General Board Meeting News: From DKB's Desk

[DAII]

News Bulletin from the General Superintendent
General Board News

Report from the March 2010 General Board Meeting

The Board of General Presbyters met at Hazelwood, Missouri, on March 3-5, 2010, to hear reports from various divisions, departments, and committees and to conduct regular business. Among its actions were the following significant items.

1. Editor in Chief. Robin Johnston was appointed as editor in chief (director of the Division of Publications), subject to ratification by the General Conference. This position has been vacant since the death of Robert Fuller. Brother Johnston, a native of Canada, has served as associate editor for the past three years and has finished the dissertation for his PhD program.

2. Marketing Director (Division of Publications). Mark Christian resigned from this position to become pastor in Leesville, Louisiana. Billy Babb, Pentecostal Publishing House administrator, was appointed to fill the unexpired term. In the last two years, PPH has reduced its number of employees by outsourcing customer service and printing, thus reducing management time and enabling Brother Babb to fill a dual role. The adjustments in PPH were made necessary by changed economic conditions and the transformation of the entire publishing industry by digital technology and other innovations. The Division of Publications is now in the process of developing a comprehensive marketing strategy.

3. Media Missions. Due to an increasing cumulative deficit with a continuation of annual deficits, the General Board voted to suspend operations of this division at the end of the fiscal year, June 30, 2010, and to submit a resolution to the General Conference to remove this division from the UPCI Manual. (This action was taken pursuant to UPCI Constitution, Article VI, Section 1, Paragraphs 2-4.) The UPCI will continue to be involved with media but in a revised format, and announcements will be forthcoming soon. In the meantime, it is important to continue existing programs and support. The Home and Foreign Missions Divisions are exploring ways to continue and increase media outreach in their respective areas. Church Administration will oversee the recording, archiving, duplication, and sales of CDs and DVDs of UPCI conferences. The districts will continue to be responsible for their own media needs and can continue to operate Media Missions as a district department.

4. Word Aflame Publications. This department is responsible for producing Sunday School literature, and it is distinct from Word Aflame Press, the label used for publishing books and tracts. The General Board has recommended that the Word Aflame Publications Department be transferred from the Division of Publications to the General Sunday School Division, subject to approval by the General Conference. The transfer will give Sunday School oversight of the writing process beginning with promotion, planning, and budgeting. The Sunday School director is currently the chair of the Curriculum Committee, which plans the literature, and with the change he will now oversee the implementation of these plans. Through the Sunday School Division, Word Aflame Publications will now have district and sectional representatives to assist in promoting the Sunday School literature. The editor in chief will continue to give final approval of the text, the Division of Publications will continue to arrange for printing, marketing, and sales, and net income from sales will continue to be spent as designated by the General Board.

5. Global Impact. The Global Impact Committee will continue to plan the Sunday night of General Conference and to produce a monthly e-newsletter. It will focus on providing resources and assistance to the districts for evangelism and church growth. Each district will develop its own plan to double the number of churches, daughter works, and ministers. For reporting purposes, Global Impact will begin tracking data as of 2010.

6. Talk Points. These small group meetings for younger ministers will continue as planned by the districts.

7. Manual and Directory. For 2011, the UPCI Manual and Directory will be provided digitally, with ministers having the option to request a paper copy.

8. General Conference. Electronic voting will begin in Houston in 2010. The schedule for 2010 has been revised to include instruction and panel discussions on Friday and Saturday afternoons. Sessions will be sponsored by the Youth Division (for young ministers), Home Missions Division, Foreign Missions Division, Sunday School Division, Stewardship Department, New Beginnings, and Urshan Graduate School of Theology.

9. Points of Refuge. This confidential counseling ministry for UPCI ministers and their families will be advertised in the Forward, directory, manual, and UPCI website.

Sincerely in Christ