Outreach North America

Policy Book

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BOARD OF
OUTREACH NORTH AMERICA

Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church

Includes all revisions
approved by the
General Synod
through the 202nd Meeting,
June 2006

POLICY BOOK
BOARD OF OUTREACH NORTH AMERICA
Of The
ASSOCIATE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Introduction

The Board of Outreach North America is the agency of the General Synod of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church charged with responsibility for denominational programs of evangelism, revitalization and church development. In order to carry out this responsibility, the Board (1) guides and supervises such programs on the denominational level, (2) oversees the use of financial resources designated by the General Synod for these purposes, (3) recommends to the General Synod, the presbyteries, and the local congregations, programs, emphases, and resources for national outreach, (4) assists the presbyteries in seeking new fields for church development and in planning for financing, and staffing those fields, (5) aids the presbyteries and the local congregations in planning and implementing new concepts and forms of ministry, (6) plans workshops, conferences, and other training events in church development, revitalization and evangelism.

The Organization of the Board
1. Membership
  1. The Board shall consist of these voting members:
    1. The chairman of the church extension committee of each presbytery of the General Synod as the representative of his presbytery to the Board.
    2. One representative, ex-officio with voting privileges, from the Woman’s Synodical Union.
    3. Six members at large, nominated by the Committee on Nominations of the General Synod as the rotation system allows vacancies.
  2. Members other than the Woman’s Synodical Union representative, and presbytery chairmen of church extension, will serve six-year terms in rotating classes as vacancies occur.
  3. The Director of Outreach North America, the Treasurer of the General Synod, the Moderator, and the Moderator-Elect will serve as non-voting advisory members of this Board.
2. Officers
  1. New officers will be elected at the spring meeting of the Board, to serve for the following church year.
  2. Officers to be elected each year are Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Secretary.
  3. The Chairman will perform the following duties:
    1. Preside at all regular and called meetings of the Board and the Executive Committee.
    2. Call special meetings of the Board and the Executive Committee as needed to carry out the business of the Board.
    3. Serve, by direction of the General Synod, on the Executive Board of the General Synod as an advisory member.
    4. Serve as ex-officio member on all standing and special committees of the Board.
    5. Appoint all committees unless the Board specifies some other procedure.
    6. Supervise the execution of all Board policies between the regular meetings of the Board.
  4. The Vice-Chairman will perform the following duties:
    1. Assist the Chairman in the performance of his duties.
    2. Assume the duties of the Chairman if the Chairman is absent from a meeting or otherwise unable to fulfill his responsibilities.
  5. The Secretary will perform the following duties:
    1. Keep the minutes of all meetings of the Board and the Executive Committee.
    2. Provide the Director of Outreach North America a copy of the minutes for duplication and distribution.
  6. The Treasurer of the General Synod in his capacity as custodian of the funds of the General Synod, will serve as Treasurer of the Board of Outreach North America.
  7. The Treasurer will perform the following duties:
    1. Oversee the investment of Board funds, with the exception of the Revolving Loan Fund.
    2. Disburse the Board’s funds with the advance approval of the Director of Outreach North America and/or the Chairman.
    3. Present a financial report of the Board’s funds at the regular meeting of the Board.
3. Committees
  1. The standing committees of the Board are Church Development and Special Ministries, Evangelism and Multi-Cultural Ministries, Finance, Revitalization, and Executive.
  2. The Committee on Church Development and Special Ministries will perform the following duties:
    1. Work in cooperation with the church extension committees of the presbyteries to find new fields for church development.
    2. Review presbytery requests for the purchase of new sites and make appropriate recommendations to the Board concerning these requests.
    3. Review building plans submitted by the extension churches and make appropriate recommendations to the Board concerning them.
    4. Assist the presbytery’s church extension committees in making the preliminary surveys and plans for the development of new churches, and make recommendations to the Board.
    5. Aid the presbyteries and local congregations in planning and implementing new forms of ministry.
    6. Identify, evaluate and recruit those persons who might possess the desirable qualities for church planters.
    7. Deploy approved church planters as requested and required by presbyteries.
    8. Plan workshops and other training events for church planters.
    9. Receive reports of special ministries from their respective presbyteries through the presbytery’s church extension.
    10. Committee.
  3. The Committee on Evangelism and Multi-Cultural Ministries will perform the following duties.
    1. Plan and implement a yearly denomination-wide program of evangelism.
    2. Study and recommend to the denomination new approaches, programs and resources in evangelism.
