American Baptist Churches USA Revenue and Competitors

American Baptist News Service (Valley Forge, Pa. 9/19/03)--The Ministerial Leadership Commission (MLC) of American Baptist Churches USA, which has functioned on behalf of the denomination for more than a half century to develop and support well-trained church leaders, will be discontinued at the end of this year. The denomination's National Executive Council (NEC), in response to a commitment that redirects mission funds for greater support of regional ministries, decided to discontinue funding the work of the Ministerial Leadership Commission beyond the commitments it has made for 2003. Begun in 1950 with a mission to "ensure that American Baptists may continue to have the ablest, most qualified, and spiritually sensitive leadership that is possible" the Ministerial Leadership Commission has developed policies, programs and projects that support the ministerial leaders of American Baptist Churches USA and the churches and agencies they serve. It has oriented new ministers; provided resources for ordination standards, career development, and delivery and quality of theological education; and has maintained the denomination's Professional Registry. A number of existing American Baptist programs were given birth through the MLC, including the American Baptist Personnel Services, Women in Ministry and Interim Ministries. Its current emphasis lifts up the development of clergy health as an American Baptist priority. Serving as the national coordinator of three sectional commissions, the MLC has provided the forum through which ministerial leadership issues can be brought from the local church to national focus and dealt with as a denominational family. The Rev. Ivan E. George has served since 1999 as executive director of the MLC. The Rev. Dr. Sumner Grant, chair of the National Ministerial Leadership Commission, said, "I want to commend Ivan George, in particular, and his staff for their gracious response to this hard reality. While this action will result in great personal loss for them, their primary focus has been on the ministry of the Commission as it evolves in new ways."Grant noted that input from the National Ministerial Leadership Commission regarding the possible lodgment for pieces of the Commission's work will be shared with the newly formed Ministerial Care Unit Task Force, the General Board and the NEC for their consideration. American Baptist Churches USA General Secretary the Rev. Dr. A. Roy Medley, said, "The Ministerial Leadership Commission has supported and resourced American Baptist leaders and their churches with wisdom, practicality and an unwavering focus on Christ-centered ministry. The quality and commitment of our leadership is a true testimony to the effectiveness of the Commission's work. We thank Ivan and his staff for their dedication, and pray God's blessings on them now as they complete their tasks in support of MLC and our churches.""Update" currently is available as "American Baptist News Service" on ABNET, the American Baptist Churches' computer network (a branch of ECUNET ), and on the Internet Web sites for American Baptist Churches USA (http://www.abc-usa.org) and for World-Wide Faith News ( http://www.wfn.org ).