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Fresno, CA
Beginning the divestiture


BFL assigned to national conferences

At a meeting October 22-23 of the Executive of the General Conference of MB Churches, representatives from the US and Canadian national conferences, and representatives from the General Conference Board of Faith and Life, a plan was approved whereby the national conferences would be responsible for faith and life issues in their respective constituencies.

Five statements were accepted unanimously by the representatives, and these will be recommended to the two national conferences, US and Canada, at their respective national conventions in July 2000.

Confession of Faith Name Change

The Confession of Faith approved and accepted by the delegation of the General Conference convention in Wichita in July 1999 will be changed from Confession of Faith of the General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches to Confession of Faith of the United States and Canadian Conferences of the Mennonite Brethren Churches.

Amending Formula

The Confession of Faith, which historically has been lodged with the General Conference Board of Faith and Life, will now be amended according to the following formula:

When a national conference identifies an issue that may justify the amendment of the Confession of Faith, the national Board of Faith and Life will examine it; if further consideration is warranted, the “Bi-national Committee” will become involved. This “Bi-national Committee” will prepare a draft of the proposed amendment and either call a bi-national study conference, send it for discussion at the national, provincial or church levels and/or publish it in the denominational media with invitation for comment, etc. The proposed change will also be submitted to the Mennonite Brethren conferences of other nations for review and comment. When the proposed amendment has been fully processed, it will be submitted for approval to each of the national conferences at their biennial conventions. A two-thirds majority of the delegates voting at each of the national conventions shall be required for the proposed amendment to pass. However, if the proposed amendment is significant or the subject of considerable debate, a bi-national confessional convention will be called. If the proposed amendment is rejected, it will be referred back to the “Bi-national Committee” for appropriate action.

As ICOMB (International Committee of Mennonite Brethren) develops and emerges as the new “General Conference”, the two national conferences are encouraged to actively pursue the possibility of creating an international Confession of Faith which will serve the world-wide Mennonite Brethren Church.

National Structure

Each of the two national conferences will be encouraged to create a board of faith and life to deal with issues that arise within the churches of the respective conferences. In Canada, the Board of Faith and Life is already a standing board, currently chaired by David Ewert. These national boards are free to organize study conferences to address national issues, but will be encouraged to consult with one another through the bi-national committee to determine whether a bi-national study conference is warranted.

Bi-national Structure

A bi-national committee will also be created with equal representation from both countries. The responsibility of this bi-national committee will be to process and lead in amending the Confession of Faith and to call study conferences when warranted.

New Pastors’ Orientation and Credentialing

Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary will facilitate, organize and host the March 2000 new pastors’ orientation in consultation with the General Conference Board of Faith and Life. After the July 2000 national conventions, the responsibility for this orientation will rest with the national Boards of Faith and Life. At the same time, the Seminary would be prepared to host and facilitate continued joint orientations if this was deemed desirable by both national conferences.

At the Wichita ’99 convention, the delegation passed a resolution that all pastors new to the North American Mennonite Brethren Church who wish to have their credentials recognized by the denomination be required to take courses in Mennonite Brethren history, theology and polity. MB Biblical Seminary has agreed to assume responsibility for developing these courses and developing strategy, in consultation with the two national conferences, for their implementation in the various regions of the conferences.

Disposing of Current General Conference BFL Agenda

Translation of the Confession of Faith will become the responsibility of the respective national conferences in which that language group primarily exists, ie. French, Chinese (Canada); Slavic, Spanish (US). A proposed study conference on “Spiritual Warfare” becomes the responsibility of the national conference executives until the bi-national committee is in place.

Final Celebration, July 2002

The General Conference Executive Committee, in consultation with the US and Canadian Conference Executive Committees will plan the final thanksgiving celebration for God’s goodness and faithfulness in leading the Mennonite Brethren Church over the past 102 years.  – General MB Conference Executive release

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Last modified December 10, 1999.

© 1999 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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