1 BCBP Community Manual 2009pages1to112 PDF

The Brotherhood of Christian
Businessmen and Professionals

Community Manual
August 2009
(BCBP Community Manual, 30 August 2009) Page 0

Table of Contents
I. The Nature of the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals ......................................... 2
Vision of the BCBP ..................................................................................................................................... 2
Mission of the BCBP .................................................................................................................................. 2
The BCBP Vision and Mission .................................................................................................................... 2
The Core Values of the BCBP ................................................................................................................ 2
The Logo of the BCBP ............................................................................................................................ 3
Relationship to the Catholic Church and State ......................................................................................... 3
II. Membership .............................................................................................................................................. 4
Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 4
Who Can Become a Member of the BCBP ................................................................................................ 4
Obstacles to Membership ..................................................................................................................... 4
The Process of Becoming a BCBP Member ............................................................................................... 5
The Breakfast: First Contact with the BCBP .......................................................................................... 5
The BCLP: Toward a Renewed Christian Life in the Power of the Holy Spirit ....................................... 6
The Basic Formation Program: Becoming Associate Members of the BCBP ........................................ 6
Full Membership and the Criteria of Good Membership ......................................................................... 7
The Stipulations of the BCBP Commitment Card .................................................................................. 7
Responsibility of the BCBP Chapter Leadership .................................................................................... 8
Leaving BCBP Membership in Good Order ............................................................................................... 8
Leaving during the Formation Program ................................................................................................ 8
Leaving the BCBP after Becoming Full Members .................................................................................. 8
Leaving BCBP Membership Not in Good Order ........................................................................................ 9
The Problem of Inactive Members ....................................................................................................... 9
Exclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 9
III. The BCBP Community ............................................................................................................................ 11
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 11
(BCBP Community Manual, 30 August 2009) Page i

Part I: The Structure of the BCBP Community Life ..................................................................................... 11
The Chapter ............................................................................................................................................. 11
The Action Group ................................................................................................................................ 11
The Chapter Unit ..................................................................................................................................... 12
Ongoing Support for Members ............................................................................................................... 12
Chapter Assemblies and Teaching Nights ........................................................................................... 12
Other Support Activities and Celebrations ......................................................................................... 12
IV. The BCBP’s Commitment to Holiness and Justice ................................................................................. 14
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 14
Mutual Help and Encouragement ........................................................................................................... 14
Encouragement: .................................................................................................................................. 14
Correction: .......................................................................................................................................... 15
Peace and Unity in the Community ........................................................................................................ 15
Unresolved conflicts: .......................................................................................................................... 16
The responsibility of those not involved in a conflict: ........................................................................ 16
Chapter Government and Discipline ....................................................................................................... 16
The responsibility of BCBP leaders ..................................................................................................... 17
Supporting BCBP leaders .................................................................................................................... 17
Serious Wrongdoing ................................................................................................................................ 17
Discipline by the BCBP Leaders ........................................................................................................... 19
Exclusion ............................................................................................................................................. 19
Termination of commitment .............................................................................................................. 20
The Discipline of BCBP Leaders ............................................................................................................... 20
Admonition and judicial process for Leaders ...................................................................................... 20
Admonition and judicial process for the Chapter Head ...................................................................... 21
Wrongdoing and the local governance team...................................................................................... 21
Complaint ................................................................................................................................................ 21
Responsibility of Chapter Members for Discipline ................................................................................. 22
Fraternal correction ............................................................................................................................ 22
The obligation to correct: ................................................................................................................... 23
Being wronged .................................................................................................................................... 23
Witnessing a wrongdoing ................................................................................................................... 23
(BCBP Community Manual, 30 August 2009) Page ii

Responsibility outside the local community ....................................................................................... 24
Speech and Preserving Peace and Discipline .......................................................................................... 24
Speaking against one another ............................................................................................................. 24
Accusations ......................................................................................................................................... 25
Confidentiality ..................................................................................................................................... 26
Evaluation ........................................................................................................................................... 26
Insult and abuse .................................................................................................................................. 26
Outside of the community .................................................................................................................. 26
True Justice and Holiness ........................................................................................................................ 26
V. Personal Care of Members ..................................................................................................................... 28
Leadership and members in our local chapters ...................................................................................... 28
Chapter pastoral care .............................................................................................................................. 28
Personal direction and community members ........................................................................................ 30
Normal direction by the Chapter Head or leader ............................................................................... 31
Special purposes for personal direction ................................................................................................. 33
Appeal ..................................................................................................................................................... 34
Submission .............................................................................................................................................. 35
The wisdom and character of BCBP leaders ........................................................................................... 36
Authority and Love .................................................................................................................................. 37
VI. Preserving the Bond of Unity ................................................................................................................. 38
Unity ........................................................................................................................................................ 38
Conflict and meekness ............................................................................................................................ 39
The way of conflict .............................................................................................................................. 39
The way of meekness .......................................................................................................................... 40
Discussion of approach ........................................................................................................................... 41
The role of members in matters of approach ..................................................................................... 41
The response of those in leadership ................................................................................................... 41
Discussion of major direction and policy ................................................................................................ 42
When a member disagrees with a major direction or policy ............................................................. 42
The role of the Chapter Governance Team ........................................................................................ 42
Discussion of instruction and principles ................................................................................................. 43
Serious disagreements in the local council ......................................................................................... 43
(BCBP Community Manual, 30 August 2009) Page iii

Discussion in love .................................................................................................................................... 43
Afterword ................................................................................................................................................ 44
VII. The Government of the BCBP ............................................................................................................... 46
Introduction: The BCBP as a Men‐Led Community................................................................................. 46
A. The Local Level ........................................................................................................................................ 46
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 46
1. Major Chapter Leaders ....................................................................................................................... 46
The Chapter Governance Team .............................................................................................................. 47
The Functions of the Chapter Governance Team ............................................................................... 47
The Role of the Chapter Head on the Governance Team ................................................................... 48
Decision‐making in the Chapter .............................................................................................................. 48
The Governance Team Watching Over/Caring for the Chapter ............................................................. 49
The Spirit of Service ................................................................................................................................ 50
Major Service Positions of the Chapters ..................................................................................................... 51
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 51
The Chapter Head ................................................................................................................................... 51
Term of Office ..................................................................................................................................... 51
Role and Responsibility ....................................................................................................................... 51
Choosing Chapter Heads ..................................................................................................................... 53
The Process of Choosing and Appointing Chapter Heads ................................................................... 54
Pastoral Units and Unit Leaders .................................................................................................................. 54
Term of Office of Unit Leaders ............................................................................................................ 55
Role and Responsibility ....................................................................................................................... 55
Choosing Unit Leaders ............................................................................................................................ 55
Selection and Appointment of Unit Leaders ....................................................................................... 56
Action Groups and Action Group Leaders .............................................................................................. 56
Terms of Office of Action Group Leaders ........................................................................................... 57
The Role and Responsibility of Action Group Leaders ........................................................................ 57
Choosing Action Group Leaders .......................................................................................................... 57
The Formation Director .............................................................................................................................. 58
Responsibilities of the Formation Director ............................................................................................. 58
Qualifications for the Position of Formation Director ............................................................................ 59
(BCBP Community Manual, 30 August 2009) Page iv

