BFC Conference Proceedings – 2024

First meeting

Tuesday, April 23, 2024, 10 A.M.

            The 141st Conference of the Bible Fellowship Church was called to order by Conference Moderator Daniel L. Williams at 10 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall at Pinebrook Bible Conference. “Why have we assembled, why have we gathered, if not to exalt our Head, the Lord Jesus Christ?” he asked, noting that 62 Particular Churches and 12 Mission Churches are represented in these proceedings. “Recasting Our Vision” is the theme for the 141^st BFC Conference. Williams then prayed for the work and ministry to be enacted over the next two days: that it would be an encouragement to all who participate.

            Aaron J. Susek led musical worship with the assistance of Mark E. Barninger. The pastors and delegates joined in singing “Only a Holy God, “Ancient of Days,” and “Be Thou My Vision.”

            Randall A. Grossman gave the keynote address entitled “Fulfill Your Ministry.” Colossians 4:17 served as his primary text. It reads, “And say to Archippus, ‘See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.’”

            Grossman referred to the words of D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, who in introducing a sermon said, “My business is to prepare you for whatever might happen.” This is our burden and privilege as the Bible Fellowship Church: paying attention to the signs of these challenging times and preparing our people for what lies ahead while focusing on the faithfulness of God. “God is still sovereign,” Grossman noted. “Jesus said, ‘I will build My church.’ And He will…but we must be faithful in the meantime.”

            He cited the example of the little-known servant of Christ named Archippus—one who is mentioned in two New Testament texts and who is referenced by Paul in Philemon 2 as “our fellow soldier.” That likely means he was serving in the capacity of pastor.

            Paul’s challenge to Archippus in Colossians 4:17 to “fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord” quite possibly connects to the responsibility, given to Archippus, to fill in for another in a church-planting capacity. Grossman pointed to and elaborated upon three key words: “ministry,” “received,” and “fulfill.”

            Ministry is to be understood as service to the Lord, and for the benefit of our brothers and sisters. We are to be servants of the Word; Archippus’ responsibility was to preach God’s Word, declaring God’s truth faithfully—even if his flock was quite likely a small one. Our calling is Archippus’ calling: to read, study, prepare, pray for, preach, and teach, all anchored on the Word of God. Preaching the Word, Grossman said, should be our highest priority, not something we do on Saturday nights, at the last minute, in preparation for delivering a sermon on Sunday morning.

            Second, Archippus received his ministry from God. “Essentially it’s something received from the Lord,” Grossman explained of a pastor’s ministry. “It’s a calling from Him.”

What we receive from the Lord is very specific, Grossman said. “The actual places where we serve are of God, are of Christ.” Archippus was placed by God to serve in Colossae at a small house church; this was God’s clear plan for his life.

            Quoting 1 Corinthians 12:4-5, Grossman pointed out that our calling and gifting is Trinitarian in nature. According to those verses, the Spirit gives the gifts, the Father grants the effectiveness, and the Lord Jesus gives the service.

While the world is filled with ambition and arrogance, “The Christian church should be known for its humility and obedience,” Grossman said. “You’ve received a ministry from the Lord, and He’s the general. And He’ll work it out. That’s actually a very liberating state of mind for us to have: work hard at whatever it is that God has given us to do but trust God to work it out.”

Fulfill, the final key word in Colossians 4:17, is Paul’s command to Archippus to “finish the job; do it right.” As we work hard at the ministry we receive from God, He provides confirmation: part of the enduring nature of ministry when the temptation to quit is sometimes very real. “The real thing carries through. There’s an endurance there,” Grossman said. “Finishing well confirms my call to the ministry.”

“Finishing well confirms our call that it really was from the Lord,” he said. Paul was using an athletic metaphor when he spoke of “finishing my course” in 2 Timothy 4:7—“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Grossman said ministry that lasts has to be planned so finishing well is the logical result. “It’s like a marathon, a long distance race,” he explained. “We have to pace ourselves. We can’t sprint all the time. We have to pace ourselves, like a good distance runner does.”

Archippus’ burden, as given by the apostle Paul, was to do his ministry right and finish well, no matter how large the flock he was called to serve. “It’s not about size…God uses little people and gets great things done. And He does it this way so that He gets the glory,” Grossman said. Just as God used the English Puritans in a great way, God used the Bible Fellowship Church in times past and will be faithful to do so in times to come. We’re called to do our best and “cross the finish line, not stumbling but sprinting.”

Following the sermon, Daniel W. King led Conference in a season of corporate prayer.

            Richard B. Brewer, Pinebrook Bible Conference’s director, welcomed the pastors and delegates to Conference while providing a few key updates, including ongoing repairs, renovations, and upgrades following a recent fire in the kitchen and dining hall. He noted the presence of over 700 teens at two BFC Sno-Glo weekends in winter, 2024. “We’re excited to partner with you,” Brewer said, also noting weekend retreats and three weeks of Summer Conference.

            Robert A. Sloan Jr., member of the Spruce Lake Retreat Board of Directors, reported on the relationship between the BFC and Spruce Lake Retreat. Six years have now passed since Pinebrook was sold to Spruce Lake ministries.

            “They have been wonderful,” Sloan said of Pinebrook’s approach to ministry. “For us as a denomination, they value our relationship…and most importantly, they share our commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. They stand firmly on the Word of God.”

“I don’t know that it could be any better,” he concluded. “The Lord has blessed, and the relationship is amazing.”

The Conference Moderator announced the following roles:

            Timekeeper: Mark L. Morrison

            Parliamentarian: Joshua P. Miller

            Committee on Resolutions: Daniel Z. Krall, Michael C. Meadows, Wesley H. Bunting

            Committee on Minutes of the 141^st BFC Conference: Thomas P. Shorb, Richard E. Taylor, R. Daniel Wagner.

Resolved, that the appointments be ratified.

            Conference Secretary Ronald L. Kohl appointed Timothy S. Radcliff as Assistant Secretary and Jared M. Burkholder and Andrew J. Vasel as assistants to the secretary.

            Resolved, that the appointments be ratified.

            The Moderator also noted that Ryan Diffenderfer is serving as the Overseer of the Pages while Joshua Von Holt is Head Page. The Moderator noted the key role that the pages serve at BFC Conference.

Report of the Registrar:

Resolved, that the roll of eligible members of the 141st BFC Conference constitute the Conference Bar for the 141^st BFC Conference.          

The roll of the 141^st BFC Conference was established as follows:

Allentown, PA (Cedar Crest)             Jason L. Hoy, Adam Crain, Jules J. Hull III,             Chris M. Von Holt, Scott Allen, William J. Walters, Rick D. Whitmire

Allentown, PA (Citylight)                  Stephen A. Diaz, Rick Dobrowolski (Probationer)

Bethlehem, PA                                    R. Scott Wright, Jeremy Harkins (Probationer), Michael J.  Notary (Probationer), Marcus J. Brunstetter,     Byron D. Roth, Swannie W. Griffin, III

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

Boyertown, PA                                   Barry T. Parsons, Andrew J. Vasel

Breinigsville, PA                                Benjamin J. Triestman, John E. Schleicher

Brick, NJ                                             L. Marc Sweet, Donald W. Salafia, Jr.

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

Cape May Court House, NJ                Brad L. Boyer, Carl J. Fahrner

Carmel, NY                                         (Vacant)

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

Coopersburg, PA                                Peter Bogert (Probationer), Jacob Dearmon (Probationer),                                                              Stephen C. Cassel, Robert A. Moreau

Dauphin, PA                                       Mark E. Barninger, Dennis Souder

Denville, NJ                                        Daniel A. Cali (Probationer), Thomas Sacco, Jr.

Emmaus, PA                                       David A. Smith, Jared M. Burkholder, Scott A. Hoffman,                                                                     Gary E. Karch

Ephrata, PA                                         Daniel Z. Krall, Benjamin Ross (Probationer),                                                                                    Anthony Iezzi

Exeter, PA                                           William A. Burton III, Lee Davis

Finesville, NJ                                      (Vacant)

Forks, PA                                            Timothy M. Zuck, Daniel F. Mazzeo

Gettysburg, PA*                                 John J. Hanner, R. Edward Snyder-Ritter

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

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

Harmony, NJ*                                    Richard J. Paquette (Probationer**), David W. Heller

Harrisburg, PA (Grace BFC)              Joshua P. Miller, Andrew W. Barnes, Steven J. DelDuco,                                                                     Don Maurer

Harrisburg, PA (Grace Fellowship)   (Vacant), Jayonn C. Folks

Hatfield, PA                                        Joel B. Klase, Larry J. Allen

Hellertown, PA                                   Keith A. Strunk, Kevin Sine

Kutztown, PA                                     Sandy Holbert (Probationer), Doug Steffy, Nickolas T.                                                                 Timpe

LaGrangeville, NY                             (Interim), Evan T. Climpson

Lancaster, PA                                     Keith M. Long, William C. Verdon II, Neil J. Franklin, Jr.                                                                 (Probationer), John J. Brown, Joseph A. Kim

Las Cruces, NM                                  David M. Poland

Lebanon, PA                                       Jarrod J. Cruise, Eric E. Herb (Probationer),             Jack S. Herb,                                                               Jr.

