IBC district PROFILE

INTRODUCTION

On May 2-3, 2008 the Iowa Baptist Conference held its historic 125^th annual meeting, focusing on aNewthing!  BGC Vice President, Dr. Paul Johnson, poured out a biblical foundation from Isaiah 43:18-19, and cast a powerful vision of a great God—a God calling out His people to forget the past… and instead to gaze upon the horizon where He is clearing roadways through wildernesses… and making rivers flow through desert places! 

In the spirit of that powerful encouragement… today the pioneering people of Iowa have chosen to embark on a pathway… to look to the horizon… to discover what new thing Almighty God is about to do in one of BGC’s oldest districts! 

By a vote of 122-5, the churches’ delegates authorized investigation of four potential new ministry alignments.  And in recognition of God’s greatness, the delegates remained open to God’s unforeseen or unanticipated work as well!

1.       A Complete Merge – all the Iowa churches completely melding into whatever is the new “whole,” thereby eliminating any sense of “Iowa” identity.

2.       An Attach Merge – all the Iowa churches placing themselves under the leadership and oversight of the larger whole district, but with the Iowa churches somehow structured as a “sub-district,” thereby retaining some semblance of “Iowa” identity.

3.       A Divide Merge – each Iowa church affiliating with their geographically neighboring districts, (e.g., western churches affiliating with Heartland, northern churches affiliating with Minnesota, eastern and central churches affiliating with MidAmerica, and perhaps northeastern churches affiliating with Great Lakes.)

4.       No Merge – As part of IBC’s investigating the mergers outlined above, it also will closely evaluate whether any manner of internal restructuring could provide healthy viability for continuation as an autonomous BGC district. 

 

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BRIEF HISTORY

The first “BGC” church was organized in 1852 in Rock Island, Illinois… allowing Converge MidAmerica to retain today’s “bragging rights” as the true root of the BGC!  It wasn’t until four years later, in 1856, that a three-state meeting of churches from Illinois, Minnesota, and Iowa… formed the first general (three-state) conference.

However, by 1858, much like today, the tremendous costs and complexities of travelling long distance prompted Minnesotans to recognize the value of a smaller geographic region… and the new Minnesota Baptist Conference was born. 

For a time, Iowa and Illinois remained together as the Illinois-Iowa Conference.  But in 1872, the churches of western Iowa also sought the benefits of shorter travel… shifted allegiance from Illinois, and joined with Nebraska.  The remaining Iowa and Illinois churches, renamed themselves as the Illinois and Eastern Iowa Conference. 

More than a decade passed before eleven churches (mostly from western Iowa!) re-formed with the eastern churches to create a new single-state district—the Iowa Baptist Conference in June 1883.  The founding churches were from Kiron, Denison, Council Bluffs, Sioux City, Stratford (Swede Bend), Forest City, Meriden, Swea, Des Moines, Burlington, and Village Creek. 

This brief sketch illustrates the fluid nature of Iowa’s churches’ affiliations throughout their history.  Iowans have experienced many variations—united as part of a three-state conference; merged into a two-state conference; divided/attached to two neighboring districts; and formed as an autonomous district. 

Since its inception 125 years ago, the original eleven churches of the Iowa Baptist Conference have grown to forty churches. 

OVERALL MISSION and OPERATION of the IBC

IBC’s faith-mission is to “Magnify God… by mobilizing and multiplying a growing family of healthy churches.”   As people of faith… IBC believes that “God is great… and with God, nothing is impossible!” 

In support of its faith-mission IBC currently operates three ministries. 

1.       MOBILIZATION—this district is moving forward!

IBC has five LEAD teams… involving 88% of IBC’s senior/solo pastors, two out of three Interims, and three out of twelve Associates.

LEAD teams are currently dual-focused… serving as the “front line” for both IBC’s district’s mobilization and multiplication efforts. 

Additionally, the district has one Youth Pastor’s LEAD team… involving 55% of Youth Pastors.  This group is enthusiastic and energetic... adding another bonding layer between churches scattered across Iowa. 