Service Experience .............................................................................................................................. 59
Term of Office ..................................................................................................................................... 59
Selection and Appointment of the Formation Director ...................................................................... 59
The Team of the Formation Director ...................................................................................................... 59
The Programs and Services Director ........................................................................................................... 60
The Responsibilities of the PSD ............................................................................................................... 60
Qualifications for the PSD ....................................................................................................................... 60
Term of Office and Appointment Process............................................................................................... 61
Appointment Process .......................................................................................................................... 61
The Team of the PSD ............................................................................................................................... 61
The Chapter Treasurer ................................................................................................................................ 61
The Responsibilities of the Chapter Treasurer ........................................................................................ 61
Qualifications .......................................................................................................................................... 62
Term of Office and Appointment Process............................................................................................... 63
Appointment Process .......................................................................................................................... 63
Chapter Evangelization and Outreach ........................................................................................................ 63
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 63
The Composition of the Chapter Mission Team ................................................................................. 63
The Chapter Mission Director ................................................................................................................. 63
Personal Qualifications of the Mission Director ................................................................................. 63
BCBP Service Experience ..................................................................................................................... 64
Term of Office ......................................................................................................................................... 64
Process of Selection and Appointment ................................................................................................... 64
The Need for Confidentiality ............................................................................................................... 65
The Breakfast Head ..................................................................................................................................... 65
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 65
The Responsibility of the Breakfast Head ............................................................................................... 65
Personal Qualifications ........................................................................................................................... 65
Service Experience in the BCBP........................................................................................................... 66
Terms of Office ........................................................................................................................................ 66
Selection and Appointment of the Breakfast Head ................................................................................ 66
The Brotherhood Christian Life Program (BCLP) Course Director .............................................................. 67
(BCBP Community Manual, 30 August 2009) Page v

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 67
Qualifications .......................................................................................................................................... 67
Service Qualifications .......................................................................................................................... 67
Term of Office and Appointment ............................................................................................................ 67
The BCLP Course Leader ......................................................................................................................... 68
Responsibilities ................................................................................................................................... 68
Qualifications ...................................................................................................................................... 68
The Marketplace Evangelization Program (MEP) Head .............................................................................. 68
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 68
Special Concerns Arising in MEP Programs ......................................................................................... 68
Qualifications of the MEP Head .............................................................................................................. 69
Term of Office ......................................................................................................................................... 69
Selection of MEP Head ............................................................................................................................ 69
Outreach Coordinator ................................................................................................................................. 69
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 69
Responsibilities of the Outreach Coordinator ........................................................................................ 69
Qualifications of the Outreach Director ................................................................................................. 69
B. The Area and Regional Levels ................................................................................................................. 70
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 70
The Regional Organization ...................................................................................................................... 70
The Regional Council ........................................................................................................................... 70
The Purpose of the Regional Council .................................................................................................. 70
Creation of Regions ............................................................................................................................. 70
The Role and Function of the Regional Council Director (RCD) .................................................................. 70
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 70
Qualifications for the task of RCD ........................................................................................................... 72
Selection of the RCD ............................................................................................................................... 72
Term of Office ......................................................................................................................................... 72
Service Areas and Area Managing Directors ............................................................................................... 72
The Area Managing Director ....................................................................................................................... 72
Personal Qualifications ........................................................................................................................... 72
Service Qualifications .............................................................................................................................. 73
(BCBP Community Manual, 30 August 2009) Page vi

Responsibilities of the Area Managing Directors .................................................................................... 73
Term of Office ..................................................................................................................................... 74
The National Government of the BCBP ...................................................................................................... 74
The Board of Trustees ............................................................................................................................. 74
Composition of the Board of Trustees .................................................................................................... 75
Process of Electing Trustees ................................................................................................................... 75
Terms of Office ........................................................................................................................................ 75
The President of the BCBP ...................................................................................................................... 75
The Management Committee ................................................................................................................. 76
Composition and Qualifications .............................................................................................................. 77
Term of Office ......................................................................................................................................... 78
The National Service Directorates ...................................................................................................... 78
Qualifications ...................................................................................................................................... 78
Term of Office ..................................................................................................................................... 79
Summary ..................................................................................................................................................... 79
VIII. Speakers and Teachers of the BCBP .................................................................................................... 80
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 80
Sharers and Teachers/Speakers .............................................................................................................. 80
Breakfast Sharers ................................................................................................................................ 80
Teaching at First Friday ....................................................................................................................... 81
Teaching in Formation Weekends ...................................................................................................... 81
Responsibility of Formation Director, Breakfast, and Course Leaders ............................................... 81
Summary ............................................................................................................................................. 81
IX. Finances and Financial Policy of the BCBP ............................................................................................. 82
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 82
Chapter Finances ..................................................................................................................................... 82
The Obligation of Members to Tithe................................................................................................... 82
Tithe Contribution ............................................................................................................................... 82
Outreaches and Tithing ....................................................................................................................... 83
Chapter Financial Management .......................................................................................................... 83
Fund Raising ........................................................................................................................................ 84
Finances on the National Level ............................................................................................................... 85
(BCBP Community Manual, 30 August 2009) Page vii

Expenses of the Management Committee and the Board of Trustees .............................................. 85
Exemptions.......................................................................................................................................... 85
The National Anniversary Celebration .................................................................................................... 86
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 86
Fund Raising Guidelines .......................................................................................................................... 88
BCBP Fundraising Campaigns .............................................................................................................. 88
Support for Non‐BCBP Fundraising Campaigns .................................................................................. 89
X. The Mission of the BCBP ......................................................................................................................... 89
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 89
The Men’s Breakfast ............................................................................................................................... 89
The Role of the Breakfast Head and the Team ................................................................................... 89
The Role of the Sharer ........................................................................................................................ 90
The Role of the Breakfast Team .......................................................................................................... 90
The Role of those who invited businessmen to the breakfast ........................................................... 90
Ladies Breakfasts and Joint Breakfasts ............................................................................................... 90
The Joint Breakfast .............................................................................................................................. 90
BCBP Outreach Development Program ...................................................................................................... 91
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 91
Requirements for Opening an Outreach ................................................................................................. 91
Responsibility of the Sponsoring Chapter or Outreach .......................................................................... 92
Criteria for Elevating an Outreach to a Chapter of the BCBP ................................................................. 93
The Appointment of the New Chapter Head .......................................................................................... 94
Appendix A: The BCBP and Masonry .......................................................................................................... 95
The Position of the Philippine Hierarchy of 1954 and 1990 ................................................................... 95
Assertions of Many People including Masons .................................................................................... 95
Statement of the Bishops .................................................................................................................... 95
Masons and Invitation to the BCLP and Membership ........................................................................ 96
Approach to BCBP Members Who Are Masons .................................................................................. 96
Appendix B: Treasury and Finance Procedural Matters ............................................................................. 98
Appendix C: CASH HANDLING POLICY GUIDELINES ............................................................................... 100
Appendix D: Guidelines on Internet Facilities ........................................................................................... 103
(BCBP Community Manual, 30 August 2009) Page viii

