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Proposes adding to Par 102 the traditional language of the creeds "We believe in God the Father Almighty. Maker of heaven and earth."
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Proposes asking the BoB with assistance from Superintendents to sponsor regional scholarly forums to debate the authority of Scripture for pastors and leaders.
Analysis: Concerned that authority of Scripture is being undermined by culture (DaVinci Code phenomenon), and pastors can find it difficult to carry out their ordination ritual to banish all erroneous and strange teachings contrary to God's word.
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Proposes to reaffirm that when Par 108 says Scripture is completely truthful in all it affirms, "all" means "all", and not just "some." Also that FM leaders and the FM colleges prioritize teaching this understanding.
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Proposes softening current restriction against speaking in tongues in worship to restore the standard set in the New Testament. Proposes tongues should be permitted when 2-3 people speak one at a time in orderly fashion with an interpreter to clarify. Proposes Free Methodists recognize that tongues is a gift that cannot be taught, and that it doesn't make a person holier for speaking.
Analysis: See 710 that agrees with this.
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Proposes Par 3390 be updated to urge individuals to carefully consider their use of alcohol due to its damaging effects to individuals, families, and society by being unpredictably addictive and leading to broken marriages, family violence, crime, injury, and death. Or, it urges the Study Commission on Doctrine study this and return a recommendation at the next GC.
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Proposes taking a stand against modern slavery to eradicate it in view of our heritage to care for the oppressed and the poor. Proposes praying for people caught in modern slavery, as congregations and conferences. Proposes a task force in each conference to reprioritize these historical stands.
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Proposes the word "irrevocable" be added as the first word of the Trust Clause set out in Par 6400.D of the Discipline to every mortgage, land contract, or any other security or encumbrance of real property acquired, owned, or titled in the name of any local society, pastoral charge, Annual Conference, or other body or sub-body of the Free Methodist Church of North America. Also proposes "irrevocable" be added to every deed as Grantee.
Analysis: From a local church's perspective, this is a very hostile resolution. Not only does it affirm all the existing hostile parts of the Discipline regarding the Trust Deed clause - something most Free Methodist members of local churches would wish eliminated if they knew about it - it extends this hostility even further to propose the word "irrevocable" be added as the first word of the Trust Clause in Par 6400. How can your heart be obedient to Christ, yet so openly hostile toward local churches which Jesus died to create? Resolution #910 would oppose this change, and propose eliminating the possibility of a conference using the Trust Deed clause to sell local church properties out from under the local church which owns it - unless the property is abandoned and the State would otherwise have to handle it. I believe John Mark Peterson's church which affiliated with the denomination (350 attenders, 415 members, 210 converts final year), and then left with their property after a financial settlement of loans made them, would have been threatened by this resolution. So, does the BOA consider it more spiritual to destroy thriving churches like Peterson's leaving empty buildings that are sold for the unjust profit of other churches? Why when our denomination has closed 348 churches in the past 9 or 10 years, seized and sold millions of dollars in property from local communities, and can't manage to plant more than 50 new churches in 106 years do we have the right to propose an even more restrictive Trust Deed Clause? Pray for the darkened hearts of people responsible for this resolution on the BOA, and that most delegates would instead operate in the Truth and Light of Jesus. It is a sad irony that personal sins are dealt with rather efficiently by our denomination, yet sins committed by leaders while sitting on conference and denomination boards are ignored - or even praised as "spiritual." Perhaps we should recognize that leaders can sin not just personally, but through actions committed through their offices - and institute a procedure to recall leaders at any time such an sin is recognized. Perhaps we should demand the list of names of people who proposed this resolution so that those on the BOA who were not approve not be tarnished along with the others?
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Proposes removing from the Pastors and Church Leaders Manual an article on the Openness of God.
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Proposes obeying Christ to restructure whatever is needed to get to 1% of the US attending a Free Methodist church within 20-25 years. Proposes using a Spontaneously Multiplying Churches model developed by George Patterson and proven in Honduras to turn 4 churches into 80 in 15 years, and applying it so 994 churches can turn into 20,000-30,000 within 1000-2000 annual conferences. Major restructuring of the Discipline is needed to prioritize local churches, and remove hindrances that thwart this now. Proposal is willing to accept any proposal that can obey Christ to get to 1%, but finds no other ideas powerful enough to get there besides the training and empowering of lay people to become makers of disciplemakers and church planters. Proposes measuring the number of active disciplemakers and church planters within churches for the Yearbook. Proposes recording statistics on people so the best qualified can be elected to offices.
Analysis: This proposal offers a goal that encapsulates (or disagrees with) resolutions: 101, 102, 104, 106, 108, 109, 201, 205, 208, 212, 304, 305, 306, 405, 410, 602, 603, 609, 803, 806, 807, 901, 905, 906, 907, 908
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