By-Laws

BY-LAWS OF

MINNESOTA BAPTIST ASSOCIATION MINNESOTA ASSOCIATION OF BAPTIST CHURCHES I FISCAL YEAR The fiscal year of the Association shall begin May first and close April thirtieth of each year.

II DUTIES OF OFFICERS The President, and in his absence, the Vice-President, shall preside at all meetings of the Association and of the Board of Trustees, and perform such duties as usually pertain to the office of president.

The Recording Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of the Association and of the Board of Trustees. He shall keep a complete file of Association annuals. These files and records shall be kept at the home office, unless otherwise directed by the State Missionary.

The Treasurer shall receive all funds of the Association. He shall disburse and administer all current funds upon the order of the State Missionary, or, in his absence, the President, as duly authorized by the Board of Trustees. Investment of funds shall be made by him upon the order of the Finance Committee, as authorized by the Board of Trustees and an annual report, duly audited, to the Messengers.

The State Missionary, under the direction of the Board of Trustees, shall be the executive officer of the Association and shall: Devote himself to all ministries of the Association in both the administration and the accomplishment of the stated purposes of the Association.

Be responsible for the disposition of all the legal and documentary requirements of the Association.

Arrange the agenda for the Board of Trustee meetings for their adoption.

All satisfactions of mortgages held by the Association shall be executed by the President, or the Vice-President, and the Treasurer. All other instruments in writing, necessary or proper to be made in behalf of the Association in the usual course of business shall be executed by the President or the Vice-President and the Recording Secretary.

III THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Board of Trustees, eleven (11) of whom shall be a quorum, shall hold all the property of the Association, transact all business entrusted to it by the Association, and such other business as may be necessary from time to time, and shall make a written report at each Annual Meeting.

In accordance with the Object and Purpose of the Association, the Board shall promote and oversee any and all state mission enterprises fiscally supported by the Association.

The Board shall be authorized to employ a State Missionary.

The Board shall have the authority to appoint such assistants to the officers of the Association as in its judgment may be at any time necessary, or desirable.

It shall meet as soon as practicable after the adjournment of the Annual Meeting, shall hold one meeting in the first quarter of the calendar year and one meeting at the Annual Meeting of the Association, the date in each case to be set by the Executive Committee.

Special meetings of the Board may be called by the President and shall be called by him upon the written request of five Trustees.

Notice of all regular and special meetings shall be communicated to each member of the Board by the Recording Secretary at least four days before said meeting is to be held.

Should the time or place of any Annual Meeting of the Association be changed by this Board, as provided in the Articles of Incorporation, written notice thereof shall be mailed by the Recording Secretary to each contributing church, at least one month before the time appointed for such meeting.

IV COMMITTEES The President shall, by virtue of office, be ex-officio members of all Standing Committees with full privilege of discussion and vote, unless otherwise directed. The State Missionary shall, by virtue of office, be ex-officio members of all Standing Committees with full privilege of discussion, unless otherwise directed.

No person, or committee, shall involve the Association in financial responsibility without due authorization.

A. STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE ASSOCIATION All Standing Committee members of the Association shall be nominated by the Board of Trustees with additional nominations from the floor and elected by the Messengers to serve for the next annual meeting, unless otherwise ordered.

All members of Committees shall be members of such churches as are entitled to accredited messengers.

The President shall have authority to nominate a person, or persons, to fill any vacancies which may occur in any Committee. These nominations shall be subject to confirmation by the Board of Trustees.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE: This Committee shall consist of eight (8) members elected at the previous Annual Meeting. This Committee shall elect its own Chairman.

It shall be the duty of this Committee to nominate a President, a Vice-President, a Recording Secretary, a Treasurer, for three years, seven (7) members of the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota Baptist Association, and six (6) members of the Board of Trustees of Pillsbury Baptist Bible College. For the MBA Board of Trustees, this committee shall endeavor to provide adequate representation from various geographical locations of the state.