Lehighton, PA                                     Robert A. Johnson II, Steven Ramos, Richard Reich

Long Neck, DE                                   Richard F. Bickings, Tom Lioy

Merida, MEXICO                               Marcos G. Ramirez

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

Mt. Pocono, PA                                  James L. Farver (Probationer), Ronald E. Miller

Nazareth, PA                                       Carl J. Fischer, Jr., Peter B. Cobucci

Newark, DE                                        Andrew R. Hebel (Probationer), Ronald L. Bove,                                                                           Kenneth J. Klein

Newark, NJ                                         Ron Burgess, Melvin Hinton

Oley, PA                                             Scott A. Allison, James D. MacArthur, Bill Ryan, Timothy Spacek

Paradise, PA                                       Jesse A. Benack, Daniel J. Eckman

Philadelphia, PA                                 Ralph E. Ritter

Piscataway, NJ                                    (Interim), Mark A. Scott, Mark C. Baker

Quakertown, PA                                 Ronald L. Kohl, Ezekiel R. Mack, Robert E. Smith

Reading, PA (Grace BFC)                  Randall A. Grossman, Ronald W. Reed

Reading, PA (La Roca)                      Carlos G. Rodriguez, Luis Beltran, Vladimir Caba

Red Hill, PA                                       Michael C. Meadows (Probationer), Jason Fetherolf,                                                                    J. Robert Vaughn

Royersford, PA                                   Daniel W. King, Anthony Zook

Shamokin, PA                                     Ferdie R. Madara, William Kerstetter

Sinking Spring, PA                             S. Wayne Rissmiller, Paul Harvey, Donald D. McKinney,                                                                  Mark R. Sondag, Timothy P. Stump, John R. Weller

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

Stroudsburg, PA                                 Beau E. Coffman, Michael D. Murphy

Sunbury, PA                                       Joshua P. Gibson, Douglas A. Gaugler

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

Topton, PA*                                       Daniel J. Hoffstetter, Larry Davies

Townsend, DE                                                Ronald B. Smith, Dave Graham

W. Norriton, PA (Redeemer)             (Vacant), Roger Eastman, David C. Frampton

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

                                                            Mark E. Kessler

Walnutport, PA                                   Aaron D. Smith, Jason P. Musselman

Whitehall, PA                                     Timothy J. Schmoyer, Daryl A. Crawford (Probationer),                                                              Philip E. Yerrington, Mark Hargrove, Jerald A. Lagler

Woodbury Heights, NJ                       Timothy R. Nessler, Harry Nessler

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

Zionsville, PA                                     Benenz J. Hitchcock (Probationer), James Pruitt

*Contingent upon their graduation as a particular church at this Conference

**Contingent upon the graduation of Harmony BFC as a particular church at this Conference

Ordained Ministers Serving in Bible Fellowship Ministries:

BFC Executive Director — David T. Allen

Conference Pastor — Ralph M. Soper

Church Extension — David E. Gundrum (Director), Raymond R. Bertolet, Freddy A. Chi, Joshua P. Dupiche, Jason A. Filbert, Tracy Haines (Probationer), Juan Carlos Morales, Mark L. Morrison, Timothy S. Radcliff, James D. Reff

Board of Missions — James Arcieri (Director)

Ordained Missionaries:

Scott B. Evans, James D. Head, D.B.H., Daniel Istrate, Walter M. Johnston, Jerry L. Moyer, David W. Riddell, John C. Studenroth

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

Jacob J. Susek, Jr.

Ordained Ministers Working in Other Christian Ministries:

Timothy J. Bertolet, Clyde D. Bomgardner, Jr., David E. Brandt, Kevin Clineff, William J. Dunn, Jordan K. Eyster

Ordained Ministers in Retirement or on Permanent Disability:

William C. Aukamp, Delbert R. Baker II, Kenneth F. Barber, T. James Bigley, Jr., Clifford B. Boone, Leonard E. Buck, Dennis M. Cahill, G. Wayne Clapier, Charles E. Cole, Hugh C. Coulbourn, Jr., Richard C. Dodson, Bruce Ellingson, Ronald C. Erb, Glenn R. Felty, Richard J. Gehman, Richard D. Harris, LeRoy S. Heller, John H. Herb, Ronald W. Hoyle, David H. Jones, W. Scott Kappes, Donald E. Kuntzman, Francis E. Lenahan, John R. LoRusso, Ronald C. Mahurin, David L. Manney, Philip E. Morrison, Duane E. Moyer, Richard A. Moyer, Philip G. Norris, Richard T. Paashaus (Delegate for Finesville, NJ), Keith E. Plows, Thomas A. Pollock, Louis Prontnicki, Richard B. Ravis, Calvin T. Reed, Roger L. Reitz, Jeffrey L. Ruhl, David K. Schlonecker, William G. Schlonecker, David N. Schoen, Austin G. Shelly, Thomas P. Shorb, Robert A. Sloan, Jr., Gene W. Smith, Dennis W. Spinney, Michael J. Tannous, 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, Byron Widger, Paul G. Zimmerman

Ordained Ministers Between Calls:

Sean Fox, Timothy S. Hogan, Nathaniel C. LeTowt, Carl T. Martin, Thomas H. Morrison

Additional Lay Members of the BFC Executive Board:

L. James Roberts, John W. Sullivan II

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

            Resolved, that the report be accepted.

            Resolved, that the proposed agenda for the 141^st BFC Conference be accepted as the guide for our deliberations.

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

            Resolved, that the 142^nd BFC Conference be held at Pinebrook Bible Conference, April 28-30, 2025.

            Resolved, that committee reports for the 142^nd BFC Conference be sent in digital format to the BFC Conference Secretary by Feb. 15, 2025 at sportspastor33@gmail.com.

The following first-time delegates to BFC Conference, both pastors and elders, were introduced as voting members and then welcomed by Conference:

Scott Allen, Allentown PA; Daniel A. Cali, Denville, NJ; Evan Climpson, Lagrangeville, NY; Jacob Dearmon, Coopersburg, PA; Carl Fahrner, Cape May Court House, NJ; Benenz Hitchcock, Zionsville, PA; Antonony L. Iezzi, Ephrata, PA; Mark Kessler, Wallingford, PA; Shawn Rohrbach, Topton, PA; Thomas Sacco Jr., Denville, NJ; Donald Salafia, Brick, NJ; Ricardo Vargas, York, PA;

Report of the Committee on Examination of BFC Conference Minutes (140^th): (see page)      

            Resolved, that the report be adopted.

            Whereas, our brother D.H. has been licensed by the BFC Candidate Committee as a Probationer under the care of the BFC Board of Missions in 2019, and

            Whereas, he has already been recommended to the Ministerial Credentials Committee as a Candidate for Ordination, and

            Whereas, the Ministerial Credentials Committee has examined the Candidate and has recommended him for Ordination, and

            Whereas, the candidate was unable to attend the 140^th BFC Conference in April, 2023, and will be unable to attend the 141^st BFC Conference in April, 2024 due both to distance and his assignment as a missionary under the BFC Board of Missions, and

            Whereas, the candidate is available to be ordained before returning to his assignment in March, 2024, therefore be it

            Resolved, that we poll the registered members of the 140^th BFC Conference to vote to approve the recommendation of the Ministerial Credentials Committee for his ordination, and, should that be in the affirmative, further

            Resolved, that we open the Minutes of the 140^th BFC Conference and include him along with the others as ordained by the Bible Fellowship Church, and further

            Resolved, that a member of the Ministerial Credentials Committee officially lay hands upon him and pray and extend to him the right hand of fellowship at a service established for that purpose, and further

            Resolved, that his home church, Paradise Bible Fellowship Church, establish a date and time for this service to occur and to invite members of the 140^th BFC Conference to attend and witness the ordination of our brother and the recognition of his local church of his ordination.

            Resolved, that all minutes of the 140^th BFC Conference be approved given the previous amendment.

Reports of Elected Boards and Committees

Report of the Nominating Committee:

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

The following were elected to boards or committees:

BFC President:

            William G. Schlonecker (3 years)

Officers of the 142^nd BFC Conference                      

            Secretary

                        Ronald L. Kohl (1 year)

Report of the Ministerial Credentials Committee: (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted as amended.

