wfn.org | ABCUSA: 'Seek It': Opportunity to Capture 'God's Dream for American

["SCHRAMM, Richard" <Richard.Schramm@abc-usa.org>]

Baptists'

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 11/15/03)--In his address
to the General Board of American Baptist Churches USA, meeting here in
semiannual sessions, General Secretary the Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley called on
American Baptists "to see an overarching vision" for their denomination and
to "put energy into" attitudes and actions "that honor God and enable us to
be a people of God."

He praised the recently-begun Appreciative Inquiry initiative, "Seek It:
Finding God's Way for a New Day," as "an opportune moment to go to our
churches to say, 'What is God speaking to you...what is God's dream for
American Baptists?'"

Drawing upon the meeting's Scriptural text of Exodus 14:10-30-the Israelites
crossing the Red Sea-Medley called American Baptists to respond to God's
commands to Moses to both "keep still" and "go forward."  

"We're learning anew what it means to keep still, to yield, to be open.  We
know that the way to the future is not like the way we've always done it." 

"Seek It," a "major focus of our energy over the next year," will involve
both yielding to God's call and moving forward in response to that call.
Its goal is to produce "a compelling vision for the denomination that
unifies national denominational agencies in a common task to serve the
growth and vitality of all American Baptist churches."	

The "overarching vision" that will be the result of that process will
involve local churches and regions. Positive questions will be asked "to
ignite constructive dialog and inspired action within the organization."
"We want to engage as many leaders as possible," Medley said.

Medley reported on a two-day training session for "Seek It" interviewers
held here last week that involved 60 persons from 29 American Baptist
regions.  The interviews with American Baptists across the U.S. will be held
December through April 2004.  Next June a summit will bring together an
estimated 250 people to discern major findings and approve a draft of the
vision statement.

The proposals resulting from the Appreciative Inquiry process will be sent
to the General Board for consideration in November 2004.

K/2003ABNS/03ABN141

American Baptist News Service: Office of Communication, American Baptist
Churches USA, P.O. Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851; (800)ABC-3USA x2077
/ (610)768-2077; fax: (610)768-2320; www.abc-usa.org;
richard.schramm@abc-usa.org