2021 Annual Conference Minutes

Annual Conference Proceedings – 2021

Monday, October 4, 2021 – Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Minutes, as well as Committee Reports, Indexes, and Statistics are in the 2021 Yearbook

BFC Conference Proceedings – 2021

First meeting

Monday, October 4, 2021, 6:30 P.M.

The 138^th Conference of the Bible Fellowship Church was called to order by Conference Moderator Timothy J. Schmoyer at 6:30 p.m. in Pinebrook’s Fellowship Hall. He immediately offered prayer for the proceedings to follow.

Report of the Registrar:

Resolved, that the roll of eligible members of the 138^th BFC Conference constitute the Conference Bar for the 138^th BFC Conference.

The roll of the 138^th BFC Conference was established as follows:

Allentown, PA (Cedar Crest) Jason L. Hoy, Adam Crain (Probationer), John R. LoRusso, Chris M. Von Holt (Probationer), William J. Walters,

Rick D. Whitmire, Timothy J. Moyer

Bethlehem, PA Timothy D. Gibson, Byron Roth, Philip G. Norris

Blandon, PA Daniel L. Williams, Brad D. Kunkle, R. Jerry Brush, Glenn McCaskey

Brick, NJ (formerly Howell) L. Marc Sweet, Brian L. Michlich

Camden, DE R. Daniel Wagner, Albert F. Biddle

Carmel, NY Joseph Waldvogel (Probationer), Hans R. Waldvogel

Clinton Corners, NY (Vacant), Wayne M. Chadwell

Colebrookdale, PA Barry T. Parsons, Lucas M. Parsons

Coopersburg, PA David J. Peters, Timothy S. Hogan,

Robert A. Moreau, Stephen C. Cassel

Dauphin, PA Mark E. Barninger, Dennis Souder

Denville, NJ Richard D. Harris, Steven Kay

Emmaus, PA David A. Smith, David N. Schoen, Jared Burkholder, Larry

Davies (Probationer) Alan H. Russell

Ephrata, PA (Vacant), Daniel Z. Krall, William F. Early

Exeter, PA William A. Burton III (Probationer), David Rhoads

Finesville, NJ Byron Widger, Bert R. Roling

Graterford, PA Mark R. Orton, Rodger E. Spangler

Harleysville, PA Andrew T. Crossgrove, Michael W. Walker, Richard C. Lutz

Harrisburg, PA Joshua P. Miller, Steven J. DelDuco, Don Maurer

Hatfield, PA Joel B. Klase, Harold K. Schoonover

Hellertown, PA Keith A. Strunk, John W. Sullivan

Kutztown, PA Ezekiel R. Mack, Nickolas T. Tempe

LaGrangeville, NY Dennis W. Spinney, Thomas Ward

Lancaster, PA Keith M. Long, William C. Verdon (Probationer),

Joseph A. Kim, Robert L. Yinger, James R. Knapp

Las Cruces, NM David M. Poland

Lebanon, PA Calvin T. Reed, David E. Brandt, Jarrod J. Cruise,

Jack S. Herb, Jr.

Lehighton, PA Robert A. Johnson II, Richard Reich

Long Neck, DE Andrew W. Barnes, Tom Lioy

Maple Glen, PA Louis Prontnicki

Merida, MEXICO Marcos G. Ramirez, Freddy A. Chi, Edgar Navarro

Mt. Carmel, PA Roger L. Siegrist, James P. Ketner

Mt. Pocono, PA (Vacant), Ronald E. Miller

Nazareth, PA Carl J. Fischer, Jr., James W. Preslar

Newark, DE Andrew R. Hebel (Probationer), Stephen J. Morton, Daniel W. King, Kenneth J. Klein, Ronald L. Bove

Newark, NJ Ron Burgess, Milton R. Hinton

Oley, PA Scott A. Allison (Probationer), James D. MacArthur,

Todd Heath

Paradise, PA Jesse A. Benack, Daniel Eckman

Philadelphia, PA Ralph E. Ritter, Joseph P. Specht, Jr.

Piscataway, NJ Richard B. Ravis, John P. Sullivan, Jay R. Vroman

Quakertown, PA Ronald L. Kohl, L. James Roberts

Reading, PA Randall A. Grossman, Nathaniel C. LeTowt (Probationer)

Ronald W. Reed

Reading, PA (La Roca) Carlos G. Rodriguez, Vladimir Caba, Diego A. Rodriguez (Probationer), Luis E. Beltran (Probationer),

Red Hill, PA (Vacant), J. Robert Vaughn

Royersford, PA Ronald C. Erb, Tony Zook

Shamokin, PA Ferdie R. Madara, William Kerstetter

Sinking Spring, PA S. Wayne Rissmiller, Paul Harvey, Sean Fox, Wendell Yoder, Donald D. McKinney, John R. Weller

Spring City, PA Jeffrey A. Kauffman, Sean P. McNamara

Steelton, PA Jayonn C. Folks, Ed B. Suthers

Stroudsburg, PA Beau E. Coffman, Brian Seay

Sunbury, PA Joshua P. Gibson, Jules J. Hull, Douglas A. Gaugler

Terre Hill, PA Kevin W. Kirkpatrick, Andrew S. Littlejohn

Townsend, DE Ronald B. Smith, Dave Graham

Upper Macungie (Orchard Hills) Benjamin J. Triestman

Wallingford, PA Aaron J. Susek, Mark A. Bickel, Timothy S. Cowen,

Robert T. Evans

Walnutport, PA (Northern Lehigh) Aaron D. Smith, Jason P. Musselman

Whitehall, PA (Bethany) Timothy J. Schmoyer, Philip E. Yerrington, Mark Hargrove, Jerald Lagler

W. Norriton, PA (Redeemer) R. Scott Wright, David Quinley (Probationer), Roger Eastman

Woodbury Heights, NJ Timothy R. Nessler, Harry Nessler

York, PA Wesley H. Bunting (Probationer), Kenneth L. Good

Zionsville, PA Bryan C. McNally, Jim Pruitt, Chuck Mills

Ordained Ministers Serving in Bible Fellowship Ministries:

BFC Executive Director — David T. Allen

Conference Pastor — Ralph M. Soper

Church Extension — Raymond R. Bertolet, Brad L. Boyer, Stephen A. Diaz, Joshua P. Dupiche, Jason A. Filbert, David E. Gundrum, John J. Hanner (Probationer), Daniel J. Hoffstetter (Probationer), Juan Carlos Morales (Probationer), Mark L. Morrison, Timothy S. Radcliff, James D. Reff, Timothy M. Zuck

Board of Missions — James Arcieri, Donald E. Kuntzman, Duane E. Moyer

Ordained Missionaries:

Daniel P. Allen, Scott B. Evans, Larry Davies, James D. Head, D.H., Daniel Istrate, Walter M. Johnson, Philip E. Morrison, Jerry L. Moyer, David W. Riddell, Mark A. Scott, John C. Studenroth

Ordained Ministers Working in the Chaplaincy Under the Sponsorship of the BFC:

Richard A. Moyer, Jacob J. Susek, Jr.

Ordained Ministers Working in Other Christian Ministries:

Timothy J. Bertolet, Clyde D. Bomgardner, Jr., Robert S. Commerford, Louis S. Curcio, Jordan K. Eyster, Justin L. Hunter, Dennis J. Lawrence, Thomas A. Pollock, Elliot H. Ramos, Michael J. Tannous

Ordained Ministers in Retirement:

William C. Aukamp, Delbert R. Baker II, Richard F. Bickings, T. James Bigley, Jr., Clifford B. Boone, Leonard E. Buck, Dennis M. Cahill, G. Wayne Clapier, Charles E. Cole, Hugh C. Coulbourn, Jr., Raymond R. Dotts, Bruce Ellingson, Richard J. Gehman, LeRoy S. Heller, Frank L. Herb, Jr., John H. Herb, Roy A. Hertzog, Ronald W. Hoyle, David H. Jones, W. Scott Kappes, Francis E. Lenahan, Ronald C. Mahurin, David L. Manney, Philip G. Norris, Richard T. Paashaus, Keith E. Plows, Roger L. Reitz, Jeffrey L. Ruhl, David K. Schlonecker, William G. Schlonecker, Austin G. Shelly, Thomas P. Shorb, Robert A. Sloan, Jr., Gene W. Smith, Carl K. Spackman, Dean A. Stortz, Richard E. Taylor, David A. Thomann, Gregory A. Uhrich, John C. Vandegriff, Jr., David R. Way, Harold C. Weaber, Dana E. Weller, Howard N. Wells, Paul G. Zimmerman

Ordained Ministers Between Calls:

Jonathan H. King, Carl T. Martin, Eric North, Thomas H. Morrison

Ordained Ministers on a Leave of Absence:

Jason W. Blair, Joshua D. Edwards, Andrew T. Gysi

Additional Lay Members of the BFC Executive Board:

Charles A. Lavigna

Report of the Committee on Agenda and Arrangements: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

Resolved, that the agenda for the 138^th BFC Conference be accepted as the guide for our deliberations.

Resolved, that the Registrar be authorized to seat alternate delegates when necessary during the Conference and report them to Conference in his report at the conclusion of Conference.

Resolved, that the 139^th BFC Conference be held at Pinebrook April 25-27, 2022.

Resolved, that committee reports for the 139^th BFC Conference be sent in digital format to the BFC Conference Secretary by Feb. 15, 2022 at sportspastor33@gmail.com.

Formal recognition of two new particular churches

While the 137^th BFC Conference voted to receive Orchard Hills BFC (Upper Macungie Twp., PA) and Redeemer BFC (Lower Providence Twp., PA) into the BFC Conference, recognizing both as Particular Churches last October, time was set aside for formal recognition of both churches as David E. Gundrum, Director of Church Extension Ministries, explained the criteria met by both particular churches.

