Erwin
25th May 2006, 01:51 AM
This phase of the reforms have been most difficult.
The reason why I haven't posted about it is because of the controversy it has stirred up on staff.
Let me explain.
2 days ago, I decided to restructure the Executive Committee. I wanted it to consist mainly of ordained ministers from different churches. There are a few reasons for this:
1. They will be men and women who have been tested and tried by their local churches and found to be worthy to be a spirtual leader.
2. They will provide the experience and spiritual leadership for this site.
3. They will provide me with Godly advice and wisdom.
4. They will keep me on track and ensure I am accountable.
5. They will cast the vision for CF and ensure the site is on track for it.
6. They will provide strategy planning to ensure the vision is achieved.
7. They will provide spiritual oversight and covering for CF as a ministry.
The Executive Committee at the time consisted of some ordained ministers as well as administrators who were involved with administrative support issues such as the Human Resources Director, Policy Director, Information Director and the Public Relations Director. I felt that the operational members of the Executive should be removed from the Executive and into a new Staff Team called Administrative Support Team.
This occurred - I kept the Ecumenical Director (P_G, an ordained pastor), the Protestant Affairs Director (drstevej, an ordained elder), the Catholic Affairs Director (ps139, with Skripper acting while he's on leave - we don't have an ordained Catholic priest on staff yet), and the role of the Operations Director (looking for an ordained minister to fill this position). I moved the Human Resources Director, Policy Director, Information Director and the Public Relations Director into the new Administrative Support Team.
At the same time, I had a policy change in relation to the appointment of new moderators. In the past, members send in an application to be a moderator, and this application is voted on by all staff in a poll. This process is democratic, but it meant that members who were not popular or who were felt to be unsuitable based on their past behaviour or personality differences or perceived faults were voted against and not appointed. Many members who might have been otherwise suitable were rejected from being made moderators here at CF. Many members can testify to this.
I felt that more members should be given an opportunity to join this ministry as moderators and that a better system is required. I therefore decentralised the appointments of moderators from it being a global voting process, to a Staff Team specific process. In other words, I gave individual Supervisors of Staff Teams the authority and power to appoint moderators they believe are appropriate and who can work within their own Staff Teams. Members from other Staff Teams may disagree with this appointment, but as they don't have to work with the moderator anyway, they should not be able to influence the appointment. Every staff team Supervisor's choice is as valid as another. This way, it is hoped that members from a more varied background will be appointed to staff, and ensure that CF staff members are made up of a more heterogenous group.
This policy to decentralise the appointment of moderators seem to have worked wonderfully - we had many more moderators appointed from a variety of backgrounds. Ex-staff came back on board. People who used to denigrate CF are now part of CF's work. Remember, it is not I who appoint these people, but the Supervisors are the ones who do the choosing of these staff.
Well, this is when the trouble began. A few hours after I removed the Human Resources Director, Policy Director, Information Director and the Public Relations Director from the Executive, all 4 of them resigned. They claimed they were removed from the Executive Committee because they all disagreed with my recent reforms. They may have disagreed with my reforms, but so did the current Executive members. The real reason why they were removed is because I wanted the Executive to consist mainly of ordained ministers for the reasons above.
Well, the 4 claim that the reason they resigned is not because they were removed from the Executive Committee but because they disagree with the appointment of some of the more recent staff. One of them specifically listed out a list of recently appointed staff and a list of their faults and reasons why they should never have been appointed in the first place.
Anyway, the 4 left. I know for a fact (because I have received PM evidence) that at least one of them have been communicating with other staff about the whole issue and how it is wrong to be inclusive and allow more members to be included onto staff, and this has led to the resignations of 6 other staff, most of whom are younger junior staff in their late teens.
Part of the problem is the impending possible appointment of Crazy Liz as a staff member. One of the Admistrators and the Supervisor of the Staff Team proposed her as a new moderator, and the rest of the Staff Team wanted her on board. I did not see a problem with that, but obviously a lot of other staff did. Even though Crazy Liz has not even been appointed yet, all these other staff felt that I was choosing between them or her. Well, folks, life is not about "us vs them". Anyway, these staff felt strongly about this issue and have all resigned.
For the record, I have nothing against any staff who have resigned and they are free to return. They are all good people and did what they feel was right.
I wanted members to know about these issues because I suspect some have heard rumours and maybe even received communication about this from resigned staff.
All I can say is this:
I believe in the vision of Christian Forums which is to unite ALL Christians as ONE Body in Christ.
ALL Christians - not just Christians who are just like us, but Christians from a myriad of backgrounds. I also believe in forgiveness and will not judge someone on what they did in the past if they have repented of it.
I still stand firm on solid doctrine and the Word of God. Despite what some people say, there is no compromise. Christian Forums will continue to show Christ's love and maintain its integrity as a site that will continue to pursue its ecumenical vision to bring all Christians together in the one place on the Internet.
