Report of the
Board of Christian Education
The Board of Christian Education met quarterly this year to give oversight to denomination-wide Christian Education ministries and to provide support and resources for our local churches. Much of the work is done by sub-committees of the Board.
Christian Education Training
Wayne Clapier served as chairman for this committee in 2000. The committee worked with Dave Schoen to provide Walk Thru the Bible ministries for the local churches of the BFC. In addition, the Committee updated its list of resource people so that local churches, regardless of size, could have training and input from experienced leaders from other churches for their CE Staff. Please contact Wayne Clapier for further information.
A denomination-wide Teacher Training Seminar will be held March 10, 2001 at Calvary BFC in Coopersburg, PA. Representatives of the Evangelical Training Association will give leadership to the day of encouragement and training for our CE staff.
The 2002 Seminar will be held on Saturday, March 9.
WalkThru The Bible Seminars
A “Kids In the Book” New Testament seminar was hosted by the Staten Island BFC this year. Trinity BFC hosted an adult Old Testament Walk. New Testament seminars for adults were presented at the Wissinoming, PA, Thompson, CT and Nazareth, PA, churches.
The price per attendee at a seminar has increased $1 for the year 2001. Adult seminar registrations are now $13 and children’s seminar registrations are $9. Prior to 2001, only churches with an average attendance of 250 or less for their Sunday morning service could host a seminar with the reduced pricing structure of our special contract with Walk Thru The Bible. A new policy was instituted which allows BF Churches averaging up to 300 to also participate at a savings over the normal rate structure.
Please see Dave Schoen [Emmaus BFC] with any questions you might have about bringing a Walk Thru The Bible seminar to your church.
Family Life
The Board of Christian Education added a new sub-committee this year to aid in its work. The Family Life Committee will seek to strengthen both inter-church and local family ministries for our BF Churches. Please direct your ideas, issues, and concerns in this area to Dave Schoen who will chair this committee.
The first of our plans is already underway. We are seeking to host a “Bible Fellowship Day” at Knobels Grove Amusement Park during the summer of 2002. Discount tickets for rides as well as hotdogs and sodas will make this a fun and affordable day for the entire family. Information will be sent to all churches in the Fall of 2001.
Pastor, Elder, Deacon Retreat
The 2000 Retreat was held November 3-4 at Pinebrook Bible Conference. We welcomed Mr. Charles Anderson of Littleton Bible Chapel, Littleton, Colorado as our speaker. Charles is an associate of Alexander Strauch who has authored books on the subjects of Biblical Eldership and the Role of the New Testament Deacon. He spoke on themes related to principles for leadership formation with the local church, instituting a leader development plan for our fellowship, and key issues for mentorees with activities and evaluation tools to cultivate leadership skills. There were 160 participants from eight regions of the BFC.
The 2001 PED Retreat will be held at Pinebrook Bible Conference on November 2-3.
Video Library
Volume Five, “The Early Church”, from the popular “That The World May Know” series, was added to the library this year and contains five sessions between 25-30 minutes in length. Locations visited are: Ephesus, Laodicea, Caesarea Philippi, Sardis and Pergamum. The “faith lessons” are practical and powerful.
Presently there are 97 video titles available. Library use increased from 52 in 1999 to 61 in the year 2000. A wealth of good teaching material for all ages is available through this library. For a current catalog and to order materials contact Bethel BFC in Emmaus.
Other Business
This was a significant year of restructuring as the Board of Youth and Young Adult Ministries was established independent of the Board of Christian Education. The Board designated $7,000 of our budgeted funds to the Board of Youth and Young Adults to help establish its initial budget. In addition, $8,697.60 that had been set aside for the potential hiring of a Youth Coordinator for the Conference was transferred to the Board of Youth and Young Adults account. We support them in their work and pray God’s blessing on their efforts.
Board of Christian Education Richard T. Paashaus, Chairman; David N. Schoen, Vice-chairman; Michael Herb, Secretary; G. Wayne Clapier, Annette Kuhns, Treasurer; Clyde Bomgardner, Pamela Kuntzman, Mark Matson, Mark L. Morrison, Ralph E. Ritter, Karen Stull, Jonathan P. Tait