International Organization and Governance

6502. Organization and Governance. The International Conference of The Wesleyan Church shall function through its quadrennial sessions composed of representatives from each General Conference, each Established National/Regional Conference, and mission units functioning under a General Conference missions department. The number of representatives from each unit shall be determined according to the number of members, with due regard to the principle of lay representation. In the interim of International Conference sessions, it shall function through the International Board. The International Conference of The Wesleyan Church shall be organized and governed in accord with its Charter. 6504. Article 1. Name. The name of this organization shall be The International Conference of The Wesleyan Church. 6505. Article 2. Purpose. The International Conference shall give spiritual and ecclesiastical oversight to The Wesleyan Church worldwide as outlined in 6745 Article 8. Powers and Duties. 6510. Article 3. Membership.

Membership Categories

(1) The International Conference of The Wesleyan Church shall make provision for full members and associate members.

(2) Full Members. Full members shall be as follows:

(a) They shall consist of those bodies which have originated in or which have joined The Wesleyan Church, and adhere to the Essentials of The Wesleyan Church, and subscribe to the Charter and other provisions of The International Conference.

(b) A church body which has not originated in but wishes to join The Wesleyan Church, if it is deemed by The International Conference of The Wesleyan Church to qualify for full standing as a General Conference and if it agrees to adhere to the Essentials of The Wesleyan Church, may be received by majority vote of The International Conference.

(c) A church body which has not originated in but wishes to join The Wesleyan Church, if it is deemed by The International Conference of The Wesleyan Church not to qualify for General Conference status, may be directed by The International Conference or the International Board to join a member General Conference.

(3) Associate Members. Associate members shall consist of church bodies of comparable General Conference status which have not originated in or joined The Wesleyan Church. An associate member shall be in harmony with the Essentials of The Wesleyan Church, shall subscribe to other provisions of The International Conference, and shall be received by majority vote of The International Conference. Associate members shall have a voice but no vote at The International Conference.

(4) Full and associate members shall meet the financial obligations of membership as determined by The International Conference. Failure to pay membership assessment will put membership status on probation. Members who are on probation will receive no assistance on expenses for The International Conference but will have a voice and no vote.

Membership Status

6515. There shall be three ranks of membership: General Conferences, Established National/Regional Conferences, and mission units.

(1) A General Conference is a body that has full authority over the Church in its assigned territory, in keeping with the provisions of The International Conference. A General Conference has the right to manage its own internal governance, including revising its Discipline, as long as it does not violate the Essentials.

(2) An Established National/Regional Conference is a body which has originated in or joined one of the General Conferences of The Wesleyan Church and which has been authorized by its General Conference and approved by The International Conference to have a defined autonomy on the grounds that the following requirements have been satisfied:

(a) An effective church organization on the local, district, and/or national/regional levels.

(b) Effective programs for the nurture and training of members, new converts, children, young people, and lay workers.

(c) An effective program for ministerial training.

(d) Evidence of responsible stewardship of life and possessions, including the proper management of funds and the provision for the support of its own pastors, workers, and officers.

(e) A defined and operational program of evangelism, church planting, and cross-cultural mission outreach.

(f) The existence of a functioning property-holding body, or more than one such body if required by local laws.

(g) Agreement to adhere to the Essentials of The Wesleyan Church.

(h) A Discipline as approved by the founding General Conference.

(i) An Established National/Regional Conference has “defined autonomy,” the right to manage its own internal governance, which includes revising its Discipline, (with the exception of membership requirements), as long as it does not violate the Essentials. An Established National/Regional Conference remains in relationship with the General Conference that founded it, and the General Superintendent of the founding conference has a continuing role as mentor/coach and participates in the National/ Regional Conference. Proposed changes in the membership requirements of an Established National/Regional Conference must be approved by the International Board. An Established National/Regional Conference may be advanced to the status of a General Conference by The International Conference, upon authorization from the originating/initiating General Conference.

(3) Mission units shall be bodies such as national or regional multi-district conferences, established districts, developing districts, or pioneer districts functioning under a missions department of a General Conference. Church governance and policy is administered through the Discipline provisions of said General Conference.

6516. Criteria for Advancement to Established National/Regional Conference Status. In addition to the recommendation of the supervising General Conference to the International Board, the following is a checklist of documentation that must accompany any application for advancement of a mission unit or other body to Established National/Regional Conference status. It is to be understood that these criteria will be used for a comprehensive review and composite evaluation of each application. Therefore, it is the overall strength that is being assessed rather than a rigid focus on each criterion. An applicant may request an exception on a specific requirement for cause.

(1) Effective church organization on local, district, and/or national/regional levels demonstrated by:

(a) An organized district or national structure.