            Whereas, the Ministerial Candidate Committee has recommended ordination for Neil J. Franklin Jr., Jeremy L. Harkins, D. H., Michael J. Notary, and Ricardo M. Vargas, and

               Whereas, the Ministerial Candidate Committee has recommended Andrew R. Hebel, Michael C. Meadows, and Andrew J. Miller for recognition of previous ordination, and

            Whereas, these brethren have served acceptably asministers 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 mento be called of God to the gospel ministry and to be in accord with the Faith & Order of the Bible Fellowship Church, and

            Whereas, theCredentials Committee sent an email to approve D. H. for ordination and, after being approved by the registered members of the 2023 BFC Conference, an ordination service was held for him in March 2024, therefore be it

            Resolved, that Neil J. Franklin Jr., Jeremy L. Harkins, Michael J. Notary, and Ricardo M. Vargas be ordained to the gospel ministry of the Bible Fellowship Church, and that Andrew R. Hebel, Michael C. Meadows, and Andrew J. Miller be recommended for recognition of previous ordination.

               Resolved, that an Ordination Service be held at the 141^st BFC Conference, and be it further

            Resolved, that Ebenezer Bible Fellowship Church, Bethlehem, PA, Faith Bible Fellowship Church, Lancaster, PA, and Faith Bible Fellowship Church, York, PAbe encouraged to have a service in recognition for the ordination of Jeremy L. Harkins, Neil J. Franklin Jr., Michael J. Notary, and Ricardo M. Vargas, respectively, and that the Bible Fellowship Church of Newark, Newark, DE, Community Bible Fellowship Church, Red Hill, PA, and Welsh Road Bible Fellowship Church, Maple Glen, PA be encouraged to have a service in recognition of previous ordination for Andrew R. Hebel, Michael C. Meadows, and Andrew J. Miller, respectively, and that they be encouraged to invite the Ministerial Credentials Committee to send representation to be present at the service.   

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:

Marcus Brunstetter, Bethlehem, PA; Jacob Dearmon, Coopersburg, PA; Richard Dobrowolski, Allentown, PA; Tracy Haines, Chestertown, MD; Eric E. Herb, Jr., Lebanon, PA: Benenz Hitchcock, Zionsville, PA; Sandy Holbert, Kutztown, PA; Michael C. Meadows, Red Hill, PA; Andrew J. Miller, Maple Glen, PA; Jason Musselman, Slatington, PA; Shawn Rohrbach, Topton, PA; Benjamin Ross, Ephrata, PA; Nathan G. Trommler, Allentown, PA; Ricardo Vargas, York, PA; Joshua Von Holt, Bethlehem,  PA;

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.

            Ronald W. Reed prayed for the ministry of Ralph M. Soper as Conference Pastor and for his wife Sharon as they partner in the work of supporting pastors and their spouses.

Conference adjourned for lunch at 12:12 p.m. as Daniel Z. Krall prayed.

BFC Conference Proceedings – 2024

Second meeting

Tuesday, April 23, 2024, 1:30 P.M.

            The afternoon session was called to order by the Moderator at 1:30 p.m.

Michael W. Walker prayed for the upcoming elections, which were then conducted electronically.

            The following resolution for receiving Living Bible Fellowship Church of Adams County, PA as a new Particular Church in the BFC was introduced:

            Whereas, the Board of Church Extension has assessed the elder candidates and has reviewed the financial reports of the Adams County Mission Church (Living Bible Fellowship Church), and

            Whereas, Church Extension affirms that the Adams County Mission Church (Living Bible Fellowship Church) has sufficient men qualified to be elders, and a sufficient committed participant group who will sign as charter members, and

            Whereas, the financial reports of Adams County Mission Church (Living Bible Fellowship Church) have been reviewed, therefore be it

            Resolved, that Adams County Mission Church (Living Bible Fellowship Church), Adams County, PA, be received into the BFC Conference, and be recognized as a Particular Church.

            The resolution was enthusiastically approved and was accompanied by a hearty round of applause from the pastors and delegates who by their clapping welcomed Living Bible Fellowship Church into the BFC as a new Particular Church.

            David E. Gundrum, Director of Church Extension Ministries, commended all the churches who played roles in the establishment of all three new Particular Churches that are slated to graduate at the 141^st BFC Conference.

            Via a video presentation, Carol Snyder explained how she and her late husband Clyde were instrumental in the beginnings of Adams County’s only BFC church. “There was no Bible Fellowship Church in Gettysburg, so we thought it would be a good place to get one started,” she said. Grace Bible Fellowship Church, Harrisburg, commissioned the Snyders to help initiate the work in Gettysburg in 2005.

            Living Bible Fellowship Church’s pastor, John J. Hanner, introduced a team from Adams County who traveled the three hours to celebrate the church’s graduation. “I just want to take a moment to say thank you,” Hanner told Conference. “The reality is that God works through us, and He gets the glory. It’s really an act of God, and I thank you.”

            Gundrum noted the relative scarcity of seats in Pinebrook’s auditorium. “The reason we’re outgrowing this place is because we keep adding churches,” he said.

“It’s taken 20 years, but it’s really God’s timing, isn’t it,” Hanner said of the process of planting a BFC church in Adams County, PA.

            R. Edward Snyder-Ritter, a member of Living Bible Fellowship’s TLT (Transitional Leadership Team), asked God’s blessing on the work in Gettysburg, PA.

Report of the BFC Executive Board: (See page)

            Executive Director David T. Allen elaborated upon this year’s Conference theme, “Recasting Our Vision.” “We’ve been given a mission—that is, a great Commission—by our Lord Jesus Christ, and that is to make disciples,” Allen said.

Allen provided a few particulars from the Executive Board report and other interesting happenings around the BFC, and then reviewed the BFC’s financial statements before presenting both a revised budget for 2024 and a proposed budget for 2025.

Resolved, that the Executive Board report be accepted.

Resolved, that the 2024 revised BFC Executive Board budget be adopted by the 141st BFC Conference.

Resolved, that an assessment rate of two (2.0) percent be adopted by the 141^st BFC Conference for 2025 (based on assessable receipts from 2023).

Resolved, that the 2025 proposed Executive Board budget be adopted by the 141^st BFC Conference.

            The Executive Board recommended the following resolutions concerning the Ministers Retirement Fund (MRF):

Whereas, the MRF annuity rate for 2024 was $221 per year of service, and

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

Resolved, that the MRF annuity rate for calendar year 2025 be $221 per year of service.

Resolution Relating to Rental/Housing Allowances for Retired or Disabled Ministers of this Conference for Calendar Year 2025:

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 2025 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

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 proceeds drawn from a 403(b) plan during the year of 2025 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.

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 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.

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 following resolution was approved by the BFC Executive Board at its February 1, 2024 meeting and was presented to the 141^st BFC Conference for its consideration.

            Whereas, there is a growing concern as to whether or not our premillennial doctrine is an essential conviction necessary to participate and serve in our churches, and

            Whereas, churches seeking pastors are increasingly finding otherwise qualified candidates who do not hold to our premillennial convictions and therefore cannot serve among us, therefore be it

            Resolved, that the Moderator appoint a committee of seven ordained pastors who will study Articles of Faith 24-27 with a view to possibly revising, moving, or removing our statements on the millennium and who will bring recommendations to the next BFC Conference.

            The resolution was approved. The Moderator will appoint the suggested committee to study Articles of Faith 24-27.

            Jarrod J. Cruise provided an update on the health of Calvin T. Reed, who recently underwent multiple bypass surgery and then prayed for his recovery.

Consideration of Legislation at First Reading

Article 508-4, Agenda & Arrangements Committee

Whereas, BFC Conference has incorporated electronic/digital balloting, and

Whereas, The Committee on Agenda and Arrangements sees the need to make certain that we follow our Principals of Order as written, therefore be it

Resolved, that Article 508-4 Election Procedures of BFC Conference be revised as follows:

508-4 Election Procedures of BFC Conference (revised – proposed changes in bold)

(1) Nominations shall be closed at the opening of each meeting for all elections to be conducted at that particular meeting.

(2) The consent of an individual shall be obtained before nominating that individual for election at BFC Conference.

(3) A ballot listing the names of all nominees shall be prepared by the Secretary/Assistant Secretaries and necessary instructions for voting shall be given by the Moderator.

(4) Each voting member of BFC Conference may cast his vote, and the Secretary/Assistant Secretary shall tabulate the results.

(5) If a runoff ballot is needed, the Secretary/Assistant Secretary shall prepare the new ballot and tabulate the results. In the event where no candidate receives at least 50 percent of the vote, the candidate with the lowest number of votes shall be dropped until an election is reached.

(6) Elections may be conducted by oral nomination and paper or digital ballot, with appropriate instructions being given to members of BFC Conference prior to voting.

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 123; No – 2.

Article 512-2.1, Purpose and Process, Board of Church Extension

512-2.1 Purpose & Process – This replaces the original 512-2.1, Purpose

Church Extension Ministries exists to expand the Bible Fellowship Church by planting new churches and incorporating existing (non-BFC) churches.

New churches are planted by evangelizing in communities where Bible Fellowship Churches do not exist, forming and nurturing them to maturity.

Existing churches desiring to affiliate with the Bible Fellowship Church will meet with Church Extension Ministries to determine the church’s doctrinal and organizational compatibility and its future viability. If approval is granted, the church would come under the care of Church Extension Ministries until recommendation can be made that it be presented for recognition as a particular church to the BFC Conference.

