ICOC 3.O Frequently Asked Questions

How did these discussions begin?

In 2015 our ICOC Chairmen Service Team began prayerful discussions to set a culture among us of thoroughly reevaluating our movement every 10 years to seek God’s guidance for the next decade or until Jesus’ return, whichever came first.
Global Leadership Surveys were taken in 2015 and 2017. These needs have been considered and discussed at the last few Delegates Meetings.
Listening to the hearts of many of our full-time and non-staff leaders around the world and with much prayer, the April 2017 ICOC Spring Leadership Meetings in Dallas focused on Forward by Faith . . . ICOC 3.0
The Dallas meetings were so well-received the decision was made to invite the leadership of all 34 Regional Families of Churches to have similar discussions. All regions quickly arranged meetings and over 2,500 leaders around the world provided input and feedback!

What are the goals of the ICOC 3.0 discussions?

How can we change our global organization to be more effective in God’s mission?
As we consider the future by God’s Spirit, where do we find strong consensus?

What spiritual preparation is involved?

Prayer & fasting
Seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit

How broad is the input in these discussions?

2,500 leaders from around the world have prayerfully engaged in the discussions and feedback including every one of our 34 Regional Families of Churches.
These include evangelists, women’s ministry leaders, elders and their wives, teachers, interns, non-staff leaders, etc.
Leaders of all generations have been included in many of these regional discussions.
Additional input has been heard from many additional leaders and members around the world.
This is by far the most people ever included in a leadership discussion in our movement.

What is the process for decision making?

Click here for: Delegates decision making process and Proposals approved from 2010-17
Click here for the ICOC 3.0 decision making process. Responding to input from the collaboration process, the time table was extended to the following:
- August 21-30, 2017: Task Forces publish ideas on Disciples Today for general conceptual solution choices inviting input.
- September 2017: Task Forces incorporate the feedback from conceptual solutions.
- October 3-6, 2017: Delegates Meeting in Chicago
  - Task Forces will present final choices of general conceptual solutions in their categories. They will present a variety of options and the delegates will choose the most compelling conceptual solution.
  - 100% international representation for the first time. Observer seats expanded as invited guests from Delegates, Chairmen and Service Teams.
  - Global Reports from every continent on good news and challenges
  - Over 300 hours in prayer combined
- October – December 2017: With the decisions of the Delegates on the general conceptual solutions, each Task Force works for the next few months to create specific proposals that integrate clearly with the other Task Force proposals.
- May 2018: Task Force Proposals were presented to the Spring Leadership Meetings in Orlando for discussion and input.
- April 2018: Proposals sent to ICOC leadership to be distributed.
- June 1, 2018: Final input due to Task Force Chairmen
- July – October 2018: Final proposals distributed for prayer and fasting
- October 2018: Final Proposals voted on at Delegates Meeting

What principles are we basing our leadership on?

Our agreement to the Plan for United Cooperation and the Delegates and Service Teams system were a clear move forward to mature, team leadership.
Regional and local leadership in our churches operate on these principles:
- Team leadership, mutual respect and humility
- Collaboration and cooperation
- Interdependence
- Transparency, accountability, reviewability

Is this just a path back to our former structure?

Not one leader in our churches has expressed a desire to return to our former structure.

Why is this being discussed now?

We have learned it is wise to have a periodic review of our leadership.
While we rejoice in the steady and healthy growth of our membership and planting of over 100 churches in the last 7 years, many of our leaders and members have expressed a desire to do more to reach the world with the gospel.
Many of our leaders and members have asked why we are not better organized globally to accomplish the mission.
Many needs arise globally that we have no one to focus on. For example, when an entire region of churches is hurting, how do they get help?
As our movement ages, one of the clear challenges is keeping and improving the global unity God has given us.
Leadership development is a crucial need around the globe.
We seek God’s guidance for us to continue to build a church that will inspire and challenge our younger generation to do even greater things for God.

Is there a hidden agenda? Was the conclusion already in mind?

New ideas and concepts are being suggested at every point along the way and are being incorporated according to the degree of consensus they stimulate.
In response to the collaboration input received, the entire process has been extended through 2018.
The final general solutions and specific proposals will be the clear result of the widest collaboration and consensus among us.

Will anyone be forced to abide by these decisions?

Our entire Plan for United Cooperation to cooperate and collaborate is based on prayerful, humble and loving commitment to each other by choice.
No one has the ability (or desire) to force others to cooperate or to keep others from cooperating.
Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. – Colossians 3:14

Is this just a concern about numbers growth versus spiritual growth?

Since God is concerned about both, to honor him disciples are concerned about both.

What is the latest news about the ICOC 3.0 discussions?

What is our ICOC leadership structure now?

With the adoption of the Plan for United Cooperation, our churches committed to work together as a fellowship in a structure of Regional and International cooperation based on the principles of collaboration, cooperation and team leadership.
Each Regional Family organizes as they see fit within their Region.
Each Regional Family selects a Chairmen and Delegates in accordance with the number of members in their region to work with the other regional leaders for international cooperation and collaboration.

Where are the various Regional Families of Churches?