I believe that it's possible that the ERC may be on the verge of a historic transformation.
When I entered the East Pennsylvania Conference in the 1970s, as I've said several times, there were pro-Conference and anti-Conference cultures...
...the groups that exist as today's hierarchs and their Good Old Boy network and the Cynics.
In the 40 plus years since then, those groups have evolved. And, the diversity in what is now the Eastern Regional Conference has increased.
There were always those who just didn't care about the moving and shaking that goes on at the Conference level. And, these people still exist and are the people I call the Apathetics.
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In the 70s, there was only one staff member, a "Conference Superintendent," who was a great guy, but, really, mostly an administrator who traveled to the churches as the Conference luminary. (He installed me at Duncannon and Logania more than 40 years ago.)
Later on, Conference staff expanded to two.
Now, it's an Executive Director, two Directors, two finance people (typical of an institution) plus an Executive Assistant.
And, soon, if the hierarchs have their way with us, and the new New Strategic Plan becomes reality,...
...there will be an E. D., FOUR directors, a finance person and an Executive Assistant.
Make no mistake about it:
The new New Strategic Plan expands the ERC as an institution and is, precisely, feces neatly arranged on a newly polished sterling silver platter.
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The hierarchs fully expected that the people of the Conference would roll over...
...as they always have before...
...approve the new New Strategic Plan thoughtlessly, as they normally do...
...and, then, allow the new New Strategic Plan to become words on a page...
...as their programs and strategies always become...
...so the hierarchs could, in the near future, justify their existence by putting together their next program and/or strategy.
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But, not this time.
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Clearly, as they approached this past Administrative Council meeting, the hierarchs still expected the Council to roll over and rubber stamp their plan.
Read the Round Table PDF. They seemed certain that the new New Strategic Plan would be implemented on January 1, 2018.
They planned to do an end run around the Constitution by simply saying that they weren't suspending it. Which, of course, they were.
And, in the past, they would have gotten away with it...
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...but, not this time.
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I, of course, don't know the particulars. I only know what would have happened in the past.
It's what happened in 2015 with the old New Strategic Plan.
That didn't happen earlier this month.
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The dominance of the hierarchs is now in question.
There is now a group of Skeptics unwilling, for the moment at least, to rubber stamp the hierarchs' plans. Some of the are fairly highly positioned.
It is historically significant that these Skeptics are able and willing to think and act independently of the hierarchs and their Good Old Boy network...
...and to doit without becoming Cynics.
They are unwilling to blandly vote, "Aye," and to rubber stamp the hierarchs latest.
And, that unwillingness is absolutely and truly historic. By ERC standards, it verges on the prophetic.
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Let me be clear, I'm acquainted with all of the ERC staff people, and being the geezer I am, in most cases, I've known them for many years. I know the hierarchs. And, even most of the people currently in the Good Old Boy network.
And, as individuals, they are wonderful people.
They are nice people. Individually, they are gentle people. They genuinely believe. They are perfectly sincere. They love the Lord.
As individuals.
But, joined together, they make up a leadership culture that has been devastating...deadly...to the church.
If the hierarchs who carry on the church-focused, pastor-dominated ways are permitted to carry on those church-focused, pastor-dominated ways one more time, the ERC may very well be burnt toast.
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But, I see two hopeful signs that I want to believe are signs that the ERC could be entering a time of transition...of transformation.
1. The hierarchs blinked. They admitted that the 2015 old new Strategic Plan was merely words on paper.
Understand: They have never done that before.
They are not as self-confident as they have always been.
2. The Skeptics have arisen, seemingly organically, to, at least, question the will and the ways of the hierarchs and their good old boy network.
What has always happened...
...the thing that happened as recently as the 2015 old new Strategic Plan is not happening yet.
In 2015, the hierarchs planned...
...the Ad Council rubber stamped...
...the hierarchs then summoned the necessary enthusiasm to create fanfare for that Strategic Plan...
The Conference in session rolled over and, unanimously, approved...
And, as always, under the guidance of this leadership culture, no one did anything...
...until, in the context of the now advanced decay and putrefication of the Conference, the hierarchs panicked, attempted to foist the idea of a new Strategic Plan on the Conference...
And, the Skeptics said, "Now hold on!"
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And, now the Conference has a chance.
What we need to do is repent.
At this point, I don't see that happening but it may.
As I study the word, I understand that repentance is the fruit of an emotional process.
Jesus talks about that process in the Beatitudes that appear at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount. Study, especially, the first four blessings. Poor in spirit. Mourn. Meek. Hunger and thirst for righteousness.
We're not there yet.
Paul says, more succinctly, that godly sorrow produces a repentance that leads to salvation.
We're not emotionally on the path to repentance. But, we may get there, eventually.
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Is this a transitional moment for the ERC?
No.
Not yet.
But, the ingredients that must be present at the beginning of that process may, possibly, soon be present.
Pray for the Skeptics...and their prophetic ministry.
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