Report of the

Committee on Credentials

              The Committee on Credentials held four meetings during the year in the performance of its duties.

              During the year, the Credentials Committee met with the Ministerial Candidate Committee to discuss concerns affecting both committees. Discussion surrounded interview dates for candidates for ordination, possible cross representation on both committees and a concern about some pastors not fully subscribing to the Articles of Faith in the Faith and Order. James A. Beil and Keith E. Plows attended the NCMAF conference in Washington DC in December. The committee, in fulfilling its role to minister to men under its care, met with several pastors for the purpose of encouragement and enrichment.

              The Faith and Order questionnaire was sent to each of the ministers holding Ordination Credentials with the Bible Fellowship Church. All of the brethren returned their questionnaire.

              The committee will be following up on some reservations that were noted on the Ministers’ Questionnaire.

              The following changes in status were approved:

              Albert J. Dommel was changed from “Ordained Ministers on Leave of Absence” to “Ordained Ministers Between Calls.”

              Gilbert J. Vining was changed from “Ordained Ministers Under the Direction of the Bible Fellowship Church” to “Ordained Ministers Working In Other Christian Organizations.”

              Harvey J. Fritz, Jr. was changed from “Ordained Ministers Under the Direction of the Bible Fellowship Church” to “Ordained Ministers In Retirement.”

              Austin G. Shelly was changed from “Ordained Ministers Under the Direction of the Bible Fellowship Church” to “Ordained Ministers In Retirement.”

              Daniel F. DeLozier was changed from “Ordained Ministers Under the Direction of the Bible Fellowship Church” to “Ordained Ministers Working In Other Christian Organizations.”

              The Committee met with six men for ordination examination. The Credentials Committee gives thanks to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Who has given these gifted men for the ministry of the BFC.

WHEREAS, the Ministerial Candidate Committee has recommended J. Mark McCreary, Dennis J. Lawrence, Thomas J. Beil, Jonathan P. Tait and Jim D. Head for 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 Credentials Committee believes these men to be called of God to the gospel ministry and to be in accord with the Faith and Order of the Bible Fellowship Church; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that J. Mark McCreary, Dennis J. Lawrence, Thomas J. Beil, Jonathan P. Tait and Jim D. Head be ordained to the gospel ministry of the Bible Fellowship Church.

WHEREAS, the Ministerial Candidate Committee has recommended prior ordination recognition for Jacob J. Susek, Jr., therefore

RESOLVED, that the prior ordination of Jacob J. Susek, Jr., to the gospel ministry be recognized by the Bible Fellowship Church and further;

RESOLVED, that the service of ordination be held Tuesday, April 30, 1996, at 7:30 p.m. at Berean Bible Fellowship Church, Stroudsburg, PA.

              The Credentials Committee has placed our Ordained Ministers in the following categories (These men are eligible to serve a Bible Fellowship Church):

I.            Ordained Ministers Working Under the Direction of the Bible Fellowship Church:

Allen, Daniel P.

Armstrong, W. David

Baker, Delbert R. II.

Barber, Kenneth F.

Bartron, William H.

Beil, James A.

◦Beil, Thomas J.

Brosius, Bert N.

Brush, R. Jerome

Cahill, Dennis M.

Cassel, Alva C.

Cassel, Carl C.

Clapier, G. Wayne

Commerford, Robert S.

Coulbourn, Hugh C. Jr.

Erb, Ronald C.

Fischer, Carl J. Jr.

Good, Kenneth L.

Grossman, Randall A.

Harris, Richard D.

Gundrum, David E.

◦Head, Jim D.

Heller, LeRoy S.

Hertzog, Roy A.

Koch, James G.

◦Lawrence, Dennis J.

Mahurin, Ronald C.

Martin, Carl T.

◦McCreary, J. Mark

Moyer, Jerry L.

Paashaus, Richard T.

Phillips, D. Thomas

Plows, Keith E.

