Report of the

Study Committee on Credentials

& Multi Staff Churches

EDITOR’S NOTE: As a growing number of our churches were adding additional staff (and particularly pastoral staff), Conference appointed this study committee in 1998 to examine how our Principles of Order address staff that are not the senior pastor. The Committee made various proposals in subsequent years and concluded their work in 2007.

             The study committee, established by a resolution passed at the 118th Annual Conference, met three times during the year. We reviewed the work of the previous committee, the Study Committee on Multiple-Staff Churches, and discussed the glossary of terms that were submitted to the 118th Annual Conference.

The committee recommends the following:

1.          Whereas, there are individuals who are not ordained or whose previous ordination has not been recognized by the Bible Fellowship Church and who are serving on pastoral staffs of the BFC, and

Whereas, because they are not ordained or have not had their previous ordination formally recognized by the BFC and they have been allowed to serve in lay capacities within the BFC, and

Whereas, in the local church, they function more in keeping with ordained ministers than they do as laymen, and

Whereas, Annual Conference has recognized the value of having lay representation in its delegates to Annual Conference, and its membership of Conference Boards and Committees, and

Whereas, having individuals who serve on pastoral staff occupy lay positions on a Conference level violates the spirit, if not the letter, of having lay representation, and

Whereas, having individuals who serve on pastoral staffs occupying lay positions at the Conference level may be a deterrent from their seeking credentials with the BFC, therefore be it

Resolved, that any person serving on a pastoral staff of a BFC may not serve as a lay delegate to Annual Conference or occupy a lay position on a Conference Board and or Committee, and further

Resolved, that all persons serving on a pastoral staff of a BFC who are not ordained or who have not had their previous ordination recognized by the BFC be encouraged to seek ordination or have their previous ordination recognized by the BFC, and further

Resolved, any person serving on a pastoral staff of the BFC and who is presently serving as a lay delegate to Annual Conference or occupying a lay position on a Conference Board or Committee be allowed to serve out that term but is ineligible to be reelected or reappointed to any lay position on the Conference level.

2.          Resolved, that the following legislation be adopted at First Reading:

Resolved, that the following be placed at the end of Article 401 – 1.7

401 – 1.7 The Board of Elders shall be the channel of communication between the particular church and the fellowship of churches and its organizations. The Elders shall nominate from their number and the congregation shall elect the appropriate number of Delegates and Alternate Delegates based on congregational membership as follows:

                      1-299 members      1 delegate

                  300-499 members      2 delegates

                  500-749 members      3 delegates

                  750-999 members      4 delegates

               1000-over members      5 delegates

When congregations have more than one Delegate, the Board of Elders shall Designate one delegate as “First Delegate” for the purpose of pulpit supply procedures. In the event of death, resignation, or removal of the First Delegate, another First Delegate shall be designated from among the remaining Delegates.

A man serving on a pastoral staff is not eligible to serve as a Delegate to Annual Conference.

3.   Resolved, that the following legislation be adopted at First Reading:

Resolved, that the following be placed at the end of the Article 510 -1 and renumbered to reflect the additional sentence:

Article 510 – General Rules of Elections and Resignations

510-1 Categories

             (1) There are three categories of nominees for election to boards and committees. They are ordained ministers, elders, and layperson.

             (2) Pastoral Staff Members are not eligible to serve in the categories of elders or layperson.

4.   Resolved, that the 119th Annual Conference direct the Study Committee on Credentials and Multi – Staff Churches to continue its work.

Committee to Study Credentials and Multi – Staff Churches, LeRoy S. Heller, Chairman; Robert S. Commerford, Secretary; Calvin T. Reed, L. James Roberts, Jr., Ralph M. Soper, Jacob J. Susek, Jr.