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American Baptists cutting staff, but 'not collapsing,' says Medley

By John Pierce

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. (ABP) -- The American Baptist Churches USA is shutting
down its communications department -- the latest step in budget cuts and
restructuring brought on by declining funds and theological division in
the denominational group.

Although the ABC national office is experiencing funding losses due to
divisions over homosexuality, the venerable denominational group, based
in Valley Forge, Pa. is not collapsing, said Roy Medley, ABC general
secretary.

Richard Schramm, spokesman for the 1.5 million-member denomination since
1996, will leave his position Oct. 31, along with an associate director
and a media assistant in the office of communication. Schramm will serve
as a consultant to the ABC.

Medley said the cuts were based on recommendations from consultants
McConkey and Johnston and resulted in the merger of two divisions --
communications and missions/stewardship development.

"We have formed a new division called mission resource development,"
said Medley. "This new entity will be responsible for communicating the
ABC story effectively with our family and the larger church as well."

Medley said the restructuring is similar to what the Baptist World
Alliance did following the withdrawal of funding from the Southern
Baptist Convention. The new effort, he said, will focus on electronic
communication.

Tensions over the issue of homosexuality have come to a head in recent
months in the ABC, which counts 5,836 churches. Although the group
adopted a resolution opposing homosexual conduct in 1992, many
conservatives in the denomination have complained ABC leaders have done
little to "enforce" it on the denomination's agencies or congregations.

In September, directors of the American Baptist Churches of the Pacific
Southwest, which includes Southern California, initiated the process of
separating from the denomination by the end of the year. While some
other regional bodies of American Baptists still debate the issue, the
full impact of the controversy remains undetermined.

Regional fellowships are the channel through which local congregations
relate to the national body, known earlier as the Northern Baptist
Convention. In recent years, several gay-friendly churches have been
expelled from some of those regional bodies.

But Medley said talk of the ABC's demise is unfounded.

"Some of the headlines, like in a Christian Century web article, which
speak of a stampede are just untrue," said Medley. "At our biennial
meeting, which was held in Denver this past year, two-thirds to
three-fourths of the delegates clearly expressed their commitment to
remaining united through this time of dissension."

Medley said he and Pacific Southwest executive minister Dale Salico have
sought to avoid "an atmosphere of charge-countercharge" in the media.
"We have consistently communicated to PSW that it is not our wish that
they withdraw from the covenant of relationships," said Medley. "Our
polity grants them the freedom to order their life as a region as they
choose, as it does other regions."

Often the press does not understand a church structure that is not
hierarchical, said Medley, and that the rights and privileges of local
congregations can never be usurped by an over-reaching General Board or
general secretary.

"I have consistently stressed that the inability of the General Board to
impose any resolution upon our member churches is not a flaw in our
system," said Medley, "but was an intentional design in the
denomination."

Despite dealing with significant fallout over the homosexuality
controversy, the ABC has adopted a new mission statement, Medley said.
He added that American Baptists are "energized" by growing relationships
with other groups such as the Progressive National Baptist Convention,
the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the Church of the Brethren.

"ABC is not collapsing," said Medley. "Our mission focus and call are
clear. We intend to focus on them like a laser beam."

Posted by tripp at October 12, 2005 03:26 PM