ASSOCIATION OF CHRISTIAN CHURCHES OF SOUTH DAKOTA

President's Annual Report
October 28, 2003 

I have been president of the board of directors for the Association of Christian Churches of South Dakota for the last three years and served on the board of directors for six years.  In this respect, I will try to give a synopsis of the state of ecumenical affairs in South Dakota and the region at large.
 
First, the good news - In rural areas, small churches and denominational leaders are working cooperatively in many ways.  Just as rural school districts cooperate and merge, churches share pastors, have joint vacation Bible schools, jointly operate clothing banks, food banks and other community needs.  Barriers to cooperative ministry have been broken in so many ways.  In many rural areas there is indeed one spirit, one communion.
 
Drought relief through Hands Across South Dakota has shown the love of Christ that breaks all barriers.   Hands has bridged the gap for many churches and helped heal the differences between East River and West River.
 
The work of the denominational leaders was instrumental in the struggle to correct problems in the Juvenile Justice System.  The bishops and executive leaders gave moral leadership that shone the light of Christ on many dark places.  This light helped in supporting health insurance for children, which culminated in expanding the CHIPS Program.  The cooperative work of churches has helped to expose the problems with gambling and limit its expansion.   Our ecumenical assembly brought the state together in celebrating Christ's presence in our lives.  This can be summed up with the understanding that when the churches unite and speak with one voice, people listen and things happen in Christ's name.
 
What's the bad news in this good news/bad news report?  In the larger cities there are a number of churches, many of which are numerically successful, that have either chosen, or by lack of vision, become competitive entrepreneur churches.  Their work seems to concentrate on growing their personal flock.  These churches are oblivious to the needs of the greater church, uncooperative in joint ministry, except when it benefits the local church.  They have taken the business model to heart, and as a consequence, are isolated from community leadership.  This attitude has infected and afflicted the rest of Christendom.  This causes a strain in relationships between churches and pastors and this limits the opportunity to have common voice and community presence.  If churches act like just another business, out for what's best for their particular church, then others treat us that way.  The biggest danger to the ecumenical movement is the entrepreneur movement.  Those in this movement think of everything through the lens of evangelism, even to the point of "using" mission and ecumenical activities primarily for membership growth.
 
I thank you all for the opportunity to serve Christ in the Association for the past several years.  I have felt your blessings and your prayers.
 
Rev. Christian Franklin
President - Board of Directors