Proposal to Progressively Plant a New Church in Northern Lehigh

7/28/2019 Proposal to Progressively Plant a New Church in Northern Lehigh

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Proposal to

Progressively Plant a New Church

in Northern Lehigh

to the Congregations of

Calvary Bible Fellowship Churchof the Northern Lehigh Valley

and

Bethany Bible Fellowship Churchof Whitehall

from the Elders of

Bethany Bible Fellowship Churchof Whitehall

and the Trustees of

Calvary Bible Fellowship Churchof the Northern Lehigh Valley

originally distributed on March 24, 2013amendments by BFC Executive Board on April 5, 2013

altered by feedback from Bethany Q&A on April 6, 2013


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Contents

Introduction2

Phase One: Collaboration2

Public Face2

Resources2

Leadership3

Gatherings4

Sample Preaching Schedule5

Congregational Meetings6

Phase Two: Autonomy..6

Enacting this Proposal..7

Proposal to the Congregations8

Special Congregational Meeting Agenda.9

Financial Statements of the Two Churches10

Merger Budget12

Appendix One: Rationale14

Bibl iography15


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Introduction

We believe that the Gospel of forgiveness in Jesus' name is needed in every localcommunity across the world. Calvary BFC in Walnutport has been a stalwartevangelical and Bible-teaching witness to the Walnutport/Slatington community, a

community of 22,000 people with little evangelical witness. By strategically workingtogether, Whitehall and Walnutport congregations will better impact bothcommunities with more efficiency.

This proposal is to progressively plant a new church in the Northern Lehigh SchoolDistrict. The initial phase of this progressive church plant is to operate like a multisitechurch with a shared pastoral staff, shared elder board, shared financial system, sharedsupport staff, shared vision and outreach strategy, and shared public face, we becomeone church with multiple meeting places. Once the Northern Lehigh plant hitsbenchmarks laid out in this proposal, it will become an autonomous local church with itsown leaders and vision.

Phase One: Collaboration

Public Face

The Walnutport church is currently known to the public as "Calvary Bible FellowshipChurch of the Northern Lehigh Valley." There is much that a name carries with it. Cal-vary BFC would be called Northern Lehigh Bible Fellowship Church." Similarly, BethanyBFC would be called "Whitehall Bible Fellowship Church." The literature that eachchurch puts out and the signage they use would utilize new identical logos with theirchurch name.

Resources

The church corporation in Walnutport transfers all properties, deeds, and cash funds tothe Whitehall corporation. Together, we have one purse which is used to support theministries of both churches. The Walnutport corporation will dissolve. Whitehallcorporation will file articles of amendment to change the corporation name. The newWhitehall corporation opens a Doing Business As for the presence in Northern Lehigh.Whitehall Bible Fellowship Church Doing Business As Northern Lehigh Bible FellowshipChurch.

One of the factors limiting the growth of the Walnutport congregation is its landlockedfacility. Together, we will immediately find a new home for this church. Elements toconsider in this move will include: ease of parking, sufficient seating for 100+worshippers, educational space for students, simple driving directions for worshippers toinvite friends.

All proceeds of the sale of properties and reserve funds of the Walnutport church at thetime of the merger will be held in a designated fund for the purpose of future relocationof the Northern Lehigh church.


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Leadership

One board of elders will oversee both churches. One team of pastoral staff willminister the Word.

Elders

One elder board will oversee the ministry at both churches. It will propose a singlebudget with generous allocations for ministries at both churches. It will identify, train,deploy, and oversee ministry staff (both paid and volunteer) for the work at bothchurches.

The first board of elders of the collaborating churches would be comprised of thecurrent elder board of the Whitehall church. We value the incarnational ministry ofelders in local churches and will immediately begin identifying candidates from bothchurches that can shepherd the people of God. In preparation for annual congregational

meetings, the Elders will nominate qualified, gifted men from both churches to serve onthe one elder board of the two churches.

Pastors

Like the circuit riding pastors of old, the pastoral staff of these collaborating churcheswill minister God's Word at both churches. As future staffing needs arise, thecongregations will meet as one body to either call future pastors or endorse calls madeby the elders. More about pastoral staff in the Gatherings section.

