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World Mission Discussion Punctuates Opening Session
Covenant News Service
KEYSTONE, CO (June 26, 2002) - A new budget for fiscal 2003 was approved by
delegates to the 117th Annual Meeting of the Evangelical Covenant Church
(ECC), but not without considerable discussion about how the money will
be
spent.
 Approval of the $12,471,700
budget
came during the opening business session at the
Keystone Convention Center. Of that amount, $8,494,000 will be sought
from
local Covenant churches.
The 2003 Coordinated Budget includes the following allocations:
- $4,772,300 for the Department of World Mission
- $2,830,000 for the Department of Church Growth and Evangelism
- $819,900 for the Department of Christian Formation
- $507,400 for the Department of the Ordered Ministry
- $497,700 for the Department of Communication
- $1,043,000 for North Park University
- $2,000,600 for General Administration
The approved budget reflected an amendment to provide an additional
$500,000 to the Department of World Mission. The amendment was proposed
by
Pastor Ted Smith of First Covenant Church in Sacramento, California. A
55-minute discussion regarding the 2003 Coordinated Budget and the
overall
future direction of World Mission proceeded
the vote.
"I look at the budget as a more safe budget than a faith budget," said
Smith in advocating for more funding for World Mission. Smith also moved
that a task force be organized to help raise the extra $500,000 (the
motion
passed).
The Department of World Mission's Executive Minister Jim Gustafson
resigned
May 10. Questions concerning World Mission and the abrupt resignation
punctuated Wednesday's meeting. ECC President Glenn R. Palmberg
addressed
the matter in his oral report to delegates. Curt Peterson, chair of the
ECC
Executive Board, and Dean Lundgren, vice president of finance, also
addressed future directions for World Mission during a
question-and-answer
session prior to passage of the 2003 budget.
Lundgren explained that part of the budget development process is
developing a budget that is "financially sustainable." In discussing
future
World Mission financing, Lundgren observed that some World Mission
projects
started in recent years might not be financially sustainable due to
limited
funds. Some projects started during Gustafson's tenure relied on money
from
unrestricted funds that are now depleted, Lundgren noted.
Unrestricted funds disbursements from 1998 through 2001 increased
dramatically, said Lundgren. Unrestricted funds primarily come from
estates
and bequests earmarked for World Mission. They were used to support the
World Mission operating budget and to
support other World Mission initiatives. Coordinated Budget operating
expenditures during the same period increased 33 percent or $1.3
million.
There were $2.4 million in non-budget initiatives for World Mission
above
and beyond the operating budget, Lundgren explained. They included
budgeting for a World Mission chair at North Park University and funds
to
support Covenant Bible College's new
campus in Ecuador, among other items. Overall, for the period from 1998
to
2001, $5.1 million in unrestricted funds was available to the World
Mission
operating budget and new World Mission initiatives. Of that amount, only
about $600,000 of those funds remains.
One delegate asked for an explanation of the long-term financial plan
for
World Mission at the time Gustafson was given the authorization to spend
unrestricted funds. Lundgren
said that he and Gustafson met often during the past two years to
discuss
possible scenarios for future projects in light of how quickly
unrestricted
funds were being spent.
A number of those who spoke to the issue reflected the desire that the
Covenant Coordinated Budget reflect a willingness to "go on faith,"
trusting that God will provide funding for worthwhile projects.
Another area of concern for some is that the number of Covenant
missionaries in the field is nearly identical to the number of
missionaries
serving 17 years ago. Palmberg pointed out that Covenant funding for
World
Mission has been used to support many
worthwhile initiatives other than additional missionaries.
As he neared the end of his report, Palmberg praised the outstanding
mission work of the Covenant throughout the world, lauding Gustafson's
passion and efforts to extend the Covenant's ministry in mission.
"In affirming Jim's nomination for executive minister (for a second
term),
we affirmed a direction that was important for going forward in a
responsible way for the future," said Peterson about Gustafson's
resignation. "And President Palmberg was responsible for managing that -
meeting with Jim. Jim felt he had gone as far as possible in mandating
his
call. He felt he could go no farther in mandating his gifts . . . it was
not without the family tensions of accountability and responsibility in
relating to the constitution and the
financial responsibilities. And in the context of that, and in seeking
to
work that out, he chose to resign."
"I am very sorry that Jim Gustafson resigned from the position he held
in
this denomination," Palmberg said. "I strongly supported Jim's
re-nomination to this denomination (in March) . . . and we as leaders
are
determined to continue what he started. I have love and great respect
for
Jim and Joan Gustafson. They changed the world and they changed the
world
in Northeast Thailand."
Peterson earlier addressed questions that have been posed to Palmberg
and
others during the past six weeks. He said a nominating committee will
begin
a search process this fall to identify an executive minister candidate
to
be voted on at next year's Annual Meeting. In the meantime, a search for
an
interim executive minister is under way.
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