IBC is launching four LEADNets for pastor’s wives… in various stages of effectively “getting off the ground.”  

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God has used Iowa’s effort at bringing pastors and staff together to produce an historic shift—a true bond—a spirit among them that previously did not exist!  Today, pastors readily “bear one another’s burdens.”  Today, churches lend themselves to one another.  No one in the IBC faces crisis alone… unless they choose to do so. 

IBC churches are mobilizing beyond traditional borders… beyond themselves!  LEAD teams have reached out to unaffiliated churches… sharing transformational testimonies, reporting their district’s valued relationships… and thereby drawing four previously unaffiliated churches into the IBC!

 

2.       MULTIPLICATION—this district is growing outward! 

God has used IBC LEAD teams to launch a church planting movement.  The district has been providing ~$40K+ funding per church plant… helping 15 local congregations launch four new churches in Waukon, Iowa Falls, Iowa City, and Des Moines... in four years!   

Each new congregation has affiliated with IBC… is appropriately spiritually healthy for their current stage of development… and is returning a significant measure of vitality and spiritual energy back to the team! 

Since the inception of LEAD teams in 2001, there has been no church planting “failures” or closures!

 

3.       SPIRITUAL MEMORIES—this district is “creating spiritual memories that will last a lifetime!” 

Life-changing spiritual decisions, the kind that are never forgotten, are made at camp!  IBC supports its churches’ Mobilization and Multiplication efforts through its ministry at Pine Lake Christian Camp.  God has used this beautiful ministry site, situated along the shores of Pine Lake State Park, to help churches to attract newcomers, and to engage church members in spiritually dynamic and physically refreshing events.

Last year IBC’s camp hosted 543 summer campers, saw 45 first-time commitments to Christ, and fostered 15 recommitments.  Beyond IBC’s summer camping schedule, the facility hosted 1834 people at 63 events and retreats, plus 37 retreats in the pastor’s Solitude Cabin during the year. 

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

A detailed description of IBC’s organization is found in the attached Constitution.  Simply stated, the District is structured in a manner common among BGC districts, and rooted in congregational polity. 

Regional LEAD teams nominate regional representatives to the board.  The District Executive Minister proposes the operational budget.  Upon the board’s recommendation, the ballot and budget are presented and voted on by delegates gathered annually from local congregations.  Between annual meetings the Board of Overseers directs the staff and operations.

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STAFFING

Since combining the Pine Lake Camp staff and IBC administrative staff in 2001, the IBC staff has functioned as a unit.  Everyone shares office space, as well as work load, at IBC’s centrally located headquarters at Pine Lake Christian Camp in Eldora, IA. 

Last year IBC started the year with four full time staff—a DEM, an IBC administrator, a Camp Director, and an Office Manager/Marketing/Tech person.  As a cost-saving measure, the district did not replace the office manager when he moved away. 

Bookkeeping services are contracted locally. 

Other staff includes a part time food service manager, as well as 32 temporary summer staff. 

Part time directors for Mobilization and Multiplication are currently serving without any compensation.  IBC employs no receptionists or secretaries. 

FINANCIAL STATUS

·         PROPERTY 

IBC’s conference headquarters and camp property encompasses 49 acres… with 34 buildings/cabins… a 45 x 75 swimming pool… and overall capacity of ~185 campers. 

The buildings are of various ages… some going back almost fifty years… with overall condition ranging from good to great.  The newest (and most prestigious) building, Parr Lodge, was constructed in 2001… housing 12 adults in a wonderful lodge-like setting.  The rest of the camp facility setting is relatively rustic, with restrooms and air-conditioning in some cabins, and bath houses available elsewhere. 

The county-assessed valuation of $267,620 does not accurately reflect the property’s full market value.

                                                      

·         CASH & RESERVES

Please review the enclosed 125^TH Annual Meeting booklet to see detailed financial reports and statements. 

Simply stated, last year’s $629K budget required utilization of ~$49K from reserves.  It is anticipated that this year’s $526K budget will not require any reserves.  IBC’s current ~$112K reserves on deposit at Cornerstone should remain intact. 

