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iREPORTER: GENERAL COUNCIL RESULTS - What Passed Or Failed

Acts-celerater Posts: 758 **7/26/12 12:06 pm**

The following Agenda Items are listed below with the voting results and as many pertinent details as I could remember. Thanks.

FAILED

1. SPECIAL ORDER OF THE DAY –
ELECTED POSITIONS
Page 61, S2. BYLAWS OF THE CHURCH OF
GOD, ARTICLE VI. GOVERNING BODIES, 1.
International General Assembly, Elections:
The International General Assembly shall elect the
general overseer, the assistant general overseers, the
secretary general, the director of Youth and Discipleship,
the assistant director of Youth and Discipleship, the
director of World Missions, and the assistant director of
World Missions.
We recommend:
1) That we amend page 61, S2. BYLAWS
OF THE CHURCH OF GOD, ARTICLE VI.
GOVERNING BODIES, 1. International
General Assembly, Elections by striking
the words, “the assistant director of Youth
and Discipleship.”
2) That we amend page 61, S2. BYLAWS
OF THE CHURCH OF GOD, ARTICLE VI.
GOVERNING BODIES, 1. International
General Assembly, Elections by striking
the words, “the assistant director of
World Missions.”
3) That other references to these positions
in the Minutes be amended to reflect
these motions (page 62, S2., VI. 2., 5;
page 67, S4., II., 2; page 78, S10., II.; page
82, S12., II, B., 2.; pages 83, 84, S12., IV.).
Note: If adopted by the International General Council
PASSED WITH AN AMENDMENT (which I don't have)

AFFILIATION WITH CHURCH OF GOD
Pages 137, 138, S49. AFFILIATION WITH
CHURCH OF GOD: [1994]
When a church or association of churches desires to
become affiliated with the Church of God, thus becoming
part of the International General Assembly, the
church or association must follow the established procedure
for acceptance into the Church of God as set forth
by the International General Assembly. Appropriate
forms of organization, with resolutions to unite with the
church, must be processed in a legal business meeting
to show acceptance of the faith, government, polity,
and practices of the Church of God, and the willingness
to abide by the actions of the International General
Assembly. All of the necessary forms pertaining thereto,
including deeds, shall be submitted not more than five
(5) years after the date of the affiliation/organization
meeting, renewable at the request of the local church
and with the approval of the administrative bishop.
We recommend:
That we amend pages 137, 138, S49.
AFFILIATION WITH CHURCH OF GOD, by
substituting the following:
That non-Church of God churches that wish to
affiliate with the Church of God be allowed to join as
associate churches. They shall be able to retain ownership
of their properties. They shall make monthly
reports to the state/regional and general offices with
the same financial accountability as International
General Assembly congregations. The pastor shall
submit to a background check and he/she shall secure
Church of God ministerial credentials in accordance
with the denomination’s polity.
An associate church can remove its associate
status by placing the church properties on a Church of
God warranty deed with the approval of the administrative
bishop and the state/regional council.
PASSED WITH NO DEBATE

STATE EVANGELISM AND
MISSIONS DIRECTOR
Page 106, Section S27. STATE EVANGELISM
AND MISSIONS DIRECTOR (USA MISSIONS),
I. SELECTION, paragraph 1:
1. The state overseer shall submit to the State
Council the names of nominees for state Evangelism and
Missions director for election prior to the International
General Assembly. Ordained bishops (where practical)
shall be used to fill the office.
We recommend:
1) That on page 106, Section S27.
STATE EVANGELISM AND MISSIONS
DIRECTOR (USA MISSIONS), I.
SELECTION, paragraph 1. be amended
by striking the word shall, and inserting
the word may, so as to read:
The state overseer may submit to the State
Council the names of nominees for state
Evangelism and Missions director for election
prior to the International General Assembly.
Ordained bishops (where practical) shall be
used to fill the office.
2) That on page 107, Section S27.
STATE EVANGELISM AND MISSIONS
DIRECTOR (USA MISSIONS), II. DUTIES
AND AUTHORITIES be deleted.
PASSED

