Introduction
The 107th Annual Conference of the Bible Fellowship Church passed the following resolution:
WHEREAS, a lack of consensus concerning the purpose and direction of Annual Conference seems to exist, and
WHEREAS, spiritual stimulation, strengthening of local churches, deepening of relationships, and unity of vision and function should be enhanced by the meetings of Annual Conference and are important to the life and ministry of the members, congregations and agencies of Annual Conference, therefore be it
RESOLVED, that a study committee of five be appointed by the Chairman to study the philosophy and purpose of the meetings of Annual Conference, to prepare a purpose statement for the meetings of Annual Conference and to make recommendations regarding the format of Annual Conference. (pp. 32-33, 1990 Yearbook.)
The appointed committee met five times in fulfillment of its assignment and viewed its assignment as a study of the meetings of Annual Conference, not Annual Conference itself. That is to say, the efficient and effective meeting of Annual Conference in its yearly assembly was the chief subject of this study rather than the form of government reflected in the existence of the Annual Conference. We believe the nature and purpose of our meetings are strongly affected by the form of government we practice. This has given us insight into the strengths and weaknesses of our current system. Even though we have considered our current form of government in relationship to the future direction of the Bible Fellowship Church, we have not sought to make recommendations concerning our form of government, viewing this as exceeding the mandate of the committee.
Historical Perspective
Having been in existence for over a century, the meetings of Annual Conference have shown great variety in time, length, style and substance. Perhaps the greatest factors affecting this variety have been the form of government practiced and the pulpit-supply system in use at the time. When Presiding Elders were in existence, participation by pastors, and especially by laymen was not as broad as today. Pulpit-supply considerations dominated much of the time and energy of earlier Conferences as the Stationing, Boundary, and Appropriations Committee met for extended periods of time. Since the change in our pulpit-supply system in 1971, such work has been eliminated from the meetings of Annual Conference. It also led to the discontinuance of annual adjourned session of Conference on a Saturday later in the year.
Other factors have exerted influence over the years, but it is fair to say that since the adoption of the Articles of Faith, the completion of the Faith and Order, and the change in the pulpit-supply system, the following generalizations can be made:
1) The proceedings of Annual Conference are as democratic as anytime in our history. Broad-based participation of all its members is provided for in our structure. This is not as efficient at times as some other methods, but it arises from deep convictions and is an outworking of our form of government.
2) The proceedings of Annual Conference are as efficient as anytime in our history. In past years much committee work was done at the meetings of Annual Conference. Today, hundreds of hours of committee work have been accomplished prior to the meetings of Annual Conference and are summarized in the Report Book. Today numerous procedures (computerization, the page system, registrar system, etc.) have been implemented to increase the fruitfulness of our meetings. Our experience has been that a prayerful, disciplined assembly can complete an enormous amount of routine as well as original work in the allotted time.
Recent experience has demonstrated a need to address the length of Conference on any given year as well as perceived inefficiencies of its proceedings. However, it is helpful to understand from where we have come and where we are today in order to wisely address the future of Annual Conference.
Biblical Insights
The Annual Conference is the yearly gathering of representative elders from all of the churches in our movement. The scriptural basis for this assembly is the general teaching of the unity of the body of Christ (Romans 12, I Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4), and the specific precedent of the church council recorded in Acts 15. Although apostles were present, we do not believe this constituted a unique situation. On the contrary, the fact that its membership included “elders” in each description of the assembly (Acts 15:2,4,6,22,23), that its procedure involved discussion, including a decisive argument by a non-apostle (Acts 15:7-21), and that its decision was set forth not on the basis of apostolic authority but on corporate wisdom imparted by the Holy Spirit through discussion and debate (Acts 15:28) indicates that the council of Jerusalem is legitimately considered normative for subsequent generations of Christians. The Annual Conference is one contemporary expression of this principle.
Annual Conference, then, is a conscious attempt on our part to be governed in a Biblical fashion. How should the Annual Conference conduct itself? What Biblical standards apply to the conduct of Annual Conference? We suggest the following:
1. Justice: Annual Conference should be conducted with complete justice. The holy and just character of God calls us to this commitment to be fair in all our dealings. Fair representation in the composition of the assembly, the impartial application of its standards to all its constituent members, the ordered rules for debate and discussion, the democratic means of its decision-making process, are all attempts to implement justice in every aspect of Annual Conference (Romans 2:11, James 2:1, I Peter 1:15-16).
