Revisions made in September 2010
Revisions made in September 2020

ARTICLE I: Name

The name of this organization shall be The FELLOWSHIP OF MISSIONS.

ARTICLE II: Purpose

The PURPOSE of FOM is to provide collaborative interaction among member mission agencies for mutual accountability, personal and ministry development, and encouragement.

• Accountability involves qualifying for membership in a forum of like-minded mission agencies, reaffirming our shared convictions and reporting on ministry outreach.
• Ministry Development seeks continuous improvement in personal and corporate effectiveness, spiritual vitality, and resources for remaining current on theological and methodological issues.
• Encouragement is found in fellowship among like-minded mission leaders, challenging preaching and teaching, and the sharing of resource information, at an annual forum and other venues.

ARTICLE III: Doctrinal Statement

We believe:

1. The plenary, verbal, divine inspiration of the Scriptures, consisting of the 39 Old Testament and 27 New Testament books in the original languages, their consequent inerrancy and infallibility and—as the Word of God—the supreme and final authority in faith and life:
2. The Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the Sovereign Creator, Sustainer, and Ruler of the universe:
3. The essential absolute, eternal deity and the real but sinless-humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ;
4. His birth of the Virgin Mary;
5. His substitutionary, expiatory death:
6. His resurrection from among the dead in the same body in which He was crucified and the bodily return of this same Jesus to the earth in power and great glory to judge the earth and establish His millennial kingdom;
7. That the “blessed hope” of the Christian is the personal, premillennial, pretribulational, and imminent coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to gather the Church which is His body unto Him;
8. That the Holy Spirit enters, seals and baptizes one the moment he is born into the family of God through faith in Jesus Christ, and that He endues, guides, teaches, sanctifies, and empowers the believer; that the sign gifts have ceased with the completion of the canon.
9. Salvation, the effect of regeneration by the Spirit and the Word, not by works but by grace through faith in the shed blood of Christ, eternally secured.
10. The abiding presence and ministry of the Holy Spirit in each regenerate life:
11. The everlasting bliss of the saved in heaven and the everlasting suffering of the lost in the lake of fire;
12. The real, spiritual unity in Christ of all who are redeemed by His precious blood:
13. The necessity of maintaining, according to the Word of God, purity of the Church in doctrine and life:
14. The obligation of obedience to the command of Christ to evangelize the world and to establish local churches, baptizing believers by immersion, and observing the Lord’s Table.

ARTICLE IV: Membership

1. Members.
   Voting power in this organization shall be held by each missionary board and agency which has accepted the constitution, has signed the doctrinal statement of Fellowship of Missions, has been received into membership, and to maintain voting privileges, every member agency shall meet the following standards:

1. 1. Every member agency shall give assurance that it sustains no relation to any organization whose doctrines or practices are contrary to those declared in this constitution.
   2. Be a legally constituted organization.
   3. Notify FOM immediately of any changes to its doctrinal statement and/or constitution.
   4. Furnish an annual summary of their fields of ministry and the number of personnel appointed there.
   5. Send at least one delegate to the annual meeting.
   6. Contribute to the financial support of the Fellowship of Missions in accordance with the shared funding schedule.

ARTICLE: V   Voting Representation [formerly Art. VII]

1. Each member body is entitled to one voting representative. Bodies having more than one hundred missionaries are entitled to one vote for each one hundred missionaries or fraction thereof. No agency shall have more than five votes.
2. Applications. Official application forms and other required documents shall be reviewed by the Executive Committee, which shall present qualified applicants to an annual meeting. Final acceptance shall be by a three-fourths majority of those present.
3. Termination. Termination of membership by agencies may be effected in the following ways:

1. By voluntary withdrawal, upon receipt of written notice.
2. By recommendation of the Executive Committee to an annual meeting, should an agency fail to comply with the regular requirements of membership for two consecutive years. Final removal shall be by a three-fourths majority of those present.
3. By recommendation of the Executive Committee to an annual meeting, for any proved action or position which is contrary to the doctrines and practices of Fellowship of Missions. Reasonable notice and opportunity for defense shall be furnished to the affected agency. Final removal shall be by a three-fourths majority of those present.

ARTICLE VI: Organization

1. The Officers
   Officers shall be chairman, vice-chairman, recording secretary, and treasurer. Each officer shall be from a member mission. Duties of these officers shall be those usually incumbent upon their respective offices.
2. The Executive Committee
   The Executive Committee shall consist of the elected officers of the Fellowship and the president, plus two members-at-large. This committee shall have full power to act for the Fellowship between regular meetings. Its decisions are subject to approval at the next annual meeting. The Executive Committee shall serve as the credentials committee, and shall submit an annual budget for approval by the membership.
3. The President
   The president, who must be recommended by a member agency, shall serve as the chief executive officer for an indeterminate term until retirement, resignation, or removal. He shall serve as a member of the Executive Committee, to which he shall be directly responsible. He shall be an ex-officio member of all other committees.
4. Additional Personnel
   The Executive Committee may secure such additional personnel as deemed necessary.