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 141; No – 3.

Articles 510-1.2 & 512-4 Board of Church Health

Resolved, that Article 510-1.2 (Committee on Examination of Minutes of Particular Churches) be deleted, and that the remainder of the article be renumbered accordingly.  

Resolved, that the following changes be made to Article 512-4 (Board of Church Health), Section 512-4.3, Duties:

• Switch the order of (1) and (2).
• Insert at (3): It shall examine the minutes of congregational meetings of Particular Churches. It shall ensure that Particular Churches are conducting meetings in conformity with the BFC Faith & Order. It shall determine annually, by use of the Suggested Format for Congregational Meetings (see § 403-3), the adequacy of the minutes of each Particular Church. It shall notify any Particular Church of inadequacies found in the minutes, along with suggested corrective measures.
• Renumber the following duties.

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 135; No – 10.

            The Executive Director rolled out BFCON150, a refreshed vision for the Bible Fellowship Church that includes a series of six specific items that will represent goals for the 150^th BFC Conference. It includes the following:

• Every church passionately focused on fulfilling the Great Commission and the BFC Mission.
• The leadership of each church spiritually and practically equipped to lead its people.
• A harmonious unity in our shared beliefs with respect for local church autonomy.
• An expanding influence of the Bible Fellowship Church.
• The BFC empowering indigenous church planters who partner with the Bible Fellowship Church in planting churches that are contextually appropriate.
• Expanded ministry opportunities for children and youth in evangelism and discipleship.

BFC President William G. Schlonecker prayed, asking for God’s direction on these fresh vision initiatives.

By a hand vote, Conference approved the pursuance of these vision items.

            Several boards and committees that report directly to the Executive Board provided updates on their respective ministries.

Report of Victory Valley Camp: (see page)

            Curtis A. Cutler, Victory Valley Camp director, provided several updates on the camp’s ministry, all of which seem to be trending in an upward direction. “Can I just say God is good? This past year at Victory Valley has been amazing,” he said.

Cutler noted that Victory Valley’s new pool opened a day before the first day of camp and is already paid in full. He said the number of applications for summer ministry positions is at an all-time high, as was the number of campers at Winter Blast. Almost 1200 campers attended Victory Valley this past year, with several of them receiving Christ Jesus as Savior or rededicating their lives to Him.

He considers those who serve at the Valley as front-line warriors in a culture that is increasingly hostile to Jesus Christ and Christianity. Despite the increasing challenges, God is using Victory Valley Camp to break through darkness. “He is bringing more and more to our doorstep that they may hear and believe the Good News of Jesus Christ.”

“We are at capacity. This generation more and more needs to know about the love of Jesus,” Cutler added, asking our churches, pastors, and delegates to renew their support for the ministry of Victory Valley Camp. “What are we willing to give in order to reach this next generation for Jesus?” Cutler asked “I know my answer: whatever He asks of me…the culture is after our kids. Shouldn’t the church be after them as well?”

Timothy J. Schmoyer, Director of Victory Valley Camp’s Board, thanked God for His faithfulness to Victory Valley and asked the Lord for increased opportunities and venues for reaching children for Christ.

Report of the Department of Missions: (see page)

            James Arcieri, Director of the BFC’s Department of Missions, announced his impending move to Florida and, as such, his resignation as Director. “This may be my last BFC Conference,” he said. He stressed the urgency of reaching people for Christ. He spoke of the need for “ordinary people seeing extraordinary results” through the sharing of the gospel.  While he would no longer be active in the BFC, he stressed his support for our BFCON150 vision points. “I want to encourage you, brothers, to consider…he who gives, gains. He who keeps, loses,” Arcieri said.

            Sean McNamara prayed for Jim & Vicki Arcieri as they move south, and for the ongoing ministry of the Department of Missions.

            The following missionaries greeted Conference: Glenn Blauser (JAARS), Bill Early (Trans World Radio), Chris Merrick (BFC), Joseph & Thana Moussa (Arabic Christian Church), Duane Moyer (retired missionary and former Directory, BFC BOM), Jerry & Carolyn Moyer (World Team Europe), Efthemes and Eirini Sioukiouroglou (FIM, Greece), John Studenroth (campus ministry, Kutztown University).

Report of Church Extension Ministries: (see page)

            David E. Gundrum, Director of Church Extension Ministries, talked about the ministry of church planting in the BFC. He noted that Church Extension has been planting new Particular Churches at the rate of almost one per year. “Our mission at the Board of Church Extension is aggressive,” he said. “We take risks…That’s what carrying out mission is all about. It’s all about being aggressive, and being aggressive with the gospel, for the glory of God, through the leading of the Holy Spirit. We’re sensitive to those things.”

            Gundrum introduced his sizable team of church planters, briefly describing each planter’s location and ministry. He noted that there is a current need for church planters. Richard E. Taylor prayed for Church Extension Ministries.

Report of the Board of Church Health: (see page)

            The ministry of the Board of Church Health is to strengthen already-healthy churches and revitalize struggling ones. Our Lord’s reminder is that Jesus will build His church, and He provides both shepherds and flocks to be shepherded. “The people you have are the people the Lord gave you,” Interim Director Robert A. Sloan Jr. reminded Conference. We shouldn’t try to be someone we’re not. “You’re you, and that’s OK.”

            Sloan cited our York, PA church as an example of a revitalized church in the BFC. “We’re not a board or committee with all the answers,” he said. “But one of the things that’s helpful…is to have an outside set of eyes to come and see and listen.”

            Church Health provides help, sometimes in the form of surrogate elders, as well as counsel and resources that may help a struggling church to build momentum. “As a Band-Aid, we’re here to help,” Sloan said.

            Report of the Pinebrook Educational Foundation: (see page)

            The Pinebrook Educational Foundation was established in the 1990s “to keep the emphasis on encouraging Christian students in glorifying God in their particular fields of study,” said Andrew T. Crossgrove, Director of the PEF since 2018 (and a former recipient of a PEF scholarship).

“I encourage you to put it in your budget to put into the fund, Crossgrove said, noting that he hopes to visit the various regions to promote the PEF.

            Report of the BFC Life Committee: (see page)

            William G. Schlonecker noted that the BFC Life Committee’s partnership with Spruce Lake is alive and well. “I think that momentum is picking up once again as our participation with Pinebrook is growing. He promoted the upcoming BFC Women’s Retreat in May, three weeks of Summer Conference, and the Senior Saints retreat in October.

            Report of the Communications Committee: (see page)

Ronald L. Kohl cited the availability of 2023 updates of the Faith and Order (red and blue books). “Everyone has a story, your church has a story,” Kohl said, asking for ideas for future BFC OneVoice stories to encourage the rest of the BFC.

            Report of the Historical Committee: (see page)

            Richard E. Taylor noted that there are so many stories of “how things got started” in the BFC.

            Report of the Prayer Committee: (see page)

            Daniel W. King offered comments on the upcoming BFC Day of Prayer, which this year will offer two locations on two separate dates. “We encourage you to champion this event at your churches and to be praying for this event now.”

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

            Jules J. Hull III said that 32 different churches added up to more than 700 Sno-Glo attendees. “We want to love our young people and support you in walking through this dark world with them,” he said.

            The following results of elections were communicated to Conference. The following were elected to boards or committees:

BFC Executive Board (ministers):

            Robert A. Sloan (3 years)

BFC Executive Board (elders):

            Gary E. Karch (3 years)

            Ronald W. Reed (3 years)

Ministerial Credentials Committee (ministers):

            Jason L. Hoy (3 years)

Ralph M. Soper (3 years)

R. Scott Wright (3 years)

Ministerial Candidate Committee (ministers):

            Andrew T. Crossgrove (3 years)

            Christopher M. Von Holt (3 years)

Ministerial Relations Committee (ministers):

            William G. Schlonecker (3 years)

Ministerial Relations Committee (elders):

            J. Robert Vaughn (3 years)

Committee on Nominations (ministers):      

            Mark L. Morrison (3 years)

Committee on Nominations (laypersons):

      Nancy Yerrington (3 years)

Lynn Gilmartin (2 years)

Conference Judicatory (ministers):

            Kevin W. Kirkpatrick (3 years)

            Richard T. Paashaus (3 years)

Conference Judicatory (elders):

            Ronald W. Reed (3 years)

            L. James Roberts, Jr. (3 years)

Special Appellate Judicatory (ministers):

            Joshua P. Miller (3 years)

Special Appellate Judicatory (elders):

            Timothy Faust (3 years)

Officers of the 142^nd BFC Conference

Conference Moderator:

            Daniel L. Williams (1 year)

A guest of Conference, Mark L. Crocco, prayed as Conference adjourned for dinner at 5:15 p.m. after explaining the ministry of the Rephidim Project, which focuses on text-driven preaching. A short meeting of the Beneficiary Society preceded the dinner hour.

