Introduction. An organization’s Articles of Incorporation are legal documents that establish a corporation as a legal entity and set out its basic structure and purpose. The purpose of Articles of Incorporation is to create a formal record of the organization’s formation and to define its essential characteristics. The Articles of Incorporation also outline the rules and regulations for the management of the organization, including the roles and responsibilities of its directors and officers, and the procedures for calling meetings and making important business decisions. These are the Articles of Incorporation for Hope Christian Fellowship.
Article I. The objects and purposes for which this corporation is formed are to preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, to establish churches, Bible schools for the training of those desiring to do the work of the ministry, to establish Christian elementary and secondary schools to train children in a Christian environment with Christian curriculum, to establish outreach programs and to send ministers to any and all parts of the earth, to maintain charitable institutions for persons in need of the necessary provisions of life or the Word of God, and to present the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ by printed page, moving picture, television, radio and any other means deemed advisable by the Board of Directors of this corporation herein described. The corporation shall be empowered to ordain its church members into the offices of the Body of Christ, including the offices of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher, as well as to the offices of elders and deacons of the particular congregation. Moreover, this corporation shall be empowered to perform marriage ceremonies and funeral rites. This corporation is organized exclusively for religious, charitable, and educational purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organization under Sec. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provisions of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).
Article II. In order to carry out and affect the objects and purposes for which it is formed, this corporation shall have power to purchase or otherwise acquire, own, hold, use, lease, sell, exchange, assign, transfer, mortgage, pledge, or otherwise hold and dispose of and deal in and with real and personal property of every class, description, and nature that the purpose of this corporation may require or shall be deemed advisable by the Board of Directors of this corporation.
Article III. This corporation is one of an eleemosynary (charitable) nature, not organized for the profit or gain of its directors or any other person. The means of financial operation shall be freewill offerings, bequests, devises, and gifts of any nature. Other operations, which shall be commercial operations primarily for the benefit of the congregation, not unrelated to the business of the corporation, may from time to time be established (e.g. coffee shop, bookstore, etc.). Gain from the operation of the corporation will be utilized for the accomplishment of the objects and purposes of this corporation.
Article IV. The Board of Directors may extend the transaction of the business of this corporation to any place in the world.
Article V. This corporation shall commence at the time these Articles of Incorporation shall be filed with the Secretary of State in the State of Ohio. The life of this corporation shall be perpetual.
Article VI. The entire membership of the corporation shall consist of the Board of Directors of this corporation. The number of directors of this corporation shall at no time be less than two. All the elders ordained into the body of Christ who have submitted themselves to the authority of the Pastor of this church shall be directors of this corporation, after the unanimous vote of the Board of Directors at an annual or special meeting of the Board of Directors. The bylaws shall fix the number of directors of the corporation, subject to amendment upon the gain or loss of an elder or elders of the church.
Article VII. The affairs of this corporation and its property shall be managed by its officers, consisting of a president, a vice-president, a secretary, and a treasurer, and any other officers deemed necessary by the Board of Directors to carry out the work of the corporation. All offices of the corporation shall be filled by appointment through the unanimous vote of the Board of Directors, at the time and in the manner prescribed in the bylaws. Two or more offices may be held by the same person, except the president shall not also be the secretary. In the event of a dispute concerning corporate or spiritual matters regarding the internal affairs of this corporation, such dispute shall be referred and appealed to the board of elders of a church with similar doctrinal views, governance, and close relationship with Hope Christian Fellowship for resolution rather than a court of law.
Article VIII. The annual meeting of the directors of this corporation shall be held during the month of November of every year. Special meetings shall be held when called by the president of this corporation at the time and in the manner prescribed in the bylaws. A quorum of directors for the transaction of business at the meetings shall be all directors available for call upon notice but shall not be less than the majority of the entire Board of Directors. Failure to hold the annual meeting as prescribed shall not work a dissolution of the corporation. At any meeting called, each director shall have one vote; and there shall be no voting by proxy except as specified in the bylaws.
Article IX. Upon dissolution of this corporation, all assets shall be distributed to an organization organized and operated for one or more of the exempt purposes described in Sec. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954.
Article X. These Articles of Incorporation may be amended at any regular meeting of the corporation by a vote of the entire quorum of the Board of Directors, but not less than two-thirds of the membership of this corporation.