Interested in Membership?

A. The uniting of churches in this Association is a voluntary act similar to the unforced confederation of members into a church. Churches, therefore, may be admitted into this Association through a process of application similar to that which a local church may require of its members. Thus, the requirements for admission to this Association are as follows:

1. A church must formally and fully subscribe (see Appendix #1) to our Confession of Faith, having officially adopted the Confession as the best expression of that church’s doctrinal position; and
2. That church’s pastors/elders/bishops (these terms referring to the same office) must also personally and fully subscribe to our Confession of Faith; and
3. The church and its officers, agreeing with our Constitution, must have officially agreed to join this Association (this decision being made in whatever manner that local church’s government dictates).

B. The procedure for receiving new churches is as follows:

1. A church that is interested in joining this Association ought to make every effort to familiarize itself with this Association. This may include attending stated meetings as guests, reading any history or minutes of past meetings, and asking questions of delegates from existing member churches.
2. A church desiring membership in this Association must apply through a member church, which then must give its recommendation on behalf of the applying church to the Association.
3. This recommending church must then send this application, along with copies of all pertinent documents, to all member churches at least two weeks before the next scheduled meeting. At that meeting, pastor(s) of the applying church must appear before the messengers of the member churches in order to give satisfactory evidence of the church’s and its pastors’ faith, practice, and willingness to support this Association wholeheartedly (see IV. A. 1-3, inclusive).
4. The applying church shall be received into membership by the 3/4 vote of all messengers present and voting.

C. Associate Membership (See Below) 

D. A church retains membership in this Association as long as:

1. It continues to meet the requirements for admission (see IV. A. 1-3, inclusive); and
2. It continues to desire membership in this Association; and
3. It is represented at a minimum of two out of the four stated quarterly meetings of the Association, one of which must be the Annual Meeting of the churches. Failure to attend the meetings in the prescribed manner may indicate a lack of interest and support for the Association, or a providential hindrance from supporting it, and may therefore constitute reason to be excluded.

E. The Association may exclude any church:

1. Which officially or whose pastors personally deviates from the Confession of Faith in a manner indicating that said church or its pastors no longer fully subscribe to the Confession of Faith; or
2. Which officially or whose pastors personally can no longer peacefully support the Association or its Constitution; or
3. Which is not represented by qualified delegates at the requisite number of the Association’s stated meetings (see I. B. and IV. C. 3).

F. Any member Church desiring to withdraw from the Association may do so by submitting a letter of resignation, stating its reason(s).

Contact info@MARBAC.org for more information on applying for Full Membership