wfn.org | Board OKs new name for BMF

["Communication Ministries" <wshuffit@cm.disciples.org>]

Date: July 23, 2002
Disciples News Service
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Contact:  Daniel Gangler, Church Finance Council
Phone: (317) 713-2408
E-mail: dgangler@cfc.disciples.org
on the Web: http://www.disciples.org

INDIANAPOLIS, IN, July 23, 2002 -- What's in a name?
Hopefully, new
vitality is in a new name for the common mission fund of
the Disciples of
Christ.

Disciples General  Board approved here July 23 the name
Disciples
Mission Fund for the fund now known as Basic Mission
Finance, or BMF.

The name change comes after two years of surveys and
research by the
Church Finance Council through Shank Public Relations
Counselors of
Indianapolis. David Shank, president of the firm and a
Disciples layman,
led the study.

The results of Shank's research indicated that while senior
clergy may
understand Basic Mission Finance and its role in supporting
the mission
of the 800,000-member denomination, many Disciples do not
share that
understanding. Studies revealed that one-third of Disciples
surveyed
favored the name Basic Mission Finance, while two-thirds
wanted to see
a new name but did not know what that new name should be. 

Research also revealed that two words stood out for a new
name-"Disciples" and "mission."

Research included online surveys, telephone interviews with
church
leaders, a conference call with congregational leaders, and
a focus group
of Disciples communicators. 

According to survey findings, the dilemmas facing Basic
Mission Finance
included: the name conveys no meaning to today's younger
givers; most
Disciples do not identify with BMF; the name does not
convey what the
church is doing in mission; and the name has come to hinder
rather than
facilitate the promotion and interpretation of mission.

The Church Finance Council staff brought Shank's research
and
suggestions to the CFC board during its July 9-10 meeting in
Indianapolis. CFC board members approved the name
"Disciples Mission
Fund," and forwarded their action to the General Board for
final approval.
The board also approved the descriptive tag line "giving
changes lives."
At the board's direction, no graphic image besides the
Disciples
chalice-and-cross logo will be used with the words.

This is not the first name change for the church's common
mission fund.
The name "Basic Mission Finance" came into being in 1975
with the
establishment of the Church Finance Council. The common
mission fund
was begun in 1935 as the "Unified Promotion."

"Disciples Mission Fund" will be used beginning Jan. 2003,
whether or
not the new funding system, approved July 22 by the General
Board 
(see other story), is approved by two-thirds of the boards
of the general,
regional and higher education ministries. All three of
these areas include
the 76 mission partners who receive common mission funds. 

To promote and interpret the new name Disciples Mission
Fund, the
Church Finance Council will produce and distribute
guidelines for use of
the new name. 

                      -- end --
                        
02-71

Church Finance Council
Contact: Daniel Gangler
(317) 713-2408
dgangler@cfc.disciples.org