August 23, 2005
The Senate of the Ministers Council acted upon three bylaws amendments proposed from the 2004 Senate and the Executive Committee meeting of February 2005.
The first amendment came to the Senate in 2004 through the signature process, calling for additional criteria for persons who will serve as Senators of the Council. Any amendment of the bylaws requires a two-thirds vote of the Senators present and voting for passage. The majority of time in the Senate meeting was spent in preparation, discussion, prayer and deliberation of the proposed amendment. The Jerusalem Council experience from the 21 events held in constituent councils between December 2004 and June 2005, and the individual responses submitted by pastoral leaders and compiled by a professional consultant were also considered.
Amendments to the motion were received and voted. The following changes to the initial amendment proposal were: “Senators will be representatives in good standing in the American Baptist Churches who uphold the Covenant and Code of Ethics for ministerial leaders of the American Baptist Churches, and maintain sexual integrity consistent with the teaching of Scripture that sexual intimacy is to be experienced between a man and a woman committed to each other in marriage and with the resolution of the American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A. that ‘the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching.’” In a vote of 30 for and 32 against the motion, as amended, was not passed.
The vote expressed a difference in opinion, belief, biblical interpretation, and the balance of autonomy and interdependence, while the conduct of the Senate was respectful and cordial in both the opportunity for dialogue and in the parliamentary process.
The Ministers Council was established in 1935 to deepen spiritual journeys, strengthen professional effectiveness, and develop collegial relationships. The purpose of the Senate is to “meet annually for worship, fellowship, and to carry out its purpose ‘to build up the church of Jesus Christ by sustaining and improving ministerial leadership of the American Baptist Churches in the USA.’”
The current strategy to fulfill its goals includes the establishing of collegial covenant groups as normative to faithful and effective ministry through monthly small group meetings, establishing a pattern of regularly scheduled national conferences for pastoral leaders and strengthening constituent councils through leadership training and resourcing.
The amendment proposal regarding the seating of additional senators when including non-paying life members was considered and passed by a vote of 44-8-4. The amendment to Article VII, Section 3 now specifies that “Additional Senators may be seated when the non-paying life membership numbers are included in the total membership count, provided that the constituent council funds 100% of the expenses of each additional Senator.”
The amendment regarding electronic/video conferencing was amended to its location in the bylaws, to Article 11, Section 2, that “Regular or special meetings may be held via electronic/video conferencing or in person.” This amendment passed by a unanimous vote.
A resolution was brought to the floor of the Senate on Tuesday August 23, and in amended form was passed by a vote of 48 yes and 13 no. The resolution states:
“Whereas a year ago an amendment to our bylaws proposing to govern the selection of Senators to the Ministers Council Senate was introduced for consideration, and
Whereas the Ministers Council determined to spend a year discerning the convictions of its members through a series of meetings patterned after the Jerusalem Council in the Book of Acts, and
Whereas the final outcome of those meetings and the individual responses received revealed a strong commitment throughout our constituency for the Baptist principles of the authority of scripture, autonomy, and interdependence,
Therefore, the Ministers Council Senate:
Reaffirms that all representatives to the Ministers Council Senate must be members in good
standing who uphold the biblical principles embodied in the Covenant and Code of Ethics for Ministerial Leaders of American Baptist Churches
Urges our constituent councils to give due consideration to all the policies, resolutions, and statements of concern of the ABC/USA when electing representatives to the Ministers Council Senate.
And following the example of James as recorded in Acts 15, instructs the President and Executive Director to communicate this resolution to all constituent councils and each of our national and regional partners in the ABC/USA.
Resolved this twenty-third day of August, 2005 in Green Lake, Wisconsin”
The five Senate committees reported on their work:
The Professional Effectiveness Committee continues to work on an educational piece for the Code of Ethics and information about accountability to the Code of Ethics.
The Communications Committee continues to work on the appearances and information of the Ministers Council website and MINISTER magazine in e-zine format. They are preparing information for the Wait on the Lord Conference exhibit area (April 17-20, 2006, Orlando).
The Membership and Constituency Committee continues to investigate ways of increasing the membership in the Ministers Council as well as the possibilities of incorporating ministerial leadership from other bodies in this Council.
The Denominational Relationships Committee is investigating the needs of bi-vocational pastors and in particular, immigrant church leaders, to gather information and resources. The committee is urging continued support of the National Ministries initiative on ministering to children in poverty.
The Spiritual and Personal Wholeness Committee will continue to provide devotional resources for members of the Senate and Ministers Council upon request. They encourage the members of the Senate to continue contact with and support of the prayer groups from this year’s Senate. The committee is planning a devotional study on Baptist distinctives, available at a later date.
The Senate elected Alice Davis as its new president with her term beginning on January 1. She follows the exemplary leadership of Joe Kutter, who has served over the last four years. The Senate celebrated the leadership and faithful service of immediate past president, G. Daniel Jones, who has been a member of the Senate for 24 years.
Joseph Gratzel, Pastor of First Baptist Church Manasquan, NJ, was the recipient of the President’s Award, the Ralph Garfield Schell Prize. This Award is presented to a person who exemplifies excellence in ministry and the purposes of the Ministers Council. He will receive a $100 gift certificate from Judson Press, and his name will be added to the recipients’ plaque at the Ministers Council office that recognizes recipients since the inception of the award in 1996.