“The last time we met, both churches were approved,” Gundrum explained. “Tonight we’re formally recognizing them, letting them show off a little bit.”

Gundrum took a few moments to focus on regional church planting, which he identified as a “Mission to Multiply” focus on daughter church planting. He noted that Redeemer BFC is a product of the Bucks-Mont Region while Orchard Hills is a daughter church plant out of Allentown’s Cedar Crest congregation. “We’re starting to see this multiplication movement take root,” he said.

The attention of Conference was directed to the Orchard Hills church. While Orchard Hills’ pastor, Benjamin J. Triestman, was absent due to illness, one of the church’s elders, J.R. Hoyer, stepped in to say a few words, noting that the church is now meeting at its third location. “In the three-plus years since we left the nest at Cedar Crest, it’s been an amazing ride,” Hoyer said. “Any success that we’ve had is because God has willed it be so.”

Musical worship was offered by a musical ensemble (The Cedar Routes) from Orchard Hills BFC. Conference joined in singing “God Is For Us,” “Be Thou My Vision,” and “All I Have is Christ,” and a video highlighted the church’s varied ministries, including a segment detailing how Orchard Hills weathered the 2020-21 COVID-19 pandemic.

John R. LoRusso prayed for the ministry of Orchard Hills BFC.

Gundrum then directed Conference’s attention to Redeemer BFC of Lower Providence Twp. Founding pastor Scott Wright and elder Roger Eastman greeted Conference. “We are beyond three years in the making,” Wright explained. “We are 10 years in the making, by God’s grace.”

Faith Bible Fellowship Church in Harleysville, along with the Bucks-Mont Region, was instrumental in Redeemer’s founding and growth. The mission church began in the Wrights’ home, moved to a hotel, and is now meeting at the Audubon YMCA.

“We’re grateful for the support of sister churches and individuals who have encouraged us over the years,” Wright said. “We are grateful for every person the Lord has put in our lives.”

Wright encouraged his fellow church planters, noting that God’s timing is not always our timing and persistence is necessary. “Be faithful, and press on,” he stressed. Michael W. Walker prayed, thanking God for His faithfulness to Redeemer BFC.

ReSet theme introduced

Following an introductory video, Executive Director David T. Allen provided an introduction to the ReSet theme that will guide the preaching that takes place throughout the 138^th BFC Conference. Starting with Jesus’ Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20, Allen turned to Acts 1:7-8, noting Jesus’ declaration, “You will be My witnesses.” He described the mission given to the disciples as three-pronged: “Make disciples. Baptize them. Teach them to obey the Word.” The mission seems so straightforward, and yet Allen noted, “Churches that began under the ministry of the Apostle Paul needed to be ‘reset’ within 50 years of their founding.”

Allen said that COVID, while difficult for us as a denomination, has provided God-given opportunities as we examine what we are doing, how we are doing it, and whether we are making disciples. “We have been forced into a time when a reset is not only possible, it’s essential,” Allen said.

In preparation for this year’s Conference, Allen looked back at the minutes from the 1918 Conference, relating how that event’s preachers were informed, in the morning, that they would be preaching in the evening, and Conference further provided preaching opportunities to some of its newest, youngest pastors. The emphasis for this year’s proclamation of the Word of God will be the letters of Revelation 2-3 to seven churches in various states of obedience and health.

Aaron D. Smith, tabbed to fill in at the last minute when a family emergency prevented Scott A. Allison from fulfilling his preaching assignment, proclaimed a message detailing the church’s beginnings with Acts 2:37-47 as his text.

That passage concludes with the words, “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” “How many would love for that to be the description of the churches you belong to?” Smith said. “We would all love that.”

As the pastor-church planter of the Northern Lehigh BFC in Walnutport, Smith has known both the freedom of starting anew and the frustration of dealing with traditions and preconceptions. “We have to be free with what God allows us to be free with….we cannot be stodgy,” he said. By the same token, the message of the gospel has to be clearly, persistently, and powerfully proclaimed. “We know this needs to be an essential of the church: exalting Jesus and preaching the gospel,” Smith said.

The emphasis, he stressed, needs to remain the gospel. “The older need to listen to the younger and the younger need to listen to the older. They need to put their minds together because the gospel is for everyone. It’s for everyone. It should be taken everywhere.”

The COVID-19 pandemic, Smith explained, has proved to be a godsend in terms of focusing the church’s attention on what really matters by creative means. “When you shut things down, it gives you an opportunity to restart things in a fresh, new way…but have the essentials,” he said. The mission of making disciples, he added, is the grid that every church’s ministries must be measured against.

Jesse H. Benack focused on the first of the seven letters—to the church at Ephesus, as detailed in Revelation 2:1-7. He began by noting how, in relationships with our brides and our children, what began with joy, excitement, and love can fade over time. If that is true with marriages and families, it is sadly often true with the bride of Christ, churches, and their relationship with Jesus Christ, their groom. “It is…dangerous for a church’s love with Christ to grow cold…the church whose love grows cold can lose its status as a church,” Benack said.

Benack noted that most of the letters in Revelation 2-3 follow a similar format: greeting, commendation, correction, and promise. That is certainly true with our Lord’s words to the church at Ephesus, which despite its early prominence lost its fervor for the Lord somewhere along the way. “These seven churches were real churches that existed in that day in the first century,” Benack said, suggesting that the “seven” numerology indicates that these churches “represent all churches for all times.”

In Ephesus, Jesus is presented as walking among the lampstands that represent His churches. “Jesus is not distant; He is walking with His churches. With all His churches, He cares. He’s there in their midst.” Benack posed: If we knew Jesus was among us on a Sunday morning, would our preaching change? Would our singing change? Would our elders’ meetings change?

The church in Ephesus was commended for its faithfulness to doctrine. “But that alone evidently is not enough, because next Jesus goes to the heart of the matter. He has something against this doctrinally-sound church.” What? They have “abandoned the love [they] had first.” The love these Christians had for Jesus at the start of their relationship with Him was fading.

“This letter is telling us that it’s very possible to work hard as a church, be faithful in our efforts, and completely forget why we’re doing it—completely forsake the One we loved at first,” Benack charged. “It’s very possible. Our love for Jesus must drive every effort in our ministries.”

Jesus’ remedy is found in Revelation 3:5—remember, repent, and return. Remember the joy we felt when we realized the weight of our sin, guilt, and shame had been removed by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Repent: turn away from all the things that lead us away from our love for Christ. And return: “Do the works you did at first.” Benack asked: “Are we going through the motions right now?” The threat given in v. 5—that our Lord will remove a church’s lampstand—should be chilling, for it suggests that a church that fails to remember, repent, and return may someday fail to exist because it has abandoned its love for Jesus and the gospel.

“Have we abandoned our first love,” Benack asked in conclusion. “Do we love Jesus like we used to? We need to ask God to search us with His Holy Spirit.”

Conference responded by singing, “Revive Us Again.” Scott Wright closed Monday’s first session with prayer at 8:45 p.m. A reception celebrating our two new churches followed the adjournment.

BFC Conference Proceedings – 2021

Second meeting

Tuesday, October 5, 2021, 8:45 A.M.

The Conference Moderator called the morning session to order at 8:45 a.m. as Timothy R. Nessler prayed. Musical worship was led by an ensemble from Calvary BFC, Sinking Spring. Conference joined in singing “Come, Let Us Worship Our King,” “Whom Shall I Fear (God of Angel Armies),” “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” and “Living Hope.”

Morning messages on the ReSet theme

David T. Allen introduced the morning’s speakers, Wesley H. Bunting (York, PA) and Ronnie Burgess (Newark, NJ). Bunting directed Conference’s attention to the church at Smyrna in Revelation 2:8-11. He asked Conference to consider this thesis statement: “Be faithful to Jesus Christ even unto death, for the crown of life that Jesus Christ offers infinitely will transcend any suffering that we may face on this side of eternity.”

Noting that the message to the church at Smyrna was delivered by the One who (Rev. 2:8) “died and came to life,” the fact that Jesus is giving it ought to cause us to pay close attention. “If He has a message to share, then we’d better be listening,” Bunting said.

Jesus knew this church’s tribulation and its poverty. He knows ours as well. “It shouldn’t be a surprise to us…as Christians living in America today, that we are beginning to feel that pinch of pressure, that taste of tribulation” because our stands on many issues run directly counter to that of an increasingly hostile culture.” Revelation 2:10 commends us, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer,” even if our defense of the gospel leads to our martyrdom.

Citing the example of John Bradford, a faithful preacher burned at the stake at the command of Queen Mary Tudor, who rightfully earned the sobriquet, “Bloody Mary,” Bunting asked why so many martyrs throughout the church’s long history could remain faithful, even to their deaths. Because they knew that those who remained faithful to Jesus Christ, even to the pain of death, would never be allowed by their Savior to be hurt by the second death but will instead receive the crown of life—the gift of eternal life.

The job of pastors, he stressed, is not to lead our flocks away from suffering but to cling to God’s promises, and teach our congregations to cling to those promises, even if faithfulness leads to our deaths. We need this reminder, he said: “Your King, Jesus Christ, will never let you perish and will forever keep you in His hand.”

Burgess dealt with the church at Pergamum, with Revelation 2:12-17 as his text. His theme: “Being faithful in the midst of false doctrine.” Pergamum was a compromising church. In Revelation 2:14, Pergamum was condemned for holding to “the teaching of Balaam.” Burgess said the Christians in Pergamum, like Balaam, wanted to have their cake and to eat it too in the sense that they desired the blessings of the faith while compromising with their surrounding culture.