(b) A minimum of fifty fully organized or established local churches (not counting preaching points or missions).

(c) A minimum of two thousand full members.

(d) Sufficient number of ordained ministers to support district and/ or national/regional levels of administration.

(e) A process for collection of local church statistical data.

(2) Effective program of discipleship and membership training demonstrated by:

(a) Curricula for discipleship, lay leadership, and membership training systems that reflect commitment to Wesleyan-Arminian theology.

(b) Active delivery systems for discipleship, lay leadership, and membership training.

(3) Effective program of ministerial education demonstrated by:

(a) An approved curriculum or standards for ministerial education leading to ordination and reflecting commitment to Wesleyan-Arminian theology.

(b) A delivery system for ministerial education, such as a Bible school, theological institute, college, university, or seminary; a program of ministerial education conducted in cooperation with another denomination or consortium; a non-residential ministerial training program; a properly supervised correspondence or internet-based training program.

(4) Evidence of responsible stewardship demonstrated by:

(a) A self-supporting system for financing the district and/or national/regional administration.

(b) Properly approved annual budgets for district and/or national/regional administration.

(c) Annually audited financial reports for district and/or national/regional conferences.

(5) Defined and operational programs of evangelism, church planting, and mission outreach demonstrated by:

(a) Active missions engagement multiplying disciples across linguistic, cultural, national, and/or geographic boundaries.

(b) A process for annual reporting of conversions and baptisms.

(c) An ongoing strategy and track record of church planting.

(6) Functioning property-holding body (or bodies) per local laws

demonstrated by:

(a) Directory information providing the legal name(s) of each such body.

(b) A copy of bylaws or official registration(s) identifying each such body.

(7) Adherence to the Essentials of The Wesleyan Church, demonstrated by a covenant of adherence to the Essentials signed by all the members of the highest governing board of the national/regional entity.

(8) A Discipline approved by the supervising General Conference.

6517. Criteria for Advancement to General Conference Status. An Established National/Regional Conference may appeal to The International Conference to be advanced to General Conference status, provided the following conditions have been met and a checklist of documentation accompanies any application for such advancement. It is understood that these criteria will be used for a comprehensive review and composite evaluation of each application. Therefore, it is the overall strength that is being assessed rather than a rigid focus on each criterion. An applicant may request an exception on a specific requirement for cause.

(1) Effective church organization on local, district, and general levels demonstrated by:

(a) An organized district and general conference structure.

(b) A minimum of one hundred fifty fully organized or established churches (not counting preaching points or missions).

(c) A minimum of six thousand full members.

(d) Sufficient number of ordained ministers to support district and general conference levels of administration.

(2) Effective program of discipleship, membership training, and leadership development demonstrated by:

(a) Curricula for discipleship, lay leadership, and membership-training systems that reflect commitment to Wesleyan-Arminian theology.

(b) Active delivery systems for discipleship, lay leadership, and membership training.

(3) Effective program of ministerial education demonstrated by:

(a) An accredited Bible or liberal arts college.

(b) An approved curriculum and standards for ministerial education leading to ordination and reflecting commitment to Wesleyan-Arminian theology.

(4) Evidence of responsible stewardship demonstrated by:

(a) A self-supporting system for financing each of the districts and the General Conference administration.

(b) Properly approved annual budgets for each district and the General Conference administration.

(c) A General Conference budget committee.

(d) Annual externally audited financial reports for the districts and for the General Conference.

(5) Defined and operational programs of evangelism, church planting, education, spiritual formation, cross-cultural mission outreach demonstrated by:

(a) An operational cross-cultural outreach strategy.

(b) A ministry in other countries beyond the nation or region defined by the General Conference.

(c) A process for annual reporting of conversions and baptisms.

(d) An ongoing strategy and record of accomplishment of church planting.

(6) Functioning property holding body (or bodies) per local, area, and national laws, demonstrated by:

(a) Directory information providing the legal name(s) of each such body.

(b) A copy of bylaws or official registration(s) identifying each such body.

(7) Adherence to the Essentials of The Wesleyan Church, demonstrated by a covenant of adherence to the Essentials signed by all the members of the governing body of the General Conference.

(8) A discipline that has been approved by the originating General Conference with required subsequent approvals by The International Conference.

6520. Article 4. The Essentials of The Wesleyan Church.

(1) Statement of Definition and Purpose. The Essentials of The Wesleyan Church consist of a historic statement of faith and practice. Each general conference of The Wesleyan Church must subscribe to the Essentials. While each general conference is free to express its beliefs and practices in the terms most meaningful to its immediate mission and culture, it shall not in its Constitution, Articles of Religion, or Discipline contravene or contradict any provision of the Essentials.

(2) Statement of Faith.