CONSTITUTION
We, the Primitive Baptist Church of Christ composed of Churches in North Alabama, Tennessee and Michigan and having been regularly baptized upon profession of our faith in Christ, are convinced of the necessity of a combination of churches in order to perpetuate union among churches and to preserve and maintain correspondence within the union, for fellowship, worship and teaching for the glory of the Kingdom of God, do ordain and establish this Constitution.
Article 1: This Association shall be composed of members chosen by the different churches within the union, who are producing letters from their respective churches certifying their appointment shall be entitled to seats in sessions of the Association.
Article 2: The members thus chosen and convened shall be known by the name, “Indian Creek Primitive Baptist Association.” The Association shall have no power to “lord it over God’s heritage” or infringe on any internal rights of the churches within the union; but shall merely be considered in the light of an advisory council in all matters respecting the internal concerns of local churches. Nevertheless, it becomes necessary, in some cases to have uniform rules of proceedings for member churches. Example: When an offense is committed by one church against another, it shall be the duty of the church so offended to labor with the offender for satisfaction, and if she (the church) is unsuccessful, she shall call in the aid of two or more churches in the union to assist in the labor. And if, in the opinion of the assisting churches, satisfaction cannot be realized, the offended church may bring the case before the Association, who shall act upon it.
Further, when serious differences arise in individual churches and they, after all due labor, cannot reconcile the differences, they shall call in the aid of two or more Sister churches to assist in the work. And if, in the opinion of the assisting churches, it is determined that satisfaction cannot be realized, the case may be brought to the Association for its deliberations and actions. Reference shall be made to the eighteenth (18) chapter of Matthew and to other Scriptures with respect to discipline and bringing to trial and determining on the case of an individual church; but the Association shall not take cognizance of the cases of the above kind unless the above proceedings are previously had thereon.
Article 3: Letters from the different churches shall express their members in fellowship, those baptized, received by letter, dismissed, excommunicated and died since the last Association. The letter shall be read and messengers’ names enrolled.
Article 4: Every church in the union shall be entitled to send three (3) ordained messengers to the Association as representatives of the said church. Should any church neglect to represent herself by official delegation, she should state her reason in her letter to the next Association.
Article 5: New churches, petitioning this union, may be admitted upon examination, if found orthodox and orderly. The church shall be received by the Moderator giving the right hand of fellowship.
Article 6: The Association when convened shall be governed by regular and proper decorum, which it is authorized to form itself.
Article 7: The Association shall elect a Moderator, from among the members present, whose duty it shall be to see that the Rules of Decorum are attended to, to take the opinion to the Association of all questions properly brought before it, etc. A clerk shall be elected whose duty it shall be to make proper and correct minutes of the proceedings. All offices of the Association shall be composed of ordained Elders and Deacons.
Article 8: The Association shall have the power to exclude any church from the union and to cease to fellowship with any Sister Association which violates or deviates from orthodox principles of the Primitive Baptist Church.
Article 9: The Association shall endeavor to furnish the churches with minutes of the proceedings.
Article 10: Every grievance sent by a particular church must be enclosed in her letter, certifying that she had endeavored to settle the grieved issues but could not, in which case the Association shall take it under consideration and the votes of the majority be entered in the minutes as its advice.
Article 11: Grievances which immediately concern the union or the state of the churches at large when sent by a particular church as from them or handed in by proper motion, moved and seconded by individuals, shall be taken up and decided on as soon as opportunity will permit.
Article 12: Any church in the union having a male candidate for the ministry among her members whom she deems worthy of licenses to preach the gospel, shall submit a letter petitioning the Association to form a Presbytery and evaluate accordingly.
Article 13: This Association shall ordain a minister only for the purpose of pastoring or evangelistic work. All requests for ordination should be authorized by the church conference and be submitted in writing. All ordinations of deacons and ministers shall be administered at the annual session of the Council Meeting and shall be regulated by the Abstracts of Principles adopted by the Association.
Article 14: The Association shall have a fund for the support of itself which shall be funded by contributions from churches within the Association.
Article 15: The Association shall maintain a book in which the proceedings of the Association shall be regularly recorded by the Clerk who shall receive compensation for his services.
Article 16: The Association shall not adjourn until they have gone through the business except in extraordinary cases.
Article 17: The minutes of the Association shall be read and corrected by the Moderator and attested by the Clerk before the Association rises.
Article 18: The Association shall, in all cases, be governed by a majority of the members present.
Article 19: Amendments to this plan or form of government may be made at any time when a majority of the churches may deem it necessary.
Article 20: If any minister of the Indian Creek Association is known to preach anything which is not orthodox, his license or credentials must be demanded by his church or Association.
Article 21: All Ordained Elders not pastoring shall pay to the Association yearly $10.00. All licensed preachers shall pay $5.00, all Deacons shall pay $5.00, all Lay Members shall pay $4.00, and all pastors shall pay $15.00 (per charge). All members will pay an additional $5.00 assessment for the educational fund.
Article 22: Be it known that churches within the Indian Creek Primitive Baptist Association will not hold closed communion services; and shall receive members from other faiths without re-baptizing them when they have been baptized by immersion.
Article 23: Be it known that no church in the Association will be allowed to call the aid of the Presbytery by this Association for Ordination anyone known to have two living wives, or to be living in open adultery.