Pastor Tim Schmoyer will be responsible to teach groups, preach weekly, oversee theorganization of the churches, and cast vision for Whitehall church. (40-50 hours/week)

Pastor Aaron Smith will continue pastoring the youth and young adults as he is now, hewill also preach weekly, and cast vision for the Walnutport church. (40-50 hours/week)

Pastor Al Dommel will teach groups, preach every 5-6 weeks, and organize small groupsat both churches both for evangelism and discipleship. He will additionally develop anddeploy outreach initiatives to the Walnutport/Slatington area. (30 hours/week)

Membership

Upon initiating this proposal, members of Walnutport will have their membership

transferred to the Whitehall church. They are entitled to all rights and responsible forall requirements of membership in the Whitehall church. For the BFC Conferencepurposes, all statistics will be logged under "Whitehall."


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Gatherings

We will provide for the gatherings at the Northern Lehigh church with the following:

live music at both churches

It is our understanding that Walnutport has sufficient gifted musicians to accompany theworship of God. This proposal will need to change and can easily change if thisassumption is not the case. Both churches will have the same set list and order ofworship, as this builds the common experience in both churches.

morning worship

Morning worship gatherings will immediately adopt a short-term strategy to address thecontinuation of worship after consolidation. The long-term strategy seeks a morepermanent solution.

Live preaching will be conducted in the morning worship gatherings at both churches.The Elder Board will maintain the speaker schedule at both churches. The pastoral staffwill study together on the same text and topic and deliver virtually identicalmessages at the two churches.

Our long-term goal is to hire additional staff. The qualities sought in a pastoral staffmember are evangelism, outreach, marketing, preaching and teaching. They will spendone day per week at the Whitehall church preparing for the Sunday gathering alongsidePastor Tim.

evening worship

If there is interest, Pastor Tim would love to lead an evening worship gathering at theWalnutport church each Sunday. It will feature hymns and praises, conversational Biblestudy, prayer, and testimonies.

weeknite gatherings for children and youth

Youth Group: Walnutport and Whitehall teens will gather together at the Whitehallchurch. The Sinking Spring church is multisite and holds all weeknite gatherings at theSinking Spring church.

Children's Ministry: In the near future, the elders will assess options for midweekchildren's gatherings.


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Mar 3 10 17 24 PalmSunday

ProposalDistributed

31Easter

Apr 7

GettoKnowYouSundayatWalnutport

14

CongregaonalVotesatBothChurches

21 28

May 5

N:Aaron

S:Tim

12

N:Aaron

S:Tim

19 PentecostN:Aaron

S:Tim

26 MemorialDayN:Aaron

S:Tim

June 2

N:Tim

S:Aaron

9

N:Al

S:Tim

16

N:Aaron

S:Tim

23

N:Aaron

S:Tim

30

N:Aaron

S:Tim

July 7

N:Aaron

S:Tim

14

N:Tim

S:Aaron

21

N:Aaron

S:Tim

28

N:Aaron

S:Al

Aug 4

N:Aaron

S:Tim

11

N:Aaron

S:Tim

18

N:Tim

S:Aaron

25

N:Aaron

S:Tim

Sept 1 LaborDayN:Aaron

S:Tim

8 BacktoSchoolN:Aaron

S:Tim

15

N:Al

S:Tim

22

N:Aaron

S:Tim

29

N:Aaron

S:Tim

Oct 6

N:Tim

S:Aaron

13

N:Aaron

S:Tim

20

N:Aaron

S:Tim

27ReformDayN:Aaron

S:Tim

Nov 3

N:Aaron

S:Al

10

N:Tim

S:Aaron

17

N:Aaron

S:Tim

24

N:Aaron

S:Tim

Dec 1

N:Aaron

S:Tim

8

N:Aaron

S:Tim

15

N:Tim

S:Aaron

22 ChristmasN:Aaron

S:Tim

29

N:Al

S:Tim

Sample Preaching Schedule

N = North = Walnutport S = South = Whitehall


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Congregational Meetings

Annually, the Elders will publish one document which reports to the congregation on thestatus of the work at both churches. Additionally, this document will issue theproposed budget for the new year. The proposed budget will in one document outline

the anticipated expenses for both churches. Also, the document will introduce thecandidates that the Elder Board is proposing for offices within the church. The newchurch will not receive nominations for office from the floor of its CongregationalMeetings. The Report Book will be distributed one month before the annualcongregational meeting. The members and interested non-members of both churcheswill meet together once a year for a Church Congregational Meeting. Regardless ofchurch, the members present at this business meeting make up the quorum along withthe chairman and secretary. The members present vote on proposals which affect bothchurches.