As pastors, it is required of us to be in the Word of God, and not just to fulfill our preaching assignments. “We must make sure we’re spending quality time with the Lord…allowing [His] Word to change us.” The strength to be cognizant of the temptation to compromise, and to withstand that temptation, is directly connected to the time we spend studying and meditating on God’s Word.

Pergamum was 50 miles away from Ephesus and Smyrna. It was like Washington, DC—a place where important decisions were made. Compromise came easy in a place like Pergamum. As pastors, we face that same threat today. As such, we have a great need for a commitment to prayer as well as to commitment to the Scriptures. “Everything that is a good idea is not necessarily a ‘God’ idea, so we really need to make sure that we’re spending time in God’s Word, that we’re praying,” Burgess said.

The Pergamum church was called to repent. Burgess described repentance as “being committed to making a change.” Pergamum faced the threat of facing the sword of Christ’s mouth. Are we willing to both preach repentance and to model it in our own lives?

Following the morning messages, Daniel L. Williams directed Conference to consider the second of what he called “the two wings to ministry”—preaching and prayer. “As much as we give ourselves to preaching and as much as we esteem the Word of God…may we equally give ourselves to prayer,” he said before leading Conference in a time of corporate prayer: prayers of praise, prayers of repentance, and prayers of supplication, asking God to move in our churches.

Following the morning break, Chad Strausbaugh, Director of Pinebrook Bible Conference, welcomed Conference. He thanked Conference for the 50 years of BFC stewardship of Pinebrook. “Thank you for realizing that God values this camp and isn’t done with this place.”

Robert A. Sloan, Jr., who serves on the board of Spruce Lake Ministries, offered a verbal report on the relationship between Spruce Lake and the Bible Fellowship Church. “From our perspective, we couldn’t have asked for more,” he said.

The Conference Moderator made the following appointments:

Registrar: Joel B. Klase

Assistant Registrar: Jules J. Hull III

Overseer of the Pages: Nathaniel C. LeTowt

Head Page: Benjamin J. Armstrong

Head Teller: Donald E. Kuntzman

Examination of BFC Conference Minutes (138^th): Daniel P. Allen, Chairman; Philip G. Norris, Richard E. Taylor, R. Daniel Wagner

Timekeeper: Mark L. Morrison

Parliamentarian: Joshua P. Miller

Committee on Resolutions: Jared M. Burkholder, Daniel Z. Krall, Steven J. Morton, Scott Wright

Resolved, that the appointments be ratified.

Conference Secretary Ronald L. Kohl made the following appointments:

Assistant Secretary: Bryan C. McNally

Assistants to the Secretary: David E. Brandt, Donald E. Kuntzman

William J. Walters served as sound technician for Conference. Noah Hottel assisted with the livestream.

Resolved, that the appointments be ratified.

The following first-time delegates to the BFC Conference—either last year or this year—were introduced:

Luis E. Beltran, La Roca de Reading, Reading, PA; Wesley H. Bunting, Faith BFC of York, York, PA; William Burton, Exeter BFC, Exeter, BFC; Adam Crain, Cedar Crest BFC, Allentown, PA; Roger Eastman, Redeemer BFC, Lower Providence Twp., PA; Kenneth Good, Faith BFC of York, York, PA; Andrew Hebel, BFC of Newark, Newark, DE; Dan Hoffstetter, Redeemer BFC, Topton, PA; Joseph Kim, Faith BFC, Lancaster, BFC; Brad Kunkle, Trinity BFC, Blandon, PA; Don Maurer, Grace BFC, Harrisburg, PA; Tim Moyer, Cedar Crest BFC, Allentown, PA; Jim Presler, Grace BFC, Nazareth, PA; Byron D. Roth, Ebenezer BFC, Bethlehem, PA; Harold Schoonover, Bethany BFC, Hatfield, PA; Brian Seay, Berean BFC, Stroudsburg, PA; John Sullivan, Christ Community Church, Piscataway, NJ.

Report of the Committee on Examination of 137^th BFC Conference Minutes: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be adopted.

The Conference Secretary made the following recommendation:

Resolved, that all minutes of both sessions of the 137^th BFC Conference be approved.

Report of the Nominating Committee:

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

The following were elected:

BFC Executive Board:

Robert A. Sloan, Jr. (3 years)

BFC President:

William G. Schlonecker (3 years)

Ministerial Relations Committee:

J. Robert Vaughn (3 years)

Committee on Nominations:

Jill Davidson (3 years)

Conference Judicatory:

Ronald W. Reed (3 years)

L. James Roberts, Jr. (3 years)

Special Appellate Judicatory:

Timothy Faust (3 years)

Officers for the 139^th BFC Conference:

Secretary: Ronald L. Kohl (1 year)

Report of the Ministerial Credentials Committee: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

Whereas, the Ministerial Candidate Committee has recommended ordination for Scott A. Allison, Jared M. Burkholder, Juan Carlos Morales, William C. Verdon II, and Christopher M. Von Holt, and has recommended Wesley H. Bunting, Nathaniel C. LeTowt, and Barry T. Parsons for recognition of previous ordination, and

Whereas, these brethren have served acceptably as ministers of the Bible Fellowship Church for the required period of time or the equivalent thereof, and

Whereas, after examination, the Ministerial Credentials Committee believes these men to be called of God to the gospel ministry and to be in accord with the Faith & Order of the Bible Fellowship Church, therefore be it

Resolved, that Scott A. Allison, Jared M. Burkholder, Juan Carlos Morales, William C. Verdon II, and Christopher M. Von Holt, be ordained to the gospel ministry of the Bible Fellowship Church, and further,

Resolved, that Wesley H. Bunting, Nathaniel C. LeTowt, and Barry T. Parsons be recommended for recognition of previous ordination.

Resolved, that an Ordination Service be held at the 138^thBFC Conference.

Resolved, that New Life Bible Fellowship Church, Oley, PA; Bethel Bible Fellowship Church, Emmaus, PA; Christ Alone Fellowship Church, Lancaster, PA; Faith Bible Fellowship Church, Lancaster, PA; and Cedar Crest Bible Fellowship Church, Allentown, PA, be encouraged to have a service in recognition of the ordinations of Scott A. Allison, Jared M. Burkholder, Juan Carlos Morales, William C. Verdon II, and Christopher M. Von Holt, respectively, and that Faith Bible Fellowship Church, York, PA; Harvest Bible Fellowship Church, Boyertown, PA; and Grace Bible Fellowship Church, Reading, PA, be encouraged to have a service in recognition of the previous ordinations of Wesley H. Bunting, Barry T. Parsons, and Nathaniel C. LeTowt, respectively, and that they be encouraged to invite the Ministerial Credentials Committee to send representation to be present at each service.

Whereas, the number of ordained men under the care of the Ministerial Credentials Committee continues to grow, and

Whereas, the responsibilities for the Ministerial Credentials Committee to care well for our brethren also continues to grow, therefore be it

Resolved, that the Ministerial Credentials Committee be enlarged from five ministers to seven ministers.

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 140; No – 0.

Resolved, that the composition of the Ministerial Credentials Committee be amended as follows (adjustments in bold):

511-5 Ministerial Credentials Committee

511-5.1 Composition and Election

(1) The Ministerial Credentials Committee shall be composed of seven ordained ministers.

(2) They shall be elected for a term of three years in classes as follows:

Class I Two Ordained Ministers

Class II Two Ordained Ministers

Class III Three Ordained Ministers

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 138; No – 1.

Whereas, to minister to our pastors well, it would be advantageous to begin operating under the new legislation, therefore be it

Resolved, that the BFC Conference approves the implementation of the increase in membership of the Ministerial Credentials Committee by rule of exception.

4. Whereas, a person serving in the military as a chaplain is required to have an endorser who oversees the chaplain and represents the chaplain to the military, and

Whereas, it is prudent and helpful to our Chaplains for an endorser to attend a yearly meeting (NCMAF) usually held in January, and

Whereas, the Bible Fellowship Church is the endorser, and

Whereas, even though the Ministerial Credentials Committee has the responsibility to process and approve applications for the military chaplaincy but does not have to be the representative, and

Whereas, the duties of the Ministerial Credentials Committee states, “its Chairman shall be the representative of the BFC to the General Commission on Chaplains and Armed Forces Personnel,” and

Whereas, it is not always possible for the Chairman or a Committee member to attend the military meetings, therefore be it

Resolved, that the following addition be added to Article 511-5.2(5): (addition in bold)

511-5.2 Duties

(5) It shall process and approve all applications for the military chaplaincy, and its Chairman, or another BFC ordained minister other than the Chairman appointed by and under the authority of the Ministerial Credentials Committee, shall be the endorser for the BFC to the General Commission on Chaplains and Armed Forces Personnel.

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 143; No – 2.

Whereas, it is expedient to search for and approve a man to be the representative of the BFC for our Chaplains and to the General Commission on Chaplains and Armed Forces Personnel before the next NCMAF conference, therefore be it

Resolved, that the BFC Conference approves the implementation of Article 511-5.2(5) by rule of exception.

