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The term ‘Mara’ and ‘Evangelical’ for the name of the Church means nothing but to signify the Church or Christians of that particular region, who profess the evangelical faith.[1]

At present, MEC has two main headquarters at Sabawngpi and Lailenpi. She does not depend or have any parent denomination in other parts of the world as it was founded by self-supporting Inter-denominational Missionary organizations. Hereby, her polity, doctrine, faith and practice are a mixture of different reformed denominational traditions. She mostly accepts the Congregational and Presbyterian form of Church government.

The Present Strength of the Church

At present there are 19483 Church members in 3905 families at 72 local Churches, 60 ordained Pastors, and 15 probationary Pastors. The Church governance is divided into four Presbyteries and 44 Pastorates. There are altogether 146 Assembly paid workers.

Church Administration and Organizational Structure

The MEC adopts the centralization pattern and it accepts the Presbyterian form of Church Governments. It encourages lay leadership in preaching, teaching, and administration of finance. The Local Churches are led by unpaid ordained (deacons and deaconess) and two or three local Churches are grouped in one Pastorate and eleven Pastorates are grouped under one Presbytery. There are 72 local Churches in Maraland and 6 local Churches are outside the Maraland. Where there are more or less five families of Mara there is MEC. Each Pastorate and Presbytery has its annual convention with business session. The works and concerns of the General Assembly are carried out by its Department and Committees:

1)      General assembly

2)      Executive Committee

3)      Finance & Property

4)      Mission & Evangelism

5)      Church Education & Literature

6)      Personnel & Ministerial

7)      Law & Procedure

8)      Culture & Communication

9)      Revival & Pastoral

10)  Pastoral Committee

11)  Departments (Women, Youth, Children, Service & Development)

Faith and order

The MEC accepts the Holy Scripture of the OT and NT as containing all things necessary to salvation and as the supreme and decisive standard of faith. It acknowledges that the Church must always be ready to correct and reform itself in accordance with the teaching of those Scriptures, as the Holy Spirit shall reveal it from time to time. It accepts the Apostle’s Creed as witnessing to and safeguarding that faith. In this faith, it worships one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity. It believes in the Sacraments of Baptism and Lord’s Supper. MEC is theologically contextual, evangelical and ecumenical.

Finance          

The MEC is financially self-supporting Church. Contributions from local Churches, Departments (Women, Youth, Children, and Service & Development) and the individuals of MEC are the main sources for the Church fund. The followings are the means and methods of raising funds.

Tithing                                     One-tenths of Church members’ income like rice, corn, money, domestic animals.... etc., are set aside for Church fund.

Envelope                                 Envelopes are distributed to Church members for thanks gift and free-will gift regularly and collected for Church fund.

Tent                                         Small tent is built at the gate of every village for farmers and when they come back from their farm they offer whatever they wish for Church.

Firewood                                 Firewood and bamboo are used for daily cooking and whoever collects those things, offer one or two pieces for Church fund at the gate of every village.

Handful of rice           A handful of uncooked rice and corn is set aside by every family in every morning and evening cooking for Church fund.

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[1] Rev. Maiki, Voice from Maraland, Gurukul Theological College, Chennai, p. 26.