Salem Association of Baptists Beliefs

We adhere to the beliefs of the Southern Baptist Convention. Additionally, we believe that the association exists to help, not control the member churches. Being part of the association, churches are able to combine efforts and resources to reach more people more effectively. This permits them to use what they have been given to a greater extent. Below are the Constitution and the By-Laws of the association.

Salem Association Constitution

This Association shall be called the Salem Association of Baptists.
The object of this Association shall be the spread of the gospel at home and abroad, the harmony and efficiency of the churches and the education of youth under Christian influences.
This Association shall consist of messengers from the associated churches not to exceed two from each church of fifty members or less, and one messenger for each additional fifty members or fraction thereof.
The officers shall be moderator and assistant moderator, clerk-secretary and assistant clerk, whose duties shall be usual to such officers, to be elected at the Annual Meeting by a majority vote and to hold office until their successors are elected, except for the clerk-secretary who will be employed by the Executive Committee of the Association.
This Association shall meet annually according to adjournment.
While this Association disclaims any ecclesiastical jurisdiction over its constituent churches, it may withdraw its fellowship from any church whose teachings and practices are at variance with the articles of faith and practice of said church when it was admitted, and so long as it maintains an attitude of Christian harmony and fellowship with her sister churches in keeping with article 2.
Any church in presentation of its articles of faith and practice shall be admitted only by three-fourths majority vote and any church failing to send messengers or letters two consecutive years shall be dropped form the Association, but only after adequate efforts to renew the church to active participation have been extended.
While recognizing no organic union between Baptist bodies, this Association shall affiliate with the Kentucky Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist Convention in their denominational work.
This Constitution may be amended by a majority of two-thirds voting in favor of an amendment proposed at, accepted by, and printed in the Minutes of the previous Annual Associational Meeting.

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Salem Association By-Laws

The moderator shall call the Annual Meeting to order, or in his absence, the designated assistant moderator; and in case of the absence or incapacitation of both moderator and assistant, a member of the Executive Committee shall be appointed either by the moderator or the assistant moderator. He, the Executive Committee member shall serve until such time as the moderator shall be elected by the Association in session.
Persons invited to seats in this Association shall have the privilege of speaking but not voting.
Every attending pastor and duly elected executive board member of participating churches in this Association shall have voting privileges in its annual or called meetings.
Each messenger shall register with the clerk, and the Association may provide identification for the messengers in order that they may be readily distinguished when voting.
Rules of order and parliamentary procedures for this Association shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order. The moderator shall appoint a parliamentarian to assist him.
The Association shall maintain an Executive Committee consisting of: the pastor and one member from each church, or their alternate; the Associational officers; moderator; assistant moderator, clerk-secretary, assistant clerk, treasurer, state executive board member, trustee chairman, youth director, Camp Salem director, athletic director, and Deacon consultant; the organization leaders of the Association; namely, Sunday School director, Church training director, WMU director, Brotherhood director, and Music director, who shall serve from annual meeting to annual meeting of the Association.
The duties of the Executive Committee shall be as follows:
a. To act for the Association in interim
b. To carry out the program of the Association
  (1) hire needed personnel, including the clerk-secretary of the   Association
  (2) appoint committees needed to cover in By-Law 10
  (3) receive and distribute funds for use within the Association and   other benevolent causes supported by Kentucky Baptists
  (4) new projects must be brought before the annual meeting or at a   special called meeting.
c. This Executive Committee shall meet quarterly.
These rules may be altered or amended at any annual meeting by a majority vote of the members present.
Officers and standing committees shall be nominated by the Nominating Committee and elected by the Association. The only exception to this is the Nominating Committee. The standing committees shall include: The Missions Committee, Evangelism Committee, Stewardship Committee, Audit Committee, Budget Committee, Historical Committee, Time and Place Committee, Camp Salem Committee, Nominating Committee, Program Committee, Youth Committee, Athletic Committee, Resolutions Committee, and Public Affairs and Christian Life Committee. All these shall be elected for one year. The moderator shall be limited to three years in office. The Nominating Committee shall serve for three (3) years with one committee member being appointed each year by the Moderator.
No person may hold office in the Association either as an elected officer or as a member of a committee or of the Executive Committee, who is not a member in good and regular standing of one of the cooperating Baptist churches.
The Association shall maintain a Committee of Trustees consisting of five members. Each trustee will serve five consecutive years. This committee will be set up on a rotation system, with the nominating committee nominating one new trustee per year for approval at the Annual Association meeting.
The Association shall have a personnel committee to facilitate the handling of paid personnel of the Association. This committee shall consist of the following: Moderator, Treasurer, and a member-at-large to be nominated by the Associational nominating committee. This committee will recommend personnel to fill vacancies when needed to the Executive Committee. The personnel committee will not have the authority to hire personnel as this is the duty of the Executive Committee.

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