The General Board’s 150th session on November 14 and 15 celebrated two new members, Reverend Peter Moore, district superintendent of the Atlantic District, and Dr. Yamil Acevedo, executive vice president of Wesley Seminary. The meeting’s overarching theme was The Wesleyan Church (TWC) becoming a movement again.
Peter Moore
Yamil Acevedo
Devotions were provided by General Board members: Marsha Flinchum, Southern Area lay representative, on Tuesday and on Wednesday by Billy Wilson, Western Area clergy representative.
During his General Superintendent presentation, Board Chair Dr. Wayne Schmidt shared examples of Acts 1:8 emphases throughout The Wesleyan Church in welcoming and resistant communities and through marketplace and church ministries. All were celebrated for their creativity, tenacity and faithful dependence on the Holy Spirit’s power.
The Chair drew attention in this year’s TWC statistics to the juxtapositions of online and onsite church attendance, the ongoing growth of women serving as lead pastors (from 7% in 2017 to 11% in 2023) and rebounding numbers in attendance, membership, conversions and baptisms.
The Chair called for an extended time of solitude, encouraging the General Board to pray about resourcing strategic areas and that God will reignite a call to reach the lost.
Throughout the meeting, Wesley Seminary, Houghton, Kingswood, Oklahoma Wesleyan, Southern Wesleyan and Indiana Wesleyan university leaders presented institutional updates. After the final update, the Chair asked the board to surround the leaders for a time of prayer.
The Study Committee on the Homosexuality Position Paper — formed in November 2022 — presented its work. The proposed Position Paper, The Wesleyan Church and Homosexuality, was unanimously approved.
The General Board voted to form a Study Committee on Gender Identity and charged it with presenting its work at the November 2024 General Board meeting. General Board members will review all position papers in preparation for discussion during the May 2024 General Board meeting.
A report on legal counsel’s review of amended Memorial 857: WITHDRAWING FROM THE DENOMINATION — recommended by the Memorial 857 study committee and approved by the General Board in May 2023 — was received as information. The amended memorial will be considered by the General Conference Committee on Memorials in preparation for the 15th General Conference, May 17-20, 2026, at Indiana Wesleyan University, Marion, Indiana.
Chief Financial Officer Kevin Batman and Wesleyan Investment Foundation (WIF) Chief Executive Officer Craig Dunn presented their annual reports, both of which were positive. Craig reported that WIF had crossed $2 billion in total assets in September 2023, and is experiencing record levels in loans and deposits.
Education and Clergy Development Executive Director Johanna Rugh thanked members of the Wesleyan Educational Council (WEC) for their work on the review of the “General Board Standards for Educational Institutions” due to be presented at the May 2024 General Board meeting.
Carl Shepherd, chair of the Risk Management Committee, presented three areas of risk to the General Church that will be addressed during the next 12 months: cyber liability, educational institutions and polarization.
Global Partners Executive Director Dennis Jackson provided an update on Memorial 52 — CONSTITUTION: AMENDMENT REGARDING GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT, including information about the 2024 International Conference of The Wesleyan Church to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Church Multiplication and Discipleship Next Generation Director Santes Beatty provided an update on FOLLOW. The quadrennial youth conference will be held December 28-30, 2023, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Registration deadlines are December 8 for multiple day, hotel accommodations and December 13 for day passes. After the update, the General Board prayed for participants, team members and travel details.
“The level of General Board member engagement is at a very high level,” said Dr. Schmidt. “Challenging topics were addressed directly, prayerfully, thoughtfully, respectfully. I rejoice for The Wesleyan Church in the leaders General Conference delegates elected in May 2022 to represent them at the General Board level. There is no compromising on our mission or theological stances. We have lots to accomplish but do so with confidence in the power of the Holy Spirit to equip and guide us.”
The next General Board meeting is scheduled for May 7-8, 2024, at The Wesleyan Church Headquarters, 13300 Olio Road, Fishers, Indiana.
Janelle Vernon is the executive director of Communication and Administration for The Wesleyan Church.