2. Truth: Annual Conference should be conducted with a commitment to truth. Tradition, politics, personality, and all other forms of human authority must be made secondary in seeking the truth of God in the deliberative process. A deep study of the Scriptures, great care in public debate, attention to accurate records and minutes, and prayerful consideration of all points of view are encouraged in order to lead the Annual Conference to that which is true (Numbers 23:19, Deuteronomy 5:20, Ephesians 4:25).
3. Love: Annual Conference should be conducted in a spirit of Christian love. Though differences are present and often forcefully expressed, members of the Annual Conference should always deal in love and respect for one another as fellow creatures who bear the image of God, brothers in God’s family through Christ’s redemption, and co-laborers in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Every effort must be made to maintain the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace (John 13:34-35, 17:21, I John 4:7-8, Ephesians 4:2-6).
4. Service: Annual Conference should be conducted with a Christlike spirit of leadership. Each participant should view his role as one of responsible service to the Lord and to the church. The reports at Annual Conference are an expression of stewardship and accountability to our Master and to one another. In its transactions, Annual Conference should exercise its authority, not in a harsh manner, but with a sincere desire to serve the particular churches, agencies, and individual Christians that comprise the whole Bible Fellowship Church (Mark 10:42-45, Galatians 5:13, I Peter 5:3).
Results of a Survey of Annual Conference Members
The committee conducted a survey of the 107th Annual Conference. Approximately 2/3 of the 125 members responded. The statistical data is included in this report in the Appendix. One obvious observation is that decision-making concerning doctrine and practice ranks first in importance to the members of Annual Conference. Other elements are present and valuable, but are secondary to the central task of governing the Bible Fellowship Church, at least as perceived by the current members of Conference.
Perhaps more enlightening are the written comments submitted by the respondents. They, predictably, contain a wide range of opinions. Among the strengths mentioned are our adherence to orderly parliamentary procedure, the new procedures implemented by the Committee on Arrangements (computerization, the page system, and the new voting procedures, etc.), the time of fellowship and the spiritual emphasis of Annual Conference.
Interestingly, that which is cited most often as our strength is also mentioned most often as our weakness — namely our strict adherence to parliamentary procedure. A representative democratic process can at times be burdensome, especially when contrasted with more efficient autocratic systems, but leads to better results. We are convinced that this process is most likely to result in the will of God. There is no question, however, that accurate parliamentary procedure, relevant debate, and a spirit of self-discipline make our approach far more efficient.
The suggestions for improvement were analyzed and taken into consideration by this committee as we sought to make recommendations that will make Annual
Conference even more efficient.
Study of Other Churches
The committee studied the annual meetings of several other church bodies in fulfillment of its assignment. These included the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA), the Evangelical Congregational Church (ECC), the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC), the Presbyterian Church of America (PCA), and the North American Baptist Convention (NABC).
Our observation is that a church body’s form of government is the single most important factor in the composition of its meetings. Church bodies with a more loose connection (such as C&MA and NABC) tend to have meetings of a more inspirational nature, since participation is voluntary and decisions may or may not be binding on its member churches. Church bodies with a more hierarchical government (such as the ECC) tend to conduct meetings more tightly controlled by the denominational leadership. Such churches often exercise real power in executive sessions of church leaders rather than in open meetings of the full body. Finally, church bodies with a more representative democratic process (such as the PCA and the OPC) tend to conduct meetings largely devoted to church government and business, since the actions of the full body have direct implications for the local churches represented. These bodies are highly organized and tightly structured in style. However, the larger the body represented by such an annual meeting, the more restricted is the direct participation of the delegates. The BFC, due to its smaller size, provides for more involvement of each delegate than either of the Presbyterian bodies studied.
All in all, our study of other churches demonstrated to us that, granting our form of government, the meetings of Annual Conference are serving the Bible Fellowship Church well. However, several valuable insights and specific ideas were gained from these other bodies which will be reflected in the recommendations to follow.
Recommendations
The committee believes that the basic format of Annual Conference best serves our representative democratic government. However, we recognize that a tension exists between our desire for broad participation and our equal desire for time efficiency. The very formation of this committee indicates the need to address these and other current concerns. Among these are the occasional confusion over the proper parliamentary procedure and the uncertainty of the time of departure from Annual Conference. A gathering of over one hundred men in mid week demands time efficiency as well as Godly decision making. It appears that a definite beginning and ending of Annual Conference is necessary with today’s time demands and work schedules. In order to best address these concerns, the committee makes the following recommendations:
1.Purpose Statement for the Meetings of Annual Conference
In order to maintain the proper focus of our annual gathering, the committee recommends the adoption of the following purpose statement for the meetings of Annual Conference.