The Use and Dissemination
of the
BCBP Community Manual
This BCBP Community Manual is the exclusive property of the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen
and Professionals (BCBP) and shall be used and applied solely for Brotherhood purposes. No one is
allowed to reproduce this Manual, in part or in full, without the expressed permission of the
Management Committee (Mancom) or the President of the BCBP.
The BCBP Community Manual shall be made available primarily to members of the Board of Trustees,
Mancom, and all Senior Members and to all BCBP Chapter and Outreach Governance Team Members
and Action Group Leaders. Recipients of the BCBP Community Manual are required to be thoroughly
familiar with it and shall be responsible for the document and for its turnover to his successor.
The BCBP Community Manual is a required source material in the training of leaders particularly those
who will be considered for the Chapter Governance Team positions.

I. The Nature of the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen
and Professionals

The nature of the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals is well expressed in the
organization’s Vision and Mission Statement. The Vision and Mission Statement is presented below and
then followed by some commentary.
Vision of the BCBP
Bringing Christ into the marketplace and winning the marketplace for Christ.
Mission of the BCBP
We are a community of business people and professionals
committed to living out Christian values and being change agents in the marketplace.
We accomplish this through a process of on‐going personal conversion,
a commitment to professional excellence,
community and national building,
practice of justice and integrity,
and responsible care for all entrusted to us.
The BCBP Vision and Mission
The BCBP is a Catholic, Christian organization dedicated to evangelization of businessmen and
professionals, who are decision makers and change agents in the marketplace and the professions in
order to assure more and more that business dealings and practices in the companies where members
work are imbued with justice, honesty, and integrity with respect to all stakeholders in the business and
to bring about genuine development of our country that will benefit all.
Although the BCBP chapter communities are made up primarily of couples and families, nevertheless
the BCBP is an organization of businessmen and professionals dedicated to the evangelization of other
businessmen and professionals. The reason for this emphasis is two‐fold. First, men and especially
businessmen and professionals are the absent majority in the Church and, second, experience has
shown that women are not able to evangelize their husbands. That task must be done by other men.
Here in the Philippines, women do not need special evangelization; they gladly join their husband in the
BCBP.
The Core Values of the BCBP
Together with all Christians, BCBP members are committed to love for God, for Church and community,
country, and the work entrusted to them by the Lord. The concrete expression of these is enshrined in
the Vision and Mission Statement above. The BCBP is filled with gratitude to the Lord who called it into
existence in order to bring the Gospel into the marketplace and the professions. The focus of the BCBP

evangelization efforts are men, who own businesses or who are employed at decision‐making level. The
focus is on men, because only men can really evangelize other men.
The BCBP’s existence, life, and mission are based on the love of Jesus Christ the members have
experienced and their own response of love and gratitude in return. Because of their love for Christ and
the call to evangelize the marketplace, the members espouse the following:
1. Ongoing personal conversion in order to grow in a personal relationship with Christ;
2. Growth in professional excellence;
3. Ongoing growth in the practice of justice and integrity that contribute to nation building;
4. Faithfulness to the BCBP way of life and its mission; and,
5. Stewardship, i.e. we hold what we have and what we do and manage as a personal trust
committed to us by God.
The Logo of the BCBP
The logo of the BCBP captures the vision and mission of the organization. Christ is central
to the BCBP and this is signified by the cross. The outstretched arms of Christ draw all to
himself. This symbolizes, too, the mission of the BCBP, namely to bring business people and
professionals to Christ through evangelization. The two figures who bow to Christ in adoration symbolize
the two groups that make up the membership of the BCBP: business people and professionals. The circle
that surrounds the cross and the two figures symbolize the unity of the BCBP community in dedication
to Christ, way of life and mission.
Relationship to the Catholic Church and State
The Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals is a member of the Council of the Laity and
thus a recognized association of the faithful by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines
through the Episcopal Commission on the Laity (ECLA).
The Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals is a non‐stock, non‐profit organization,
registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Its full name is “The Philippine
Foundation of the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals, Incorporated.”

II. Membership
Introduction
The Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals has three levels of being associated with it.
Most businessmen make their first acquaintance with the BCBP at the Men’s Breakfast. Being a regular
breakfaster brings a businessman or professional into contact with members of the BCBP. The breakfast
through its sharings and attending members offers some support for Christian living especially in the
marketplace and the professions. The door into the BCBP community and membership in it is the BCBP
Christian Life Program (BCLP). Those who wish to go on after the BCLP enter the BCBP’s formation
program and will become associate members and finally those who after the formation process commit
to the BCBP become full members. This will be explained more below.
Who Can Become a Member of the BCBP
The Vision and Mission of the BCBP gives the criteria for membership. Thus, In general, any businessman
or professional, who is self‐employed ‐ with some influence in the marketplace or employed at decision‐
making level, whether married or single, can become a member of the BCBP. If a married man decides
to become a member, his wife will be invited to join him in entering the BCBP.
The BCBP is a community of people who live the life of Christ. No one can truly contribute to our life
without being a renewed Christian who lives his baptismal commitments in the power of the Holy Spirit
as a disciple. Nor can anyone contribute to our life without living the Christian life with the brothers and
sisters in our Chapters the way we live it together. This includes accepting and living the corporate life of
the BCBP community, i.e. being in good order in the community. No one, therefore, should be received
as a full member, who has not come to an understanding of, acceptance of, and commitment to the life
we have according to the commitment card.
As a result, prospective members need to be evangelized and instructed. Some will begin the process as
fallen away, nominal, or inactive Christians. Some will begin it as active church members seeking deeper
commitment. All will need formation in the BCBP life and mission. Those who are brought into the
community must leave a life which involves serious sin and enter into a life of following Christ in the
BCBP before they can be fully received as part of the BCBP community and fully responsible members of
it.
Obstacles to Membership
Workers in the Marketplace and the Professions
The BCBP is an organization dedicated to evangelization in the marketplace and the professions. Its
vision is to bring Christ into the marketplace and win the marketplace for Christ. Thus anyone who is not
employed at a level where he or she can have real influence and be a change agent cannot really
participate in the vision and mission. This is why the BCBP has initiated Marketplace Evangelization
Programs (MEP) in order to reach those that would not ordinarily be the ones invited to the Breakfasts

