About ACT
A Short History of ACT
It seems that we are often asked about the history of Active Christians Today (ACT). People not only want to know what is going on now, but where we started too.
ACT has always been a ministry of faith. In the early 1970’s when the ministry began, it was a step of faith that led Darrel Fyffe, a faculty member at BGSU and a group of men to move into what was mostly uncharted territory. As one of the very early Campus Ministries, there wasn’t a “how to” book available and so they stepped out in faith and launched what became a successful campus ministry in every regard.
In 1973, another step of faith was required when Bruce Montgomery was called as the first full-time Campus Minister. With virtually no funds, Bruce came on board and eventually was able to raise what was needed to be a full time staff member of a Campus Ministry.
Not very much later, Steve Schetrtzinger joined the team. Again, ACT stepped out in faith and believed that this was the move that God wanted them to make. And it proved to be correct. According to Douglas Dickey in his book “Campus Ministry”, those two built a campus ministry that was “one of the strongest in the nation”.
Then came the ministry at the University of Toledo. Jim Nichols worked with a group of students, while he was the minister at Central Christian Church in Toledo that became the core for the new ACT ministry at UT. Bryan and Amber Rowoth were called to be the Staff for that group and three years later, faith again played a major role in ACT when they were killed in a tragic car accident in the summer of 1984. And even through this tragedy, the leadership of ACT kept working in faith.
And God remained faithful during that time as well. It was later that same summer when God called for ACT to step out in faith once again. They called Steve and Leigh North to work with the students on the campus of UT. Through their ministry, the work began by Bryan and Amber was continued and the ministry at UT flourished. It was under Steve’s direction, in 1991, that the students stepped out in faith and took ACT’s first trip to Haiti.
Faith continued to play a large role in the ministry with the calling of Dewey Thackston at BG and Brian and Kendra Mizer, followed by Jeff and Lisa Lyon and then Luke Gilkerson as staff at UT. ACT had a short time of transition during the spring 2008 semester where David Warner was assisting in the UT ministry.
Dan and Anna Wearsch joined as the ministry staff at UT beginning fall semester 2008. They served faithfully through the spring semester of 2015. Cyndi Ferrell has served on staff at the UT for many years.
ACT BG has been blessed to have David and Vicki Warner minister at Bowling Green State University since 1995. In the summer of 2016, Dave and Vicki decided to "repurpose" and will now hand over the ministry of ACT to Don and Michelle Williams. Scott and Karen Weaver joined the staff at the University of Toledo during the summer of 2015 and continue to serve with ACT UT.
And as it has been in the past, these ministries are ministries that are totally operated by faith. And we pray that they will always continue to be such.
We try to be as responsible as we possibly can with the resources that God gives to us; whether those resources are buildings, equipment, monetary or students, but we must also always look for ways to stretch the ministry beyond what those resources can support. We truly believe that, as Hudson Taylor once said “Unless there is an element of risk in our exploits for God, there is no need for faith.”
ACT Mission Statement
Active Christians Today (ACT) is a community whose foundation is Christ. Our purpose is to help people establish and develop a relationship with Christ and become productive leaders in God's family.
From that Mission Statement we arrive at five areas of emphasis that we need to focus on:
- Evangelism
- Discipleship
- Leadership Training
- Developing a global Christian view
- Maintaining a community social life
What We Believe
At ACT we make every attempt to teach the truth found in the Bible. We always seek to understand what God's Word says about the important matters of faith. While we cannot compromise on essentials of salvation, we recognize that Christian people can sometimes have differences of opinion over certain non-essential issues. We value the freedom we have in Christ to hold these differences in a spirit of love. We have attempted to put the teaching of Scripture on certain topics in understandable language. Please recognize that the words of Scripture are more important than the words we have chosen. We welcome you to join us as we seek to understand God's Word and apply it to our lives.
Please understand that these statements are an attempt to put into writing, what our hearts and minds feel and believe. They are in no way intended to give a full explanation of the topics listed.
God The Father
We believe in one God, the Creator of the Universe and the Giver of Life. God is an all- powerful, all-knowing, and ever present spiritual being. He is truthful, faithful, loving, good, patient, just, merciful, holy, and righteous. As Ruler of the Universe, God reigns supreme over nature, history, and human life.
(Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Hebrews 11: 3; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Acts 17:24-28)
Jesus Christ
We believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and co-equal with the Father. Though Jesus lived an uncorrupted human life on earth, he was murdered on a cross by his own people. After three days, Jesus came back to life, demonstrating his power over sin and death. He later returned to heaven with the Father, and now reigns in heaven, interceding for us until he comes again. He is the only way to the Father.
