Miracle Life Ministries (MLM) was started in 1994 and later, Miracle Life Family Church (MLFC) was established on May 17, 1997 with seventeen members at Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka. Pastor David and Cheryl Newberry were the founding Pastors. The vision of the founding Pastors which carries on today is that it should be an international church for all, a church of great influence that would impact society in an effective way, a Church that would be an example and inspiration to many churches.

The Church is autonomous and maintains the right to govern its own affairs through this Constitution, independent of any denominational control. Recognizing the benefits of cooperation with other churches in world missions, this Church may voluntarily affiliate with any churches or ministries of like precious faith.

3.1 Purpose:

To use the miracle power of God in building strong Christian families and equipping the saints for works of ministry, because people matter.

Strategies

3.1.1 Spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the worship of God among its attendants and practice the Christian virtues inculcated in the Holy Scriptures by any and all means possible.

3.1.2 Ordaining, employing and discharging ordained ministers of the gospel, and others, to conduct and carry on divine services at the place of worship of the Church, and elsewhere, and to collect and disburse any and all necessary funds for the maintenance of said Church and the accomplishment of its purpose within the nation of Zambia and elsewhere.

3.1.3 Educating the body of Christ through any and all educational means deemed appropriate.

3.1.4 Providing adult training through skills development courses, using classroom instruction, utilizing any and all forms of media available and those yet to be developed i.e. radio, television, printed material and electronic and any other form of media that may be developed.

3.2 Vision:

3.2.1 We see a Church of thousands that is healthy, growing and full of love;

3.2.2 We see a Church that is radically intentional and effective to present each person mature in Christ;

3.2.3 We see a Church where large numbers of children and youth are presented with the gospel in a manner that they can understand;

3.2.4 We see a Church where believers are developed through a process into godly leaders who are mature in character, knowledge and skill;

3.2.5 We see a Church whose beautiful and green campus is a bustling hub of kingdom activity;

3.2.6 We see a Church that sets a new Biblical standard on the African continent;

3.2.7 We see a Church whose head is Jesus, whose help is the Holy Spirit and whose focus is the Great Commission.

3.3 Mission Statement:

“Sharing Christ, Maturing Believers, Changing the World”

3.4 Values

3.4.1 Biblical Authority and Instruction: We value the Bible as the inspired, unalterable, unchangeable Word of God. Therefore, we will equip disciples with sound doctrine, always relying on the Bible as our first and final authority. (2 Timothy 3:16- 17, 2 Timothy 4:2)

3.4.2 Excellence: As a Church, we believe that to show value for people is to perform and serve with excellence. Therefore, we will serve with punctuality, quality, sharpness, and accuracy. We also believe that excellence should be extended to an individual level, so as to set a standard and be an example of God’s kingdom to those around you. (Matthew 5:14- 16, 1 Corinthians 10:31- 33, 1 Corinthians 14:40)

3.4.3 Family: We believe that the nuclear family and the Church family are the foundational pillars of a good society. We reflect God’s love and value for people by welcoming them and ministering to them at every stage of their lives. We also have marriage conferences, men’s and women’s events, and Sunday morning sermons designed to build on God’s blueprint of family. (1 Timothy 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Acts 2:44, 46- 47)

3.4.4 Worship: As a Church, we believe in New Testament worship that is not only in the form of singing but also in our giving of tithes and offering, prayer, and communion. For these reasons, we provide opportunities for members to take part in these activities as a family. (2 Corinthians 9:6- 8, Philippians 4:6- 7, 1 Corinthians 11:24- 26)

 3.4.5 Diversity: We believe that God sent His Son Jesus to die for each and every person in the world. Therefore, as an international Church, we open our doors to people of all races, nationalities, age groups, and social classes. (Romans 10:12- 13, Revelation 7:9)

3.4.6 Evangelism and Miracles: We believe that God has commissioned each one of us to bring the Good News to the lost. As a Church we aspire to corporately win people to faith in Christ. Therefore, we will pursue and strategically plan for opportunities to witness for Him. We also believe that God moves in the lives of people with the evidence of signs and wonders, and that the Holy

