Constitution
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ARTICLE I - Name
The name of this organization shall be: Presbyterian Missionary Union.
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ARTICLE II - Objective
The purpose of Presbyterian Missionary Union shall be to glorify God by obeying Christ’s commission to preach the gospel to every creature and make disciples of all nations in His name. To that end it shall send forth missionaries who are fully committed to the system of reformed doctrine as expressed in the Westminster Confession of Faith and Catechisms of the Presbyterian Church in the USA (1933 form), and who approve of the fundamental principles of Presbyterian Church government. Its purpose shall be to aid and to establish and strengthen indigenous Bible-believing churches, related institutions, and works agreeable to the same doctrinal standards and principles of church government. This Agency shall send forth missionaries who are dedicated to defending the gospel as well as propagating it, and who shall maintain separation from all unscriptural church involvements. Maintaining these standards will provide missionaries a means by which they may more effectively serve God. It will also provide donors a means by which they may be assured that their gifts are supporting individuals and projects which are dedicated to spreading God’s Word according to truly Biblical standards.
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ARTICLE III - Doctrine
The doctrinal position of Presbyterian Missionary Union is that of the Bible as summarized in the Westminster Confession of Faith and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms (as stated in The Constitution of the Bible Presbyterian Church – 1959 edition). This means that among other doctrines:
1. We believe in the verbal, plenary, divine inspiration of the Scriptures in the original languages, their consequent inerrancy and infallibility, and as the Word of God, the supreme and final authority if faith and life.
2. We believe in one God existing in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, co-equal and co-eternal
3. We believe that man was created in the image of God; that the entire human race sinned in Adam as their covenant representative; and that all human beings thereafter are consequently born in a state of sin and with a sinful, totally depraved nature.
4. We believe in the absolute deity and the real but sinless humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ; and that as a man He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
5. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for the sins of those who He elected to salvation from all eternity – a substitutionary, expiatory death; and that all who are thus enabled to come to Him are freely forgiven and justified on the ground of His shed blood and imputed righteousness.
6. We believe in the resurrection of Christ from the dead in the same body in which He was crucified; His ascension into the Heavens; His present work of intercession for those who the Father gave Him; and in His personal and pre-millennial return to earth with all His saints in power and great glory.
7. We believe that individual salvation is not of works, but by grace alone; that it is the effect of the sovereign, irresistible work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration; and that it is received by faith alone, a faith which itself is the gift of God.
8. We believe that all whom God has called to salvation are justified in time, and will assuredly persevere to final glorification in heaven where they will enjoy the Lord forever; on the other hand, those who die outside of Christ will be in conscious torment throughout all eternity.
9. We believe that the church, the mystical body of Christ, includes believers of all ages whom He has redeemed by His blood; and that those who live in this present dispensation of the covenant of grace should assemble themselves together in local churches with others of like-precious faith.
10. We believe that Christ through His Spirit instituted the sacraments of circumcision and the Passover in the old dispensation; and that He personally instituted the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper in this present dispensation of His covenant of grace, the latter to be observed until He comes.
11. We believe in the real spiritual unity in Christ of all the redeemed and in the necessity of maintaining, according to the Word of God, the purity of the visible church in doctrine and life.
12. We believe that it is the primary task of the church in this age to fulfill Christ’s great commission in taking the gospel “to every creature” and making disciples of all nations, training them to be obedient to the “whole counsel of God.”
This doctrinal statement shall never be amended or revoked.
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ARTICLE IV - The Governing Missions Council
Section 1. The Governing Council shall be a self-perpetuating body with members elected in accordance with the provisions of this constitution. It shall consist of not less than twelve and not more than twenty-four members. The majority of the members shall be ministers of the gospel.
The Council shall be divided into three classes with approximately one-third of its members in each class, at least half of the members of each class being ministers of the gospel. The Council shall fill all vacancies caused by the death or resignation or incapacity of any members, such persons serving until the expiration of the terms of those whose places they are taking.
Section 2. The Missions Council shall be responsible to oversee the general operation of the organization; set all policies of operation; recommend priorities of direction; administer all funds; expand the Council and add new officers as needed; appoint field chairmen when necessary; and screen, select, maintain, and supervise all missionary personnel.
Section 3. It shall have power to purchase, acquire, hold, own, lease, mortgage, grant, convey, and transfer real estate and other property, as its purposes may require. It shall also be vested with power to create contracts, special agreements, judgments, other legal documents, and to receive gift annuities, trusts, or gifts of property and possessions of all and any description as may be offered to the organization.
Section 4. The Council, recognizing its cordial relationship to supporting churches and individuals, shall be open and responsive to their inquiries, suggestions, and recommendations.
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ARTICLE V - Government
In order that the spiritual and temporal well being of the work be preserved and the objective of the organization be carried out efficiently, the government shall consist of the following:
Section 1. The Governing Missions Council shall be the ultimate governing body. This Council shall elect from its membership a President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, and other officers such as may be deemed advisable. It shall also elect a Field Representative who need not be a member of the Council.
Section 2. The Executive Committee shall be composed of the President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, and at least two other members of the Council. It shall be empowered to act between meetings of the Council. The Executive Committee shall notify the full Council 7 days in advance of its meetings. This notification will include the agenda and all materials that it deems necessary for their information. It will provide the full council the minutes of the meeting, via e-mail, within 48 hours. Any response of council members must be received by the Field Representative within 7 days or their approval will be assumed. This process shall not apply to election of new (Missions or executive) members, nor to approve of the annual budget, or to amend any governing documents of the organization (including all manuals) which will be decided by the full council at its annual meeting.
