Constitution
Of
Business Men's Fellowship USA

Preamble

While there are, already, organization for the furtherance of Christian Fellowship among men, and cooperative action in the Lord's work, we are led of the Lord to establish, by His enabling grace, a fellowship organization of men who are "full gospel" believers, as defined in this Constitution.

Some of the needs which the fellowship is designed to meet are: to supply means for spiritual fellowship in Christ, not now available elsewhere, among full gospel believing men ; to promote effective cooperation of such men in gospel work; to unite in the Lord's fellowship and work, groups of men characterized by more complete responsiveness to the organized work which will strengthen the Body of Christ everywhere.

It is to these objectives that Business Men's Fellowship USA is dedicated. By faith, we commit this work unto the Lord in full confidence that, according to His promise, our "thoughts shall be established."

Article I
Doctrinal Statement

Section 1. Nature of Doctrinal Statement.
Our doctrinal statement is not a "creed'. In a sense, the whole Bible is out creed. We recognize the existence of many differences in interpretation among genuine Christians. We are, however, convinced that to avoid a looseness which might result in the admission to our fellowship of unbelievers or even of Christians who are unprepared to cooperate in the fellowship and work to which God has called us, certain minimum Biblical doctrinal tests must be established, the rejection of any of which shall be ground for ineligibility to membership. These essential doctrinal statements follow in Section 2.

Section 2. The Statement.

  1. We believe in one God, Maker of all things and being in Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
  2. We believe that the Son of God, Jesus Christ, became incarnate, was begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and is true God and true man.
  3. We believe the Bible, in its entirety, to be the inspired Word of God and the only infallible rule of faith and conduct.
  4. We believe in the resurrection of the dead, the eternal happiness of the saved, and the eternal punishment of the lost. Next
  1. We believe in personal salvation of believers through the shed blood of Christ
  2. We believe in sanctification by the blood of Christ, in personal holiness of heart and life, and in separation from the world.
  3. We believe in Divine healing, through faith, and that healing is included in the Atonement.
  4. We believe in the baptism of the Holy Ghost, accompanied by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives utterance, (Acts 2:4) as distinct from the new birth, and in the nine gifts of the Spirit, listed in I Corinthians 12, as now available to believers.
  5. We believe in the Christians hope the imminent, personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
  6. We believe in intensive world evangelization and missionary work in accordance with the Great Commission, with signs following.
Section 3. Essential to Membership.
The acceptance of the ten doctrinal points stated above in Section 2 of this article is essential to membership in the Chapters, and while we recognize the obligation of maintaining spiritual love and union toward all true Christian who may not accept all of these doctrinal points, and welcome them to our fellowship gatherings, they are not permitted any voice in the conduct of our activities and are ineligible to membership in the Chapters.
Article II
Relationships

Section 1. Church Relationships.
We recognize The Church the Body of Christ as "the pillar and ground of the truth." Our fellowship has no right to exist if it is merely a man made organization. It should, and is, designed to be an agency for building up the Body of Christ His Church and should be in harmony with, and a part of the work of the Holy Spirit as the Executor of our Lord's Church program for the present day. We also recognize the existence and divine origin of local 'churches' or 'assemblies'. Our fellowship is not a substitute nor is it a competitor with any local church and denominational group church group. Through the enabling Grace of God, it will, however, be a helper of all local churches and denominational groups, to the extent that they are in the will of God.

Section 2. Other Men's Fellowship Groups.
Without compromising our calling to witness to, and practice, the privileges of Christians in the full gospel and especially in claiming by faith and exercising the benefits of divine healing and the other eight gifts of the Spirit we propose to maintain loving, cooperative relationship with all other Christian men's organizations and groups on the common basis of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Full gospel men are free to belong to other Christian men's fellowships, and such outside affiliations shall not render them ineligible to membership in our fellowship. Next

Section 3. Pastors, Evangelists, Missionaries, and other full time Gospel Workers.
We regard the calling of separation to ' the ministry of the Word and to prayer' as the highest calling. We also recognize as true, that " God hath ordained that they that labor in the gospel shall live of the gospel." Full time gospel workers are welcome in our Fellowship and eligible to membership. They may no, however, hold leading official positions, nor direct the activities of the organization. Recognizing their high calling, and the trials and sacrifices of all true full time gospel workers, it should be our practice to help, encourage and support them in every possible way.
Article III
Organization Structure

Section 1. Supreme Authority.
Supreme Authority over our Fellowship and all its activities is vested in the Lord Jesus Christ and exercised by the Holy Spirit. This truth must be recognized and practiced.

