As the Brethren in Christ U.S. family, we value making decisions together. Our 2022 General Assembly – made up of delegates representing our collective family of congregations and BIC U.S. Global Workers – gathered in Salina, Kans., July 22-25, 2022. The voting members of the General Assembly took action on the seven recommendations that were brought before them by the General Conference Board.
All changes are marked in bold and strikeouts.
Recommendation #1: Approval of the Minutes of the 2020 General Assembly
The 2022 General Assembly confirmed the General Conference Board’s approval of the General Assembly 2020 minutes.
Recommendation #2: Amendments to the Articles of Faith and Doctrine
General Conference Board recommended amendments to two Articles in the BIC U.S. Articles of Faith and Doctrine—Article II: God and Creation, and Article V: The Holy Spirit and the Church.
Article II: God and Creation – The recommended amendment was to delete the phrase “in a complementary way” from the Article because of potential confusion of the word “complementary” with “complementarian,” which has become a theological term to describe the view that men and women are not equally gifted, empowered, and called by God for ministry:
God gave human sexuality a good place in creation. Being either male or female is integral to who we are and in a complementary way provides for the full expression of our humanity. God has given standards for expression of our sexuality that are necessary for proper relationships among people. Human sexuality is affirmed within the chaste single life or a lifelong marriage between a man and a woman.
This recommendation was approved as presented.
Article V: The Holy Spirit and the Church – This recommendation was intended to make clear the BIC U.S. position that men and women are equally gifted, empowered, and called by God for ministry and may serve at all levels of church life:
The Holy Spirit, who has been poured out on all people, gives spiritual gifts to all believers according to His sovereign will and purposes. Scripture identifies a variety of gifts, given for the building up of the church and for ministry in the world. Followers of Jesus Both women and men are gifted, empowered, and called by the Holy Spirit to serve in leadership at all levels of church life, and tThe Holy Spirit guides the church in setting apart persons, both women and men, for leadership. The church is responsible to discern and encourage the use of the gifts of the Spirit in its life and ministry.
The General Assembly approved an amendment to the proposed recommendation by deleting the phrase “who has been poured out on all people.” The recommendation was approved as amended:
Amended Recommendation:
The Holy Spirit, who has been poured out on all people, gives spiritual gifts to all believers according to His sovereign will and purposes. Scripture identifies a variety of gifts, given for the building up of the church and for ministry in the world. Followers of Jesus Both women and men are gifted, empowered, and called by the Holy Spirit to serve in leadership at all levels of church life, and tThe Holy Spirit guides the church in setting apart persons, both women and men, for leadership. The church is responsible to discern and encourage the use of the gifts of the Spirit in its life and ministry.
Clean Reading Copy:
The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to all believers according to His sovereign will and purposes. Scripture identifies a variety of gifts, given for the building up of the church and for ministry in the world. Followers of Jesus are gifted, empowered, and called by the Holy Spirit to serve at all levels of church life, and the Holy Spirit guides the church in setting apart persons, both women and men, for leadership. The church is responsible to discern and encourage the use of the gifts of the Spirit in its life and ministry.
These amendments to the Articles of Faith and Doctrine will come again as recommendations to the 2024 General Assembly because amendments to the Articles of Faith and Doctrine require a two-thirds affirmative vote at two successive General Assemblies.
Recommendation #3: Amendment to the Bylaws of the Brethren in Christ U.S.
The addition of Article 7.7: Adopted Congregations to the Bylaws of the Brethren in Christ U.S. was approved as presented.
Recommendation #4: Replacement of the Congregational Handbook in the 2020 Manual of Doctrine and Government with the Congregational Governance Articles
The recommended replacement of the Congregational Handbook in the 2020 Manual of Doctrine and Government with the Congregational Governance Articles was approved with the following changes:
The General Assembly approved an amendment from the floor to Article 2.5: Joyful Generosity. The recommendation was then approved as amended:
Original Recommendation: There is a generous spirit within the congregation., gGiving of time, talent, and treasure is are viewed as worship, and financial decisions are guided by an abundance mindset. Tithing and sacrificial giving are discussed regularly and are seen as a privilege rather than an obligation.
Amended Recommendation: There is a generous spirit within the congregation. Financial decisions are guided by an abundance mindset. Giving of time, talent, and treasure is viewed as worship and is discussed regularly.
The General Assembly approved an amendment from the floor to Article 3: BIC U.S. Requirements for Membership. The recommendation was then approved as amended:
3.1.4: Affirmed openness, through the leadership of the Holy Spirit and counsel of the Church, to the teachings of Scripture as expressed in the Doctrine of the BIC U.S., found in the MDG, and to the practices and polity of the denomination.
3.2.3: Recognition and affirmation of new members by the congregation. The practice of inviting new members to covenant with the congregation by means of the following membership covenant is strongly encouraged though not required:
Article 10: Congregational Ministry was approved as presented:
All followers of Jesus are gifted by the Holy Spirit to serve in ministry. This ministry may be within the programs, activities, and initiatives of the congregation as it seeks to accomplish its purpose and mission or within the local or global community. Each congregation, under the leadership of the lead pastor, should organize its ministries in whatever ways are best suited to its particular context. This organization may include individuals serving in specific roles, such as deacons, or teams of individuals working together to meet ministry needs. The roles filled and teams created will vary in number, type, and composition based on the needs of the congregation at a given time.
Article 11: Deacons was a new article that was drafted in response to several suggestions from the floor that the Congregational Governance section of the Manual of Doctrine and Government needed a separate article for deacons and that it should include biblical passages that outline qualifications. This article was amended and then approved as amended.
Article 11.1: A congregation may appoint men and women persons to the role of deacon to serve in designated areas of ministry. Deacons shall be chosen according to a process and for a term set by the governing board.
Article 11.2: Qualifications for deacons include those outlined in 1 Timothy 3:8-12 and Acts 6:3, and others determined by the governing board based on the roles and responsibilities of the position.
Due to the addition of Article 11, there will be a renumbering of the articles that follow. The article on Delegates will be Article 12, and the article on Bishop Authority, Oversight, and Direction will be Article 13.
Recommendation #5: Replacement of the Ministerial Credentialing section in the 2020 Manual of Doctrine and Government with the revised Ministerial Credentialing Articles
The recommendation to replace the Ministerial Credentialing section in the 2020 Manual of Doctrine and Government (pages 70-75) with the revised Ministerial Credentialing Articles was approved as presented.
Recommendation #6: Appointment of General Conference Board Members
The recommendation to appoint the General Conference Board Members was approved as presented.
Recommendation #7: Confirmation of the Board Members of the Brethren in Christ Foundation
The recommendation to confirm the Board Members of the Brethren in Christ Foundation was approved as presented.
Special Privilege Motion
In addition to the seven recommendations in the General Assembly Agenda, a special privilege motion was brought to the Assembly from the floor:
“We move that the denominational leadership investigate how to broaden the exercise of authority in the Brethren in Christ Church.”
This motion was brought to encourage broader conversation among all members of the denomination and to address concerns that decision-making power within the BIC has slowly trended toward centralization over the course of our history. The motion was approved.
For more background on the recommendations presented to the General Assembly, read Part 2: Recommendations of General Conference Board, starting page 45, in the 2022 Agenda.
