2015 EFCA Report Book. Business Session June 18, 2015

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1 2015 EFCA Report Book Business Session June 18, 2015

2 Table of Contents 2015 Biennial Reports Below is a list of the files included on this device. They are all Adobe Acrobat pdf files so all systems should be able to read them. SECTION 01 EFCA Business Items and Ministry Reports Cover Page Table of Contents... 2 Welcome... 4 Business Items: Recommended 2015 Conference Standing Rules... 5 Tentative Agenda... 7 Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws... 8 List of Current Board Members EFCA 2015 Ballot (Preliminary) Notice of Nominations Ministry Reports: Board of Directors President s Report Board of Ministerial Standing Report and Credentials List ReachGlobal ReachNational Finance & Operations Department Trinity International University Trinity Western University SECTION 02 District Reports Allegheny Central Eastern District Association EFCA Southeast EFCA Texas-Oklahoma EFCA West Forest Lake Great Lakes Hawaii Midwest New England District Association North Central Northern Mountain Northern Plains Pacific Northwest Rocky Mountain Western... 79

3 SECTION 03 EFCA Ministries EFCA Chaplains Christian Investors Financial FCMM SECTION 04 Other Ministries Evangelical Free Church of Canada SECTION 05 Financial Reports (see separate financial folder) Evangelical Free Church of America Combined Financial Statements Christian Investors Financial FCMM Trinity International University SECTION 06 Miscellaneous Forms for Bequest... 88

4 Welcome So glad you re here! Can t wait to hear what God is doing in your life, ministry and community. This is an important transitional conference with the election of a new president and the first biennial conference. ` God is at work in our midst. Take time to read the reports - they testify to the greatness of our God! We know you ll enjoy connecting with old friends and building new relationships. We re praying God will refresh and strengthen each of you through the worship services and deeper learning tracks at EFCA One. As Paul reminds us, the Church is called to unity one body, one spirit, one hope (Ephesians 4). Enter in and connect. Take a deep breath and enjoy this special time we have to be together. We re praying you will be very blessed in your time at EFCA One. William Hamel EFCA President

5 RECOMMENDED 2015 CONFERENCE STANDING RULES CREDENTIALS 1. Delegate Identification: Identification badges shall be worn to all business meetings. 2. Voting Delegates: The Credentialed Delegates Report at the outset of the conference business session shall constitute the number of certified voting delegates registered as present with proper credentials. Only credentialed delegates will be allowed to speak. MOTIONS AND DEBATE 3. Motions: All main motions and amendments shall be presented to the recording secretary in writing as early in the business session as possible and shall be signed by the maker of the motion. 4. Procedures: All debate shall be addressed to the chair. A delegate wishing to speak shall go to the microphone, address the chair, Mr. Moderator, and wait for recognition from the chair. Upon recognition from the chair, the delegate should state his or her name and office or church designation. 5. Limitations: Debate shall be limited to four minutes for the maker of the motion and three minutes for each individual delegate. A delegate can speak again on the same motion to ask questions and provide clarification. In addition, the EFCA Board of Directors shall be allowed a reasonable amount of time to provide background information concerning the nomination of the presidential candidate and to answer questions from the delegates regarding the presidential search and nomination. COMMUNICATIONS 6. Written Communications: All written communications for distribution during business meetings shall be delivered to and approved by the chair prior to the business session. 7. Conference Announcements: Announcements shall be made from the platform only and shall be in writing, signed with the name and identity of the person submitting the announcement, and sent to the recording secretary. 8. Personal Communications: To ensure that the delegates hear the discussion, personal vocal communications should take place outside the assembly hall.

6 VOTING PROCEDURES (See Article VI, B. of the EFCA Bylaws) 9. Eligible Voters: Only credentialed delegates may vote. If you are eligible to be credentialed, please visit the credentialing desk by three hours prior to the start of the business session. 10. Nominees: Nominee descriptions and a list of present board members are included in your conference program. Nominees will be identified during the business session. 11. Nominations from the Floor: Any nominations from the floor shall require prior consent from the individual being nominated. He/she must meet the general qualifications for leadership in the local church as described in Acts 6, 1 Tim. 3 and Titus 1; agree without reservation with the EFCA Statement of Faith; and be affirmed by his/her pastor or superintendent as a member in good standing of an Evangelical Free Church. Nominations from the floor are not permitted in the case of salaried officers. 12. Ballots: Ballots and pencils will be distributed at the business session. A sample ballot is included in your conference program. 13. Voting Guidelines: Marking the ballots: Use a #2 pencil provided. (No pens!) Completely fill in the circle next to the number of the person for whom you wish to vote. In the case of salaried officers and others requiring a "yes" or "no" vote, fill in the circle next to the number corresponding to either "yes" or "no." (Salaried officers must receive affirmative votes equal to three-fourths of the votes cast for that office.) Observe voting directions for each section; i.e., do not exceed the maximum number of votes required. However, you can vote for less than the maximum. Erasures must be clean. The ballot machine counts dark smudges. Do not fold your ballot. The ballot machine will reject ballots that have been folded or mutilated.

7 Tentative Agenda The Evangelical Free Church of America 130 th Conference Business Meeting Thursday, June 18, :30 p.m. Vista, California A. Conference Organization a. Welcome, Introduction, Devotional, Prayer b. Credentialed Delegates Report c. Approval of Business Session Monitor d. Appointment of Tellers e. Adoption of Agenda f. Adoption of Standing Rules B. Reports a. Trinity International University b. Trinity Western University c. Financials and Auditors Report d. FCMM (including Auditors Report) e. Christian Investors Financial C. Elections a. Guidelines and Introduction b. Nominations from the Board of Directors Presidential Candidate c. Nominations from the Board of Directors Other Positions d. Nominations from the Nominating Committee e. Voting D. Recommendations: Board of Ministerial Standing a. Divorce Policy Exception E. EFCA President s Report F. Adjournment

8 THE EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH OF AMERICA ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS As Amended July 2, 2013 Table of Contents ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION BYLAWS Article I -- Name and Membership... 6 Article II -- Conferences... 6 A. Purpose and Authority... 6 B. Membership Composition Duration... 7 Article III -- Districts... 7 A. District Structures... 7 B. Requirements... 7 C. Functions... 8 D. Accountability... 8 Article IV -- Officers... 8 A. President... 8 B. Moderator... 9 C. Vice Moderator... 9 D. Secretary E. Vice Secretary F. Treasurer G. President of Trinity International University H. Other Officers Article V -- Boards A. Board of Directors B. Board of Regents of Trinity International University C. General Board... 15

9 D. Board of Ministerial Standing Article VI -- Elections and Appointments A. General Provisions General Qualifications Vacancies Terms of Office Limit on Consecutive Terms Limitation in the Case of Former Executives B. Nominations and Voting Nominating Committee Nominations from the Floor C. Diversity Article VII -- Audits Article VIII -- Fiscal Year Article IX -- Procedural Rules A. Conference Proposals B. Quorum C. Majority Vote D. "Ex-Officio" E. Parliamentary Authority Article X -- Amendments Article XI -- Dissolution... 19

10 ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION Article I -- Name The name of this organization, existing under Chapter 317 of the Minnesota Nonprofit Corporation Act, shall be "The Evangelical Free Church of America." Article II -- Objectives A. The Evangelical Free Church of America shall be an association and fellowship of autonomous but interdependent congregations of like faith and congregational government whose purpose shall be to glorify God through obedience to the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ by bringing individuals to personal faith in Christ and helping them toward maturity in Him. B. The Evangelical Free Church of America, through local churches, districts, and national agencies, shall pursue the following objectives in accord with the above purpose: 1. To call believers to worship of the triune God, loving relationships with one another, proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and compassionate involvement in service to individuals and families. 2. To establish churches and related ministries and to organize and maintain evangelistic and disciple-making efforts in the United States and throughout the world. 3. To facilitate fellowship, harmony, and cooperation among local congregations and unite them for mutual ministries beyond the scope and ability of a local congregation standing alone, while respecting the autonomy of such congregations, and, within that scope, to provide direction and coordination for local churches, districts, and national ministries that will best accomplish the purpose stated in paragraph A. 4. To educate and train vocational Christian workers and lay persons through the establishment and operation of institutions of higher learning and theological seminaries. 5. To credential and help to place pastors, missionaries, and other Christian workers and to hold them accountable for personal life and ministry. 6. To inform and motivate congregations and individuals for effective and responsible action on social issues, and to demonstrate the compassion of Christ through the establishment and operation of benevolent institutions. 7. To produce and distribute Christian literature and other resources to edify and equip the church and to proclaim the gospel to unbelievers. 8. To maintain proper stewardship over properties necessary for the fulfillment of these objectives and, as needed, to purchase or otherwise receive, by gift or grant, title to land or 1

11 other property, and to engage in any other activity related to the acquisition, ownership, or disposition of property, including real property. 9. To undertake any other necessary activities related to the accomplishment of the purpose stated in paragraph A. Article III -- Statement of Faith The Evangelical Free Church of America is an association of autonomous churches united around these theological convictions: God 1. We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory. The Bible 2. We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises. The Human Condition 3. We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed. Jesus Christ 4. We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus Israel's promised Messiah was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate. The Work of Christ 5. We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation. 2

12 The Holy Spirit 6. We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service. The Church 7. We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God's grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer. Christian Living 8. We believe that God's justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God s Word, the Spirit s power, and fervent prayer in Christ s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed. Christ s Return 9. We believe in the personal, bodily and premillennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission. Response and Eternal Destiny 10. We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen. Article IV -- Membership This corporation shall consist of churches affiliated with The Evangelical Free Church of America. Such other churches of like faith and practice as shall recognize this organization and adopt its principles may also enter this fellowship in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Bylaws. Article V The duration of this corporation shall be perpetual. 3

13 Article VI -- Conferences and Meetings A. This corporation shall convene a Conference, no less frequently than every two years, at a time and place decided by the Board of Directors, for the purposes of electing officers, receiving reports on the activities and financial condition of the corporation, and considering and acting upon other matters as may be raised consistent with relevant notice requirements. B. The membership of the Conference of this corporation shall consist of such persons who are designated by and chosen in a manner set forth in the Bylaws. There shall be no right to vote by proxy or to cumulate votes. Article VII -- Headquarters The Headquarters and registered office of The Evangelical Free Church of America shall be located at 901 East 78th Street in the City of Minneapolis, County of Hennepin, and State of Minnesota. All official and legal documents shall be dated therefrom and stamped with the official seal of the organization. Article VIII The management of this corporation shall be vested in a Board of Directors which shall consist of thirteen (13) directors or such other number of directors as may be permitted by law and as shall be provided in the Bylaws of this corporation. The directors shall serve for a period and shall be elected and qualified in a manner as provided in the Bylaws. (Directors holding office at date of adoption of restated articles of incorporation in 1978 were inserted herein.) Article IX No member, director, or officer of this corporation shall have any personal liability for any obligation of the corporation. The corporation shall have no capital stock. Article X Article XI This corporation is organized as a nonprofit organization. The corporation shall pay no dividends or other pecuniary gain, directly or indirectly to its members, directors, or officers, as such, nor shall any part of the net earnings of the corporation inure to the benefit of or be distributable to its members, directors, officers, or other private persons, except that the corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purpose set forth in Article II hereof. No substantial part of the activities of this corporation shall constitute the carrying on of propaganda or attempting to influence legislation and the corporation shall not participate in, or intervene in, any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office, nor shall the corporation engage in 4

14 any transaction or carry on any other activity which is not permitted to be carried on by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any further United States Internal Revenue Law). Article XII -- Amendments Amendments to these Articles of Incorporation must be introduced at a Conference, but cannot be acted upon until the next Conference, and for adoption must receive the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the membership of the Conference present and voting. All proposed amendments to the Articles of Incorporation must be presented to the Secretary in writing at least sixty (60) days prior to the Conference. 5

15 THE EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH OF AMERICA BYLAWS As Amended July 2, 2013 Article I Name and Membership The name of the organization is The Evangelical Free Church of America, hereafter in these Bylaws referred to as the EFCA. Churches in the United States which: 1. adopt the Statement of Faith in Article III of the Articles of Incorporation of the EFCA (subject to the Transitional Rules adopted by the 2007 Conference); 2. have purposes, objectives, and a mission consistent with those in Article II of the Articles of Incorporation of the EFCA; and 3. are members in good standing of the EFCA, either directly or through one of the Districts of the EFCA, are hereafter in these Bylaws referred to as Evangelical Free churches. A. Purpose and Authority Article II -- Conferences The EFCA shall convene a Conference, hereafter in these Bylaws referred to as the Conference, in every odd-numbered year, and when the Board of Directors considers it advisable, in any even-numbered year. The purposes of the Conference shall be electing directors, receiving reports on the activities and financial condition of the EFCA, and considering and acting on other matters as may be raised consistent with relevant notice requirements. The Board of Directors may provide that any Conference may be held by one or more means of remote communication or that delegates not physically present may participate by means of remote communication. The Conference shall be the highest decision-making body of the EFCA. B. Membership 1. Composition. The following persons shall be voting members of the Conference, provided in each case that that person is a member in good standing of an Evangelical Free church: a. Delegates appointed by each Evangelical Free church, consisting of two delegates for the first one hundred (or fraction of one hundred) members of that church plus one additional delegate for each additional one hundred (or fraction of one hundred) members of that church. 6

16 b. The senior pastor of each Evangelical Free church, or, in the case of an Evangelical Free church without a senior pastor or whose senior pastor does not attend the Conference, another pastor on the pastoral staff of that church designated by that church. c. Members in good standing of the Ministerial Association of the EFCA. d. Missionaries commissioned by the EFCA, church planters approved by the EFCA, either directly or through a district, and chaplains who have EFCA ministerial credentials and are endorsed by the EFCA. e. Members of the General Board. f. Members of the faculties of Trinity International University who have been granted tenure by the EFCA. 2. Duration. Members of the Conference shall retain their membership in the Conference from one Conference to the convening of the next Conference. A. District Structures Article III -- Districts Ministry to the churches, and cooperation between the churches, shall be accomplished through ministry groupings, called Districts in these Bylaws. The composition of each District and the manner of referring to each District shall be approved by the Board of Directors and shall ordinarily reflect the preferences of churches and Districts. All references to Districts in these Bylaws shall include the ministry groupings organized and operated under either clause (a) or clause (b) of Article III.B.3. B. Requirements A District must: 1. adopt the Statement of Faith in Article III of the Articles of Incorporation of the EFCA; 2. have purposes, objectives, and a mission consistent with those in Article II of the Articles of Incorporation of the EFCA; and 3. either (a) be organized and operated under written articles of incorporation or a comparable document, providing for an elected board, a District Superintendent as the principal administrative officer, and ultimate governance by its member churches; or (b) be organized and operated under the oversight of the President, as the Board of Directors shall determine. A District organized and operated under clause (a) of the preceding sentence shall not become organized and operated under clause (b) of the preceding sentence except with the approval of its elected board and its member churches, as may be provided in its governing documents. 7

17 C. Functions A District represents the EFCA to its member churches. It exists primarily to serve local churches and enhance their ministries, just as the EFCA exists primarily to serve local churches and Districts and enhance their ministries. The functions of a District, within its boundaries, shall be: 1. to plant churches; 2. to assist, strengthen, and encourage churches; 3. to accept churches into membership and, when necessary, to remove churches from membership; 4. to assist local churches and the Board of Ministerial Standing in matters of credentialing, discipline and restoration; 5. to work cooperatively with other Districts in carrying out the mission of the EFCA; and 6. to carry out such other ministries and activities in pursuit of its purposes as it and its member churches determine. D. Accountability 1. A District is accountable to its member churches or to the President, as the case may be in accordance with Article III.B.3, to fulfill its functions as a District as determined by the member churches. 2. A District is accountable to the EFCA Board of Directors to work interdependently (cooperatively) with the EFCA leadership in establishing District purposes, objectives, and a mission that fulfill the requirements of Article III.B of these Bylaws. Article IV Officers A. President 1. Election and Removal. The President shall be elected, upon the recommendation of the Board of Directors, by the affirmative vote of at least three-fourths of the votes cast at a Conference, for a term of six years [two years with respect to the current President]. The President may be suspended or removed by the Board of Directors for doctrinal or moral error that would justify a suspension or revocation of EFCA ministry credentials. In other cases, the President may be removed, upon the recommendation of the Board of Directors, by a majority vote of the Conference. 2. Authority and Responsibilities. The President shall devote full time to the EFCA and shall: a. be the chief executive officer of the EFCA; 8

18 b. be a member of the Board of Directors; c. be an ex-officio member of all other EFCA boards and standing committees; and d. report to each Conference on the work of the EFCA. 3. Accountability. The President shall be accountable to the Board of Directors and the Conference. B. Moderator 1. Election. The Moderator shall be elected by the Conference for a term of four years. Ordinarily, if the preceding Moderator was a pastor, the Moderator shall be a layperson, and if the preceding Moderator was a layperson, the Moderator shall be a pastor. 2. Authority and Responsibilities. The Moderator shall: a. preside over the Conference and General Board and appoint special Conference committees; b. exercise the executive authority of the President in the event of the President s death, incapacity, resignation, or removal, until the appointment of an interim President by the Board of Directors; c. be a member of the Board of Directors; d. be a member of, and the Chair of, the Nominating Committee; and e. be an ex-officio member of all other EFCA boards and standing committees except the Board of Ministerial Standing. 3. Accountability. The Moderator shall be accountable to the Conference in matters relating to the conduct of the Conference and to the Board of Directors in all other matters. Special Conference committees shall be accountable to the Moderator. C. Vice Moderator 1. Election. The Vice Moderator shall be elected by the Conference for a term of four years. Ordinarily, if the Moderator is a pastor, the Vice Moderator shall be a layperson, and if the Moderator is a layperson, the Vice Moderator shall be a pastor. 2. Authority and Responsibilities. The Vice Moderator shall: a. assume the duties and authority of the Moderator when the Moderator is unable to do so; and b. be a member of the Board of Directors. 9

