Assemblies of God Vision for Transformation Update
The following progress report highlights three areas related to the Vision For Transformation. Progress is being made in many areas; this is merely a sampling of the activity.
New Berean Program
The new ministerial studies program from Berean School of the Bible is in the development process. The new courses will be more substantive than previous ones and will emphasize practical aspects of ministry. Respected content specialists and trained instructional designers are teaming up to provide a quality training program for thousands of ministerial candidates studying through Global University 's Berean School of the Bible.
The curriculum will include two types of courses that are new to the Berean School of the Bible program: (1) Each credential level will include one course to be taught in a classroom setting at the district level. (2) Each credential level will include an internship to provide practical ministry experience during the training process.
Students currently enrolled should continue their studies with assurance that none of their work will become unnecessary. They will be allowed to complete their current study level before moving to the new program. A transitional plan has been developed to accommodate individuals who have completed one or two levels on the former program so no course work will be lost.
The new courses will be available and appropriate for use around the world. Course developers are using appropriate vocabulary and illustrations that are culturally diverse so the courses will be useful in a wide variety of settings.
Commission on Ethnicity
The Commission on Ethnicity recently met, chaired by Commissioner Jesse Miranda. Discussions centered on the Vision for Transformation resolutions that were adopted at the last General Council:
- Resolution 4- Church planting emphasis
- Resolution 6- Reciprocity with Assemblies of God international fellowships for credentialing
- Resolution 13- District presbytery representation from ethnic/language fellowships
- Resolution 14- Strengthening the cooperative relationship between ethnic/language and geographical districts
- Resolution 15- Commission on Ethnicity
In presenting his vision for the Commission, Miranda lauded the Fellowship's heightened emphasis on church planting and ethnic-related issues. At the district superintendents' gathering in June, there will be a forum that includes leaders of the ethnic/language groups and the geographic districts.
The Vision for Transformation committee is compiling written guidelines and information from geographic districts on how they are interacting with the language districts and fellowships. The purpose of this endeavor is to compile a best practices document that will be shared with districts across the nation. The Northern California-Nevada District, for example, has a language seminar syllabus that is designed to assist our ethnic brothers and sisters who have a call of God on their lives and desire to be credentialed with the Assemblies of God.
Internal Structure of the General Council
In response to the Vision for Transformation process and Resolution 17, the national headquarters in Springfield, Mo., has engaged in an in-depth self-study. Recently more than 100 department managers and supervisors at the General Council headquarters drafted a set of principles that focus on the following cultural themes: ethics, integrity, relationships, communication, cooperation, teamwork, customer focus, feedback and more. The document reiterates the priority of the General Council headquarters to be a resource for local churches and districts. These principles will be presented to every employee in small group settings, giving each an opportunity for feedback, over the next few months.
Other committees are developing strategies that will address the internal structure. A plan for structural realignment will be approved by the Board of Administration and Executive Presbytery, and then presented to the General Presbytery in August 2004. These principles will lay the foundation for a new structural framework for the General Council Constitution and Bylaws (referred to as "Tier I Structure"), which will be submitted at the 2005 General Council in Denver, Colo.
|
