Article 1: Name and Purpose
Section 1: The name of the ministry shall be PRAISE MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL. Any branch organized under said name shall adopt the name of the mother ministry.
Section 2: The PRAISE MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL is organized exclusively for religious, charitable, and to win souls to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
The primary objectives of this Ministry are to:
- Promote the kingdom of God through world evangelization and church plantings.
- To preach, teach, and practice the word of God according to scriptural teachings.
- To make disciples whose lives will reflect Jesus Christ for the advancement of God’s kingdom
- To work alongside with churches for the main purpose of evangelism and mission through songs and Biblical teachings.
- To establish biblical, vocational, and academic institutions that will train men for the furtherance of the Great Commission.
- To feed the hungry, clothe the naked, and to support the needy or disable both physically and spiritually.
- To hold training programs on community development and management.
Article II: Membership
Section 1: Salvation is the requirement for joining the body of Jesus Christ; therefore, every individual wanting to be a member of this church shall go through this process.
Membership is opened to the public without discrimination of race, language, ethnic group, and geographic origin.
All members are expected to abide by the bylaws and constitution of this ministry according to Biblical teaching – such as attending fellowship regularly, voluntary financial contribution in obedient to biblical teaching.
Anyone desiring membership of this ministry shall be required to complete a membership application form, which shall be reviewed by the administration and followed by an interview. The new member’s name shall then be recorded in the ministry membership records. The pastor shall approve all membership, which shall then be turned over to the secretary for record keeping. All new members are required to attend new-members’ classes for ten (10) weeks to enable them learn the basic principles of the Bible and their responsibilities to the church as members.
Article III: Church Discipline
Section 1: Member(s) caught in acts depicting of sinfulness shall be taken into counsel by the deliverance or counseling department for advice and counsel. They shall be suspended from active church leadership activities if the following is exhibited by the individual concerned:
- Mal-practice
- Refusal to adhere to counseling advice
- Constant reputation of previous acts
They shall be allowed to attend regular church services/meetings if this is their first offense. Meanwhile, they shall be ex-communicated from the church if their behavior doesn’t fall in line with acceptable Christian standards, and it is repeated willfully-constantly.
Article IV: Voting Rights
Section 1: All members in good standing with the church and its teachings shall have the right to vote. Secret balloting shall do elections. The committee set up by the pastoral board shall openly count the ballots.
Election committee members shall not be allowed to vote. Such committee as set up shall be dissolved immediately upon the announcement of the election results.
Article V: Annual Meeting
Section 1: Annual meeting date and time shall be set by the Board.
Section 2: Special meeting shall be called or announced by the Board.
Section 3: Notice of meetings shall be given to each board member by mail of by telephone contact not less than four days before the meeting.
Article VI Governance
Section 1: The governance of this church shall be invested in the Pastoral Board who is not amendable to any other ecclesiastical body.
This church recognizes the need of fellowship and cooperation with other churches and Christian organizations for the furtherance of the Gospel worldwide.
The church and its property shall remain evangelical denomination and shall continue to exist perpetually. It shall not be subject to any form of over take by any group.
The PASTORAL BOARD
Section 2: The pastoral board shall be headed by a chairman, and assisted by a co-leadership of the co-chairman. There shall be a secretary to the board and a chaplain. Within the leadership of the board, there shall be a position for financial consultant. The chairman of the board shall appoint the financial consultant. The pastoral board shall be responsible for the over all policy and shall delegate similar responsibility to various committee heads for their day to day administrative purposes. The Pastoral Board shall have up nine, but not less than five members. The Board shall receive no compensation other than reasonable expenses.
Section 3: The Pastoral Board at least shall meet four (4) times annually at an agreed destination and time.
Section 4: Membership to the Pastoral Board shall be taken from the following:
- Pastors
- Evangelists
- One elected from the deacons/deaconesses
- One elected from the congregation
- One of the administrative branches of the church
Membership to the Pastoral Board shall be by nomination from departments and voted to office by 2/3 majority of the congregation.
Section 5: Qualifications of Pastoral Board Members
- Must be born again, baptized, and a member of the church with good spiritual, moral, and financial standing and conduct.
- Must hold the mystery of faith with a clear conscience, ruling his/her children well.
- Must be able to lead a sinner to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ ad understanding the role to salvation as well.