ARTICLE VII: Meetings

The organization shall convene an annual meeting at a time and place set by the Executive Committee. Special meetings may be called by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VIII: Election of Officers and Committees

1. Officers shall be elected at the annual meeting. Vacancies may be filled by the Executive Committee. Committees shall be appointed by the chairman.
2. The terms of officers and committees shall be for one year. At the annual meeting, a nominating committee of three shall be appointed.

ARTICLE IX: Limitation of Personal Liability of Directors, Indemnification of Directors, Officers, and Authorized Representatives

Limitation of Personal Liability of Directors.

A director of the corporation shall not be personally liable for monetary damages as such for any action taken, or any failure to take any action, unless:

(a) The director has breached or failed to perform the duties of his or her office as defined in this Constitution, and

(b) The breach of failure to perform constitutes self-dealing, willful misconduct or recklessness.

The provision of this Section shall not apply to:

(a) The responsibility or liability of a director pursuant to any criminal statute; or

(b) The liability of a director for the payment of taxes pursuant to local, state, or federal law.

ARTICLE X: Dissolution of the Fellowship

Upon the dissolution of the corporation, assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or corresponding section of any future federal tax code. Its property and assets shall be applied first to its just debts and expenses and the expenses involved in closing its affairs, and, secondly, the residue of the property and assets shall be divided among the Fellowship’s qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations.

Article XII: Amendments

This constitution may be amended at any annual meeting by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting. Four months’ notice of any proposed amendment shall be given in writing to enable each mission to consider the proposed amendment.

The Word of God

We believe in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, inerrant, infallible, and authoritative. Loyalty to Christ and to the Word of God cannot be sacrificed or compromised at any time or for any reason. This has been our rationale for existence since our formation in 1969.

Personal Evangelism

We believe it is the duty of all true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ to give a clear testimony of their faith in Him in these darkening days of apostasy.

Global Partnership

We believe the times demand the existence of a world-wide mission organization for fellowship and cooperation consisting of like-minded mission agencies for the proclamation and defense of the gospel.

Accountability

We believe that we can encourage one another, edify one another, be accountable to one another and together make a greater impact in declaring the Gospel of Christ to every kindred, tongue, tribe and nation.

Cooperation

The Fellowship of Missions does not engage in any cooperative efforts with liberals, cults, Roman Catholicism, charismatic’s, or with those who choose to do so.

The History of Fellowship of Missions

Officially organized as the Fellowship of Missions in 1969, FOM initially had its mainspring as far back as the first quarter of the 20th century when liberalism infiltrated many biblically sound denominations and mission agencies. During those years of the Modernist-Fundamentalist debates, many gospel-preaching churches left their liberal infested denominations and formed various church associations and mission agencies that were markedly defined as “fundamentalist.” Deep biblical convictions inhibited them from aligning with a movement that had separated itself from the fundamentals of the faith such as the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ; the virgin birth; the blood atonement; the bodily resurrection and the inerrancy of the Scriptures.

During the next half century, especially in the post-World War II era, “evangelicalism” developed as a less separatist offshoot of fundamentalism, with some Foreign Mission Associations accepting Pentecostal and charismatic-oriented mission agencies. It was during this era that the distinctly separatist missions sought a forum for mutual encouragement and dealing with common problems. The World Council of Churches had also come into existence representing the “liberal” wing of theology.

During the 50’s and 60’s many godly mission leaders sought to find a place of common ground for fundamental, separatist mission agencies whereby there could be a camaraderie in fellowship, accountability and encouragement to each other in declaring the Gospel of Jesus Christ among the nations. In the spring of 1969, informal meetings of mission agency heads and administrators were called together to discuss the possibility of establishing such an organization. In September, 1969, an official meeting declared the Fellowship of Missions into existence with a charter membership consisting of eight mission agencies.

God has had His hand upon this ministry over the years and today twenty-five like-minded mission agencies representing some 2,000 missionaries serving on all six continents are partnering with the Fellowship of Missions. They participate together in learning, keeping abreast of global mission happenings and interacting with each other through annual CEO Retreats and Conferences. The goal of FOM is to remain faithful to God’s Word and the Great Commission, under His authority and with His presence, even unto the end of the age (Matthew 28:18-20).