BFC Conference Proceedings – 2024

Third meeting

Tuesday, April 23, 2024, 6:45 P.M.

            Aaron J. Susek called Conference’s service of ordination to order at 6:45 p.m. by leading Conference in the singing of “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing.” The reading of 1 Corinthians 13 by Jesse A. Benack set the tone for the ordination service. He then prayed for God’s blessing upon the ordinands. S. Wayne Rissmiller explained the BFC ordination process.

            Neil J. Franklin Jr., Jeremy L. Harkins (unable to attend due to illness), Michael J. Notary, and Ricardo M. Vargas were ordained to the ministry of the gospel while Andrew R. Hebel, Michael C. Meadows, and Andrew J. Miller had previous ordinations recognized.

            Executive Director David T. Allen presented a sermon entitled, “A Thriving Ministry” as a challenge to the men who were to be ordained. His central focus was the concept that “it takes three to thrive.” In his youth, Allen attended the three weekly services of his church: Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday night. Those were the “three to thrive” of Allen’s youth, but Allen instead reminded Conference of a three-fold emphasis that our churches pretty much universally adopt: the call to exalt the Savior, edify and equip the saints, and evangelize the lost.”

            That said, he then turned to another “three to thrive” found in 1 Corinthians 13:13. “But now abide faith, hope, and love, these three; the greatest, however, of these is the love.” “Here are the three character qualities that you must possess in order to thrive in your personal life, your family life, and in your ministry,” Allen said.

            To have faith is to share your faith, he noted. As Ed Stetzer noted, “It’s time for all of us to start preaching our good news again.” “If you’re spending all your time in the Word you’re not spending any time in the world,” Allen said in challenging our pastors to evangelize regularly. As the apostle Paul commanded Timothy, “Do the work of an evangelist.”

            Turning to hope, he said we have to both possess hope and give hope. “Our hope is in our relationship with Jesus,” Allen reminded his audience, citing passages in Romans 5 and Romans 15. Christians are people who “rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2). As possessors of hope, we are called to give hope in a world largely devoid of hope. “We give hope by presenting a vision of the future that’s better than the present,” Allen said. As leaders, we must give a vision that is worthy of being followed.

            Finally, we are called to both have love and give love. As the lack of love was a problem with the church at Corinth, it is often sorely lacking in our churches today. “Our passion for right doctrine and theology cannot come at the expense of love,” Allen said. “The Bible is very clear that truth and love must exist together. You cannot have one without the other.”

            “If you want to thrive as a pastor, the greatest asset you can bring to your ministry is love,” he stressed. “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins,” 1 Peter 4:8 reads.

            Jason L. Hoy administered the vows of ordination. Members of the Ministerial Credentials Committee laid hands on and prayed for each man. Keith M. Long provided the declaration of ordination. The ordination service concluded with the singing of “Take My Life and Let It Be” and a benedictory prayer.

            The evening session also featured the reception of Harmony Bible Fellowship Church of Harmony, NJ, as a new Particular Church. Harmony is the first NJ church welcomed into the Bible Fellowship Church since 2008. Unlike many BFC churches that begin as mission churches and are either started anew or birthed as daughter congregations of existing BFC churches, Harmony comes into the BFC as an already-existing congregation whose history dates back to 1991 and who met for worship for the first time at a local Howard Johnson’s as Sovereign Grace Baptist Church on Memorial Day weekend in 1992.

For its first several years, the church met in a series of hotel conference rooms before moving to a former Seventh Day Adventist Church. Harmony Bible Fellowship Church occupied its own building in Harmony Twp. in 2022.

The following resolution was presented by the Conference Secretary:

            Whereas, the Board of Church Extension has assessed the elder candidates and has reviewed the financial reports of Harmony Bible Fellowship Church, Harmony, NJ, and

            Whereas, Church Extension affirms that Harmony Bible Fellowship Church, Harmony, NJ has sufficient men qualified to be elders, and a sufficient committed participant group who will sign as charter members, and

            Whereas, the financial reports of Harmony Bible Fellowship Church, Harmony, NJ have been reviewed, therefore be it

            Resolved, that Harmony Bible Fellowship Church, Harmony, NJ be received into the BFC Conference, and be recognized as a Particular Church.

            The church’s pastor, Richard J. Paquette, was joined by three of the church’s elders in greeting Conference. David W. Heller, one of the church’s elders and its first Conference delegate, introduced Harmony Bible Fellowship Church’s story. “We do appreciate just the opportunity to now join with fellow churches of like mind. We really appreciate that,” he said.

            When COVID-19 hit in 2020, the leadership of the church recognized that unless something changed, it would have to face the winds of change alone. They realized that being an independent church might not be advantageous…and then the Lord started directing the church’s leaders that help was nearby—in the Bible Fellowship Church. “The Lord was showing us and moving us and directing us to the BFC,” Heller said.

            Possible connection with the BFC started in earnest in 2022 as the church met with Church Extension Ministries Director David E. Gundrum. Its new connection comes with a new name. “We’re very happy to be called Harmony Bible Fellowship Church,” Heller said.

            Brad L. Boyer prayed to close out the evening at 8:15 p.m.

BFC Conference Proceedings – 2024

Fourth meeting

Wednesday, April 24, 2024, 8:45 A.M.

            The morning session of the 141^st BFC Conference was called to order by the Moderator at 8:45 a.m. Aaron J. Susek, with guitar accompaniment by Mark E. Barninger and Richard B. Ravis, led Conference in the singing of “My Worth is Not in What I Own,” “How Firm a Foundation,” and “We Will Feast in the House of Zion.” Susek also led Conference in a call-and-response prayer.

Andrew T. Crossgrove opened the Word of God in a sermon entitled, “A Fruitful Ministry.” He noted that in our quest to shepherd our respective flocks, our relationship to Christ is foundational and absolutely necessary. “As we go and we preach and teach, we do it ‘in Christ,’” he said.

Crossgrove directed his listeners to John 15 and the Lord’s Upper Room Discourse, pointing to the sense of lost-ness that Jesus’ disciples felt upon hearing His words and struggling to understand that He would shortly be departing from them. John 15 speaks of abiding in Him, knowing that the Father will prune us as we serve the Lord. “We are reminded of the blessing that we have of being ‘in Him,’” Crossgrove said.

John 15 contains the last of the seven “I Am” sayings of Jesus: “I am the true vine.” “The imagery of the vine was not foreign to the disciples,” for Israel was referred to as God’s vine in several Old Testament passages. But Jeremiah’s prophecy cries out against Israel, accusing it of becoming a straying, wild vine. Jesus, however, is the true vine and we are His branches. As we stay connected to Him and abide in Him, we flourish—but apart from Him we can do nothing. “Apart from Him we have no spiritual life,” Crossgrove said.

We are “in Him” but are also called to abide in Him in an intimate relationship. We are to listen for His voice and follow Him as He calls. While the surrounding culture is a wilderness, Crossgrove said, “We find our way through in life and in ministry…by listening to the voice that calls our name and knows how to get us through.”

“The question is, ‘Are you abiding in Christ?’” Crossgrove asked. We need to make time for intimacy with Him—in His Word, in prayer, and being quietly in His presence. And we need to submit to His pruning as He shapes us for His purposes and His glory. “Are we ready and willing to be pruned by the Father?” Challenges and trials—and even suffering—are used by God to prune us so that we bear fruit and grow in Christ.

Hebrews 12:6 offers the reminder that the Lord “disciplines the one He loves, and chastises every son whom He receives.” While discipline may seem painful and unpleasant, it later bears “the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Heb. 12:11). “Pruning hurts, but it’s good,” Crossgrove stressed.

We need to enter into God’s Word so that by it God might prune us. We need to listen to the Lord and His Holy Spirit so that He develops in us a fruitful life that may include a fruitful ministry, all for His glory. “A true follower of Christ will experience a transformation in our lives…our lives will be transformed more and more into the image of Christ. As we walk with Him we will look more and more like Him…and we will have a fruitful ministry,” Crossgrove said. This requires that we set aside important time for intimacy with Christ even when the pressures of ministry call us to activity. “The doing of ministry is important…but we have to be careful not to do the work of Spirit without spending time with Christ—before ministry,” Crossgrove explained. He closed by reading part of a prayer that appears in The Valley of Vision.

            Stephen J. Morton of the Prayer Committee led Conference in a time of corporate prayer, using 2 Chronicles 7:14 as a reminder and incentive to come before God’s great throne of grace. Conference closed its time of intercession by singing the Doxology.

            Conference Pastor Ralph M. Soper offered a prayer of comfort and condolence for Philip G. Norris following the death of his wife Carla. He also prayed for others who have suffered loss or are in need of healing in life-threatening situations.

            After the morning break, a final election was conducted for the position of Vice-Moderator.

            Scott A. Allison, Pastor of New Life BFC, Oley, PA introduced the following resolution to Conference for its consideration.

