IFCA REGIONAL LEADERS' HANDBOOK - IFCA International

REGIONAL PURPOSE
Underlying the activities and ministry of every IFCA Regional is the need to
clearly understand the PURPOSE of the Regional. Without this understanding,
and a corresponding commitment to that PURPOSE, a Regional may move in a
variety of directions, and may become involved in various activities or
ministries.
This need of commitment to PURPOSE is illustrated by the statement of Robert S.
McNamara, former President of Ford Motor Company and former US Secretary
of Defense, when he said, "If the railroads had understood their purpose to be the
transportation of people and products, rather than building better trains and tracks,
today they would have owned the airlines, rather than being subsidized by the
Government."
An IFCA Regional can become involved in some very good pursuits, and yet
miss the fulfillment of its primary purpose. So, what is the PURPOSE of an IFCA
Regional?
It's very helpful in this regard to "catch" the spirit of our founding fathers.
Observe the following as stated in the Preamble of the IFCA International
Constitution: "Whereas, it has always been both an encouragement, and a more
effective means whereby to prosecute the work of the Lord, for ministers and
congregations to join in a common bond of fellowship, counsel and cooperation, so
strengthening one another in the Lord's work."
This statement is filled with some very key words of PURPOSE:
"encouragement," "effective means," "join in a common bond," "fellowship,"
"counsel," "cooperation," and "strengthening."
An additional statement of PURPOSE worthy of note is the IFCA Constitution
Article III. In this we read the following: "The mission of IFCA International is to
glorify God by providing an arena for individuals, independent churches, and
organizations to participate interdependently in the common cause of advancing
biblically authentic, dynamic, compassionate Christianity to all people groups.
The PURPOSE of each IFCA Regional might be summarized as:
To provide a means of FELLOWSHIP for churches and Christian leaders
To provide a source of COUNSEL concerning the Scriptures, the church, and
the ministry
To provide an avenue of Biblical COOPERATION which will facilitate the
work of the Lord
To provide a means of ENCOURAGEMENT for effective Gospel outreach
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IFCA International Regional Leadership
Handbook