6515

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.