            The undersigned, being all of the elders of New Life Bible Fellowship Church (the “Church”), hereby adopt the following:

            Whereas, the Bible Fellowship Church desires to be an expanding fellowship of churches, and,

            Whereas, the current ordination requirement of memorizing the BFC Articles of Faith can be considered unnecessarily burdensome for the following reasons:

• Not all men who would be good pastors have the ability to memorize such a large quantity of material.
• BFC churches hiring new pastors from outside the denomination are hindered in their hiring process, because many suitable candidates are unwilling to undertake such a task for a mere possibility of being hired by a church.

And Whereas, other church-planting networks and denominations have simpler entrance requirements than the BFC, and

Whereas, most men with church planter gifting will choose a path that gets them on the field in the most practical and least burdensome manner, and

Whereas, there are various ways in which to test ordination candidates’ theological orthodoxy, now therefore, we the undersigned, being all of the elders of the Church, hereby adopt the following Resolution:

Resolved, that the Bible Fellowship Church modify its ordination process and requirements in such a way as to continue and perhaps improve its rigorous screening of potential pastors in theology, character, and qualifications for shepherding God’s people, while also removing unnecessary hindrances to the process, especially those which have nothing to do with biblical qualifications, like ability to memorize.

            Resolved, that the request be received.

            The Ministerial Candidate Committee distributed the following “Guidelines for the Oral Examination of the BFC Articles of Faith.” In response, and in good faith, Allison withdrew the Oley elders’ request, noting that the MCC’s response satisfies their request.

The Purpose for the Oral Examination on the BFC Articles of Faith is to determine a Candidate’s knowledge and understanding of the Articles. The Candidate will demonstrate that he knows the Articles, has the ability to explain and teach the Articles, and is in agreement with them.

The following guidelines should be followed in order for the Candidate to satisfactorily present his knowledge and understanding of the Articles of Faith:

• The Candidate will demonstrate a thorough knowledge of what the Articles state and may be called upon to recite an Article as best he can or articulate a comparable paraphrase of the Article while not losing specific key words or teachings within the Article. 
• The Candidate will be able to give clear definitions and explanations of certain words and teachings within the Articles e.g. propitiation, imputation, depravity, immediate/mediate, Trinity, inerrancy/infallibility/ inspiration / perseverance/preservation, etc.
• The Candidate will be asked to explain how he would teach on a particular Article and discuss it in a class or from the pulpit. What would he emphasize or minimize.
• The Committee expects the Candidate to come for the test: having studied the Articles intensely, understands the Articles completely, and gives clear evidence that he is in agreement with the Articles and can teach them. This will be demonstrated to the Committee by his clear and correct responses to the Committee’s questions and their discussions with the candidate. 

Consideration of Legislation at Second Reading

Article 506-6, Excuses for BFC Conference (2023 Yearbook, p. 20)

506-6 Excuses for BFC Conference

(1) Any lay delegate desiring to be excused from a meeting which will result in his church lacking lay representation shall submit a request in writing to the Registrar. The Registrar shall present such requests to BFC Conference, which shall grant or deny the request.

[SECOND READING]

Yes – 145; No – 4.

(2) Add the following to the end of the paragraph:

Ordained Ministers in retirement or permanent disability who do not attend BFC Conference are excused without a written request.

[SECOND READING]

Yes – 149; No – 3.

Ministerial Relations Committee (2023 Yearbook, p. 20)

          Note: Proposed changes are in italics.

511-6, Ministerial Relations Committee

511-6.2(1) Composition and Election

The Board shall be composed of four ordained ministers who have served or are serving as pastors, and three elders.

[SECOND READING]

Yes – 148; No – 2.

Report of the Study Committee on Mode of Believers’ Baptism with Regard to Membership (2023 Yearbook, p. 24)

            Article 202-3.1, Qualifications and Duties of Church Membership. Proposed changes are in bold face.

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
subsequent to salvation, and manifest holiness toward God and separation from the world (Acts 2:41-47).

This represents a return to the original legislation presented by the Study Committee on Mode of Believers’ Baptism with Regard to Membership in 2023 following the introduction of a substitute motion. Conference agreed to return this to First Reading legislation.

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 93; No – 54.

            The legislation failed to reach the necessary two-thirds vote required of Principles of Order.

Report of the Study Committee on Strengthening Our Position on Abortion (2023 Yearbook, pp. 24-26)

            Proposed changes/additions to existing BPL Article 152, Abortion, are in bold face.

Article 152 – Abortion

152-1 God is the creator, sustainer, and giver of life. Only He has the right to say under what conditions it may be taken away.¹ His Word declares that man is made in His image and is endowed with the dignity of personhood from the moment of fertilization,² and it is for this reason that the death penalty was commanded for murder in the Old Testament.³ It is an evil before God to intentionally murder unborn children, since they too bear His image, even if they are disabled or the result of rape or incest. If the life of the mother is in jeopardy, it is the moral and ethical obligation of the mother’s medical care team to work to preserve the life of both baby and mother to the greatest extent their abilities and resources allow. Therefore, since abortion is murder, as members of Christ’s body, the Church, we may not have, give direct assistance to, or perform an elective abortion.⁴ Any BFC church member(s) who, after rejecting repeated, godly, and compassionate counsel, continue(s) to have unrepentant sinful involvement in abortion will be subject to church discipline as prescribed by our Lord in Matthew 18. ⁵

¹ Gen. 9:5-6

² Psa. 139:13-16; Gen. 1:27

³ Exo. 21:14

⁴ Prov. 24:11-12

⁵ Matt. 18:15-20

152-2 Within the marriage bond a pregnancy and resulting child must be accepted as from God, and the parents are commanded to love the child.⁶ Pregnancies resulting from promiscuous or  licentious behavior are not to be terminated by abortion, which only adds sin forbidden by the  sixth commandment to sin forbidden by the seventh commandment.⁷ Therefore, anyone contemplating an abortion, even though outside the Church, should be encouraged to preserve life by completing the pregnancy.⁸ The child can either be raised by its biological parents or be adopted by others. The Church must strive to create a culture where women and men feel safe in coming forward to share their struggles without fear of being condemned.

⁶ Psa. 127:3-5

⁷ Exo. 20:13-14; 1 Cor. 6:18

⁸ Heb. 10:24

            No Second Reading vote was taken on either 152-1 or 152-2 due to the following substitute motion:

Resolved, that we refer the legislation back to committee with the directive to include a clarifying statement on what to do when the life of the mother would almost surely be lost by carrying the baby to term.

The substitute motion passed by an 83-56 vote.

152-3 As Christians, we call upon our government leaders, with complete dependence on God, to establish equal justice and equal protection for the preborn according to the authority of God’s Word, at the local, state and federal levels, without exception or compromise.⁹ We call upon pastors and leaders to use their God-given gifts of preaching, teaching, and leading with one unified, principled, prophetic voice to uphold and promote God’s justice for all, including our preborn neighbors, at any and all stages of development.¹⁰

⁹ Deut. 16:18-20; Proverbs 20:10; Romans 13:3-4; 1 Pet. 2:13-14

¹⁰ Prov. 24:11-12; Psalm 82:4; Micah 6:8; Matt. 14:1-12; Mark 6:14-29

[SECOND READING]

Yes – 81; No – 77. Requiring a two-thirds vote, the legislation fails at Second Reading.

Executive Board, Article 8-1, Gender (2022 Yearbook, p. 12)

            The BFC Executive Board recommended these adjustments to Article 8-1 of the Articles of Faith, Man, at the 139^th BFC Conference. They were adopted at First Reading and have been approved by a two-thirds majority by the Boards of Elders of our Particular Churches. Proposed changes are in bold face.

Article 8-1

God, by a special, instantaneous act, created man in His image—holy, righteous, and possessing true knowledge—by forming him out of the dust of the earth and breathing into his nostrils the breath of life. Thus man became a living soul. In creating man in his image, God created them male and female. Males and females each have unique and complementary physical attributes determined by their God-given biological sex and serve to form and distinguish a person’s God-given sexual identity and function.

            Due to the nature of the changes in verbiage agreed upon by substitute motion to an Article of Faith, Conference voted to return this to First Reading status.

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 133; No – 20.

            The Executive Director announced that James MacArthur has accepted the position of Director of the BFC Department of Missions. Conference responded with a round of applause.

Results of runoff election:

Officers of the 142^nd BFC Conference

Conference Vice-Moderator:

            Steven J. DelDuco (1 year)

            Steven J. DelDuco prayed for the Darlene J. Mahurin Fund and for the meal to follow as Conference broke for lunch at 12:15 p.m.

BFC Conference Proceedings – 2024

Fifth meeting

Wednesday, April 24, 2023, 1:30 P.M.

            Wednesday afternoon’s final session of the 141^st BFC Conference was called to order by the Moderator at 1:30 p.m.