19 3. Accountability. The Vice Moderator shall be accountable to the Conference in matters relating to the conduct of the Conference and to the Board of Directors in all other matters. D. Secretary 1. Appointment. The Secretary shall be appointed by the Board of Directors from among its members. 2. Authority and Responsibilities. The Secretary shall: a. prepare and publish the call of the Conference and the minutes of the Conference; b. sign legal documents on behalf of the EFCA as secretary; and c. serve as Secretary of the Board of Directors and the General Board. 3. Accountability. The Secretary shall be accountable to the Conference in matters relating to the conduct of the Conference and to the Board of Directors in all other matters. E. Vice Secretary 1. Appointment. The Vice Secretary shall be appointed by the Board of Directors from among its members. 2. Authority and Responsibilities. The Vice Secretary shall assume the duties and authority of the Secretary when the Secretary is unable to do so. 3. Accountability. The Vice Secretary shall be accountable to the Conference in matters relating to the conduct of the Conference and to the Board of Directors in all other matters. F. Treasurer The Board of Directors shall appoint the Treasurer annually. G. President of Trinity International University 1. Election. The President of Trinity International University shall be elected by the Conference upon the recommendation of the Board of Regents of Trinity International University and the approval of the Board of Directors. 2. Accountability. The President of Trinity International University shall be a vice president of the EFCA and shall be accountable to the Board of Regents of Trinity International University, to the President of the EFCA, and to the Conference of the EFCA in matters affecting the EFCA. 10

20 H. Other Officers The Board of Directors or the President, in accordance with Board policies, may establish and define other offices consistent with these Bylaws, may appoint officers to those offices, and may appoint additional assistant officers. A. Board of Directors Article V Boards 1. Composition. The Board of Directors shall consist of: a. the President; b. the Moderator; c. the Vice Moderator; d. the immediate past Moderator; e. a minimum of nine members nominated by the Nominating Committee and confirmed by the Conference for terms of four years in such a manner that, as nearly as possible, the terms of one-half of those members expire every two years; f. a member of the Board of Regents of Trinity International University designated by that Board for a term of no more than four years; g. a District Superintendent nominated by the Nominating Committee and confirmed by the Conference for a term of four years; and h. one additional member appointed for a term of four years by the Board of Directors. At least one-third of all members of the Board of Directors, confirmed and appointed, shall be pastors, and at least one-third of all members of the Board of Directors, confirmed and appointed, shall be laypersons. 2. Organization a. The Board of Directors shall elect from among its members elected under subparagraph d of the preceding paragraph 1 (who have been members of the Board of Directors for at least one year) a Chair and a Vice Chair. The Chair shall be an ex-officio member of all other EFCA boards and standing committees, except the Board of Ministerial Standing and the Nominating Committee. The Vice Chair shall assume the duties and authority of the Chair when the Chair is unable to do so. 11

21 b. The Board of Directors shall elect from among its members an Executive Committee of at least five members, which shall be authorized to act for the Board between meetings. c. The Board of Directors shall organize itself as it deems helpful in carrying out its responsibilities. Any Board committees shall be appointed by the Chair, with the approval of the Board, and may include persons with specialized background or expertise from outside the Board. d. The Board of Directors shall meet at least four times each year. 3. Authority and Responsibilities. The Board of Directors shall: a. uphold the ministry of the EFCA through individual and corporate prayer; b. oversee the work of the EFCA on behalf of the Conference; c. ensure the integrity of and compliance with the Statement of Faith of The Evangelical Free Church of America; d. establish priorities, goals, and strategies for the EFCA and regularly evaluate the ministries of the EFCA in light of those priorities, goals, and strategies; e. exercise responsibility for the fiscal policy and practices of the EFCA; f. prepare a proposed Conference agenda for recommendation to the Conference; g. prepare a written report to the Conference, reviewing the administration of the EFCA and recommending action that is necessary for the efficient administration of the EFCA, including necessary changes to the Articles of Incorporation of the EFCA and these Bylaws; h. by a two-thirds vote, borrow money as necessary for the purposes of the EFCA and pledge property and collateral therefore, except that, without the consent of the General Board or of the Conference, the total amount borrowed shall not exceed 50% of the value of EFCA combined net assets for long-term borrowing and 10% of the value of EFCA combined net assets for short-term borrowing; EFCA combined net assets equal the combined net assets of the EFCA as shown on the most recent audited balance sheet; i. delegate, consistently with these Bylaws, such responsibility for the administration of the EFCA as may be required by the death, incapacity, or absence of any officer; j. in the event of the death, incapacity, resignation, or removal of the President, provide for an effective transition from the Moderator to an appointed interim President who shall serve until appropriate action is taken at the Conference; k. review at least annually the performance and compensation of the President; 12

22 l. call meetings of the General Board when necessary; and m. approve faculty of Trinity International University for tenure. 4. Accountability. The Board of Directors shall be accountable to the Conference. B. Board of Regents of Trinity International University 1. Composition. The Board of Regents of Trinity International University shall consist of: a. the President of Trinity International University; b. fifteen members elected by the Conference (as provided in paragraph 2) for terms of four years in such a manner that, as nearly as possible, the terms of one-half of those members expire every two years; c. thirteen members appointed by the Board of Regents of Trinity International University for terms of four years in such a manner that, as nearly as possible, the terms of one-half of those members expire every two years; and d. the President and the Chair (or the Chair s designee) of the Board of Directors of the EFCA, ex-officio. The fifteen elected members must be members in good standing of an Evangelical Free church, affirmed as such by the pastor of that church. The thirteen appointed members must be committed Christians who are members in good standing in their local churches, which may, but need not be, Evangelical Free churches. All members of the Board of Regents of Trinity International University, elected and appointed, shall agree to and sign, without reservation, the Statement of Faith in Article III of the Articles of Incorporation of the EFCA. Except for the President of Trinity International University, no member of the faculty or staff of any school overseen by the Board of Regents of Trinity International University shall serve on the Board of Regents of Trinity International University. 2. Election of Elected Members. The fifteen elected members of the Board of Regents of Trinity International University shall be elected in the following manner: a. The Board of Regents shall submit to the Moderator the names of nominees to fill vacancies. The names submitted shall be placed on the ballot at the EFCA Conference with an opportunity for each voting member of the Conference to vote yes or no for each nominee. b. The nominees who receive more yes votes than no votes shall be elected to the Board of Regents. c. If one or more nominees fail to receive more yes votes than no votes, the resulting vacancy or vacancies shall be filled by appointment by the Board of Directors for a partial term ending at the adjournment of the next Conference. The vacancy or vacancies for the 13

23 balance of the term or terms shall be filled by election by the next Conference from among nominees presented to the next Conference by the Nominating Committee. If the Nominating Committee nominates just one person for each such vacancy and there are no nominations from the floor of the Conference, then the election will be by yes or no vote as in subparagraph a. If the Nominating Committee presents more nominees than there are vacancies or there are nominations from the floor of the Conference and after such nominations there are more nominees than there are vacancies, then the Conference will vote among all the nominees, and the nominee or nominees with a plurality of the vote will be elected. d. At least one-fifth of the members elected by the Conference must be members of the Ministerial Association of the EFCA. The Board of Regents (acting under subparagraph a) and the Nominating Committee (if acting under subparagraph c) shall present a slate that will permit this requirement to be met, and if necessary (under subparagraph c), the plurality requirement of subparagraph c shall be applied separately to members of the Ministerial Association of the EFCA to ensure that this requirement is met. 3. Authority and Responsibilities. The Board of Regents of Trinity International University, acting by a quorum of at least two-thirds of its members, shall: a. oversee the operation of Trinity International University and its constituent schools in accordance with their articles of incorporation and Bylaws; b. be authorized to appoint an Advisory Council of qualified individuals from outside the Board to assist the President of Trinity International University in matters requiring special background or expertise; c. require each member of the faculty of Trinity International University and its constituent schools to agree to and sign annually, without reservation, the Statement of Faith in Article III of the Articles of Incorporation of the EFCA (subject to the Transitional Rules adopted by the 2007 Conference); and d. recommend to the Board of Directors for tenure only those faculty members whom it finds fit for tenure, who (in the case of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) have met all the requirements for ordination in the EFCA except gender or (in the case of any other school) meet the general spiritual qualifications for leadership in the local church described in Acts 6:3, 1 Timothy 3:2-12, and Titus 1:6-9, and who (in all cases) have been extended at least five annual contracts. 4. Accountability. The Board of Regents of Trinity International University shall be accountable to the Conference and the Board of Directors and shall report at least annually to the Board of Directors. The President of Trinity International University shall be accountable to the Board of Regents of Trinity International University for the operation of Trinity International University and its constituent schools. 14

24 C. General Board 1. Composition. The General Board shall consist of the following persons, provided in each case that that person is a member in good standing of an Evangelical Free church: a. all officers provided for in Article IV; b. the additional heads of departments and other executives hired and designated by the President with the concurrence of the Board of Directors (up to a maximum of ten); c. the members of all Boards provided for in the preceding sections of this Article V; d. all District Superintendents and the Chair or equivalent officer of any District that has no Superintendent or acting Superintendent; e. the Chair and one additional representative of the EFCA Ministerial Association; and f. one representative each from the Christian Investors Financial and FCMM. 2. Authority and Responsibilities. The General Board may be convened by the Board of Directors between Conferences to make decisions in the best interests of the EFCA that are required before the convening of the next Conference. D. Board of Ministerial Standing 1. Composition. The Board of Ministerial Standing shall consist of: a. a Chair, who shall be a widely-respected pastor with a strong history in the EFCA, nominated by the Board of Directors and elected by the Conference for a term of four years; b. the President of the EFCA; c. three individuals, designated by the President, with responsibilities for ministerial credentialing, ministerial matters, and urban/intercultural ministries, respectively; d. the President (or the President s designee) of Trinity International University; e. the Chair (or the Chair s designee) of the EFCA Ministerial Board; f. four pastors, nominated by the Nominating Committee and confirmed by the Conference for a term of four years; g. one tenured professor of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, nominated by the Board of Directors and confirmed by the Conference for a term of four years; and 15

25 h. four District Superintendents or District staff members or other person responsible for a District in accordance with Article III.B.3 nominated by the Board of Directors and confirmed by the Conference for a term of four years. The terms of the members elected under subparagraphs f, g, and h shall be organized in such a manner that, as nearly as possible, the terms of one-half of those members expire every two years. 2. Organization. The Board of Ministerial Standing shall organize itself as it deems helpful in carrying out its responsibilities. 3. Authority and Responsibilities. a. In cooperation with the Districts, the Board of Ministerial Standing shall carry out the policies of the EFCA in all matters related to credentialing. It shall seek to standardize the expectations of candidates for credentials throughout the EFCA and shall read all credentialing papers and approve or disapprove requests for credentials in accordance with the policies and rules of the EFCA in effect. It shall seek to preserve the doctrinal integrity of the EFCA, and shall adjudicate all charges brought to it of doctrinal error among ministers. b. The Board of Ministerial Standing shall hear, investigate, and adjudicate all charges brought to it of moral error among ministers, shall prescribe appropriate discipline for those found guilty, and shall prescribe times and means of restoration where possible. c. Any pastor charged with doctrinal or moral error shall have the right to present his case, at his own expense, at a regularly scheduled meeting or, at the discretion of the Board of Ministerial Standing, at a special meeting. 4. Accountability. The Board of Ministerial Standing shall be accountable to the Conference. A. General Provisions 1. General Qualifications Article VI -- Elections and Appointments a. Persons elected, confirmed or appointed to the offices, boards, and committees of the EFCA shall be persons who meet the general spiritual qualifications for leadership in the local church described in Acts 6:3, 1 Timothy 3:2-12, and Titus 1:6-9, shall agree to and sign, without reservation, the Statement of Faith in Article III of the Articles of Incorporation of the EFCA, and shall have a demonstrated commitment to the EFCA mission statement. 16

26 b. Except as allowed in Article V.B.1 with respect to the Board of Regents of Trinity International University, each person elected, confirmed or appointed to any office to the Board of Directors, to the Board of Regents of Trinity International University, to the Board of Ministerial Standing, or to the Nominating Committee shall be a member in good standing of an Evangelical Free church, affirmed as such by the pastor of that church or, in the case of a senior pastor, affirmed by the appropriate District Superintendent or other person responsible for a District in accordance with Article III.B.3 (or, in the case of a salaried officer, becomes a member of an Evangelical Free church as a condition of election). A person shall not be considered to be a member in good standing of an Evangelical Free church if that person simultaneously maintains an active membership in another church that is not an Evangelical Free church. 2. Vacancies. Vacancies arising between Conferences in any position on any Board or the Nominating Committee filled by confirmation by the Conference shall be filled by appointment by that Board or Committee for the unexpired portion of the term. If that unexpired portion extends beyond the adjournment of the next Conference, that appointment shall be subject to the approval of the next Conference. 3. Terms of Office. Elected or confirmed Board and Nominating Committee members shall assume office at the adjournment of the Conference at which they are elected or confirmed. 4. Limit on Consecutive Terms. Any person, other than a salaried officer, who has served two consecutive terms or portions of a term as a member, confirmed or appointed, of the Board of Directors or the Board of Ministerial Standing, shall be ineligible for a period of one year for re-confirmation or reappointment to the same Board in the same capacity. Members of the Nominating Committee shall be eligible to serve one term and may not be re-elected. Any person, other than a salaried officer, who has served three consecutive terms or portions of a term as a member, confirmed, elected, or appointed, of the Board of Regents of Trinity International University shall be ineligible for a period of one year for re-confirmation, reelection, or reappointment in the same capacity. 5. Limitation in the Case of Former Executives. No one who has been associated with a Board as an executive shall serve on that Board in a capacity other than as an executive. B. Nominations and Voting 1. Nominating Committee a. Composition. The Nominating Committee shall consist of the Moderator, who shall be its Chair, and nine members elected by the Conference for terms of four years in such a manner that, as nearly as possible, the terms of one-half of those members expire every two years. b. Responsibilities. The Nominating Committee shall develop knowledge of pastors and laypersons and their backgrounds, abilities, and interests and shall present to the Conference a slate of nominees for Moderator and Vice Moderator, for the Board of 17

27 Directors and the Board of Ministerial Standing as provided by these Bylaws, for the Board of Regents of Trinity International University if and to the extent required by Article V.B.2 of these Bylaws, and for the Nominating Committee. In the case of the Moderator, Vice Moderator, and Nominating Committee, at least two candidates for each position shall be presented. The Nominating Committee may not nominate any member of the Nominating Committee for any position. c. Accountability. The Nominating Committee shall be accountable to the Conference. 2. Nominations from the Floor In the case of the Moderator, Vice Moderator and Nominating Committee, the Conference may nominate additional nominees from the floor. In the case of the Board of Regents of Trinity International University, no nominations from the floor shall be permitted to add to the nominees submitted by the Board of Regents pursuant to Article V.B.2.a, but nominations from the floor shall be permitted to add to the nominees submitted by the Nominating Committee pursuant to Article V.B.2.c, if applicable. No nominations from the floor shall be permitted in any other case. C. Diversity Those charged by these Bylaws with making nominations and appointments shall strive, to the best of their ability, to reflect the EFCA s commitment to biblical diversity. Article VII -- Audits The accounts of the EFCA shall be audited annually by a certified public accountant engaged by the Board of Directors. Article VIII-- Fiscal Year The fiscal year of the EFCA is the calendar year. Any change in the fiscal year shall be made only by the Conference upon the recommendation of the Board of Directors. A. Conference Proposals Article IX -- Procedural Rules No board, committee (except the Nominating Committee and temporary Conference floor committees), or officer shall present an item of business to the Conference without first presenting it to the Board of Directors, except under a suspension of the rules. B. Quorum Except as otherwise provided by these Bylaws, a quorum at any session of the Conference or any meeting of any board or committee shall be a majority of the total number of persons entitled to 18

28 vote, disregarding ex-officio members. Once the quorum is determined to be present, it shall remain in effect throughout the session or meeting. C. Majority Vote Unless otherwise provided by these Bylaws or by any rule of parliamentary procedure (as, for example, in the case of a motion to close debate), any matter considered by the Conference or any board or committee shall be decided by a majority of the votes cast, a quorum being present. Classes of members eligible to vote shall not vote by class, votes shall not be cumulated, and no one shall vote on the same question at the same time in more than one capacity. D. "Ex-Officio" The term "ex-officio," when used in these Bylaws, means that the person to whom the term is applied has all the privileges of full membership, including the right to vote (except as otherwise specifically provided in these Bylaws). E. Parliamentary Authority In all matters of parliamentary procedure not provided for by these Bylaws, the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order (Newly Revised) shall govern. Article X -- Amendments These Bylaws may be amended by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members present and voting at a Conference, provided that any such amendment shall have been published no less than sixty days before the start of that Conference, with an invitation for comments and suggestions. Any such published amendment may itself be amended by majority vote before its approval by the Conference, except that no such secondary amendment may materially expand the subject matter or scope of the published amendment except during consideration of a general revision of the Bylaws. Article XI -- Dissolution Dissolution of the EFCA may be accomplished only by the vote of two-thirds of the registered voting members of a Conference. In the event of dissolution, any assets of the EFCA remaining after the payment of or provision for debts shall be conveyed to such other organization or organizations as are, in the judgment of the Conference that effects the dissolution, best suited to carry out the purpose and objectives of the EFCA, provided, however, that any such successor organization, at the time of conveyance, must be exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of said Code, as amended, or under any successor federal law that may then be in effect. 19