(John 1:1-3; 14,18, Acts 2:23-24,36; 1 Timothy 2:5; John 14:6)
Holy Spirit
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the presence of God in the lives of believers. The Holy Spirit has been given to us by God as a comforter, guide, teacher, and down payment on our eternal hope. The Holy Spirit recreates men and women, empowering us to live the new life to which we have been called. His work in us produces lives characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Through His Spirit, God grants gifts and abilities to believers for the strengthening of the church.
(John 14:16-17; Romans 8:9-14; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 4:11-13)
Humanity
We believe men and women are created in the image of God and are completely dependent upon Him. The primary purpose of humanity is to glorify God and to enjoy a relationship with Him. Unfortunately, all men and women rebel against God's standards and deserve the separation from Him that sin brings. Reconciliation with God is only available by His grace for salvation and new life.
(Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 23; Mark 12:29-30; Romans 3:23-24)
Salvation
We believe in the salvation of humanity by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. By His death and resurrection we are declared righteous in spite of our sins and reconciled to God in spite of our separation from Him. Salvation is appropriated through personal faith in Christ, which is marked by true sorrow for sins, confession of Christ as Savior, and baptism into His name. Salvation is the assurance of an eternal future with God and a meaningful life in the present.
(Romans 3:23-26; Ephesians 1:13-14; Acts 2:38-39; Romans 10:9)
The Bible
We believe in the authority of God's Word as it is recorded for us in the Bible. This revelation from God has been inspired by the Holy Spirit and is entirely true. Scripture is useful for teaching, preaching and training in faith. God's Word is the norm and standard for all subsequent Christian teaching.
(2 Peter 1:20-21; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17)
The Church
We believe in the Christian church, the community of God's people founded on the confession of Christ. Jesus is the head of the body, the universal church, which is united by its common faith in Him. The church participates in the worship of God, the fellowship and training of believers, and the spread of God's love in the world. The ministry of Jesus continues in the church as people love and help those separated from God and others.
(Matthew 16:16-18; Ephesians 1:22-23, 2:19-20; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Acts 2:42-47)
Communion
We believe in the declaration of forgiveness established by Jesus through communion. Each participant may know of the forgiveness offered to him or her through the body and blood of Christ. But communion is not just recognized in the church as a reminder of his death for us, it is also a reminder that Jesus will one day return and take us to live with Him for eternity.
(Matthew 26:26-28; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 2:42-47, 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29)
Baptism
We believe in the demonstration of God's grace established by Jesus through Christian baptism. Baptism is recognized in the church as a mark of God's grace and personal faith. Through immersion, the believer participates in the death and resurrection of Christ and celebrates the grace of God for salvation.
(Matthew 28:19-20; Romans 6:3-7; Galatians 2:26-28; Colossians 2:11-12)
Eternity
We believe in the present reign of Christ in heaven and over the earth and that the kingdom of God will be made complete when Christ comes to earth again. All people will be judged by Christ. Those who belong to him will spend eternity in his presence, which is Heaven. Those apart from him will spend eternity outside of his presence, which is Hell.
(Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 20:11-15, 21:1-4)
Active Christians Today Inc
Active Christians Today (ACT) is a campus ministry on the campuses of Bowling Green State University and The University of Toledo. Since the early 1970's when we were founded until today, we have been focused on bringing the message of Jesus to BGSU and UT. We are a non-denominational Christian community that encourages and challenges students to develop a relationship with Jesus Christ. We have weekly worship services, bible studies, small groups meetings, retreats, cookouts and parties, ministry teams, mission trips, as well as other events throughout the year.
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ACT UT Constitution
Download a PDF copy HERE.
ACTIVE CHRISTIANS TODAY University of Toledo CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE 1: NAME & AFFILIATIONS
I. The name of this organization shall be Active Christians Today at the University of Toledo, and hereafter in this document shall be referred to as ACT.
II. This organization shall be affiliated with Active Christians Today Incorporated, and this organization shall operate within the additional standards dictated by Active Christians Today Incorporated as are outlined at activechristianstoday.org.
III. This organization shall abide by all official University Policies pertaining to Student Organizations, as well as the Student Code of Conduct.
ARTICLE 2: PURPOSE
I. The purpose of this organization shall be to help people establish and develop a relationship with Christ and become productive leaders in God's family.
II. Objectives of this organization shall be:
a. Objective 1: Evangelism to help others develop a relationship with Christ.
b.Objective 2: Discipleship to develop a relationship with Christ.
c.Objective 3: Leadership Training to maximize our ability to reach new students.
d.Objective 4: Developing a global Christian view to allow students to best help others develop and cultivate a relationship with Christ.
e.Objective 5: Maintaining a community social life to develop an environment of believers who are passionate about serving others.
