109th Holy Convocation, COGIC IMPACTS & A Safe Church Plan

The 2016 annual Holy Convocation of the Church Of God In Christ (Nov. 7th ~ Nov. 13th) is on the horizon. This year is also an election year within the church with many individuals vieing for position at some level or another.

Schedule For 109th Annual Holy Convocation, click HERE

Current Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake recently unveiled a new church culture initiative called "COGIC IMPACTS" which is bound to be the talk among preachers and church leaders. From the website:

"COGIC IMPACTS is a culture model that will help us build a stronger culture. This model was designed and developed expressly for COGIC and has been introduced by Bishop Blake to COGIC employees and the General Board. COGIC IMPACTS is a deliberate attempt to define our culture and how we will work in tandem."

With the call that "what we do is who we are" COGIC IMPACTS outlines the following regarding the acronym:

Integrity – The quality of being honest and having strong moral uprightness.

Measurable Results – Establishing SMART goals that highlight success.

Passionate – Self-driven attitude about your work that leads to success.
Adaptable – Able to adjust to new conditions. 

Collaborative – Working together to create or produce solutions. 

Timely Manner – Done Expeditiously 

Service Oriented – Providing outstanding service & support to COGIC and on behalf of COGIC.

To enlighten us further on what is being said, the term "SMART" is often accredited to concepts of Time Management and Organizational Objectives produced and presented by Peter Drucker spoken of in 1981 by George T. Doran in an issue of "Management Review". Defining the elements and boarders of good management, the acronym is generally summarized as follows:

Specific

~ Well defined
~ Clear to anyone that has a basic knowledge of the project 

Measurable~ Know if the goal is obtainable and how far away completion is
~ Find out when you have achieved your goal 

Agreed Upon~ Agreement with all the stakeholders what the goals should be 

Realistic~ Within the availability of resources, knowledge and time 

Time-Based~ Enough time to achieve the goal
~ Not too much time, which can affect project performance

In essence, the Bishop is calling for a completely new culture in dealing with church management and administrative issues and moving forward as a church. Rather than view projects with emotion, our Bishop seems to be asking that we now view ministry and the causes within ministry with "intent" and with "purposeful planning". 

Pushback: "That is not a Spirit led"

Some will invariably view this approach as less "spiritual" than times past in which we were "led of the Spirit" to the extent that we solved and addressed issues first and planned later. It is a more cognitive approach than what we have experienced in the past. 

Interfacing "IMPACTS" With Sexual Misconduct & Abuse

While there is very little talk of it in open circles, the 109th Holy Convocation meets us with a host of issues challenging the "I" representing the integrity of many of our leaders. There are some issues regarding sexual impropriety and misconduct among church leaders and even Bishops that have come to the surface. There are some who have decided to live immoral ungodly double-lives. Caught on tape entertaining girlfriends attempting to cover their sins. Still there are others who's personal character is not befitting to leadership, becoming internet trolls, even cussing out individuals who do not agree with them. Then there are yet others who have an ever evolving list and chain of new illegitimate children coming to surface seemingly year after year. In some cases these are the "Eli"(s) who thought that they would not have to answer for their sins, but are sadly confronted with them now like never before. 

Then there is Earl Carter who implemented an all out attack on Presiding Bishop Blake leading and encouraging a host of haters to follow his sins, It seems that Earl Carter, so badly wanted the "attention" of the Presiding Bishop, that he recently went to completely new LOW, and sad level of destruction producing a FAKE "sex-tape" allegedly of our Presiding Bishop even against what appears to be an order for him to refrain from his personal attacks on the Bishop. Initially promising to "take down" the leader, it seems that Carter himself is now on the run, being taken down in some fashion trying to dodge his ultimate judgement which he seems to have heaped upon his own head with his never-ending rantings. 

For the REAL Victims or Survivors

Ministry of the church is what the church is called to do. Managing an organization, while commendable, is not exactly the mission or commission of the church. With that said, we can ask, what of LEGITIMATE cases that deal with our INTEGRITY as a church? If we are leading into the next generation with integrity as a mandate, how do we plan to deal with victims of sexual abuse and clergy misconduct? Do we think that it is essential to implement a SAFE CHURCH PLAN, that will protect our members and support a level of integrity that we seek? 

You see, it is not just good enough to talk about the speed and efficiency at which we do business. We MUST continue to act like and be a CHURCH. In that calling,  it is my firm belief that we must deal with and help those that are the most vulnerable among us and seek to apply the healing salve of Christ to all men, but in particularly to those to whom we have been entrusted to partner with in this spiritual mission

The mission of "I Am My Brother's Keeper Christian Advocacy Council" is exactly this. IMBKCAC is an untapped resource, specifically designed to provide a level of INTEGRITY to the way the church protects and heals the most vulnerable among us. . 

What is our average church rating in:

The interface between the Pastor/leader and the congregation?
The interface between the congregation and ministry leaders?
Youth ministry integrity & safety?
Survivor support and path of liberation?
Planned congregational response to issues of sexual integrity & abuse?
Planned path for survivor restoration?
Does a solid network of services designed to heal survivors?
Path of restoration for families?

These are some of the evaluations that IMBKCAC will make in determining if your church, district or jurisdiction is a SAFE ENVIRONMENT. Out of all that we do, if we are not seeking to implement a SAFE CHURCH PLAN, we are falling far short of what we are to do in supporting and creating integrity. In other words, we have undermined the very first part of the acronym of IMPACTS...The "I" or INTEGRITY....

If we are seeking to be a church founded on integrity to biblical values, then we cannot continue to have elections without creating or mentioning a platform that delivers integrity tout every congregation, every district, every jurisdiction and the national church itself. For anyone skeptical of whether we need a SAFE CHURCH PLAN, please listen to these podcasts

COGIC Survivors Pt. 1

COGIC Survivors Pt. 2

COGIC Survivors Pt. 3

If one can hear those broadcasts, and not consider that we should have a sense of urgency in dealing with the issues of victimization in a much better way, then I don't believe that you have the heart of Christ.

In all, I believe that we have some opportunities to serve that we have not previously had or experienced. Will we rise to the challenge of not only an organizational and cultural change of operation, but also a cultural change of how we minister to victims of some of the worst experiences imaginable. I hope so. So far noone says a word. Maybe we will have the opportunity to once again raise the issue.

Blessed!