Discipline Revision Committee Recommendations

Recommendation 45-1:

Part IV, The Ministry

Explanation

This recommendation would remove seven chapters from the "Ministry" section of the Discipline--the chapters dealing with categories of ministers and the assignment process. Only the introductory Chapter 10 would remain in the Discipline. Those chapters would continue as binding policy, but wouldn't be set in stone for two years. This would give our leaders significant freedom and flexibility during a time of transition and immense change, when our leaders need both.

The proposed structure, with clusters taking the place of annual conferences, creates a very different context for licensing and assigning ministers. Rather than force our existing procedures into a new structure which doesn't include superintendents or conferences, it may be better to rethink our procedures from scratch and craft new procedures specifically fitted for the new structure. But there hasn't been time for that. The proposals submitted to the Discipline Revision Committee merely change terminology and assign duties to different persons.

For instance, responsibilities formerly given to the conference superintendent have been redirected to either the bishop or the cluster leader, thereby adding additional administrative chores to each position at a time when the desire is for leadership to focus on pastoral development and relationships.

This page lists the many administrative responsibilities which the Ministry chapters give to cluster leaders. This may deter some potentially superb coaches from agreeing to serve as cluster leaders. In order for the cluster groups to flourish, the cluster leaders will need to be able to focus, as much as possible, on their coaching role, without being encumbered by a host of other responsibilities related to licensing, stationing, and trouble-shooting.

Anything spelled out in the Discipline cannot be changed until 2007. It is binding on us to follow. But if procedures are spelled out in a separate handbook, they can be revised at any time, and leadership can move quickly to address problem areas that arise. This is already the case with many other policies and procedures which we have kept out of the Discipline--information regarding missions and missionaries, pension, insurance, clergy restoration, assessments, the HQ office handbook, the clergy salary formula, and much more.

The new structure also brings with it many uncertainties and situations which are impossible to anticipate without some actual experience in the system. It would seem that if we adopt the new structure, but make only minor changes to the chapters on "The Ministry" (as proposed), we will lose flexibility and will tie the hands of leadership for two years. This will hinder their efforts to help the new structure succeed. At this earliest stage, during a time of transition and transformation, flexibility is needed. Since nobody can anticipate precisely how the new structure will work, it would be helpful, during this initial two-year period, to have the freedom to modify our procedures as we go.

The concept of the stationing committee (which, as proposed, would consist only of the cluster leader and bishop--perhaps 30 different stationing committees) especially needs to be re-examined. If we removed the Ministry chapters from the Discipline, new procedures could be thought out carefully and implemented even by the beginning of 2006. But if they remain in the Discipline, we will be forced to follow the procedures approved in June 2005 for the next two years.

Therefore, we suggest that chapters 11-17 on the categories and assignment of ministers be removed from the Discipline for a two-year period, and placed under the authority of the Pastoral Ministry Leadership Team. The PMLT can then modify the procedures as we go along, while allowing extended discussion regarding how things could work most effectively in a radically different context. This would free leadership of the existing restrictions, and would enable them to think very creatively about how best to handle such areas as licensing and stationing. And depending on how quickly new procedures can be developed, potential cluster leaders wouldn't need to fear getting bogged down in administrative responsibilities regarding their clusters.

If we adopt the new structure--eliminating annual conferences and implementing a cluster system--we will be entering a period of some ambiguity. This recommendation regarding the Ministry chapters would be a two-year, temporary action designed to give flexibility amidst uncertain new realities. After two years of experience, the PMLT could recommend material to be re-included in the Discipline. But for two years, we would be able to make necessary adjustments "on the fly."

Therefore, we recommend:

1. That the following changes be made in the Discipline.

a. Make the changes already proposed for Chapter 10, Ministers (proposals 10-1, 10-2, and 10-3).

b. Revise the last sentence of the first paragraph of ¦202, Classifications, to read as follows:

"Specific descriptions for each of these classifications are described in the "Pastoral Ministry Handbook" maintained and revised by the Pastoral Ministry Leadership Team."

c. Add the following as a new duty of the Pastoral Ministry Leadership Team (Proposal 44-4):

"Maintain and revise the 'Pastoral Ministry Handbook,' stating information about the description, qualifications, licensing, expectations, and accountability of the various categories of ministers."