29 OFFICERS Dr. William J. Hamel President Dr. Kim Coutts California (Chair) Pastor Michael Martin California (Vice Chair) Mr. Rob Mitchell Nebraska (Vice Moderator) Pastor Bill Culbertson (Secretary) Mr. Jot Turner (Treasurer) Administration and Finance Rev. Timothy Addington ReachGlobal Rev. Fritz Dale ReachNational Rev. Alvin Sanders - ReachNational Dr. Bob Kuhn President, Trinity Western University Dr. David Dockery President, Trinity International University BOARD OF DIRECTORS Pastor Bill Culbertson Minnesota (Secretary) Ms. Ruth Arnold Florida Pastor Rob Harrell* Texas Pastor Jeff Hinds Wisconsin Mr. Rob Mitchell Nebraska (Vice Moderator) Mr. Rick Terrell Ohio Mr. Steve Hawn Minnesota Mrs. Gail Collins Tennessee Pastor Eric Tober Wisconsin Pastor Omar Argumedo Texas Dr. Kim Coutts California (Chair) Dr. Rosaleah Mason North Dakota Pastor Rollo Casiple Florida Mrs. Andrea Childs Minnesota Pastor Michael Martin California (Vice Chair) Dr. Bob Rowley Texas (Superintendent) Pastor Jim Thulson Colorado *Appointed member-at-large PAST PRESIDENT/ MINISTER-AT-LARGE Dr. Thomas A. McDill PAST PRESIDENT Dr. Paul A. Cedar ARCHIVIST Dr. Tom Cairns BOARD OF MINISTERIAL STANDING Pastor Paul Schliep (Chair) California Dieter Rademacher - Colorado Michael Rice Minnesota David Linde Minnesota Rick Parker Oregon Charles Cervenka Wisconsin Calvin Swan Iowa Daryl Thompson North Dakota Glen Schrieber Florida William Wick Vermont Greg Scharf Illinois

30 STANDING COMMITTEE NOMINATING COMMITTEE Gail Martin California Ken Moberg Wisconsin Larry Ostercamp Iowa Gary Bowman California Sandy Lee Florida Gene Swanstrom Wisconsin Sara Weinert Kansas Tony Ramos Texas Dean Engebretson North Carolina

31 EFCA 2015 BALLOT EFCA PRESIDENT (requires yes or no vote) Kevin Kompelien, Hillside EFC, San Jose, CA 1. Yes OR 2. No EFCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS (requires yes or no vote) Kevin Crawford, Brookside EFC, Bowling Green, OH 3. Yes OR 4. No *Rosaleah Mason, Bethel EFC, Fargo, ND 5. Yes OR 6. No *Kim Coutts, Hillside EFC, San Jose, CA 7. Yes OR 8. No Laura Survant, Oceanside Christian Fellowship, El Segundo, CA 9. Yes OR 10. No Jim Kallam, Church at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC 11. Yes OR 12. No *Omar Argumedo, Austin Oaks Church, Austin, TX 13. Yes OR 14. No Jenni Key, First EFC of Fullerton, Fullerton, CA 15. Yes OR 16. No Regina Robinson, Heart Change Fellowship, Boston, MA 17. Yes OR 18. No David Park, Open Table Community EFC, Atlanta, GA 19. Yes OR 20. No EFCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS: DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE (requires yes or no vote) Gaylen Nagel, Forest Lakes District Superintendent 21. Yes OR 22. No BOARD OF MINISTERIAL STANDING: Pastors (requires yes or no vote) Brian Berg, Woodlands Church, Plover, WI 23. Yes OR 24. No *Charles Cervenka, Calvary Community Church, Williams Bay, WI 25. Yes OR 26. No BOARD OF MINISTERIAL STANDING: District Representative (requires yes or no vote) Greg Fell, Rocky Mountain District Superintendent 27. Yes OR 28. No *Calvin Swan, Central District Superintendent 29. Yes OR 30. No *Daryl Thompson, Northern Plains District Superintendent 31. Yes OR 32. No TRINITY INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY BOARD OF REGENTS (Submitted by the TIU Board of Regents; requires yes or no vote) Paul Wheeler, CrossLife EFC, Libertyville, IL 33. Yes OR 34. No George Davis, Hershey EFC, Hershey, PA 35. Yes OR 36. No NOMINATING COMMITTEE (Vote for no more than six) 37. Steve Gregg, Creekside Community Church, an EFC, Gainesville, FL 38. Lisa Bubar, The Chapel, an EFC, St. Joseph, MI 39. Jackie Redmond, Two Rivers EFC, Knoxville, TN 40. Cathie Leimbach, Trinity EFC, Amherst, OH 41. Suzanne Larson, Bishop Creek Community Church, an EFC, Bishop, CA 42. Bill Reed, Village EFC, Dyer, IN 43. Osvaldo Silveira, EFC Cristo Es La Roca, Wauconda, IL 44. Jay Pickerill, Wethersfield EFC, Wethersfield, CT 45. Michael Martin, Oceanside Christian Fellowship, El Segundo, CA 46. Mark Brunott, First EFC, Lincoln, NE 47. Rollo Casiple, True Vine Christian Church, EFC, Miami, FL The order of names has been determined by lot. * Incumbent

32 NOTICE OF NOMINATIONS The Evangelical Free Church of America 130 th General Conference, June 18, 2015 The order of placement on the ballot is determined by lot according to action taken by the Nominating Committee. The positions listed for each nominee include those in which they have served while being a member of an Evangelical Free Church; they are not all necessarily current positions. NOTE THAT CHURCH MEMBERSHIP IS THE FIRST THING LISTED IN EACH ENTRY BELOW EFCA PRESIDENT (Requires yes or no vote) Kevin Kompelien, Hillside EFC, San Jose, Calif.; International Leader for the Africa Division of ReachGlobal; former senior pastor, Hillside EFC, San Jose, Calif. and former senior pastor, Pleasant Valley EFC, Winona, Minn. EFCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS (Requires yes or no vote) Kevin Crawford, senior pastor, Brookside EFC, Bowling Green, Ohio; Network Catalyst-EFCA ReachNational. *Rosaleah Mason, Bethel EFC, Fargo, N.D.; EFCA Board of Directors. *Kim Coutts, Hillside EFC, San Jose, Calif.; EFCA Board of Directors Chairman; global outreach team leader. Laura Survant, Oceanside Christian Fellowship, El Segundo, Calif.; deacon of missions. Jim Kallam, senior pastor, Church at Charlotte, Charlotte, N.C.; EFCA Board of Directors. *Omar Argumedo, pastor of Hispanic Ministries, Austin Oaks Church, Austin, Texas; EFCA Board of Directors; member of EFCA National Hispanic Leadership Team. Jenni Key, First EFC of Fullerton, Fullerton, Calif.; ReachGlobal Board Chair; EFCA Board of Directors; EFCA Presidential Search Committee; Christian education board, missions board, trustee board and pastoral search committee at First EFC Fullerton. Regina Robinson, Heart Change Fellowship, Boston, Mass.; church planter, co-founder of Heart Change; Resound women s ministry, district mobilizer for New England. David Park, senior pastor, Open Table Community EFC, Atlanta, Ga.; EFCA All People Team. EFCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS-District Representative (Requires yes or no vote) Gaylen Nagel, Forest Lakes District Superintendent; formerly on district board. BOARD OF MINISTERIAL STANDING (BOMS) Pastors (Requires yes or no vote) Brian Berg, senior pastor, Woodlands Church, Plover, Wis.; District Board of Ministerial Standing Chairman. *Chuck Cervenka, senior pastor, Calvary Community Church, Williams Bay, Wis.; EFCA Board of Ministerial Standing member. NOMINATING COMMITTEE (Vote for no more than six) Steve Gregg, senior pastor, Creekside Community Church, Gainesville, Fla.; EFCA Southeast district board member. Lisa Bubar, The Chapel EFC, St. Joseph, Mich.; director for Great Lakes District (Pastoral Care Commission); women s ministries director, worship team member, Bible study leader. Jackie Redmond, Two Rivers Church, Lenoir City, Tenn.; Director of Resound Now; former EFCA national Women s Ministry director; EFCA Southeast District women s ministry mobilizer; women s ministry director. Cathie Leimbach, Trinity EFC, Amherst, Ohio; Allegheny District board member; church constitution committee and Christian education committee member. Suzanne Larson, Bishop Creek Community Church, Bishop, Calif.; women s ministry director and communication director; deaconess. Bill Reed, Village EFC, Dyer, Ind.; Great Lakes District staff member; EFCA Board of Directors. Osvaldo Silveira, EFC Cristo Es La Roca, Wauconda, Ill.; Great Lakes District Nominating Committee; EFCA Diversity Task Force member. Jay Pickerill, Wethersfield EFC, Wethersfield, Conn.; NEDA district board chairman, Midwest District board member; interim superintendent; EFCA national conference committee; deacon and church chairman; worship and music chairman. Michael Martin, associate pastor, Oceanside Christian Fellowship, El Segundo, Calif.; EFCA Board of Directors; EFCA West board member. Mark Brunott, senior pastor, First EFC, Lincoln, Neb.; EFCA Board of Directors, Midwest District board member. Rollo Casiple, senior pastor, True Vine Christian Church, Miami, Fla.; EFCA Board of Directors; GATEWAY facilitator; EFCA Southeast district board member; EFCA Student Ministry Council; Challenge conference outreach director. Names appear by lot *Incumbent BOARD OF MINISTERIAL STANDING (BOMS) District Representatives (Requires yes or no vote) Greg Fell Rocky Mountain District Superintendent; formerly on BOMS; EFCA Mission Board; district chairman. *Calvin Swan Central District Superintendent; EFCA Board of Ministerial Standing member. *Daryl Thompson Northern Plains District Superintendent; EFCA Board of Ministerial Standing member.

33 EFCA Board of Directors On behalf of the EFCA Board of Directors, welcome to Vista, California for 2015 EFCA One conference. We have gathered in unity to be challenged by motivational speakers, reconnect with friends, say goodbye to our outgoing president of 18 years, install our new president, conduct business, and worship. May the Spirit of God move freely among us during these days together. It has been my privilege to serve as a member and chair of the EFCA Board of Directors. Over the past two years ( ) we have seen significant change within the EFCA, highlights of which have been the completion of policy governance and establishment of our first Ends policy to track all the major elements of EFCA, giving us a more complete pulse on our movement; the confirmation of our new president for Trinity International University; the management of the transition process of our current President to his successor; significant progress being made in alignment of our 17 districts with our national office; and an invaluable Metrics Survey which helps to measure the faithfulness in alignment of EFCA churches to our mission and vision. Our movement has been blessed to be serving globally with 576 missionaries in 92 countries besides the US. We, as a Board, count it a privilege to encourage and support President Hamel and the members of the directional team. We are also grateful for our district superintendents and their teams, linking our national office with our over 1300 churches. As we listen to stories of change, our quarterly board meetings put us at the epicenter of the transforming work of God in the lives of people, churches and communities. These days in Vista, California, hold great promise for a future of growth and expanded disciplemaking. Paul prayed these words of encouragement to his co-laborers: Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58, ESV). May His Kingdom come, on earth, as it is in heaven. Under grace, Kim W. Coutts Chair, EFCA Board of Directors

34 PRESIDENT S REPORT Moses said to the Lord, You have been telling me, Lead these people, but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, I know you by name and you have found favor with me. If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people. (Exodus 33:12-14, NIV) During my installation as EFCA President in June 1997, I used the above text for my message to the conference, drawing out of the passage two principles for leaders of God s people. The first was to continually deepen our relationship with God. Deepening our relationship with God fans our passion for Christ and gives us what we need to face the challenges of life. Secondly, a leader must make a daily choice to live in the presence of God. There is incredible comfort in the midst of the victories, challenges and disappointments of life and ministry to have a daily awareness of His presence and His promise of rest. Facing the reality of a year of lasts, including writing my last conference report, has been grievous at times. But when I have gone back to the basics, as delineated in this passage, there has also been great joy and a deep sense of peace and rest. All of us must make these kinds of transitions at some point in life. They can be done well by deepening our relationship with Him and choosing to live in His presence. As I reflect on the past 18 years, I find it hard to believe that I have had this privilege of being your president. Together we have seen growth in numbers and diversity. We have seen a strengthening of our Statement of Faith and a clearer focus for our ministry together. The mission statement that was first developed by over 80 leaders across the EFCA 18 years ago, with some refinement in recent years, continues to give us a sense of unity of purpose. We do exist to glorify God by multiplying transformational churches among all people. In the past several years we have walked the EFCA through a process of developing a vision statement that gives us a razor focus for fulfilling the mission. This is not simply the national office s vision or even the EFCA s vision but, as T.J. Addington said in a recent blog post, this is a God-sized ask : We are praying God will raise up one million disciplemakers impacting millions with the gospel and transforming entire cities and regions globally. We believe God has called the EFCA to this vision; there are increasingly evidences of His work toward the vision across all we do. There are those who are mobilized to pray for the vision. Others are asking God for strategies to fulfill the vision, and some are working hard to carry out the plans the Lord has already given for their area of ministry. Please read the accompanying reports and be encouraged by what your national and international staff is accomplishing as the Lord leads them. The Directional Team of T.J. Addington, Fritz Dale, Alvin Sanders and Jot Turner is the finest I have worked with. Praise the Lord for them! ReachGlobal, under T.J. s leadership, has expanded beyond all our expectations. When the focus was changed to developing, empowering and releasing, the impact of ReachGlobal increased exponentially. When I came to the national office in 1990 to serve with Dr. Paul Cedar we were in 15 countries. Today we have missionaries in 43 who have impact in 93 countries. The number of leaders trained, the number of churches planted, and the number of people coming to Christ are increasing annually. Focused on mission and vision! Take time to read the ReachGlobal report; you will be encouraged.

35 ReachNational, under Fritz Dale and Alvin Sanders leadership, is gaining momentum fueled by the mission and vision. As you read their report, please notice the clear emphasis on developing disciples and leaders. Even major events like the Challenge youth conference have a focus on identifying and training leaders for the movement. Whether it is preparing pastors, leaders or students it is all mission and vision focused. The growing all people ministry should bring all of us great joy as we see the beautiful tapestry of God s creation worshipping and serving together. The importance of having a solid biblical theology underpinning our movement cannot be adequately emphasized. The positive impact of the Statement of Faith that was passed in 2008 continues to be felt. The Board of Directors has been tasked to oversee the theological alignment of the EFCA. Serving them and the EFCA, I praise the Lord for raising up Greg Strand who leads the EFCA Board of Ministerial Standing to provide a credentialing process that is attuned to the theological issues of today, leads the Spiritual Heritage Committee and provides training in theology. Annually Greg gives a theological update to the Board of Directors to assist them in their responsibility. Greg has served me and the EFCA so well, for which I am grateful. Finance and Operations is led by Jot Turner. During his tenure Jot has built a team in accounting and other service departments that we all should be proud of. As a Directional Team we all realize that our ministries could not function well without the excellent service we receive from Finance and Operations. A ministry that often goes unnoticed is EFCA Chaplains. Navy Captain Roy Bebee has led this ministry for ten years and just recently transitioned in retirement for the second time. He handed the ministry off to Army Colonel Phil Wright who now oversees the ministry to 94 active, reserve and National Guard chaplains and chaplain candidates, plus 113 institutional chaplains. Free Church Ministers and Missionaries (FCMM) and Christian Investors Financial (CIF) are two other ministries dedicated to serving you out of the national office. Please review their written reports and praise the Lord for their service to you and your church. FCMM has now expanded beyond retirement planning and service to include payroll services, long-term disability, and access to health insurance through a partnership with GuideStone. CIF continues to serve individuals well with the availability of Certificates of Deposit for investment. Churches have access through CIF to loan funds and capital campaign services. Ross Morrison (FCMM) and Paul Anderson (CIF) continue to lead the development of quality organizations to serve EFCA individuals and entities. The entire staff that works out of the national office is committed to serving you well. Beside those above the entire office of the President staff is a joy to work with. Thank you, Sylvia Lund and Dani Richards, who work in theology and credentialing; Cher Lorentz who serves in communications and special events, and Laurie Seay who is the Event Planner for all the big events such as EFCA One and Challenge plus many other smaller events. Paula Pust, who serves as Director of Operations for OOP, is my personal assistant and so much more. When she joined our team ten years ago, my effectiveness and ability to use my strengths increased exponentially. Thank you, Paula! The entire staff that works out of the national office is committed to serving you well. Beside those above, the entire Office of the President staff is a joy to work with. Paula Pust, who serves as Director of Operations for OOP, is my personal assistant and so much more. When she joined our team ten years ago my effectiveness and ability to use my strengths increased exponentially. Thank you Paula! While I have served as president for 18 years, this November will mark the anniversary of joining the national office team 25 years ago. Over those years ministry has expanded and staff numbers have decreased. Finding the right staff and utilizing technology has allowed us to serve you with a leaner operation. Having said that, our staff deserves and needs your prayer and financial support. Many are

