Report of the
Board of Christian Education
The Board of Christian Education met quarterly to give oversight to the Christian Education (CE) Ministries of the Bible Fellowship Church (BFC). Once again, God has seen fit to increase the growth and development in our ministries. We are grateful for the continued support of our churches, pastors, and laymen in a variety of ways that allows the CE ministries to flourish. We praise the Lord for the addition of some new members to our Board and the return of others who have been limited in their involvement due to health issues. Listed below are some of the highlights and goals of the committees of our Board which do the bulk of the work.
Audio-visual committee
The GOAL of this committee is to improve circulation by promoting video series at denominational events and through ads in Fellowship News.
This committee reported usage of the AV library to be down from 80 to 50-60 sign-outs this year. New titles include “The Animated OT & NT Bible” series, “Age of Opportunity” video series for teens, parents of teens, and youth leaders, as well as “Shepherding a Child’s Heart” (the updated version).
CE Training committee
The GOALS of this committee include the following:
1) Reactivate the speakers list. It will produce a list to be handed out to the churches.
2) Plan for regular programming of teacher training in our denomination.
3) Check out the progress of our doctrinal teaching program to be distributed next year.
4) Combine family ministries event with a CE training event in the future.
In addition to the goals listed above, this committee also oversaw the Walk Thru The Bible Seminars this past year as well. Six seminars were presented in Bible Fellowship Churches this past year. For more information about how each church can take advantage of these seminars, contact David N. Schoen.
Family Ministry
Currently, we have included this committee’s goals under the scope and confines of the CE Training committee. An event for the encouragement and training of the families of our churches is being planned for the future.
Pastor, Elder, Deacon (PED) committee
The GOALS of this committee include the following:
1) To provide a quality retreat experience which will enrich and equip the servants of the Church for ministry in leadership.
2) To identify topics for instruction that will address areas of need and/or contemporary concerns.
3) To periodically review this format and evaluate its effectiveness for the leadership needs of our churches.
The 1999 PED retreat on November 5-6 at Pinebrook featured Dr. Richard Allen Farmer as he led us in thinking about worship and leading in worship of Almighty God. There were 160 in attendance. All the regions of the BFC were represented. The 2000 PED retreat is scheduled for November 3-4, 2000 at Pinebrook with Charles Anderson, speaking on Preparing the Next Generation of Leaders.
Youth and Young Adult committee
The GOALS for this committee are listed in the Board of Youth and Young adult proposal to be considered for second reading during the 117th Annual Conference. Events that this committee oversaw this year included a Young Adult retreat in Ocean City, NJ, where 35 attended, a summer missions trip to South Allentown where 40 teens and parents and others helped to minister to 200 -300 who attended the day-long carnival, and the Thanksgiving Rally, where 300 teens and leaders attended the afternoon activities at Victory Valley Camp and Steve Gehman spoke and the band, Purified, led us in worship. Also, Sno-Glo 2000, attended by over 1100 teens and leaders over three weekends, featured speaker Keith Walker and the group Higher Call who led us in worship and challenged us through word, drama, and song to be “Giant-slayers.”
Upcoming dates for Youth and Young Adult events include: Young Adult Retreat – July 28-30, Thanksgiving Rally – November 24, and Sno-Glo 2001 – January 5-7, 12-14, 19-21.
We have also been continuing to pray and plan for better organizing Youth and Young Adult ministry in the BFC. The Board of Christian Education recommends the following for second reading:
Resolved, that the legislation, found on pp. 145-46 of the 1999 Yearbook, approved at first reading during the 116th Annual Conference be approved at Second Reading. (See page 16)
Board of Christian Education: Richard T. Paashaus, Chairman; David N. Schoen, Vice-chairman; Clyde D. Bomgardner, Jr., secretary; Annette E. Kuhns, treasurer; G. Wayne Clapier, James Harris, Michael Herb, Dennis J. Lawrence, Pamela J. Kuntzman, Ralph E. Ritter, Karen R. Stull, Jonathan P. Tait.