Report of the
Board of Church Health
The Board of Church Health met three times during the year to consider the state of health of the local congregations of the BFC. We considered several churches that met the criteria listed in 504-1.2 of the F&O (First Reading). We assisted several churches in determining their church health with a Natural Church Development (NCD) self-assessment survey. Personal visits and extensive contact were made with several pastors to assist them in analyzing their needs and encouraging them in their work. We were glad to assist Wissinoming BFC in its Wissinoming Day event in September.
Church health consultant, Carl Shank, met with the Board to give a NCD presentation on the Biotic Principles, a next step of “how-to’s” for a church after a health assessment survey. Carl Shank can now be reached at Crossroads Brethren Church, 800 Donegal Springs Road, Mount Joy, PA 17252 / Office 717-653-1616 / Home 717-426-2283 / crossroads-carl@earthlink.net.
In 2007, four churches underwent NCD surveys to evaluate their church health. Since the Adjourned Session of Annual Conference in October 2005 at least 16 churches from the breadth of the BFC have taken the survey. We encourage congregations to use this tool as a foundational piece of self-examination to help stay attentive in serving Jesus Christ. Funding help is available if an interested church finds the $300 expense to be prohibitive.
Resolved, that the following be adopted at Second Reading for inclusion into the F&O:
504-1.1 All new Particular Churches will be on a two-year probation with open accountability to the Board of Church Health.
504-1.2 Any congregation that reports any one of the following criteria will allow the Board of Church Health to initiate discussion with that Particular Church.
1. Three consecutive years where attendance declined more than 5% per year.
2. Three consecutive years of declining offerings.
3. An Elder Board that has declined to fewer than two lay elders.
Board of Church Health: Carl K. Spackman, Chairman; Robert A. Sloan, Vice Chairman; Byron Widger, Secretary; Robert C. Kaatz, Richard T. Paashaus, Ronald W. Reed, Clyde W. Snyder, Robert H. Zentz.