            The third graduation ceremony for a new Particular Church was introduced by David E. Gundrum with the following resolution:

Whereas, the Board of Church Extension has assessed the elder candidates and has reviewed the financial reports of the Topton, PA Mission Church (Redeemer Bible Fellowship Church) Topton, PA, and

Whereas, Church Extension affirms that the Topton, PA Mission Church (Redeemer Bible Fellowship Church) Topton, PA,  has sufficient men qualified to be elders, and a sufficient committed participant group who will sign as charter members, and

Whereas, the financial reports of Topton, PA Mission Church (Redeemer Bible Fellowship Church) Topton, PA, have been reviewed, therefore be it

Resolved, that Topton, PA Mission Church (Redeemer Bible Fellowship Church) Topton, PA,be received into the BFC Conference, and be recognized as a Particular Church.

Conference gave a rousing welcome to Redeemer BFC as the latest Particular Church in the BFC. David E. Gundrum, Director of Church Extension Ministries, referred to Redeemer BFC as “Another new gift of a church to the BFC,” calling Topton an “incubator model” of Oley BFC as Oley worked with church planter Daniel J. Hoffstetter, who was then commissioned to serve in Topton.

After sitting under the ministry of New Life BFC in Oley, PA for several months, a core team began to plan what the new work would look like and then began to hold worship services at the local Grange. Starting in March 2024, Redeemer moved to a new location, sharing space with Trinity Lutheran Church in the center of Topton.

Pastor Daniel J. Hoffstetter said what he called his leadership “dream team” came together very quickly as the various needs of the mission church were met. “We were just really set from the beginning,” Hoffstetter explained.

They quickly went into the community to conduct outreach events and families began to attend Redeemer’s various activities. “We have seen God do some amazing things,” Hoffstetter said. “Above all, men, women, and children are coming to know the Lord in a deeper way,” he added. Over the past three years, 10-15 baptisms have been indicators of the Holy Spirit’s activity among His people in Topton.

James MacArthur prayed for God’s blessing upon Redeemer BFC of Topton, PA.

The Moderator announced that $1,562 in offerings was given by our pastors and delegates to the Darlene J. Mahurin Fund.

Continuance of legislation at Second Reading

Preamble to the BPL (Article 100-1.2) – (2022 Yearbook, p. 12)

            The following proposed changes were adopted at First Reading at the 139^th BFC Conference in 2022 but were not voted upon as Second Reading legislation in 2023. The proposed changes are in bold face.

The BFC acknowledges the Scriptures as the supreme and final authority of faith and conduct and the Holy Spirit as the source of power and guidance for the believer. These principles are summaries of the biblical truth that reveals the Lord’s directives in various aspects of life. These principles are intended to be interpreted in a way that is consistent with Scripture and the Articles of Faith.

[SECOND READING]

Yes – 141; No – 1.

Preamble to the Articles of Faith & Biblical Principles of Order (2022 Yearbook, pp. 12-13)

            These proposed changes were also adopted at First Reading at the 139^th BFC Conference but were not voted upon in 2023. The proposed changes are in bold face.

After the third paragraph, add a new paragraph (in bold):

The BFC has adopted this Faith and Order (F&O) not in substitution for, but in subordination to, the Word of God. These standards have been received as being based on the Scriptures; even the elements not drawn directly from the Word have been acknowledged as based on the general rules and tenor of the Word. These standards seek to provide an effective means for the application of the teaching of the Scriptures to the faith, worship, government, and discipline of the church. Although these standards have been acknowledged to be of lesser importance than the inspired words of the Scriptures, they cannot be neglected without resulting in serious impairment of the life of the church.

The BFC Conference is the final interpretive authority for the Bible Fellowship Church on Scripture’s meaning regarding the application of the doctrines set forth in the Articles of Faith and Biblical Principles for Living.

[SECOND READING]

Yes – 138; No – 4.

            The following resolutions were proposed for the aforementioned third paragraph:

The BFC has adopted this Faith and Order (F&O) not in substitution for, but in subordination to, the Word of God. These Articles and principles have been received as being based on the Scriptures; even the elements not drawn directly from the Word have been acknowledged as based on the general rules and tenor of the Word. These Articles and principles seek to provide an effective means for the application of the teaching of the Scriptures to the faith, worship, government, and discipline of the church. Although these Articles and principles have been acknowledged to be of lesser importance than the inspired words of the Scriptures, they cannot be neglected without resulting in serious impairment of the life of the church.

The above was adopted at First Reading by a hand vote.

            R. Jerome Brush prayed for the Study Committee reports to follow.

Reports of the Study Committees

Report of the Study Committee to Codify the Prohibition on Women Teaching and Exercising Authority as given in 1 Timothy 2:12 (AKA: the Study Committee on the Role of Women in the Church (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

Whereas, the Study Committee on the Role of Women in the Church has reached a place where no consensus could be achieved and the 140^th BFC Conference voted down the proposed legislation offered by both the Majority and Minority elements of the committee, therefore be it

Resolved, that we thank the members of the committee for their faithful service and declare the committee to be dissolved.

Report of the Study Committee on Eternal Conscious Torment (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

            The committee came into being in response to a petition presented to the 139^th BFC Conference by Whitehall Bible Fellowship Church (see p. 137, 2022 Yearbook). The Whitehall church petitioned Conference to form a study committee “to examine what Scripture teaches about the eternal destiny of the unregenerate, with careful attention to both its apologetic and shepherding use.” It submitted its report as a response to that petition.

Special thanks and appreciation to our brother Calvin T. Reed, who because of his recent surgery could not be physically present at Conference (though he watched the livestream). Presenter Ronald L. Kohl made mention of a helpful resource on the issue which is available free of charge through our publications department. The committee attempted to respond to both biblical/theological issues as well as pastoral concerns connected to the traditional view of eternal conscious torment as a reality.

It was noted that the report attempted to answer many of the questions surrounding the Universalist and Annihilationist positions, but it was determined to devote more of the paper’s attention to the traditional view of eternal conscious torment. A bibliography is provided for further reading and a deeper understanding of these positions.

Kohl admitted that the report comes with little proposed legislation—only a single footnote—because the conclusion is consistent with what is already present in the Articles of Faith and, more importantly, from a plain reading of Scripture itself.

The committee consulted with the Whitehall BFC church and received confirmation that this report satisfied their request.

Resolved, that Article 28-1 footnote 2 be expanded to include Matthew 25:46—“And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

The resolution was adopted at First Reading and Conference agreed that it be implemented immediately by rule of exception.

Whereas, the Study Committee on Eternal Conscious Torment has presented its work in response to a petition to the Whitehall Bible Fellowship Church, and

Whereas, the committee feels that its report adequately answers concerns some in the Whitehall church have concerning the nature of condemnation afforded the unbelieving and unrepentant, therefore be it

Resolved, that we thank the members of the committee for their service and declare the committee to be dissolved.

Committee on Mode of Believers’ Baptism for People with Disabilities and Infirmities (see page)

Resolved, that the report be accepted.

            The committee proposed the following for adoption at First Reading:

Whereas,people with disabilities and infirmities are human beings created in God’s image (Gen 1:26-28), and

Whereas, as God’s grace allows, people with disabilities and infirmities are able to believe in Jesus Christ, and

Whereas,according to the gospel, whoever believes in Jesus Christ has everlasting life (John 3:16), is transferred into his kingdom (Col 1:13), is indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13-14), and becomes a member of the Body of Christ (Eph. 2:13-16), therefore be it

Resolved,that Article 103-6.6 be added to the BFC Biblical Principles of Living, reading as follows:

            Article 103-6.6  – Shared Life

Every human is created by God and bears his image (Gen. 1:26-28), and is “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psa.139:14). This applies to all humans without exception, including those with disabilities of various kinds. God our Savior desires that all people would be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim. 2:4), and this would include people with disabilities and infirmities. When God, by His grace, grants faith in Jesus Christ to a person (Eph. 2:8-9), it is the responsibility of the church to teach them to obey all that Christ commanded (Matt. 28:19-20) and to shepherd them faithfully as members of the flock of God (1 Pet. 5:2). For people with disabilities, this implies a responsibility on the part of the elders of each particular church to understand the needs of the members of their congregations living with disabilities or infirmities and to seek to include them, as far as possible, in the activities of their particular church, including in church membership and service as far as they are able. This would include making accommodations that would permit them to be baptized by another mode of baptism if they cannot be baptized by immersion, to partake of the Lord’s Supper, to participate in regular worship, to serve the body of Christ, etc., as deemed appropriate by the elders of a particular church.

[FIRST READING]

Yes, – 111; No – 21.