(Note: Item 9 of the "Duties and Powers" of the PMLT already gives the PMLT responsibility for setting guidelines and procedures for pastoral assignments.)

2. That chapters 11-17 be removed from the Discipline, designated as the beginnings of a "Pastoral Ministry Handbook," and placed under the jurisdiction of the Pastoral Ministry Leadership Team. The PMLT shall have the authority to revise the procedures as necessary, and shall report to the Executive Leadership Team. The "Pastoral Ministry Handbook" shall be the official guide on all matters pertaining to the ministry, unless already covered in the Discipline.

3. That the bishop be given authority to act on any situations regarding ministers and pastoral assignments which are not covered in the Discipline or in the Pastoral Ministry Handbook.

4. That the Pastoral Ministry Leadership Team recommend to the 2007 US National Conference any new material to be included into the Discipline regarding the ministry.

Recommendation 45-2:

US National Conference Elections

That Supplemental Proposal 91-7 be approved in place of proposals 33-1 through 33-8. This would take the place of the entire current chapter 33.

Explanation

The procedures outlined are kept to a minimum, to allow flexibility as we launch a new system. The desire is to have every church fully represented at the National Conference. Any needless procedural requirements and deadlines that might hinder that goal have been removed. Additional requirements can be prepared for inclusion in 2007, if deemed necessary, after we have been through one election cycle under the new structure.

Recommendation 45-3:

Revision of the Discipline

That the Executive Leadership Team provide the necessary procedures, philosophical and practical guidelines, and personnel for a complete rewrite and streamlining of the UB Discipline. That care be given not only to the content, but to imparting consistency in writing style and tone. And that the Discipline be redesigned in such a way that it will be more conducive to revision in a meeting which could possibly include 500 delegates.

Explanation

Although we are aiming at adopting a structure which, in many ways, is radically different from what we currently use, in most chapters we are revising our processes and requirements by merely substituting different terminology. We are, to an extent, forcing new wine into the old wineskins. To do a totally new structure justice, it would work better to rewrite entire sections of the Discipline from the ground up. For instance, does it make sense to retain the idea of a stationing committee in a cluster system? If we were starting from scratch with a cluster system, would we include a stationing committee?

Recommendation 45-1 proposes removing seven chapters of the "Ministry" section from the Discipline. The same could potentially be done for other chapters of the Discipline to remove procedures and policies which tie our hands for two years, but are of secondary importance.

A major reason for reducing the frequency of national conferences from four years to two years is to cut down the time needed to make major changes. But why are we forced to wait at all to make changes? It's because we place so many procedures and requirements in the Discipline, where they can only be changed by the National Conference. A wise course may be to remove such procedures from the Discipline altogether, so that they can be amended as necessary, and leave the Discipline for only the very important things. That would give our leaders flexibility on an ongoing basis, while still working under the oversight of supervisory groups (like the ELT).

Also, we are looking at a structure in which possibly 500 delegates will be involved in revising the Discipline. We need to think, "How can we make Discipline revision more manageable in a situation where 500 people can speak to an issue?"

Recommendation 45-4:

2002 US National Board Actions

That the US National Conference approve the statements adopted by the 2002 US National Board regarding Divine Foreknowledge and the Destiny of the Unevangelized, but that it not approve the "Implications for Ministers, Churches, and Denominational Agencies." See Report 56.

Recommendation 45-5:

Editorial Revisions

That the editing committee for the 2005-2007 Discipline be authorized to do the following:

1. Make editorial changes throughout the Discipline (excluding the Confession of Faith and Constitution) to bring terminology into line with the structures approved by the US National Conference.

2. Edit the language of revisions to the Discipline to reflect inclusive language. (This was previously authorized by the 1993 General Conference.)

3. Change references to "the denomination" to "the US National Conference," except where the reference involves the broader international UB church.

4. Change references to "Huntington College" to "Huntington University."

5. Determine and apply issues of capitalization and punctuation throughout the Discipline. (This has always been assumed in the past.)

6. Editorially take care of any necessary renumbering.