constitution and by-laws
Revised September, 2003

ARTICLE I - NAME

The name of this organization shall be The Baptist Bible Fellowship International, (a duly incorporated body in the State of Missouri, USA).

ARTICLE II - PURPOSE

The purpose of this Fellowship shall be: to obey in letter and spirit the commissions given by our Lord in Matthew 28:18-20, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

ARTICLE III - AFFILIATION

Affiliation with the Baptist Bible Fellowship International is open to any Baptist pastor of a supporting Baptist church believing in and adhering to the Word of God, on the basis of the Articles of Faith appended hereto. A supporting Baptist church is one that financially supports our missions or colleges.

ARTICLE IV - MEETINGS

The Baptist Bible Fellowship International shall meet annually, beginning on the fourth Monday of September, for the transaction of business. The place of this meeting shall be fixed by the Executive Committee and ratified by the National Directors. Other meetings may be called by the President as the need arises, 30 days advance notification of such business sessions to be published in the Baptist Bible Tribune. Missionaries may be approved at any National Fellowship meeting. Any Fellowship pastor may attend any meeting of a committee, agency, or subsidiary of the Fellowship. Any pastor shall have the inalienable right to appeal to the National Fellowship.

ARTICLE V - VOTING RIGHTS

Each church shall have one vote. Recognizing that this is a fellowship of pastors, this vote shall be cast by the pastor, or in his absence, by his authorized alternate.

ARTICLE VI - OFFICERS

Section 1. Any elected officer of this Fellowship shall be a pastor of a supporting church.

Section 2. The officers of the Fellowship shall be pastors serving as President, Vice-Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, and National Directors, one from each state elected by State Fellowships, who shall represent the highest executive authority.

Section 2a. The President, Vice-Presidents, Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected biennially. These officers constitute the Executive Committee. The National Directors will serve as the nominating committee and will present nominations at the National Fellowship in May. Other nominations may be made from the floor and when completed, this ballot becomes official. The election shall be conducted by mail. Ballots shall be mailed to each pastor listed in the BBFI Directory to vote and return by mail to the designated address on the Ballot. National Directors shall tally votes at the annual business meeting in September for ratification. If a run-off election is necessary, it shall be held at the National Meeting with qualified voters participating. No officer can succeed himself by election to the same office for more than one term. In the event of a vacancy in the Executive Committee, the Executive Committee shall appoint a qualified candidate, to be ratified by the National Directors, to fulfill the unexpired term.

Section 2b. A National Director shall be elected by each State Fellowship. The Executive Committee shall make recommendations to the National Directors for the positions of Director of Missions, Director of Education, Director of Evangelism & Home Missions, Editor of the Baptist Bible Tribune, and the General Manager of Publications. The National Directors shall appoint individuals to these positions, and such appointments are to be ratified by the Fellowship. The President of each Fellowship College must be ratified following appointment by that college’s Board of Trustees. The National Directors shall be divided into necessary committees for the development of policies and procedures as they relate to individual subcommittees responsibilities and oversight.

1. National Missions Directors. The First Vice-President presides over the National Missions Directors. The National Missions Directors are responsible for all aspects of the BBFI missions program. 

a. The National Missions Directors shall be responsible for developing, drafting, publishing, and revising the BBFI Missions Policy. The BBFI Missions Policy must be approved by the National Directors. All BBFI missions work must conform to the published BBFI Missions Policy. The National Missions Directors shall arbitrate any issues that cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of both missions Field Representatives and missionaries or candidates. 

b. The Executive Committee shall recommend candidates for the Director of Missions, a full-time, paid employee of the BBFI, to the National Directors. The National Directors shall appoint the Director of Missions, who must be ratified by the Fellowship at a National Meeting. The Director of Missions shall report directly to the National Missions Directors.

c. The National Mission Directors and the Director of Missions, with input from the Missionaries, shall nominate the Mission Field Representatives for their election by all National Directors. The Mission Field Representatives will serve for a period of three years, and the election shall be conducted so that one-third of the group shall be elected annually. Details of the election, organization, and operation of mission field representatives shall be included in the Missions Policy. The Director of Missions shall be Chairman of the Mission Field representatives. 

2. National Directors responsible for Education. The Second Vice-President presides over the Education Committee. The Education Committee is responsible for all aspects of the BBFI education program. 

a. The Education Committee shall be responsible for developing, drafting, publishing, and revising the BBFI Education Policy. The BBFI Education Policy must be approved by the National Directors. 

b. The Education Committee shall oversee the appointment of presidents and trustees of all BBFI Colleges. All BBFI colleges must comply with published BBFI Education Policy. 

c. The Executive Committee shall recommend candidates to the National Directors for the Education Director, a full-time, paid employee of the BBFI. The National Directors shall appoint the Education Director, who must be ratified by the Fellowship at a National Meeting. The Education Director shall report directly to the Education Committee.

