Report of the

Strategic Planning Committee

In addition to meeting this past year on a bi-monthly basis, the Strategic Planning Committee took on two extensive projects that required a significant amount of attention and time. We greatly value the work of the committee members as well as the pastors and laymen who assisted us in our efforts.

The first of these projects was the development of the “Vision Statement” for the BFC. Committee members synthesized the information gleaned from the November 2003 Summit Meeting at Pinebrook Bible Conference as well as from surveys distributed to each of our local churches. With their findings in mind, we began to meet with the pastors, elders, and deacons in each region of the denomination to begin developing “action steps” based on all of the input received thus far. These gatherings have been of great value and the input received has been significant. We found the leadership of the BFC to be supportive, encouraged, and forward-looking in their perspective. Their input is currently being synthesized to determine specific action steps for the next strategic moves for the denomination.

The second of these projects has been the planning for the One Voice gathering scheduled for May 22-23, 2004 in Bethlehem, PA. The two-day event will promote the corporate worship, fellowship, and commitment of our churches, particularly focusing our attention on being “united to make disciples of Jesus Christ.” Our goal is to provide a two-day event that will be presented in a God-honoring way with excellence that will be valued by all who attend. Special thanks to all who have given significantly of their time and gifts to prepare this long-awaited event. Details regarding the weekend are provided on the website at www.BFC.org under “One Voice.”

Along that same line, the Committee determined that a denomination-wide event similar to One Voice should be planned for 2007 and reconsidered on a triennial basis.

The two projects described above have impacted on our efforts to provide consolidation of denominational offices. We still believe this need is significant and will attempt to move this concern to the “front burner” in the months ahead. As an interim move in this process, steps are being taken to provide a denominational 800 number that would be answered by one of our church secretaries as a contact point for those seeking information regarding the denomination.

Without much fanfare, the regions of the BFC continue to develop. Corporate efforts for ministry, support, and fellowship between local churches has been of significant value across the denomination this past year. We applaud the efforts of our pastors and congregations to serve together by region and encourage those who have not yet participated in such endeavors to do so in the year ahead. Please be reminded of the directives regarding regionalization that are clarified in the Faith and Order, §601-3.2.

Additional work was done in conjunction with the Board of Communications to suggest changes to make the BFC website as well as the BFC e-groups more effective. We have also urged the Board of Communications to provide the denomination with a new logo.

We appreciate the input of the pastors this past year and believe that the information we have been given will be of significant help as we clarify corporate vision for the days ahead. It should be noted as well that the input from Conference Chairman, William G. Schlonecker, was a great help in our work.

Resolved, that the Bible Fellowship Church adopt the following as its vision statement:

We, the Bible Fellowship Church, seek to become an expanding fellowship of churches united to make disciples of Jesus Christ.

The Strategic Planning Committee has adopted the following plan to begin the implementation of the proposed vision statement. In the next year, the Strategic Planning Committee will:

· encourage each BF Church to include the adopted vision in its prayer ministry and hold special times of prayer for the development of our denomination.

· develop a focus group to facilitate resource sharing between churches in the BFC

· in coordination with the Board of Christian Education, hold a leadership training session focused on the task of making disciples.

· in coordination with the Board of Church Extension, ask each region to submit a plan to plant a church. The plan shall include a potential site for a new church and a list of available resources for a church plant.

· clarify the image of the BFC and, in coordination with the Board of Communications, publicize that image.

· report to the Annual Conference in April, 2005, on the accomplishment of the tasks listed in this plan.

· present a new plan for the Annual Conference in April, 2005.

Strategic Planning Committee: Dana E. Weller, Chairman; Richard T. Paashaus, Secretary; Byron Barnshaw, Elliot H. Ramos, Richard E. Taylor, J. Robert Vaughn, Robert H. Zentz