3.4.7 Leadership and Team Development: We believe that God designed the Church so that members are empowered contributors, each one using his or her gifts and talents for the work of the ministry. We aspire to deliberately coach, teach, train, and mentor members to use their gifts in serving others. (2 Timothy 2:2, 1 Corinthians 12:12)

3.4.8 Personal Responsibility and Service: We believe that your relationship with Jesus is personal, and that God holds each one of us responsible for the part we play in our families, lives, jobs, and ministry. We also believe that mature Christians bear the fruit of service. We are to serve as Jesus modeled service to us. As a Church we aspire to have our members grow in Christ through teaching, so the fruits of their hearts make an impact on the lives of people around them. (Matthew 25:14- 30, Matthew 20:26b- 28)

3.5 Partnerships with Other Organizations:

3.5.1 The Church is amenable to any affiliation to religious, charitable and educational institutions with similar beliefs or sharing common objectives;3.5.2 The Church may accept, hold, invest, reinvest and administer any gifts, legacies, bequests, devises, funds and property of any sort or nature, and to use, expend, or donate the income or principal thereof for, and to devote the same to, the foregoing purposes of the Church;3.5.3 The Church may do any and all lawful acts and things which may be necessary, useful, suitable, or proper for the furtherance of, accomplishment of the purposes of this Church.3.5.4 Long term partnerships shall require approved “Memoranda of Understanding” between the organizations. All activities and affiliations that are performed shall not violate the Laws of Zambia.

3.6 Limitations

The powers of the Church to promote the purposes set out above are limited and restricted in the following manner:

3.6.1 No part of the earnings of the Church shall accrue to the benefit of or be distributable to its trustees, officers or other private persons, except that the Church shall be authorized and empowered to make payments and distributions (including reasonable compensation for services rendered to or for the Church or reimbursement of expenditures) in furtherance of its purposes as set forth in these articles.

3.6.2 No part of the activities of the Church shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or interventions in (including the publication or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.

3.6.3 The Church shall not accept any gift or grant containing conditions which would restrict or violate any of the Church’s religious, charitable or educational purposes or if the gift or grant would require serving a private as opposed to a public interest.

There shall be the following offices recognized at Miracle Life Family Church: Senior Pastor, Pastoral Team, Board of Trustees, Board of Overseers

5.1 Congregation: The congregation shall consist of all members of MLFC. Any member of the congregation can be called upon to assist the Pastoral Team and Board of Trustees in fulfilling the objectives of the Church. The Church members shall contribute to the governance of the Church through consultations by the Office of the Senior Pastor and other leaders of the Church.

5.2 Confidentiality: All persons serving in the offices prescribed shall hold in confidence all information that comes to their attention by virtue of serving in these offices under MLFC.

5.3 Conflict Resolution: Members of MLFC shall at all times resolve any conflicts that may arise in line with Biblical teaching as contained in Matthew 18:15- 17 and shall approach the affected person on a one on one basis and if this does not resolve the conflict, a witness may be called in before escalating the matter to the Church leadership.

5.4 Annual General Meeting (AGM): MLFC shall hold an Annual General Meeting before the expiry of ninety days after the end of the financial year. Only members of MLFC shall be eligible to attend the AGM. The notice for the AGM shall be 21 days communicated by way of announcement in Church and on Church website.

5.5 Extra Ordinary General Meeting (EOGM): The Board of Trustees may convene an Extra Ordinary General meeting for the members of MLFC at any time during the year. Only members of MLFC shall be eligible to attend the Extra Ordinary General Meeting. The notice for the EOGM shall be 7 days communicated by way of announcement in Church and on Church website.

5.6 Common Seal: The MLFC common seal shall be held in safe custody at the registered office of MLFC and shall be used only with the authority of the Board of Trustees.

