Social justice and direct relief rank high
in prioritization process of GAMC work
By Paula R. Kincaid, The Layman, September 24, 2009
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – According to a survey of 94 Presbyterian Church (USA) members, the top three things the General Assembly Mission Council (GAMC) should be doing is social justice, direct relief and stewardship. GAMC priority rankings
- social justice
- direct relief
- stewardship
- international mission support
- church development
- theology and worship
- cross cultural ministries/growth
- in diversity
- discipleship
- vocation
- evangelism
- Christian education
- communications
- ecumenical relations
- gender justice
During the Sept. 23 opening meeting of the General Assembly Mission Council, Executive Director Linda B. Valentine discussed the survey results, which asked members of the GAMC, the council’s executive committee, synod executives and church leaders in four separate focus groups, “What is most important for the GAMC to focus on?”
While discussing the strategy and paired weighting survey, Valentine said that discernment was a critical part of the process – “How are we sure that we are focused on the things we do best, or what the church needs from us?”
“We are in the first phase of the process,” she said. A similar survey will be conducted by the Presbyterian Panel, she said.
The ranked results of the survey:
- social justice
- direct relief
- stewardship
- international mission support
- church development
- theology and worship
- cross cultural ministries/growth in diversity
- discipleship
- vocation
- evangelism
- Christian education
- communications
- ecumenical relations
- gender justice
After giving GAMC members a chance to discuss the results in small groups, Valentine asked the council “What surprised you?”
One group’s answer was that “evangelism and church development were not at the top – hand in hand – and theology being an essential part of that. … We were surprised at how low those were when we were talking about growing the church and sharing the Gospel.
One member said her biggest surprise was that social justice was first, “but our biggest budget cuts in March were in that area … so we are not backing our priorities.”
Another council member questioned rating of social justice as first, and gender justice as last. He said those surveyed had no definitions before them when they did the prioritizing, so he wondered about the testing process. “I hope this remains confidential,” he said.
Another was surprised that communications was ranked so low. “For me it was number one. I don’t see these things happening if not communicated. I think communications needs to be a focus.”
“So many of these words describe things that are inter-related,” was another comment. “So many things connect to one another. … It’s hard to think of social justice not including two or three other things” that were on the list.
Valentine shared with the council some conversations she had earlier with the other three focus groups who took the survey.
She said that pastors tended to rank stewardship and evangelism low, because they saw both areas as something that should be handled at a local level, not by the council. Those who ranked evangelism high, Valentine said, thought all levels of the church should be involved.
She said gender justice ranked low on almost all surveys, but everyone felt uncomfortable at the low ranking.
The GAMC meeting continues in Louisville through Sept. 25.