1. The basic tenets of all churches, affiliated or co-operating with this corporation, shall be the following:
- A. Advocation of temperance in every action of the church and individual.
B. Total absence of narcotics, alcohol and every other habit forming substance.
C. Advocation of a system of tithing for the church.
D. Advocation of modesty by the individual in all things.
E. Teaching and preaching of all of the Heavenly attributes and Christian virtues while resisting the temptation of worldly gains and material goods.
2. The membership of this corporation shall consist of the adult membership of all affiliated churches and the preachers of all co-operating churches.
3. Affiliated churches are those church organizations which deed their property, both real and personal, this corporation’s Board of Trustees and submit themselves to the authority of said Board in consideration for being granted membership in this corporation.
4. Co-operative churches of those churches whose preachers are granted membership in the corporation and are licensed by the corporation in consideration for which they agreed to aid the expansion of the corporation for the purpose of furthering the Kingdom of Heaven.
5. There shall be an annual meeting of the corporation within the first four months of the year. The Board of Trustees shall select the date and the time. Notice of said meetings shall be announced from the pulpits of every member church and by posting notices in at least two public places ten days preceding said meeting.
6. By-laws of this corporation may be amended by a majority vote of the Board of Trustees.
7. The Board of Trustees shall elect a chairman, secretary and treasurer from the members elected to said Board.
8. The nominating committee of this corporation shall consist of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees and two other members of this corporation selected by the Board of Trustees.
9. A majority of the Board of Trustees shall constitute a quorum. If any vacancies occur on the Board due to death or resignation, the remaining members of said Board shall fill the vacancy by electing one of the candidates nominated by the Nominating Committee for the remainder of the retiring member’s term.
10. Preachers desiring to be licensed by the corporation must be nominated by the licensed preachers and approved by the Board of Trustees. Appointment of preachers to particular congregations must follow the same procedure, taking into consideration the feelings and desires of the particular congregation concerned.
- A. A duly licensed preacher may have his license revoked for failing to discharge his responsibilities in a manner befitting his position. This shall mean any immoral or illegal conduct. In order for said revocation to take place, a hearing must be granted to the preacher so charged by the Board of Trustees and the remaining licensed preachers sitting as a body and three-fourths of this body must approve the revocation.
11. In financial and property matters, the Board of Trustees is the governing body and their directions in this regard are binding upon all the members of the corporation.
12. Any single expenditure by an affiliated church exceeding $100.00 must be authorized by the Board of Trustees of this corporation.
13. The fiscal year of this corporation shall end each December 31st.
14. Any two members of the Board of Trustees, after notifying the remaining member of the Board may call a special meeting of the corporation.
15. The chairman of the Board of this corporation shall carry out all orders of the Board of Trustees.
16. The secretary shall certify all elections of the Trustees of this corporation.
17. The treasurer shall make out annual reports and file them with the Secretary of State of Indiana.
18. The principal office of this corporation shall be the Church on the corner of 15th and North New Jersey Streets, Indianapolis, Indiana.
19. Every member of this corporation must agree to abide by and support the Board of Trustees, the by-laws and articles of incorporation of this corporation.
20. It shall be the duty of every member church to contribute to the support and maintenance of this corporation as the Board of Trustees may direct. The Board of Trustees may not levy an amount greater than 10% of the individual affiliated churches’ total contributions in any one year or an amount greater than that provided for in contracts with co-operative member churches.
21. Every new member church must pay an initial membership fee of $100.00 to the corporation.
The organization of the local member churches of this corporation shall include the following:
1. The pastor of the local church shall be both the spiritual and lay head of the church.
- A. He shall be chairman of the Board of Overseers.
B. He shall be a member of the nominating committee of the local church together with two representatives of the mother church corporation.
C. He shall be an ex-officio member of all the local churches’ committees.
2. The Board of Overseers shall be composed of not less than three nor more than twelve members of the church, including the pastor.
- A. The Board of Overseers shall have the power to pass on all single expenditures of the local church exceeding $100.00.
B. They shall also have the power and duty to make the local churches by-laws so long as they are in accordance with the by-laws and articles of the mother church corporation.
C. The Board of Overseers shall be elected by the members of the church from those nominated by the nominating committee.
3. The local churches shall have a sufficient number of Deacons and Deaconesses to have charge of the late programs of the local church, including the repair and upkeep of the property of the church.
- A. The foregoing will be nominated by the members of the Nominating Committee from among the membership of the church.
B. A majority of the foregoing must approve of any expenditures made by them on behalf of the church, and any single expenditure in excess of $100.00 must also be approved of by the Board of Overseers.
4. The local churches shall have a sufficient number of Elders and Church Mothers to care for the spiritual and witnessing needs of the church.
- A. The foregoing will be named by the members of the Nominating Committee from among the membership of the church.
B. This group shall be charged with duty of church services, choir arrangements, witnessing and any other spiritual duty required of them by their pastor.
5. Every local member church shall have a Nominating Committee consisting of three members.
- A. The pastor of the local church so long as he remains the pastor of said church.
B. Two members to be selected by the Board of Trustees of the mother church corporation, i.e., Wings of Deliverance, Inc.