5.7 Logo: The Miracle Life Family Church logo is a cross in front of the starburst. The star is white in a royal blue setting. This signifies the centrality of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross and the hope and light that His church brings to the world. There are three colors in the logo: The cross is yellow and the star is white in a royal blue setting.

7.1 Purpose: The Pastoral Team shall be made up of men and women called by God and appointed by the Senior Pastors as those who help carry the ministerial responsibilities for MLFC. The Pastoral Team shall be responsible for coordinating and implementing the ministry programs of the Church.

7.2 Qualifications

7.2.1 The qualifications of persons selected for these roles are the Biblically based descriptions of those aspiring for the office of Elders as stipulated in 1 Timothy 3:1- 7 and Titus 1:6- 9

“An elder must be blameless, the husband of one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. Since an elder is entrusted with God’s work, he must be blameless – not overbearing, not quick tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather, he must be hospitable; one who loves what is good, who is self controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he will encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” (Titus 1:6- 9)

7.2.2 Demonstrate the skill sets that are concurrent with the responsibilities of the specific area of ministry required for their function; and

7.2.3 The Pastoral Team shall be responsible for the smooth running of the Church and implementation of policies as formulated by the Office of the Senior Pastor and Board of Trustees.

7.3 Selection: Members of the Pastoral Team shall be recruited by the Office of the Senior Pastor.

7.4 Functions: The Pastoral Team shall be responsible to the Office of the Senior Pastor and assigned with the oversight of the spiritual life of the Church by providing leadership and direction that ensures the fulfillment of the vision, mission and values.

7.5 Removal: Any member of the Pastoral Team may be removed from the team and dismissed from employment under the following circumstances:

7.5.1 When they along with the Senior Pastors determine God is calling them to transition to another area of ministry;

7.5.2 Not performing to the requirements of their contracted responsibilities;

7.5.3 Questionable moral conduct such as illicit sexual activities;

7.5.4 Questionable practices such as theft, fraud or tax evasion;

7.5.5 Departure from fundamental teachings of scriptures and tenets of faith of MLFC;

7.5.6 Mental or physical incapacity to discharge the functions of the office on recommendations of a Medical Board;

7.5.7 Breach of the Pastoral code of conduct; and

7.5.8 Any conduct, criminal or otherwise, that may bring the integrity of the Church into disrepute.

The Board of Overseers, who shall be ex officio members of MLFC, shall be selected from within Zambia and elsewhere so as not to have vested interest in the operations of the Church. This will guarantee objectivity in the handling of issues.

9.1 Purpose: There shall be a Board of Overseers consisting of five Senior Clergy whose primary role shall be to select Senior Pastors where the incumbent Pastor is unable to select their successor due to removal or death.

9.2 Qualifications: The members of the Board of Overseers must be active Senior Clergy of respected congregations who know and love MLFC and its Senior Pastors or be ministers known for their Godly wisdom and authority. They must agree to make themselves available to MLFC whenever called upon by the Board of Trustees.

9.3 Selection Criteria: A Board of Overseers shall be appointed by the Office of the Senior Pastor and ratified by the Board of Trustees after consultations with their peers and those in authority over them.

9.4 Removal of Overseers: The Overseers shall be removed under the following circumstances:

9.4.1 Questionable moral conduct such as illicit sexual activities;

9.4.2 Questionable practices such as theft, fraud, or tax evasion;

9.4.3 Mental or physical incapacity to discharge the functions of the office on recommendations of a Medical Board;

9.4.4 Death;

9.4.5 Resignation; and

9.4.6 Departure from the fundamental teachings of scriptures and tenets of faith.

9.5 Functions /Roles

9.5.1 The main function of the Board of Overseers shall be to select Senior Pastors when the incumbent is unable to appoint their successor;

9.5.2 They shall be called upon by the Board of Trustees at a time when it becomes necessary to replace the Senior Pastors for alleged misconduct;

9.5.3 The Board of Overseers shall remove a Senior Pastor based on the reasons stipulated under article 6.5;

9.5.4 Should the Board of Overseers be asked to investigate alleged pastoral misconduct, a consensus of three of the five Overseers shall be required to take disciplinary action. With such a consensus, the Overseers shall assume complete authority over the Senior Pastors; they may decide to remove them from their position or to discipline them in any way they deem necessary; and

9.5.5 The Overseers have no authority in MLFC unless contacted by the Board of Trustees and then only in so far as permitted by this Constitution. The Overseers shall only respond to a request that is made by a motion supported by two- thirds of the Trustees present.