and BCBP membership. BCBP members involved in the MEP programs need to be on the lookout for
potential members for the BCBP.
People with Serious Problems
The BCBP does not have the resources to care for people who need professional help like people with an
addiction or with serious psychological problems. People with such needs cannot be members precisely
because the BCBP does not have the resources to care for them.
Members of Organizations Incompatible with the Church
The BCBP is a community of Christians who want to live all out for Christ and follow him as disciples on a
daily basis. Thus people who are not in good standing with the Church cannot be members of the BCBP
until they come into right relationships with the Church. This applies specifically to those businessmen
and professionals who are members of organizations that Rome and the local hierarchy of the Catholic
Church have declared to be incompatible with the Catholic Church as for example members of Masonic
Lodges (For a more detailed statement on the BCBP and Masonry see Appendix A), but it also applies to
those who are members of New Age Groups or sects.
Members of Protestant Churches or Communities
The BCBP is open to receive Protestant brothers and sisters who have given their life to the Lord and
who wish to serve Jesus together with us in bringing him into the marketplace and to the professions.
For this to be possible, the Protestant brother and sister need to be comfortable joining a Catholic
Group. They must be able to respect Catholic Christians and our practices just as much as the receiving
Chapter needs to admit them and relate to them with respect as good Christians. There can be no
proselytizing in our midst one way or the other.
Businessmen and Professionals with Membership in Other Organizations
Often businessmen and professionals coming into the BCBP are members of other organizations.
Membership in the BCBP demands an investment in time and in resources. Depending on the type of
membership in the other organizations, the associate member should make the time of Basic Formation
a period of discernment of where the Lord wants him to live out his life of discipleship and then decide
accordingly. There are, of course, other memberships that are compatible with the BCBP, for example,
membership in professional societies. In fact, the BCBP would encourage keeping membership in those,
because they can afford the member the opportunity to bring Christ to his associates in these societies.
There are other memberships, however, that do demand time for meetings and service that might make
a concomitant membership in the BCBP impossible. In those situations the member needs to choose
where he wants to belong. The Action Group Leader can be of great help in this discernment process.
The Process of Becoming a BCBP Member
The Breakfast: First Contact with the BCBP
First contact with the BCBP happens when a businessman or professional is invited by a colleague
member to the breakfast. At his first attendance, he is encouraged to continue to attend the breakfast

and to bring other businessmen or professionals to the breakfast. If after at least four breakfasts, the
person wishes to grow in his relationship with the Lord, he is invited to attend the BCLP which leads the
participants to a renewed commitment to Christ and a renewal of the grace of baptism and
confirmation. The invitation to attend the BCLP is for the businessman and his wife, if he is married.
The BCLP: Toward a Renewed Christian Life in the Power of the Holy Spirit
The purpose of the BCLP as stated above is to lead the participants to give their lives more fully to Christ,
to accept Jesus as their Lord, and to begin a renewed life of discipleship in the power of the Holy Spirit.
At the end of the seminar the candidates are invited to take the next step into the BCBP by joining the
Brotherhood’s Basic Formation Program for new members.
The Basic Formation Program: Becoming Associate Members of the BCBP
Making a commitment to join the Basic Formation Program makes the candidates Associate Members of
the BCBP. The purpose of the Formation Program is to initiate the participants into the life of the BCBP,
to explain to them the essentials of BCBP membership and to help them to begin to live BCBP life and to
join in the BCBP mission according to the commitment card. The stipulations of the commitment card
are listed below under the title “Criteria of Membership.”
The Formation Program consists of weekend formation Seminars or Retreats on the following topics:
1. Freedom to Follow the Lord Weekend
The focus is on getting free of obstacles that prevent one from following Christ. Included in the
weekend are workshops to put good order into time and finances, as well as prayer for
deliverance.

2. The Brotherhood Christian Marriage Retreat
The weekend retreat leads toward living marriage more in the power of the Holy Spirit. It
focuses especially on communication between husband and wife.

3. The Brotherhood Christians in Business Retreat
The purpose of the weekend is to help the candidates to put their business and business
practices under the Lordship of Christ in order to be able to witness to the Gospel in the
marketplace more effectively.

4. The BCBP Way of Life
This is a summary weekend and prepares the candidates to enter into the BCBP as fully
committed members.
From the BCLP onward participants are supported on the road into the BCBP. During the BCLP they are
placed in discussion groups and helped and supported by a discussion group leader. During the
Formation Program they are formed into Action Groups, which are the smallest pastoral care units of

the BCBP and again an Action Group Leader, who is a full member of the BCBP will be able to offer them
guidance and support on the way to full membership.
Full Membership and the Criteria of Good Membership
Full members commit themselves to live out faithfully the BCBP commitment as set forth in the
commitment card. No one can be considered a member in good standing who does not live out
faithfully and consistently these commitments.
The Stipulations of the BCBP Commitment Card
The following are the criteria of good membership in the BCBP
• I WILL LIVE AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST
• I will pray every day for at least 15 minutes and intercede daily for the BCBP.
• I will read Scripture everyday for at least 15 minutes
• I will participate regularly in the worship life of the Church.
• I will avoid serious sin and wrongdoing.
• I will put good order into my private and family life and in all my relationships.
• I WILL FAITHFULLY PARTICIPATE IN BCBP COMMUNITY LIFE
• I will regularly attend the BCBP Breakfast.
• I will faithfully attend our action group meetings, and share with my action group
members what the Lord is doing in my life and
• I commit to love and support the members of my action group.
• I will faithfully and punctually attend and participate actively in all BCBP activities; in
general assemblies, in the chapter, in the unit and action group I belong to.
• I will support the life and mission of the BCBP by regular tithing and sharing the time,
talents and resources that God has given me.
• I WILL MAKE MYSELF AVAILABLE TO THE LORD FOR SERVICE
• I will dedicate myself to bring other businessmen and professionals to Christ
through the BCBP Breakfast and the BCBP Christian Life Program.
• As a member of the BCBP, I will follow the directives of those who have responsibility
over my service.
• I will wholeheartedly support my spouse in our covenant to the BCBP.

• I WILL BE A CHRISTIAN BUSINESSMAN AND PROFESSIONAL
• I will conduct all my business and professional dealings with honesty, integrity, and
justice.
• I commit to professional excellence in my work.
• I will be a role model and a Christian witness in the marketplace.
• I will conduct my business according to God’s principles and oppose evil in the
marketplace.
• I will take responsibility for fair labor practices, just wages and human working
conditions within the company, as far as my authority will allow me.
• I will take responsibility for my financial obligations to the government and private
creditors.
Responsibility of the BCBP Chapter Leadership
The Chapter Head assisted by Unit and Action Group Leaders has the responsibility to make sure
members live out the commitment card faithfully and consistently. Allowing members to live out the
commitment card sporadically or selectively means not fulfilling his responsibility as the main pastoral
leader of the BCBP Chapter.
Members, who do not live out the criteria for membership in good standing or who choose what to
accept and what not to accept are not in good standing and need to be encouraged and exhorted to
change and live the life of the BCBP faithfully with the help of the Lord’s grace.
Leaving BCBP Membership in Good Order
Leaving during the Formation Program
The period of Associate Membership is not only a period of formation, but also a period of discernment
to see whether the Lord is really calling an individual into the BCBP. During the Formation Period
someone can stop participating in the Program at any time and leave. Good order demands that he
informs the discussion or action group leader that he will no longer attend. Such a person is welcome to
come to the breakfasts. Should he at any time in the future want to join again, he can be invited to begin
again.
Leaving the BCBP after Becoming Full Members
There can be many reasons for leaving the BCBP, for example a member migrates to another country,
where the BCBP does not exist. A member may come to see that BCBP life is not really what the Lord has
called him to and is convinced that he should invest all his time in his parish. A member may feel that
another organization may give him and his family more support for his Christian life. Thus the question
arises, how one leaves the BCBP after being a full member.

