IBFNA Constitution
- NAME: This shall be a fellowship of fundamental, separatist Baptists. It shall be known as Independent Baptist Fellowship of North America.
Section 1: Action to dissolve the Independent Baptist Fellowship of North America shall be not considered until written notice regarding such action shall be distributed to its active members no less than 30 days before the business meeting.
Section 2: Passage of such a motion shall require two-thirds majority vote of active members present at the business meeting.
Section 3: Upon passage of the motion, the Executive Committee shall take action within one year to liquidate all real property and distribute all monies in accord with the following stipulation:
- No member or former member shall personally profit from the disposal of all assets.
- Recipients of all assets shall be recognized as legal, tax exempt non-profit organizations.
- The Executive Committee shall make every effort to dispense all assets to benefit the ministry of the Gospel, consistent with the historic principles and practices of the independent Baptist Fellowship of North America.
- The Executive Committee shall make full written disclosure of the disbursement of all the Fellowship’s assets available to all who were active members at the time of dissolution.
- PURPOSE: Recognizing the need for a national fellowship fundamentalist, separatist Baptists, we have organized for the following purposes:
- To establish a nationwide fundamentalist, separatist association of Baptists to provide fellowship, counsel, a uniform standard of biblical faith and practice, and a vehicle for cooperation in promoting the evangelistic, church-planting and educational goals of the fellowship; and further
- To emphasize the biblical teaching on separation from unbelievers in religious work (primary separation) and separation from believers who ignore or disobey the Bible’s teaching of primary separation (secondary separation); and
- To raise a standard for personal separation from worldliness and worldly practices reflecting the truth that believers are new creatures in Christ; and
- To provide information on current issues facing fundamental Baptists and others; and
- To produce literature for churches and pastors who desire such materials.
- OFFICERS
- Moderator
- To be nominated in writing from the membership and elected for a two-year term.
- An elected moderator may succeed himself for one term, then will not be eligible for reelection for two years.
- Duties
- Moderate all conference and business meetings of the Fellowship
- Be an ex officio member of all committee
- Be spokesman for the Fellowship
- Secretary/Clerk
- To be nominated in writing from the membership and elected for a two-year term
- An elected secretary/clerk may succeed himself for one term, then will not be eligible for reelection for two years.
- Duties
- Keep minutes of the business meetings
- Send out several and early notices of conferences and nominations
- Serve as vice-monitor when needed
- Treasurer
- To be nominated in writing from the membership and elected for a two-year term.
- An elected treasurer may succeed himself for one term, then will not be eligible for reelection for two years.
- Duties
- Receive and distribute any fellowship funds
- Keep accurate financial records
- Managing Editor
- Shall be nominated by the Executive Committee and elected by membership at the Annual Meeting.
- The managing editor may succeed himself.
- Duty – Edit the official organ and other publications with the officers acting as an editorial committee
- All elected officers shall be the official Executive Committee of the Fellowship.
- Standards
- All nominees for officers in IBFNA shall meet the qualifications for officers named in the Articles of Faith.
- No officer of the Fellowship shall commit the Fellowship on any matter except under the instructions of the Fellowship or Executive Committee or as he possess evidence of the Fellowship’s position.
- Moderator
- MEMBERSHIP
- A pastor or church member shall be eligible for membership if:
- He agrees without reservation with the constitution and articles of faith, and
- He is a member in good standing of an independent, fundamental, separatist, Baptist church.
- Members are expected to pay the annual fee and to attend the annual meeting as enabled by the Lord. Voting eligibility will be given to those who have paid the current membership fee.
- Membership will be withdrawn automatically when a member remains inactive by either failing to pay their annual fee, or attend the annual meeting for five years. Membership may be withdrawn by this Fellowship from any member by majority vote of this Fellowship after due process, according to Robert’s Rules of Order (Chapter 20).
- A member may withdraw his membership in writing at any time for reasons sufficient to himself.
- A pastor or church member shall be eligible for membership if:
- AGENCIES
- Approval of mission boards , social agencies, and schools shall be left to the local church.
- The fellowship may, at its discretion, collect information useful to local churches to evaluate parachurch organizations.
- CONFERENCE
- The Fellowship shall sponsor an annual conference.
- The conference program shall include expository Bible preaching and address current issues of concern to the churches.
- The moderator shall appoint a program committee, which shall recommend the next year’s program and location, to be approved by the membership.
- Only such members who have signed affirmation of membership and paid the annual fee prior to the first business session of each annual conference shall be privileged to vote or participate in discussions at that annual conference.
- AMENDMENTS
Proposed changes to the Articles of Faith shall be presented in writing for consideration at the next annual conference. Changes to the Articles of Faith shall be adopted upon 2/3’s majority approval of the assembled members. Amendments to the constitution may be done in the same way, or be presented by the Executive Committee to the voting membership in a mailing 90 days prior to the annual conference (such as The Review or a Chairman’s Letter, including the normal mailing method of postal mail or e-mail) and be adopted by a 2/3’s majority approval of assembled members at the annual conference, or be presented in writing at the annual conference with a mail ballot mailed to all the voting membership allowing 90 day response and adopted by a 2/3’s majority approval of voting members.
Revised June 18, 2014