Section 6: The Pastoral shall be led by an ordained minister who is actively involved in the pastoral ministry. The Pastoral Board shall be the highest decision making body of the church. All matters above or beyond the pastor’s control shall be handled by the Pastoral Board.
Section 7: Responsibilities
- The Pastoral Board shall see to it that the ministry function according to plans, purpose, and objectives for which it was established (Article 1, Section 2).
- The pastoral Board shall be responsible to settle all disputes within the church leadership.
- The Pastoral Board shall oversee all activities related to mission, church planting, and issues such as philanthropic/charity.
- The Board shall be responsible to review, analyze, and approve the ministry’s annual budget.
Article VII: committees
Section 1: The Pastoral Board may create committees as needed such as: housing, fund raising, benevolence etc. Such committees shall be accountable to the board.
Section 2: The Pastoral Board shall appoint the chairperson to serve on the Financial Committee. He or she shall work along with two other board members. The Financial Committee shall be responsible for all financial transactions, reviewing fiscal procedures, and shall coordinate fund raising plans. This Committee shall submit annual budget which shall clearly outlined income, expenditure, and balance on hand statement. It shall also be responsible to prepare budget for the church. These records shall be made known to the congregation.
Article VIII: Ordinance
Section 1: Water baptism by emersion shall be administered to members who satisfy the church requirements (Acts 2:37-38; Romans 6:5; Matt. 28:19; Col. 2:12).
REQUIREMENTS
- Candidates must be born again.
- Regular attendance and participation in baptismal
- Candidates must pass the baptismal interview.
Section 2: The Lord’s Supper shall be observed every first Sunday of each month, or when necessary. Salvation is the requirement for the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 11:23-31; 1 Cor. 11:28-30).
Section 3: The church shall administer holy matrimony to believers who may express desire to be married (I Cor. 2:7, Ephesians 5:31).
REQUIREMENT FOR HOLY MATRIMONY
- Both parties must be born again Christians.
- Weddings shall be announced at least a month prior to the date of the wedding.
- Adequate counseling must be received prior to marriage.
- The church leadership shall be informed at least two months before the wedding.
- Other marriages that fall short of the above guidelines may be performed at the discretion of the church leadership.
- Note: We do not encourage divorce, except in an event of a genuine reason as mentioned in scripture or biblical teachings (Mal. 2:16; Matt. 5:31-32; Mark 10:11-12).
Section 4: Infants and little children may be dedicated unto the Lord as requested by their parents and upon approval of the church leadership (Mark 10:13-16).
Section 5: The sick, afflicted, and short-in shall be prayed for, anointed with oil with the laying on of hands (James 5:14; Mark 5:22-23; Acts 19:11-12).
Article IX: Officers
Section 1: Ordained and Licensed Officers
- Pastors and Teachers
- Deacons/Deaconesses
- Evangelists
Section 2: Elected and Appointed Officers:
- Board members Elected
- Administrators Appointed
- Treasurer Appointed
- Secretary Appointed
- Music Director Appointed
- Christian Education Appointed
- Usher Head Appointed
- Children’s Church Director Appointed
- Youth Director Appointed
- Women Director Appointed
- Men Director Appointed
- Evangelism Director Appointed
- Intercessory Ministry Dir. Appointed
- Mission Coordinator Appointed
Section 3: General Qualification/Requirements of Officers:
- All officers shall be members of the church in good spiritual and moral standing.
- Any officer who for the period of six months failed to perform the duties assigned to his or her office shall forfeit said office. The church has the authority to remove from office any leader whose live style has the evidence of both present and future and future disgrace to the body of Christ.
- Registration of officers shall be done in writing to the church and shall be effective on the date specified on the registration letter.
- All documents/property of the church shall be turned over by any officer leaving office either voluntarily or by termination. This shall be done within three working days from date of said action.
Section 4: Requirements and Duties of the Pastor (I Timothy 3:1-11, Eph 4:11)
- A man called of God to the ministry
- A man of spiritual leadership, honesty, discipline, holy life, with proper and well-ordered family
- A man with formal or informal ministerial training
- His duties shall be to preach the word of God, to reprove, rebuke, and exalt God with long suffering.
- Administer ordinance such as wedding, communion, funerals, and dedication.
- Chair all church meetings (annual, quarterly, and specially called).
- Visit and pray for the sick, elderly, widow, strangers, and members.