STATE YOUTH AND DISCIPLESHIP
DIRECTOR
Page 106, S26. STATE YOUTH AND DISCIPLESHIP
DIRECTOR, II. DUTIES AND AUTHORITIES:
II. Duties and Authorities
The state Youth and Discipleship director shall:
1. Work under the supervision of the state overseer.
2. Draft a state program under the supervision of the
state overseer that will implement programs and policies
of Christian education and discipleship. This would
include, the establishment of the Sunday school in each
local church, the establishment of Family Training Hour
and/or YPE in each local church, and the implementation
of all other recommended Christian education and
discipleship ministries.
3. Stimulate interest in behalf of Bible schools, colleges,
and home and foreign missions.
4. Visit the churches in his state, ministering the
Word, conducting seminars and workers conferences,
and consulting with the pastor and his staff in areas of
Christian education and discipleship.
5. Plan for and promote the general interest of the
Home for Children.
Agenda
continued from page 1
General Assembly Today | Monday, July 23, 2012 11
6. Appoint, with the district overseer, a district
Youth and Discipleship director on each district. Each
state shall formulate its own plan for district directors’
travel expense.
We recommend:
That we amend page 106, S26. STATE
YOUTH AND DISCIPLESHIP DIRECTOR,
II. DUTIES AND AUTHORITIES, by substituting
the following paragraph:
1. The State Youth and Discipleship director
shall work under the supervision of the state overseer
and the duties and authorities of the Youth and
Discipleship director are to be defined by the state
overseer and state council.
Missions Report
PASSED- Travis rose to speak against this motion but it passed

MOTIONS COMMITTEE
Page 68, S4. INTERNATIONAL GENERAL
COUNCIL, IV. INTERNATIONAL GENERAL
COUNCIL MOTIONS COMMITTEE:
All new motions and resolutions that are to claim
the attention of the International General Council shall
be written and given a place on the agenda, and to serve
this purpose we recommend the appointment, by the
chair, of a motions committee of five, who shall receive,
classify, and place on the agenda such motions and resolutions.
(This committee is to function during the time
that the International General Council is in session.)
We recommend:
That we amend page 68, S4.
INTERNATIONAL GENERAL COUNCIL,
IV. INTERNATIONAL GENERAL COUNCIL
MOTIONS COMMITTEE, by adding the following
paragraph:
Previous notice shall be required for any motion
which greatly alters the organizational structure of the
Church of God. When motions are presented to the
Motions Committee, the following guidelines will be
followed:
1. Each motion will be processed and prioritized
by the Motions Committee according to the guidelines
of the General Assembly Minutes.
2. The Motions Committee will initially determine
if the motion would “greatly alter the organizational
structure of the Church of God.”
3. If in the opinion of the moderator the motion
would “greatly alter the organizational structure of the
Church of God,” the motion will be read to the body
by the chairman of the Motions Committee at the
direction of the moderator with the notation that it is
a motion that will require previous notice before final
disposition.
4. The moderator will explain that if the motion
passes in the present International General Council,
it will be placed on the agenda of the following
International General Council in order to fulfill the
requirement of previous notice.
5. The item will then be open for full debate on
the presently-convening International General Council
floor.
6. If the motion does not receive a majority vote,
it falls to the floor.
7. If the motion receives a majority vote, it is
committed to the International Executive Council
with the mandate that it be placed on the agenda for
the next International General Council in a manner
that fulfills the requirements of previous notice.
PASSED - First tried to table it, got information about where the money is going and how it is being dispersed.