    3. Assist presbyteries and local congregations in formulating and carrying out dynamic programs of witness and service.
    4. Develop a denomination-wide strategy for multi-cultural church planting and provide resources for the presbyteries’ multi-cultural ministries.
    5. Provide a network of encouragement and mentoring for the multi-cultural pastors now serving within our denomination.
    6. Provide a pool of multi-cultural pastors and/or lay leaders with skills and vision to help initiate new ministries.
  4. The Committee on Finance will perform the following duties:
    1. Prepare a proposed budget for the following year for presentation at the spring meeting of the Board.
    2. Study and recommend to the Board necessary adjustments in the current budget.
    3. Explore on a continuing basis the Board’s philosophy of church extension financing.
    4. Supervise the operation of the Revolving Loan Fund and the Church Plant Cash Flow Loan Fund with the assistance of the Director of Outreach North America.
    5. Receive requests for loans and make recommendations concerning them to the Board and/or the Executive Committee.
    6. Plan and promote giving to the work of Outreach North America.
  5. The Revitalization Committee will perform the following duties:
    1. Continue to discover and evaluate tools for renewal to recommend for use in ARP churches.
    2. Develop new tools and resources, or adapt those that are already available, as necessary for promoting renewal within ARP churches.
    3. Publicize to ARP churches the tools that are available for church renewal.
    4. Find ways to motivate and encourage churches to take advantage of available renewal resources.
    5. Promote prayer for revival and reformation within the ARP Synod as a whole.
  6. The Executive Committee will perform the following duties:
    1. Act for the Board as necessary between the regular meetings of the Board.
    2. Prepare the annual report to the General Synod and present it for the Board’s approval at the spring meeting of the Board.
    3. Plan programs and articles for the annual church extension emphasis of the General Synod.
  7. The constituency and size of the Committees on Church Development and Special Ministries, Evangelism and Multi-Cultural Ministries, Finance, and Revitalization will be determined by the Chairman of the Board.
  8. The Executive Committee will consist of the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Secretary of the Board and the chairmen of the four remaining standing committees.
  9. All standing committees will meet at least two times annually and report at each of the two regular meetings of the Board.
  10. Special committees to perform designated tasks may be appointed by the Chairman at his discretion or at the request of the Board.
4. Meetings
  1. The Board will meet in regular session at least two times a year and as often as conditions require in called session.
  2. The regular meeting dates for the next year will be determined at the spring meeting.
  3. Notice of all regular meetings will be sent at least two weeks in advance. Notice of all called meetings will be sent at least one week in advance and will include a statement of the reason for the meeting.
  4. A quorum of the Board shall consist of seven members.
  5. Members who are unable to attend meetings will inform the Board in advance through the Director of Outreach North America.
  6. The Board will bear the expense of travel, food, and lodging when members are attending meetings or performing other authorized Board business.
The Director of Outreach North America
1. The Director of Outreach North America will perform the following duties:
  1. Carry out the policies, communicate the purposes and goals, and oversee the on-going business of the Board and its committees.
  2. Bring to the Board informative and innovative ideas that will enable the Board to explore new directions for its work.
  3. Communicate to the presbyteries the challenges, needs, programs, plans, resources, and directions of the work of church extension.
  4. Counsel with presbytery committees on church extension, pastors, mission developers, sessions, and other groups concerning the work of church extension.
  5. Represent the Board in cooperative agreements between presbyteries and the Board.
  6. Work to develop mutual programs of ministry with boards, agencies and institutions of our own and other denominations.
  7. Present a written report at each regular Board meeting.
  8. Serve, by direction of the General Synod, on Synod’s Committee on the Minister and His Work.
The General Synod
1. Relationship of the General Synod and the Board
  1. The Board is authorized by the General Synod to manage and carry on the special work entrusted to it without particular instructions of the General Synod.
  2. The Board shall follow carefully the general instructions of the General Synod and any specific instructions given by the General Synod.
  3. The General Synod has full power to approve or to set aside any action taken by the Board.
  4. The General Synod appoints the members of the Board, fixes their term of membership, and supervises their work.
  5. The Board shall elect its own officers, as provided in the Policy Book.
  6. The Board shall prepare its own Policy Book, subject to the approval of the General Synod.
2. Responsibilities of the Board to the General Synod
  1. The Board shall perform faithfully the work entrusted to it by the General Synod.
  2. The Board shall make an annual report to the General Synod.
  3. The Board shall keep an accurate permanent record of its proceedings and whenever required to do so shall present this record for the inspection of the General Synod.
The Presbytery
