BOA ACTION: Motion to adopt the paper and place with the BOB for implementation after making the adjustment to change the word in the first sentence from “define” to “inform.”
GCRCC Status: forwarded for April 2011 BOA action
Introduced by: Superintendent Guillermo Flores, Free Methodist Church in Southern California
Written by: Guillermo Flores
Related to Paragraph(s) #: 4130
Whereas:
the FMCNA has well stated its core mission in the call to be, “healthy biblical communities of holy people multiplying disciples, leaders, groups, and churches;”
Whereas the General Conference theme, “The whole gospel for the whole person in the whole world,” captures the heart of our mission-call;
Whereas each generation must reaffirm its understanding of the historic mission-call, “to maintain the biblical standard of Christianity [holiness], and to preach the Gospel to the poor” [mercy], such that it affirms the nature of the missional church to be a sent-people so, “every nation is a mission field, every church a mission station, and every member a missionary (globally and locally).”
Whereas a missional church (a sent-people) must endeavor to lead ever-forward into a mission-call and resist the temptation of settling into institutional leadership that protects and perpetuates the system at the expense of mission;
Whereas a sent-people necessitates an apostolic movement in which there is both an apostolic (sending, multiplying, embracing adaptive change) and a prophetic (inviting to repentance church and society, advocating for the poor and weak, and proclaiming Kingdom hope and restoration for all in Jesus Christ) ministry dynamic;
Whereas the crucial role of church leadership is to define ministry priorities and deploy ministry strategies to reach the stated objectives of the church (with unity in the essentials, with liberty in the diversity of creative expression, and with charity for all);
Whereas leaders must embrace their multi-generational responsibility by intentionally investing in the ongoing vitality of people by creating pathways into active service for all that demonstrates Spirit-empowered, Kingdom-expanding ministry;
Whereas the gift of celebrating 150 years of FMC ministry also represents a unifying strategic opportunity to redefine and re-launch a dynamic growing initiative for transformative breakthrough in our national and international Free Methodist family;
Whereas we as Free Methodist leaders, at our very core, come from a tradition of awakening and revival (Wesleyan revival);
Therefore, be it resolved:
that the following six strategic ministry priorities define the critical and timely next steps for the FMCNA:
Church Revitalization: Our first and highest call is to build the church of Jesus Christ. In a time such as this, we must issue a call to awaken sleeping congregations. We must be willing to remove unfruitful and unhealthy pastors and local leaders and prepared to train local pastors and official boards with the tools of revival, aligning church structures and administration systems with the strategic priorities consistent with the mission-call of the church. We must provide resourcing and mentoring-leadership for congregations open to revitalization work. We must lead with a humble dependence on the Holy Spirit who gives fresh, healthy and holy church life; who brings new disciples, new baptisms, new members, new ministries and creates new expressions of mercy and holistic community outreach in his power.
Kingdom Expansion: Equal effort must be pledged to strengthening the existing church in our care and to the holistic recruiting, equipping, and sending of new church planters. Planting new churches, exploring new models, forging new paths for ministry to people groups both unreached and newly disenfranchised, through satellite congregations, emerging ministry points, bi-vocational leadership, the re-scripting of house churches for a new generation, and a willingness to wisely lead into the unknown in order to fulfill the gospel-call.
Developing Missional Leaders: The harvest is still in desperate need of well-discipled workers. We must train leaders to identify and recruit leaders from every walk of life, and teach them specifically to equip, resource, and empower these workers, quickly and accountably, for a rapid kingdom expansion. We must reassert our commitment and fundamental conviction to develop godly, competent leaders. We must deploy this leadership effectively and equally through women, men, ethnic groups, cross-cultural and young leaders, with an unequaled passion today so that future generations have the resources to continue the harvest work tomorrow.
Global Missions: Going into all the world, has never been so conceivable in light of the connected realities of a global community. We must train our missionaries in fresh ways to fulfill the commission of God to the world that first launches from an inter-connected system. We must train our local leaders in a new methodology of spiritual support, financial investment, and relational connectivity. We must train our leaders to recruit new missionaries by understanding how to discern the Spirit-call on a life and by deploying them city by city, country by country, and people by people in harmony with our commitment to social, educational, and a mercy driven call.
Advocates of Justice and Creation Care. It is time for us to rise up and speak with the authority of the scriptural mandate to be a voice for those who have none, including creation itself that lay in wait for the sons of God to be revealed. We must champion the cause of justice for women, children, the poor, and victimized. It is time to join in strategic partnership with like-minded, Christ-hearted people to fight the injustice allowable by law but abhorrent to God. It is time to shed light in the darkness, to bring healing to the lives of the broken, and to offer freedom in Jesus’ name.
Community Transformation: The call to holiness and wholeness of person must be lived out in a whole and holy faith demonstrated by selfless and sacrificial love for the people loved of God. We are a people who must pray for the peace of the city and be peacemakers on the city streets. We are a people called of God to believe for God’s ongoing revelation while being God’s healing instruments for individuals, families, and communities. We are the gracious beneficiaries of God’s forgiveness and grace and we are His plan for delivering the same to those who would be His. We are a Kingdom people who serve the mighty King – We are a people who must answer the call to live what we believe.
Let us have a common purpose
Let there be freedom in the expression
Let us agree to be accountable for the outcomes
Let us expect and pray that revival and breakthrough will result.
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?
By identifying and defining the the critical and timely next steps for the FMCNA into tangible and accountable expressions that may be pursued by the church and whose outcomes may be measured by the church.
The Resolutions Committee rates this resolution as:
(A) Support – recommend adoption
Comments:
There may be a better Paragraph Reference to use, but this seemed the most logical given the subject matter. This resolution is for the whole church but is best placed under the Bishop’s responsibilities for practical implementation. If the committee can maintain the intent, we would gladly accept redirection of the paragraph for clarification and/or continuity.
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