AGED MINISTERS FUND
Pages 181, 182, S72. AGED MINISTERS’
PENSIONING PLAN:
[Enrollments in the Aged Ministers’ Pensioning Plan
ceased as of December 31, 1982. Applications for benefits
from this plan ceased as of August 31, 1992. As of that date,
the contributions of eligible ministers enrolled in the plan, who
had not as yet applied for a pension, were either (1) applied
toward the purchase of a guaranteed annuity for the minister,
or (2) rolled over into the Church of God Ministers’ Retirement
Plan in the name of the minister. For a more detailed description
of this plan, see the Supplement of the 1992 Minutes of
the International General Assembly, S65.]
We recommend:
That we amend pages 181, 182, S72. AGED
MINISTERS’ PENSIONING PLAN, by adding
the following paragraph:
Based upon actuarial studies, the Aged Ministers’
Pension Fund, Disabled Ministers’ Pension Fund, and
the Ministers Widows’ Fund shall be adjusted by the
International Executive Council according to the needs
of the funds.
PASSED- no debate

CONCLUDED AND DECIDED AGENDA ITEMS
Page 67, S4. INTERNATIONAL GENERAL
COUNCIL, III. INTERNATIONAL GENERAL
COUNCIL AGENDA :
Inasmuch as the official agenda, which is to claim
the attention of the International General Council,
is mailed to the ordained bishops at least thirty (30)
days prior to the opening of the International General
Council, all recommendations must be received by
the International Executive Council in time for consideration
at its April session in order to appear on the
Assembly agenda.
We recommend:
That we amend pages 67, 68, S4.
INTERNATIONAL GENERAL COUNCIL,
III. INTERNATIONAL GENERAL COUNCIL
AGENDA, by adding the following:
Furthermore, no agenda item concluded and
decided by the International General Council and/or
concluded and decided by the International General
Assembly is to be included on the published agenda
for the next International General Council unless
approved by a two-thirds majority of the International
Executive Council. This does not apply to items of
previous notice or informational reports.
PASSED- contested only passed by a narrow margin

QUALIFICATIONS OF ORDAINED BISHOPS
Pages 149, 150, S56. ORDAINED BISHOP, II.
QUALIFICATIONS OF ORDAINED BISHOPS,
paragraph 2:
2. An applicant for ordination as bishop may be
ordained when he is twenty-five (25) years of age, provided
he has at least eight (8) years of active ministry, or
when he is thirty (30) years of age, provided he has had
at least five (5) years of active ministry, if he is otherwise
qualified. In those cases in which a ministerial applicant
has had verifiable active ministerial experience prior to
receiving credentials, exceptions to the age qualifications
can be made upon recommendation by the ministerial
applicant’s administrative bishop and with the approval
of the Executive Council.
We recommend:
That we amend pages 149, 150, S56.
ORDAINED BISHOP, II. QUALIFICATIONS
OF ORDAINED BISHOPS, paragraph 2, by
striking the words, “provided he has had at
least eight (8) years of active ministry, or when he is
thirty (30) years of age.”
PASSED - with an amendment (don't know the wording of item as amended)

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
We recommend:
That we amend page 66, S3. INTERNATIONAL
ASSEMBLY, II. PROCEDURES, by
adding the following paragraph:
5. The International General Assembly authorizes
the International Executive Council to call a
constitutional convention to review all aspects of
Church of God polity (with the exception of doctrine,
mission, vision, core values, and scriptural principles
of ministry), and bring back recommendations to the
International General Council.
Section 1 passed, amended to say "prayerful" in front of the word guidance; Section 2 passed (amendment fail to strike word "mission")

STATE OVERSEERS
Page 101, S21. STATE OVERSEERS, VI. DUTIES
AND AUTHORITIES, paragraph 20:
20. Live in the state or province over which he is
made overseer.
We recommend:
1) That we amend page 101, S21.
STATE OVERSEERS, VI. DUTIES AND
AUTHORITIES, by adding the following
paragraph: “21. Provide formal training
and guidance to pastors in the following areas:
Preparing and managing an annual local church
budget; dealing with local church conflict resolution;
and impacting the local community.”
2) That we amend page 101, S21
STATE OVERSEER VI. DUTIES AND
AUTHORITIES, paragraph 20, by
adding, Exceptions may be granted by the
International Executive Committee in cases where a
mission state/regional overseer simultaneously serves
as a pastor of a church in another area or as an
overseer of another state/ region,” so as to read:
20. Live in the state or province over which
he is made overseer. Exceptions may be granted
by the International Executive Committee in cases
where a mission state/regional overseer simultaneously
serves as a pastor of a church in another
area or as an overseer of another state/region.
PASSED, amended with the addition of reporting felonious activity (don't remember the exact wording)

