6745

Article 8. Powers and Duties

6745. Article 8. Powers and Duties. With full respect for the authority of the member General Conferences and Established National/Regional Conferences, the powers and duties of the International Conference shall be:

(1) Promote ministries of evangelism, discipleship, and church multiplication around the world.

(2) Encourage the expansion of mission works from Everywhere to Everywhere to unreached nations and peoples.

(3) Encourage a life of personal and community holiness in Wesleyans worldwide.

(4) Encourage the development of regional meetings and connections to expand the work of evangelism, discipleship, church multiplication, and missions; and to encourage, train, and develop a multiplying kingdom force among lay and clergy.

(5) Charge the International Board to develop a global missions strategy to advance and coordinate the mission from Everywhere to Everywhere; both sending and receiving.

(6) Promote Wesleyan doctrines as set forth in the Essentials of The Wesleyan Church and if necessary, to review member bodies to maintain compliance with the Essentials.

(7) Encourage development of each member body in mission, structure, training, and leadership development.

(8) Approve advancement of a mission unit to an Established National/ Regional Conference status upon authorization of its initiating/supervising General Conference.

(9) Approve advancement to General Conference status of an Established National/Regional Conference upon authorization of its initiating/supervising General Conference or to revoke by a two-thirds vote the status of an Established National/Regional Conference that no longer meets the agreed requirements and to refer it back to its initiating/supervising General Conference as a mission unit.

(10) Receive and to process new applications for membership.

(11) Receive from member General Conferences proposed amendments to the Essentials and direct the process for General Conferences to consider and vote on proposed changes and report the results to the member conferences (6765:1). Established National/Regional Conferences and mission units may only submit recommended amendments to the Essentials through their initiating/supervising General Conference, which must also endorse the proposal.

(12) Consider global trends and opportunities to create and communicate positive position statements on issues of global, moral, and social concerns and to promote these statements to the international Wesleyan Church for contextualization and communication.

(13) To receive and to process new applications for membership.

(14) To organize area fellowships where geographic situation, mutual interest, and need for spiritual counsel and encouragement make it advisable.