Thank you for listening.
The reason why I haven't posted about it is because of the controversy it has stirred up on staff.
Let me explain.
2 days ago, I decided to restructure the Executive Committee. I wanted it to consist mainly of ordained ministers from different churches. There are a few reasons for this:
1. They will be men and women who have been tested and tried by their local churches and found to be worthy to be a spirtual leader.
2. They will provide the experience and spiritual leadership for this site.
3. They will provide me with Godly advice and wisdom.
4. They will keep me on track and ensure I am accountable.
5. They will cast the vision for CF and ensure the site is on track for it.
6. They will provide strategy planning to ensure the vision is achieved.
7. They will provide spiritual oversight and covering for CF as a ministry.
The Executive Committee at the time consisted of some ordained ministers as well as administrators who were involved with administrative support issues such as the Human Resources Director, Policy Director, Information Director and the Public Relations Director. I felt that the operational members of the Executive should be removed from the Executive and into a new Staff Team called Administrative Support Team.
This occurred - I kept the Ecumenical Director (P_G, an ordained pastor), the Protestant Affairs Director (drstevej, an ordained elder), the Catholic Affairs Director (ps139, with Skripper acting while he's on leave - we don't have an ordained Catholic priest on staff yet), and the role of the Operations Director (looking for an ordained minister to fill this position). I moved the Human Resources Director, Policy Director, Information Director and the Public Relations Director into the new Administrative Support Team.
At the same time, I had a policy change in relation to the appointment of new moderators. In the past, members send in an application to be a moderator, and this application is voted on by all staff in a poll. This process is democratic, but it meant that members who were not popular or who were felt to be unsuitable based on their past behaviour or personality differences or perceived faults were voted against and not appointed. Many members who might have been otherwise suitable were rejected from being made moderators here at CF. Many members can testify to this.
I felt that more members should be given an opportunity to join this ministry as moderators and that a better system is required. I therefore decentralised the appointments of moderators from it being a global voting process, to a Staff Team specific process. In other words, I gave individual Supervisors of Staff Teams the authority and power to appoint moderators they believe are appropriate and who can work within their own Staff Teams. Members from other Staff Teams may disagree with this appointment, but as they don't have to work with the moderator anyway, they should not be able to influence the appointment. Every staff team Supervisor's choice is as valid as another. This way, it is hoped that members from a more varied background will be appointed to staff, and ensure that CF staff members are made up of a more heterogenous group.
This policy to decentralise the appointment of moderators seem to have worked wonderfully - we had many more moderators appointed from a variety of backgrounds. Ex-staff came back on board. People who used to denigrate CF are now part of CF's work. Remember, it is not I who appoint these people, but the Supervisors are the ones who do the choosing of these staff.
Well, this is when the trouble began. A few hours after I removed the Human Resources Director, Policy Director, Information Director and the Public Relations Director from the Executive, all 4 of them resigned. They claimed they were removed from the Executive Committee because they all disagreed with my recent reforms. They may have disagreed with my reforms, but so did the current Executive members. The real reason why they were removed is because I wanted the Executive to consist mainly of ordained ministers for the reasons above.
Well, the 4 claim that the reason they resigned is not because they were removed from the Executive Committee but because they disagree with the appointment of some of the more recent staff. One of them specifically listed out a list of recently appointed staff and a list of their faults and reasons why they should never have been appointed in the first place.
Anyway, the 4 left. I know for a fact (because I have received PM evidence) that at least one of them have been communicating with other staff about the whole issue and how it is wrong to be inclusive and allow more members to be included onto staff, and this has led to the resignations of 6 other staff, most of whom are younger junior staff in their late teens.
Part of the problem is the impending possible appointment of Crazy Liz as a staff member. One of the Admistrators and the Supervisor of the Staff Team proposed her as a new moderator, and the rest of the Staff Team wanted her on board. I did not see a problem with that, but obviously a lot of other staff did. Even though Crazy Liz has not even been appointed yet, all these other staff felt that I was choosing between them or her. Well, folks, life is not about "us vs them". Anyway, these staff felt strongly about this issue and have all resigned.
For the record, I have nothing against any staff who have resigned and they are free to return. They are all good people and did what they feel was right.
I wanted members to know about these issues because I suspect some have heard rumours and maybe even received communication about this from resigned staff.
All I can say is this:
I believe in the vision of Christian Forums which is to unite ALL Christians as ONE Body in Christ.
ALL Christians - not just Christians who are just like us, but Christians from a myriad of backgrounds. I also believe in forgiveness and will not judge someone on what they did in the past if they have repented of it.
I still stand firm on solid doctrine and the Word of God. Despite what some people say, there is no compromise. Christian Forums will continue to show Christ's love and maintain its integrity as a site that will continue to pursue its ecumenical vision to bring all Christians together in the one place on the Internet.
Thank you for listening.