36 overworked and underpaid for the ministry they do. My prayer is that every EFC would join the majority who support the office for the sake of His glory and the health of our staff. During the past 25 years I have served with many Board of Directors members. We have seen change on the board to more broadly reflect the demographics of the EFCA. I am deeply grateful for the Lord s provision of a great board that has moved to a governance model, allowing us to serve freely within the mission and vision while at the same time holding us accountable for the key metrics. The board provides accountability, a wealth of wisdom, and the ability to assist us in looking to the future. Most leaders and members of the EFCA do not know my family. Their love, prayer and support has enabled me to serve for 43 years in ministry. My bride Karen has gotten much more than she signed up for when we were married! Little did either of us see pastoral, district and national ministry in our future. Without her support, in so many ways, I would not have been able to serve. Thank you, my love! Our marriage has produced two daughters, Krista and Kari, who are married to David and Eric (respectively) and they have become the sons I never had. Karen and I have five grandchildren: Emma (10), Ian (10), Will (8), Ethan (6) and Linnea (6). As grandparents understand, they bring great joy to our lives! Thank you for the privilege of serving you! While I will continue to serve His church with joyful anticipation, I look forward to what the Lord has in store for the EFCA. Dr. William J. Hamel EFCA President

37 Board of Ministerial Standing In addition to overseeing the credentialing of candidates for either the Ministry License or one of the Certificates (Certificate of Christian Ministry or Certificate of Ordination), the Board of Ministerial Standing (BOMS) also oversees the placing of credentials in trust for personal or disciplinary reasons. In addition the Director of Pastoral Care, the Director of Hispanic Ministries and the Director/Endorser of EFCA Chaplains give update reports on issues related to their particular ministries as they relate to credentialing. During 2014 the Board of Ministerial Standing began to work on the implementation of the renewable Ministry License. The Ministry License no longer has an expiration date at which point a person must acquire a Certificate of Christian Ministry or Certificate of Ordination. The Ministry License may now be held indefinitely with a five-year renewal/reaffirmation and a qualifying ministry. Because of some of the changes to the various credentials, the Steps Toward Credentialing document was updated. BOMS also began discussions regarding repealing the Divorce Policy Exception and instead broadening the inquiry to any number of areas in a person s past that may be problematic for someone serving in vocational ministry. The issue will be decided at the current EFCA One business session. BOMS continues to consider other avenues for acquiring theological acumen and ministry skill enhancement. GATEWAY continues to be an excellent tool for this. The Central District is fine tuning a three-year process and EFCA West continues to use a cohort approach to writing the credentialing paper. Bill Mounce met with BOMS to discuss a very helpful, accesible video resource in BibleTraining.org. Several members of BOMS were privileged to serve as the credentialing council for Dr. David Dockery as he sought ordination with EFCA as part of his accepting the role as the president of TIU. BOMS continues to work on making sure that theological issues currently being discussed in our culture are being addressed among our pastoral staffs and asked about at the credentialing councils. Work is being done on making the History and Polity class, which is required for credentialing, more widely accessible and readily available. There is also an initiative beginning for creating podcasts for each of the articles in the Statement of Faith. While BOMS does not directly create these initiatives, we do support them and we have opportunity for input regarding them. Respectfully submitted, Paul Schliep, Chair

38 EFCA Credential Report January 1 - December 31, 2013 Temporary Credentials Issued: Licenses: Andrew J. Klausen Peter Bunnell Joshua McDonald Jeremy Lind Barry Hannant David Denbek Kent Sundberg Andrew Peterson Lucas Gleaves Richard Kennedy Daniel Lowery Ethan Johnson Stanley Peterson Thomas McElroy Shawn Ammons Dennis Dimitrov James George Jonathan Harris Michael Herrington Steven Hudson Gin Lao Kevin Miller Derek Olson Richard Shaffer License Extensions: Mark Fugere Brian Abbott James Crouter Kurt Geib Matthew Metzger James Matthews Darren Carlson Julie Andersen Jerry Johnson David Johnson Tonee Martin Carlyn Cole Keith Reeser Jonathan Caldwell Bryan Lair William Jones Jeffrey Andridge Gregory Barrier James Snyder Christopher Cundiff Joshua Reese 1 Scott Millard Edward Gross Jeremy Vander Galien Timothy Wagner Eric Nygren Chad Hemphill Suzanne Larson Jennifer Burns Kenneth Casey Jeremy Deck Mark Edwards Lance Gentry Malcolm Light, III Jeffrey Loven Zacharia O Neel Paul Johnson Timothy Brubacher MIchaelle Asay Daniel Burleson Stephen Jarman Jeffrey Donelan Matthew Willy Daniel Kasey Vincent Tomei David Trumbore Timothy Batdorf Brian Hammonds Matthew Rusten Ruth Chantse Peter Morgante Jason Peterson David Paul Benner Todd Brooks Joel Hassenzahl David Johnson R. Bradley Hopman David Stimes Henry Meyers Ross Hunter Bing Nieh Timothy Addington Patrick Hanson Kent Dresdow Kyumin Whang

39 Lay Ministry Licenses renewals: Ron Glynn John Jones Licenses (Expired): James Bennett Daniel Brinkmann Jay Brown David Dunaway Matthew Ernst Christopher Henderson Peter Kind Lucas Miller Shawn Sauve Neil Schultz Jeffrey Seavey Anthony West James Bates James Best Donna Braly Marrton Dormish Temporary Credentials Dropped: Daniel Garcia Scott Goossen C. Hadley Benjamin Hickenlooper Bradley Hicks David Hoffmeister Randal Jensen Michael Kim Charles Moeri John Silva Scott Tilley Mark Watland Jacques Weber James Wehner John Williams Licenses (In Trust Not in ministry) Ethan Johnson Licenses (No Longer EFCA): Gaius Berg Brian Iverson Brian Wallace David Pastrell John Rehling Jason Cassel Lay Licenses (Expired): Scott Cernek Licenses (Revoked): Nathan Mazzuca Permanent credentials: 5 Year renewable Licenses NEW: 5 Year renewable Licenses CONVERTED: Gabriel Doerksen Kyle Larson David Hoffman Ronald Stevens Andrew Peterson John Bifoss Mark Allen Bryan Allen Chad Patterson Patrick Severson Michael Smoron Todd Erlandson Mark Burks Kyumin Whang Warren Wetherell Joshua Hawley Jesus Rodriguez Williams Behrends Haddon Anderson John Schaefer 2

40 Ordination Service Completed: Zachary Grell Thomas Penner Michael Urton James Schultz Steven Balsley Kevin Miller Jonathan Anderson John Rosensteel Nathan Glaze Manny Rocha Clinton Hogrefe Bryan Hull Kevin Redding Joseph Mullarkey Joseph Henseler Seth Fagerland James Hudzinski Eric Uggerud Transfer of Ordination to the EFCA: Josef Tschirhart Michael Kirkman Alan Stover Brian Miller Everett McKeehan David Johnson Robert W. Grose Marshall Erickson Credential Restored: None Credential Revoked: Daniel DeVries (COO) Rodney Applington (COO) David Williams John Vosnos Justin Keller Kelly Larson Nathan Winters Bruce McKanna Timothy Buck Bradley Scheiner Phillip Bloomdahl Ryan Caudill Thomas Behling Charles Currie Matthew Shirkey Tood Brooks Mark Petras Gary Yess Paul Deasy Matthew Sees Certificate of Christian Ministry: Joseph Violi Robert Holsinger Daniel Wells Andrew Kvernen F. Scott Johnson Credential Placed in Trust for Discipline: None Credential Transferred out of the EFCA: Clinton Ayers John Cherico Joseph Gruchacz Kent Palmer Jason Tobin Paul Weathers DPE Granted: David Denbek John Kuvakas Vicki Paison Lerida Quevedo Vidal Quevedo Mildred Rodriguez Samuel Rodriguez Dan Rydberg Jean Rydberg Kathleen Langford Andy Garcia Terry Garcia Matthew Darnell 3

41 EFCA Credential Report January 1 - December 31, 2014 Extensions: Daniel D. Leman Andrew Johnson Gib Giblin Ryan P. Folken James R. Daggs Joshua L. Black Jeremiah J. Fair Jeremiah J. Clapper Mark J. Fugere David Huber Thomas A. Olson Brandon J. Forguson Jeff Talbert Kurt E. Geib Bob Stouffer Trent Thompson Mickey Thornton Mike Kaylani Temporary credentials issued: AndrewJ. Sparks Timothy A. Augustyn Tony Hunt William Gorman Aaron Goldstein James A. Wolfe William Gorman John Houston Bryan Lair Paul Voltmer Neil Magnuson Andrew Jones Steve Mawhorter Jeff Anderson Tyler Parson Robert Chadwick Richard Kennedy Lay Ministry License renewals: none Temporary credentials dropped: Licenses (Expired): Ed Harris Benjamin Walton Steven VanDunk Evelyn Tarbell Danny Lundberg Michael Gunderson Stephen Mak Timothy Baylor Timothy Beam Robert Biggers Thomas Blaylock Eric Bolger Robert Brown Licenses (In Trust Not in Ministry: Aaron Olson Jeff Korhorn Kevin Stuhlman Robert Bruffett Nick Cannell Robert Carer Tadd Chapman Richard Chase Leslie Chiang Kim Cone Jill Dejewski Dorothy Doswald Kurt Gelman Kenneth Grano Mathew Olson Mark Akers Licenses Revoked: None Lay Licenses Expired: None 1

42 Licenses (No Longer EFCA): Edward Smith Heath Krueger Jonathan Armstrong Rob Ely Paul Eng Jonathan Marshall Daniel Fritz Jeff Knitt Jeff Smith Bradley Aust Permanent credentials: 5 Year renewable Licenses NEW: Erik Stapleton Ruth H. Snapp Brad T. Toyama Gaylen Nagel Rodney D. Wedel Matthew J. Stanghelle Kevin Meek Kevin B. Williams Joshua L. Parson Daniel L. Rydberg Brent M. Kompelien Joshua D. McClintock Frank P. Langford Gordon C. MacPhail Bright Hua Judy Crockett Scotty R. Clark James M. Buehler Douglas Coult Mark Marvel Mark Halstrom Michael Callahan Jorge Osorio Roland Carpenter Elijah Vogel Geoffrey Rondeau Albert Powers, III Kevin Matthews Joel Elwood Julius Dudics Curtis Romig Marshall Dunbar Gregory Atkins Christopher Yops Andrew Schwenk Jon Teague Ryan Jaeger Nicolas Hendriks Brian Musselman Ronnie Matin Adam Weis Steven Morgan Paul LeFeber Michael Jahnke Lief Erickson, III Mark Henderson Blake Williams Michelle Wicks Paul Seehusen Michael Perry John Biegel David Reyes Mark Miller Scott Barber Tyler Strickfaden Jeremy Nelson Pedro Teran (Non-Vocational) 5 Year renewable Licenses CONVERTED FROM TEMPORARY: Nathanael J. Baylor Keith D. Reeser Jeffrey Gagnon Robert L. Rounds Julie Andersen David P. Schultz Frederick N. Rodeheaver David Spencer Brian J. Abbott Brett C. Gleason Paul J. Green Brandon Lemons Daniel L. Ford Jason A. Sasse 2

43 Chris Jessen Joseph Williquette Christopher M. Rollman Eric Couch Gary Page Anthony Thompson Douglas A. Kehr Joel D. Hassenzahl 5 Year renewable Licenses CONVERTED FROM TEMPORARY (Cont d.) Kent E. Wade David Theis Carlyn W. Cole Matthew C. Metzger Shane M. Stacey David J. Johnson Judith A. Hollander Eric J. Sandberg Shawn N. Ammons Kevin Andres Timothy Sherreitt Celso Merlos Jill Discher Cabot N. Ashwill Phillip Hall John S. Ojode Kenneth-James Ruis Tencza John R. Westurn E. Blaire McGwire Justin McFarland John Allert Thomas F. Hutchison John F. Adams Brian Conyers Tonee Martin Timothy Batdorf Scott Moore Chad Englund Jason Eeten Christopher Cundiff Timothy Peterson Timothy Hanks Dion Brooks Gregory Barrier William Jones Neil Schultz Scott Cernek Peter Morgante Curtis Kroeker Jeffrey Leatherman Richard Schwartz Rollo Casiple R. Bradley Hopman Anthony West Charles Ross, Jr. Francisco Alvarenga David Benner Anthony Aria Adam Chiappelone Teodoro Mendoza Andrew Smiley Henry Meyers Brian Musselman Bradley Zook Ian Carlisle James Matthews Tyson Ziegler Michael Howard Mark Hahn Patrick Hanson James Daggs Martin Martin Ruth Chantse Jacob Merriman Jeffrey Spindle Khoi To Kent Dresdow Gary Ridley Christopher Stukenberg Thomas Trowbridge (Non Vocational) Ordination Services Completed: Nathan T. Sauve Darren M. Carlson James A. Panaggio Nathan Noorlun Paul Parker Keet Redden Charles Huyett Richard Lew Kirk Albrecht Jonah Haddad 3 Larry Mori Adrian Rayo Ruben Navarrete Matthew Rusten Jeremy Vander Galien Brett Cushing Joshua Reese Joshua Owens Gordon Williams Ross Hunter James Snyder

44 Tyler Parson Transfer of Ordination to the EFCA: Beau H. Coffron Robert G. Bressert, Jr. Jonathan P. Steeper David Jones Richard Durrance Robert Stretch James Turek Caleb Hastings Frederick Cressman Credential Restored: James McNeil Certificate of Christian Ministry: James E. Crouter Ryan Pott Mary Ellen Johnson Eric Douglass Nicklas McKittrick Credential Revoked: None Credential Placed in Trust for Discipline: None Credential Work Not completed Dropped: Ron Britton Marion Frackiewicz Kenneth Kemp Jay Heesch Todd Johnson Marc Zeisloft Randy Littlefield Robert Williford Credential Transferred Out of the EFCA: Clinton Ayers John Cherico Joseph Gruchacz Kent Palmer Jason Tobin Paul Weathers John Niemeyer David Derksen William Meyer Credential Placed in Trust for Personal Reasons: Thomas J. Barnes Peter King Gregory J. Chenoweth Timothy R. Barnes Troy Rininger Kevin Stuhlman Timothy Barnes George Shea Charles Addis John Allen Craig Cornelius Gregory Houck Darris Arnold Dennis Johnston Richard Roberts Mathew Warren David Steel David Thomas David Callen Mathew Hopkins Dennis Johnson Dennis Nitschke Richard Van Norst Marcus Solt James Brisson Randy Heinsch 4

45 Credential Dropped No Longer EFCA: John Stevens Michael Scolare Benjamin Gildner Daniel Haakenson Larry Jones Steve Krantz James Lee Oliver Lung Martin McCorkle Rodney Price Severiano Roman Brian Welsh Andrew Woodring John Yoder Donald Buege Michael Cooper John Luyben Joseph Urcavich Thomas Andrews Daricia Bierer David Callen Robert DeWoody Ronald Hammer Ross Jenkins Greg Laible Kevin Lund Joseph Walser Joel Winchell Jerry Moritz Scott Gill Paul Haken Demund Keene James Lam Lance Lefler Thoas Mason Danny Phillips Todd Roberts Philip Saul Michael Wetzig Frank Wray David Brett Daniel Cole Thomas Cutright Mark Thomas Jeffrey Dudenhofer Robert Betzold Douglas Britton Kenneth Demeter Garth Erickson Richard Hansen Thomas Koehler Steven Lo Marc Wallace Stephen Ward Gregg Day DPE granted: Marsha Andersen Timothy Johnson Steven Morgan 5

46 ReachGlobal Report By the Numbers Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted. Albert Einstein God has blessed ReachGlobal with growth in every area of ministry that we can count. We trust this is just a slight reflection of our Kingdom growth in areas and ways that cannot be counted. Included in the report is a document that gives some of the numbers for This document represents a major milestone in our ability to track and document the key ministries where we pray to see quantitative growth. The most significant number, and the one central to our mission, is that of training leaders. In 2014 this number was 7,219 in the 93 countries where we serve. As more leadership is developed around the world, all of our ministry partners will flourish and the Kingdom will be expanded. Leadership Focus The central focus of the ReachGlobal Sandbox, to develop, empower, and release leaders, defines what we must do day in and day out to accomplish the EFCA vision statement. Training ReachGlobal staff and national leaders to train others in local church discipleship, church planting and movement leadership will effectively multiply transformational churches among all people. Several new training projects were started in 2013 and 2014 to develop leadership within and outside of ReachGlobal. The first was our Clarity Conference, which is specifically designed to train our leaders in how to develop and implement a Leadership Sandbox for effective ministry. Second was a ReachGlobal Leadership Cohort. This three-year project was designed to develop our key younger leaders for future leadership roles. Both of these training events use the books Leading from the Sandbox and Deep Influence as the basic texts for study, but the real transformation comes as these leaders interact with senior ReachGlobal leadership, and each other, integrating this training in their real life context of ministry. Other major events key to the transformational leadership training of our national partners were church planting conferences in each of our international divisions. At these events we brought together leaders from our national movement partners to interact with ReachGlobal leadership and each other. While ReachGlobal hosted each of these events, they are very much a time in national leadership participation and interaction. Tim Addington was asked to be the key note speaker at each of these events with Leading from the Sandbox and Deep Influence as key texts (both now translated into multiple languages). A newer division in ReachGlobal that has been gaining momentum, both in staffing and international influence, is our Global Equipping Division. This Division focuses on training events with our national partners on local church discipleship, coaching church planting pastors, and training for movement leaders. This division now has 18 staff and is each year

47 training hundreds of leaders that influence thousands of local church leaders and constituents for the advancement of the gospel. Gospel Centered Compassion GlobalFingerprints, our child sponsorship program, saw 2,405 children moving from despair to hope, experiencing, as never before, the love of Jesus. This number is five over our faith goal for 2014 and connected with our prayer to give new hope for ten thousand children in the years to come. GlobalFingerprints children are all under the care of our local ministry partners in Liberia, Congo, Zambia, India, Haiti and Indonesia. In this way not only are these vulnerable children given care, but whole communities are impacted for the gospel and churches planted. Our Crisis Response Division still provides ministry of care and compassion in areas of the world struck by a disaster. Evangelical Free Churches around the United States have given millions of dollars and sent thousands of individuals, often in teams, to respond to disaster sites in the Philippines, Japan, New Orleans, New York and other sites. The Mission of Choice ReachGlobal desires to be the mission of choice for each of our Evangelical Free Churches in the United States. The Great Commission is the responsibility of the local church; ReachGlobal s charge is to ensure that your church has the leadership training, missional strategies, and support necessary to fulfil that responsibility. At this time sixty percent of our churches are connected with us through missional partnerships, church coalitions, and missionary support. Our goal is to grow that percentage annually! T.J. Addington, Executive Director, ReachGlobal

48 ReachGlobal ReachGlobal Missionaries (long-term staff) 576 Total Budget $33,000,000 Approximate number of leaders being trained: 7,219 Number of church plants started this year (with staff involvement): 27 Total number of national partners: 216 Approximate total number of church plants started by partners this year: Approximate total number of churches in partnering movements: Approximate total number of constituents in partnering movements: 1,189 10,328 1,004,226 Number of students involved in Trek7 40 Number of Trek7 locations 6 Accepted missionaries Long term 7-23 months 1-6 months Total Number of Countries where we have missionaries: 43 Total Number of Countries where we have ministry impact: 93 Locations with Acts 19 results: 4 Locations targeted for Acts 19 results: 20 Emerging locations with some Acts 19 results: 9 GlobalFingerprints ,405 children moving from despair to hope, experiencing, as never before, the love of Jesus. This number is five over our faith goal for 2014, connected with our prayer to give new hope for ten thousand children in the years to come.