The Executive Committee has the power to act unilaterally (without full Council approval) in the event of war or epidemic on a home or foreign field, when foreign government or employer action requires immediate decision concerning a change in location for a missionary, or other immediate emergency situations. Under normal situations, missionaries and the Field Representative should allow for seven (7) days response time from the Executive Committee. In emergency situations, members of the Executive must respond in twelve (12) to twenty-four (24) hours, or their approval is assumed by the Field Representative. The whole Council will be informed as soon as practical, and should review the Executive Committee’s action at the annual meeting.
Section 3. It shall be the right of every member of the Missions Council to attend any meeting of the Executive Committee Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be regarded as Special Meetings in that no item, not listed in the docket and set forth in the notice to all members of the Council, may be considered or decided.
Section 4. Officers.
1. The President shall be the head executive officer of the organization and shall have the normal powers pertaining thereto, including that of presiding over all sessions of the Council. He shall also process all communications to and from Council members concerning the business of the organization except as otherwise provided in this Constitution.
2. The Vice President shall assume full responsibility for the duty of the President if for any reason the President is unable to act in his official capacity. He shall also assist the President in his normal duties whenever possible.
3. The Recording Secretary shall keep accurate records of all Council meetings, such records remaining the property of the organization.
4. The Treasurer shall receive all mission funds referred to him and shall deposit the same in the bank. He shall maintain a detailed account of all deposits, withdrawals, accounts payable and receivable. He shall pay all bills authorized by the Council. He shall also present an independently reviewed financial statement of the year’s accounts.
5. The Field Representative shall work in close cooperation with and under the authority of the President of the Council, shall receive and process all correspondence not otherwise handled by the President, shall interview prospective missionary candidates, shall seek to promote the policies of the Council at home and on the various fields, and shall be the primary means of a liaison between the work on the fields and the Council at home. He should therefore normally have as one of his qualifications missionary experience on the foreign field.
Section 5. Field Stations and a Field Missions shall be organized for each separate country occupied where there are sufficient numbers of missionaries to warrant doing so. The relationship of these bodies to the Board is defined in Article IV of the Constitution, and their various duties specified in the By-Laws.
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ARTICLE VI - Finances
Section 1. The Council, in consultation with the chairman of the Mission (see By-Laws, sec. 11, par. c) will determine what constitutes adequate support for a missionary or missionary family in a given field of service. Each missionary will be responsible for raising his own support; including funds for administration, equipment, and travel expenses; although the Council will aid, wherever possible, in arranging meetings among interested churches and providing other ways of assistance.
Section 2. No missionaries shall be sent or returned to the field without fully pledged support, and missionaries on the field will be expected to maintain home interest and support for their work. The Council will seek to assist the missionaries on the field by keeping their needs before the churches.
Section 3. The operational expenses of the Council shall be supplied by freewill offerings, undesignated gifts, and [currently not practiced – to be reviewed) a percentage from each missionary’s account.
Section 4. The treasurer shall control the expenditures of the Council throughout the year according to the policies set by the Council; he will also present an independently reviewed financial statement of the year’s accounts at the annual meeting of the Council. The treasurer’s report at that time shall be printed and made available for public distribution.
Section 5. If this organization should ever decide to dissolve its corporation, none of the assets remaining after all just obligations have been met may inure to the benefit of any member of the Council, missionary, or person otherwise associated with the organization. All such assets, if any, shall, by decision at a meeting of the Council, be turned over to an organization or organizations which are in harmony with the objective and doctrinal position stated in the constitution of Presbyterian Missionary Union.
Section 6. All contributions, bequests, legacies, devices or transfers as well as all assets of this organization are the responsibility of the Council. Although funds may be raised and received by an individual representative, official, or missionary of the organization, these individuals have no equity in funds raised or received.
Section 7.Missionaries under the Council should strongly encourage supporters to send their contributions through the treasury of the Council. If the missionary directly receives support or donations for approved projects, he must report the same to the treasurer of the Council who will then deduct the same from the next regular check sent to the field. This does not affect gifts clearly marked for “personal” use.
Section 8. All contributions received for the work shall be duly receipted and be eligible for income tax deduction subject to the regulations of the Internal Revenue Service.
Section 9. The Council shall annually adopt a budget to provide for its own administrative operations.
Section 10. No expenditure of Council funds (whether anticipated or actually received by the Council) in excess of an amount equivalent to one month’s salary of the Field Representative shall be made by the Executive Committee or any officer of the Council without prior consent by telephone of a majority of the members of the Council.
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ARTICLE VII - Constitution
Section 1. Council members, at the beginning of each three year term in office, and all missionaries at the beginning of each new term of service, shall sign a copy of the Constitution and By-Laws, by which name this document shall be known, as a declaration that they assent without mental reservation to the doctrinal basis and policies of this Council. Any Council member or missionary finding himself not in accord with this document is expected to withdraw.
Section 2. The Constitution, except for Article III, may be amended only by a seventy-five percent (75%) majority of a full quorum of the Council. Notice of proposed amendments must be given in writing to all Council members sixty days prior to the meeting in which the voting actually takes place. And if said amendment visibly affects any missionaries in the organization, opportunity must be given to these to voice their opinions before it is adopted.
Section 3. This section and Article III of the Constitution are not amendable and are irrevocable.
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