5. Whereas, the legislation for a man to be called as a minister and on the Pastoral staff of a Particular Church has been the same legislation for many years, and

Whereas, a minister to serve in one of our churches needs to be called according to our Principles of Order so that the Ministerial Candidate Committee can ascertain that he is in full agreement with our F&O, and

Whereas, Article 204-3.1 is one Article that speaks to the requirements regarding an individual to serve as a minister in the BFC as needing to be under the care of the Ministerial Candidate Committee, and

Whereas, the question has been raised of how long a man can be under the care of the Ministerial Candidate Committee, and

Whereas, this Article does not seem to be clear regarding the phrase, “he must be under the care of the Ministerial Candidate Committee,” and

Whereas, we have multiple pastoral staff in some BFC Churches, and

Whereas, the Ministerial Candidate Committee and the Ministerial Credentials Committee agree that the lead minister must complete the two tests and be approved by the Ministerial Candidate Committee, and

Whereas, this approval gives confidence that the men leading our churches have been approved by the Ministerial Candidate Committee, and

Whereas, other pastoral staff may, for a limited time (presently three years), be a candidate under the care of the Ministerial Candidate Committee, and

Whereas, other pastoral positions, other than senior/lead minister, have not been defined in our Principles of Order, therefore be it

Resolved, that Article 204-3.1 be changed as follows:

Current wording, 204-3.1: “The pastoral staff of a Particular Church is composed of, and limited to, those men who are serving as ministers in the BFC. For an individual to serve as a minister in the BFC, he must be ordained by or have had his previous ordination recognized by the BFC or he must be under the care of the Ministerial Candidate Committee.”

New legislation for 204-3.1 (with changes in bold): “The pastoral staff of a Particular Church is composed of, and limited to, those men who are serving as ministers in the BFC. For an individual to serve as a senior/lead minister in the BFC, he must be called according to our Principles of Order. Other pastoral staff must either be ordained by or have his previous ordination recognized by the BFC or, as a candidate/probationer, he must be under the care of the Ministerial Candidate Committee.”

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 129; No – 10.

Ezekiel R. Mack gave a short presentation on the varied ministry of military chaplaincy.

Report of the Ministerial Candidate Committee: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

Resolved, that the list of men under the care of the Ministerial Candidate Committee be approved.

The following men who are under the care of the Ministerial Candidate Committee were introduced to Conference:

Luis E. Beltran, La Roca de Reading, Reading, PA; Peter Bogert, Calvary BFC, Coopersburg, PA; William Burton, Exeter BFC, Exeter, PA; Adam Crain, Cedar Crest BFC, Allentown, PA; Jeremy Harkins, Ebenezer BFC, Bethlehem, PA; Todd Heath, New Life BFC, Oley, PA; Andrew R. Hebel, BFC of Newark, Newark, DE; Daniel J. Hoffstetter, Redeemer BFC, Topton, PA; Sandy Holbert, Grace BFC, Reading, PA; Nathaniel C. LeTowt, Grace BFC, Reading, PA; James D. MacArthur, New Life BFC, Oley, PA; Michael Notary, Ebenezer BFC, Bethlehem, PA; Diego A. Rodriguez, La Roca de Reading, Reading, PA; John Sullivan, Christ Community Church, Piscataway, NJ.

Report of the Ministerial Relations Committee: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

Resolved, that each church provide a minimum of 3 % of the pastor’s salary for retirement, plus an additional 1 % match if the pastor is voluntarily contributing 1 %.

Report of the Conference Pastor: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

An offering was received for the Darlene J. Mahurin Memorial Fund. Byron Widger prayed for the receiving of the offering. A total of $1,415 was received.

Report of the Church Health Committee: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

Conference adjourned for lunch at 12:20 p.m. as Beau E. Coffman prayed.

BFC Conference Proceedings – 2021

Third meeting

Tuesday, October 5, 2021, 1:30 P.M.

The Conference Moderator called the afternoon session to order at 1:30 p.m. as Dennis M. Cahill prayed. William G. Schlonecker prayed for the elections.

Afternoon sermons

William A. Burton III (Exeter, PA) spoke on the church at Thyatira from Revelation 2:18-29 while Andrew R. Hebel (Newark, DE) preached on the church at Sardis from Revelation 3:1-6.

In addressing the church at Thyatira, the Son of God is described in frightening terms. He has “eyes like a flame of fire” and Rev. 2:19 has Him declaring, “I know your works.” While the church is praised for its love, faith, service, and patient endurance, quickly the tone turns from commendation to condemnation: “But I have this against you.” Thyatira was a church tolerant of all sorts of evil—a church squishy on what it taught.

Burton said, “Believe it or not, you can have a church that’s popular in the community, showing love…and teaching the wrong things.” Tolerance, he noted, has both positive and negative aspects. But he asks, “Have we been intolerant in the things we should be tolerant in and tolerant where we should be intolerant?”

It’s easy for dangers to slip into our churches. We become tolerant of the wrong things. “What I’m finding,” Burton said, “is that we’re intolerant of personal preference where we ought to be intolerant of sin.”

We love our people best when we lead them to become disciples of Jesus Christ. Burton asked, “Who are you discipling and who’s discipling you? If the answer is ‘no’ on both ends, you’re failing.”

“This stuff matters,” he said of the Word of God and gospel truth. We dare not compromise the truth. As a non-active duty Marine rifleman, Burton noted, “When you’re shooting up close, I don’t even have to aim.” But at 800 yards, the smallest change causes you to miss your target. We must not deviate from the gospel—not even one iota.

The church at Sardis had a reputation of which it was not worthy. It had a reputation for being alive but was dead. And so Hebel said Christ’s call to the church at Sardis was simple: “Wake up!”

As a city of great wealth and a crossroads for commerce, Sardis rested on its previous achievements and considered itself impregnable. It had a reputation and was proud of itself. The church at Sardis reflected the city’s history; it was thought of as a good place to be. But Sardis had strayed to the point where there was no life or spiritual depth in the church. “The church at Sardis was resting on its past reputation and not on its present relationship,” Hebel said.

But the passage is not without encouragement. There were a few believers in Sardis that had not soiled their garments; they were walking in the light. To them Christ said, “The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before His angels.” Like them, our desire is to please the Father, to love Jesus, and to want to make His name known.

“There is some work to be done here. There is hope. There is a mission,” Hebel concluded.

Study committee reports, discussion, and legislation

The majority of the afternoon session was devoted to reports from several study committees which had continued their work.

Report of the Study Committee to Review Biblical Principles for Living: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

The committee has made the decision to delay the presentation of resolutions to the 139^th BFC Conference.

Report of the Study Committee on Examination of the BPL on the Family: (see page)

No report was prepared for this year. This committee will report to the 139^th BFC Conference in April, 2022.

Report of the Study Committee on Examination of the BPL on Sexual Identity PLEASE REMOVE “SEE PAGE” SINCE THE REPORT WAS NOT RECEIVED.

Resolved, that both the original report and its addendum not be received but be referred back to the Study Committee.

Resolved, that the Moderator add additional members to the Study Committee to assist them in their work.

Report of the Study Committee on Child Sexual Abuse: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

The following resolutions were submitted for approval at First Reading:

Resolved, that the following be added to Article 204-2.3, Personal Qualifications for the Ministry:

(7) A man convicted of sexual abuse or included in the national or state registry of sexual offenders will be ineligible for ordination or the position of minister at any church. Additionally, a man will be ineligible to maintain his ordination credentials or his position of minister at any church if convicted of sexual abuse.

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 101; No – 32.

Resolved, that the following be added to Article 204-5, Church Staff:

204-5.2 The elders shall ensure that the church has obtained background checks and child abuse clearances for all church staff. In jurisdictions that require clearances, the elders will ensure that their policy complies with the law. A person convicted of sexual abuse or included in the national or state registry of sexual offenders will be ineligible for employment in any church.

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 122; No – 10.

Resolved, that the following be added to Article 204-1, Elders:

204-1.7 The elders shall ensure that the church has obtained background checks and child abuse clearances for all elders. In jurisdictions that require clearances, the elders will ensure that their policy complies with the law. A man convicted of sexual abuse or included in the national or state registry of sexual offenders will be ineligible for the office of elder.

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 118; No – 11.

Resolved, that the following be added to Article 204-4, Deacons:

204-4.5 The elders shall ensure that the church has obtained background checks and child abuse clearances for all deacons. In jurisdictions that require clearances, the elders will ensure that their policy complies with the law. A person convicted of sexual abuse or included in the national or state registry of sexual offenders will be ineligible for the office of deacon.

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 118; No – 10.

Resolved, that the following be added to Article 404, Choosing Leaders Other than Elders and Deacons:

404-5 The elders will ensure that the church has obtained background checks and child abuse clearances for all volunteers that have a significant likelihood of contact with children in their ministries. In jurisdictions that require clearances, the elders will ensure that their policy complies with the law. A person convicted of sexual abuse or included in the national or state registry of sexual offenders will be ineligible for volunteer ministry where there is significant likelihood of contact with children. The elders shall define what “significant likelihood of contact with children” means in their context.

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 110; No – 5.

Resolved, that the following be added to Article 407 – Miscellaneous Bylaws:

407-7 Child Protection Policy. The church shall maintain a written child protection policy, enacted and overseen by its Board of Elders. The elders will ensure that their policy complies with the laws of their jurisdiction (Suggested guidelines are included in the 2021 Yearbook).

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 122; No – 4.

Election results

The following were elected:

BFC Executive Board:

Gary Karch (3 years)

Ricky D. Whitmire (3 years)

Ministerial Credentials Committee:

Ralph M. Soper (3 years)

Ministerial Candidate Committee:

Mark E. Barninger (3 years)

Andrew T. Crossgrove (3 years)

Ministerial Relations Committee:

William G. Schlonecker (3 years)

Committee on Nominations:

Michael W. Walker (3 years)

Committee on Church Health:

Wayne W. Batten (3 years)

Steven J. DelDuco (3 years)

Bryan C. McNally (3 years)

Conference Judicatory:

Kevin W. Kirkpatrick (3 years)

Dean A. Stortz (3 years)

Special Appellate Judicatory:

Joshua P. Miller (3 years)

Officers of BFC Conference:

Moderator

Timothy J. Schmoyer (1 year)

The Moderator adjourned the afternoon session with prayer at 5:18 p.m. A brief meeting of the Beneficiary Society was held for pastors prior to dinner.