49 ReachNational Report God has been at work in ReachNational. Below are seven highlights from the last two years: ReachNational Milestone of helping our churches create a disciplemaking culture resulted in the development of five disciplemaking team questions for church staff and elder boards to utilize. We have also identified a variety of resources for each one of those questions that churches can utilize to grow a disciplemaking culture. We are thrilled to have had nearly 6,000 students and youth workers at the Challenge 2014 Youth Conference in Kansas City. The opportunity to send 2,000 out into the community in the name of Jesus to serve and live out the gospel made a powerful impact on the city. The partnership with the ReachGlobal Berlin Team leading the Love Moves experience for students was well received and life-changing for many. We have also been pleased to see the BUMP (Bridging Urban Ministry Partnerships) partnership with urban churches grow under the leadership of April Warfield and Rosanne Wood. Jeff Sorvik, our Church Multiplication Catalyst, continues to give strong leadership to our church planting boot camps and, in partnership with Alex Mandes and Ricardo Palmerin, we are now hosting a yearly Spanish-speaking boot camp. Jeff has also started a multiplication network called Creo Collective that involves nearly 30 EFCA pastors and churches committed to a culture of multiplication. We are continuing to enjoy greater partnership with our district superintendents, demonstrated as we served together in co-hosting 22 national conversations on the EFCA vision and creating vision next step partnerships with the district superintendents and their district conferences. We are also encouraged with the Domestic Collaboration Team which includes four of our district superintendents, ReachNational directors, and the EFCA President in strategizing together to fulfill our mission and vision. Alex Mandes and his team continue to expand the theological and ministry training of GATEWAY to over 90 sites around the USA. Each one of these sites is run by volunteers and is self-sustaining. Jeff Sorvik and three of our district superintendents partnered together in revising our annual church survey to align more accurately to our EFCA mission and vision. We now are collecting critical data that not only gives us information about our churches, but also provides data to show us whether or not transformation such as disciplemaking and community gospel impact are taking place. In the last two years, we have experienced the transition of George Klippenes (retired) to Jeff Sorvik, the valuable addition of Chris Harrell as our ReachNational Communications Coordinator, and we soon will say farewell to Alvin Sanders as he takes on leadership with World Impact. Alvin and George have been valuable partners in the ReachNational journey. Rev. Fritz T. Dale Executive Director of ReachNational

50 The EFCA All People Initiative is a national coalition of multiethnic and multicultural leaders committed to disciplemaking, gospel impact, and community transformation. We want to reverse division, multiply Kingdom growth, and develop transformational churches. We ve seen God do some amazing things these last few years. Our biggest milestone reached is presently 22% of all EFCA churches are classified as either ethnic or multicultural. We were at 13% when the initiative started in This makes us one of the most diverse denominations in the United States. It is also exciting to know that based on our most recent survey results, 47% of our churches desire to reach across ethnic lines. Over these last two years a very talented All People Initiative team has been assembled as well. Alex Mandes serves as our Director of Immigrant Mission and Ben Johnson serves as Associate Director of Immigrant Hope. We also added several ministry coordinators who serve in a parttime capacity (Troy Smith, Ricardo Palmerin, Ruth Arnold, and Ray Chang). The team has done an excellent job in assisting me in leadership. We have started several annual affinity group gatherings. One is with interested EFCA leaders at the Christian Community Development (CCDA) Conference. Before the multi-day conference begins, we meet together for a day of fellowship and leadership development. Another is the All People Round Table, where we gather together pastors who are interested in developing multicultural churches. Seneca Creek Community Church of Gaithersburg, MD graciously serves as our host. In the area of younger leader development, we took the lead in improving and amplifying the importance of EFCA Week at our school, Trinity International University. It has turned into an excellent week of building relationship with both seminary and undergraduate students, connecting them with entry level positions such as internships. We have also increased our digital footprint significantly. All of my team members contribute to the All People blog, and we have streamlined and focused our social media presence. Several videos were produced in an effort to help recruit leaders of color to join our movement. Lastly, on July 1 I will be transitioning to World Impact. World Impact is a Christian missions organization committed to facilitating church planting movements by evangelizing, equipping and empowering the unchurched urban poor. I transition with a grateful heart. During my years of service at the EFCA national office, I have experienced tremendous personal development and watched God move us rapidly towards becoming an all people movement. Please pray for me and my family, ReachNational, the EFCA Directional Team, and for the entire EFCA movement during this transition. Dr. Alvin Sanders Associate Executive Director of ReachNational

51 Finance and Operations Department The mission of the Finance and Operations department is to glorify God through supporting the national office departments, staff, missionaries, donors, churches and other constituencies of the EFCA by providing exceptional service. In so doing, these departments help the EFCA more effectively glorify God by multiplying transformational churches among all people. The EFCA s finances are managed by eight full-time accountants in Minneapolis and five Division Business Managers for the five major areas of the world served by ReachGlobal. Together they are always streamlining processes which reduce costs and benefits missionaries and ministries throughout the EFCA. EFCA remains a member in good standing with the ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability). The requirements of membership are stringent and provide assurance to donors, churches, and outside parties that the EFCA s finances are stewarded according to strict and appropriate standards. The EFCA s auditors, BKD, issued a clean opinion on the combined financial statements for These can be found in the financial section of these reports. EFCA operations and foundation investments are managed by a Board-appointed Investment Committee consisting of appropriate staff and three non-staff members. The Investment Committee contracts with Syntrinsic Investment Counsel for strategic and day-to-day investment transactions. Both the Committee and the investment management firm operate according to a Board-approved Investment Policy. Stewardship of assets goes beyond simply finances. In an effort to steward the building that houses the national office in Minneapolis, regular and systematic improvements are made annually. In 2014 the third floor housing ReachNational and the Office of the President departments had its carpet and walls updated for the first time in twenty years. Though primarily cosmetic, these improvements and regular improvements to the building assure frequent guests, employees, and tenants a safe and positive place to work. Jot Turner Senior Vice President of Finance & Operations

52 Trinity International University Heritage and Hope Report for June 2015 EFCA Conference Through the capable leadership of Interim President Neil Nyberg, the Trinity community moved to a place of stability during the academic year, for which we are most grateful. The academic year has been a time of hopeful encouragement for faculty, staff, and students. For God's goodness and blessings to Trinity during both of these years, we offer our heartfelt thanksgiving. Recent Highlights: Celebrated Trinity Evangelical Divinity School s 50th Anniversary of the second founding in May of Adopted the new far-reaching strategic plan, "Heritage and Hope: Trinity 2023," unanimously and enthusiastically approved by the Trinity Board of Regents. Completed and dedicated the Van Dixhorn arena in the fall of Received a marvelous gift of a Torah Scroll. Adopted a new University Hymn. Completed and dedicated the John and Susan Woodbridge Reading Room in the library, providing a location to display nearly 500 books that have been authored by Trinity faculty. Established a Founders' Day tradition. Completed and dedicated the new Norton Welcome Center, named in honor of H. Wilbert Norton, the 9th president of the institution. Applauded the faithful service of Tite Tienou and Jeanette Hsieh as they stepped aside from their academic leadership roles on the Trinity campus. Welcomed Graham Cole as Dean, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and Tom Cornman, Dean, Trinity College and Graduate School. Also welcomed Rich Grimm, Mark Kahler, Felix Theonugraha, and Paul Eisenmenger to roles among the University Leadership Team. Named Carl Johnson as Special Assistant to the President for Church and Community Relations. Named Peter Cha as Special Assistant to the President for Intercultural and International Initiatives. Launched new academic programs for undergraduates and graduate students. Added key faculty members for the College, Graduate School, Divinity School, and Law School, including Steve Kang, Jared Alcantara, William Wagner, among others. Hosted the 2015 EFCA Theology Conference on the Doctrine of Scripture Plan to initiate new Centers and program emphases related to global theology, world Christianity, Transformational Churches, Leadership, among others. Named by Christianity Today: Union with Christ, by New Testament faculty member Con Campbell as the 2014 Book of the Year Named by Christianity Today: Faith Seeking Understanding, by Theology faculty member Kevin Vanhoozer as the 2015 Theology Book of the Year.

53 Completed the fiscal year and the fiscal year at Trinity, by God's gracious provision, in a positive manner. We are grateful to God for 2700 students who have come to study at Trinity from almost every state in the country and almost 50 different countries. We are thankful for thousands of alums who are serving in the United States in key positions as well as many, many more who are advancing the gospel in strategic ways on every continent around the globe. Trinity continues to take seriously the responsibility to carry forward the best of the heritage of the Evangelical Free Church, to advance the brilliant vision of Kenneth Kantzer and Carl Henry, and to envision a stronger commitment to a multi-generational, intercultural, multi-ethnic, and global evangelicalism. We are genuinely grateful for the prayers, support, encouragement, and financial gifts from friends across the Evangelical Free Church family. Faithfully, David S. Dockery, president Trinity International University

54 Trinity Western University Ministry results : Culture shaping in the New Era On July 1, 2013, Bob Kuhn began his appointment as President of Trinity Western University, and ushered in a New Era of the University, with a focus on building a culture of trust. Because it brings together so many talented and committed people scholars, researchers, professionals, students, alumni, community partners, and supporters Trinity Western has tremendous opportunity to impact culture in Canada and beyond. We can accomplish so much more together than any of us can do on our own. That s why a big part of President Kuhn s New Era is to build stronger relationships with all parts of the wider TWU community. In the year, this included establishing a parent engagement team, with team members serving parents in BC, Alberta, and Ontario, and creating a church relations strategy to help us do a better job of listening to and serving the church community we are a part of. This past spring and summer, TWU s Global Projects team saw 170 students, staff, faculty, and alumni take part in 13 trips across the globe, from North America to Asia and several places in between. Over the course of their studies, some 57 per cent of TWU graduates will have learned or served internationally. TWU s proposed School of Law, framed within its mission to develop skilled and compassionate leaders who make a positive difference in the world, was fully approved in December However, we have since faced unprecedented opposition not in regards to our quality of education, but as to whether the TWU community may live, work and study together in a manner and environment that is consistent with its Christian identity. Despite being thrust into the national news and engaging in what might be a long and difficult battle, it is with confidence that Trinity Western continues in its mission to impact culture, in the legal profession and beyond, by developing godly Christian leaders for the marketplaces of life. Vision for ministry: Transforming Hearts and Minds Trinity Western is about transforming students lives students of all ages and from all parts of the world. Each year, more and more adult learners and international students are enrolling in higher education in North America. Part of the New Era strategy is to embrace this opportunity to impact these communities. This includes special initiatives to bring transformational Christian education to more adult and international learners. The TWU Richmond learning centre is scheduled to open Fall 2015, offering Adult and International Degree Completion and MA in Leadership programs. TWU is already running thriving programs in rented space in Richmond. The University Transfer Program brings international students to TWU, offering them support to integrate into the

55 TWU undergraduate student community. On November 9, 2013, TWU s first ever Chinabased MA in Leadership class graduated in Suzhou, China. On October 17, 2013, TWU launched The Great Wall MBA in Tianjin, China, in partnership with Tianjin University of Finance and Economics. Over the next five years, Trinity Western will continue to develop leaders through transformative education, contribute to the development of the church, and positively impact the communities in which TWU s people serve. Submitted by: President Bob Kuhn

56 Allegheny District Superintendent Report 2015 ALLEGHENY DISTRICT JEFF POWELL, SUPERINTENDENT 239 Braun Road Beaver Falls, PA Office (412) The Allegheny district continues to passionately pursue the mission of multiplying transformational churches among all people. The Allegheny District focuses leadership and resources in: church health, church planting, pastoral care, stewardship, structure, and communication. These six areas provide guidance and direction for district strategies and initiatives. Over the past year we worked with numerous churches in each of these areas. The Allegheny District provides a variety of church health resources for our churches. We are focusing efforts on making disciplemakers, and completed a twoyear study on the life of Christ with pastors in Ohio. We hope to reproduce this training in Pennsylvania. We have also prioritized working with elder teams to develop and train in what a healthy elder team is and does. Our district webpage has listings of workshops and training events the District offers. We are blessed to have solid biblical visionary leadership at the District Board level. This past year we completed our research and recommendation to move to formal alignment with the EFCA national office. We believe this move will better serve and resource our churches. We also believe this will strengthen the EFCA by allowing us to work as one team in serving local churches. At our District Conference in April, the Conference Delegates voted to move forward in formal alignment. We are blessed to have several teams who serve within the District. We have five men who lead Regional Pastors Gatherings monthly. These groups meet to provide support, encouragement, and equipping resources for our pastors. We currently have five men who serve on the Constitution and Credentialing Board. This Board serves the district by overseeing the credentialing process as well as approval of Constitutions and Bylaws. To multiply transformational churches among all people we need to stay focused on church planting. We are praying that each of our regional pastor groups can identify a location and plant in their region. The Allegheny District believes healthy churches must have healthy pastors and leaders. We continue to offer our annual Pastors and Wives Retreat, Stay Sharp, and Annual Conference to equip and encourage our leaders. The District accepted three church plants to full member status in the past two years: The Well, in Rochester, NY, Abundant Grace, in Oberlin, Ohio, and Substance Church, in Ashland, Ohio. We closed Crossroads Church, in Holidaysburg, PA, and Foundations Church Plant, in Pittsburgh. The Allegheny District currently has 32 churches in our district and three church plants. May God find us faithful in spreading the gospel till He returns! In Christ, Jeff K. Powell District Superintendent

57 Central District Over the past two years two themes have challenged our district. We recognize that we have a Dangerous Calling. The gospel has never been popular with the worldly wise, but today even general culture seems to be less tolerant of those who are committed to Jesus Christ. There are world movements putting to death anyone who claims the name of Jesus. We are encouraged that in Jesus we have RealLife. We recognize that being born again is just the start of a lifetime of experiencing the riches and treasures of life in Jesus. So although we are in the midst of challenging and dangerous times, it is exciting to know that God calls us to live courageous and exciting lives of ministry. Planting churches remains a vital part of our calling. In 2014 the Downtown Church of Milford, Iowa was accepted as a full member church In 2015 Quest Church of Ellisville, Missouri joined the district. In addition to our 131 official members we have 11 church groups growing toward membership. Our church planting team remains strong with Mark Doss and Al Frank both serving in regional associate roles. In terms of multi-ethnic/cultural ministry we are missing Luis Martinez, who retired in However, we are committed to hiring another director for this ministry. In the meantime Todd Brooks is providing great leadership in an interim role. Healthy Church Growth is an integral focus in our district. Larry Austin leads us in a number of church health initiatives, with disciplemaking his priority. In addition to Live 2:6 clusters that he has initiated throughout the district, he has created this year (in partnership with FORGE ministry), a cohort of leaders are applying missional discipleship on a practical level. Larry and I continue to develop and lead five different affinity groups of pastors. Larry also mentors a Vision Implementing Pastor group (VIP) helping churches execute their vison, taking it from paper to making it real in their church life. Another strong ministry is the Workshop on Biblical Exposition that we have hosted in partnership with Simeon Ministry. Each year a world class teacher is on site in our district to help our pastors improve as expositional preachers. While it is held each fall, it is like spring training for pastors. Every ministry in our district is designed, at some level, to build better disciples and disciplemakers. We have recently developed our 100-acre Rock River Campus for deeper spiritual formation, helping our church pastors, leaders and attendees to develop a deeper, closer walk with Jesus. Hidden Acres, our 640-acre camp, is designed to introduce people to Jesus, hosting large events and conducting our growing summer camp ministry. Westhaven Community is now a full retirement community meeting needs for every stage of life. It continues to grow and discover new ways to serve our guests by serving the mind, body and spirit. God s light is shining brightly despite the fact that these are dangerous days. Respectfully submitted, Calvin Swan Growing Healthy Churches Together