No Officer of the Association shall simultaneously hold a seat-at-large among the general Board of Trustees of the MBA. If an individual, who is a current member of the board-at-large, is elected to an Officer level position, then that person must relinquish his current seat among the board-at-large. Upon completion of their term, exiting Officers cannot reclaim their previous seat among the board-at-large, but rather must submit to the nomination process for a new seat among the Board of Trustees.

Pillsbury Trustees having served three complete consecutive terms (9 years) shall be eligible for re-election only after the elapse of one year. No employee of Pillsbury Baptist Bible College may hold the office of Trustee of Pillsbury Baptist Bible College. In case of vacancies of any of the

above Boards or offices, the Committee shall have authority to nominate candidates to fill such vacancies at the annual meeting.

This Committee shall present its report to the Messengers in printed form, and this report plus any additional nominations from the floor shall be used to prepare the election ballot. This ballot shall be used for the purpose of electing all officers and trustees.

No person shall be considered elected as President, Vice-President, Secretary or Treasurer with less than a majority of the total votes cast.

RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE: This Committee shall be constituted in the same manner as the Nominating Committee. All resolutions proposed for adoption by the Association shall be referred to this Committee, and presented to the Board of Trustees for suggestions before being voted upon by the Messengers.

B. STANDING COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES The Committees, unless otherwise provided, shall be answerable to the Board of Trustees. They shall be appointed at its first regular meeting after the Annual Meeting of the Association.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: This Committee, four of whom shall be a quorum, shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, State Missionary, and three (3) other members of the Board of Trustees, appointed yearly by the Board from each year’s class of Trustees. It shall transact such business as may be referred to it by the Board. It shall employ temporary workers as needed. This Committee shall have authority to decide any question as to publications of the Minnesota Baptist Association, which may be referred to it by the State Missionary.

FINANCE COMMITTEE: This committee shall consist of five members appointed by the Board of Trustees, of which the Treasurer shall be one. It shall be charged with the investment and administration of all funds other than current funds, subject to the general direction and supervision of the Board of Trustees. Unless otherwise ordered by this Board, all loans made by the Association shall be administered by the Finance Committee. It shall negotiate loans for and in behalf of the Association. In conjunction with the President and State Missionary it shall transact such business as may be referred to it by the Board; it shall, before the close of each fiscal year, prepare and present to the Board of Trustees for approval an operating expense budget of the Association for the next fiscal year, and shall make such recommendations to the Board as it may deem best.

ANNUAL MEETING COMMITTEE: This Committee shall consist of the Chairman appointed by the President, the Finance Committee chairman, and two (2) members appointed by the Board of Trustees. Its duties shall be: 1. to prepare and move the adoption of an agenda and a proposed program for the Annual Meeting.

2. to arrange for the registration of all Messengers to each Annual Meeting, certifying the credentials of each Messenger’s election by his/her local church and the personal agreement of each Messenger with the Confession of Faith of this Association, The decision of the Committee concerning Messenger qualification shall be considered final unless reversed by action of the Messengers.

3. to supervise any exhibits, arrange rooms for committee meetings and perform other duties necessary to the operation of the Annual Meeting.

4. to recommend the date and place of the next Annual Meeting.

V CONDUCT OF ANNUAL MEETING Each session of the Association shall open and close with appropriate devotional exercises, and all care shall be taken to promote spirituality during its sessions.

Visiting brethren may be invited to a seat and may be granted the privilege of speaking at the discretion of the presiding officer, but not of voting. No person shall speak longer than ten minutes, or more than twice, on any motion, unless ordered by vote of three-fourths of the Messengers present. It shall be the duty of the presiding officer to enforce the above limit in all cases.

The proceedings of the Association shall be regulated by the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, except as otherwise ordered.

The Board of Trustees shall have authority to provide for a registration fee to be paid at the Annual Meeting of the Association.

VI AMENDMENTS These By-Laws may be amended at any Annual Meeting of the Association by concurrence of two-thirds of the registered Messengers.

Last Amended August 7th, 2003