The 2010 Foursquare Cabinet, chaired by Sam Rockwell and me, met January 18-20, 2010, in Glendale, California. The cabinet comprises 91 voting members (with 86 attending the January meeting) and 10 nonvoting participants. Because the presidential selection process is so critical, the number of voting members was expanded to ensure the enfranchisement of a broader cross-section of leaders.
A majority of the voting members were selected directly by ministers in the geographical regions they represent. Nine of the members of the board of directors were elected by the ministers in the voting regions they serve. In addition, each district was represented by an elected cabinet member, an appointed y /sd/tiny_mce/themes/advanced/langs/en.jsounger leader (selected by ministers of the district), and an appointed elder leader (selected by the ministers of the district); all 14 supervisors are also voting members of the cabinet. Further, five ethnic minority representatives and two missionaries were appointed.
A major task of the cabinet was beginning the process of selecting the next president of The Foursquare Church. Although the board of directors had proposed a presidential selection process, it is the prerogative of the cabinet to define the actual process and proceed with its implementation. Steve Schell, chair of the governance committee, explained the proposed process; the cabinet made minor changes to the process, and then approved it. Steve then presented to the cabinet the presidential job description that had been developed by the governance committee and approved by the board of directors. It was then the task of the cabinet to develop a presidential profile, which would indicate the type of person who can best fill the role of president. This process was led by Dr. Ed Stetzer, an affiliate professor of research and missional ministry at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
Following those undertakings, the cabinet received the list of the top 25 nominees, which had been compiled by an accounting firm that counted the votes of the licensed ministers across the United States. Each cabinet member was then asked to nominate two people for the office of president. At that time the nominee review committee was established; it consisted of one person from each district, selected by the other representatives of each district, along with the corporate secretary, who is chair of the committee.
This committee tallied the votes from the 86 voting members of cabinet and developed a list of 25 nominees. The initial questioning of each of the 25 nominees established that not all were willing to make themselves available to be selected as president. However, the nominee review committee will present a list of not more than eight nominees to be interviewed by the full cabinet in its next meeting. At that meeting, scheduled for March 1-3, 2010, the interview process will conclude with a slate of either two or three candidates to be presented to the convention body in Atlanta for a vote. The identity of the candidates will be announced on the Foursquare website not later than April 16, 2010.
In addition to beginning the process of selecting a president, the cabinet received reports and conducted discussions regarding various other aspects of church business.
Foursquare Missions International (FMI) presented a mission strategy report for discussion and recommendations. A financial overview was given by Greg Campbell and Ron Thigpenn, providing background information that shed light on the current fiscal realities. The National Church Committee (NCC) report to the cabinet was presented by Dennis Easter, committee chair, and Tammy Dunahoo, interim general supervisor.
The responses of participants at this year’s cabinet meeting were overwhelmingly positive. James Cooper Jr., a Connecticut pastor and younger leader, stated: “I came away from our cabinet meeting feeling a great sense of confidence and pride in my Foursquare family. Our leaders treat each other with dignity and genuinely seek the will of God.”
Another younger leader and pastor in Hawaii, Fernando Castillo Jr., stated, “Our voice was not only heard, but also considered with respect, and valued with sincerity.” Stan Simmons, a Montana pastor and elder leader, remarked, “I was tickled with Cabinet—I felt it was the most open, honest, positive conversation that I have been involved in at that level in Foursquare.”
I ask that you be in prayer for the cabinet as it reconvenes in March. Also, pray for The Foursquare Church as a whole as we negotiate the intricate processes of the coming months. We know that God is faithful and that He has good things in store for our church.
To read the cabinet-approved presidential selection process, download the PDF:
- Presidential Selection Process (60 KB, 4 pages)
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By: Sterling Brackett, chief operating officer/corporate secretary-treasurer, for The Foursquare Church