Remember God’s horizon?  Great news!  1)  President Jerry Sheveland has committed BGC to provide (2) $25K church planting grants to IBC this year… which will allow IBC’s current church planting momentum to continue unabated!  2)  When IBC’s remaining Xtreme Step’s commitments have been completed, any remaining “balance due” to BGC will be forgiven! 

 

·         FINANCIAL TRENDS

Although IBC does not carry any indebtedness, the district’s financial trends have been tenuous for many years… currently trending more toward survival rather than toward thriving and Magnifying the greatness of God.    

 

Traditionally, IBC’s ministries have been supported through a combination of “gifts,” “earnings” and “inheritance.” 

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God has supplied “gifts” through churches and donors, “earnings” through campers and renters… and “inheritance” through the “death” of former IBC churches.  For example, God supplied an “inheritance” from a former church in Carlisle, IA (in 2001) which has funded new initiatives and any shortfall between IBC’s annual income and expenses for the past 7 years!  

But since 2001, no other churches have officially closed… and no additional “inheritance” has been received by IBC. 

With no foreseeable “inheritance,” and relatively flat-lined “earnings” from camp ministries, the emphasis and energy were re-focused on initiatives increasing “gift” income!

·         GIFT INCOME INITIATIVES

1.       XTREME STEPS—2002  

IBC’s joint initiative with BGC… and its first district-wide fund raising effort. 

PRAISE GOD!  Due to the strong partnership IBC has with the BGC… and a generous spirit among BGC leadership, IBC will conclude Xtreme Steps receiving a minimum of $85K! 

Although much of the Xtreme Steps process was viewed as a struggle for a small district, Xtreme Steps succeeded in prompting IBC leadership to acknowledge the essential nature of intentional fund raising in support of IBC’s ministry operations… and prompted the launch of three additional initiatives!

2.       HEART PARTNERS—2005

This initiative focused on individuals… identifying and soliciting major donors.

Heart Partners rested on the DEM, and during the first two years, raised a total of $175K.  But during the third year, one major donor felt the Lord’s leading to direct his significant gift to another worthy cause.  This necessitated IBC withdrawing $49K from reserves last year.

The district’s vulnerability was exposed—first to shifting priorities among a small number of donors, and second to the lack of skill in fund raising and/or calling of the current DEM.  Yet the urgency for effective large scale fund raising became acutely obvious!  

Believing his essential personal “calling” was not as a fund raiser, Skip Hansen prepared to step aside… thereby allowing the district to pursue a DEM with effective fund raising focus and skills.

3.       FIVE LOAVES and TWO FISH—2007

This initiative focused on IBC member churches. 

In preparation for the anticipated change in leadership, member churches were asked to clarify their commitment regarding district participation, and financial support.

This information could assist the Board of Overseers (and any incoming DEM) in evaluating what the district would have to work with. 

The complete results of the church responses to “Five Loaves + Two Fish” can be reviewed on the IBC Website. In summary, “Five+Two” increased awareness and raised many commitments!  Yet in summary, the participating churches did not project a donation stream adequate to establish IBC’s financial stability.

Additionally, anecdotal reports are already suggesting that the continuing impact of Iowa’s recent natural devastations (home, business and crop losses) likely will cause future financial commitments to IBC to remain very uncertain.

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4.  GO FISH!—2007-2008

This initiative focused on individuals and church supporters of IBC’s camp. 

In preparation for a potential transition or new horizon ahead, the Executive Minister challenged the Pine Lake Camp Director to begin “raising $50K” this year in direct support of IBC’s camping ministry. 

The camp director accepted the challenge.  Currently he is traveling extensively, “telling the camp story,” and seeking donors who will support camp with sustained gifts and services.  He is seeking 100 persons to provide $500 annually.  In the past six months, dozens have responded with various types of “hands-on” service… and 11 persons signed up as sustaining $500/yr donors.

