GAC ranks its programs on evangelism,
discipleship scale
Most social and justice concerns lose out
Prioritizing process will help guide 2002 mission budget
by Jerry L. Van Marter, Alexa Smith, Evan Silverstein
and Bill Lancaster
MONTREAT, N.C. -- 22-September-2000 -- In an arduous
and sometimes contentious four-hour process Sept. 22, the General
Assembly Council ranked each of its ministries division programs as
"high impact," "medium impact" or "low
impact."
Programs were ranked against the Council's two
established priorities -- evangelism and discipleship. The priorities
grew out of a series of consultations between GAC leaders and middle
governing bodies during the past year and a GAC Executive Committee
retreat held earlier this summer.
GAC staff leaders will use the rankings to make budget
decisions for the 2002 General Assembly mission budget. GAC executive
director John Detterick called the process "a first baby step in a
process that will be repeated, refined and improved in ensuing
years." Detterick said senior GAC staff wants to give more
resources to those programs that are identified as higher impact and
that might mean shifting resources away from programs that are
identified as lower impact.
GAC deputy executive director Kathy Lueckert insisted
that the process is designed to refocus the work of the GAC and will not
lead to downsizing and staff layoffs. "We realize there is some
anxiety on the part of staff," she said, "but there is no
intention or desire to reduce staff, though some may be doing different
work in the future."
Utilizing a "forced ranking" method devised
by Detterick's staff, Council members were required to assign an equal
number of programs to the high, medium and low impact categories.
Programs were ranked within their divisions -- Congregational
Ministries, National Ministries and Worldwide Ministries -- but were not
measured against programs in other divisions.
For purposes of the rankings, evangelism was defined
as "joyfully sharing the good news of the sovereign love of God and
calling all people to repentance, to personal faith in Jesus Christ as
Savior and Lord, to active membership in the church, and to obedient
service in the world."
Discipleship was defined as "living the life of a
disciple. The life of discipleship is an expression of the teacher's
message and the lessons learned put into practice. The lessons are
continually learned and expressed through prayer and the study of
scripture; through worship and proclamation; through service to the
world; through unceasing labor for justice, peace and freedom for all
people."
Some were not happy with the process. "I don't
feel good about this," said Mike Gillespie, who ranked the
Congregational Ministries Division programs. "In one morning we
were able to only scratch the surface of decisions that will have a
far-reaching impact."
"I share that frustration," agreed Helen
Morrison. "We have some new folk (on GAC) and I can't imagine
trying to digest this -- I've been on the Council for two years and I
couldn't. Some of our decisions seem very arbitrary to me."
Lueckert agreed that the short time given to the
process was frustrating. "But this is just the first cut of what
will be a long process. There will be other opportunities for input
before we come to any conclusions."
GAC chair Peter Pizor called the process "a
learning experience. This input will be added to other inputs,
consultations and financial evaluations. We have to start somewhere.
Over the years we have taken on more things than we have the people,
money and resources to do. It is important that the Council do this
prioritization. Prior to this it would have been staff."
Other Council members wondered how to interpret what
they had done. The Rev. Susan Arnold, a new GAC member who participated
in the Worldwide Ministries rankings, said she "categorized things
according to what Jesus did -- preaching, teaching, healing the sick and
feeding the hungry."
But longtime Council member the Rev. Cynthia Walton
was more critical. "Some of the choices smacked of paternalistic
American attitudes, where U.S. Christians go out and help people, throw
money at problems and try to find "something to do.'" She
questioned whether the choices made in the Worldwide Ministries rankings
"enabled partners to become evangelists and disciples in their own
settings."
Worldwide Ministries director the Rev. Marian McClure
said what seemed to be emerging "is some straight translation of
what Jesus did into what we should do and some vision of empowering the
church elsewhere to do those things -- but that was not rising to the
top as much as I expected." McClure said the WMD would use their
newly-approved partnership policy to further explore mission directions
and policies with the church's overseas partners.
The rankings:
Congregational Ministries:
Curriculum Development -- High
Stewardship -- High
Mission Interpretation and Promotion -- High
Youth and Young Adult Ministries -- High
Pastor, Educator and Lay Leader Support -- Medium
Theology and Worship -- Medium
Publishing and Marketing -- Medium
Presbyterian Peacemaking Program -- Low
Spiritual Formation -- Low
Theological Education -- Low
Conference Ministries -- Low
National Ministries:
Leadership Nurture and Support -- High
Evangelism -- High
Mission Financial Services -- High
Racial Ethnic Congregational Enhancement -- High
Higher Education: Organization and Individual Support -- Medium
Women's Ministries -- Medium
Racial Justice -- Medium
Church Leadership Connection -- Medium
Social Justice Ministries -- Medium
Urban Ministries Office -- Medium
Church and Society Magazine -- Low
National Volunteers -- Low
Washington Office -- Low
Higher Education: Ministry Partnerships -- Low
Worldwide Ministries:
Mission Personnel Care -- High
Presbyterian Hunger Program -- High
Global Education and International Leadership -- High
International Evangelism -- High
International Health Ministries -- High
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance -- Medium
Ecumenical Partnerships: Area Offices -- Medium
International Volunteers -- Medium
Global Awareness and Involvement -- Medium
Mission Service Recruitment -- Medium
Presbytery and Synod International Partnerships -- Low
Self-Development of People -- Low
Jinishian Memorial Program -- Low
Ecumenical Program Facilitation -- Low
Interfaith Relations -- Low