BFC Conference Proceedings – 2021

Fourth meeting

Tuesday, October 5, 2021, 7:00 P.M.

No business was conducted as the evening was set aside for a service of ordination. The ordination service was called to order at 7 p.m. as the Calvary Worship Band from Sinking Spring, led by Greg Irvin and Matt Noll, led Conference and guests in the singing of “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee,” “How Great is Our God,” and “How Great Thou Art.”

Carlos G. Rodriguez read Acts 20:17-32, the apostle Paul’s charge to the elders of the Ephesus church, and then asked God’s blessing upon the service and upon the ordinands. Ralph M. Soper presented the following men for ordination: Jared M. Burkholder, Juan Carlos Morales, Roger L. Siegrist, William C. Verdon II, and Christopher M. Von Holt. Having previous ordinations recognized were Wesley H. Bunting, Nathaniel C. LeTowt, Barry T. Parsons, David M. Poland.

Scott A. Allison was unable to be present and so while his name appeared in the resolutions for ordination earlier in the day, he will be included in the ordination service at the 139^th BFC Conference, scheduled for April, 2022.

S. Wayne Rissmiller provided a charge to the ordinands, using his own experiences as a pastor and the words of Paul from Acts 20 to challenge and encourage the men who sat on the platform. “This job is not for the faint of heart,” he said. “To be honest, being a pastor has been one of the greatest joys of my life, but it has also been, and I would say this with all honesty, the hardest thing I have ever had to do in the course of my life.”

Calling, Rissmiller said, is a supernatural thing. “It is not by your choice. It is by God’s choice, and that is something you must always keep in mind.” Pastoral ministry is something men are called by God to do, and when He calls, we will not know peace until we respond. “Gentlemen, we believe you have this call on your life,” Rissmiller stressed. “And if you do, there is no other course for you.”

Pastoral calling, however, carries the possibility of being derailed. How do we avoid being derailed from this ministry to which we have been called? Acts 20:28 is clear: “Pay careful attention to yourselves.” “You must be constantly examining what’s inside of you and the things that are going on around you,” Rissmiller said. We need to be men of prayer. We need to abide in Christ by diligently being in His Word.

Pastors also need to pay careful attention to the flock. We do this by not shrinking from declaring to our congregations the whole counsel of God. We need to keep in mind Paul’s words in Acts 20:24—“I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”

Dennis M. Cahill administered the ordination vows while Dana E. Weller directed the laying on of hands and prayer. The service concluded with the singing of “O Jesus, I Have Promised,” a benediction and a time of greeting from their fellow BFC pastors.

BFC Conference Proceedings – 2021

Fifth meeting

Wednesday, October 6, 2021, 8:45 A.M.

The Moderator called the meeting to order at 8:45 a.m. Congregation sang “My Lighthouse,” “Amazing Grace,” and “This is Amazing Grace.” David T. Allen then introduced the morning’s preachers.

Morning sermons

Jeffrey A. Kauffman (Spring City, PA) preached on the church at Philadelphia from Revelation 3:7-13 while David Poland (Las Cruces, NM) followed with a sermon on the church at Laodicea from Revelation 3:14-22.

Kauffman noted that the church in Philadelphia was identified in Revelation 3:8 by this phrase—“I know that you have but little power.” Small in size and small in influence on the surrounding culture, the Philadelphia church was faced with a task for which it was insufficient by human standards. “Doesn’t this also describe us, brothers?” Kauffman asked.

“If we’re all inadequate, what must we do to be successful to glorify our Lord Jesus?” he continued. That’s the second half of Revelation 3:8, and another phrase that drew Kauffman’s focus—“Yet you have kept My Word.” The believers in Philadelphia, though few, though weak, were faithful to their Savior. Kauffman noted, “This church in Philadelphia lived humbly, submissively, courageously, and obediently to Jesus Christ.” The text says they did not deny the Lord’s name.

The words “you have kept My word” are repeated in Rev. 3:10, this time with the addendum, “about patient endurance.” The church in Philadelphia, though small and weak, had staying power. Why? Because it kept God’s Word. “I want to be part of a denomination that’s described as faithful, humble, submissive, and obedient to the word that’s found in our title: we are Bible Fellowship Churches,” Kauffman said.

Using the phrase “you have kept My Word,” Kauffman honed in on the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture. “God’s Word is enough,” he said.

Sufficiency does not mean that we don’t need other help and tools to live normal, human lives, but the Bible is sufficient for everything we need for life and godliness, for how our churches should be governed, for what our public worship services look like. “The Word of God is more than enough for the people of God to live for the glory of God.”

It is the Bible, he says, that prevents our people from succumbing to the “shifting sands” of the surrounding culture. “The better way is to become Word-centered churches who hold fast to the all-sufficient Word.”

Given the task of preaching the most condemning of the seven letters, the letter to the church at Laodicea, Poland related the struggles of this church to our own struggles. “We are all working through the ups and downs of progressive sanctification…we are all endeavoring to serve the Lord in all that we do, and yet we all fall,” he noted.

Laodicea’s sin was lukewarmness. While we may be tempted to say, ‘It’s not gross immorality, it’s not idolatry,’ it’s clear that Laodicea was being called on the carpet as being guilty of sin—the sin of lukewarmness. “All churches have issues,” Poland said. “This is not just some issue. Lukewarmness is not an issue, my brothers; it’s a sin.”

He offered the observation that the COVID pandemic has contributed to lukewarmness in many churches and among many Christians, including pastors. “It’s been hard. But has it robbed us of our passion?” Poland asked. Churches can meet budget and have outwardly prospering children’s or youth ministries but still be lukewarm and even dead. These are not the marks or measures of life. The question that should instead be asked is, “Do your people have a fire for the gospel of Jesus Christ, our Lord?”

The solution is to come to the Savior. “He is perfectly equipped to meet every single need,” Poland said.

And so Laodicea, a church which has nothing positive said about it in Scripture, can be rescued and redeemed—yes, even Laodicea. “What’s so beautiful is that they are perfectly fixed by their perfect Savior,” Poland said. And so, he noted, we must ask ourselves, “Where has lukewarmness crept in?” We must regain our passion for God’s Word, and then declare it passionately to our people.

Daniel W. King from the Prayer Committee led Conference in a time of concerted prayer.

Michael J. Tannous prayed for the weighty matters to be dealt with in this session.

Report of the Study Committee on the Importance of Preaching: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

Whereas, the Bible Fellowship Church holds the highest and most reverent view of the Holy Scriptures as the living and active Word of God, and

Whereas, the Scriptures are clear about their own authority, necessity, and sufficiency for the salvation and sanctification of God’s people, and

Whereas, the preaching of God’s Word is clearly demonstrated and commanded in both the Old and New Testament, and

Whereas, the church universal, including the evangelical church at large, has progressively minimized and abandoned the ministry of exegetically based preaching of the Word of God,

Whereas, the Bible Fellowship Church seeks to be distinct in biblical fidelity and ministerial faithfulness, and

Whereas, the Church Health Committee of the Bible Fellowship Church has included expositional preaching of the Scriptures in the Distinctives of a Healthy [Bible Fellowship] Church, and

Whereas, the Articles of Faith of the Bible Fellowship Church do not explicitly proclaim our belief in the high value of exegetically based preaching of the Word of God, therefore be it

Resolved, that Article 18-5 be included in the Bible Fellowship Church Articles of Faith in order to clearly communicate our belief in the priority of exegetically based preaching in the church.

18-5 The ministry of the Word of God,¹³ through the agency of the Holy Spirit,¹⁴ is used by God for the salvation,¹⁵ sanctification,¹⁶ and equipping¹⁷ of His people. The public ministry of the Word within congregational worship¹⁸ must include faithful, Spirit-empowered preaching¹⁹ in which the biblical text(s) is read, explained, and applied so that the meaning of the text(s) is the message of the sermon.²⁰

^{13 … preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (2 Tim. 4:2); He said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” (Luke 4:43); For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. (1 Cor. 1:17); How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (Romans 10:14)}

^{14 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. (1 Cor. 2:13)}

^{15 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17); …and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (2 Tim. 3:15)}

^{16 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:17); But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.} ^{To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thess. 2:13-14).}

^{17 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. (Eph. 4:11-16); All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16-17)}

^{18 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. And Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places. They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. (Nehemiah 8:5-8)}

^{19 … preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths (2 Tim. 4:2-4); He said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” (Luke 4:43); For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. (1 Cor. 1:17); How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (Romans 10:14); And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. (1 Cor. 2:13); …whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:11)}

^{20 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading. (Nehemiah 8:8); But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. (2 Cor. 4:2); And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (Luke 24:27); They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” (Luke 24:32)}

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 92; No – 39.

Consideration of request from Faith BFC, Lancaster concerning offering baptism to the disabled

Resolved, that the request be received.

