Resolution 14 – When You Plant 10 Churches, A Bishop You Will Be

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BOA ACTION: Motion to reject the resolution with understanding that the discussion needs to continue.

GCRCC Status: forwarded for April 2011 BOA action

Introduced by: David Harvey, Acts 12:24 Churches

Written by: David Harvey

Related to Paragraph(s) #: 4110

Whereas:

The Western church continues to struggle while we are surrounded by revival in the southern hemisphere and Asia. According to David T. Olsen just over 17% of Americans attend church on any given Sunday. Most denominations in the United States are declining and many of those that are growing rejoice in growth of 1% to 2% per year. Denominations that thrive demonstrate a much faster rate of growth.

The work in a body such as this General Conference usually is concentrated on making minor adjustments to deal with present difficulties. However we should not forget that we are stewards both of the present and of the kind of church we will leave to generations that follow us. This resolution seeks to shape the church in such a way that it will thrive in future generations.

The path to a thriving church throughout history has always been through decentralization of power and authority; and

The church thrives when our structures allow the full expression of the gifts and the passion to create that God has already put in the hearts of our people; and
The church thrives as we respond in bold ways to what God is already doing among us; and

The church thrives as we discover together new ways to disperse spiritual authority down to the level of the streets, (as opposed to investing it in bureaucracy); and
The Biblical norms for New Testament church seem to be that local leaders are often quickly given authority over their work while at the same time being accountable to outside oversight (c.f. Acts 14:23); and

It seems that in the future denominations that thrive will be more like affiliations of loosely connected networks rather than being governed by structures with rigid geographical boundaries. Denominations that recognize this and decentralize will thrive, those that do not will continue their slow and steady march toward mediocrity; and

We have confidence that as we take bold new steps God works in the process to create efficient structures that we cannot yet see.

Therefore, be it resolved:

We will seek to spread the influence of the most fruitful among us to broader areas of the Church by the following actions:

1. When a senior pastor of a church has planted ten churches in the United States out of a single mother church that have become full societies, then that pastor may, if they so chose and if they are recommended by their Conference MEG Board, Superintendent and the current Board of Bishops, become a Bishop in the FMCNA; and

2. This Bishop will be known as a “Local Bishop” but will have full rights and privileges of the Bishopric and will be a member of the Board of Bishops; and

3. This Local Bishop will have the same accountability as current Bishops; He or she will be accountable to the Superintendent and Conference MEG Board of which they are a member, and will be accountable to the Board of Bishops and the denominational Board of Administration; and

4. The primary oversight of the Local Bishop will be the churches which have been planted out of his or her ministry; and

5. The Local Bishop will continue to function as a member of the conference in which his or her membership is held, as do the current bishops; and

6. The pastor will remain a bishop as long as he or she remains senior pastor of that mother church; and

7. The salary and expenses of said bishop will be paid by the mother church and/or the churches that the bishop oversees; and

8. That we re-write paragraph 4110 to allow two paths to the Bishopric: one of nomination and election by the General Conference (as now exits) and one through church planting as detailed above.

Note: This resolution is part of a package of six resolutions that seek to prepare the church to thrive in future generations. These resolutions have some degree of interdependence. The resolutions are as follows:
Preparing to Thrive Through Decentralizing:
Resolution No.1 – Jesus said, “Go into all the World;” So Do We
Resolution No. 2 – What You Create, You Oversee
Resolution No. 3 – If You Plant Ten Churches, A Bishop You Will Be
Preparing to Thrive Through Infrastructure Building:
Resolution No. 1 – Our Pastors Need a Path to Living a Life of Maximum Impact
Resolution No. 2 – Our People Need a Path to Holiness of Heart that Compels Ministries of Care and Justice
Resolution No. 3 – Our Churches Need a Path to Reproduction

Does the resolution have a direct relationship to the vision and mission of the Free Methodist Church?

Yes.

How will the proposed change help us accomplish our vision and mission?

It will assist us to be an organization that advances the Kingdom by the full use of the passion and creativity that God has already put in the hearts of our people.

The Resolutions Committee rates this resolution as:

(A) Support – recommend adoption

Related posts:

1. Resolution 13 – What You Create, You Oversee
2. Resolution 12 – Jesus Said, “Go into All the World.”; So do we.
3. Resolution 17 – Preparing to Thrive Though Infrastructure Building (3) – Our Churches Need a Path to Reproduction
4. Resolution 16 – Preparing to Thrive Though Infrastructure Building (2) – people need a path to holiness of heart that compels ministries of care and justice