The process of selecting a president began in fall 2009. Each credentialed minister was given the opportunity to submit the names of two ordained ministers to be considered for president. An accounting firm submitted to the corporate secretary an alphabetical list of the 25 most frequently submitted names of those who met the criteria for serving as president. The cabinet received those names in the January 2010 meeting.
Additionally, at the January meeting, each cabinet member submitted the names of two ordained ministers to be considered for president. The cabinet then compiled a final list of 25 individuals to be considered as presidential candidates, and all 25 responded to the standard screening questions posed by the nominee review committee. Following that process, the nine who were willing to continue with the process were slated to be interviewed by the entire cabinet at the March 2010 meeting.
By the time cabinet reconvened in March, five of the nominees who had been identified in January had indicated they no longer wished to be considered as presidential candidates. The four remaining nominees were interviewed in alphabetical order by last name. The cabinet had already determined that two candidates would be selected, and the balloting began after the interviews and a discussion time.
In order to become a candidate for president, an individual had to receive two-thirds of the votes cast by the cabinet. Glenn C. Burris Jr. and Dennis W. Easter were selected as the two candidates. They will each address the convention body in Atlanta for 30 minutes on Tuesday morning, June 1—the election will be conducted on Tuesday afternoon.
According to Foursquare’s bylaws (articles 5.5 and 5.7), licensed ministers who register for and attend the international convention are allowed to vote; additionally, official church delegates may vote.
In order to be selected as president, a candidate must receive a simple majority of the votes cast, i.e., at least 51 percent. The voting will be done by written ballot, and an accounting firm will be onsite to conduct the count. After the corporate secretary has received the information regarding the duly elected president, the identity of the president-elect will be announced to the convention body.
As we prepare for the convention in Atlanta and the election of a president, more information will be available regarding the candidates. On April 16, 2010, the candidates’ biographies, resumes, and responses to five questions will be posted online at business.foursquare.org.
We ask that you pray for The Foursquare Church and for our two presidential candidates and their families. The coming weeks promise to be both exciting and challenging. God is certainly at work among us, and we want to hear His voice and be obedient to it.
==
By: The Foursquare Board of Directors