Article 24: This Constitution may be amended by two-thirds votes when the constituents of the Association deem it necessary, providing the proposed amendment is presented at the Annual Council Meeting and to be voted on at the Association.
Article 1: This Association shall be composed of members chosen by the different churches within the union, who are producing letters from their respective churches certifying their appointment shall be entitled to seats in sessions of the Association.
Article 2: The members thus chosen and convened shall be known by the name, “Indian Creek Primitive Baptist Association.” The Association shall have no power to “lord it over God’s heritage” or infringe on any internal rights of the churches within the union; but shall merely be considered in the light of an advisory council in all matters respecting the internal concerns of local churches. Nevertheless, it becomes necessary, in some cases to have uniform rules of proceedings for member churches. Example: When an offense is committed by one church against another, it shall be the duty of the church so offended to labor with the offender for satisfaction, and if she (the church) is unsuccessful, she shall call in the aid of two or more churches in the union to assist in the labor. And if, in the opinion of the assisting churches, satisfaction cannot be realized, the offended church may bring the case before the Association, who shall act upon it.
Further, when serious differences arise in individual churches and they, after all due labor, cannot reconcile the differences, they shall call in the aid of two or more Sister churches to assist in the work. And if, in the opinion of the assisting churches, it is determined that satisfaction cannot be realized, the case may be brought to the Association for its deliberations and actions. Reference shall be made to the eighteenth (18) chapter of Matthew and to other Scriptures with respect to discipline and bringing to trial and determining on the case of an individual church; but the Association shall not take cognizance of the cases of the above kind unless the above proceedings are previously had thereon.
Article 3: Letters from the different churches shall express their members in fellowship, those baptized, received by letter, dismissed, excommunicated and died since the last Association. The letter shall be read and messengers’ names enrolled.
Article 4: Every church in the union shall be entitled to send three (3) ordained messengers to the Association as representatives of the said church. Should any church neglect to represent herself by official delegation, she should state her reason in her letter to the next Association.
Article 5: New churches, petitioning this union, may be admitted upon examination, if found orthodox and orderly. The church shall be received by the Moderator giving the right hand of fellowship.
Article 6: The Association when convened shall be governed by regular and proper decorum, which it is authorized to form itself.
Article 7: The Association shall elect a Moderator, from among the members present, whose duty it shall be to see that the Rules of Decorum are attended to, to take the opinion to the Association of all questions properly brought before it, etc. A clerk shall be elected whose duty it shall be to make proper and correct minutes of the proceedings. All offices of the Association shall be composed of ordained Elders and Deacons.
Article 8: The Association shall have the power to exclude any church from the union and to cease to fellowship with any Sister Association which violates or deviates from orthodox principles of the Primitive Baptist Church.
Article 9: The Association shall endeavor to furnish the churches with minutes of the proceedings.
Article 10: Every grievance sent by a particular church must be enclosed in her letter, certifying that she had endeavored to settle the grieved issues but could not, in which case the Association shall take it under consideration and the votes of the majority be entered in the minutes as its advice.
Article 11: Grievances which immediately concern the union or the state of the churches at large when sent by a particular church as from them or handed in by proper motion, moved and seconded by individuals, shall be taken up and decided on as soon as opportunity will permit.
Article 12: Any church in the union having a male candidate for the ministry among her members whom she deems worthy of licenses to preach the gospel, shall submit a letter petitioning the Association to form a Presbytery and evaluate accordingly.
Article 13: This Association shall ordain a minister only for the purpose of pastoring or evangelistic work. All requests for ordination should be authorized by the church conference and be submitted in writing. All ordinations of deacons and ministers shall be administered at the annual session of the Council Meeting and shall be regulated by the Abstracts of Principles adopted by the Association.
Article 14: The Association shall have a fund for the support of itself which shall be funded by contributions from churches within the Association.
Article 15: The Association shall maintain a book in which the proceedings of the Association shall be regularly recorded by the Clerk who shall receive compensation for his services.
Article 16: The Association shall not adjourn until they have gone through the business except in extraordinary cases.
Article 17: The minutes of the Association shall be read and corrected by the Moderator and attested by the Clerk before the Association rises.
Article 18: The Association shall, in all cases, be governed by a majority of the members present.
Article 19: Amendments to this plan or form of government may be made at any time when a majority of the churches may deem it necessary.
Article 20: If any minister of the Indian Creek Association is known to preach anything which is not orthodox, his license or credentials must be demanded by his church or Association.
Article 21: All Ordained Elders not pastoring shall pay to the Association yearly $10.00. All licensed preachers shall pay $5.00, all Deacons shall pay $5.00, all Lay Members shall pay $4.00, and all pastors shall pay $15.00 (per charge). All members will pay an additional $5.00 assessment for the educational fund.
Article 22: Be it known that churches within the Indian Creek Primitive Baptist Association will not hold closed communion services; and shall receive members from other faiths without re-baptizing them when they have been baptized by immersion.
Article 23: Be it known that no church in the Association will be allowed to call the aid of the Presbytery by this Association for Ordination anyone known to have two living wives, or to be living in open adultery.
Article 24: This Constitution may be amended by two-thirds votes when the constituents of the Association deem it necessary, providing the proposed amendment is presented at the Annual Council Meeting and to be voted on at the Association.