Request from Faith BFC, Lancaster, regarding baptism of the disabled

REMOVE THE FIRST PARAGRAPH

Whereas, the Lord Jesus Christ commanded the church to baptize disciples “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19), and

Whereas, water baptism is not an option but is a matter of obedience binding the practice of the church and is therefore an issue of accountability for both church leaders and individual believers, and

Whereas, the BFC Principles of Order state that “Anyone desiring to be a member of the BFC shall give testimony and evidence of faith in Christ and the new birth. He shall be in sympathy with the Faith & Order, be baptized by immersion subsequent to salvation, and manifest holiness toward God and separation from the world” (Article 202.3-1), and

Whereas, believers with disability issues are not addressed in our Principles of Order, and as a result the needs of people with disabilities sometimes raise difficult pastoral issues, and

Whereas, some people living with disabilities may desire to be obedient to the command to be baptized yet may have certain medical conditions that make baptism by immersion impossible or medically inadvisable, therefore be it

Resolved, that BFC Conference provide guidance to particular churches who have people living with disabilities who cannot be immersed but desire to be obedient to the biblical command to be baptized.

After considerable discussion, the following motion was entertained by Conference:

Resolved, that a study committee be appointed to study the baptism of people with disabilities and infirmities.

The motion passed by a vote of 73-48.

The following motion, “Proposal to Codify a Biblical Position on the Role of Women in the Context of the Gathered Church,” was made from the floor by Joshua P. Miller and amended by Conference:

Whereas, the Bible Fellowship Church Conference has appointed several study committees (1977, 1980, 2001, 2004) to study the Biblical teaching on the role of women in the local church; and

Whereas, the reports of these study committees have consistently understood the Scriptures, particularly 1 Timothy 2:12, to limit teaching over men in the gathered corporate setting of the church to be reserved for men alone; and

Whereas, the BFC Faith and Order does not specifically address our position on whether or not women are permitted by Scripture to teach men in the context of the gathered church. Therefore, be it

Resolved, that the 138th BFC Conference direct the BFC Moderator to appoint a study committee to write legislation to codify a biblical position regarding the biblical prohibition of women teaching men in the context of the gathered church.

The motion was received. After discussion, Conference voted in favor of the formation of such a study committee.

Consideration of Legislation at Second Reading

The Executive Board brought the following legislation for adoption at Second Reading at the 138th BFC Conference:

402-1.1 Pastoral Relations Committee (See 2020 Yearbook, p. 15).

The Board of Elders of every church shall designate a Pastoral Relations Committee composed of lay elders.

[SECOND READING]

Yes – 117; No – 0.

Article 406-3.5, Youth Organizations (See 2020 Yearbook, p. 15)

Resolved, that we delete the final sentence, which reads, “The Board of Christian Education offers to serve as a consultant for any Particular Church formulating a Youth Fellowship Constitution.”

[SECOND READING]

Yes – 116; No – 0.

Article 406-3.6 and Article 406-3.7, Youth Organizations (See 2020 Yearbook, p. 15)

Resolved, that we delete these because they deal, in their entirety, with the Board of Christian Education.

[SECOND READING]

Yes – 123; No – 0.

Article 407-3, Offerings (See 2020 Yearbook, p. 15)

Article 407-3(1), Resolved, that we replace “Board of Christian Education” with “BFC Training and Educational Committee.”

[SECOND READING]

Yes – 126; No – 0.

Article 407-3(5), Offerings (See 2020 Yearbook, p. 15)

Resolved, that we change “Pinebrook Bible Conference” to “BFC Life Committee.”

[SECOND READING]

Yes – 121; No – 1.

Article 407-5, Congregational Minutes and Records (See 2020 Yearbook, p. 15)

Resolved, that we delete “duly elected” and “alternate delegates” so it now reads, “Each church shall inform the Registrar of BFC Conference of the names of the BFC Conference delegate(s) by way of the BFC Conference Registration Form.”

[SECOND READING]

Yes – 131; No – 0.

Article 409-1.11, Instituting the Pastoral Relationship (See 2020 Yearbook, pp. 15-16)

Resolved, that we change the fifth sentence from “We will also pay you a sum equivalent to your self-employment tax (FICA)” to “We will also pay you a sum equivalent to at least one-half of your self-employment tax (FICA/SECA).”

[SECOND READING]

Yes – 137; No – 7.

Article 409-1.12, Instituting the Pastoral Relationship (See 2020 Yearbook, p. 16)

Resolved, that we change formal statement in fourth sentence from “We also will pay you a sum equivalent to your self-employment tax (FICA)” to “We also will pay you a sum equivalent to at least one half of your self-employment tax (FICA/SECA).”

[SECOND READING]

Yes – 117; No – 14.

512-3.4, Duties of the Board Officers, Board of Missions

Resolved, that we change first sentence of 512-3.4(3) so it reads, “He shall be responsible under the supervision of the Executive Board for the development of vision, strategy, and mobilization for world evangelization among Bible Fellowship Churches…”

[SECOND READING]

Yes – 132; No – 2.

The following were elected:

Ministerial Credentials Committee:

Jason L. Hoy (3 years)

Scott Wright (3 years)

Officers of the 139^th BFC Conference

Vice Moderator:

Steven J. DelDuco (1 year)

Report of the Conference Judicatory: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

Report of the Committee on Examination of Minutes of Particular Churches: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

Report of the Prayer Committee: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

Resolved, that the following be adopting at First Reading:

BFC Prayer Committee – 511-1.7(6)

Purpose

To represent a declaration of the BFC’s dependence upon God and desire to seek His face
To collaborate with BFC pastors and other like-minded resources for the purpose of cultivating a culture of prayer within the BFC
To provide an annual day of prayer for the BFC
To model how to lead people in public and corporate prayer

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 121; No – 2.

Composition and Election

The BFC Prayer Committee shall be composed of four ministers and three laypersons. Laypersons must be members in good standing at a BFC church.
The committee shall elect its own members, subject to the ratification of the BFC Executive Board.
No member of the committee may serve more than two consecutive terms. A member may be elected to a new term after a minimum of one year’s time following two consecutive terms.
The members of the committee shall be elected for a term of three years in classes as follows:

Class I Two ministers & one lay person

Class II One minister & one lay person

Class III One minister & one lay person

The committee shall organize itself at the call of the chairman of the previous year, at which time new officers shall be elected.

Duties of the Committee

It shall plan and conduct an annual Day of Prayer.
It shall provide publicity and arrange registration for the Day of Prayer.
It shall receive and disburse funds for the Day of Prayer. The committee shall establish the amount of the registration fee for each attendee.
It shall provide an annual report of the BFC Prayer Committee to BFC Conference.
It shall elect officers by and from the committee.
It shall serve as a resource for BFC pastors and churches.

Duties of Officers

Chairman

Must be a minister or elder in a BFC church.
He shall convene and preside over all meetings of the BFC Prayer Committee.

Secretary

(S)He shall keep an accurate record of all meetings of the committee.
(S)He shall conduct all correspondence for the committee.
(S)He shall prepare an annual report for BFC Conference.

Treasurer

(S)He shall oversee registration for the Day of Prayer.
(S)He shall see that all expenses are paid.
(S)He shall provide a financial report for the BFC Prayer Committee to the Executive Board.

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 119; No – 1.

Report of the Ministerial Convention Committee: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

Report of the Beneficiary Society: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

Report of the Youth & Young Adults Committee: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

Report of the Communications Committee: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

Report of the Historical Committee: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

Report of the BFC Life Committee: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

Report of the Pinebrook Educational Foundation: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

William G. Schlonecker prayed to adjourn the morning session at 12:15 p.m.

BFC Conference Proceedings – 2021

Sixth meeting

Wednesday, October 6, 2021, 1:30 P.M.

The Moderator called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m. as John R. LoRusso prayed.

Executive Board report, assessment rate, and budget

Report of the BFC Executive Board: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

BFC Executive Director David T. Allen reviewed the Executive Board report and expressed praise to God and thanks to faithful servants throughout the Bible Fellowship Church. He also reviewed the BFC’s financial statements and presented both a revised budget for 2021 and a proposed budget for 2022.

Resolved, that the 2021 revised BFC Executive Board budget be adopted by the 138th BFC Conference.

Resolved, that an assessment rate of two (2.0) percent be adopted by the 138th BFC Conference for 2022 (based on assessable receipts from 2020).

Resolved, that the 2022 proposed Executive Board budget be adopted by the 138th BFC Conference.

The Executive Board recommended the following resolutions to the 138^th BFC Conference:

Whereas, the MRF annuity rate for 2021 was $221 per year of service, and

Whereas, cost-of-living adjustments no longer apply to MRF payments, be it

Resolved, that the MRF annuity rate for calendar year 2022 be $221 per year of service.

Resolution Relating to Rental/Housing Allowances for Retired or Disabled Ministers of this Conference for Calendar Year 2022:

Whereas, the religious denomination known as The Bible Fellowship Church has, and functions through, Ministers of the Gospel who are duly ordained or licensed, and

Whereas, the practice of The Bible Fellowship Church is to provide a parsonage or a rental allowance as part of the gross compensation for each of its active ordained or licensed ministers, and

Whereas, pensions paid to retired and disabled ordained or licensed ministers of The Bible Fellowship Church are considered as deferred compensation and are paid to said retired and disabled ordained or licensed ministers in consideration of previous, active service, and

Whereas, the Internal Revenue Service has recognized that The Bible Fellowship Church is the appropriate organization to designate a housing/rental allowance for retired and disabled ordained or licensed ministers who are members of this Conference, therefore, be it

Resolved,

1. An amount equal to 100% of the pension payments received during the year of 2022 be and is hereby designated as a rental/housing allowance for each retired and disabled ordained or licensed minister of The Bible Fellowship Church who is or was a member of the Bible Fellowship Church Minister’s Retirement Fund.

2. This rental/housing allowance shall apply to each retired and disabled ordained or licensed minister who has been granted the retired relationship or placed on disability leave by the BFC Conference and whose name and relationship to the conference is recorded in the Yearbook of BFC Conference and in other appropriate records maintained by the conference.

