Groundwork Laid for Vision 2020 Restructuring Team

On Wednesday, general secretary Eddy Alemán shared a vision document with churches and pastors, outlining God’s preferred future for the RCA.

In response to recommendation 1 from the Vision 2020 Team report, which calls for a team to develop a restructuring plan for the denomination, the General Synod Council (GSC) had instructed Alemán to begin exploring what a restructure might look like.

“This exploration is laying the groundwork for the restructuring team,” Alemán says. “If that team is approved by General Synod, we hope this work will allow them to hit the ground running.

“General Synod 2020 was postponed, and we’re currently evaluating the feasibility of General Synod 2021 taking place as scheduled. Given the delay, and recognizing the additional time for a task force to do its work, the General Synod Council directed me to start looking into possible futures for the RCA.”

In August, Alemán convened a group to start dreaming about the possibilities. “If we were to restructure, what would that look like? What is God’s preferred future for us?” he says. The group included classis leaders, racial/ethnic leaders, GSC staff, and a facilitator.

“This was a beautiful discussion to be part of. For a time, we were able to set aside the uncertainties and divisions before us, and dream and seek God’s will for his people in the Reformed Church in America. Our thoughts coalesced in four areas: making disciples, multiplying leaders, ministry multiplication, and missional engagement.”

Alemán stresses that the team’s work is a beginning point for the implementation team—if synod votes to form the team as recommended—and that nothing is set in stone.

A summary of the team’s work is available, along with seven guiding principles Alemán outlined.