wfn.org | ABCUSA: Discipleship Task Force to Focus Its Ongoing Work

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

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 3/12/03)--The ABC
Discipleship Task Force, formed to propose the future placement of
ministries of education and discipleship within American Baptist Churches
USA, will focus its ongoing work on a plan to "dissolve the corporate
structure of Educational Ministries and explore with National Ministries
bringing into their structure the programmatic functions and publishing
functions outlined in EM's Strategic Ministries Plan."

The task force, which met here for the second time March 6-7, considered six
options before unanimously adopting the motion to work toward bringing
certain programmatic functions of Educational Ministries into National
Ministries.  The task force will present its final recommendations to the
American Baptist Churches USA General Board for action this June.

Among areas the task force has asked National Ministries to consider are the
strategy that will be used to create a highly visible image of
disciple-making.  Other concerns to be addressed include: what the
denomination's educational pieces will look like; what the future will be
for work with children and youth, conferences, scholarships and relations
with colleges, seminaries and campus ministries; and what staffing changes
will be necessary.

The Board of Educational Ministries had called upon the General Board in
November 2002 to "... appoint a task force to recommend to the General Board
specific steps by June 2003 to secure the denomination's education mandate
and its commitment to making disciples.  This shall include, but not be
limited to, the allocation of United Mission funds for this purpose.  The
future of Judson Press Books shall be a part of this process."	Educational
Ministries' action was motivated by several concerns: the future of Judson
Press book publishing, implementation of its Strategic Mission Plan within
the resources Educational Ministries will receive through the proposed new
budget covenant, and determining the best way to support American Baptist
congregations in making disciples if Educational Ministries is not deemed
viable as a separate agency.

In fall 2001 Educational Ministries had begun an extensive effort to develop
the Strategic Mission Plan.  The three-phased process involved a working
group including denominational officers, board members, regional executive
ministers, staff and consultants.  The result was the adoption by the Board
of Educational Ministries of the Strategic Ministries Plan "Discipleship
Matters" in June 2002.	At its meeting in November 2002 the Board of
Educational Ministries, following extensive discussions, voted to postpone
the election of a new executive director and to recommend to the General
Board the formation of the task force.	

Dr. Robert Shaw, of Overland Park, Kans., and former executive minister of
American Baptist Churches of Michigan, chairs the ABC Discipleship Task
Force.	Other members include: Dr. William D. Apel, former president of the
Board of Educational Ministries and a faculty member at American
Baptist-related Linfield College, McMinnville, Ore.; the Rev. James
Carrington, pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Yorba Linda, Calif.; Dr.
Thomas E. Clifton, Board of Educational Ministries member and president of
American Baptist-related Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Kansas City,
Kans.; the Rev. H. Jay Flu-Allen, Board of Educational Ministries president
and pastor of New Salem Baptist Church, Columbus, Ohio; Dr. Bernadette
Glover-Williams, General Board chaplain and assistant pastor of The
Cathedral Second Baptist Church, Perth Amboy, N.J.; Dr. Arlee Griffin,
former General Board member and pastor of Berean Missionary Baptist Church,
Brooklyn, N.Y.; Dr. Mary A. Hulst,, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church,
Denver, Colo.; Mr. David G. Hunt, American Baptist Churches USA president,
Milwaukie, Ore.; the Rev. Susan Maybeck, president of the Board of National
Ministries and a retired pastor, Pittsford, N.Y.; Dr. Osvaldo Mottesi,
faculty member at American Baptist-related Northern Baptist Theological
Seminary, Lombard, Ill.; the Rev. Dr. Donald T-M Ng, former Educational
Ministries staff and pastor of First Chinese Baptist Church, San Francisco,
Calif.; and Dr. Michael A. Williams, executive minister of American Baptist
Churches of Michigan, East Lansing, Mich.

The task force received input from Educational Ministries staff, National
Ministries staff, the Regional Executive Ministers Council, pastors, the ABC
Treasurers Council, Judson Press staff, the Strategic Mission Plan
Committee, various consultants and others.  This input, acccording to
Chairman Robert Shaw, assured that the task force's work has been
"undergirded by extensive studies, reports and dialogs across the ABCUSA
structure and family that have informed our deliberations and decisions."

American Baptist Churches USA General Secretary the Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley
said: "As we focus on our call to be centered in Christ, the primary concern
of the task force has been about how we move forward with strength in making
disciples.  The task force believes that Educational Ministries' vision of
'every church a disciple-making congregation' is right for our denomination.
After prayerful consideration of several scenarios the task force felt that
the best way to enable us to move forward with vitality was to assign the
discipleship ministry to National Ministries. As general secretary I believe
that our efforts reflect God's renewing work in our midst calling us to
reshape ministry for the 21st century."

K/2003ABNS/03ABN40

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