Meeting Highlights ...

• Devotional
• Membership Report
• Church Discipline Matters
• Motion to Call, Reaffirm, and Elect
• Motion to revise Relational Commitments (Section: Commitment to Preserving Marriages)
• Motion to correct the legal name of Bethlehem Baptist Church as listed in its constitution from “Bethlehem Baptist Church of Minneapolis, Inc” to  “Bethlehem Baptist Church of Minneapolis, Minnesota.”
• Motion to refinance North Campus Mortgage
• 2018 Financial Update and Presentation of 2019 Budget
• “Fill These Cities: 25 x ’25” Update

Devotional

Pastor Jason Meyer reflected on Ephesians 4:1–6, encouraging the members to guard and prize the unity of the Spirit and to walk in a manner worthy of the Name of Christ and the gospel.

Membership Report

At the end of the meeting, Bethlehem membership stood at 2,694.

Church Discipline Matters

The elders proposed a motion to dismiss a member for unrepentant sin. The motion carried without opposition.

Motions to Call, Reaffirm, and Elect

The congregation voted to call, reaffirm, or elect the following church leaders to another term of service at Bethlehem.

Motion carried to reaffirm Staff Elders for another three-year term:

• Bud Burk (Downtown)
• Dan Holst (North)
• Vince Johnson (North)
• David Livingston (All-Church)
• Gil McConnell (North)
• Todd Rasmuson (All-Church)
• Kenny Stokes (All-Church)

Motion carried to reaffirm Non-Staff Elders for another three-year term:

• Tim Johnson (North)
• Tom Lutz (Downtown)
• Andy Naselli (North)
• Phil Nelson (South)
• Luis Rodriguez (North)
• Steve Stein (North)
• Brian Tabb (Downtown)
• Peter Thorpe (South)
• Alan West (South)

Motion carried to call the following members as Deacons:

• Mary Horning (South)
• Tim Richterkessing (North)

Motion carried to elect the following members to administrative positions for a one-year term:

• Steve Walmsley – Financial Secretary
• Adam Sexton – Treasurer
• Ben Holvey & Jacob Smith – Church Clerks

Motion to Revise Relational Commitments

The elders introduced the motion to revise Bethlehem’s Relational Commitments (section: Commitment to Preserving Marriages).

A member made the motion to recommit the motion to revise the Relational Commitments to the elder council for potential revision. The motion failed by a narrow margin.

A member made the motion to divide the motion to revise the Relational Commitments into two motions with the first motion pertaining to proposed revisions #1–#7, and the second motion pertaining to #8 regarding deleting the line stating that divorced/remarried persons are ineligible for leadership. The motion failed (voice vote).

A member made the motion to postpone the motion indefinitely. The motion carried.

Motion to Correct Bethlehem’s Legal Name

Pastor Jon Grano presented a motion to correct the legal name of Bethlehem Baptist Church as listed in its constitution from “Bethlehem Baptist Church of Minneapolis, Inc” to  “Bethlehem Baptist Church of Minneapolis, Minnesota.” The motion carried.

Motion to Refinance North Campus Mortgage

The FPAs and Council of Elders recommend that Bethlehem refinances our Bremer Bank $2.2M variable rate mortgage and $1M operating line of credit associated with Bethlehem’s North Campus for a lower fixed rate mortgage and similar $1M operating line of credit with Tradition Bank.

The motion carried without opposition.

2018 Financial Update and Presentation of 2019 Budget

Pastor Jon Grano gave a 2018 Financial Update, highlighting thankfulness for what God has accomplished in and through Bethlehem in 2018 as well as our significant financial need to finish month 25 of our “Fill These CIties: 25 x ’25” accelerating phase strongly. Further 2018 financial updates are available each week in Bethlehem’s Weekly e-newsletter (subscribe).

Jon also presented an overview of the elder-proposed $10.8M 2019 operating budget. The congregation will vote on the proposed 2019 budget at the Winter Quarterly Strategy Meeting on January 27, 2019.

“Fill These Cities: 25 x ’25” Update 

Strengthening the Core 
Pastor Jason Meyer reflected on how good God has been to provide the staff  Bethlehem needed in the “Campus Pastor” roles the North and South Campuses.

Church Planting
Cleon Engel shared an update on church planting and asked for continued prayer. Specifically, he highlighted ... 

• Greg Mott and the Little Earth core team are now officially Bethlehem’s fifth church plant of 25 x ’25.
• Bethlehem’s sixth church plant—Joel Aubrey with New Creation Church in Granville, New York.

Unengaged People Groups
Pastor Todd Rasmussen shared a report from Global Outreach, including an update on progress with unengaged people groups, both at Bethlehem and among the wider church. He asked for continued prayer specifically for the 30 people from Bethlehem who acknowledged a stirring toward unengaged peoples during Global Focus in November 2018.

 

Thanks to Church Clerks Jacob Smith and Benjamin Holvey for assistance in preparing this update.