58 EASTERN DISTRICT The focus of the Eastern District during the past two years has been to further the Churches without Walls vision with a focus on missional disciplemaking. Initiatives in this direction have included the themes of our district conferences, a recent symposium that was well attended by district pastors and church leaders, the consulting work of District Missional Director Michael Jarrell, and the outreach of church plants. Our district pastors and churches continue to wrestle with how to become more intentionally focused on disciplemaking. The Lord has blessed the Eastern District with several new plants over the last two years. New Beginning Bible Church in Ashland, PA (Larry Coutlee) reaches out to a very depressed community in the coal region of Central PA. Life Gospel Chinese Christian Church (Song Shen) is a Mandarin-speaking plant which reaches both professionals in the Harrisburg, PA community and international students who come to work at the Hershey Company. There have been over 40 conversions leading to baptism of Chinese college students before they have returned to mainland China. Redemption Church in South Philadelphia (Will Turner) is reaching the multicultural, disadvantaged community of Point Breeze. Arise RVA in Richmond, VA (Jeremy Chambers) reaches out to subcultures around the universities in Richmond, with missional groups among the drug, heavy metal, party and gaming, martial arts, rock climbing, and fitness cultures. Iglesia el Faro of Lebanon, PA (Hugo Concha) is planting a daughter church in Grantville, PA (Pablo Martinez) which targets the 700-plus Hispanics who work at the Penn National Racetrack and Hollywood Casino. Pastor Bill Riedel at Redemption Hill Church in Washington, DC has mentored two planters over the last two years who have moved to Mexico City and Dublin, Ireland to begin planting in these capital cities. Valley Bible Church in Radford, VA (Bret Johnson and Jesse Furey) has started Bonhoeffer House, where seminary students are mentored in pastoring and church planting. Immigrant Hope continues to expand within the Eastern District with the growth of the client base at the pilot site in Brooklyn, NY, the launch of a new site in New Jersey, and work towards starting new sites at two churches in PA. We delight in hearing the testimonies of how God is working in the lives of clients as the volunteers listen to clients stories, pray with them, help with their immigration needs, and invest in their lives. GATEWAY Theological Institute is thriving in the Eastern District, with classes held in English and Spanish by pastors in five of the six states of our district. Likewise, credentialing councils in the northern and southern regions of the Eastern District process a steady flow of licensing and ordination candidates. A deeper emphasis on Pastoral Care for pastors and their wives has been led for the past year and a half by retired pastor and former district board chairman, Jack and Eva Kroeze. At the same time, Pastor Jerry Evens transitioned from his pastorate to found Liberated Living Counseling Services, which seeks to make affordable counseling available to pastors and small churches throughout the district. Churches removed from the Eastern District in : Christ Community Church in Glen Allen, VA Church in the Vineyard in West Grove, PA Community Church of Plymouth Meeting in Plymouth Meeting, PA

59 Crossroads Community Church in Leesport PA House of Prayer (Russian) in Brooklyn, NY Queens Grace Church (Korean) in Queens, NY Church Restart in 2015: Northern Valley EFC in New Tripoli, PA with Pastor Ken Spence Transfers to NEDA in : Adirondack Bible Chapel in Piseco, NY Pastor Ed Hart Saugerties Community EFC (Cross of Hope Church) in Glasco, NY - Pastor Frank Fabiano Respectfully submitted, Steve Musser District Superintendent

60 EFCA Southeast We exist to glorify God by establishing an increasing number of disciplemaking churches of biblical integrity and spiritual vitality marked by the distinctives of the EFCA. Better Together: We are a gospel-centered movement seeking to catalyze multiplication in our churches so together we can transform lives and communities for God s glory. What a privilege to partner with so many, committed to so much. Staff Team: We are served by an incredible team of staff with whom district churches can find willing and gifted partners to assist in their mission and vision goals. Church Planting: Church planting activity keeps us all busy, especially our director, Bruce Redmond. Currently working with 30 church plants, there are many other prospects in the works. Follow our initiatives at: Pastoral Care: Regional Pastors Meetings (RPMs) keep us connected. Pastoral care director, Ed Kaylor, organizes and facilitates these key gatherings of mutual encouragement and exhortation. Jeff Easley directs our GATEWAY Institutes, which are non-formal theological education opportunities. Church Health: Resources galore are available to our churches and pastors through our church health director, Jim Boone. An arsenal of workshops, seminars and cohorts are also available to help equip pastors and leaders. Restructuring Decision: The SED has voted to align directly with the national EFCA. With the EFCA national bylaws being amended to allow districts to become directly aligned with the national office, if they so choose, our district board felt it incumbent to consider its value. After doing so, it was brought to the district s RPMs for discussion and that led to the motion being presented to the district conference, which voted affirmatively. Church Affiliations: The following churches have been brought into the SED: Live Oaks Community Church, The Villages, FL; New Heart Bible Fellowship, Augusta, GA; Riverside Community Church, Columbia, SC; Coquina Community Church, St. Augustine, FL. Church Disaffiliation: The following church has transferred its affiliation elsewhere: LifeSong Community Church, Jupiter, FL National EFCA: President Bill Hamel, his staff, and the Board of Directors continue to serve us exceptionally well. We are very excited about the presidential appointment of Kevin Kompelien. We are blessed to be served by such committed leaders. And we are

61 very thankful that the EFCA remains strong and committed to multiplying transformational churches among all people. Webpage and Facebook: Find us at Especially check out the Resource page. If you are on Facebook, find our EFCA Southeast page and like it. Also find us on It is by far the best way to stay abreast of who we are and what we re doing as a ministry family. It continues to be an absolute privilege to serve the Lord together with you all. May God continue to bless the EFCA for His glory and honor. Sincerely, Glen A. Schrieber Superintendent

62 EFCA Texas - Oklahoma District We were thrilled this year to see the addition of Kathi Jeffers to our staff as our Church Planting Coordinator. Two of our churches hired church planting residents and did an excellent job planting them out. Over the past two years God has provided ten new church planters for our district! I constantly hear our churches saying, We re Better Together, and that is the mantra of our district. Our pastors and churches value the relationships in our district as well as the broader EFCA, and we continue to see those relationships grow. Our conference theme this year was Disciplemaking: Making Disciples Who Make Disciples with Shane Stacey as our keynote speaker, and we had a number of other EFCA national leaders present at the conference including Presidential Nominee Kevin Kompelien and his wife, Becky. We deeply appreciate the strong relationship we enjoy with ReachNational, ReachGlobal and the Office of the President of the EFCA. This past year we had one of our church plants voted into our district: Living Hope EFC in Arlington, TX. In 2014 we voted another church plant, Generations Church in Fate, TX into our district. Also this year we had one new church affiliate with our district, Salina Street Church in Austin, TX. In 2014 we had one church close: Georgetown EFC. This year Faith Bible Church of the Mainland in LaMarque, TX voted to close and merge with OakCreek Bible Church EFC in League City, TX. Don Haluzan is our Twin Oaks Ranch Executive Director; Melanie Newton serves as our Women s Mobilizer; Tom Thomas serves as our Credentialing Coordinator leading our DBOMS team; and Tim Rowley is our representative on the national Student Ministries Council. My wife, JoAnn, provides parttime administrative support for me and the district. Bill Stewart, James Mendoza, Mike Bauer and Kathi Jeffers serve with me on our Church Multiplication Team. We also have a number of pastors who facilitate our Healthy Church Pastors Clusters. We appreciate the help of each of these individuals and their contribution to our district! Our vision is to have healthy churches which multiply at every level (believers, growing disciples, workers, leaders, disciplemakers both local and global, and churches or campuses). We want every church to be a parent church, partner church or participating church when it comes to church planting. We firmly believe that the single most effective evangelistic methodology under heaven is planting new churches which in turn plant other new churches. We rejoice that we have nine potential church planting residency churches identified. We are better together, and we have a wonderful spirit in our district. I praise God for our board, churches, pastors, church planters and their families who are sacrificially working together to help us multiply transformational churches among all people. The future looks bright and I am convinced that the best days of EFCA Texas-Oklahoma are still ahead! Warmly, Dr. Bob Rowley District Superintendent

63 EFCA West In his celebrated ode to love, Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 concludes with a less-quoted declaration: For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully (vs 12). Much, if not most of what we do this side of our eternal home, often feels incomplete, inadequate, even disjointed. In his excellent book Every Good Endeavor, Tim Keller recounts J.R.R. Tolkien s little-known article published in The Dublin Review in January, 1945 entitled Leaf by Niggle. For a man known worldwide for his completed works (Lord of the Rings), this story wonderfully chronicles the frustration we all feel at times as though we spend our lives drawing leaves, when we desire to paint a tree. I say all this to compare the many things my remarkable EFCA West team has accomplished in the name of Jesus over the past two years to the drawing of leaves. While we all desire to see the finished product of our earthly labors, for now we labor here and there, often in seemingly disjointed fashion. As I continue to thank God daily for the privilege of working with these passionate servants, let me recount here just a few of the leaves they have been drawing as we look back on the years of 2013 and 2014: Bob Osborne, Director of Church Leadership and Organizational Development, is the newest member of our team. But since coming on board, Bob has applied his nearly 40 years of lay elder board experience to proactively and extensively consulting with over 13 church leadership teams, not including multiple conflict interventions. These churches are healthier and more unified now than they were before receiving Bob s help. Tom Garasha, Director of Pastoral Care and Coaching, coordinates 16 clusters involving 175 pastoral leaders, in addition to having hosted 95 pastoral couples in their retreat-home dubbed Shiloh House. Tom and Lynn continue to be used by God to administer grace, healing and genuine care in a safe and confidential environment. Brian Farone, Director of Biblical Theology and Credentialing, oversees 16 credentialing councils and 10 theological training groups. The impact of our churches in building disciplemakers is no healthier than the theological health of our leaders. Spread across all seven states in our region, Brian s impact is indispensable in both protecting our theological integrity, and in preparing the next generation of leaders. Rita Nystrom, Director of Administrative Services, tirelessly keeps the legal, administrative, and logistical side of our team operating smoothly. As the primary interface with our national office counterparts, she makes what the rest of the team does possible. Among other things, she reports that during 2013 and 2014, we closed 8 churches, disaffiliated 5, and affiliated 1. But lest that communicated the wrong message, consider: Dave Page, Director of Church Planting. Dave remains a Pied Piper of sorts for gifted church planters, and saw 13 churches planted in the window. He reports that we are on track to launch 10 churches in 2015 alone, including our first city-wide initiative in Phoenix. Linda Bishop, our Champion of Women in Ministry (or women married to those in ministry), continues to juggle a busy schedule speaking to groups, retreats, workshops and individuals to encourage, love, sometimes heal in the midst of laboring in an unheralded part of the spiritual battlefield. Paul Schliep, Director of Communication and Connections, continues to raise the bar in our e- zine, web presence, and daily support to me in my role. Additionally, he leads the growing

64 category of affinity group focus, coordinating workshops, networks, and gatherings of leaders facing similar challenges. And definitely not least, our two Directors of Hispanic Ministries, Alex Rivero and Ruben Navarrete, have accomplished the seemingly impossible with their part-time involvement as they love, train, consult, coach, and encourage our growing family of Hispanic leaders. For my part, there is literally nothing I can imagine in my wildest dreams that I would rather be doing than laboring alongside this team in serving you, our co-laborers in the Great Commission. As we celebrate the passing of the Presidential baton from our dear and faithful friend Bill Hamel to Kevin Kompelien, may God grant us continued and exponentially multiplied success in seeing the Gospel of Jesus transform lives, families, and communities to His glory! Steve Highfill

65 Forest Lakes District The Forest Lakes District of the EFCA represents the churches, members, and staff of the state of Wisconsin and a portion of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Within that area we have 98 churches, four church plants, four church-in-a-church, and eight multi-site locations. During the past two years we have experienced nearly 3,000 conversions and approximately 1,600 baptisms. Attendance of our churches has grown to an average of 32,000 per weekend. Church planting has become a renewed emphasis and we have great stories to tell. The Vine was planted in Madison in 2010 and in 2014 it planted their first daughter church, in Fitchburg, WI. Also, a church planting family moved to Appleton in 2013 without being sponsored by a church and without a core group. After months of neighborhood evangelism, they launched worship services on Easter Sunday One year later they have three missional communities meeting regularly, a Sunday gathering of 70 to 90 people, and have celebrated 25 baptisms. Because of God s clear intentions and sovereignty, more stories are in the making. The FLD has embraced the new EFCA vision statement with its emphasis on disciplemaking. Disciplemaking has been the theme of our pastoral conferences, pastoral networks and affinity groups, youth pastor training, and our elder training seminars. Obviously the task is ongoing and nowhere near completion. We have committed ourselves to making more and better disciples, with the intent that each disciple fulfills God s directive to be fruitful and multiply. Districts, the annual FLD youth event, continues to be an excellent tool for God to draw teens to himself and disciple hundreds, if not thousands, of other teens. It is a complete weekend event held in early January in Green Bay; the average attendance is now over 3,000 teens and nearly 600 leaders. Approximately 200 plus teens every year make a first time decision to trust Christ. Approximately 85 churches participate every year. Within the past two years the FLD staff has: - assisted 18 churches in staffing their senior pastor positions and also numerous other staff positions; - credentialed 12 pastoral staff; - coordinated nine regional pastoral networks, where pastors meet monthly or quarterly for encouragement and support; - conducted elder training seminars for 20 churches; - led four conferences for pastors and lay leaders with themes of A Vision to Multiply, Shepherding: Ourselves, Our Families & Others, The Art & Practice of Communicating Effectively, and Intentional Disciplemaking in the Local Church ; and - led three groups of pastors through Next Level Network which hones their pastoral skills. The FLD continues its staff transitions. Ray Olson, Director of Church Multiplication, retired in 2013, Scott Sterner was hired to replace Ray, and Tim Houk was hired in 2014 (initially part-time) to replace Rob Weise, Director of Family & Student Ministries, as Rob will be replacing Don Price, Director of Church Health, when Don retires on August 31, And Gaylen Nagel, District Superintendent, has announced his future retirement in the spring of 2017.

66 Great Lakes District Annual Report 2015 Rick and Jan Thompson are grateful to God for His call on April 23, 2004 to serve the Great Lakes District. We are grateful for our excellent, growing GLD Staff. Brett Gleason serves as Director of Church Planting with the EFCA s Great Lakes District. The Great Lakes District received the EFCA s 2012 Church Planting District of the Year award. He is a member of The Orchard EFC David Spencer is the Church Planting Pastor of Church of Chicago ( in Chicago, Illinois. David was the recipient of a church-planting grant from EFCA ReachNational Dave Schultz is the Church Planting Pastor of Grayling EFC ( in Grayling, Michigan. Village Church of Lincolnshire, Midland EFC, and Gaylord EFC are partner churches Norell Taylor is the Church Planting Pastor of New Living Bible Church ( in Indianapolis, Indiana. Solid Word Bible Church and Crossroads EFC are partner churches Cabot Ashwill is the Church Planting Pastor of LifeSpring Community Church ( in Spring Grove, Illinois. Cabot was the recipient of the 2011 EFCA Church Planter of the Year award. Lakeland Church is the mother church Don Beachy is the Church Planting Pastor of Village Life Church in Broad Ripple ( in Indianapolis, Indiana. Faith Church is the mother church Jay O Brien is the Church Planting Pastor of Scarlet City Church ( in Columbus, Ohio. EFCA Student Ministries Challenge Conference 2010 and Faith Church (Milford, OH) are partners.

67 2011 Cisco Cotto is the Church Planting Pastor of Village Church of Oak Park ( Village Church of Dyer is a partner church Luke McFadden is the Church Planting Pastor of Christian Neighbors Church ( in Waukegan, Illinois. Cornerstone Community Church and CrossLife EFC are partner churches Jeremiah Vaught is the Church Planting Pastor of Agape Chicago ( in Chicago, Illinois. Evanston Bible Church is the mother church Rick Schwartz is the Church Planting Pastor of CrossPoint Community Church ( in Lima, Ohio. Grace Community Church is the mother church Mike Hanafee is the Church Planting Pastor of Restore Church ( in Detroit, Michigan. Mike was the recipient of the 2012 EFCA Church Planter of the Year award. Midland EFC and Findlay EFC are partner churches Gary Walker is the Church Planting Pastor of Connection Church ( of Franklin, Indiana. Gary was commissioned by Grace Evangelical Free Church where he served as an Associate Pastor Eric Rivera is the Church Planting Pastor of The Brook ( in Chicago, Illinois. Grace EFC was a legacy church and Good News Bible Church, First Evangelical Free Church of Chicago, Bethel Community Church, The Orchard EFC, and Christian Fellowship are partner churches Deshawn Walker is the Church Planting Pastor of Casting Crowns Bible Church ( in Indianapolis, Indiana. EFCA ReachNational, Solid Word Bible Church, and New Living Bible Church are partners Todd Berge is the Church Planting Pastor of The Bridge ( in Algonquin, Illinois. The Village Church of Barrington is the mother church.

