Report of the
Strategic Planning Committee
The Strategic Planning Committee met seven times this year. Much of its work centered around the following areas:
• Further development of legislation regarding regionalization, the Board of Directors, and Chairman of Annual Conference.
• Planning for BFC2000, the April 30, 2000 gathering for worship and celebration.
• A Regional Leaders Summit held on October 28,1999.
• Consideration of a centralized location for denominational offices.
The legislation regarding Regionalization as well as for Chairman and Officers of Annual Conference is presented to the Annual Conference for approval at second reading.
Tremendous interest has been shown in the BFC gathering scheduled for April 30, 2000. BFC2000 promises to be a day of fellowship, worship, and celebration that will be long remembered. A large number of committed men and women from across the denomination have given significantly of their time, finances, and expertise to see this event come to fruition. We fully expect that expenses for the day will be covered in advance and that the offerings received on April 30 “can” be used for a new church plant in the denomination. A resolution related to the offering is listed below. Continue to pray with us that this gathering will be God-honoring, meaningful, and uplifting.
On October 28, seventeen pastors and regional leaders from all but one region of the Bible Fellowship Church gathered for interaction at a Regionalization Summit held in Center Valley. Presentations were made concerning ongoing regional activities including corporate mission statements, chaplaincy support, missions consortium ideas, and shared church planting ventures. Findings of the Summit included the following:
1. The distance factor between some churches makes regional participation difficult. It may be necessary to develop “sub-regions” for gatherings throughout the year with one full region gathering before Annual Conference.
2. Provision should be made for mission churches at a distance.
3. When multiple staff situations exist, all staff should be included in regional gatherings.
4. Coordinators and secretaries of each region are most crucial to calling the regional leaders together.
It should be noted that regional ministries continue to develop. Most pastors are meeting regularly for prayer and interaction with others in their regions. Continued effort will be made to develop regional ministries in 2001.
Several decisions made by Annual Conference have not yet been acted upon. The 1998 Annual Conference approved the establishing of a Conference Pastor. The 1999 Annual Conference resolved to establish a committee to prepare a feasibility study regarding potential consolidation of offices, resources, and personnel for several of the Bible Fellowship Church agencies. The Strategic Planning Committee concurs with the need to consider and take action on both of these issues. We offer ourselves to work with the Ministerial Relations Committee to provide a Conference Pastor.
Regarding the feasibility study mentioned above, the Committee submits the following resolutions:
Whereas, Annual Conference resolved to establish a committee to prepare a feasibility study regarding potential consolidation of offices, resources, and personnel for several of our Bible Fellowship Church agencies, and
Whereas, such a committee was not appointed during the 1999 Annual Conference, and
Whereas, the Strategic Planning Committee agrees with the need for such considerations, therefore, be it
Resolved, that the Strategic Planning Committee function as that committee to oversee such a feasibility study, seeking the input of whatever resource people they consider necessary to accomplish the task, being certain to include the input of pastors as well as lay people with administrative or business experience.
Resolved, that the monies received from the offering at the BFC2000 celebration after expenses be used for a new church plant.
The Committee recommends the following legislative changes for Second Reading:
1. Regionalization: (see page: 37)
2. Officers of Annual Conference (see page: 22)
Strategic Planning Committee: Daniel P. Allen, Chairman; Richard T. Paashaus, Secretary; Raymond R. Dotts, William R. Singletary, Gary L. Spangenburg, John C. Vandegriff, Jr., Dana E. Weller