The Fellowship Council of the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches affirmed the CHARIS Commitment to Common Mission during their regular meeting on January 21-25 in Seal Beach, Calif. In doing so, they encouraged local Grace Brethren churches to participate in the spirit of the document.
They also discussed ways to focus resources and opportunities for the next decade more effectively on multiplication, leadership development, and integrated ministries.
The Commitment to Common Ministry document that was drafted at the 2008 Charis meeting of representatives of all Grace Brethren fellowships world-wide in Bad Homburg, Germany. The FGBC was represented by Bob Combs, Bob Wagner, and Steve Kern. Keith Shearer represented the FGBC on the Charis conference planning committee. All of these men served at their own (or their churches) expense
The Commitment to Common Ministry is a multinational document. Sections were originally composed in English, French, and Spanish. It contains three sections: church planting, leadership training, and integrated ministries. A copy of the document can be found at http://fgbc.org/documents/2009ccm.pdf.
The national ministries of the FGBC have also endorsed the document and they are working together to develop suggestions for implementation by local churches.
In other action, the Council:
- Heard reports from the various national ministries.
- Approved recommending to the national conference the addition of two new churches into the Fellowship. Soma Community Church (David Black, pastor) is located in Springfield, Ohio, and ClearView Church (Andy Wirt, pastor) is in New Albany, Ohio.
- Recommended the adoption of three cooperating ministries — GBCanada USA, an organization to support church planting in Canada; Integrated Community Development Inc. (ICDI), an organization that works in central Africa to develop leadership and empower communities to overcome difficult problems on their own; and Grace in Action, an organization that helps bridge the church to the community through education and economic development.