Reflections on My First Four Years as Bishop

Ray A. Seilhamer
Bishop, 1993-2001

May 1997

Every year, I prepare a report for our two governing bodies, the General Board (which meets annually) and its Executive Leadership Team (which meets twice a year). But the General Board doesn't meet this year. Once every four years, our highest governing body, General Conference, meets in Huntington, IN, with delegates coming from all over the world. This is a General Conference year.

For the first time, we plan to publish an attractive piece which includes the reports from the various departments, plus other information on the general "State of the Church." We will make this available to everyone.

But that is coming later. For now, I want to give you a few pieces of what I will pass along to General Conference. I will present some information this month, and some in the June issue of this newsletter.

The Role of Bishop

During the past four years, the role of Bishop has been in transition. Until 1993, we had three bishops, but the 1993 General Conference decided to elect just one bishop to give vision and direction for the entire denomination, and I was elected to that position. The major responsibilities for this office are spiritual formation, vision formation, and leadership development. In the future, I plan to give greater time to leadership development.

I am trying to remove myself from hands-on involvement in conflict management situations at the local church level. I serve as a consultant to superintendents as they deal with conflict and mediation. In some situations, this has placed more responsibility on the shoulders of our superintendents.

Appointing Pastors

When it comes to appointing pastors to churches, we live in a new day. Laypersons want input into who will serve their church as senior pastor and as part of the pastoral staff. In fact, when they are not given a voice, it is interpreted as lack of trust on the part of church leaders and a disregard for lay involvement in the process.

New and growing congregations have new members with a different mindset regarding the pastoral appointment process. New people coming into those churches often come from denominations which use the "call system" or the "Presbyterian system" for connecting pastors and congregations. They used a Search Committee to find a new pastor. The idea of letting outsiders make those decisions is foreign to them.

Today, we expect the local church to be responsible for making a parish study that will help the conference Stationing Committee make an appointment. It is interesting that the church has entrusted laypersons with higher levels of responsibility, but not in this one area of pastoral appointments. Is it time to bring this area into line with a major core value in the denomination--that lay people have a voice in governing the church? Are the days of clergy domination coming to an end? Already, as a result of action taken at the 1993 General Conference, at least 40% of the members of all denominational commissions must be laypersons.

Huntington College

I have never been more encouraged with our denominational school. There is a spirit of unity and quality control on the campus. The college has experienced several years of record enrollment. As a church, we need to support our college better and use the college's resources to enhance the ministries of our local church. The goal is for each church to support the college at the level of $5 per member per year.

This year, we celebrate the centennial for Huntington College (1897-1997). The board of trustees approved an updated campus plan that extends well into the future. The church needs to support our only institution of Christian higher education with her prayers, students, and financial investment.

During the Past Four Years, We...

Granted 70 local conference licenses. This is the first step in becoming a minister. The local conference license is given by the person's own church.
Granted 46 annual conference licenses (given by the various conferences).
Granted seven specialized ministry licenses. This new license, which was created in 1993, is designed for ministers who serve in specific areas, like youth, music, and Christian education.
Ordained 15 persons.
Closed 11 churches. It appears that at least ten other churches are in critical care and may not survive this century.

Prayer and Fasting for Spiritual Renewal

I was challenged to begin the discipline of fasting in May 1994 when 100 leaders met in Chicago at a Forum for Revival. Since that meeting, I have fasted in the pattern of John Wesley. I do not eat from Thursday evening until Friday evening. There have been a few exceptions, but this has been my practice.

Several evangelical groups have been promoting prayer and fasting across America. Reports indicate that more and more evangelicals are fasting and praying for our nation and the spread of Christianity around the globe.

The church needs to pray and fast regarding the cultural drift in the nation. It will take an intentional effort to call on the power of God to energize the church for spiritual revitalization. It is God who renews the spiritual vitality of the Church. And our part is to radically adjust to being obedient and faithful to Christ.

Is God calling you to prayer and fasting? Consider these life-changing adjustments:

Gather others to join you in fasting and praying for revival.
Commit yourself to prayer and fasting as a way of life.
Continue to pray for awakening and revival in America and in the world.

This article appeared in the May 1997 UB Newsletter