III. Activities and programs sponsored by this organization will keep within the organization's stated objectives.
ARTICLE 3: MEMBERSHIP
I. Membership in ACT shall be open to all currently enrolled students at the University of Toledo. Active Christians Today does not categorically deny membership to an individual, based on race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, military or veteran status, the presence of a disability, genetic information, familial status, political affiliation, or participation in protected activities (unless specifically exempted by law).
II.Membership Classification
i. Voting Members of ACT shall constitute students who attend at least five official ACT events a month.
ii. Inactive Members are those who may be physically away from campus due to academically-mandated absences. Those students will return to active member status once they are able to fulfill active member obligations as defined in Article 3, Section II, i.
III. Dues
This organization shall not collect mandatory dues of any type.
IV. Non-Student Members
This organization is open to non-student members, but non-student members may not hold office, may not vote, and may not benefit in any way from University funding.
ARTICLE 4: OFFICERS
I.The governing body of this organization shall be known as the Student Leadership Team of this organization.II.Officers within the Student Leadership Team shall consist of:
a. President
b. Vice President / Secretary
c. Outreach and Mission Team Leader / Treasurer
d. Prayer Team Leader
III. Officers shall be elected:
a. During the month of December
b. For a term of one calendar year beginning January 1
IV. Qualifications for officer positions are as follows:
i. To be elected for Vice President / Secretary, Outreach and Mission Leader / Treasurer, Prayer Team Leader, students must be an active member of ACT (see Article III, section 1), attend at least 2/3 of all official ACT activities and participate in at least one leadership event (meeting, organized activity, etc.) during the Fall term.
ii. To be elected for President, students must be an active member of ACT for at least three consecutive semesters, attend at least 2/3 of all official ACT activities and participate in at least one leadership event (meeting, organized activity, etc) during the Fall term.
iii. Officers are limited to two terms on the Student Leadership Team. If there is no other interest in a student leadership team position, a student leader that has served for two terms may serve an additional term in a different position (other than the one they originally served). Therefore, a student leader may serve three total terms but in two different positions.
iv. Student leaders may continue as voting members of ACT leadership after they have served their terms and continue to meet voting requirements.
V. Duties for each officer are as follows
a. President-Represents ACT at required University meetings-Serving as the primary point of contact for the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership-Meets regularly with ACT staff-Attends all ACT ministry team meetings-Fulfills requests by the University of Toledo related to ACT campus affiliation such as but not limited to paperwork, reserving spaces on campus, registration for events and filling out needed forms-Submit annual report to the University of Toledo-Must have administrative skills-Must be ready to delegate and be a mentor to possible future leaders
b. Vice President / Secretary-Functions in the absence of the President-Works with the President in all activities with a focus on communication-Maintains a list of voting members for the organization-Handles the bulk of communication with students using all means available (email, social media, phone calls, texts, etc.)-Maintains ACT reports, notes and contact lists-Meets regularly with ACT staff-Attends all ACT ministry team meetings-Works to develop connections with other like-minded and spiritually connected campus ministries through worship, mission projects and social events-Keeps notes at the meeting and sends out the minutes from the meeting
c. Outreach and Mission Team Leader / Treasurer-Responsible for organizing and budgeting outreach events such as rec nights, parties, game nights, service projects, mission events, etc.-The handling of all finances on behalf of the organization-Define our outreach audience for each event-Must be creative and enthusiastic about planning and organizing outreach events of all kinds-Helps develop mission plans for local, state and national opportunities-Develop a public relations plan and ideas for advertising-Should be personable, creative, outgoing and engaging
d. Prayer Team Leader-Responsible to collect prayer requests and follow up on them-Inviting others to pray-Setting a regular corporate prayer time to pray over requests-Encourage others to pray-Ability to keep the prayer requests of others confidential-Establishing prayer "experiences" to further our prayer reach-Developing a means to distribute prayer requests in emergency situations while respecting the privacy of individuals
VI. In the event that the President has been removed, or has vacated their position, the line of succession should be as follows:
a. President
b. Vice President / Secretary
c. Outreach and Mission Team Leader / Treasurer
d. Prayer Team Leader
VII. In the event that an executive board member has been removed, or has vacated their position, the President shall:
a. Temporarily assign an organization member to the responsibilities of the vacated position until such a time as a special election can be held.
