Constitution of the Missionary Church Published August 2017 Revised and Authorized by the 2017 General Conference Denominational Office P.O. Box 9127 Fort Wayne, Indiana 46899-9127 Order from Church Services 888 275-9094 Printed in USA TABLE OF CONTENTS CONSTITUTION Preamble ........................................................................................................................................................... 3 Article I – Name ................................................................................................................................................. 4 Article II – Purpose ............................................................................................................................................ 4 Article III – Objectives ....................................................................................................................................... 4 Article IV – Articles of Faith and Practice ......................................................................................................... 4 Article V – Constituency ................................................................................................................................. 12 Article VI – General Conference .................................................................................................................... 12 Article VII – Officers ........................................................................................................................................ 14 Article VIII – General Oversight Council ........................................................................................................ 15 Article IX – Ministry Leadership Council ........................................................................................................ 16 Article X – Nominating Committee................................................................................................................ 17 Article XI – Constitution Committee.............................................................................................................. 18 Article XII – Denominational Directors .......................................................................................................... 18 Article XIII – Bethel College ............................................................................................................................ 18 Article XIV – Auxiliary Organizations ............................................................................................................. 19 Article XV – Regional Conferences ................................................................................................................ 19 Article XVI – District Conferences .................................................................................................................. 21 Article XVII – Local Church ............................................................................................................................. 34 Article XVIII – Due Process Procedure for Members and Entities of the Missionary Church ..................... 41 Article XIX – Parliamentary Authority ........................................................................................................... 43 Article XX – Amendments .............................................................................................................................. 43 POSITION PAPERS An Educational Philosophy for the Missionary Church................................................................................. 44 The Gift of Tongues ........................................................................................................................................ 47 The Assurance of the Believer ....................................................................................................................... 49 Abortion .......................................................................................................................................................... 52 Leadership in the Church ............................................................................................................................... 52 Gambling ........................................................................................................................................................ 54 Pornography and Obscenity .......................................................................................................................... 55 Biblical Inerrancy ............................................................................................................................................ 55 The Role of Women in Ministry ..................................................................................................................... 58 Ordination ...................................................................................................................................................... 59 Our Values ...................................................................................................................................................... 59 Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ........................................................................................................ 60 Spiritual Warfare: The Christian and Demons............................................................................................... 62 Secret Societies .............................................................................................................................................. 64 Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide .................................................................................................................... 64 Sanctification .................................................................................................................................................. 65 Divine Foreknowledge ................................................................................................................................... 67 A Biblical View of Human Sexuality ............................................................................................................... 67 APPENDICES Educational Requirements for Credentialing ................................................................................................ 74 Missionary Church History and Polity ........................................................................................................... 75 2 CONSTITUTION PREAMBLE The Missionary Church was organized in its present form as a result of the 1969 merger of the Missionary Church Association and the United Missionary Church. Both of these groups had their origins in revival movements that swept across North America in the late 19th century. Many of the earlier members were members of churches which had become caught up in a religion of form and tradition. The flames of revival sparked a renewed dynamic and vitality that was not welcomed by leaders of their former churches. And so, for their testimony, a number were excommunicated. Under God's leading, they came together through a series of mergers covering nearly one hundred years. The story of these years is recorded in Merging Streams.1 The Constitution and Manual of the Missionary Church will be better understood by the reader who recognizes that a singular commitment of our early leaders was to the position that the Scriptures were to be the primary source of doctrine and life. In addition to this commitment to be a biblical church, we recognize the contribution of John Wesley's emphasis on "the warmed heart"; A.B. Simpson's fourfold emphasis on Jesus Christ as Savior, Sanctifier, Healer and Coming King; the Anabaptist concepts of community and brotherhood; and the evangelical emphases of the lost estate of mankind and redemption through Jesus Christ. The Missionary Church, then, is a unique blend of the thought and life of a people who have sought to build their church according to the Scriptures and who have appreciated their historical roots. 1Lageer, Eileen, Merging Streams, Bethel Publishing Company, 1979. 3 ARTICLE I – NAME This organization shall be known as the Missionary Church. ARTICLE II – PURPOSE The Missionary Church, in obedience to Jesus Christ her Lord, is committed to being holy people of God in the world and to building His Church by worldwide evangelism, discipleship and multiplication of growing churches, all to the glory of God. Matthew 28:18-20; 1 Peter 2:9-10 ARTICLE III – OBJECTIVES In order to fulfill its purpose, the objectives of the Missionary Church are the following: A. to call its churches to their mission; B. to train and equip leaders; C. to plant and assist new congregations at home and abroad; D. to promote community among God's people; and E. to serve as an administrative and communicative body. (See Article IV.A.5.) ARTICLE IV – ARTICLES OF FAITH AND PRACTICE A. ARTICLES OF FAITH Introduction The Bible tells one grand, unified story – a true account of the lavish and relentless love of a holy God. It is a drama in four acts: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration. It calls us – not simply to be spectators – but to respond with living faith. God calls us to believe – placing our trust in him, personally committing ourselves to him, and accepting the truth of the gospel. He calls us to embrace certain truths that define us as a believing community and then embody those truths in how we live. We