Actscelerate.com

Travis Johnson

It's time for States to elect their Administrative Bishops

Acts-dicted Posts: 7821 **10/1/15 12:12 pm**

The way our system presently works is that an administrator works his way up through our states and regions, effectively getting beneficial training to prepare them for larger assignments. But, in just this one aspect of our appointive system, we have one very large problem. That is:

- No state or region gets the benefit of a sustained leadership/administrative vision.

This may occasionally happen where someone leaps into a larger state fairly early and stays. But, they would likely only last a maximum of 8 years.

In a state like Florida, we tend to get good overseers...in the last 2 or 4 years of their tenure.

In a smaller state, an administrator that does well gets hustled out to a larger state fairly quickly as well..after 2-4 years of the front side of their tenure.

In the end, the rotation of leaders may develop the leadership capacity of those administrators. But, in my view, it doesn't serve the best interests of our particular states...at least not as well as we could.

SOLUTION
1. Lift tenure. Doing this will slow down the leadership rotation (even if ABs are not elected) and give states a shot at having a consistent longer term leader.

2. Allow ministers to elect their own AB. In many cases, this would likely be a minister that has administrative and apostolic giftings from within that particular region. That type of leader would clearly have an intimate knowledge base of how that particular state operates.

Now, if a region didn't have a deep enough bench to select from, that region would be able to select someone from outside. Or, perhaps in the case of a Missions State, as long as a Mission's state status was held, the Executive Committee would still make that appointment. Once a dependency on outside denominational funding was no longer needed, they could begin electing their own leader.

wayne

Acts Enthusiast Posts: 1274 **10/1/15 1:00 pm**

Travis,
I understand what you are saying but wouldn't this take us back to the Tomlinson days? My fear is that too many pastors would become too friendly with an AB and continually vote for that AB for potential preferential treatment. Not saying we have AB's/pastors that would do this but this has happened and I'm sure it would happen again.

diakoneo

Golf Cart Mafia Consigliere Posts: 3382 **10/1/15 1:10 pm**

Who will nominate candidates?

What exactly is the AB supposed to do?

Dean Steenburgh

Golf Cart Mafia Capo Famiglia Posts: 4682 **10/1/15 1:37 pm**

Awesome!
I have asked for years why we can't go to this type of system, it's very A/G to think this way lol.

Cool thing is we could elect our own AB's & if they don't work out we reserve the right to vote them out. An AB from our state/region would be more aware of the culture & the personalities in ministry.

Now ...what do we do to get this activated?
_________________
"Empty nest syndrome is for the birds!"

Email me at: SteenburghDean@gmail.com

Church planters are focused on just one thing ...introducing people to Jesus!
What are you focused on?

Travis Johnson

Acts-dicted Posts: 7821 **10/1/15 2:42 pm**

Travis Johnson

Acts-dicted Posts: 7821 **10/1/15 2:43 pm**

By the way, does anyone know if a mission state has ever emerged from that designation to become self-sufficient?

diakoneo

Golf Cart Mafia Consigliere Posts: 3382 **10/1/15 3:05 pm**

Travis Johnson

Acts-dicted Posts: 7821 **10/1/15 3:19 pm**

sonofasoldier

Sounds great and reasonable but

Acts-celerater Posts: 593 **10/1/15 3:55 pm**

Cleveland will not trust states and regions beyond their influence to become autonomous. They will simply not trust pastors in far off regions and states to remain brand loyal. Ain't gonna happen.
The GA could make it happen but Cleveland would make getting it to a vote near impossible. It's very sad but I don't believe your denomination has that level of trust in it's pastors or members.

Cojak

01000001 01100011 01110100 01110011 Posts: 24285 **10/1/15 4:50 pm**

former pastor and now a pew sitter... An idea way past it's time.

Remembering how it is... If the ministers had time to think on it, I think it could pass. If passed the actual voting would have to be staggered or submit a 1st-3rd choices... But I am simple minded on big issues..

This would be a BOON for each state methinks. Cool

_________________
Some facts but mostly just my opinion!
jacsher@aol.com
http://shipslog-jack.blogspot.com/

mytimewillcome

Golf Cart Mafia Underboss Posts: 3658 **10/1/15 5:14 pm**

The cliques in each state are loving this idea. Block vote their leader in then they have they control over each church and who goes there (and who is out, of course).

Make it a popular vote, they said. It'll be fun, they said.

Nature Boy Florida

Acts-pert Poster Posts: 16646 **10/1/15 5:30 pm**

mytimewillcome

Golf Cart Mafia Underboss Posts: 3658 **10/1/15 5:41 pm**

diakoneo

Golf Cart Mafia Consigliere Posts: 3382 **10/1/15 8:05 pm**

BromptonFalls

Hey, DOC Posts: 71 **10/1/15 8:11 pm**

Very interesting discussion Travis.

There are obviously some fantastic leaders serving on various state councils and serving as district overseers that have great administrative abilities. As homeboys they know the personalities of certain regions as well as proclivities of certain pastors (that might take an out of state overseer a few years to really grasp).

I would love to hear the pros and cons of in-state overseer elections discussed in Nashville. But in the meantime, I'd like to ask you for some clarification regarding the 1st solution you mentioned.

Travis Johnson

Acts-dicted Posts: 7821 **10/1/15 8:43 pm**

Mark Ledbetter

Golf Cart Mafia Associate Posts: 2109 **10/2/15 6:01 am**

we could fast and pray until the Holy Spirit says, "Separate [name] for the work for which I have called."
_________________
God-Honoring
Christ-Centered
Bible-Based
Spirit-Led
(This is how I want to be)

Dave Dorsey

Re: OR

[Insert Acts Pun Here] Posts: 13654 **10/2/15 6:07 am**

Mark Ledbetter

Actually, Dave...

Golf Cart Mafia Associate Posts: 2109 **10/2/15 7:27 am**

suggesting something from how the early church selected, or had selected for them, is flawed - not in the pristine methodology but in the spiritual climate today where the prophetic is abused.

In Acts 13 a prophetic utterance issued the call Barnabas and Saul and the others responded with fasting and prayer the others gave their blessings on the duo.

While I do not dismiss such for today, I still don't see that happening in the Church of God today.

Too many would even make this a political fray, jockeying for who are designated as "prophets and teachers" and delegated the authority to place their seal of approval on the Spirit's selection.

Why was Ray Hughes (s)elected to serve as GO and later appointed President of Lee when it was obvious his "giftedness" was pulpit ministry rather than administrative?

There is a corrupting presence in an elective process, one that creates abuse and misuse not unlike what Wayne suggested in another post.

So, I'll stick with my "or" rather than an "and," at least for now, and until someone can convince me the (s)elective process is best.

When I was sent to a local church to select a pastor, I had this interesting exchange. They had been without a pastor for at least 3 weeks. When I presented the name of the candidate the council asked, "Can we pray about this first?"

I asked, "What have you been doing the past 3 weeks?"
_________________
God-Honoring
Christ-Centered
Bible-Based
Spirit-Led
(This is how I want to be)

Travis Johnson

Re: Actually, Dave...

Acts-dicted Posts: 7821 **10/2/15 7:49 am**