3. National Directors responsible for Evangelism and Home Missions. The Third Vice-President presides over the Evangelism and Home Missions Committee. The Evangelism and Home Missions Committee is responsible for all aspects of BBFI work in evangelism and missions within the United States.

a. The Evangelism and Home Missions Committee shall be responsible for developing, drafting, publishing, and revising the BBFI Home Missions Policy. The BBFI Home Missions Policy must be approved by the National Directors.

b. The Executive Committee shall recommend candidates to the National Directors for the Evangelism Director, a full-time, paid employee of the BBFI. The National Directors shall appoint the Evangelism Director, who must be ratified by the Fellowship at a National Meeting. The Evangelism Director shall report directly to the Evangelism and Home Missions Committee.

4. The Chairman of the Missions Committee, the Education Committee, and the Committee of Evangelism & Home Missions, at the Chairman’s request, will appoint two (2) approved furlough missionaries to serve on his committee in an advisory capacity.

Section 3. The President shall preside at all business meetings of the Fellowship and shall act for the Fellowship according to delegated power given him by the Fellowship. He and the First Vice-President shall be considered ex-officio members of all committees, agencies, and subsidiaries of the Fellowship.

The First Vice-President shall act for the President on all necessary occasions and shall assist him whenever possible.

The Secretary shall keep all records and minutes on behalf of the Fellowship.

The Treasurer shall keep a record and shall provide the Executive Committee and National Directors with an annual audit. All funds received by the Treasurer shall be disbursed as designated by the donor, or if undesignated, as instructed by the Executive Committee. It shall be the responsibility of the Executive Committee to maintain the integrity of all accounts.

The National Directors shall be at the call of the President. The President and the First Vice-President of the Fellowship shall serve as Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the National Directors. The President, Vice-Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, and National Directors shall meet twice a year and report to the Fellowship annually.

Section 4. All appointed administrators of Fellowship agencies mentioned in Section 2b shall serve for an indefinite term. Their successors shall be appointed by the National Directors. An annual audit of all receipts and disbursements of Fellowship agencies shall be made available to the National Directors. These administrators are charged to maintain persons in employ whose belief and behavior are consistent with our Articles of Faith.

Section 5. No person shall hold at one time more than one elective or appointive office set forth by this Constitution. This shall include officers of Fellowship- owned and approved colleges, such as President, Vice-President(s), Trustees, or any other officer of the colleges.

Section 6. National Directors shall be elected to serve a three-year term. Election shall be conducted so that one-third of the group shall be elected annually. No National Director, or alternate Director, shall represent a state in which he does not actively fellowship. Each Director shall be certified to the BBFI by authorization from his State Fellowship.

Section 7. All College Trustees shall be elected to serve a three-year term. Election shall be conducted so that one-third of the group shall be elected annually.

Section 8. If for any reason a National Director is unable to serve his unexpired term, it shall be immediately filled by the State Fellowship.

Section 9. The Executive Committee shall appoint an Editorial Board of Review for the Baptist Bible Tribune to serve for a term of three years, and such appointment is to be ratified by the National Directors.

ARTICLE VII - SUBSIDIARIES AND PROPERTIES

Section 1. The subsidiaries of the Baptist Bible Fellowship International shall operate independently of and yet in cooperation with each other. Each shall operate under duly designated authority from the Fellowship, but within the framework of this Constitution.

Section 2. All properties of the Baptist Bible Fellowship International, including all foreign properties that may be acquired by it later, shall be legally registered in the name of and duly owned by the Baptist Bible Fellowship International, to conform to all legal requirements of the locality in which they are situated. The Secretary is responsible for keeping record of all properties owned by the BBFI and its subsidiaries.

ARTICLE VIII – CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

This Constitution shall supersede any other document pertaining to any branch or institution of the Baptist Bible Fellowship International, and no document pertaining to any institution or branch of the Baptist Bible Fellowship International shall set forth any rights, privileges or powers that are in conflict with those set forth in this Constitution and By-Laws. This Constitution and By-Laws may be amended at the annual meeting of the Baptist Bible Fellowship International by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting, providing the proposed amendment has been read at a previous National Meeting.

ARTICLE IX - RELATIONSHIP TO CHURCHES

All New Testament Churches are autonomous and self-governing; therefore, no article in this Constitution or By-Laws shall ever be interpreted in any way as to infringe upon or jeopardize the absolute sovereignty of any local church. The property rights, the missionary policies, and the practical procedures for autonomous, self-governing churches shall never be endangered in any way by the Baptist Bible Fellowship International, its agencies or subsidiaries.

ARTICLE X - ARTICLES OF FAITH

See "Articles of Faith"