Phase Two: AutonomyAs the God blesses our collaborative efforts, the churches will grow and we will begin toprepare for the separation of the two churches. Before separation would be considered,the elders require that certain benchmarks have been reached.

1. 150 average attendance at the Northern Lehigh church2. 4 lay elders worshipping at the Northern Lehigh church3. Financial self-sustainability. Income at the church can meet its expenses.

The board of elders will open a 501(c)3 corporation which will, upon recognition as a

particular church, receive the assets from the Whitehall corporation.

The board of elders will involve BFC Church Extension in the process of recognition atBFC Conference. This process is required by the Faith & Order of the BFC.

Once recognition as a particular church is granted, the deed(s) will be transferred to theNorthern Lehigh church corporation.

Cash funds will be divided between the Whitehall church and Northern Lehigh churchusing this calculation: the excess funds in the operational account will be divided basedon the last 12-months income. For example, if Whitehall offerings made up 60% of thetotal income and Northern Lehigh made up 40% of the total income and the operational

account had $100,000, then the Northern Lehigh church would get $40,000 at the timeof separation.

Certainly this occasion would be a time of exceeding celebration. The two churcheswould meet to thank God and feast to His grace and goodness. The two churches wouldthen begin serving as distinct groups.


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Enacting this Proposal

Amendment period by Leadership

The Whitehall Elders and Walnutport Trustees will offer amendment to this proposaluntil both boards either agree or reject the proposal. If both boards agree, they will allsign the proposal and distribute the proposal to the congregations (see page 8). At themeeting in which the document is distributed, a Special Congregational Meeting will becalled for one month from the date of distribution. (NOTE: This has taken placealready. This proposal is the product of the Amendment Period.)

Get-To-Know-You period

Walnutport congregation will have a chance to get to know Pastor Aaron and Pastor Timand their families on Sunday, April 7. Pastor Aaron will preach the Word. We will sharea meal together after the worship gathering.

Congregational Meeting at Both Churches

Special Congregational Meetings will be held at both churches after morning worship onSunday, April 14.

The churches vote on the proposal with three possible outcomes:

1.If both congregations approve the proposal by 2/3 majority, the elders and trusteeswill enact the proposal's terms.

2. If the motion fails to receive 2/3 majority at a meeting, both elders and trustees willmeet with the members of that church the following week to ascertain if amendmentcan appease 2/3 majority and the new motion will be voted on. If both congregationsagree to the amended proposal by 2/3 majority, the elders and trustees will enact theproposal's terms.

3. If we cannot achieve 2/3 majority in both congregations, the churches will continueministering as distinct groups. In the future, if the congregation in which the motionfailed desires cooperation, they may initiate resumed negotiations.


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Proposal to the Congregations

We the undersigned do recommend to the congregations of Calvary Bible FellowshipChurch of the Northern Lehigh Valley and Bethany Bible Fellowship Church of

Whitehall the above proposal to unite the churches as one church which meets inmultiple locations. We have prayerfully considered all the aspects of this proposaland invite you to also pray to Almighty God for His will in this matter.

Both churches will hold their own Special Congregational Meeting on Sunday April14, 2013 immediately following Morning Worship to vote on the following motion:"Resolved that we adopt the document entitled 'Proposal to Progressively Plant aChurch in Northern Lehigh' and request our Elders and Trustees to enact thedirectives in the proposal."

Calvary BFC Trustees

George Paduch

David Shaffer

Bethany BFC Elders


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Special Congregational MeetingAgenda

April 14, 2013

Opening Prayer:

Roll Call of Officers

Statement of Purpose:

The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the proposal made to us by theElders of Bethany BFC of Whitehall and Trustees of Calvary BFC of Walnutport.After discussion, the membership of the church will vote yes or no on thefollowing resolution:

Whereas, we see the benefits of collaborating to begin a fresh work in theNorthern Lehigh area, be it therefore

Resolvedthat we adopt the document entitled Proposal to Progressively Planta Church in Northern Lehigh' ' and request our Elders and Trustees to enact thedirectives in the proposal.

