Church Governance--A Pipe Dream?

[Gregory Matthews]

See:

http://atoday.org/more-on-the-nad-church-governance-committee-report.html

http://atoday.org/the-greatest-hits-of-the-2015-nad-year-end-meetings.html

 

 

 

[debbym]

Very interesting.

 

more on the restucturing ideas...  " An analysis written for the committee by Monte Sahlin showed that a “union of churches” model (which basically means doing away with conference offices and administering the territory from the union office) could save the NAD $145,000,000 each year."  

his would cover the wages of a lot of bible workers and pastors on the ground holding meetings and ministering from door to door, and a lot of training of our members for gospel work.... etc.

in the 60's and 70-'s  i was taught that tithes were used only for  pastors salaries, and bible teachers salaries.  Now i learn that tithes pay for all the staff in our conference offices, division offices and union offices, and general conference offices, along with part of school teachers salaries across the board, and maintenance and utilities in all the building these personnel serve, and church camp structures and their staff and special conference wide outreach programs and more.

in days past i was told missionaries were supported by the mission offerings, and utilities and maintenance was from church expense offerings locally and to the conference office.

it was considered that 10% of your income was for the gospel, and the second 10% was for all the secondary expenses with a percentage of that second 10% being sent to maintain the conference office and staff.  Your additional offerings were for the mission land.

Today in my local our mission offering in our church is now for Christian education for kids.

 

I have read that the final work to bring the message of Jesus to the world will not be done by ministers but my lay workers... hmmmm

this NAD meeting report is very interesting.