Constitution

of the

Smoky Mountains Association of Free Will Baptists

Preamble

      Having been convinced of the leadership of the Holy Spirit we, the Free Will Baptist churches in the Knoxville region, do form an association through which the great commission of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can be obeyed and promoted, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the Smoky Mountains Association of Free Will Baptists.

ARTICLE 1 - Name

      This organization shall be known as the Smoky Mountains Association of Free Will Baptists.

ARTICLE 2 - Purpose

      The Smoky Mountains Association of Free Will Baptists is organized for the purpose of fellowship and cooperation among the churches. These associational meetings shall serve for mutual edification and inspiration and provide opportunity for the churches to accomplish cooperatively what they might not be able to do individually. 

      As individuals, churches and an association it is our responsibility to obey the great commission recorded in Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

ARTICLE 3 - Membership

      This association shall be composed of churches which are known to be orderly, duly organized, and conforming to the faith and usages of the Free Will Baptist denomination as set forth in the Treatise of the Faith and Practices of the National Association of Free Will Baptists, Inc.  Any church so conforming must make proper application for membership in the association, and after satisfactory examination and recommendation by the Credentials Board, be elected to membership in the association by a two-thirds majority vote of the body.

ARTICLE 4 - Representation

      Voting representation in the Smoky Mountains Association of Free Will Baptists shall be made up of church delegates, ministers, deacons and clerks as follows:

Section 1: Church Delegates

      The number of delegates shall be based upon the membership of each church.  Each church of this association may send two delegates of the first twenty members and one delegate for each additional twenty members or fraction thereof, but delegates shall not exceed ten from any one church.

Section 2: Ministers

      Ministers must be duly ordained and qualified members of this association holding current credentials of good standing issued by the Credentials Board.

Section 3: Deacons

      Deacons must be duly ordained, in good standing, and serving member churches in this association.

Section 4: Church Clerks

      Duly elected clerks of member churches shall be entitled to vote.

      Each of the voting body must be active members of good standing of churches which are in good standing with the Smoky Mountains Association of Free Will Baptists.

      These qualified representatives shall be recognized and seated by the moderator at each business session as the voting body.

ARTICLE 5 - Officers

      The officers of the Smoky Mountains Association of Free Will Baptists shall be a moderator, an assistant moderator, clerk/treasurer and an assistant clerk/assistant treasurer.  The moderator and his assistant shall be elected from the floor yearly.  The clerk and assistant clerk shall be elected from the floor and shall hold office at the pleasure of the conference as long as it is mutually agreed.

ARTICLE 6 - Boards and Committees

      The Smoky Mountains Association of Free Will Baptists shall be allowed to elect such temporary or standing boards and committees as it may deem necessary to carry on the business of the association.  The standing boards and committees shall include, but not be limited to, General Board, Credentials Board, and Youth Board.

ARTICLE 7 - Meetings

      This association shall convene four times a year at a time and place set by the association.  The time and place for the next meeting shall be announced before final adjournment.  One of these meetings shall be designated as an annual meeting.

      These regular meetings shall also provide time for meetings and activities of the Ministers, Youth, Women Active for Christ and Master’s Men.

ARTICLE 8 - Discipline

      The association cannot discipline a local church, churches or members of a local church; however, the association reserves the right to withdraw fellowship from any church until such time as this association is satisfied that discipline, doctrine, and practices are in conformity with the doctrine and practices of the Treatise of the Faith and Practices of the National Association of Free Will Baptist Inc., but in no case shall the association assume authority to reverse the decisions or abrogate the autonomy of local churches.

      The local church occasionally finds itself responsible to exercise its solemn right to discipline members according to.  In such cases, the regular procedures of the local church are followed in keeping with the teachings of the Scripture in Matthew 18:15-17.

ARTICLE 9 - Dissolution

      In the event of the dissolution of this association, any assets of the organization then remaining after payment of all expenses shall be conveyed to the Home Missions Department of the Tennessee State Association of Free Will Baptists, Inc.

ARTICLE 10 - Amendments

     This constitution may be amended or altered at any regular session of the Smoky Mountains Association of Free Will Baptists by a two thirds vote of the members present, provided the change is submitted in writing to the body at least one day in advance.