Dear South Texas Ministers,

For the past couple of years Pastor Tim, my staff, our District Presbyters and others have written a policy for our District Affiliated Churches. General Council has empowered each of our AG Districts throughout the nation to write their own policy for their District Affiliated Churches. Our District Affiliated Church Policy Committee, made up of Gary Chapin, Mike Hammonds, Deborah Prihoda, Darold DeHart, Brandon Brewer, Duane Hamilton, each of our Sectional Presbyters and myself presented a proposed policy to our Executive Presbytery in October and District Presbytery in November. It was affirmed to present to our upcoming 2018 District Council to be voted on as a Constitutional amendment. 

Below is a copy of the proposed Constitutional amendment for you to review. In summary, the policy will consist of creating two types of District Affiliated Church.

1. District Affiliated New Work is a new church plant or a revitalization that does not have a parent church affiliation and needs the assistance of our district team to provide leadership and guidance during their formative years. General Council’s definition of a District Affiliated Assembly is one that is a new work. Our goal is for this status of District Affiliation to last no more than 2 years then progress to a sovereign status.
2. District Affiliated Sovereign Assembly which will be the newly created status of all our current District Affiliated Assemblies/Churches which have been District Affiliated for over 2 years. This new status or category of churches will be a completely sovereign church just like our Sovereign General Council Assemblies/Churches with the exception of the number of membership. As a District Affiliated Sovereign Assembly there will be no minimum membership requirement and qualified Board members can be chosen from off sight as long as they are qualified. This may require a local Constitution and Bylaw update. 

In January 2018, Darold DeHart and I travled to each of our sections to conduct an information session along with Q & A in regards to this newly developed policy. Below is a video from one of the sessions if you missed the tour when it came to your section. Since this new policy, if passed at District Council, will affect each of our District Affiliated Churches we strongly recommend that each of our District Affiliated Church Pastors attend if at all possible.

Your Fellow Servant,

Don K. Wiehe