ABCUSA Board Continues “Adaptive Change” Process
VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 06/25/07) -- The General Board of American Baptist Churches USA, meeting here this week, took another step in discussing an ongoing process of “adaptive change” to better position the denomination for the future.
General Secretary A. Roy Medley told board members that the process is designed “to help us become more nimble and effective in how we carry out the work of this great denomination as we move into our second century.”
He noted that more than a year ago the General Executive Committee identified four areas of special concern—leadership, structure, the representative process and relevance. At a meeting last November, the General Board discussed the early draft of a reorganization proposal and returned it to a writing team for refinements.
At its Monday session here, board members raised questions, concerns and positive points about the plan, which focuses on the church’s “missional” nature and reaffirms the importance of local congregations. Some speakers urged that the latter point be addressed further to show how that reaffirmation would take place.
In considering the reorganization issue last year, the General Executive Committee agreed upon a number of priorities, leading with “protecting and securing the local church as the fundamental unit of mission.” Other major points of consideration included: respect for diversity and inclusiveness; improving the ABCUSA’s financial position in various ways; enabling better oversight of ministry and mission outcomes; committing to clear accountability in all circumstances; determining how best to provide central office functions; and resolving or at least moving the denomination forward on the issue of homosexuality.
The additional feedback from the current General Board meeting will be factored into a process that envisions a formal vote a year from now by the board on an “adaptive change” plan and a second vote before the proposal is presented to the denomination’s 2009 Biennial meeting.
Posted by tripp at June 27, 2007 06:13 PM