 

READER’S NOTE:  It is acknowledged that the complete impact of these initiatives has not had time to become fully realized, and thereby the future potential for developing gift income in Iowa remains unknown. 

It is expected that any new strategic partner would develop and expand gift income initiatives in Iowa.

 

THE PERFECT STORM

As the winter of 2007-2008 progressed… and while still anticipating a search for new DEM, four vulnerability/viability factors emerged… and coalesced.  As a result, the Board of Overseers determined to take a “hard look” at the district. They found:

1.       Increased church health.  Churches are no longer closing… and thereby IBC remains without any foreseeable significant “inheritances.”

2.       Insufficient number of major donors.  IBC remains vulnerable to the decisions of too small a group of major donors… when God leads individual’s hearts toward other worthy causes.  

3.       Insufficient number of churches.  IBC remains vulnerable to too small a number of churches, whose demonstrated (and projected) financial capacity has not proven adequate to support this district’s current ministry configuration. 

4.       Insufficient Resources.  The IBC remains vulnerable to insufficient staff… with insufficient time, gifting and resources to develop a larger more sufficient group of donors. 

THE EYE OF THE STORM:  IBC projected an annual shortfall of $100K between what is needed to maintain and grow the district… and what gifts, earnings, and inheritance are able to provide.

At the recommendation of the DEM, the Board of Overseers decided to pursue a new tact…  aNewthing during fiscal year 2008-09.  Upon counsel from BGC leadership and other DEM’s, the board requested that the current DEM, Skip Hansen, remain to serve as the director for this transitional year.  He agreed.  The DEM became the DOT—Director of Transition.

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TRANSITION YEAR PROCESS

aNewthing! was conceived, and launched, to be a year-long process of investigation and evaluation of potential new strategic alliances outside of IBC.  However, as noted earlier, it has already taken an additional dimension related to Iowa autonomy. 

Both “At-a-Glance” and “Detailed” outlines of the year-long process are available on the IBC Website.

MARCHING ORDERS

The Director of Transition (DOT) will lead the year-long process, exploring a selected short list of ministry alignments, seeking to discover God’s will for IBC’s future, and culminating in a delegate vote in 2009.

The Board of Overseers will oversee and review the DOT’S work.  They will evaluate emerging pro’s and con’s… and will construct the final recommendation which will be proposed to the delegates at next year’s annual meeting.

Serving as counselors to the Board of Overseers, and participants in the process, will be BGC leadership, IBC’s neighboring districts, IBC’s own participating lay persons and pastors, and the DOT.

While this process will be organized and facilitated by the Board of Overseers, the DOT, IBC staff and LEAD team participants… it will include as many IBC lay persons as is reasonably effective… because ULTIMATELY this process must provide an outcome that is viewed as most appropriate to those who will remain long after the current staff and pastors are gone.

THE LONG LIST … listening and learning

IBC surveyed over  four hundred and fifty identified local-church lay leaders and pastors… twice!

First, respondents were asked what they wanted “to preserve, to achieve and to avoid” as the district moved forward.  Second, respondents were asked to explore and to express both their “inside the box” as well as their “outside the box” ideas regarding IBC’s preferred future. 

The respondents provided approximately 150 comments—establishing a data base or LONG LIST. 

These 150 comments were collated into 12 categories… to facilitate the distillation process of creating the SHORT LIST.

THE DISTILLATION… boiling down the data

Two days were spent by a group of IBC’s spiritual leaders (staff, pastors and wives) focused on praying, pondering, and prioritizing the LONG LIST. 

Some expressed concern that no lay persons were involved in these two days.  However, it was believed that these trusted spiritual leaders of local churches were deeply vested in the “best interests” of their lay person congregations.

This belief proved accurate as the process developed.  aNewthing was originally conceived to investigate new alliances beyond IBC.  However, over the two days, these leaders discerned an inclination (a “yearning”?) among some comments from lay persons, (as well as among themselves,) to include an additional in-depth feasibility study of retaining “Iowa” autonomy on the SHORT LIST. 

