beaconchurches

[chip]

VALLEY FORGE, PA ( ABNS 06/30/08 ) — The General Board of American Baptist Churches USA had opportunity during its three-day meeting in King of Prussia, Pa., to speak about positive features of the proposed new governance structure, as well as to raise concerns. Basing it on a federation model, the General Executive Council made the proposal after a two-year development process, before submitting it to the General Board Executive Committee.

In roundtable discussions, some General Board members commented positively on how the proposed new structure empowers American Baptists to focus on doing mission together. They noted gains in effectiveness by selecting board members whose skills and interests match the work of a particular board. In addition, they thought that having members serve on only one board at a time would allow for more focused boards, greater energy and clearer priorities. Some also saw opportunities to build greater collaboration among churches, regions and national boards. Others were positive about the proposed Board of General Ministries, which would forward mission activity, rather than focus on legislation as the General Board presently does.

Concerns were raised most often about guaranteeing that regions and program boards would carry out agreed upon mission priorities advanced at the Mission Summit. In addition, representation from among local churches was also raised by several table groups as a matter of concern, as was the need for diversity on each board. Other concerns were that churches would receive adequate communications back from the boards and that relationships among the boards would be maintained when members no longer serve on multiple boards.

“The General Board worked hard in grasping the scope and details of the proposed restructure and in raising pertinent issues,” General Secretary A. Roy Medley said. “I am pleased with the quality and tenor of the Board and structure and the implementing of the Bylaws.”

Mary Armacost Hulst, president of the General Board, said, “The hard work of the General Board confirmed that The Future is Bright. Our commitment to Gospel-based mission, with relevancy and more efficient response, suggests wise stewardship of our dollars and is reflected in the decisions of this meeting.”

In the business of its final session yesterday, the General Board adopted Resolutions on Children in Poverty and on Ministerial Development, which were both presented to it at the June 2007 meeting. A Resolution Against Slavery was also adopted. The Board approved a recommendation for the number of regionally nominated representatives who will serve on the General Board if the proposed bylaws are not adopted by the delegates to the 2009 Biennial.

Charles R. Case, chair of the Credentials and Caucus Committee, presented reports on the changed relationships of local churches for recognition by the General Board. The committee reviewed the changes, which originate in the regions, in a meeting that Case said was “informative and soul-searching, representing deep concerns of the denomination.” The reports covering June 2007 to February 2008, and March to June 2008, accounted for newly received, withdrawn, disbanded and merged congregations, and yielded a total of 5,254 churches affiliated with American Baptist Churches USA as of June 17, 2008.

The General Board will convene again in the days before the 2009 Biennial in Pasedena, Calif. Dr. Leo Thorne, associate general secretary for Mission Resource Development and Biennial program coordinator, told board members that this will be an important biennial for American Baptists to capture a vision of what it means to be the hands and feet of Christ, both individually and corporately.

A DVD presentation that gives the look and feel of the 2009 Biennial is available through the Office of Mission Resource Development for use by regions and churches.

Planning is underway for the 2011 Biennial to be held in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

[ehart]

Diversity, diversity, diversity!!!!

What happened to hiring the best man for the job????????

And then there's this:

A Resolution Against Slavery was also adopted.

I thought the only thing we were enslaved to was sin before our conversion???

Blood-pressure is rising.

[artjaggard]

Hi Ehart,
Let not your heart be troubled !
This restructuring leaves that old system in place, just functioning at a lower level of energy. If it helps, think chemistry and a phase shift. If not think of melting ice into water. It's still water, just functioning as water at a different level. Actually the phase shift is a better illustration.

So the top down system that imposes it's sensibilities upon the family is struggling for self preservation. It is not functioning with the best interest of the familylet alone the Kingdom. On another forum they are complaining that outside of a dvd they can't get any information about the change at the local level, once again underlining the top down nature of that old system.

Our hope for the ABC family and especially for the Kingdom is not in that old system. We are looking forward to the new day in Christ. And it is dawning! I am so excited about the work that is being done at Green Lake. In terms of relevance for our family and for the Kingdom, what is happening there is far more important than that old system which is collapsing in phases. What is happening in the part of the family called TM and the part called Growing Healthy Churches is extrodinary. In the Region in which I serve there is a project under construction to undergird pastors that is promising. In the NW they are doing fantastic things to equip churches for transformation. New Jersey has a program to analyze church effectiveness and equip churches to build the kingdom that is well worth looking at.

One of the reasons that Dwight's blog (IMHO) isn't up to date is, who cares what the old system is doing? I think it is also one of the reasons that we have gone through a sort of dry spell here at beacon and also on the ABC portion of BL. We are moving on to positive areas of life, leaving the old behind we press on to the high call.

[chip]

Art,
Thanks for clarifying all that. You mentioned in another thread that a new day is dawning and things are changing for the better regardless to what PA does. I thought you were just being courteous and positive, sort of a Lenten fast from being negative. In this recent post you cite several examples to why you see God's (ABC'ish) kingdom growing. Thanks. Now I understand and agree wholeheartedly.

I thought I was crazy. I was wondering if the rapture took place and I was the only one out there. That’s an Elijah syndrome. There are more sold-out believers out there; praise God! I am seeing the kingdom grow in my church and community too. Ever have so much joy and awe that if you didn't share you think you would just burst? Jeremiah talked about his bones catching on fire. I am seeing and hearing the buzz in TM, GHC, and all the other entities you mentioned. I was wondering why I was hearing only crickets chirping on all the ABC related blogs. What you said makes sense now. So I guess the rapture hasn't happened and, at least in this area, I'm not crazy--revival is happening and the ABC spirit is blossoming in many spots. And thank God too Art, you're no ostrich with his head in the sand. You are a fireball with perspective. Love your post.
chip.

[DMcFadden]

Chip,

I agree with Art that the diminution of energy for the machine is good news for the regions and congregations. The change in pursuit of advocacy issues will also have downstream benefits for pastors who will not feel the need to defend the ABC so often. As regions move into new configurations and alignments, the potential exists to bypass the dead wood entirely and work inter-regionally for common visions and projects without the inhibiting factor of playing VF games or the practical deadlock of the opposition in places like the GEC. And, with continued staffing cuts, you can expect to see and hear a lot less of them in the future -- also good for local pastors. It will put pressure on the regions, however, to put up or shut up. Without VF to blame, they will need to produce added value for the churches or they will be next to be downsized into irrelevancy.