1. The Presbytery in General
  1. The Board will carry out its work in the respective presbyteries in cooperation with and through the church extension committees of the presbytery.
  2. Requests for grants, loans, and other financial assistance will be approved by the presbytery prior to being considered by the Board.
  3. Presbyteries will accompany their annual request for funds with a statement of their intended use. Any change in the use of allocated funds requires the permission of presbytery and approval of the Board.
  4. Presbyteries in general and their congregations may call on the resources of the Board and the Office of Outreach North America and the assistance of the Director in planning and implementing effective programs of outreach, evangelism, church development, revitalization and new forms of ministry.
2. The Presbytery’s Church Extension Committee
  1. Presbytery’s church extension committee, with the assistance of the Board, will implement the church extension program approved by the General Synod.
  2. Presbytery’s church extension committee will work with the Board to plan for the purchase of property, the erection of buildings, and the organization of new churches in communities which are deemed to be promising fields.
  3. Presbytery’s committee will inform the Board of fields of special opportunity within its bounds and may direct surveys of new fields with the assistance of the Board.
  4. Presbytery’s committee will assist the presbytery in informing the ministers and laymen through presbytery programs, conferences, retreats, and seminars of the work of church development and evangelism.
  5. Presbytery’s committee will present to the presbytery for approval requests to the Board for financial assistance and loans.
  6. Presbytery’s committee shall work in close cooperation and consultation with the Board in administering allocated funds, and shall secure the permission of the Board before making any changes in the allocation of funds.
  7. It is recommended that presbyteries provide from their funds expenses of the presbytery committee and its chairman; when they act, however, at the expressed request of the Board, the Board will bear the expense.
3. The Chairman of Presbytery’s Church Extension Committee
  1. The chairman will serve as liaison between church extension congregations and the Board, between presbytery and the Board, and between presbytery and church extension congregations within its boundaries.
  2. The chairman will make a written report to each meeting of the Board, including presbytery’s approved financial requests, shall submit to the Director of Outreach North America and the presbytery copies of this report and of all other church extension reports and shall retain copies as a permanent record for future reference.
The Local Congregation
1. Funded Congregations
  1. Funded congregations are congregations that are receiving financial aid through grants or supplements from funds of the General Synod administered by the Board, excluding those congregations receiving special grants as specified in Section VI.B.2.
  2. Funded congregations must be officially acknowledged by the presbytery as either missions or organized churches.
  3. A funded congregation retains this status as long as funding continues and until the Board is officially notified by the presbytery that the status of the congregation has changed.
  4. Mission Developers or Pastors of funded congregations will be expected to meet the following qualifications:
    1. They shall be ordained ministers.
    2. They shall be members of the presbytery before assuming the work or moving upon the field.
    3. They shall have either two years of pastoral experience or special training in the field of new church development.
    4. They shall have been approved by a board-sanctioned assessment process as having the skills, knowledge, attitude and gifts to be a successful church planter, or they shall have a previously demonstrated track record as a successful church planter.
    5. Extraordinary situations not covered by the qualifications above require the approval of the Board of Outreach North America.
  5. The procedure for securing a minister for a funded congregation will be the same as that followed by a presbytery in securing a minister for a self-supporting congregation provided that procedure includes the following:
    1. Presbytery’s church extension committee will counsel and advise funded congregations on action relative to securing a minister.
    2. Funded congregations may elect or appoint a “listening committee” to consider pastoral candidates and make their recommendations concerning the selection of a pastor to presbytery’s committee on church extension.
    3. Having first determined that the qualifications of paragraphs ‘a’, ‘c’ and ‘d’ of 4 above have been met, the presbytery’s church extension committee shall approve a candidate for the pastorate of a funded congregation BEFORE a definite, specific offer or commitment is made to the candidate.
    4. Only if the candidate falls under the provision of paragraph 4.e above, will the approval of the Board of Outreach North America be required.
  6. The Board will bear one-half of the moving expense of a pastor assuming work in a funded congregation except where there is some special pastoral arrangement; the remaining one-half will be assumed by the congregation or presbytery to which he is moving.
  7. Funded congregations, through their pastors, shall maintain contact with presbytery’s church extension committee.
  8. Funded congregations will be expected to meet the following guidelines:
    1. An effective stewardship program will be carried out.
