Mississippi Code

Miss. Code Ann. § 79-11-31 (2026)

Religious societies

✓ current as of July 2026

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(1) Any religious society, consisting of the members of any particular denomination or congregation, desiring to act as an organized body may do so by associating together and electing or appointing from its membership any number of officers, trustees, or managers, by whatever name known, for the purpose of managing the affairs of the society. Such society or association shall keep a record of its proceedings, which shall show the name of the society, its organization, and the election of the officers, trustees, or managers; but the society so organized at each particular locality shall be a distinct and independent society. Any society so organized may sue and be sued by its society name or appellation, and process may be served on its presiding or chief officer, or secretary, or on the trustees or manager.
Upon the completion of the organization of any such society, the title to the real property theretofore owned by it shall thereupon vest in the society as hereunder organized, and shall not be divested out of the same, or encumbered, except by a deed, deed of trust, or mortgage duly executed under the authority of a resolution adopted by a majority vote of the members present at a meeting duly called for that purpose, at which meeting at least twenty percent (20%) of the members in good standing of such organized society must be present. The minutes of such meeting shall be entered in the official record book of such society, and the aforesaid resolution shall designate which officers, trustees or managers of such society are to execute such deed, deed of trust, or mortgage.
The provisions of this subsection shall also apply to all real property acquired by any such society after its organization hereunder.

(2) Whenever any number of religious societies or organized bodies or congregations formed under subsection (1) of this section shall decide to act together as an organized body, they may do so in the manner provided in subsection (1) by and through representatives elected or appointed for that purpose, and when so organized shall likewise be a distinct and independent society or group, by whatever name called, and subject to sue and be sued and be served with process in the same manner.
Any such body shall likewise have the right to own all, but only, those properties permitted under Section 79-11-33 of the Mississippi Code of 1972.

Codes, 1857, ch. 35, art. 52; 1871, § 2437; 1880, § 1071; 1892, § 859; 1906, § 933; Hemingway's 1917, § 4109; 1930, § 4168; 1942, § 5350; Laws, 1952, ch. 343; Laws, 1956, ch. 177, §§ 1, 2.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 5 cases, 2002–2006 · leading case: Coleman v. State, 947 So. 2d 878 (Miss. 2006).

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Coleman v. State, 947 So. 2d 878 (Miss. 2006). “Miss.Code Ann. § 79-11-31 (Rev.2004). Pillow Chapel easily meets these statutory requirements.”

Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church v. Wallace, 835 So. 2d 67 (Miss. 2003). “Miss.Code Ann. § 79-11-31 (2001). It is also a "religious corporation" [6] under the Mississippi Nonprofit Corporation Act.”

Sawyer v. Brandon, 825 So. 2d 26 (Miss. 2002). “See Miss.Code Ann. § 79-11-31 (2001). IV. WHETHER UNDER THE WARRANTY DEED, THE SAWYER FACTION FORFEITED ALL INTEREST IN THE REAL PROPERTY BY CEASING TO OPERATE AS EBERNEZER MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH AND ADOPTING A NEW NAME.”

Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church v. G. W. Wallace (Miss. 2002). “Miss. Code Ann. § 79-11-31 (2001). It is also a "religious corporation"6 under the Mississippi Nonprofit Corporation Act.”

W. A. Coleman v. State of Mississippi (Miss. 2004). “Miss. Code Ann. § 79-11-31 (Rev. 2004). Pillow Chapel easily meets these statutory requirements.”

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