68 2014 John Bell is the Church Planting Pastor of Crossway Multinational Church ( in East Lansing, Michigan. Red Cedar EFC and The Orchard EFC are partners Matt Darnell is the Church Planting Pastor of Life Church ( in Peru, Illinois. Christ Community Church is a partner church Tony Yingst is the Church Planting Pastor of Connection Church of Greenwood in Greenwood, Indiana. Connection Church of Franklin and Family Bible Church are partner churches. We thank God for great progress in GLD Church Planting led by Brett Gleason. List of GLD Staff: 1 Rick Thompson (full time) Superintendent 2 Bill Reed (full time) Regional Superintendent 3 Brett Gleason (full time) Church Planting Director 4 Chuck Warren (half time) Regional Superintendent 5 Daniel Grell (half time) Regional Superintendent 6 Mark Balmer (part time) Area Superintendent 7 Jim Mathis (part time) Area Superintendent 8 Scott Lothery (part time) Area Superintendent 9 Ricardo Palmerin (part time) Hispanic Director 10 Knute Larson (fee based consultants) GLD Church Coach 11 Gloria Grell (raising support) Women s Director 12 Amanda Bruney (full time) Administrator 13 Matthew Mathai (part time) Accountant 14 Susan Eclov (part time) Credentialing 15 Brian Ogne (fee based consultants) Development 16 Luis Martinez (raising support) Church Planting Catalyst 2013 Closed - Faith Community, Hillsboro, OH Closed - Grace EFC, Chicago, IL 2014 Closed - Beecher Community, Beecher, IL Withdrew - Wildwood EFC, Greencastle, IN Joined - Church of Chicago, Chicago, IL Joined - Grayling EFC, Grayling, MI

69 Hawaii District As a result of our vision trip with ReachGlobal, the Hawaii District has re-aimed the focus of its Kairos Project. Kairos is a partnership of our churches to reach Southeast Asia. We have spent the last few years training young pastors and church planters in Vietnam. We will now be shifting that focus toward Myanmar. We are committing to a two year, four visit training time with Reach Myanmar, our national partner there. We will help equip young leaders to enable them to build their own spiritual lives, marriages and ministries. We have added another church plant on the north end of Oahu, with the launch of Harbor North Shore. This was celebrated at our recent Gospel For The Islands conference, complete with fire dance and special offering for Pastor John Boehm. Several of our churches partnered with the Gospel Coalition to bring the Overflow Conference to the islands. Over eight hundred attendees heard John Piper, along with many other gospel centered teachers. A majority effort for this event came from one of our pastors, Matt Dirks, and Harbor Church. One of our churches, Kalihi Union, along with Pastor Jonathan Steeper, is in process of bringing GATEWAY to the islands. This looks like a needed ministry, considering our isolation and lack of upper-level Bible training institutions. We have just recently revisited role expectations for the district superintendent. The discussion is in regards to how to lead change though the balance of both caring for, and at the same time challenging the district pastors. The role expectations are particularly challenging considering the part-time nature of the position. The DS role is also being filled by a full-time pastor. A highlight for our pastors was a pastors and wives retreat. The Valentine theme, on the water s edge on Diamond Head, brought about some special and needed sharing regarding the pressures of being a ministry couple. My wife, Margie, was able to see some incredibly open hearts as she addressed the issue of being a pastor s wife, and how you have seen God work in a situation that looked hopeless. Our pastors continue to look forward to our annual participation in the pulpit exchange. It gives us all a unique opportunity to see the setting and sense the movement of God in each other s churches. Many of us have also joined in to help provide pulpit supply to our Kauai church, Ohana Christian Fellowship, which is still conducting a search for a full-time pastor. We are blessed to report that we are praying and planning towards a new church plant on Oahu. This would be birthed out of our Harbor Church, with the target area of Ewa. This is fast growing area of the island, with many young families moving there, out of Honolulu, looking for affordable housing. As God leads me into the fourteenth year, as Superintendent, I feel so blessed, not only by the place, but especially the people he has brought into my life. Aloha, Bruce Campbell

70 Midwest District These past two years the Midwest District has been focusing on getting the Lead Pastors and their leading boards working in unity and "on the same page" as to God's direction for the church they serve. Believing that this needs to be true of the church for it to be spiritually healthy, at our last two annual conferences (which we renamed: TRANSFORM 2013 and TRANSFORM 2014) we have enjoyed Will Mancini speaking on "Church Unique" and Larry Osborne addressing "Sticky Teams." These have aided in our churches having a better understanding of just who they are and the ministry they can/should accomplish where they are. In addition, the need for trust, unity and a clear vision with and among the Lead Pastor and the leading board has been enhanced. We will continue to encourage advancement on this path and look forward to the godly results to follow. Depending how one counts multi-sites and/or separate campuses of churches, the MWD presently has 110 churches. We have been in transition as to the philosophy of "who will do it" and "how it will be done" when we address church planting. Our somewhat aggressive districtled church planting over the past several years has resulted in more closures than starts of new churches. We experienced one church start (Vida Abundante, Omaha, NE) and two closures (New Hope EFC, Gothenburg, NE, and Rivertree Church, Lincoln, NE) in We are exploring the role of the district to be more of an encouraging, resourcing role in church planting with the main drive and desire for church planting to be from the individual church or group of area churches. We do believe that it should be the natural result of spiritually healthy, disciplemaking churches to plant other churches. We are pleased to continue serving the district in various realms with full-time, part-time and volunteer district ministry staff in: Director of Students Ministries/Minister of Disciplemaking (Shawn Ammons); Worship Training/Resourcing (Eric Douglass); Credentialing/Theology (Greg Hubbard); Church Multiplication Catalyst (Jake Brower); and Hispanic Ministries Coordinator (Abdel Gonzalez). A new ministry for the MWD has developed. We call it TEAM 4:18 (from Proverbs 4:18). This is a running affinity group consisting of runners from the Midwest District Churches. We are seeking to better carry over the physical disciplines demanded to be a "runner," to our spiritual disciplines demanded to "walk [run] the path of righteousness" and to reflect the light of Jesus more brightly. Leaning on Him, Noah Palmer

71 New England District The years of 2013 and 2014 have been fruitful years of ministry for the New England District of Churches. The district has added eight new churches. Seven churches were planted by our district and the eighth was a church plant that affiliated with New England District. 1) Light in the Dark Church of Schenectady, New York 2) Covenant Life Church of Portland, CT 3) Harvest Bible Church of Gilmanton, NH 4) River Valley Christian Church of Shelburne Falls, MA 5) Christ Community Of Hampshire County, MA 6) Hope EFC of Yarmouth, MA 7) Community of Grace, Cape Elizabeth, ME 8) Crossroads Chapel of North Ferrisburg, VT (affiliated) Our district also saw the completion of the third cycle of Lifeflow Training. This group of 12 churches joined with over 30 others who have gone through this three-year revitalization training process for pastors and local churches. Beginning in 2015 we plan to begin our fourth cycle of training and will add an additional four churches in the process. The New England District s fruitfulness and example in developing and adopting a pathway for pastor and leader transformation as well as church revitalization called Lifeflow has resulted in other EFCA districts adopting the same process. Starting in 2015 four other districts will be starting Lifeflow. This is with the complete support of Fritz Dale and Bill Hamel. In 2014 plans were underway for one of our churches, Community Bible Church of North Haven, CT to merge with the Liberty Community Church of North Haven, CT which is becoming an EFC. This will give the EFCA a very strong witness in North Haven which we have been praying for several years. At the 2014 New England District Conference we celebrated our 30-year anniversary. In 1884 we were 22 churches strong with attendance together equaling nearly 2,000 people. Thirty years later we are 70 churches with an aggregate attendance of nearly 9,000. This coming year we are projecting six new churches that we are now in the process of planting. The founding grace of the New England District was that we wanted to impact New England with the gospel and that we would seek to plant a church in any local community, town, or city that did not have one. Our pace of planting has not been as rapid as we had initially projected. However, we are grateful for our founders and for the many church planters and core groups of people who were sent to spread the gospel and to plant churches. Over 76% if our existing churches have been church plants from our New England Evangelical Free Churches. With our intentionality in church planting, our district also has made a commitment to launch and utilize GATEWAY for equipping and training church planters and new pastors. Not only have GATEWAY groups sprung up in various parts of the district, but we have also started a GATEWAY 2 Training site which we are quite proud of. We as a district are now offering a

72 nonformal seminary education for our church planters, pastors, and lay leaders. At one point this year we processed six GATEWAY graduates for licensing in a two-week period of time. This year we saw pastoral transitions in three of our churches. We are presently seeking a pastor for one church in Northfield, VT. Our NEDA Board has been working on a succession plan for our district superintendent, Ves Sheely. Ves will have served over sixteen years since he began in the fall of 1999, when he retires on or around the end of Our Board understands that normally there is a conclusion of the former DS s ministry and then a new beginning with the elected DS. Because our board realizes that these are critical and strategic days in the life of our district, the NEDA Board would like there to be an overlap of ministry that would exclude the unnecessary stop and start when there is a transition of leadership. Respectfully submitted, Ves A. Sheely, District Superintendent

73 North Central District Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. MATTHEW 4:19 [ESV] What greater way to glorify God than to become a better disciple, a more devoted follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to fulfill His final command to pour ourselves into participating with Him in developing others who do so as well? This is both a simple and complex undertaking, which has received ever-increasing attention, desire, effort and motivation the past several years. All of my top accomplishments since the last annual meeting are centered on that purpose. With the help of every other member of our district staff, disciple-making training was provided and received. Of particular significance is a multi-generational group of two-dozen men and women trained to offer coaching, mediation and training to resolve conflict, in their church and beyond. I was hoping to make better progress a) identifying the next wave of caring friends missionaries, b) building a team of community-based disciple-makers, and c) prayerfully discovering persons and households of peace and prayer among all peoples in Instead, I believe God chose to tune up my own heart, hopefully as a prerequisite to greater fruitfulness He will bring. I look forward to some breakthrough this year in each of these areas, along with development of practical helps for disciple-making of families parents with their children, grandparents, etc. I am most blessed by the combined impact of our district team, including support staff, providing multiple layers of contact and coverage, available to any ministry leader open to receiving our help. By God s grace, church board consults continue to be quite fruitful, whether just checking in, or in bumpy spots, and/or in pastoral transitions. Our team provides beneficial coaching and counsel for those who seek it. There is a wealth of conventional wisdom to be drawn from the collective experience across our broad network of churches, which will likely be a benefit to you. My top struggle is the frequency with which leaders consider themselves an exception to the principles of conventional wisdom we offer, and then live to find out they aren t, usually at a high price to themselves and others around them. I am looking forward to capturing and sharing more God stories, as well as anointed, innovative ideas and effective resources being utilized by the people of God in our midst who are being used by Him to fulfill our shared mission. One example is our partnership with Safe Families for Children, where a growing number of churches are expanding their reach to families in crisis, through Host Families, and also Family Friends who walk alongside of and disciple biological parents of children in care. Thank you to those who generously contributed their time, talents and resources to position us to benefit so many churches, ministry leaders and pastors this past year. We are grateful to God for His guidance, protection and provision for us, often through the involvement and support of His faithful, obedient servants, like you. May it please God to give us all, as regions of Gospel impact, much fruit, remaining fruit, all for His glory and for the fulfillment of His Kingdom purposes, in us and through us, both individually and collectively. We adopted three churches into the district: Anchor Point Church of Wabasha, The Lighthouse in Hackensack, and Grace Community Church in New Ulm, MN. Tom Mouw, District Superintendent

74 Northern Mountain District The Northern Mountain District includes Eastern Washington, Northern Idaho and most of Montana. It is nearly 800 miles from the western edge, at our Washington Cascade Range to our furthest eastern church in Forsyth, MT. The NMD has at present 31 churches, having added Liberty Lake Church, WA and Faith EFC in Malta, MT. In May of 2013, Lee Kisman was confirmed as District Superintendent after serving one year as interim DS. Lee served as senior pastor in Kennewick and also in Spokane, WA, each for 15 years. We are grateful to Rick Weinert, who previously served as DS for six years and is now pastoring in Bemidji, MN. In keeping with our national vision, we are challenging our churches to look for communities where there is a need for a Bible-teaching church with a clear gospel witness. We have initiated a church planting program called Partners in Extension (P.I.E.) which will enable us to provide funds for new churches and church restarts. Rather than soliciting funds from church mission budgets, we are asking individuals who have a heart for church planting to become P.I.E. partners. Our initial goal is to have six partners from every church giving $25 per month; we have also made a challenge to local church leadership (pastors and elders) to contribute at least $10 per month. These are modest goals, but in this way we hope to fund two or three works per year. Several other new initiatives have helped to strengthen our network and promote leadership development. Pastor Doug Wieber of His Place, Post Falls, ID facilitated the purchase of Bear Paw Camp which has the potential of becoming a great resource for our western churches. Doug also initiated a partnership with Western Evangelical Seminary to provide courses in leadership development. We also seek to strengthen our regional clusters by providing quarterly enrichment days for pastors and elders. The distances are great, but our churches are vibrant. With God s help, we will see an increase in churches and the multiplication of disciple-making disciples in the days to come! Lee Kisman, District Superintendent

75 Northern Plains District Introduction There is no question that the northern plains are a great and growing mission field. Our region led the nation in both 2013 and 2014 in the fastest growing micropolitan communities (Williston, Dickinson and Minot between ten and fifty thousand in population) as well as in the fastest growing metropolitan communities (Bismarck and Fargo Moorhead). The majority of this influx comes from those in their 20s. There is much about this that is encouraging. But there is also much that is challenging. Not surprisingly, crime has climbed. However, what may go unnoticed is that the younger population is less engaged in church. That, coupled with the realization that a shrinking percentage of the population is engaged in church each year, is the essence of our challenge. We are increasingly aware of our churches need to function as missionaries in our communities. We are also increasingly aware of our need to make Jesus disciples who make more Jesus disciples rather than simply to produce more church attenders. We are also aware that no silver bullet will fix the situation we face. More of the same will not change the results. The solution is to recover the principles and practices that Jesus taught His followers and to become churches that do what they did. This is much easier said than done, but there is no other solution. I. Initiatives We formed a Missional Catalyst Team in order to help our pastors and churches become better missionaries. Following the team s recommendation, we have engaged a trainercoach from Praxis ministry to lead a pastoral learning cohort through a year-long training cycle aimed at helping pastors discover and implement the ministry principles Jesus taught and practiced. Approximately ten pastors are a part of the first training cycle. Many of these pastors, we trust, will then become trainer-coaches for another cycle of pastors to experience the same training. Our objective is to develop a culture of disciplemaking and multiplication in our churches as Jesus did in His disciples. We have also been praying and looking for ways to start new churches. In response God raised up a church planter in Mark Reeves. He will be leading a team involving his sonin-law and daughter in starting a church in Jamestown, ND. Their focus is to reach those who are not yet members of God s family and to develop a church that multiplies churches throughout the northern plains. Following the lead of the EFCA we have tweaked our district mission statement by replacing the word healthy with the word transformational. Our mission statement is now Partnering to multiply transformational churches among all people in the Northern Plains.