    2. A budget will be prepared for operating the total program of the church and a copy of the budget submitted each year to the Office of Outreach North America and the chairman of presbytery’s church extension committee.
    3. Some type of evangelism outreach program will be conducted.
    4. The programs and emphases of the General Synod will be observed.
    5. Arrangements will be made to have representation at all stated meetings of church courts.
    6. Contributions to the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Retirement Plan will be paid in accordance with the policies of Synod.
    7. It is the responsibility of the developer to teach and nurture the congregation about the connectional nature of our denomination. Following the pattern of II Corinthians 8:7-8, funded congregations will be expected to give liberally and sacrificially to the Denominational Ministry Fund.
      The mission will begin giving at least 10% of its income (exclusive of the General Synod supplement) and will work progressively toward Synod’s guideline of 20%. Giving to the Denominational Ministry Fund will take precedence over other benevolent causes except presbytery assessments.
    8. The pastor’s salary will be paid at least once a month and will be reviewed annually by the Church Extension Committee to be certain that his financial needs are adequately met. Presbytery church extension committee shall insure that there is no net reduction in salary due to cost-of-living increases. We suggest consulting an index, such as The Washington Index, to ascertain the cost-of-living index for a particular geographic area.
  9. Sessions of funded congregations will submit designated reports promptly to the Director and the chairman of presbytery’s church extension committee; beginning with the next payment after the report is due, the Board will withhold funding from congregations that do not submit reports.
  10. A funded mission will generally not become an organized congregation of the presbytery while receiving a supplement from synod for current operating expenses. If a presbytery does organize a congregation that is receiving a supplement, an action of the board is required for that mission to continue receiving funding. Such approval will ordinarily not be granted unless there are special circumstances involved that require the congregation to organize with its own session, and unless the active communicant membership is at least 80 and the membership is showing a steady increase.
  11. Pastors of funded organized congregations may be officially installed by the presbytery.
  12. The Board shall closely monitor the work of funded congregations and give assistance to the presbyteries’ committee and to the missions in securing pastors.
2. Non-Funded Congregations
  1. Non-funded congregations are those congregations, whether self-supporting or not, which do not receive financial aid through regular grants and supplements from funds of the General Synod administered by the Board.
  2. The Board will make its resources available to help non-funded congregations plan and carry out effective programs of evangelism, church development, church revitalization, and new forms of ministry.
  3. Requests to the Board from non-funded congregations for help in special projects and programs should be submitted to the Board through presbytery’s church extension committee with the approval of the presbytery.
  4. Non-funded congregations receiving special grants or other assistance from the Board will submit quarterly progress reports.
Financial Policies
1. Supplements
  1. Supplements are extended to funded congregations to help meet current operating expenses.
  2. Requests for supplements shall have the recommendation of presbytery’s church extension committee and the approval of the presbytery before they will be considered by the Finance Committee for submission to the Board.
  3. Supplements will be disbursed on a pro-rata basis in monthly installments.
  4. Supplements will be reduced each year according to a schedule prepared by the Board.
  5. Supplements will generally be granted to a mission for no more than four years.
2. Grants
  1. Grants are given from the income from the Permanent Fund Initiative.
  2. Grants will be given to missions or newly organized churches to assist in the purchase of land and/or the building of their first unit.
  3. Grants will be matching grants of up to $35,000.00
  4. Requests for grants shall have the recommendation of presbytery’s church extension committee and the approval of the presbytery before they will be considered by the Finance Committee for submission to the Board.
  5. Grants will be disbursed at the time the expense is actually incurred by the congregation and not in advance.
  6. Grants will be approved only after verifying that the church mission is contributing at least the recommended 10% to the Denominational Ministry Fund on an annual basis.
3. Loans
  1. Congregations may secure loans through local institutions and/or through the Revolving Loan Fund of the Board.
  2. The total debt a funded congregation assumes must have the approval of presbytery’s church extension committee and the Board.
  3. The following policies will govern the operation of the Revolving Loan Fund:
    1. To Qualify:
      - Must be a new church (if funds are available, loans can be made to established churches. The established church would have to agree to loan recall at anytime funds are needed at a mission church.) Loans will be approved only after verifying that the congregation is contributing at least the recommended 10% to the Denominational Ministry Fund on an annual basis and will commit to continue contributions at that level.
      - Must demonstrate ability to repay loan.
        