ARTICLE 5: ELECTIONS
I. Elections will be conducted via the use of paper ballots made available at the ACT Campus House in two phases: nominations and final balloting.
a. In order to be elected, candidates must receive the majority of votes for that particular position.
b. During the nomination process, students may nominate two students per position.
c. A student may nominate themselves.
d. To be nominated for the final voting ballot, a student must receive at least two nominations for a particular officer position.
e. Nominations begin the first Sunday of November and remain open until the end of worship on the third Sunday of November (Sunday before Thanksgiving).
f. Nominated students will be contacted by ACT Staff the week of Thanksgiving. They may accept or decline their nomination.
g. Voting ballots will be made available at the first worship after Thanksgiving (fourth Sunday of November). Balloting remains open through the Friday before finals at 7 pm.
h. Students may only vote for one person per position during the final ballot phase.
i. Those with the most votes on the ballot will be contacted the Sunday before finals to confirm acceptance of an officer position.
j. A "transition" leadership meeting with the leadership team finishing their term and the leadership team newly nominated will take place the Sunday before finals.
k. All active ACT members, including student leaders currently serving are permitted to vote in the election of student leadership positions.l.In the case of a tie during the final ballot, the ACT Staff shall determine method and selection of candidate.
ARTICLE 6: OFFICER REMOVAL
I. Officer Removal / Impeachment
a. The University of Toledo employee advisor of the organization must be present for all removal/impeachment proceedings.
b. In the event that officers of this organization are not fulfilling the specific duties listed above, members have the right to question the conduct, actions, and/or work of any elected officer, advisor, committee chairperson, appointed representative, or member.
c. Executive Vote of Removali.Officers of this organization have the right, if deemed necessary to remove a fellow officer who does not fulfill their specific duties listed above (not including the member in question).
1. In order to initiate an Executive Vote of Removal, at least two attempts to contact the individual in question via their Rockets email address must have been made, with at least one week in between contact attempts.
2. After at least two contact attempts have been made by the organization, the advisor of the organization must make at least one attempt to contact the individual in question.
3. If all attempts to contact the individual are unsuccessful, the Executive Vote of Removal may be initiated.i.An Executive Vote of Removal may only take place if every executive position outlined in the constitution is filled at the time of vote.
ii. The University of Toledo employee advisor must be present for an Executive Vote of Removal.
a. In order to begin impeachment/removal proceedings:
i. An initial discussion is to be initiated by ACT staff.
ii. If a student desires an Appeal they seek an Appeal from an ACT staff member.
iii. All attempts to resolve issues will follow the principles and guidelines set forth in Matthew 18:15-19 with the goal of restoration
iv. If no resolution can be found, ACT Staff will determine the course of action using Matthew 18:15-19 as a guide
v. A student leader who has become incapacitated or unable to continue serving may step down and be re-nominated in the future for the same position if the term currently served is less than one half complete.
II. Officer Resignation
i. Students interested in resigning from an officer position must follow the following procedure.
a. A student leader presents an official letter of resignation to an ACT staff member.
b. The letter of resignation is presented at the next leadership meeting. At the next scheduled leadership meeting, the student leader's replacement is selected following the line of succession (See Article 4: Section VI).
ARTICLE 7: MEETINGS
I. Meetings will be held at least once every month.
a. Our meetings have the title of "Student Leadership Meeting."
b. An additional Student Leadership Meeting may be called by an ACT staff member or by request of the officers.
c. A Student Leadership Meeting may be rescheduled by an ACT staff member.
II. In order to conduct a vote on official organizational business, a quorum must be present.
a. A simple majority of voting members must be present to constitute a quorum.
b. All decisions will be decided by a majority vote.
ARTICLE 8: ADVISOR
I. The University of Toledo advisor(s) for this organization shall be decided upon by the executive officers of the organization.
II. Should the University of Toledo faculty advisor abdicate their position as an advisor, or should the advisor become unaffiliated with The University of Toledo, ACT will contact the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership within one week of receiving notice.
ARTICLE 9: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
I. This organization will conduct business through informal processes as established by the executive officers.
ARTICLE 10: AMENDMENTS
I. Should a member of ACT wish to propose an amendment to this constitution, they must submit the amendment to an ACT staff member two months prior to a scheduled student leadership meeting in order that the amendment may be presented to the Student Leadership Team for discussion in the monthly meeting prior to the voting meeting.
II. It is further understood that if this organization desires at any time in the future to change in any way the provisions of the charter, that before such action is taken, the organization will submit for approval to the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership every detail of the desired changes to be made.III.Amendments require an affirmative vote of 75% to be approved.
ARTICLE 11: DISPOSING OF ORGANIZATION ASSETS AND DEBTS
I. Should ACT's registration with the university lapse for six (6) or more consecutive months, as a member of Active Christians Today, Inc., all assets as well as debts become the possession of Active Christians Today, Inc., 612 East Wooster, Bowling Green, Ohio 43402.
Revised by: Active Christians Today Student Leadership Team, August 2018