The commitment made in the BCBP is not a vow or necessarily a life‐long promise. The BCBP recognizes
that circumstances can change in the lives of individuals that make association with the BCBP
impossible. Good order demands that anyone who wants to leave the BCBP does so after a period of
prayer and discernment made by him and his Action Group Leader. The reason for this is that the
individual joined and committed himself to the BCBP after a period of discernment and the BCBP invited
him to full membership after discerning that the Lord had called the person to membership.
Individuals and couples who go through this discernment process and after it decide to leave, leave the
BCBP in good standing. Should circumstances in their life change and should they then wish to join
again, they can be admitted again. The Chapter Head should determine whether or not they would need
some formation to bring them up to date after their absence from the BCBP.
Leaving BCBP Membership Not in Good Order
There are members who just drop out. They just stop attending. Dropping out of the BCBP that way is a
leaving that is not in good order. If reasonable attempts to bring them back have failed, they should be
dropped from membership. People who have left the BCBP in bad order should not be readmitted
should they change their mind at some time or other and want to come back, unless they are willing to
begin reentering the BCBP with BCLP and Basic Formation Program.
The Problem of Inactive Members
Many Chapters in the BCBP have a relatively large number of people who at one time were active
members, but have stopped actively participating in life and mission. They no longer fulfill the criteria of
membership. The Chapter Governance Team has the following responsibility:
1. Determine reasons for being inactive
Is the member sick and thus incapable of participating? Is non‐attendance due to a temporary
crisis in business, for example? Is it due to having lost interest in the BCBP?
2. Seek Pastoral Solution for those temporarily inactive
Seek to support these inactive members pastorally
3. Drop from membership all those who have lost interest
Once it is clear that they have really left for whatever reason, their leaving should be accepted
by the Chapter and their names removed from membership lists.
Exclusion
Situations may arise where the BCBP has to take the initiative to terminate the membership of a
member. The following will lead to exclusion from the BCBP
1. Serious public wrongdoing
A member falls into serious publically known wrongdoing and is unwilling to repent.
2. Public denial of the Christian faith

3. Joining a group or church incompatible with the Christian faith as expressed in the Apostles or
Nicene Creed
Anyone accused can appeal to the next higher authority within the BCBP and his appeal will always be
heard. However, if finally the person is unwilling to change, he or she cannot continue as a member of
the BCBP.

III. The BCBP Community
Introduction
The Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals can be described as a community of
disciples on mission in the marketplace and the professions. Part III of the Community Manual describes
the community life that supports members in living out their mission in the marketplace. The focus is on
the pastoral support system for members of the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and
Professionals.
The Structure of the BCBP Community Life
The Chapter
The BCBP is organized into local Chapters. They can be described as the local branch of the BCBP. It is at
the breakfast of the local branch that businessmen and professionals first make contact. They take the
BCLP organized by the Chapter, go through the Chapter’s basic formation program and finally make their
commitment as full members within the local Chapter. It is through the local Chapter that most
members serve in the mission of the BCBP. Except for those members that are called to serve regionally
or nationally, the Chapter is the place where members experience the BCBP life and participate in its
mission.
Each Chapter has a pastoral care system for its members. During the time of the BCLP participants are
cared for and supported by discussion groups and their discussion group leader. During the time of their
basic formation they are cared for and supported by Action Groups and their Action Group Leader. The
individual Action Groups are tied into the Chapter through belonging to a larger grouping called the
Unit. Unit leaders form part of the Chapter’s governance team.
The Action Group
Action Groups are generally made up of about six couples. The Action Group is led by the Action Group
Leader. The Group generally meets twice a month. The members get together spend some time
together worshipping the Lord, then the men and women continue separately to share about their life
often in the context of Bible Sharing. When the men and women separate, the wife of the Action Group
Leader presides over the women’s meeting.
The Purpose of the Action Group
The purpose of the Action Group is first of all to encourage the members to grow in their knowledge and
love of the Lord through sharing about God’s word in Scripture. It also offers a place where members
can share with one another where they are at in their life of discipleship and encourage and support one
another to keep on living the life of the BCBP more and more fully for God’s glory. It is the place where
members can actively love one another, by praying for one another, coming to one another’s assistance
as needed. Most helpful is the periodic one‐on‐one between the Action Group Leader and the members,
where members can share more openly about their life in Christ and get help to move forward. The

Action Group also serves as the place where members are informed about directions and guidelines
issued on the Chapter, Regional, or National Level that apply to them.
Action Groups as the most basic unit are so important for BCBP life that every member must be placed
in an Action Group irrespective of that member’s service.
The Chapter Unit
A number of Action Groups form a unit in the Chapter’s pastoral care system. The unit is led by a Unit
Leader, who is a member of the Chapter’s governance team. The Unit Leader also leads an Action Group
made up of the Action Group Leaders and their wives of the unit. It is here in the Unit Leader’s Action
Group that the Action Group Leaders are cared for and supported. It is the Unit Leaders responsibility to
make sure that the service of the Action Group Leaders goes well and the life of these leaders goes well.
Of course, the Unit Leader’s Action Group functions as a place for ongoing training of the Action Group
Leaders in it as well as a place where the decisions of the governance team can be made known and
brought down to the members’ level and concerns of members be brought up to the governance team.
Ongoing Support for Members
During Basic Formation the associate members get regular teaching and are followed up by their Action
Group Leaders with respect to living out the teachings received. Once the formation program is over and
members become committed full members the ongoing support changes as follows:
Chapter Assemblies and Teaching Nights
These present the members with the opportunity to join in the communal worship. Here the member
learns to listen to the Lord and to open himself up to the Holy Spirit and to exercise the charismatic gifts
given to him for the common good and for the upbuilding of the Chapter. At these assemblies he or she
will also receive teachings that will help the members either to understand the BCBP better or to
participate in the mission more fully or learn about aspects of the faith. These also give the members
the opportunity to share what the Lord has been doing in their lives. In addition, he or she will have the
chance to meet the members of the Chapter and establish bonds of brother and sisterhood across
Action Groups and Units.
Other Support Activities and Celebrations
In addition to the above, Chapters most often offer an annual retreat for their members, sponsor
periodically teaching or training sessions. Such seminars can also be sponsored regionally. All members
are invited every year to the BCBP annual convention. All of these activities have for their purpose to
build up the members, strengthen them in the Lord and equip them for participation in the mission of
the BCBP.
Chapter Celebrations
Chapters and Outreaches will celebrate their anniversaries, a Family Day, special Eucharistic
celebrations, for example at Christmas or Easter, and a yearly day of thanksgiving on the first Friday of
January, marked by a Eucharistic celebration, intercessory prayers and fasting. The purpose of the
National Day of Thanksgiving is to thank God for all the blessings and graces bestowed on the BCBP
during the past year and to pray for his blessing for the work of the New Year.

