The General Conference has three organizational layers: congregational, district, and Conference, each with its ministries, services, and responsibilities. This makes for a simple organizational chart, but think of the many people, and teams of people, represented by that chart.
The GC is a team consisting of our members. Because that large team cannot always be assembled, it selects a smaller team — the GC board of directors — to represent it most of the time. Because our board cannot always be assembled, it selects an even smaller team — the president and executive director — to lead the day-to-day work of our church.
Because that work is greater than any one or two leaders could handle alone, many more teams have been created. Helped by the executive director, the president directs and supports the district superintendents, Ministries directors, and department directors. These leaders direct and support teams of their own — in some cases, teams of teams of teams.
Not only is this division of our work among many teams and team members efficient and effective, it’s also biblical! When Jethro saw Moses trying to do everything himself, Jethro counseled him, in effect, “Create teams!” (Exodus 18:19-23).
When Jesus began His earthly ministry, He built a team. He called a small group of men to learn His ministry and carry it on. Christ’s teambuilding continued even after His return to heaven: “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11, 12, NASB throughout). One of those apostles, Paul, instructed his teammate, Timothy, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). In other words, “Build teams!”
Effective efforts require effective teams. Effective teams require faithful members. Which team or teams are you serving on?
— Loren Stacy
GC President
