wfn.org | GAC ranks its programs on evangelism, discipleship scale

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Note #6196 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

22-September-2000
00334

GAC ranks its programs on evangelism, discipleship scale

Prioritizing process will help guide 2002 mission budget

by Jerry L. Van Marter, Alexa Smith, Evan Silverstein and Bill Lancaster
	
MONTREAT, N.C. -- In an arduous and sometimes contentious four-hour process
Sept. 22, the General Assembly Council ranked each of its ministries
division programs as "high impact," "medium impact" or "low impact."

	Programs were ranked against the Council's two established priorities --
evangelism and discipleship. The priorities grew out of a series of
consultations between GAC leaders and middle governing bodies during the
past year and a GAC Executive Committee retreat held earlier this summer.

	GAC staff leaders will use the rankings to make budget decisions for the
2002 General Assembly mission budget.  GAC executive director John Detterick
called the process "a first baby step in a process that will be repeated,
refined and improved in ensuing years."  Detterick said senior GAC staff
wants to give more resources to those programs that are identified as higher
impact and that might mean shifting resources away from programs that are
identified as lower impact.

	GAC deputy executive director Kathy Lueckert insisted that the process is
designed to refocus the work of the GAC and will not lead to downsizing and
staff layoffs.  "We realize there is some anxiety on the part of staff," she
said, "but there is no intention or desire to reduce staff, though some may
be doing different work in the future."

	Utilizing a "forced ranking" method devised by Detterick's staff, Council
members were required to assign an equal number of programs to the high,
medium and low impact categories. Programs were ranked within their
divisions -- Congregational Ministries, National Ministries and Worldwide
Ministries -- but were not measured against programs in other divisions.

	For purposes of the rankings, evangelism was defined as "joyfully sharing
the good news of the sovereign love of God and calling all people to
repentance, to personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, to active
membership in the church, and to obedient service in the world."
 
	Discipleship was defined as "living the life of a disciple.  The life of
discipleship is an expression of the teacher's message and the lessons
learned put into practice.  The lessons are continually learned and
expressed through prayer and the study of scripture; through worship and
proclamation; through service to the world; through unceasing labor for
justice, peace and freedom for all people."

	Some were not happy with the process. "I don't feel good about this," said
Mike Gillespie, who ranked the Congregational Ministries Division programs. 
"In one morning we were able to only scratch the surface of decisions that
will have a far-reaching impact."

	"I share that frustration," agreed Helen Morrison.  "We have some new folk
(on GAC) and I can't imagine trying to digest this -- I've been on the
Council for two years and I couldn't. Some of our decisions seem very
arbitrary to me."

	Lueckert agreed that the short time given to the process was frustrating. 
"But this is just the first cut of what will be a long process.  There will
be other opportunities for input before we come to any conclusions."

	GAC chair Peter Pizor called the process "a learning experience.  This
input will be added to other inputs, consultations and financial
evaluations.  We have to start somewhere.  Over the years we have taken on
more things than we have the people, money and resources to do. It is
important that the Council do this prioritization.  Prior to this it would
have been staff."

	Other Council members wondered how to interpret what they had done.  The
Rev. Susan Arnold, a new GAC member who participated in the Worldwide
Ministries rankings, said she "categorized things according to what Jesus
did -- preaching, teaching, healing the sick and feeding the hungry."

	But longtime Council member the Rev. Cynthia Walton was more critical. 
"Some of the choices smacked of paternalistic American attitudes, where U.S.
Christians go out and help people, throw money at problems and try to find
‘something to do.'" She questioned whether the choices made in the Worldwide
Ministries rankings "enabled partners to become evangelists and disciples in
their own settings."

	Worldwide Ministries director the Rev. Marian McClure said what seemed to
be emerging "is some straight translation of what Jesus did into what we
should do and some vision of empowering the church elsewhere to do those
things -- but that was not rising to the top as much as I expected." 
McClure said the WMD would use their newly-approved partnership policy to
further explore mission directions and policies with the church's overseas
partners.

	The rankings:

Congregational Ministries: 
	Curriculum Development -- High
	Stewardship -- High
	Mission Interpretation and Promotion -- High
	Youth and Young Adult Ministries -- High
	Pastor, Educator and Lay Leader Support -- Medium
	Theology and Worship -- Medium
	Publishing and Marketing -- Medium
	Presbyterian Peacemaking Program -- Low
	Spiritual Formation -- Low
	Theological Education -- Low
	Conference Ministries -- Low

National Ministries:
	Leadership Nurture and Support -- High
	Evangelism -- High
	Mission Financial Services -- High
	Racial Ethnic Congregational Enhancement -- High
	Higher Education: Organization and Individual Support -- Medium
	Women's Ministries -- Medium			Racial Justice -- Medium
	Church Leadership Connection -- Medium
	Social Justice Ministries -- Medium
	Urban Ministries Office -- Medium
	Church and Society Magazine -- Low
        National Volunteers -- Low
	Washington Office -- Low
	Higher Education: Ministry Partnerships -- Low

Worldwide Ministries:	
	Mission Personnel Care -- High
	Presbyterian Hunger Program -- High
	Global Education and International Leadership -- High
	International Evangelism -- High
	International Health Ministries -- High
	Presbyterian Disaster Assistance -- Medium
	Ecumenical Partnerships: Area Offices -- Medium
	International Volunteers -- Medium
	Global Awareness and Involvement -- Medium
	Mission Service Recruitment -- Medium
	Presbytery and Synod International Partnerships -- Low
	Self-Development of People -- Low
	Jinishian Memorial Program -- Low
	Ecumenical Program Facilitation -- Low
	Interfaith Relations -- Low

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