Whereas,our brothers and sisters who have a physical or emotional disability desire to follow the Lord in obedience in baptism but cannot be baptized by immersion, and

Whereas, Christ, in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20), commands the church to baptize disciples in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and

Whereas,the Scriptures further command that believers repent and be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 2:28), and

Whereas, these commands do not admit any exceptions to the requirement to be baptized, even though there may be cases in which a believer may be in a circumstance which does not permit baptism by immersion, and

Whereas, based on the considerations and precedents cited in this report, and

Whereas, the committee believes its proposed change will remove barriers to membership for those Christians living with disabilities and preserve the seriousness of the ordinance of baptism, and

Whereas,there are ancient precedents allowing for a mode of baptism that would accommodate those with disabilities, therefore be it

Resolved,that Article 202-3.1, relating to Qualifications for Membership, be changed to read as follows:

            Article 202-3.1

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 subsequent to salvation, and manifest holiness toward God and separation from the world (Acts 2:41-47).

[FIRST READING]

Yes – 108; No – 24.

Other reports

Report of the Conference Judicatory: (see page)

            Resolved, that the report be accepted.

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

            Resolved, that the report be accepted.

            Kevin W. Kirkpatrick noted that this committee is reporting to BFC Conference for the last time, since it is being absorbed into the responsibilities of the Church Health Committee.

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 Registrar

            The following delegates requested to be excused from part or all of the 141^st BFC Conference:

Mark C. Baker (Piscataway, NJ), Wayne M. Chadwell (Clinton Corners, NY), Peter B. Cobucci (Nazareth, PA), Jason Fetherolf (Red Hill, PA), Jayonn C. Folks (Harrisburg City, PA), Gary E. Karch (Emmaus, PA), William Kerstetter (Shamokin, PA), James P. Ketner (Mt. Carmel, PA), Daniel F. Mazzeo (Forks Twp., PA), Shawn McAnulty (Exeter, PA), Donald D. McKinney (Sinking Spring, PA), Robert A. Moreau (Coopersburg, PA), Harry Nessler (Woodbury Heights, NJ), Thomas Sacco (Denville, NJ), Donald W. Salafia, Jr. (Brick, NJ), J. Rob Vaughn (Red Hill, PA)

Resolved, that these requests for excuses be granted.

The following delegate replacements occurred during the 141st BFC Conference:

Coopersburg, PA — Stephen C. Cassel replaced Robert A. Moreau on Wed. morning,
Kutztown, PA — Doug Steffy replaced Nickolas T. Timpe on Wed. morning,
Lehighton, PA — Steven Ramos replaced Richard Reich on Wed. morning,
Piscataway, NJ — Mark A. Scott replaced Mark C. Baker on Wed. morning,
Reading, PA (La Roca) — Luis Beltran replaced Vladimir Caba on Wed. morning,
Sinking Spring, PA — Mark R. Sondag replaced John R. Weller on Wed. afternoon,
W. Norriton, PA — Roger Eastman replaced David Frampton on Wed. morning
Whitehall, PA — Mark Hargrove replaced Jerald A. Lagler on Wed. morning,

The following licensed and ordained men requested to be excused from part or all of the 141st BFC Conference. These requests were approved by the Ministerial Credentials Committee.

James Arcieri, William C. Aukamp, Delbert R. Baker II, Kenneth F. Barber, Timothy J. Bertolet, Peter Bogert, David E. Brandt, Jerry R. Brush, Leonard E. Buck, William A. Burton III, Freddy A. Chi, G. Wayne Clapier, Jr., Kevin Clineff, Charles E. Cole, Hugh C. Coulbourn, Timothy S. Cowen, Daryl A. Crawford, William J. Dunn, Bruce A. Ellingson, Scott B. Evans, Jordan K. Eyster, Jason A. Filbert, Carl J. Fischer, Jr., Richard J. Gehman, Jeremy L. Harkins, James D. Head, LeRoy S. Heller, Timothy S. Hogan, D. B. H., Ronald W. Hoyle, Daniel Istrate, Robert A. Johnson, Walter M. Johnston, Donald E. Kuntzman, Nathaniel C. LeTowt, Ronald C. Mahurin, David L. Manney, Carl T. Martin, Philip E. Morrison, Thomas A. Pollock, Calvin T. Reed, Roger L. Reitz, David W. Riddell, Jeffrey L. Ruhl, L. Marc Sweet, Michael J. Tannous, David A. Thomann, Gregory A. Uhrich, Ricardo M. Vargas, Harold C. Weaber, Paul G. Zimmerman

The following licensed and ordained men were noted as absent for part or all of the 141st BFC Conference without excuse:

None

The following Ordained Ministers in Retirement or on Permanent Disability were noted as being absent and excused without a written request from part or all of the 141st BFC Conference:

T. James Bigley, Jr., Clifford B. Boone, Richard C. Dodson, Glenn R. Felty, Richard D. Harris, John H. Herb, David H. Jones, Duane E. Moyer, Richard A. Moyer, Keith E. Plows,Louis Prontnicki, David K. Schlonecker, David N. Schoen, Gene W. Smith, David R. Way, Dana E. Weller, Byron Widger

Whereas, the Study Committee on the Importance of Preaching has completed its assignment and the legislation it proposed did not reach the necessary two-thirds majority among elder boards of our Particular Churches after it was adopted at First Reading, therefore be it

Resolved, that we thank the members of the committee for their service and declare the committee to be dissolved.

Appointments for the 142^nd BFC Conference

            The Moderator made the following appointments for the 142^nd BFC Conference:

            Registrar: Joel B. Klase

            Assistant Registrar: Jules J. Hull III

            Committee on Agenda & Arrangements: Ronald L. Kohl, Chairman; David T. Allen, Steven J. DelDuco, Joel B. Klase, Timothy S. Radcliff, R. Daniel Wagner, Daniel L. Williams.

            Resolved, that the appointments be ratified.

Study Committee to study Articles of Faith 24-27 with a view to possibly revising, moving, or removing our statements on the millennium and will bring recommendations to the 142^nd BFC Conference: The Moderator appointed the following: Andrew T. Crossgrove, Convener; Timothy J. Bertolet, Daniel J. Hoffstetter, S. Wayne Rissmiller, Timothy J. Schmoyer, Keith A. Strunk, Aaron J. Susek.

Resolved, that the appointments be ratified.

            The following were also announced:

            Secretary of the Conference Judicatory: Clyde D. Bomgardner, Jr.

            Secretary of the Special Appellate Judicatory: Joshua P. Miller.

Report of the Committee on Resolutions

Whereas, Randall A. Grossman, David T. Allen, and Andrew T. Crossgrove challenged us through God’s Word, and

Whereas, Daniel W. King, Kevin W. Kirkpatrick, and Stephen J. Morton led us in prayer, therefore be it

Resolved, that we thank the Lord for His faithful servants and His holy Word.

Whereas, Living Bible Fellowship Church of Adams County, PA, Harmony Bible Fellowship Church of Harmony Twp. NJ, and Redeemer Bible Fellowship Church of Topton, PA have been recognized at the 141^st Annual Conference as Particular Churches, therefore be it

Resolved, that we give praise to God for His work in these churches.

Whereas, we celebrated the ordinations of Neil J Franklin Jr., Michael J. Notary, Ricardo M. Vargas, and Jeremy L. Harkins, who wasn’t able to be present, and

Whereas, the BFC recognized the previous ordinations of Andrew R. Hebel, Michael C. Meadows, and Andrew J. Miller, therefore be it

Resolved, that we give thanks to God for calling these men to serve Him as shepherds of His church. We also ask God’s blessing on them and their churches.

Whereas, Aaron J. Susek, Mark E. Barninger, and Richard B. Ravis led our hearts and minds back to the living God again and again through worship in song, therefore be it

Resolved, that we thank them for their faithful ministry to us.

Whereas, Conference Secretary Ronald L. Kohl, Assistant Secretary Timothy S. Radcliff, and Assistants to the Secretary Jared M. Burkholder, and Andrew J. Vasel have served so well behind the scenes, and

Whereas, David T. Allen has served us diligently as Executive Director, and

Whereas, Daniel L. Williams served exceptionally as the Moderator of the 141^st conference of the Bible Fellowship Church, therefore be it

Resolved, that we thank them for serving this conference so well.

Whereas, Ryan Diffenderfer and the team of quick-stepping pages did a wonderful job of serving the needs of the conference attendees, and

Whereas, Joel B. Klase and Jules J. Hull III served Conference well as Registrar and Assistant Registrar, respectively, and

Whereas, Rachel Schmoyer and Julie Sebastian have worked tirelessly and with exemplary efficiency leading up to and during this conference, therefore be it

Resolved, that we thank them for all the planning and work they did to make this conference a success.

           Whereas, Raymond R. Dotts, and Austin G. Shelly have passed into glory and God’s rest in the past year, therefore be it

            Resolved, that we thank the Lord for their faithful ministry, and we pray for the comfort of their family members.

Whereas, we have much to thank God for and think about as a result of this year’s sermons, reports, testimonies, and times of prayer, therefore be it

Resolved, that as we go from this place, we ask the Lord for His grace to search for opportunities boldly and actively to reach out with the good news of Jesus Christ personally and corporately to a lost and dying world.

The 141^st Conference of the Bible Fellowship Church was adjourned with prayer by Christopher M. Von Holt at 3:55 p.m.