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The following is the distillation and prioritization of the original 150 comments.  This has been included to provide any interested reader an opportunity to evaluate and interpret some of the “raw results” for him/herself… as well as to provide him/her opportunity to establish his/her own insights regarding the mind and heart of Iowa’s leadership… and to identify those values which gave direction to the formation of the SHORT LIST. 

For anyone seeking the complete raw data, including the number of individuals “voting” for each characteristic, this information can be found on the IBC website.

CHART KEY:

v  GIVENS—practices or characteristics that IBC leaders unanimously accept without question… consider normative at all times… and about which there is no compromise. 

©  HIGHEST VALUE—practices or characteristics that are the most valued by most in the IBC pastors… but do not unanimously rise to the level of normative and without variation. 

 ·  SIGNIFICANT VALUES—practices or characteristics that are important to many leaders, but not necessarily most leaders.

CATEGORY 1 – DURING THE TRANSITION YEAR… (Fiscal Year 2008-09)

v     To continue LEAD teams

v     To continue asking churches what they want and will support

v     To bathe IBC’s decisions in prayer

v     To avoid self-righteous self-serving behaviors and attitudes

©  HIGHEST VALUE:  To establish good communication between local church offices and their local congregations

·      To engage the wisdom of “successful” districts

·      Don’t assume merger is the only answer

·      Avoid fear of change… and closed mindedness

·      Maintain TRUST and RELIANCE on God… above money or pragmatism

CATEGORY 2 – BEYOND THE TRANSITION YEAR…

v     A commitment to Matthew 28:18-20

v     A strong focus on the entire Word of God

v     Magnifying God—Demonstrating the greatness of the God we serve

v     Mobilizing—helping established churches become all that God wants for them

v     Multiplying—birthing new congregations

v     A clear and compelling Vision—avoiding any sense of being rudderless

v     A positive proactive “can-do” (faith based) mindset

v     A focus on district ministries that benefit the local church

v     Maintain TRUST in God’s provision

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CATEGORY 8 – SPIRITUAL MEMORIES (Christian Camping at Pine Lake)

©  HIGHEST VALUE: To “emancipate” this ministry—continuing its ministry as a separate and healthy self-reliant ministry

·       To retain this ministry—but self-reliant for funding

·       To preserve the ministry itself—even if “emancipated”

CATEGORY 9 – STAFFING and SERVICES

© HIGHEST VALUE:  Staff level should be determined according to whatever is the chosen and defined mission of the organization

·    Full-time DEM role

·    Highly Valued District Services:

1.  Meeting with pastors/lay leaders

2.  Leadership Development

3.  Church Planting

4.   Helping in Conflicts

·    Matching staff gifts with positions

CATEGORY 10 – ENGAGING IN ANY POTENTIAL ALLIANCE

v     A clear understanding of the WHY and WHAT in any new alliance

v     Avoiding any sense that Iowans are second-class

v     Avoiding any alliance that is unfaithful to Word of God

 ©  HIGHEST VALUE:  A “good fit,” fiscally sound, well-founded on start-from-scratch best operation of a district

CATEGORY 11 – SPECIFICALLY ENGAGING ANY POTENTIAL (BGC-related) ALLIANCE

©  HIGHEST VALUE: Retain Iowa Identity…as a sub-region within any new alliance

·  Retain Iowa Identity…  by not merging

·  Divide geographically toward nearest neighboring districts

·  Togetherness

CATEGORY 12 – OTHER POSSIBLE (Non-BGC-related) ALLIANCES

·   Looking into possible relationships with North American Baptists, Conservative Baptists, and E-Free

·    Investigating possible sharing of administrative facilities and/or staff

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THE SHORT LIST (sorted by personal “preferences”)

At the beginning of this PROFILE (see page 1) four potential ministry alignments were presented in a sequence without respect to “preference.” 

Although the distillation process revealed that some “preferences” existed, the leaders agreed that all four ministry alignments are equally “on the table,” regardless of anyone’s personal “favorite.”  The reason:  The leaders agreed that aNewthing is intended to reveal whatever new thing God intends to do among us, rather than to fulfill anyone’s preconceived personal preferences.