THE SCRIPTURES: The Bible is the inspired Word of God, the product of holy men of old who spoke and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. The New Covenant, as recorded in the New Testament, we accept as our infallible guide in matters pertaining to conduct and doctrine (2 Tim. 3:16; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Peter 1:21).

THE TRINITY: The Son is the Word flesh- covered, the One Begotten, and has existed with the Father from the beginning (John 1:1; John 1:18; John 1:14). The Holy Spirit proceeds forth from both the Father and the Son and is eternal (John 14:16; John 15:26).

MAN, HIS FALL AND REDEMPTION: Man is a created being, made in the likeness and image of God, but through Adam’s transgression and fall, sin came into the world. The Bible says “…all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,” and “…There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Rom. 3:10; 3:23). Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, was crucified and buried, rose again and ascended to the Father. Jesus Christ was manifested to undo the works of the devil and gave His life and shed His blood to redeem and restore man back to God (Rom. 5:14; 1 John 3:8).

Salvation is the gift of God to man, separate from works and the Law, and is made operative by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, producing works acceptable to God (Eph. 2:8- 10).

ETERNAL LIFE AND THE NEW BIRTH: The new birth is necessary to all men, and when experienced, produces eternal life (2 Cor. 7:10; John 3:3- 5; 1 John 5:12).

WATER BAPTISM: Baptism in water is by immersion, is a direct commandment of our Lord, and is for believers only. The ordinance is a symbol of the Christian’s identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Matt. 28:19; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12; Acts 8:36- 39).

BAPTISM IN THE HOLY GHOST: The Baptism in the Holy Ghost and fire is a gift from God as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ to all believers in this dispensation and is received subsequent to the new birth. This experience is accompanied by the initial evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit Himself gives utterance and by the subsequent manifestation of spiritual power in public service (Matt. 3:11; John 14:16, 17; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:38,39; Acts 19:1- 7; Acts 2:1- 4).

SANCTIFICATION: We believe in the Doctrine of Sanctification as a definite, yet progressive work of grace, commencing at the time of regeneration and continuing until the consummation of salvation at Christ’s return. The Holy Spirit enables the believer to live a life of holiness and obedience. (Hebrews 12:14; 1 Thess. 5:23; 2 Peter 3:18; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Phil. 3:12- 14; 1 Cor. 1:30).

DIVINE HEALING: Healing is for the physical ills of the human body and is wrought by the power of God through the prayer of faith, and by the laying on of hands. It is provided for in the atonement of Christ, and is the privilege of every member of the Church today (James 5:14, 15; Mark 16:18; Isaiah. 53:4,5; Matt. 8:17; 1 Peter 2:24).

RESURRECTION OF THE JUST AND THE RETURN OF OUR LORD: The angels said to Jesus’ disciples, “…this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” His coming is imminent. When He comes, “…the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…” (Acts 1:11; 1 Thess. 4:16, 17).

Following the Tribulation, He shall return to earth as King of kings, and Lord of lords, and together with His saints, who shall be kings and priests; He shall reign a thousand years (Rev. 5:10; 20:6).

HELL AND ETERNAL RETRIBUTION: The one who physically dies in his sins without accepting Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost in the lake of fire and, therefore, has no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or repenting. The lake of fire is literal. The terms “eternal” and “everlasting,” used in describing the duration of the punishment of the damned in the lake of fire, carry the same thought and meaning of endless existence as used in denoting the duration of joy and ecstasy of saints in the Presence of God (Heb. 9:27; Rev. 19:20).