God'S Hope Builders, Inc. Et Alv.Mount Zion Baptist Church Of Oxford, Georgia, Inc. Et Al
This companion appeal concerns control of Mount Zion Baptist Church’s property and is governed by the consolidated opinion in the related God’s Hope Builders appeals. Church members sought to challenge a conveyance of the church’s real estate and assets, but the trial court first had to determine whether they constituted a majority of the church and therefore had standing. The Georgia Court of Appeals held that the trial court had not clearly resolved that threshold question. Civil courts may decide nonprofit-corporate and property issues, but may not decide ecclesiastical questions about doctrine or religious discipline. The court vacated the dependent orders and remanded for a bylaw-based membership determination followed by a standing ruling. This docket is a companion appeal and does not present a separate holding beyond the consolidated opinion’s standing and church-property analysis.
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