General conference board tackles big agenda

The wide-ranging issues on the agenda when the General Conference Board met in late September at Messiah Village in Mechanicsburg, Pa., provide a snapshot of the complexities facing leadership in a fast-growing, energetic, bi-national network of congregations. And as Board Chair Sandy Musser reminded the group as they entered into a time of prayer, in tackling the issues in front of them, the board needed and depended upon God’s presence among them.

The topics discussed during the two-day meeting included:

Vision discernment for 2020: GC Board Member Darrell Winger presented a summary report of comments received from the approximately 250 persons who participated in vision conversations over the past year. Out of the many comments, he identified nine areas of perceived strength within the BIC Church: our core values; our commitment to the Bible and biblical truth; our commitment to and practice of community; our flexibility and diversity as a church; our commitment to outreach, both locally and globally; our commitment to a holistic, compassionate response to human need; our openness to the Holy Spirit and renewal; our commitment to being disciples of Jesus, to obedience, and holy living; and our strong leadership and practice of plurality of leadership.

The board and Leadership Council will continue to work with the input received through the listening sessions in preparation for the 2008 General Conference.

A Rookie's View of the General Conference Board

Fred Miller, Senior Pastor

Cumberland Valley BIC Church

Dillsburg, Penn

I think we all wonder a bit about what really goes on at various leadership levels, be that in government, business, or a denomination. I can't speak for the first two, but having served my first year on General Conference Board (GCB), I do have an insider's view on the latter—at least as it happens in the BIC.

I went into this responsibility with few expectations and a bit of curiosity about how all the different levels of authority within the BIC Church actually work out in practice. What I found didn't surprise me, given our Anabaptist roots. I found that all levels participated in mutually loving and humble dialog for the glory of God, the way it appears in the New Testament. Leaders lead, and boards give wisdom and accountability, and all discern God's path together.

The General Conference Board is comprised of one person from each of our eight conferences, plus six additional members chosen to reflect the diversity within the wider church. In addition, the two General Church Leaders (Warren Hoffman and Don McNiven) are nonvoting members of GCB. One thing that immediately impressed me about GCB is that every person speaks up, but no one dominates. And when someone does speak, you always want to listen! Warren and Don are wonderful listeners, and though they may bring proposals to the table, they do so in a spirit of mutual submission, as Ephesians 5:21 instructs.

When I first affiliated myself with the BIC, I was attracted by official statements about the value of spiritual community. Ten years later and having seen the BIC at every level of operation, I rejoice that these statements are not just in ink; they are in hearts. This doesn't mean that every decision made is exactly what I prefer. But it does mean that the process of decision-making is taking place in an atmosphere of mutual humility, vigorous dialog, and Jesus.

I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

Polity and board member selection: An early learning from the vision discernment process is the importance of adapting organizational structures and governance to match the anticipated 2020 form of the General Church. Movements within the movement such as the Miami cluster of churches, the rapid growth of The Meeting House in Ontario, and beginning steps toward an International BIC Association are stretching and, at times, stressing our historic governance patterns. This reality, coupled with questions raised by a regional conference and the Board for World Missions, led to a lively dialogue within the GCB about how best to balance regional (or other) interests with the need for an appropriate mix of ministry experience and professional expertise on the GCB.

2008 spending plan and implications for Cooperative Ministries: The board’s willingness to approve an ambitious spending plan for 2008 was based in part on the presentation of a detailed strategy aimed at encouraging churches that are currently contributing less than the suggested 10 percent to increase their giving by 2 percent in the coming year. Rebekah Basinger, director of congregational relations, challenged board members to join in reaching out to churches in their regions with the message that generous participation by every BIC church is critical to the mission effectiveness of the General Church.

The church-college covenant: The relationship between the BIC Church and Messiah College, the school founded by the denomination in 1909, has been defined in a church-college covenant since 1972. The Covenant was first reviewed in 1994 and now again during this past year. Upon recommendation of the GCB and the Messiah College board, the revised document will come to the General Conference in June for approval.

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