“The purposes of the meetings of Annual Conference shall be to govern the Bible Fellowship Church according to the powers outlined above, to provide oversight and accountability of the churches and agencies within the body, to cultivate fellowship and unity among the brethren, and to generate unified vision and planning for the churches and their joint endeavors. The achievement of these purposes is to be pursued in a spirit of worship toward God and mutual edification.” (FIRST READING)
(The above paragraph shall be placed in the Faith and Order p. 118, Article I, paragraph 4.)
2.Committee on Agenda and Program
A. WHEREAS, since 1986 the Chairmen of Annual Conference have appointed a joint Committee of Agenda and Program, and
WHEREAS, the combining of the function of the two committees has worked effectively and enhances efficiency, therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the By-Laws of the Committee on Agenda and the Committee on Program be combined into one Committee on Agenda and Program.
B. RESOLVED, that the material on the Committee on Program (Faith and Order, p. 133f) and the Committee on Agenda (Faith and Order, p. 138) be deleted from the Faith and Order and replaced by the following: (FIRST READING) Committee on Agenda and Program. Appointment. The Chairman of Annual Conference shall, prior to the adjournment of the Annual Conference, appoint the Committee on Agenda and Program for the succeeding Annual Conference.
Duties
1. The Committee on Agenda and Program shall establish and oversee a program for the succeeding Annual Conference designed to bring spiritual blessing and challenge to the members of the Annual Conference.
2. It shall receive from any particular church or agency requests for time in the agenda of the Annual Conference. Such requests must be in writing and in the hands of the committee at least 6 weeks prior to the beginning of the Annual Conference.
3. It shall establish the proposed order of business and program for the succeeding Annual Conference.
4. It shall circulate the proposed agenda at least 2 weeks prior to the Annual Conference.
This material shall be inserted in the Faith and Order as the first in the list of Committees appointed by the Chairman. (p. 133)(FIRST READING)
3. Parliamentary Procedure
a. It is imperative that the Chairman have the ability to make swift and accurate rulings. The committee recommends that a skilled, respected Parliamentarian be present to resolve questions of procedure immediately. For this reason, the Chairman should exercise great care in the appointment of the Parliamentarian. Because of the importance of this function the Arrangements Committee should be given the task of identifying and training prospective parliamentarians.
RESOLVED, that the Arrangements Committee shall identify and train a team of prospective parliamentarians.
b. Due to the complexities of parliamentary procedure, many members of Annual Conference are unaware of many of the proper procedures. This may result in uncertainty and may lead to the stifling of participation by the member, and also results in misunderstandings which lead to confusion and lengthy delays for the whole body. For this reason the committee recommends that a simplified guide on parliamentary procedure for use at Annual Conference be developed and distributed by the Arrangements Committee. This guide would combine relevant sections of Robert’s Rules of Order (with proper authorization), adaptations and precedents of parliamentary procedure found in the Faith and Order, and business rules of Annual Conference. Such a guide would be available for all pastors and delegates to promote understanding and orient them to our procedures. This guide would be a ready reference, not a replacement, for our written authorities.
RESOLVED, that a Committee be appointed by the Chairman to develop a guide on parliamentary procedure for adoption and use by Annual Conference.
4.Annual Conference Advisory Committee
At times Annual Conference is delayed by its inability to wisely proceed in the handling of particular business. This committee believes that a small advisory group could assist the Conference in approaching such business by considering possible approaches prior to their introduction on the Conference floor. This is to be viewed strictly as a time saving device and not a legislative function. We recommend that a small committee be formed, whose responsibility it would be to review petitions and other overtures to Annual Conference and simply make recommendations to Annual Conference on possible ways to expedite action. The Advisory Committee would review the agenda prior to Conference for possible recommendations and would also function during Conference as directed by the Chairman, the Agenda Committee, and/or Annual Conference.
RESOLVED, that the Chairman of Annual Conference, prior to the adjournment of Annual Conference, appoint an Annual Conference Advisory Committee for the next Annual Conference.
Duties:
1. The Annual Conference Advisory Committee shall review petitions and other overtures to Annual Conference and make recommendations to Annual Conference in order to expedite appropriate action.