Prontnicki, Louis

Ravis, Richard B.

Reed, Calvin T.

Reitz, Roger L.

Ritter, Ralph E.

Schlonecker, William G.

Schoen, David N.

Shorb, Thomas P.

Sloan, Robert A. Jr.

Smith, Gene W.

Soper, Ralph M.

Spinney, Dennis W.

Stortz, Dean A.

Studenroth, John C.

◦Susek, Jacob, J. Jr.

◦Tait, Jonathan P.

Taylor, Richard E.

Thomann, David A.

Trommler, Steven L.

Uhrich, Gregory A.

Vandegriff, John C. Jr.

Vivona, Alan R.

Watkins, David J.

Way, David R.

Weaber, Harold C.

Weller, Dana E.

Wells, Howard N.

Wickstead, James A.

Widger, Byron

Ziegler, Daniel G.

◦                Contingent upon approval of recommendation of their ordination in this report.

II.          Ordained Ministers Working Under the Direction of the Board of Missions of the Bible Fellowship Church:

Aukamp, William A.

Boone, Clifford B.

Buck, Leonard E.

Butler, Brian H.

Gehman, Richard J.

Harding, W. Neil, Jr.

Harley, J. Barclay

Hoyle, Ronald W.

Johnston, Walter M.

Lea, Herbert K.

Morrison, Philip E.

Moyer, Edward

Riddell, David W.

Yerrington, Philip E.

Zimmerman, Paul G.

III.         Ordained Minister Working in the Military Chaplaincy Under the Sponsorship of the Bible Fellowship Church:

Minsky, Barry J.

IV. Ordained Ministers Working in Other Christian Ministries:

Bigley, T. James Jr.

DeLozier, Daniel F.

Ellingson, Bruce A.

Frable, Arthur H. Jr.

Gordon, Robert N.

Hagy, Ronald C.

Keeler, Kenneth D.

Manney, David L.

Schell, Henry A.

Vining, Gilbert J.

V. Ordained Ministers Between Calls:

Batchler, James R. Jr.

Byrd, Terris L.

Coble, Bernard N.

Dommel, Albert J.

Herb, John H.

Jones, David H.

Neher, James E.

VI. Ordained Ministers on Leave of Absence:

Burnett, Raymond G.

Dotts, Raymond R.

MacMillan, Thomas S.

Smith, Larry M.

VII. Ordained Ministers in Retirement:

Cassel, Willard E.

Draper, Robert L.

Dunn, John

Frank, Walter H.

Fritz, Harvey J., Jr.

Hartman, Jansen E.

Herb, Frank L. Jr.

Herb, George E.

Johnson, Robert F.

Kirkwood, Donald T.

Miller, C. Leslie

Mull, William W.

Munyan, Edgar H.

Reichenbach, R. C.

Riggall, John H.

Seifert, A. L.

Shelly, Austin G.

Smock, Robert W.

Stengele, Laird F.

Thomann, David E.

Yarrington, Harold D.

Credentials Committee makes the following recommendations:

              1.           That an Ordination Service be held Tuesday, April 29, 1997 during the 114th Annual Conference at the Berean Bible Fellowship Church, Stroudsburg, PA.

              2.           That Salem Bible Fellowship Church, Allentown, Ebenezer Bible Fellowship Church, Bethlehem, the Bible Fellowship Church of Royersford, Berean Bible Fellowship Church, Stroudsburg, and Emmanuel Bible Fellowship Church, Sunbury, be encouraged to have services acknowledging the Ordination of Thomas J. Beil, Jim D. Head, Jacob J. Susek, Jr., Jonathan P. Tait, J. Mark McCreary and Dennis Lawrence respectively and that they be encouraged to invite the Credentials Committee to send representation to be present at the services.

Committee on Credentials: Keith E. Plows, Chairman; David A. Thomann, Secretary; James A. Beil, Randall A. Grossman, LeRoy S. Heller