General Assembly Approved Guidelines for Presbyteries Hosting Mission Work (2012 GA minutes, page 104)
- The Missions Ministry Team is responsible for the guidance and supervision of the mission work, although the work is affiliated with a USA presbytery.
- The MMT will make all recommendations needed to the presbytery for the organization of churches, ordination of pastors, formation of councils, etc. Boards, councils or committees of the presbytery are free to initiate these proposals to the MMT, asking the MMT to endorse them. The presbytery board, committee or council can then present the recommendation to the presbytery. This allows for presbytery’s involvement in the decisions and retains General Assembly oversight of overseas mission work.
- The USA presbytery would not make decisions about the hosted non-USA mission work without consultation with the MMT. Recommendations to presbytery about the mission work will always be in consultation with the MMT.
- If the presbytery is approached by pastors/members from the mission field, they will share all questions, requests, or recommendations with the MMT for consultation.
- In the rare situations where the presbytery and MMT do not agree on the best approach, the MMT’s elected members’ vote is seen as the authoritative decision on the subject and is to be respected by all concerned.
- The presbytery is not expected to provide any financial assistance to the mission work they host other than what is normally expected of all Cumberland Presbyterian Churches with respect to mission support and offerings. This does not limit financial involvement or support; it states this is not an obligation or expectation of a host presbytery. MMT decisions will never involve financial obligations that the presbytery would be expected to assume without formal recommendation to that effect through normal presbytery channels.
Information and models in Spanish for New Church Development
Quiero compartir algunos materiales que pueden usar como una guía para iniciar obras nuevas. Cuando estuvimos visitando líderes en los dos presbiterios de Colombia hablamos del programa nuevo de la Asamblea General – De el Paso (Step Out!). La Asamblea General está animando a todos a enfatizar el evangelismo y a plantar nuevas iglesias. Los materiales que estamos compartiendo son modelos de cómo plantar iglesias nuevas. El concepto es iniciar obras nuevas después de un análisis, con un plan que comparta la visión a todos. Un plan es algo concreto que puede usarse para aclarar responsabilidades y poner a todos los responsables con sus compromisos. Creemos que un comité de obras nuevas es una manera buena para organizar proyectos nuevos, y animar y guiarlos cuando están iniciados. Esperamos que los documentos enviados les ayuden con sus planes para el futuro.
Bendiciones
Lynn Thomas