Sectoral or Regional Celebrations
A few times during the year there will be either city‐wide or regional assemblies that will bring the
chapters and outreaches of an area together in order to praise God together and to hear his word.


IV. The BCBP’s Commitment to Holiness and Justice
Introduction
Holiness and justice or righteousness should characterize the life of every disciple of Jesus.
God is holy, and his people are called to live lives of holiness (1 Pet 1:14‐16). We are all called to imitate
Jesus and have his character formed in us, so that we may be fit dwelling places of the Holy Spirit (Lev
19:1‐2 and Matt 5:48). As a consequence, the BCBP community views continuing serious sinful actions as
contradictions to Christian life and will not allow them to be an accepted part of the lives of its
members, nor can they allow a lack of love and peace to be an accepted part of its life together (1 Cor
1:10‐11; 3:1‐4; 5:6‐8). If they do not follow the way of life that Jesus taught in the gospel and continues
to teach, they cannot be his witnesses in the marketplace, the professions and in the world.

Christians are called to holiness not just individually but together, both in the church and as BCBP
communities (1 Pet 2:5, 9). The way individual chapter members live their lives is not simply a private
matter solely between themselves and God. They have made a commitment to one another to obey the
Lord and follow the gospel. What is true of the entire body of Christ is especially true also of committed
communities: the sin of one is harmful to the others. One person's sin can block the action of God in the
entire body and can affect the spiritual health of the other members of the community and of the
church as a whole (1 Cor 5, 6). Living a life that is just and loving builds up the community, while living
sinfully weakens the community and at times damages it.

Members of BCBP chapters are brothers and sisters of one another and are, therefore, responsible for
one another and for one another's lives. They are accountable to one another for the way they live (Rom
12:5). Since they have committed themselves to be faithful followers of Jesus in the BCBP, they can and
should call one another on to be faithful to that commitment. Since they are brothers and sisters bound
together in love, they need to care for one another in their weakness and sin as much as in any other
condition of need (Gal 6:1‐3). They need to be responsible for one another with love, caring for one
another as they would wish to be cared for.
Mutual Help and Encouragement

Encouragement:
The members of the chapter are responsible for helping one another grow in the spiritual life. They need
to encourage one another and build one another up. Strengthening one another, calling one another on,
passing on what they have learned from the teachings of the Lord, or their experience in service and
assisting one another's growth in love and faithfulness to God should be a regular part of community
life. Such personal help should normally be given in a spirit of encouragement and of rejoicing in one
another, and not in a spirit of dissatisfaction and criticism. It should be part of a life of ongoing kindness
and thankfulness for one another. As much as possible, we should desire to be with one another (Phil
1:8‐11; Ps 133) and in being together should receive refreshment from one another.


Correction:
At the same time, it is common experience that community members fail in their obedience to the
commandments of God and in faithfulness to the common way of life in the BCBP. Sometimes the sin is
light. Even the most mature Christians have to take heed lest they fall (Prov 24:16; I Cor 10:12).
Sometimes the sin is serious. In all cases of sin, however, the primary responsibility for correcting the
wrong belongs to those who sinned. We should repent, confess our sin, and if possible make up for what
we have done. When the sin is serious, we should be especially earnest to change so that such sins
never occur again. The responsibility for someone’s wrongdoing also extends to the other members in
the chapter (Luke 17:3). Wrongdoing that has not been repented of should normally be corrected by a
direct admonition. All correction should be given lovingly and in a spirit of respect, directly and simply.
When we receive correction we should receive it eagerly and thankfully (Prov 25:12). We should desire
to see all wrongdoing removed from our life and to be molded in the image of Christ. We should not
desire to defend ourselves or to hide our wrongdoing (Prov 9:7‐9; 12:1). Instead we should want to have
what is wrong exposed and changed. We should receive correction with patience toward our own
weaknesses and toward the failings of our brothers and sisters who correct us, and we should receive it
with full faith and hope in God and in his power to change us and make us new (Heb 12:11). Such an
ideal is not easily lived, but the more we can attain it, the better our life will be.

Correction can often be given to help someone improve in Christian living, but correction can also be
given to help someone to improve his or her service or to acquire some skill. In these cases, correction
should be given and received in much the same spirit as correction for wrongdoing, but correction for
improvement in Christian living or for learning a skill obviously does not involve repentance or asking for
forgiveness. We should, however, receive it as graciously as we can, because those who seek to correct
us serve us, even though they may not do so in a way that is easy to receive.

Peace and Unity in the Community
Christians should be at peace with one another. The presence of the Holy Spirit in their midst should
bring the peace that comes from God, the peace that is based on just and right relationships with God
and with one another. It is a peace that is also based on obedience to God and his commandments.
God’s commandments should not be approached as statements of the rights that we can demand from
one another. Rather they should be received as revelations of how the Lord wants his people to live
together and to serve one another. They reveal how he intends life to be lived among his people, and his
people should obey them as such. Within the community there should be a harmony that results from
the obedience of the brothers and sisters to the commandments of Jesus, especially to the
commandment of love of the sisters and brothers (Rom 15:5‐6).

As a community, we should be free of hostility, fighting, grudges, resentment, and bitterness (1 Cor 3:1‐
4; Gal 5:25‐26; 1 Th 5:13). Each of us should be at peace with every other member. Relationships may at
times be strained, difficult or conflictive, and members may have negative feelings towards others. We
should, however, handle our relationship difficulties without falling into enmity or breaking our
relationships. All of us should guard our hearts from giving in to resentment, hidden suspicions, personal

anger, and anything that might give rise to hatred or hostility towards a brother or sister. One of the
most serious obligations is the obligation to preserve peace and justice with others especially those we
live closely with as brothers and sisters in Christ (Eph 4:31; Col 3:8).

Unresolved conflicts:
When we know that there is something wrong in our relationship with other members, whether we
have something against them or they have done something against us, we should go and seek
reconciliation (Matt 5:23‐24 and Matt 18:15). At times we have the obligation, out of our concern for
our brother or sister, out of concern for the chapter community, or out of our concern for the honor of
God and the cause of Christ, not to forbear difficulties or overlook wrongs, but to seek a just resolution.
In such cases we should not rest until reconciliation has been achieved or has been given to the
appropriate authority for a process of reconciliation. Peace does not always depend on us, but the
seeking of peace does (Rom 12:18).