76 II. District Staff The Northern Plains District continues to be blessed with excellent staff. Kathy Glass is now in her third year as the Administrative Assistant and Financial Administrator at the Bismarck district office. Steve Austvold, our Missions Mobilizer, and his wife Kathy continue to serve our churches in the area of global missions. Steve also serves as the point person for our Reconciliation Team Chad Englund has replaced Neal Kloster as our Student Ministries Mobilizer. Pastor Dave Montecuollo serves as Chairman for our district Board of Ministerial Standing. Pastor Eric Bonness serves as Chairman of our Missional Catalyst Team. Pastors Jeff Higbie and Bill Crosby assist churches in accessing the Mission Insite demographic service. III. Church & Pastor Updates No new churches were started and no existing churches were closed in 2013 and However, there was pastoral turnover in a number of our 35 churches. Eight pastoral staff ended their ministries in our churches while eleven began new ministries. Interim pastors have also played a significant role in serving churches in pastoral transitions. Two interim pastors are currently serving churches in our district. Two churches are currently engaged in the early stages of pastoral searches. During October we have held a Pastor s Fall Get-Away at Cooperstown Bible Camp. This has been a time for physical rest, personal renewal and connecting with other pastors. There were no scheduled activities beyond meals. V. Conclusion I close this report with the reminder that the Northern Plains is a great mission field. Our churches are mission outposts. Our pastors are mission mobilizers and our members are all missionaries. Like all missionary efforts, everything begins with prayer and is followed by engaging with the people we are here to reach. We must go to them and not expect them to come to us, a tendency that American churches have. It is not simply our presence that our communities need. It is our participation. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our Lord Jesus Christ as the district superintendent. Ending my seventh year, I continue to learn and grow. The future holds many challenges but as long as we follow Jesus, our best days are yet to come! "Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21 Dr. Daryl K. Thompson, District Superintendent

77 Pacific Northwest District The Pacific Northwest District is comprised of 44 churches. Citizen s Church in Portland, OR is our most recent church plant. This past year, two of our churches, Fellowship Bible, pastored by Darris Arnold, and North Roseburg EFC, pastored by Dan Sieker, opted to leave our district. In each case, the action was unilateral on the parts of these leaders, and grievous to those of us serving in district leadership. We continue the work of refining our vision for multiplying healthy disciple-making churches among all people in the Pacific Northwest. We are helping some of our churches to recalibrate their ministries around the priority of developing and releasing disciples using the LifeFlow process. The goal is a discovery / rediscovery that following Jesus is about a way of life that is lived in the everyday; that it s best transmitted in the context of relational influence by one who has integrated his or her life around following Jesus. Our commitment to organize regionally remains a key component of our district s identity. Individuals and churches within our district understand the importance of regional clusters. Each cluster meets regularly for the purpose of encouragement, sharing of challenges and opportunities, prayer and support. Each of our regional overseers is also a pastor of a local church who has a heart to use his life to encourage other pastors and leaders. Our Pastors & Wives event in the fall continues to be a terrific means of encouraging our district pastors and their wives. Our team appreciates the opportunity to get away for some much appreciated relaxation and connection with one another. Our annual Leadership Conference featured Jeff Sorvik. He did a terrific job of sharing around creating a culture of multiplication. Our credentialing process, under the leadership of Richard Parker, continues to serve our district pastors well. We have embraced Gateway as the primary vehicle for helping our pastors who are not credentialed to become licensed and ordained with the EFCA. The Pacific Northwest is among the most un-churched regions of the country. We are compelled by the Great Commission to continue to embrace church planting as a central priority of district ministry. We believe that planting churches in which disciple-making is the central feature is the most effective way to see the Kingdom of Christ grow. Though we are a District that plants churches, we are laying groundwork for the day when we can become a District of churches planting churches. We appreciate your prayer as we serve together with you in the midst of a culture that is undergoing tremendous change. Rejoicing in God s Faithfulness, Bruce Martin, District Superintendent

78 Rocky Mountain District As we continue to "multiply transformational churches among all people" we are excited about our ongoing opportunity to begin new church plants in various communities in the Rocky Mountain District. Pastor Jeremiah Clapper joined our staff as our Director of Church Planting and Development this year. He will oversee our Director of Ethnic Church Planting and Development, Erik Valenzuela. Jeremiah has started a church planter s residency program in the Rocky Mountain District. We have one couple who are in residency working with three churches in one of our regions. This couple is being coached by the pastoral staff in each of these three churches in different areas of ministry, leadership and development. After a year of residency with the successful completion of all assignments and tasks they will then be released under the supervision of these three churches to start another church in that region. In three other regions within the district, we are also developing partnerships with churches to begin residency programs. One of the five core values of the Rocky Mountain District is interdependence. At our 124 th Annual District Conference, eight different partnerships between churches were celebrated through testimony and prayer. Two of our churches are also hosting the national GATEWAY ministry to assist in ethnic planting and outreach. Our Hispanic association in the district continues to grow, build and strengthen. Erik Valenzuela is overseeing four different Latino plants, two of which are partnerships with Anglo churches within the district. There are two established Latino churches in our district whereas we had none three years ago. Our ten Healthy Church Networks continue to meet monthly and provide an opportunity for our pastors to fellowship and get training on critical ministry issues. This past year we have trained pastors on the topics of Leading From Humility, Lessons Learned from Mars Hill, Structuring for Growth Beyond Plateau, Dealing with Toxic Leaders, Dealing With A Church Boss, Handling Critical Spirited People, Discovering Your Blind Spot and Vaccinations Against Biting Sheep. We offered several district wide training events. Our Fall Summit featured Roy and Marge Fitzwater emphasizing discipleship under the topic of Born To Reproduce. Our annual conference featured Pastor Lee Eclov speaking to pastoral burnout and discouragement. Leadership training also continues to be a focus of the district as I lead various leadership training seminars and workshops to help our leaders be proactive in evangelistic and equipping ministry. We have also assisted our churches in training six pastoral search committees and assisted six other churches in associate staff placement. Two leadership teams have invited me to facilitate monthly leadership training with them, with 11 other leadership teams calling on me for topic-specific training. Every week I speak in a different church in our district and while there do an informal church health check up with the leadership team. We are excited about the coming year with the opportunities and vision ahead of us in multiplying more healthy church movement among all people within the Rocky Mountain district. Dr. Gregory Fell, District Superintendent

79 Report of the Western District, Dr. Neal Brower, District Superintendent, June 18, 2015 Since our last report the Western District of the EFCA experienced a transition from Superintendent Gil Steiglitz, who labored for many years, to a new season served by Neal Brower. After 28 years of local church ministry, Neal, and his wife Judy, came from the Midwest District where they most recently planted a church, and also served as the District Church Planting Director. A unique feature of future district focus (in line with a growing national and international conviction) is urban initiatives. Neal and Judy moved into San Francisco to live on mission for the city. This departure from suburban Sacramento as district center, represents an awareness of and heart for the global trend of urbanization, and an intentional effort to add post- Christian urban centers as part of our faithful execution of Jesus missional calling. Church closures 2014 Matthew s Café, A Church Community of Chico, CA 2015 South Creek Community Church, Elk Grove, CA Church Affiliations 2013 Camino Community Church, Camino, CA Urban Initiatives 2014 San Francisco, CA Solano Community Church, in informal partnership with the district, began an effort to multiply faith communities in the urban center of San Francisco Sacramento, CA exploratory meetings are being held to begin a multi-socioethnic effort to further the gospel in the urban center of this politically strategic and needful capitol city. Church Starts 2014 Vintage Grace, El Dorado Hills, CA We multiply. This simple, focused, and guiding mission statement is intended to be aligned with that of the EFCA. We believe that exponentially reproductive ministry will only be experienced when every member of every church, as believer-priests, is released for engagement with the yet-tobelievers in their circles of opportunity. Dr. Luke described a season in church history when we experienced God constantly adding to the church, those who are being saved. When we pray for, live with, respect, and love the perishing people in our pathway, expecting God to draw them to Jesus, we believe that we will align our hearts with His heart. This is the first and foremost building block of 100 million disciples made throughout our world!

80 EFCA CHAPLAINS Chaplain ministry is an extension of the local church into the community, the nation, and within the culture itself was not a year of growth in numbers within the military or institutional chaplaincy partly reflecting a drawdown of overseas operations and drawdown overall of personnel in uniform. The number of chaplains participating in health care and senior long-term care has steadily increased in the past two years. Entering the second decade of the 21st century, however, I have sensed that chaplains hired by secular institutions face an increasingly difficult culture that is constantly reassessing their need for compensated chaplains. Increasingly, some institutions do not automatically link the historical and religious roles ministers of the Church have played in the care of the sick, the infirmed, or providing the required pastoral care and religious services to uniformed service members with the role of chaplains. So the chaplain has increasingly discovered the need to redefine, clarify and even justify his/her special role in providing relevant ministry to the respective organization. Some secular institutions have re-examined the financial bottom-line and religious ministries have witnessed some shrinking priority. The traditional religious, spiritual values, and freedoms that have been held dearest within our historical framework as a country, have tended to become more marginalized. Therefore chaplains (generally) are facing challenges never faced before. There are cultural explanations for this reality. We should not be totally threatened, however, as this is the age in which we have been placed. It is a time the minister or chaplain cannot shrink away from to be Christ s representative even within harsh environs. Ethics and mores have become more relative, reflecting the culture and changing customs. Creative means of communicating the gospel are of greater challenge than has been true in past decades. Despite these trends, there is still opportunity for God s Word to be shared; there are yet splendid contexts for the gospel to be promulgated wherever the chaplain is found. The mission and vision for today s EFCA Chaplain remains ever present. 1. CURRENT STATUS OF EFCA CREDENTIALED CHAPLAINS (Institutional/Military Chaplains) MILITARY CHAPLAINS - 61 a. Air Force - Active 3 Reserve - 8 b. Air National Guard - 6 c. Army - Active 19 Reserve - 3 d. Army National Guard -12 e. Navy - Active - 7 Reserve MILITARY CHAPLAIN CANDIDATES - 33 This number reflects those who are in seminary military program or who have recently graduated and are in pursuit of credentialing.

81 Retirements & Transfers-7 4. INSTITUTIONAL CHAPLAINS a. Airport- 1 b. Corporate -7 c. Correctional Institutions/Bureau of Prisons - 16 d. Education - 3 e. Senior Long Term Care - 25 f. Health Care/Hospital - 36 g. Hospice -9 h. Police/Community Services - 15 i. Substance Abuse - 1 j. Other-2 5. Endorsements for 2014 It was in January 2005 when the EFCA began endorsing its own credentialed ministers as military chaplains. Formerly, the Office of the President used the resources of the National Association of Evangelicals, Commission on Chaplains to be the direct liaison and carry out the administrative duties to the military and federal echelons. Since the EFCA began this process, we have better served and supported those specialized chaplains who represent the EFCA to our military, the VA, state institutions and the B.O.P. Since 2005, there have been nearly 390+ various types of support letters and endorsements provided to chaplains. In 2014 we had 38 various endorsements on behalf of chaplains. 6. Organizational Participation by the EFCA Endorser, Director of Chaplains These past 10-1/2 years the EFCA (as represented by the Endorser) participated in a number of organizations, which serve the military and help recruit/support chaplains to the various hiring institutions. We also have supported organizations that defend and protect the religious freedoms of our chaplains who labor within our Armed Forces as well as our secular institutions. Some of these are: a. NCMAF (National Conference on the Ministry to the Armed Forces) This umbrella organization representing 170+ denominations/church groups meets annually to help brief the Endorsers on the status, policies and needs within the various military branches and the processes of chaplains accessions to the military; (b) it communicates trends and changes within the military culture and the application of chaplain ministry; (c) the various legal and ethical issues involved with exercising religious freedoms of expression by chaplains and personnel within the DOD; (d) it discusses issues related to endorsements and working with one another in furthering evangelical chaplaincy and cooperation of non-evangelicals within the pluralistic culture of the military. b. NAECC (National Association of Evangelicals Commission on Chaplains) As affiliate members of this Commission, evangelical endorsers meet separately with member church groups. This Commission is designed for evangelical member churches to have a voice to the military representatives who request/allow chaplains. The Commission informs all endorsers and the churches of the importance of the evangelical witness in the

82 military as well as to inform those Christian men and women who serve within our military. c. CALL (Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty) This is a relatively new group, of which we are active members. The purpose of CALL is to ensure and attempt to safeguard chaplains rights and responsibilities guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution and under the policies and processes of the U.S. military commands. d. VA (Veterans Affairs), COMISS (Chaplains Commission on Ministry to Specialized Services), B.O.P. (Federal Bureau of Prisons), and APC (Association of Professional Chaplains). The EFCA Endorser is your representative to support, pray for, visit and encourage those who minister in VA Medical Centers, Federal Prisons, Health Care centers and a number of other settings. These organizations each have their own processes and policies when it comes to acquiring chaplains to fill positions within their respective organization. EFCA participation through the Endorser/Director of Chaplains to these organizations benefits and serves our chaplains and the EFCA church at large. 7. TRAVEL While the primary responsibility of the Endorser/Director of Chaplains is to recruit, track, pray for and administratively support all chaplains, there is more to it than that. To be effective as a pastor to chaplains, one must know the chaplains he/she serves. Visits to chaplains are critical to understand the milieu and specific needs of our chaplains. In 2014 there was more limited travel than previous years. During 2014 and the first three months of 2015, your endorser visited chaplains (both institutional and military) in the Washington DC area, Tennessee, Iowa, Virginia, South Carolina, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Colorado, Missouri and Kansas. My intention was to attend more district conferences this past year, but I was only able to attend the Central District and the Rocky Mountain District Conferences in SPECIAL PROJECTS SUMMER NAE/EFCA CHAPLAINS RETREAT & CONFERENCE (August, 2014) -- Approximately 100 chaplains and spouses gathered in Colorado Springs, CO for a most wholesome and spiritually invigorating conference with a myriad of speakers. REVISION OF EFCA CHAPLAIN HANDBOOK for This handbook has been a wonderful addition to hand (or ) to new chaplains, prospective chaplains and candidates. It delineates the processes and philosophy of understanding of what we are about as evangelical EFCA Chaplains. Due to the changes of credentialing, it again is under revision to assist our chaplains to know and better understand guidelines and the direction of our chaplaincy ministry. 9. SUMMARY As I conclude more than ten years as the EFCA Endorsing Agent and Director, EFCA Chaplains Commission, I thank those within the EFCA Office of the President for their support in enabling me to be a representative and leader to our chaplains. While we may have come a long way these past years as a church group in sending and supporting our various chaplains, the earnest need is to increase our support to our own chaplains. In particular, institutional chaplains (those laboring in hospitals, prisons, hospices and community services) need greater support from our national offices. As I have endeavored to be faithful to the Message of the Gospel, I turn over these

83 responsibilities effective in 2015 to another able former military chaplain (Col. Phil Wright). I believe the years ahead will provide an even greater measure of growth and opportunity for evangelical chaplains in the cause of building the Church and promoting the Gospel of Christ to the nation. Roy Bebee, M.Div., D.Min. CAPT, CHC, USN (Retired) Director, EFCA Chaplains (Aug Apr 2015)

84 Christian Investors Financial (CIF) exists to help EFCA and like-minded churches maximize their potential by providing Loans, Investments and Campaigns & Consulting. Rooted in biblical principles and stewardship, our heart is to advance the kingdom of God by providing churches with resources so they can focus on ministry impact. If your church or ministry is thinking of buying, building, renovating or expanding, CIF provides loans that enable you to do so. Our expertise in churches and ministries sets us apart from commercial lenders. CIF s priorities in lending are serving both large and small congregations, focusing on relationships and customizing our approach to each individual church. CIF s loan interest rates are also quite competitive and, by borrowing from CIF, you would help other ministries as well as your own through your interest paid. CIF Loans are funded by offering Investment Certificates mainly to EFCA churches and individuals. With competitive interest rates, CIF Investments earn interest while supporting churches and ministries. They have helped increase classroom space for Vacation Bible School, build recreation centers to serve communities and expand sanctuary capacities to accommodate growing congregations. Join with us in investing. Working together with CIF, you can do what no individual investor or church can do alone. Many churches and ministries also need assistance in raising funds to achieve God s vision. Through Campaigns & Consulting, we provide capital campaign services at a reasonable cost, as well as other consulting services that ministries require such as Feasibility Studies, Mission & Vision Clarification, Strategic Planning, Financial Consulting and Governance & Operations support. Being able to provide Campaigns & Consulting, Loans and Investments enhances our ability to serve our constituency with excellence. CIF continues to be sustainably healthy. Our liquidity meets present needs, loan portfolio performs very well and capital/net worth remains healthy. For both 2013 and 2014, CIF s aggregate loan funding totaled $33.5 million to 49 churches. As of December 31, 2014, total loans outstanding were $138.2 million and outstanding investment certificates totaled $144.1 million. Net assets increased to $33.5 million and total assets increased to $178.3 million, which were both year-end records. A copy of our audited financial statements is included as part of this EFCA Annual Report for your reference. For over 56 years, CIF has strived to help churches, ministries and individuals create space for ministry impact. Partner with us as an investor or if your church or ministry has a need that we can help meet. It would bring us great joy to join you on the journey! Yours for fulfilling the EFCA s mission of multiplying transformational churches among all people, Paul A. Anderson President

85 prepare today, ready tomorrow FCMM exists to enable pastors, church staff members, and missionaries to serve Christ throughout their lives by assisting employing ministry organizations in providing retirement and other benefits. The FCMM Retirement Plan enables ministry staff to develop a successful retirement life plan with a reliable source of retirement savings and income from money deposited by employing ministry organizations. FCMM Benefits serves ministry staff, in partnership with employing ministry organizations, by providing benefits that promote financial and personal wellness at an excellent value. FCMM is incorporated as the church benefits board for the EFCA. Our mission is to provide financial benefits for ministry staff. We offer a Long Term Disability plan with Term Life Insurance and a Payroll Service specifically designed for churches. Starting July 1, we will have access to a Group Health Plan for EFCA churches. The primary benefit remains our 403(b)(9) church retirement plan, which provides a simpler, less expensive and more flexible solution than 401(k) or insurance based plans. Investment options include FCMM managed funds; American, Vanguard, and Timothy Plan mutual funds; and CIF. Tax laws allow the money contributed for credentialed participants to be sheltered from both Social Security (SECA) and income taxes. In retirement, credentialed pastors and missionaries can take their FCMM retirement distributions as tax-free housing allowance. This provides unique tax advantages to credentialed participants that can be worth a 10% to 20% increase in retirement benefits over a standard 403(b), 401(k) or other type of plan. All of a church s participants must be in FCMM to make use of this advantage. It is NOT possible for an individual to wait until retirement and then switch over to get this benefit. As a church retirement plan, FCMM offers flexibility for churches to provide different classes of benefits to various staff people including the use of matching programs. By cooperating together churches may avoid the major expenses and legalities of maintaining their own individual plans. The legacy Pension Plan (Option A) was frozen to new deposits at the end of At the end of 2014 the pension retirement annuity credit at age 65 balances was frozen. The retirement annuity has not been changed. FCMM investments returns for 2013 & 2014: The Equity portfolio (Option D) returned 21.9% and 6.31%, the Bond portfolio (Option E) returned (-.053%) and 3.97%. Detailed returns are available on the website. Asset allocation provides FCMM with protection on the downside and allows the plan to participate in the long term future growth of the market. Please visit FCMM at or contact us at fcmm@fcmmbenefits.org or (800) for information, consultation, forms, performance figures and your plan document. Thank you for the privilege of serving our missionaries, EFCA churches and staff members from Please stop by the hospitality room at EFCAOne for refreshments and explore questions. Rev. Ross I. Morrison, Jr. FCMM President

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