{"id":12369,"date":"2016-05-05T10:31:47","date_gmt":"2016-05-05T17:31:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/?p=12369"},"modified":"2016-05-05T10:31:47","modified_gmt":"2016-05-05T17:31:47","slug":"gc2016-when-to-add-bishops-in-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pnwumc.org\/news\/gc2016-when-to-add-bishops-in-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"GC2016: When to add bishops in Africa?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Sam Hodges<\/strong>
\nMay 5, 2016 | UMNS<\/h4>\n

It\u2019s a matter of wide agreement that The United Methodist Church needs more bishops in its major growth area \u2014 Africa.<\/p>\n

But when to add those bishops will likely be a subject of lively debate at General Conference 2016<\/a>, set for May 10-20 in Portland, Oregon.<\/p>\n

Delegates have already received a report from the Standing Committee on Central Conference Matters, recommending the number of bishops in Africa rise from 13 to 18.<\/p>\n

But the standing committee first wants an intensive study, leading to a comprehensive plan for Africa that would establish more effective boundary lines for episcopal areas and central conferences, and have funding in place to pay for more bishops.<\/p>\n

The new bishops would come after the plan is presented to the 2020 General Conference in Minneapolis.<\/p>\n

Committee members said in their report that they are \u201cseeking to consider the need for additional bishops in a more future-oriented manner instead of simply reacting to petitions for additional bishops sent to General Conference every four years.\u201d<\/p>\n

But the Rev. Forbes Matonga, a General Conference delegate from the West Zimbabwe Conference, said the need for more bishops is too pressing to wait on a study.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s also the position of the Renewal and Reform Coalition, consisting of the unofficial conservative evangelical caucus Good News and other groups.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo put that off for another four years is unjust, and it\u2019s going to be detrimental to the continued growth of the church in the Congo at least, and to other areas as well,\u201d said the Rev. Thomas Lambrecht, Good News vice president.<\/p>\n

PROVISIONAL CONFERENCE IN ASIA<\/p>\n

General Conference delegates are being asked to create a new conference for Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Mongolia.<\/p>\n

Called the Southeast Asia and Mongolia Provisional Central Conference, the new body would provide an organizing structure for missions in those countries that currently are administered by the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.<\/p>\n

Because it would require an amendment to the Book of Discipline, a two-thirds majority approval is needed to pass the legislation.<\/p>\n

Thomas Kemper, top executive for Global Ministries, said some of the missions are nearly mature enough to qualify for provisional annual conference status under a central conference umbrella. While that does not mean that action would occur, establishing the provisional central conference would allow such organization prior to the 2020 General Conference, he explained.<\/p>\n

Bishop Hope Morgan Ward, president of Global Ministries, believes the new provisional central conference would be a historic opportunity for mission in Asia.<\/p>\n

\u201cBishop Francis Asbury often said to the early Methodists in America, \u2018Take the resources from the center to the edge,\u2019\u201d she said.\u00a0\u201cIn Asia, the United Methodist mission initiatives have reached new people in new places, developing leaders, engaging with the poor and (offering) healing ministries.\u201d \u2014 Linda Bloom, UMNS.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Candid report<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The standing committee is assigned under the Book of Discipline<\/a>, the denomination\u2019s law book, to coordinate the study of the structure and supervision of the denomination outside the United States \u2014 in other words, in the central conferences.<\/p>\n

The Book of Discipline requires that the standing committee be chaired by a central conference bishop, and most committee members are from the central conferences.<\/p>\n

The committee\u2019s report to General Conference 2016 touches on a range of subjects, including a Global or General Book of Discipline<\/a>. And it includes, as an appendix, a study paper aimed at helping central conferences become more effective in mission and ministry.<\/p>\n

In an early section, the study paper candidly notes \u201cmain problems,\u201d including:<\/p>\n