Addendum for the Superintendents’ CSP Report

Posted on April 14, 2008

Updated Addendum to the Reports of the Superintendents’

“I was present at the meeting of the General Council in September 2007. It was a very humbling experience. The presence of the Holy Spirit was evident and the unity among the members was something that I have not witnessed in many meetings in the EMC during the 48 years that I have been involved…there was a oneness that was exceptional.”

The above quote captures the experience of the members of the General Council. Though they had reservations about the one-conference model because there were no details available, they gave unanimous approval for the new model, and they approved a July 2008 Special Called General Conference at which the new organizational model will be recommended.

The EMC has been discussing organizational changes since 2000. At the 2007 district conferences, an analysis and redistricting plan was presented. The September 2007 General Council considered the redistricting plan presented to the district conferences, but rejected it for the one-conference model. The General Council instructed the superintendents to work on the details and the General Council approved the draft in December 2007. This initial draft was mailed to all the local churches and credential holders. The General Council will finalize the proposal in May for presentation at the General Conference.

The Comprehensive Strategic Plan (CSP) is a two-year transition in organizational structure and a two-year commitment to specific prayer for a fresh Pentecost in the EMC. Upon its approval, the beginning phase establishes the one-conference model with the required minimal Discipline revisions. During the next two years the structure will be tested and fine tuned, and the final Discipline revisions of the transition will be presented at the 2010 General Conference.

General Superintendent Williamson and former General Superintendent Zehr held meetings in three districts in February 2008 to provide information and an opportunity for discussion of the CSP. The following ideas were shared and discussed:

1. The focal point of the regions will be a support system for pastors and churches. Every quarter a regional meeting will be scheduled for pastors to come together for prayer and fellowship. We recommend that the questions used in the Methodist class meetings be used as the guide for spiritual accountability. Local churches will be encouraged to assist one another in evangelism and fellowship events.

The function of the regions will be outlined in the Discipline revisions that will be presented at General Conference. Several regions will join a host region for training events. The pastors in each region will know the types of training to request from the conference superintendent and the general boards.
Current members of the present general boards will retain their positions. The boards will insure unified strategies and standards for the function of their board. For example, the General Board of Evangelism will provide a unified church planting and church health strategy for the denomination. The General Board of Ministerial Relations will maintain standard procedures for the ministerial tracts to ordination or consecration.
Role of the conference superintendents will focus less on administration and focus more on their shepherding role for churches and the pastors in their regions. This will eliminate the duplication of district and general board responsibilities. The general superintendent will coordinate the functions of the conference boards, thus allowing conference superintendents to focus on pastoral care and local churches. There will be greater pastoral care for the pastors and churches than is available in our present structure.
The General Board of Discipline Revision is preparing revisions that will fulfill the requirements for revising the Discipline for a one-conference model. The revisions will be mailed to the local churches 30 days prior to the General Conference in July. The sequence is:
1. The vote on the one-conference model will be during first session of the 2008 Special Called General Conference. If accepted the present district boundaries will be removed and the EMC will become one-conference. A simple majority vote is required. If this vote is negative then the General Conference will be adjourned and begin the Pastors’ School the next day.
2. If the one-conference model is approved, the General Council will recommend the nomination and election of three or four assistant general superintendents, eventually called conference superintendents, to serve until 2010. The General Conference will be asked for a one time special dispensation to vote on the entire slate in one vote, due to the necessary two year transition
3. Discipline revisions that change the nomenclature of the Bylaws to correspond with the one-conference model will be presented with a 2/3 majority vote required for the revisions to pass. Such Bylaw changes will later take effect immediately upon adjournment of the Conference.
4. Discipline revisions that change the nomenclature in the Constitution from “districts” to “regions” will be presented. Constitutional amendments require a 3/4 vote of the General Conference followed by a 2/3 majority vote of local churches voting in a referendum to be scheduled by the General Conference. The Discipline does not set a timeline for ratification by the churches; therefore The General Conference will set the timeline. In the past, the ratification process has been completed within 45 days.
5. At the 2010 General Conference, all elected officers, including the general superintendent and conference superintendents will be nominated by the normal Nominating Committee procedure with the election to follow according to the Discipline
What if the CSP is not approved? The present system of district conferences will continue and current district superintendents would continue in their position for their term. Any district experiencing a vacancy in the office of district superintendent through retirements or resignations in July 2008, following the General Conference, will have such vacancies filled by their district council consulting with the general superintendent according to The Discipline. Paragraph 407 directs the appointment of a qualified Elder to function as superintendent until the next session of the district conference. The Discipline sets a vote for a planned vacancy at the end of the regular four year term prior to the General Conference with the transition being at the conclusion of the General Conference sessions. There will be no elections for district superintendents at the District Conferences unless a vacancy occurs prior to the Conference.
How will this save souls? Denominations do what denominations do and churches do what churches do. In other words, the denomination will provide local training for evangelism and church health, i.e., equipping the saints for the work of the ministry. Financial resources will support training events, retreats and church planting in the regions. Denominations can only encourage the saving of souls, people and local churches have that direct responsibility. When the churches and pastors are equipped they will focus on Missional evangelism in their communities.
If the CSP passes, the integrity of the local church will be maintained. None of the guarantees provided in the Discipline for the local church are affected such as local church ownership of property and the call of the pastor. Our holiness message is maintained.
Streamlining the organizational model by absorbing the middle level management of the existing districts into a one-conference model brings unification of resources. Pastoral expertise in ministry can be shared across the one-conference along with financial resources.
The leadership exhibited in the regions will provide a larger pool of potential superintendents for the denomination. The one-conference model provides a prism for identifying new leadership.
Since there will be no annual district conferences, what keeps the EMC from becoming a fragmented association instead of a connectional denomination? The General Conference will be held every three years and in-between General Conference two annual convocations will be held possibly at Ridgecrest, NC, in the east, and Glorieta, Santa Fe, NM in the west. The convocations will be in a camp meeting format with seminars and educational events but no business conducted. Every effort will be made to bring quality speakers representing the mosaic of evangelical Christianity to expose pastors and leaders to fresh innovative ministries for communicating biblical holiness in today’s culture. Ordination of Elders may take place at these events.
The General Board of Finance has prepared a preliminary budget for the one-conference model that includes four superintendents for the regions. This model is affordable and brings all our financial resources in the denomination within auditing standards.
The General Board of Youth Activities will coordinate the annual youth camps and retreats utilizing the current workers and leaders of the present districts. There will be several camps across the country with an open enrollment for all Evangelical Methodist churches. With the unification of finances and the established Indian Cave Youth Camp ministry/director, a national youth camp and retreat director for the denomination could be a reality for 2009.
The General Board of Ministerial Relations has conferred on a strategy for fulfilling their responsibilities in the one-conference model.

Organizational flexibility is critical for the 21^st century ministry model. It is prayerfully expected that this model will bring us from a good system to a better and someday the best system for ministry. The region concept allows flexibility in church planting and the eventual reproducing of another region.

Every effort has been made to fulfill the responsibilities and trust you have given the General Council to provide a picture of the workings of the one-conference model. The goal has been to communicate the CSP clearly so you can vote on its merit. We pray for God’s affirmation in each individual’s heart. IT IS YOUR DECISION TO MAKE, do so prayerfully.