        (a.) Monthly payments will not exceed 25% of budget at time of applications.
        
        (b.) Must not count presbytery or Synod support in loan eligibility figure.
        
        (c.) Must have one-third down payment (land value can count toward the one-third).
    2. Terms of the Loan
      - The loan will be secured by a first or second mortgage with presbytery guaranteeing the loan.
      - The loan will be for a maximum of 15 years.
      - The interest rate will be fixed at 1.5% below current commercial bank rates for a 15-year fixed rate mortgage in the local community; however, the Rate will not be below 5%.
      - Repayment begins no more than 180 days after the loan is issued.
      - The maximum amount of the loan will be $400,000.
    3. Applicants must complete a Revolving Loan Fund application form and submit it to the presbytery church extension committee. After presbytery approval, the finance committee of the Board of Outreach North America will review the loan application before the board considers it for approval.
      - The primary purpose of the Revolving Loan Fund is to make available for new church development loans up to $400,000 for land purchases and for building the first unit.
      - The Board may, at its discretion, make loans available to non-funded congregations under these policies if adequate funds are available.
      - Requests for loans shall have the recommendation of Presbytery’s church extension committee and the approval of the presbytery before they will be considered by the Finance Committee for submission to the Board.
      - All loans must have the approval of the Board; the Executive Committee, however, may act on behalf of the Board to approve loans in emergency situations between the regular meetings of the Board.
      - Loans will be granted only for the specific purposes recommended by presbytery’s church extension committee and approved by the presbytery and the Board.
      - The Board shall engage a custodian with the necessary expertise to administer the Revolving Loan Fund.
      - Legal matters relating to the loans shall be handled by the custodian engaged by the Board to administer the Revolving Loan Fund, and by the trustees of the congregation or presbytery seeking the loan. Payments will be made to the custodian administering the fund.
      - Loans will be granted only to presbyteries and organized congregations.
      - Loans will bear an interest rate of 1.5% less than the prevailing rate unless otherwise specified by the Board.
      - Loans will be granted for a period of fifteen years
      - If the loan is in arrears a minimum of 90 days, the loan shall be recalled.
      - Other terms of the loans will be worked out in consultation by the congregation or presbytery involved and the Director of Outreach North America as directed by the Board.
4. Church Plant Cash Flow Loan Fund
  1. The purpose of the Church Plant Cash Flow Loan Fund is to make temporary loans for cash flow purposes to missions and to presbyteries for new church development. Any funds not used for that purpose may be invested, with earnings to be used to fund current operations after adjusting for inflation to maintain the real value of the fund.
  2. The following policy will govern the operation of the Church Plant Cash Flow Loan Fund.
    1. To qualify:
      1. Applicant must be a mission or a presbytery, but loans to presbyteries will only be for purposes of new church development.
      2. Applicant must complete a loan application form that documents:
        
        (a) The cash flow issue causing the need for the loan.
        
        (b) Evidence that the cash flow difficulty is only temporary.
      3. Applicant must attach to the application a financial report for the previous year, plus a current budget, and budget projections for the next two years.
    2. Terms of the loan
      1. The loan will be secured by a promissory note kept by Outreach North America with a copy to the presbytery.
      2. The maximum amount of the loan will be $25,000.
      3. The loan will be for a maximum of two years.
      4. The interest rate will be the current rate of inflation, for the purpose of maintaining the fund’s real value.
      5. Total balance of the loan must be repaid as soon as possible, but no later than two years after the loan is issued.
      6. Total balance of the loan must be repaid before any grants or other loans are made by Outreach North America.
    3. Requests for loans
      1. Must be submitted on the ONA Church Plant Cash Flow Loan application form.
      2. Must be approved by the presbytery before being considered by the finance committee for submission to the board.
      3. Requests for Church Plant Cash Flow Loan Fund loans must be approved by the Board. The Executive Committee, however, may act on behalf of the Board to approve Church Plant Cash Flow Loan Fund loans in emergency situations between the regular meetings of the Board.
5. Investments
  1. The Revolving Loan Fund will be invested as designated by the Board.
  2. Other permanent funds of the Board will be invested by the appointed trustee of the invested funds of the General Synod.
Buildings and Capital Improvements
1. Prior to signing a contract, plans and specifications for buildings and other capital improvements by funded congregations must be approved by the presbytery and the Board or its designated representative whether or not all funds come from the local congregation, and adequate supervision must be provided by an architect, an engineer, or a qualified builder approved by the Board throughout the construction.
2. Plans and specifications for buildings and other capital improvements must be accompanied by complete financial information, including construction price, fund-raising programs, and the outline of long-range planning.
3. The Board will not invest the money of the General Synod in the development of property given with restrictive conditions except when it is specifically directed to do so by the General Synod.
4. When a building or other capital improvement program is completed or accepted, the Board and the presbytery will receive a statement of the actual cost.
Property
1. When property is purchased with Synod funds, the presbytery in which the property is located shall hold title.
2. If a mission or congregation is not located on the property and it is sold, the proceeds shall be returned to the Synod through the Board.
3. The Board may hold property for a presbytery at the request of a presbytery.
Relation to Other Agencies of the Synod and the Presbytery
1. The Board shall work in close cooperation with all the agencies of the General Synod and the presbyteries.
2. The Board requests of all such agencies that contributions not be accepted from funded congregations which are not meeting Synod’s guidelines for voluntary commitment.
Including revisions approved by the 202nd meeting of General Synod, June 2006.