The Administration Service Team was created in late 2016 with the approval of the ICOC Delegates at the July 2016 REACH Summit. The team was commissioned to focus on identifying guidelines and methods for the effective administration of churches in multiple areas, with committees set up for future focus. Recognizing that legal and other issues faced by churches in the United States are not the same outside the US, the team is determined to clarify the spiritual and conceptual issues underlying policies and procedures so that appropriate versions can be adapted in other countries, cultures, and regulatory/legal environments. At the same time, some products can be adapted fairly directly.

At the team’s meeting in Chicago in October 2017, we were delighted and honored to have all four (4) lead administrators from the African regional church families in attendance.

  • Carol Abuor Ochieng – Nairobi, Kenya
  • Erick Li Sik – Johannesburg, South Africa
  • Michael Koutouan – Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire
  • Sam Onuoha – Lagos, Nigeria

The African Missions Society made this possible, and God blessed all four with visas to attend. Although our only current team member from outside the United States is Paul Rowden from London, Paul Ramsey has invested many years of direct service training to churches in Africa, and Christen McDuffee has been directly involved in administration and service with the European churches. We are hoping to have additional participation from experienced church administrators outside the United States. Ray Schalk, administrator for the San Diego church, also attended the October meeting.

Team structure and organization

Vision – to provide support to ICOC ministries to maximize the sustained growth and strength of the work of the Lord. “Do all that you have in mind. Go ahead; I am with you heart and soul.” –1 Samuel 14:7

Mission

Church administration will serve the ministry, not as boundary keepers and naysayers, but by facilitating the preparation and execution of the superlative track – smoothing the rough edges that might otherwise tamper, distract, or perhaps even derail, the work.

  • Set a standard of an upward call to disciples who are talented administratively to devote their skills and experience to church administration as a ministry, whether on a full-time or part-time basis.
  • Provide training for church administration, using regional and local programs as well as web-based platforms to enable churches of all sizes to secure and retain effective administrative personnel, whether volunteer or employed.
  • Ensure current awareness of issues (legal, administrative and social) and establish guidelines and protocols to protect the ministries and to facilitate maximum sustained growth.

Team membership and committees

Human Resources Committee (including Compensation, Benefits, Employment Practices)

Steve Smith, Chair – Dallas, Texas
Christen McDuffee – Boston, Massachusetts
Gary Slebodnick – Boston, Massachusetts
Tom McCurry – Los Angeles, California

Compensation Subcommittee

Gary Slebodnick – Boston
Steve Smith – Dallas

Governance (including Board, Legal, Policies/Procedures)

Cheryl Kaplan – Northern Virginia
Paul Ramsey – Columbia, South Carolina

General Administration (including Accounting, Taxation)

Connie Beene, Chair – New York City
Vivian Hanes – Atlanta, Georgia
Brian Gross – St. Louis, Missouri

International Administration

Paul Ramsey, Chair – Columbia
Christen McDuffee – Boston
Paul Rowden – London, England

Risk Management (including Liability Insurance)

Tom Briscoe, Chair – Dallas
Cheryl Kaplan – Northern Virginia
Paul Ramsey – Columbia