For the reader’s benefit, the following “preferences” are noted:

“PREFERENCES”

1.   Restarting (reconfiguring—realigning IBC’s structures and ministries) so as to effectively function as a healthy autonomous District

2.   Attaching—becoming a sub-region of a neighboring BGC district

3.   Complete Merge—melding into a neighboring district

4.   Dividing—groups of churches morphing 2 or 3-way (with geographically closest neighbors)

SWOT ANALYSIS… Board of Overseers—June 2008

Following the creation of the SHORT LIST, the Board of Overseers met with BGC Executive Vice President and Director of Mobilization Ray Swatkowski (and Gary Harrison, Pinnacle Ministries) to do a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis of the IBC… from the Board of Overseers perspective. 

The following results provide additional insight to the reader. 

1. STRENGTHS

   1. The strong bonds and relationships developed through LEAD teams

   2. Debt free!

   3. Vibrant camping ministry!

   4. The momentum of a “Turn-around District”!

2. WEAKNESSES         

   1. Weak sense of “community”/accountability/commitment to IBC

   2. Too few churches to support a healthy district

   3.  Weak sense of “trust”/confidence in elected district leadership

3. OPPORTUNITIES

   1. The churches’ ability to choose IBC’s own future!

   2. Excellent growth potential through unsaved, un-churched and unaffiliated churches!

   3. Good relationship with strong resources—BGC and neighboring districts!

   4. Excellent Next-Generation growth potential—children and youth!

4. THREATS

   1. Consumer mindset and competition—(time, resources, and energy)

   2. Imminent fiscal ill-health/aging camp-facility needs

   3. Fear of change/apathy/ignorance/division & strife

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RESULTANT ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED:  (See Instruction Sheet)

1. Viable Funding:  Define the level of funding essential for sustaining current (or selected) ministries… as well as providing adequate funding for the future growth of such ministries to a level that Magnifies God—i.e., demonstrates God’s greatness through flourishing operational strength.

2. Expanding Personal Vision:  Define methods for increasing individual constituents’ personal understanding and “ownership” of whatever collective district vision is established.

3. Future of Pine Lake Christian Camp:  Define the future of IBC’s camp ministry—its relationship to IBC, governmental structures, sustainable funding and operational mode. 

4. Fear of the Change/Process:  Define methods of overcoming latent fear of change, and suspicion of some kind of “hidden agenda” on the part of existing leadership.

THE IBC ETHOS

When all the data herein is drawn together, it sketches a good likeness of the identity and ethos of the people known as the Iowa Baptist Conference.  Together they are many things… that individually they may be, or not.

v     Together they are a faith-people boldly declaring an uncompromising commitment to the Word of God… and their particular focus on Christ’s Great Commission.

v     Together they are a faith-people relentlessly retaining an uncompromising mission for Magnifying God… by mobilizing existing congregations and multiplying new congregations—a growing family of healthy churches.

v     Together they are a faith-people rejoicing at God’s great blessings through current up-trends in expanding ministries.  Yet they also recognize these up-trends are not being matched by equivalent up-trends in income.  They acknowledge this disparity cannot continue unabated. 

v     Together they are a faith-people devotedly defending their sense of “family” identity, and unity around their commitment to a common mission. 

At the same time, with forthrightness and integrity, they are preparing to confront the truth that not every one values each of the family’s current ministries equally—the primary divergence being related to Christian camping. 

While camping is passionately essential for some, it ranks only as a high value for others.  It cannot be defined as a unanimous district-wide “given.”  And so, even as a people of faith, there is a certain amount of trepidation as they prepare to address this sensitive matter.

v     Together they are a faith-people… looking to the Lord for wisdom and guidance through the exciting and uncertain days ahead.

IN CONCLUSION

The IBC is a good district… a group of good people with a great God… a people at a crossroads looking to the horizon… a people to whom God has given a good measure of strength to bring wherever they choose to go.  

They are seeking God’s will for their future.  They are wondering… if God might want you to become part of His future with them.

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