associational Leadership Team; serve as ex-officio member of the Budget and Finance Team of the ALT; make regular reports to the Associational Leadership Team; and make an annual report to the Association. In general, the Treasurer shall perform all duties incident to the office of Treasurer and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him/her by the Associational Leadership Team or the Director of Missions.

 

DUTIES OF SECRETARY: The general duties of the association secretary shall be under the supervision of the Director of Missions. The secretary is responsible for all correspondence and maintenance of all associational records, which includes the keeping of accurate files and updating old records. The Secretary shall see that all notices are fully given in accordance with the provisions of these By-laws or as required by law. The Secretary shall generally perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned to him/her by the Associational Leadership Team or the Director of Missions. The Secretary will receive reports from the affiliated churches and compile, print, and distribute annual minutes.

 

CHANGES IN JOB DUTIES AND DESCRIPTIONS: These duties or job descriptions may be changed by the Associational Leadership Team, after giving thirty (30) days notification in writing to the Officer, whose job duties are being changed