2. It shall review items referred to this Committee by the Chairman, the Secretary, the Agenda and Program Committee, or Annual Conference, and make appropriate recommendations.
5.Spiritual Emphasis of Annual Conference
Many responses of the survey indicated a desire for more opportunities for fellowship and prayer. We recommend that the Program committee schedule time for small group prayer and that the Registrar make assignments for the small prayer groups.
RESOLVED, that the Program Committee schedule time for small group prayer at the 109th Annual Conference, and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Registrar make assignments for the small prayer groups for the 109th Annual Conference.
6.Opening of Annual Conference
Worship of God and our spiritual unity are important priorities of our gathering. Therefore, we recommend that Conference begin on Monday evening with registration, worship, keynote address and formal organization.
RESOLVED, that the 109th Annual Conference begin on Monday, October 26, 1992, at 8:00 p.m. with the keynote worship service, preceded by registration at 7:00 p.m.
7.Program and Devotions
Both worship and business require quality time. Business is best accomplished during the morning and afternoon hours when we are most alert. Evening sessions seem better suited for worship and fellowship. We recommend that we begin each morning with simple devotions (10 minutes) consisting of Scripture reading, prayer and a song and then conduct business in full morning and afternoon sessions. The evening meetings would be reserved for corporate worship, the recognition of new churches and other program features deemed appropriate by the Agenda and Program Committee.
RESOLVED, that the Agenda and Program Committee provide full morning and afternoon sessions for business and evening sessions for worship and fellowship for the 109th Annual Conference.
8.Ending of Annual Conference
Many members of Annual Conference, especially lay delegates, have difficulty arranging their schedules to attend a conference of uncertain length. Sometimes important matters are rushed or given hasty consideration due to the desire to end Conference quickly. The committee believes that the Lord’s work is worthy of our best effort and is adversely affected by the uncertainty of the time of adjournment or the early departure of members prior to adjournment. We recommend that we end Annual Conference at a designated time. Unfinished business would be dealt with at a previously scheduled adjourned session held if necessary.
RESOLVED, that the 109th Annual Conference adjourn Wednesday evening October 28, 1992, and be it further
RESOLVED, that in the event there is any unfinished business an adjourned session of the 109th Annual Conference be held 9:00 AM, Saturday, November 21, 1992.
9.Evaluation of New Format
In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the changes proposed in this study, the committee believes the members of Annual Conference should be consulted as to their effectiveness.
RESOLVED, that the Arrangements Committee poll the members of the 109th Annual Conference concerning the changes made in the format of Annual Conference.
10.Strategic Planning Committee
Several of the surveys indicated a perceived need for overall vision and goals for the Bible Fellowship Church. The Committee, in conferring with he Board of Directors of the Bible Fellowship Church, was directed to propose to the 108th Annual Conference the creation of a strategic planning committee for the Bible Fellowship Church.
RESOLVED, that the Chairman of the 108th Annual Conference appoint a committee of seven men (four pastors and three laymen) to prepare legislation for the formation of a strategic planning committee for the Bible Fellowship Church. This legislation, including bylaws (purpose, composition, duties, etc.) for the proposed committee, shall be reported to the 109th Annual Conference.
Conclusion
The Lord has blessed the Bible Fellowship Church. Over the years, He has guided us to many changes in doctrine and discipline which we believe to be more Biblical and therefore more in keeping with His will. The meetings of Annual Conference have reflected these changes in turn. It is the prayer of this committee that the Lord will continue to bless and guide us in the years to come, and that the Annual Conference will be open to change as well.
We conclude with an exhortation to each member of Annual Conference to recognize the wonderful privilege and solemn responsibility that is his to participate in such an assembly. To this end, we urge faithful attendance at all meetings (unless an emergency arises), full attention to conference proceedings, patience as care is taken to ensure accurate minutes and records, intelligent participation in the deliberations, devotion to Biblical truth in its discussions, prayerful consideration of candidates for elected office, and an overall commitment to the accomplishment of God’s will at each Annual Conference. May each delegate and church pray for the Lord to bless our yearly assembly with Godly, disciplined delegates committed to the achievement of His will and glory.
Study Committee on Annual Conference: Randall A. Grossman, (Chairman); David A. Thomann, (Secretary); James A. Beil, Harvey J. Fritz, Jr., Thomas P. Shorb