VIOLATION OF CONFIDENCES
Page 157, S63. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR
MINISTERS, paragraph 8:
8. No Church of God minister shall be required to violate
a confidence, when such has been entrusted to him/her in the
performance of his/her professional duties or in the course of his/
her care of souls, except with the express permission of the person
who has confided in him/her or in order to prevent a crime.
We recommend:
That we amend page 157, S63. GENERAL
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MINISTERS, paragraph
8., by adding, “This provision shall not
preempt any applicable state or other required reporting
laws,” so as to read:
8. No Church of God minister shall be
required to violate a confidence, when such has
been entrusted to him/her in the performance of
his/her professional duties or in the course of his/
her care of souls, except with the express permission
of the person who has confided in him/her
or in order to prevent a crime. This provision shall
not preempt any applicable state or other required
reporting laws (51st A., 1966, p. 77).
PASSED - Tom Sterbens tried to add an amendment but it was not allowed by the chair due to his interpretation of RRO. That to delete or strike was not amendable since language was not be added....even though it was being added...lol

TRIAL BOARD PROCEDURES
Page 164, S65. OFFENDING MINISTERS, I.
MINISTERIAL DISCIPLINE, Trial Procedures
and Appeals for Church of God Ministers:
Inasmuch as Church of God hearings and/or trials
of its ministers or members are ecclesiastical rather
than civil in nature, and concern matters within the
Christian brotherhood, to be judged by the guidelines
of Holy Scripture rather than civil law, the ministers and
members of the Church of God do hereby agree that
defense attorneys may not attend or participate in those
proceedings.
We recommend:
That we amend page 164, S65.
OFFENDING MINISTERS. I. MINISTERIAL
DISCIPLINE, Trial Procedures and
Appeals for Church of God Ministers, by
deleting “defense attorneys” and inserting
“legal counsel,” so as to read:
Inasmuch as Church of God hearings and/or
trials of its ministers or members are ecclesiastical
rather than civil in nature, and concern matters
within the Christian brotherhood, to be judged by
the guidelines of Holy Scripture rather than civil
law, the ministers and members of the Church
of God do hereby agree that legal counsel may not
attend or participate in those proceedings.
Verbal majority to accept CHURCH PLANTING REPORT on 14 Thursday morning.
PASSED in entirety

WOMEN IN MINISTRY
1) PASTOR’S SPOUSE ELIGIBLE TO SERVE AS HIS/
HER ASSISTANT
We recommend:
That on page 122, S40. PASTOR, IV.
ASSISTANT PASTOR, paragraph 2, be
deleted:
2. The pastor’s wife shall be considered ineligible
for appointment as his assistant.
2) WOMEN SERVING ON CONGREGATIONAL
TRIAL BOARD
We recommend:
That we amend page 118, S38.
MEMBERSHIP, V. PROCEDURE IN
DEALING WITH MEMBER, by striking
the word “male,” so as to read:
If a member who is not a minister shall be
charged with any offense which makes it necessary
to deal with the member, formal charges
in writing shall be given to the member not less
than three days (when practical) prior to the
time and place of the meeting. The member
shall have a right to be heard and offer corroborating
testimony at the meeting. Further, the
charges shall be heard and a decision rendered
by the local church and pastor’s council or (if a
church does not have a pastor’s council or board
of elders) by the male members who are present
at the meeting and in good standing with the
church. Disciplinary options include but are not
limited to: official reprimand, restitution, censure,
restrictions, and, where necessary, excommunication.
3) WOMEN SERVING ON THE PUBLICATIONS BOARD
We recommend:
That we amend page 94, S20. MINISTRY
OF PUBLICATIONS, I. MINISTRY OF
PUBLICATIONS BOARD, A. Selection, by
striking the word “men” and inserting the
word “members,” so as to read:
The Ministry of Publications Board shall consist
of seven members appointed biennially by the
International Executive Committee.
4) WOMEN SERVING ON THE USA MISSIONS BOARD
We recommend:
That we amend page page 79, S11.
MINISTRY OF USA MISSIONS, I. USA
MISSIONS BOARD, A. Selection, by
striking the word “men” and inserting the
word “members,” so as to read:
The USA Missions Board shall consist of not
less than five members who shall be appointed
biennially by the International Executive
Committee.
PASSED