Section 5: Pastor’s Expectation from the Church:
- To receive support and cooperation from the members
- Be provided a place to live and stipends sufficient to meet the needs as determined by the church.
- Training when necessary, funds to attend conferences that will bring growth to the church
Section 6: Appointments and Term of Head Pastor and Pastor
- Shall be nominated by the pastoral board and voted into office by 2/3 majority of registered members present.
- He shall serve an unlimited time until at such time the board in agreement with the membership of the church finds genuine reasons to remove him.
- He shall be entitled to an annual vacation of thirty days in consultation with the board and church leadership.
- The head pastor shall be in charge of the church, and shall dedicate responsibility to various auxiliaries in the church and make sure that they are implemented.
Section 7: Deacons/Deaconesses (Timothy 3:8; Acts 6:2-6; I Timothy 3:2l Phil. 1:1; I Timothy 3:10)
- The appointment as a deacon/deaconess shall be done by the pastor in consultation with his leaders, and presented to the congregation.
- They shall be mature in the faith, good character in their homes, the community, and be filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom.
- They shall retain their office by moral, spiritual dedication to the Lord Jesus Christ, and the church.
Section 8: Administration
- Shall be headed by the church administrator who shall supervise all administrative personnel (secretary, treasurer, financial secretary etc.) and administrative matters of the church.
Section 9: Recording/Financial Secretary:
- Shall record and keep the minutes of all church meetings and conferences.
- Shall take care of correspondence, reports, and church documents. A turn over of office to the pastor is required in an event of resignation or termination.
- Assist the treasurer in all financial matters pertaining to the church.
Section 10: Training Director
- Shall plan, supervise, coordinate, and implement all aspects of Christian education for the church.
Section 11: Head Usher
- Shall minister to those attending service and receive offering.
- Shall turn over all money collected to the treasurer and shall keep accurate record of all collections and attendances.
Section 12: Men Leader
- Shall chair men meetings, encourage them to fellowship, and shall design programs to build young men for the Lord’s work.
- Shall coordinate and represent the men department in matters concerning the church.
Section 13: Women Leader
- Shall chair women meetings, encourage them to fellowship, and shall design programs to build young women for the Lord’s work.
- Shall coordinate and represent the women department in matters concerning the church.
Section 14: Music Director
- Shall be general overseer and shall provide supervision for, and promote the choir.
Section 15: Evangelism Director
- Shall plan, coordinate, and supervise evangelistic work of the ministry.
- Shall plan training programs that will reproduce men to win souls for Jesus Christ.
Section 16: Mission Director/Coordinator
- Shall plan and coordinate all mission activities.
Article X: Finance
Section 1: All members are expected to pay tithes, give offering, and make contributions willingly when the need arises. The ministry may at any time ask members to make contributions for programs that may be on hand.
Section 2: Financial report shall be made every first weekend for the previous month. This report shall reflect income, expenditure, and balance on hand.
Article XI: Amendments
Section 1: These by-laws may be amended when necessary by a 2/3 majority of the pastoral board. Proposed amendments must be submitted to the secretary to be sent out with regular board meeting.
CERTIFICATION OF SECRETARY
I Noral Johnnie Cogburn Hereby certify that the foregoing document comprising of 25 pages constitute the by-laws of the Praise Ministries International, and that these by-laws were dully adopted at a pastoral board meeting, and that I am the dully elected secretary of the Ministry.
Contacts
Rev. Jallah Y. Koiyan
General Overseer/Founder
6700-3 Elgywood Lane
Charlotte, NC 28213
Email: jallah.11@netzero.com
Cell: 704-780-3110
Monrovia, Liberia
Cell: 0770351113
Bro. Saah F. Kanda
General Coordinator
Praise Ministries International
6702-3 Elgywood Lane
Charlotte, NC 28213
Email: ksaah56@yahoo.com
Cell: 704-238-3549
U. S. A
Pastor Timothy Sawyer
Head Pastor
Police Academy Road
Monrovia, Liberia
Cell: 0886721912
Email: praiseassemblyofpmi@yahoo.com
Cell: (231)-561-2685
Rev. J. Saylay Singbae
Spiritual Advisor
3252 Tubman Boulevard
Monrovia, Liberia
Email: jsingbae@yahoo.com
Cell: (231)-647-6355
PRAISE MINISTRIES INTERNATIONAL 