{{ From BFC Faith & Order -- The purpose of the special meeting must bestated at the beginning of the minutes of the meeting, and business shall belimited to the stated purpose of the meeting. Any action must be properlyrecorded. }}

Action:

Adjournment with prayer

Minutes signed by Secretary of the Congregation


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BethanyBibleFellowshipChurch Whitehall,PA

BalanceReportMarch12,2013

ASSETSCheckingAccounts

EmbassyBank 240.39

TeamCapitalBank

GeneralOperaon 26,275.29 BuildingFundincluded

AWANA 860.03

ElderBenevolent 271.25

Missions 16,967.97

SeniorFellowship 989.44

WMS 165.26Youth 359.72

46,129.35

SavingsAccounts

TeamCapitalBank 4,306.01

VehicleFund 4,036.00

ChurchPlanngFund 270.00

Vanguard(12/31/2012) 2,785.70

7,091.71

OnlineAccounts

Paypal.com 256.14

GeneralIncome 66.77

TanzaniaMedicalTrip 189.37

256.14

TOTALASSETS 53,477.20

LIABILITIES

Mortgage

TeamCapitalBank

Mortgage1 566,486.57

Mortgage2 139,661.49

706,148.06


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2013ProposedMergerBudget

INCOMEWhitehallIncome

2012UndesignatedIncome 248,862.00 250,000.00

2012DesignatedIncome 46,067.00

2012TotalIncome 294,929.00

WalnutportIncome

2012UndesignatedIncome 29,568.00 30,000.00

OperangSavings 45,000.00

2013AncipatedRentalIncome 10,000.00

324,497.00 335,000.00

EXPENSE WhACTUAL WaACTUAL CombACTUAL MERGER2012 2012 2012 2013

MINISTRIES EXPENSE EXPENSE EXPENSE BUDGET

AWANA 3,060.49 3,060.49 3,000.00

Benevolence 1,400.01 1,400.01

Choir 50.60 399.69 450.29 600.00

ChrisanEducaonTraining 1,190.00 1,190.00 200.00ChristmasProgram 810.67 810.67 500.00

ChurchPicnic 46.68 46.68 300.00

GuestSpeakers 1,000.00 959.40 1,959.40 600.00

GlobalOutreach(Missions) 18,747.31 18,747.31 21,350.00

JuniorChurch 584.85 584.85 200.00

Men'sBreakfastFellowship 122.38 122.38 300.00

Outreach 27.54 1,010.29 1,037.83 2,000.00

SeniorFellowship 0.00 0.00 300.00

Socials 1,153.27 169.26 1,322.53 1,000.00

Soball 250.00

SundaySchool&Nursery 3,196.69 3,196.69 3,500.00

VacaonBibleSchool 1,412.99 1,412.99 1,500.00

YouthGroup 1,445.54 1,445.54 2,000.00

TotalforMINISTRY 32,849.01 3,938.65 36,787.66 37,600.00

OFFICE

BullenInserts 216.00 216.00 260.00

PrayerCalendar/DailyBread 0.00 273.00

Paper 914.94 914.94 1,300.00

Copier ServiceandInk 2,316.47 2,316.47 2,600.00

Adversement 658.55 658.55 1,300.00

Website 813.63 813.63 650.00

Postage 224.00 224.00 260.00

Mailings 0.00 260.00

OfferingEnvelopes 156.19 156.19 325.00

CheckingServices 111.34 111.34 130.00

MiscellaneousSupplies 4,393.69 4,393.69 1,300.00

TotalforOFFICE 9,804.81 0.00 9,804.81 8,658.00


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WhACTUAL WaACTUAL CmbACTUAL 13MERGE