TENURE OF NATIONAL/TERRITORIAL
OVERSEERS
Page 81, S12. MINISTRY OF WORLD MISSIONS,
I. WORLD MISSIONS BOARD, B. Duties and
Authorities:
5. To appoint all [World Missions] overseers, missionaries,
educational coordinators, and presidents/
directors of all educational institutions.
We recommend:
That we amend page 81, S12. MINISTRY
OF WORLD MISSIONS, I. WORLD
MISSIONS BOARD, B. Duties and
Authorities, paragraph 5 by adding,
“Where practical, the tenure of national/territorial
overseers of World Missions areas is for two years
with a maximum tenure of twelve consecutive years
in office.”
PASSED

PERMANENT RECORDS OF TRIAL
BOARD DECISIONS
Page 168, S65. OFFENDING MINISTERS, I.
MINISTERIAL DISCIPLINE, B. Trial Procedures,
7. Notification of Decision, b:
b. The trial board’s decision will become a part of
the defendant’s or complainant’s record at the state
office. In case of conviction, the record will also be filed
at International Offices.
We recommend:
That we amend page 168, S65.
OFFENDING MINISTERS, I. MINISTERIAL
DISCIPLINE, B. Trial Procedures, 7.
Notification of Decision, b., by substituting
the following paragraph, “The trial
board’s decision will become part of the defendant’s
permanent record at the state office and will also be
filed at International Offices.”
PASSED with 2 amendments. 1st amendment by Travis Johnson was to strike lines 8-25. There was a passionate debate about this with more lights on than any other item. Afterwards the amendment passed by a vote of 750 to 500. The second amendment also passed which removed the parenthetical list of myspace, facebook, twitter, etc. So that the final resolution that was passed reads:

Responsible Use of Social Media
Christians are exhorted by Scripture to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), to provide things honest in the sight of all persons (Romans 12:17), and to do all things for the edification of others (Romans 15:2). The use of social media by believers should conform to these and other biblical standards.

It was also funny to me that someone complained that they had whittle down this motion to nothing. It was whittled down to the scriptural mandate for conduct....perhaps his view of God's word is not as high as man's words. The scripture should be sufficient!

The original unamended motion is as follows:

RESPONSIBLE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA
We recommend:
That we amend pages 156, 157,
S63. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR
MINISTERS, by adding the following:
10. Responsible Use of Social Media
Christians are exhorted by Scripture to speak the
truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), to provide things honest
in the sight of all persons (Romans 12:17), and
to do all things for the edification of others (Romans
15:2). The use of social media (such as MySpace,
Facebook, Twitter, blogs, websites, and so forth) by
believers should conform to these and other biblical
standards.
Church of God ministers, as examples of believers
in speech, life, faith, and purity (1 Timothy 4:12),
shall at all times agree:
a. To write and post only under their own name.
b. To not attack fellow ministers or members of
the Church of God. One may disagree with others,
provided the tone is respectful and does not
become a personal attack.
c. To not disclose any sensitive, confidential, or
financial information about the church, its ministers,
or its members, other than what is publically
available.
d. To not post any material that is defamatory, libelous,
threatening, harassing, abusive, or embarrassing
to any person or entity.
e. To uphold the doctrine of the Church of God by
not writing or posting anything contrary to the
accepted doctrine of the Church of God.
Failure to follow these guidelines on the use of social
media shall result in the offending minister being subject
to discipline for unbecoming ministerial conduct.

Friendly Face Posts: 306 **7/28/12 1:07 am**

During the Friday General Assembly session how much of this was completed?