VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 7/2/14)—American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) announces the opening of the nomination and application process for the next General Secretary of American Baptist Churches.
American Baptist leaders and friends are welcomed to encourage and nominate persons whom you believe would make good candidates for the position. Applications will be closed on October 31, 2014. Click to view the Position Profile.
“If there is any critical time in the history of American Baptists, it is today. Ministering in such changing times, challenges American Baptists to be faithful to Christ when people in our society are seeking answers to life in other places,” said ABCUSA President Don Ng.
In a letter to the National Leadership Council of ABC, Ng called on NLC members saying, “We need you to help us identify the person who God is preparing to lead and partner with us to continue to be transformed by the Holy Spirit in a fractured world that needs healing and peace.”
Process Update
The Search Committee has met three times, identifying the priorities for the General Secretary’s responsibilities and the necessary competencies to effectively deliver. Comments were gathered from Regional Executive Ministers, along with a review of recent scholarship on the qualities of today’s effective leaders. The final draft of the Position Profile was presented to the Board of General Ministries on June 12-13 at Green Lake and was adopted unanimously with necessary editing to proceed.
Nomination and Application Procedure
The position is now officially open for nominations and applications. You are welcomed to encourage and nominate persons whom you believe would make good candidates for the position. Applications will be closed on October 31, 2014.
To nominate a person for this position, please submit name and complete contact information to ABC President Don Ng at: don.ng@abc-usa.org, or Rev. Dr. Don Ng, PO Box 993, Sausalito, CA 94966.
After the initial application submissions, applicants whom the committee selects to become better familiar with will be invited to submit additional materials. Interviews are projected for early 2015, with a goal of having a candidate for approval by the end of 2015.
Members of the Search Committee
The ABCUSA Bylaws state the ABCUSA Nominating Committee serves as the Search Committee for a new General Secretary with the addition of one person selected by the 3 national boards (ABHMS, IM, and MMBB). The members of the search committee are:
1. Andy Arndt, Board of General Ministries (Indiana/Kentucky)
2. Camille Brown, Board of General Ministries (Cleveland)
3. Elisai Eschevarria, Board of General Ministries (Connecticut)
4. Bill Frederickson, Board of General Ministries (New Jersey)
5. Dianne Steelman, Board of General Ministries (Ohio)
6. Ruth Clark, Immediate Past President (Central)
7. Kenneth Kho, Intercaucus President (Los Angeles)
8. John Williams, Regional Executive Ministers Council (Central)
9. James McJunkin, Jr., Regional Executive Ministers Council (Philadelphia)
10. Samuel Chetti, Regional Executive Ministers Council (Los Angeles)
11. Aidsand Wright-Riggins, American Baptist Home Mission Societies, International Ministries, and MMBB Financial Services
12. Don Ng, President and Chair
Dianne Steelman serves as vice-chair and chaplain for the committee. Johnson Eapen of the ABCUSA Human Resources office serves as staff, and Marilyn Tyson of ABCUSA provides office support.
At the ABCUSA Board of General Ministries meeting in June 2013, Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley was re-elected to serve a two-year term as General Secretary for the denomination. This current term will end on December 31, 2015. Prior to the two-year term, Medley has served in the position for three four-year terms, originally taking office on January 1, 2002.
Calling the next General Secretary is a significant task not just for the search committee, but for the whole ABC family. While keeping strict confidentiality is in order, the committee is also committed to keeping the public informed by providing timely press releases and regular reports to the Board of General Ministries (BGM) and other ABC groups.
American Baptist Churches is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with over 5,200 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.