3. The pension payment to which this rental/housing allowance applies shall be the pension payment resulting from all service of such retired or disabled ordained or licensed minister from all employment by any local church, BFC Conference or institution of The Bible Fellowship Church or of any former denomination that is now a part of The Bible Fellowship Church, or from any other employer who employed the minister to perform services related to the ministry and who elected to make contributions to the pension funds of The Bible Fellowship Church for such retired minister’s pension.

Note: The rental/housing allowance which may be excluded from a minister’s gross income is limited to the lesser of (1) the amount of the rental/housing allowance designated by the minister’s employer or other appropriate body, (2) the amount actually expended by the minister to provide his housing, or (3) the legally-determined fair rental value of the parsonage or other housing provided. As specified in Rev. Rul. 71-290 C.B. 92, “the only amount that will qualify for exclusion under section 107(2) of the Code as a ‘rental allowance’ is an amount equal to the fair rental value of the home, including furnishings and appurtenances such as a garage, plus the cost of utilities.”

The Bible Fellowship Church Executive Board has recognized that credentialed BFC pastors who were not members of the MRF at the time when the MRF was closed, but still receive pension benefits that were paid by their church into a 403(b) Retirement Plan, should be able to receive the same recognition as those who receive pension benefits under the MRF.

Whereas, the religious denomination known as The Bible Fellowship Church has, and functions through, Ministers of the Gospel who are duly ordained or licensed, and

Whereas, the practice of The Bible Fellowship Church is to provide a parsonage or a rental allowance as part of the gross compensation for each of its active ordained or licensed ministers, and

Whereas, contributions paid to an authorized 403(b) plan for the benefit of retired and disabled ordained or licensed ministers of The Bible Fellowship Church are considered as deferred compensation and are paid to said retired and disabled ordained or licensed ministers in consideration of previous, active service, and

Resolved,

1. An amount equal to 100% of the proceeds drawn from a 403(b) plan during the year of 2022 be and is hereby designated as a rental/housing allowance for each retired and disabled ordained or licensed minister of The Bible Fellowship Church who is or was a member of the Bible Fellowship Church.

3. The pension payment to which this rental/housing allowance applies shall be considered the pension payment resulting from all service of such retired or disabled ordained or licensed minister from all employment by any local church, BFC Conference or institution of The Bible Fellowship Church or of any former denomination that is now a part of The Bible Fellowship Church, or from any other employer who employed the minister to perform services related to the ministry and who elected to make contributions to the pension funds of The Bible Fellowship Church for such retired minister’s pension.

BFC Department reports

Report of the Board of Missions: (see page)

Duane E. Moyer is retiring as Director of the Board of Missions but will continue as Director Emeritus until the 140^th BFC Conference in April, 2023. Moyer promoted churches supporting missionaries and providing opportunities for our people to get to know them.

“This year has been a very good year in spite of COVID,” he said, noting that the Board of Missions has six new appointees.

Moyer symbolically passed the baton to James Arcieri as the new Director. “I am pleased to entrust this responsibility to him,” he said. Arcieri then greeted Conference. “I am making a long term commitment here to start something and shepherd it for years to come,” he said.

The following missionaries greeted Conference:

Lisa Barnshaw, Heather Beal, Larry Davies, Fernando DeSouza, Francisco DeSouza, William Early, John & Karen Elias, Alex Hartranft, Walt Johnston, Chris Merrick, Barry & Lesa Miller, John Studenroth.

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

Report of Church Extension Ministries: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

David E. Gundrum commended both our particular churches and our church-planting mission churches for their persistence during the particular challenges presented by COVID-19. He then introduced the BFC’s church planters, who were greeted by Conference with a round of applause.

Report of Victory Valley Camp: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

Mark R. Orton, chairman of the Board of Victory Valley Camp, introduced new camp director Curtis Cutler.

Orton noted his thanks to God for three amazing provisions in 2021. First, for financial support through the generosity of individual givers – to the tune of $87,000 in 2020 alone. Second, for an excellent group of summer missionaries this past summer. Third, for the provision of two much-needed individuals to serve at Victory Valley: new facilities manager Travis Shane and new director Curtis Cutler.

Cutler introduced himself as an actual rocket scientist who has also been involved in youth ministry for the past two decades. Primarily, however, he identified himself as “a Son of the King, an heir and co-heir with Christ,” as well as a husband and father of three young girls.

“I am a passionate advocate of relational ministry with students,” he said. “My desire as a director of Victory Valley is to lean in with what God is already doing.”

The Valley’s facilities, Cutler said, provide awesome opportunities for reaching young people who are unlikely to attend a church. “The facility is perfect for reaching students who will never set foot inside a church. We have an opportunity not only to reach students who are already in the church…but also to reach a church that is yet to be,” he said.

Ralph M. Soper prayed for the work of missions in the BFC while Richard E. Taylor offered prayer for Church Extension Ministries and Timothy J. Schmoyer prayed for the ministry of Victory Valley Camp.

The following motion was made from the floor by William G. Schlonecker:

Whereas, the previous study committee did not adequately address the question of accepting a believer’s previous baptism by a different mode than immersion, and

Whereas, the previous study committee redirected its focus to whether baptism is a requirement for local church membership, an altogether different issue, and

Whereas, the BFC remains convinced of baptism by immersion for those who have never been baptized as a believer, and

Whereas, there are genuine believers who—before the Lord of the church and witnesses in the body of Christ—in good conscience have obeyed their spiritual authority in a previous evangelical context and were baptized by a different mode than immersion, therefore be it

Resolved, that the BFC Conference appoint a committee to study the issue of recognizing the biblical validity of a believer’s previous baptism by another mode, particularly as to membership in the Bible Fellowship Church.

After considerable discussion, the following motion was approved by Conference by a hand vote:

Resolved, that the BFC Conference appoint a committee to study the issue of recognizing if the Bible Fellowship Church could recognize a believer’s previous baptism by another mode, particularly as to membership in the Bible Fellowship Church.

Report of the Registrar:

1. The following delegates requested to be excused from part or all of the 138th BFC Conference:

Albert F. Biddle (Camden, DE), Vladimir Caba (La Roca de Reading), Stephen C. Cassel (Coopersburg, PA), Wayne M. Chadwell (Clinton Corners, NY), Roger Eastman (W. Norriton, PA) Robert T. Evans (Wallingford, PA), Jayonn C. Folks (Steelton, PA), Mark Hargrove (Whitehall, PA), William Kerstetter (Shamokin, PA), James P. Ketner (Mt. Carmel, PA), James R. Knapp (Lancaster, PA), Brad D. Kunkle (Blandon, PA), Jerald Lagler (Whitehall, PA), Tom Lioy (Long Neck, DE), Brian L. Michlich (Brick, NJ), Chuck Mills (Zionsville, PA), Robert A. Moreau (Coopersburg, PA), Harry Nessler (Woodbury Heights, NJ), Jim Pruitt (Zionsville, PA), Richard Reich (Lehighton, PA), Bert R. Roling (Finesville, NJ), Dennis Souder (Dauphin, PA), Jay R. Vroman (Piscataway, NJ),Nickolas T. Tempe (Kutztown, PA), Hans R. Waldvogel (Carmel, NY), Tony Zook (Royersford, PA)

Resolved, that these requests for excuses be granted:

2. The following licensed and ordained pastors/missionaries requested to be excused from part or all of the 138^th BFC Conference. These requests were approved by the Ministerial Credentials Committee.

Daniel P. Allen, Scott A. Allison,William C. Aukamp, Delbert R. Baker II, Timothy J. Bertolet, Richard F. Bickings, Clifford B. Boone, Leonard E. Buck, Ron Burgess, Dennis M. Cahill, Freddy A. Chi, Charles E. Cole, Timothy S. Cowen, Andrew T. Crossgrove, Louis S. Curcio, Larry Davies, Raymond R. Dotts, Ronald C. Erb,Jordan K. Eyster, Jason A. Filbert, Sean Fox, James D. Head, LeRoy S. Heller, Ronald W. Hoyle, Daniel Istrate, Robert A. Johnson II, Walter M. Johnston, Jonathan H. King, Francis E. Lenahan, Ferdie R. Madara, Ronald C. Mahurin, David L. Manney, Philip E. Morrison, Jerry L. Moyer, Keith E. Plows, Roger L. Reitz, David W. Riddell, David N. Schoen, Austin G. Shelly, David A. Thomann, Benjamin J. Triestman, Jeffrey L. Ruhl, Gregory A. Uhrich, David R. Way, Philip E. Yerrington, Paul G. Zimmerman, Timothy M. Zuck

3. The following licensed and ordained pastors were noted as absent without excuse.

None

The Moderator made the following appointments for the 139^th BFC Conference:

Registrar: Joel B. Klase

Assistant Registrar: Jules J. Hull III

Committee on Agenda and Arrangements: Ronald L. Kohl, Chairman; David T. Allen, Steven J. DelDuco, Donald E. Kuntzman, Timothy J. Schmoyer, Thomas P. Shorb, R. Daniel Wagner

Committee on Examination of Minutes of Particular Churches: Kevin W. Kirkpatrick, Bryan C. McNally, Mark R. Orton, Barry T. Parsons, Robert A. Sloan, Jr.