Section 2. The Fellowship.
Humanly, the Fellowship shall be a service organization and shall be incorporated. It shall have sole authority in granting or rejecting applications for affiliation by chapters, in canceling affiliation for any causes deemed by it sufficient, and subject to the superior authority of the chapter delegates at a regular or called meeting of the national delegate body, and all of the matters except local matters and matters internal to the chapters.

Section 3. National Conventions.
National Conventions shall be convened annually at dates set by the Fellowship, and shall include a meeting of delegated, appointed or elected by the chapters in such procedures as may be established by the bylaws. All Christians, and public generally, are welcome to attend our National Conventions, but voting at business sessions shall be confined to authorized delegated. All members of the chapters whose names, addresses, and occupations are filed with the National and who have expresses adherence to the Doctrinal Statements, are members of the National. In the main, it is intended that National Conventions shall have the powers exercised by the Early Church in the councils of Jerusalem, Nicea, Constantinople and Chalcedon, and such other powers as may be conferred by the Constitution and Bylaws. Section 4. Local Chqpters the great work of the entire Fellowship will undoubtedly be done through its Chapters. Following Biblical precedent, the responsibility and authority for all decisions as to projects to be undertaken, as to matters of local discipline and all other purely internal matters is vested in the Chapters, which also are empowered to determine their forms of organization and procedures generally. Local Chapters should, however, welcome and give serious consideration to all recommendations and advice of the Fellowship and its individual members. Next
Article IV
Memberships

Section 1. Membership to the National Board.
It is intended that the initial number of directors shall be nine. The authorized number of directors may be increased or reduced, and vacancies filled as provided by the Bylaws and by amendments thereto, as provided in the General Non Profit Corporation Law of the State of Missouri.

Section 2. Members of the National Board.
Initially, the Directors of the National are also its members. Upon the affiliation of a Chapter, all its members, present and future, whose names, addresses and occupations are filed with the National and who adhere to the ten point doctrinal statement, automatically become members as they see fit, providing they are in harmony with the Constitution.

Section 3. Memberships of Chapters.
The Chapters themselves may provide their own methods of electing or appointing their local members, provided, however, that no man shall be eligible to membership in any chapter who does not adhere to the Doctrinal Statement, and the National may prescribe such tests as it may deem proper to assure compliance on the part of Chapters with Section 3, Article I of this Constitution.

Article V
Definitions

As used in this Constitution, and in the Bylaws, the term 'fellowship" means this Corporation. The word "chapter" means any group of men chartered as a Chapter by the fellowship, and the term Business Men's or Business Man shall be liberally interpreted as including men of any secular occupation.

Article VI
Amendments

This Constitution may be amended only as follows: A notice of the proposed amendment shall be mailed to each member of the National Board at least 30 days prior to regular annual meeting of the national board, or a special meeting called for the purpose of considering said amendment and acting thereon. Said notice shall contain c complete copy of the proposed amendment. If two thirds of the total number of National Board members agree in recommending the adoption of the proposed amendment, it shall be submitted to the delegate's next meeting after 30 days prior notice to all chapters, and shall become operative only if it receives the affirmative vote of two thirds of the entire number of affiliated chapters within three months after its submission upon receiving, which, it shall immediately become operative. Next
Article VII
Mandatory Arbitration

In compliance with the Biblical command that Christians should make every effort to live at peace and to resolve disputes with each other in private or within the Christian church ( see Matthew 18:15 20; 1 Corinthians 6:1 8 ), any claim or dispute arising between persons who were members of the fellowship when the claim or dispute arose, or arising between the Fellowship or any of its chapters and a person who was a member when the claim or dispute arose, shall be settled by biblically based mediation and, if necessary, legally binding arbitration in accordance with the Rules of Procedure for Christian Conciliation of the Institute for Christian Conciliation. Judgment upon an arbitration award may be entered in any court otherwise having jurisdiction. The Fellowship, all of its chapters, and all of its members are deemed to agree that the above methods shall be the sole remedy for any such claims or disputes, and expressly waive their right to a file a lawsuit in any civil court against one another for such claims or disputes, except to enforce an arbitration decision.

Article VIII
Indemnification Of Officers And Directors

The Fellowship shall indemnify each officer and director or former officer or director of the Fellowship against liabilities, expenses, counsel fees, and costs in connection with or arising out of any action, suit, proceeding or claim in which he is made a party by reason of any good faith act or omission of the officer or director occurring within the scope of his agency for or employment with the Fellowship.
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