COMPENSATION

PastorTim 71,336.07 71,336.07 65,000.00

PastorAaron 16,076.94 16,076.94 59,000.00

AlDommel 17,350.00 17,350.00 20,000.00

VisitaonMinistry 7,617.39 7,617.39 7,500.00

AdministraveAssistant 8,057.25 8,057.25 9,000.00

Sexton 8,063.17 8,063.17 7,500.00

PayrollExpenses 529.80 529.80 100.00Workmen'sComp 558.00 558.00 650.00

TotalforCOMPENSATION 112,238.62 17,350.00 129,588.62 168,750.00

PROPERTY

Ulies

Electric 5,876.03 1,219.98 7,096.01 7,000.00

Gas/Oil 2,110.37 1,923.00 4,033.37 3,000.00

Phone/Internet/Fire 2,768.42 1,296.17 4,064.59 2,000.00

WalnutportParsonageUlies 1,550.67 1,550.67

Water/Sewer 449.80 720.00 1,169.80 1,000.00

Building

Mortgage Principal 25,529.84 25,529.84 20,500.00

Mortgage Interest 42,503.28 42,503.28 42,500.00

WalnutportParsonageMaint. 1,000.00 1,000.00 1,000.00

BuildingInsurance 3,309.86 2,055.50 5,365.36 5,400.00

FutureConstrucon 31,220.83 31,220.83 10,000.00

Deacons

GeneralExpenses 3,008.71 1,995.90 5,004.61 5,000.00

SnowRemoval 2,092.81 2,092.81 2,000.00

VanInsurance 505.00 505.00 600.00

VanMaintenance 1,249.77 1,249.77 2,500.00MusicandSound

PianoandOrganTuning 185.00 185.00 400.00

Audio/VideoEquipment 0.00 1,500.00

CleaningSupplies,PaperGoods 2,251.57 33.67 2,285.24 3,500.00

Flowers 127.73 127.73 200

Decoraon 353.82 353.82 1,500.00

TotalforPROPERTY 123,542.84 11,794.89 135,337.73 109,600.00

BFCCONFERENCE

BFCChurchAssessment 3,082.00 3,082.00 6,000.00

BFCPublishing/Prinng 171.00 171.00 175.00

DelegaontoConference 0.00 0.00

TotalforBFCCONFERENCE 3,253.00 0.00 3,253.00 6,175.00

TOTALEXPENSE 281,688.28 33,083.54 314,771.82 330,783.00

Incomeover/(under)Expense 4,217.00


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Appendix One: Rationale

Biblical Support

When the Church began, the first Christians met together for worship in the Templeand broke bread from house to house. This seems to indicate that the total numberof Christians gathered as one, but also gathered in smaller gatherings throughout theregion. Later, as the Church began to spread from one region to multiple regions,doctrinal questions were resolved as one body during the Council of Jerusalem inActs 15. This demonstrates that while the Church met in multiple locations, it wasstill one congregation. Additionally, Romans 16 indicates that the Church of Romegathered in various houses throughout the city.

Historical Support

The early American church grew because of the ministry of selfless men calledcircuit riders. They would preach in the church in one village and run off to the nextvillage on horseback regardless of the weather. It is reported that the average lifeexpectancy of a circuit rider was 35 due to the harsh lifestyle. Despite the short lifeof the man, the churches grew from their ministry.

In fact, the early BFC had circuit preachers. In our mutual history, the same manhad charge over Northampton (from which the Whitehall congregation originated)and Walnutport from 1894 to 1896, again from 1917 to 1933, and again in 1939 and1940 (see Appendix Two). Additionally, Northampton shared a pastor with Nazareth

for many years. We are not sure how the whole system worked in those years, butDoris Wire records in the Whitehall congregation's history book regarding the decadeof 1923-1933 "the church was ... a circuit with Walnutport, with an arrangement ofpreaching every other Sunday in each place. Pastor Kratz drove an automobile backand forth. Quarterly conferences alternated between the sites. The Northamptonclass would travel to Walnutport in auto-caravan processions" (Wire 27). Withone-quarter of our history sharing one pastor among our two churches, certainly itcan be said that our churches share more in common than a surname!


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Bibliography

Books Consulted

Driscoll, Mark and Gerry Breshears. Vintage Church. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway.2008.

Jones, Tom editor. Church Planting. Joplin, Missouri: College Press. 2004.

McConnell, Scott. Multi-Site Churches. Nashville: B&H Publishing. 2009.

McKinley, Mike. Church Planting is for Wimps. Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway. 2010.

Malphurs, Aubrey. a New Kind of Church. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books.2007.

Surratt, Geoff, Greg Ligon, and Warren Bird. A Multi-Site Church Road Trip. GrandRapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing. 2009.

Surratt, Geoff, Greg Ligon, and Warren Bird. The Multi-Site Revolution. GrandRapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing. 2006.

Websites Consulted

www.multisitesolutions.com/resources/preaching-in-a-multi-site-church-rev-

magazine-nov-2009

www.outofur.com/archives/2009/10/ur_video_stetze.html

www.pastors.com/blogs/ministrytoolbox/archive/2009/03/05/How-to-develop-an-affordable-multi_2D00_site-strategy.aspx

www.citylifechurch.com/docs/MultisiteStrategy.pdf

deo-gloria.blogspot.com/2007/02/mark-driscoll-on-multi-site-church.html

theresurgence.com/2011/05/18/are-multi-site-churches-biblical


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Documents

Proposal to Progressively Plant a New Church in Northern Lehigh