wfn.org | Assembly adopts evangelism priorities

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04-July-1996 
 
GA96091 
 
    Assembly adopts evangelism priorities 
 
ALBUQUERQUE - The General Assembly approved the report of the committee on 
Evangelism which stressed evangelism as a priority for the whole church. 
The consent agenda which contained the minutes of the board of directors of 
the investment and loan program were approved as was the continuation of a 
media campaign for the denomination which is still in progress. The booklet 
"Being A Welcoming Congregation" was distributed to all commissioners at 
the Assembly. 
 
    The Assembly approved the recommendation that a Middle Eastern caucus 
be granted  national status similar to the other four existing caucuses. 
They also voted the continuation of comprehensive strategies for Hispanic 
and Native American constituencies in the areas of new church development, 
redevelopment and revitalization.  Goals for increasing the racial ethnic 
membership of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) to ten percent of the 
denomination by the year 2005 and 20 percent by the year 2010 were 
affirmed. 
 
    In order to further evangelism efforts the Assembly concurred with the 
committee's recommendation calling for more intensive recruitment and 
training of racial ethnic leadership by the seminaries, ample funding from 
the unified budget and the necessary increases in staff and budget 
resources essential for meeting all objectives.  Although they were 
generally in agreement with the need for more intensive evangelism work by 
the denomination, the Assembly called for a clarification of the sources of 
funding for the evangelism division and the implications it has for the 
budget. 
 
    Commissioners' resolutions were also approved which ask for studies to 
conduct, collect and disseminate research on what motivates people to join 
the Presbyterian Church.  Creative  models of evangelism, church growth, 
new church development and church redevelopment will be sought to help  the 
church engage in evangelism.  An overture to explore and implement creative 
designs  to reach young people on college campuses, in the peace corps, and 
the military was also approved.  This overture urged particular attention 
to the status, needs and future for campus ministry by the PC (USA). 
 
    The Assembly voted approval of a slate of officers to oversee the 
Investment and Loan Program which will fund new church development and 
redevelopment. 
 
    It also voted to concur in the disapproval of a resolution to reject 
the notion of coercive proselytism or target evangelism based upon a 
negative judgment of any living faith. The committee provided  extensive 
comment of the understanding  based upon the church's existing documents of 
understanding on the matter from existing documents.  Those documents are a 
theological Understanding of the Relationship Between Christians and Jews 
(adopted by the 199th General Assembly) and from the booklet, Turn to the 
Living God (adopted by the 203rd General Assembly). 
 
    Resolutions referred to the National Ministries Division included 
program development for lay leaders to use in new church development 
formation and a video to show examples and models of new church 
development. A resolution to ask the evangelism and church development 
office to work with future General Assemblies to develop evangelism 
strategies for faith sharing and mission emphasis during GA, also passed. 
 
    Perhaps the most unusual resolution was the opportunity to establish a 
prototype church in the Walt Disney World community of Celebration, Fla. to 
model creative ministry with leading edge technology.  The church will 
serve as the spiritual center for people living in Celebration as well as 
national and international visitors to Central Florida attractions. 
 
 
Joanne Hines 

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