State of the Church

(General Superintendent, Dr. Jerry Pence, delivered the State of the Church address to the General Board during its May 2009 session. The introduction included the following—)

Less than 50 years after the founding of the Methodist Episcopal Church in America (the world’s first “Wesleyan” denomination), its bishops sounded the alarm about a declining urgency among ministers and member for entire sanctification—the biblical ideal of a life of perfect love, initiated here and now by faith in God’s grace, and made possible by our baptism with the Holy Spirit, whose power cleanses us from the leaning toward sin with which we were born and enables us to obey God more completely. In their version of a State of the Church address in 1832, they wrote:

Some of the bishops began attending lay-led prayer meetings in New York City, called the “Tuesday Meetings for the Promotion of Holiness.” They were challenged to do three things: (1) make an entire consecration of their lives to God; (2) exercise faith in the Lord to set them free from the habit of sinning; and (3) tell others about the cleansing, empowering work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts. Along with many others, they entered into a deeper relationship with God.

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Conflict Management Seminar

The Board of General Superintendents is sponsoring a seminar on conflict management, October 29-30, 2009, at the World Headquarters of The Wesleyan Church. Dr. Edward Wheeler, president of Christian Theological Seminary, and Dr. George Bullard, church consultant, will be resource persons. The seminar is open to any district and local church leader, both ministerial and lay. The seminar will begin Thursday noon and conclude by 3:00pm Friday. More information is available by contacting Dr. Ken Heer, heerk@wesleyan.org (317-774-3896). You may register online by clicking here. There is no cost for the seminar, but participants are asked to pay $40 which will provide for two lunches, break refreshments, seminar materials, and Dr. Bullard’s book, Every Church Needs a Little Conflict.

• Area Hotels
• Seminar Schedule

Pastoral Letter on the Economy

Economic uncertainty has become a crisis of global proportions. People who went about business as usual in comfort and security only months ago are now dreading the prospect of financial collapse. Experts have lost their boldness in predicting the length or depth of the present financial crisis, as well as their confidence in pointing the way out of it. Prudence now calls for careful assessment of personal and social realities; wise stewardship of current resources; and proactive planning for future possibilities.

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Roles of the Board of General Superintendents

As servant leaders, the role of General Superintendent is to equip and empower local churches and districts to fulfill the Great Commission in the spirit of the Great Commandment.

To accomplish this, The Board of General Superintendents:

• Provides spiritual and administrative leadership for The Wesleyan Church in all of its missions and ministries.
• Gives counsel to the worldwide work of The Wesleyan Church by serving on the International Board of The Wesleyan Church and by giving oversight to mission fields and national conferences in coordination with Global Partners, department of World Missions.
• Provides consultation to general Church offices, departments, and District Superintendents in their service to local churches.
• Gives counsel to district units which appoint pastors and ministers, and plan programs and ministries serving the local churches.
• Joins the districts in ordaining ministers who will serve as pastors, staff members, and evangelists of local churches.
• Provides, upon request, personal ministry to local churches and districts through consultation services, or by offering training clinics, retreats, and workshops.
• Speaks for revival services, Bible conferences, church dedications, ministerial gatherings, and other services, seeking to encourage and equip the local church for ministry.