When members of the community are unable to work out a personal dispute among themselves (1 Cor
6:1‐7), they should seek help from a third party whom they can mutually agree on. Preferably they
should submit it for resolution. If, however, they cannot find someone who can or will help or if they
cannot agree on someone to submit it to for resolution, and if the matter remains unresolved, they
should go to someone with governmental authority in the community for a judgment. Members of a
Christian community should normally not go to the secular courts for judgment in something involving
other members of the community.

When submitting a personal dispute for resolution, we should seek such a judgment with a desire to
receive wisdom how this particular difficulty should be resolved and, more importantly, how it should be
solved according to the teaching of the Lord. We should not be first concerned with defending our own
rights or being vindicated, but with the good of the Lord, the community, or the brother or sister. We
should be guided by the teaching of St. Paul that we should prefer to be defrauded rather than to harm
another member of the Church community or cause dissension in the body as a whole (1 Cor 6:7‐8).

The responsibility of those not involved in a conflict:
Conflicts between members of the body are the responsibility of the entire community. When a conflict
arises, each person who has the opportunity should urge the disputants to resolve the conflict quickly
and in peace (Phil 4:2‐3). Stirring up quarrels or saying things that will cause people to mistrust or be
resentful towards one another are serious forms of wrongdoing, and the community should guard itself
against such actions as much as against actual conflicts. The entire chapter should insist upon peace and
trust. The reign of Christ is a reign of peace, joy, and righteousness in the Holy Spirit (Rom 14:17).
Chapter Government and Discipline
Discipline is the upholding of the community life. It is an authoritative act that at times can involve
sanctions. Discipline in the chapter is entrusted to individuals according to the responsibility they have
for others. The Chapter Head has been given the commission to watch over the life of the whole local

chapter community. He has therefore been entrusted with the responsibility for the discipline of the
whole local community. Others have a governing authority for some portion of the chapter as members
of the governance team. They have the responsibility for discipline within that portion of the chapter
under the overall responsibility of the Chapter Head.
The responsibility of BCBP leaders
The responsibility which is given to different leaders of the BCBP is primarily a responsibility to build up
in the Lord those who are in their care. Those with governing positions are entrusted with the task and
responsibility of helping those they care for to live lives of deeper holiness, of greater love for God and
neighbor, and of mature service. BCBP leaders are, therefore, called to work on behalf of those in their
care, providing help for them to grow to Christian maturity.

In addition, leaders have a responsibility for the peace and discipline of the members, and an authority
that corresponds to their responsibility. It is their responsibility to settle disputes and to correct
individuals within the chapter in line with the commitment card, the Community Manual, and other
community policies, whether local, regional and national. Because leaders have this responsibility they
have the competency to give authoritative decisions within their area of governmental responsibility,
subject to appropriate appeals to higher authority in the local community, the region, and the national
government.

For the most part, the responsibility of leaders should be exercised by private encouragement and
correction as needed, even though at times they need to deal with matters formally. Leaders should not
ask for too much or correct too severely or too often, which may lead to discouragement especially for
young and upcoming leaders. Rather they should be ready to encourage and correct when to do so will
help or move someone forward. They should be conscious of the differences among those in their care
and handle each person appropriately.

Supporting BCBP leaders
The members of the BCBP are committed to respect and honor their leaders in the BCBP as people who
have been set over them in the Lord. In general, they should be eager to receive the teaching,
admonition, or exhortation of their leaders both when it is given to the chapter as a whole or to them
individually (1 Th 5:12‐13) They should receive a serious personal reproof or judgment by their leader as
something they are committed to accept, and either obey it or, if they have a serious reservation, appeal
to the next higher level of leadership. They are also committed to love their leaders, brothers and sisters
who serve them and who often have a difficult service. They should respond to these leaders willingly
and with thankfulness for the help they are being given.
Serious Wrongdoing
Sometimes a member does not respond to a normal correction. If the matter involves serious
wrongdoing, or if there is a pattern of regular disorder or significant ongoing difficulties in someone's life
in the BCBP, or if someone refuses to be reconciled with another member of the chapter, or if the
conflict between two members cannot be resolved by discussion, mediation or arbitration, if, in other

words, the matter is serious and otherwise irresolvable, it becomes the responsibility of the Chapter
Head of the chapter. He should not pass over any serious matter that has been brought to his attention,
but should investigate it and either clear the person in case of charges of wrongdoing or discipline him
or her. Serious wrongdoing is a danger to the spiritual welfare of both the chapter and the individual. At
the same time, unfounded charges can cause serious harm to individual chapter members. Much
wrongdoing, of course, will be handled in a church context outside the community or in a civil context,
and if that is the case, the responsibility of the BCBP leader only extends to seeing that the chapter
community aspect of the matter is handled appropriately.
Likewise, the Chapter Head should not neglect to handle any irresolvable matter of dispute between
two community members, if there is question of wrongdoing or injustice involved. Sometimes the
matter can be handled by the determination that there is no way to establish the rights and wrongs of
the matter. That decision, however, should not be made without some kind of formal process.

1. Establishing serious wrongdoing:
When a rumor of serious wrongdoing arises, the appropriate pastoral leader should privately
talk to the supposedly aggrieved party first and if there is a charge initiate a careful discrete
investigate. When a matter involving serious wrongdoing comes to the attention of the Chapter
Head and those involved do not acknowledge they have done any wrong, the Chapter Head
should carefully investigate the matter. The matter could begin with a charge by a community
member or a governance team member whose correction or judgment is not being accepted. It
can also begin with community members who wish to clear their reputation when it is being
endangered.

2. The following procedures should be followed:
Three members of the governance team or senior leaders should be appointed to act as
investigative panel in the case, not including the governance team member who brings the
charge, if it originated with him. This panel should be competent, impartial and not involved in
the matter. If the chapter does not have members qualified to serve on such a panel, they
should draw on the resources of the region. They should provide a fair hearing before coming to
a judgment. This involves:

a. establishing the charge or point of dispute before the process begins, so that everything
that follows is ordered to determining the issue
b. investigating the case as soon as possible
c. hearing both sides
d. confronting the accuser with the accused,
e. accepting no evidence on the basis of only one witness or on the basis of a witness
lacking credibility, either because of character defect or personal involvement
f. giving decision only after all the testimony is taken
g. conducting the investigation without prejudice or partiality toward any party.

3. Community members should support the investigation by giving testimony, when that is
needed.

4. Judicial appeal should be provided as appropriate.

5. The case should be referred to the RCD and Regional Council if it is beyond the competence of
the local governance team members, or if they do not have the resources to handle it.