The Moderator made the following appointments to study committees:

Study Committee on the role of women in the church: Aaron D. Smith, Convener; Jules J. Hull III, Daniel Z. Krall, Donald E. Kuntzman, Joshua P. Miller, Ralph E. Ritter, Rachel Schmoyer, David A. Smith

Study Committee on mode of believers’ baptism for people with disabilities and infirmities: Scott Wright, Convener; David E. Gundrum, Joshua P. Gibson

Study Committee on mode of believers’ baptism with regard to membership: William G. Schlonecker, Convener; James Arcieri, Ronald L. Kohl, Mark R. Orton, S. Wayne Rissmiller

Additions to the existing study committee on sexual identity: Clyde D. Bomgardner, Joseph Kim, James D. MacArthur, Donald Maurer, Alan Russell

The Moderator made the following announcements:

Secretary of Conference Judicatory: Clyde D. Bomgardner

Secretary of the Special Appellate Judicatory: Randall A. Grossman

Report of the Committee on Resolutions:

Whereas, Conference Moderator Timothy J. Schmoyer introduced the theme of ReSet to the 2021 BFC Conference and

Whereas, the basis of this year’s theme is set on the desire to follow the Holy Spirit and implement the principles derived from the Word of God much in the same way that led to the formation of the Bible Fellowship Church denomination, and

Whereas, Executive Director David T. Allen shared from Acts 1:7-8 the instruction from Jesus to His disciples for them to be witnesses wherever they go, and

Whereas, the churches that the Apostle Paul had started had to be ReSet within a generation of being formed and

Whereas, Aaron D. Smith exposited from Acts 2:36-47 that the two main functions of the church were to be devoted to the apostles’ teaching—which we currently have in the Word of God—and to fellowship, and

Whereas, we must guard the church from the danger of allowing tradition to override the essentials of church, which are exalting Jesus and preaching the gospel, and

Whereas, Jesse H. Benack cautioned Conference from Revelation 2:1-7 that it is possible to be doctrinally sound and not love Jesus as we ought to love Him, therefore be it

Resolved, to ask God to search us with His Holy Spirit to examine what drives our desire for ministry and be it further

Resolved, to turn away from anything that minimizes our love for Jesus in our lives, and be it further

Resolved, that we remember to rest in the One, Jesus, who has conquered death for us and will allow us to eat from the tree of life!

Whereas, Wesley H. Bunting exposited from Revelation 2:8-11, exhorted us to be faithful in the face of suffering and be faithful to Jesus Christ, even unto death, and

Whereas, he encouraged us to focus our eyes, hearts, and minds on the promises of Jesus, and the glory that is to revealed to us: to not avoid suffering, nor abandoning the truth in order to mitigate suffering, but lead our churches up the hill called difficulty and

Whereas, Ronnie Burgess exposited Revelation 2:12-17, exhorted us to be faithful in the midst of false doctrine and to examine the compromise in own lives and be reminded of the truth over and over, and

Whereas, he encouraged us to let go of compromising doctrine and to repent and make changes to receive the white stone, the invitation to the banquet with Jesus, therefore be it

Resolved, that we hold fast to the truth and be found faithful, even in the midst of suffering, and to not abandon the truth of God’s Word, regardless of the culture and the pressures from without or within, and further

Resolved, that we examine our own lives and repent of any area where we may be guilty of compromising the truth of God’s Word and allowing false teaching to enter in.

Whereas, William A. Burton III exposited from Revelation 2:18-29 to be careful of the slow rise of compromise and tolerance to the wrong things and being faithful to the people under our care, and

Whereas, he challenged us to think about and consider the impact of on the church and theology, and

Whereas, Andrew R. Hebel exposited Revelation 3:1-6, exhorting us to be mindful of being comfortable with reputation of life, yet being dead, and

Whereas, it is easy to follow culture and be influenced by culture: for something to start well in life but to leave it over time, therefore be it

Resolved, that we wake up our churches so life flows out of everything that we do, and that we examine the impact of technology on church and theology in our own churches, and further

Resolved, that we be about reproducing Christians by God’s grace and be about the work of making disciples and that we press forward, never being comfortable to rest on the laurels of past success or heritage.

Whereas, Jeffrey A. Kauffman preached from Revelation 3:7-13, examining the church in Philadelphia, and

Whereas, The Word of God is sufficient for our salvation and obedience to Christ, therefore be it

Resolved, that we be a church that believes and lives out, through our understanding and application, the sufficiency of the Word of God.

Whereas, David M. Poland exposited Revelation 3:14-22, examining the church in Laodicea, and

Whereas, we were cautioned against the sin of lukewarmness—of a loss of passion through the struggles of ministry—therefore be it

Resolved, that we preach the perfect Savior Jesus instead of promoting programs, and further

Resolved, that we commit to look to Jesus and serve Him with gladness in our lives and ministries.

Whereas, God continues His sovereign work of building His church, and

Whereas, our gracious God has birthed the work at Orchard Hills Church and Redeemer BFC and

Whereas, both Orchard Hills and Redeemer BFC have met all the qualifications for a particular church according to the Faith and Order and have been recognized by this Conference as Particular Churches, therefore be it

Resolved, that we give thanks to the Lord for His divine appointment of these new churches, and be it further

Resolved, that we pray for and support the work that God has begun: so it would grow to maturity and in unity.

Whereas, Scott A. Allison, Jared M. Burkholder, Juan Carlos Morales, Roger Siegrist, William C. Verdon II, and Christopher M. Von Holt were ordained at the 138^th BFC Conference, and

Whereas, Wesley H. Bunting, Nathaniel C. LeTowt, David M. Poland, and Barry T. Parsons have had their previous ordinations recognized by the BFC Conference, and

Whereas, S. Wayne Rissmiller exhorted the ordinands to take the role of being a pastor very seriously, recognizing that they didn’t choose the position but have been chosen and gifted by God to be shepherds, therefore be it

Resolved, that we receive his exhortation with thanksgiving, and may we also expect the Holy Spirit to attend to our preaching and effect salvation in our hearers.

Whereas, Jason W. Blair, Jonathan H. King, Carl T. Martin and Colby A. Weinhofer have resigned from their positions of ministry, and

Whereas, Richard F. Bickings, William G. Schlonecker, Dennis M. Cahill, Eric R. North, and Jeffrey L. Ruhl have transitioned to Ministers in Retirement or Disability, therefore be it

Resolved, that we give thanks to the Lord for their ministry and service at their particular churches and pray for God’s guidance as they seek to serve the Lord with the calling and gifts He has given them.

Whereas, Carl C. Cassel, after having lived a life full of faith and dedicated service to our Lord’s church, and having joined the saints eternal in the Kingdom of God, therefore be it

Resolved, that we praise God for giving this faithful servant to the service of Christ’s church for many years, and be it further

Resolved, that we endeavor to follow his example of love and commitment to Jesus Christ as God uses us in the advancement of His Kingdom purposes.

Whereas, a number of our churches are seeking pastors, therefore be it

Resolved, that we pray for the Lord to raise up gifted, Spirit-filled shepherds for our churches in Carmel, NY; Clinton Corners, NY; Mt. Pocono, PA; Steelton, PA; Ephrata, PA; Red Hill, PA; and Maple Glen, PA, and further be it

Resolved, that we pray for these churches during their times of transition.

Whereas, the worship team from Orchard Hills BFC and Greg Irvin and a team from Calvary BFC, Sinking Spring, have used their giftedness in leading Conference in the singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and

Whereas, Daniel L Williams and Daniel W. King have capably directed us in times of corporate prayer, therefore be it

Resolved, that we give thanks to the Lord for their leading us in the worship of His mighty name.

Whereas, BFC Conference Secretary Ronald L. Kohl, Assistant Secretary David E. Brandt, and Assistants to the Secretary Donald E. Kuntzman and Bryan C. McNally have served willingly and faithfully, therefore be it

Resolved, that we thank the Lord for their service during our proceedings.

Whereas, the staff and volunteers of Pinebrook Bible Conference, along with wives and family members of our pastors and delegates, have graciously and faithfully served the members of the 138^th BFC Conference, therefore be it

Resolved, that we extend our sincere gratitude for their wonderful ministry to those attending the 138^th BFC Conference.

Whereas, the BFC Executive Board has worked diligently, committing much time to the performance of its duties, and

Whereas, David T. Allen has served commendably as Executive Director, therefore be it

Resolved, that we give thanks to God for quality leadership and extend our deep appreciation to our brothers for their service and leadership.

Whereas, Head Page Benjamin J. Armstrong and pages Nate Arndt, Jacob Dearmon, Ryan Diffenderfer, Jeremy Harkins, Sandy Holbert, Noah Hottel, Nat LeTowt, Diego Rodriguez, and Josh Von Holt have persistently, humbly, and joyfully served the 138^th BFC Conference, enabling it to function smoothly, therefore be it

Resolved, that we express our appreciation for their service with a round of applause.

Whereas, Timothy J. Schmoyer has served exceptionally as the Moderator of the 138^th Conference of the Bible Fellowship Church, therefore be it

Resolved, that we offer our admiration, praise, and thanksgiving to God for providing us with a humble servant for His service and be it further

Resolved, that the members of the BFC Conference show their appreciation for brother Schmoyer with a round of applause.

Whereas, on the basis of the hearing of God’s Word, reports, testimonies, and proceedings of the 138^th Conference of the Bible Fellowship Church, we believe that Christ’s Spirit is actively searching the hearts and motives of Christ’s pastors and elders, causing us to remain faithful to the preaching and teaching the full counsel of God’s Word while maintaining their fervent love for Jesus, therefore be it

Resolved, that we press on in the face of suffering even unto death with fullness of joy and humility, and be it further

Resolved, that we continue to encourage one another, building up the saints in faith, hope, and love, as we see His great day approaching.

The 138^th BFC Conference was adjourned at 3:45 p.m. as Robert A. Sloan, Jr. prayed.

Category:Minutes of Conference

Annual Conference Proceedings – 2021

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