Providing true justice in matters of serious wrongdoing is one of the more important responsibilities of
the chapter leaders to the Lord and to the chapter members.
Discipline by the BCBP Leaders
How the chapter leaders deal with those who have done serious wrongdoing varies with the situation.
Sometimes the main concern is to bring people to a genuine change of heart. Sometimes people have
repented and the concern is to change and restore them so that they will not fall into the same difficulty
in the future. A remedy should be used that is fitting and appropriate to the problem. It is a disservice to
the person and a failure before the Lord to treat something too lightly or to treat something too
severely.

Discipline begins with normal correction. It can make use of solemn reproof and rebuke either in private
or before others. It can involve special disciplinary treatment of the person by his or her Chapter Head,
for example, curtailment of normal privileges in the chapter and exclusion from participation in some
community activities. Finally, for matters of great enough seriousness, it can involve exclusion. In all
these matters the discipline imposed should be used with a desire to save and heal without
compromising the truth. The person should understand clearly that the various measures are being
taken for discipline and involve no personal rejection. For many this will involve an education in the
significance of Christian discipline and in how it can be exercised with love and respect. The process of
discipline in a matter that is not otherwise public should not become public except as a deliberate step
when the matter has become so serious that it is appropriate for the body as a whole to be involved.
When the matter is public, the process should be public, partly as a protection for the innocent.
Exclusion
Exclusion is primarily used for serious and unrepented sin. Under this category the following are
included: violations of the basic moral commandments: murder, adultery, sexual immorality,
homosexual sin, robbery, greed, and being a drunkard, as well as persistence in enmity toward a brother
or sister, publicly professing opinions incompatible with basic Christian truths (the articles of the Creed),
participating in non‐Christian worship and engaging in the occult, spiritualism, or any other activity
which involves conscious relationships with unholy spirits (the spirit world). Exclusion can also follow
upon serious refusal to abide by chapter order, for a rejection of the way of life of the chapter makes
good membership impossible.

Before anyone is excluded from the BCBP community the case should be investigated carefully.

Exclusion is never the first step, but a last resort to bring someone to repentance and to a change of
heart.

Exclusion has to be done with some involvement of the community as a whole, because of its very
nature. Members who have been excluded for serious unrepented wrongdoing, or for serious rejection
of the community's way of life, can be readmitted to full participation in the chapter’s way of life only
after some remedial process designed to restore the person and reestablish him or her once more in the
community.
Termination of commitment
Exclusion is not the same as terminating a relationship with someone who has dropped away or lost his
commitment. Exclusion is a disciplinary action based on the recognition that a good standing in the
community has already been broken by some wrongdoing and that fact needs to lead to a readjustment
of relationship. It is disciplinary in the sense that some members need to be brought to a realization that
they are no longer fulfilling the conditions for membership.

Chapter Heads and other community leaders who exercise a responsibility for discipline should
remember that discipline is to be exercised in the spirit of a shepherd. A shepherd must watch over the
whole flock, and often must protect it against harm that comes from one of the sheep. But the shepherd
also cares for each individual in love, and his desire is to save each one. Discipline among us should be a
manifestation of the love with which Jesus, our Lord, trains and disciplines us. Discipline is not a matter
of meting out punishments. Rather it is a work of preservation, restoration and strengthening. It should
not cease until the person has been fully restored to a loving relationship with brothers and sisters in
the community, when it is possible to do so.
The Discipline of BCBP Leaders
The main leaders of our BCBP communities also need the protection of Christian discipline. The
approach to discipline in their case is much the same as that of any member. However, there are some
features that are different. Because of their responsibility they are held accountable in a greater way by
the Lord. At the same time they are exposed to special opportunities for wrongdoing in connection with
their position. Leaders could fall into using their authority for personal gain or advantage or using their
position to dominate rather than serve others. They could be guilty of injustice in judgment and
discipline, false teaching, or any of the abuses to which spiritual authority can become prey. They too
could violate chapter order or act in an insubordinate way. Their position could prevent others from
having the courage to correct a leader before he commits serious wrongdoing. At the same time, there
is a need to preserve respect for their position and a need of understanding for the special challenges
they need to handle. Consequently, there is a need for a special approach to their discipline.
Admonition and judicial process for Leaders
Chapter members can admonish a chapter leader if the admonition is given respectfully. Normally,
leaders will receive much helpful admonition from their brother leaders. However, the main
responsibility for the correction of a chapter leader belongs to the Chapter Head or to whomever the
Chapter Head has delegated that responsibility (1 Tim 5:14‐22). If a leader has not accepted correction

given him by a chapter member or by a fellow leader, and the person who has given the correction does
not see that it is right to let the matter go, he should present the situation to the Chapter Head of the
chapter. If a leader is charged with serious wrongdoing, he, too, should be given a fair process as
outlined above. The Chapter Head in this case appoints other leaders as judges for the trial. If the local
community does not have enough leaders who are competent or who are free from involvement in the
matter so that they might serve in this way, the Chapter Head needs to refer the case to the RCD of the
regional council or of the AMD and the area council. He should also allow appeal if questions arise as to
the justice of the trial.

Censure of a member of the governance team will be handled within the governance team, unless the
matter is public or has a good chance of becoming public. The discipline of a leader is a matter of great
seriousness for a community, and failure to exercise this discipline is itself a serious governmental failure
on the part of those responsible. Those who discipline a leader should do so with care and respect for
him and his position, but they should be determined to avoid partiality or fear.
Admonition and judicial process for the Chapter Head
For the most part, this area is handled the same for the Chapter Head as for other leaders. In his case,
however, admonition should most commonly come to him from other governance team members,
especially from his Action Group Leader. In cases of possible serious wrongdoing on the part of the
Chapter Head, the matter is to be referred to the RCD. It is he who should see that the case is handled
justly and expeditiously.
Wrongdoing and the local governance team
If it should ever happen that the governance team of a chapter as a whole either falls into serious
wrongdoing in its exercise of authority in the community, or habitually condones serious wrongdoing
among the leaders or in the body as a whole, chapter members who see such wrongdoing should make
this known to the RCD, who should take responsibility to handle this matter. One of the greatest
advantages of belonging to a broader grouping is the protection it affords for difficulties in the local
leadership.
Complaint
Incompetence or handling a matter in a seriously deficient way is not a matter of wrongdoing. Unless
those with governmental responsibility have violated the Community Manual or policy of the
BCBP or have treated community members unjustly, they have not committed wrongdoing.
Nonetheless, those who cannot fulfill their responsibilities adequately well should be assigned to a
different position in which their weaknesses do not come into play or even if necessary relieved of those
responsibilities. Such matters can therefore become the object of complaints.

At the same time, complaints about how those with governmental responsibility handle those
responsibilities, can easily involve injustice to those holding the position of responsibility or to the body
as a whole. Those who do not approve of how someone in a governmental position has handled his or
her responsibilities in general or in a particular matter or who have some difficulty with that person or

who disagree on a matter of approach or direction should not be able to deprive someone of the
position or of the respect needed to function in that position well.

In general, we should only speak of weaknesses we think we see in those holding governmental
positions when we have a good reason to do so. We should only do so to advise someone else how to
work with the person in question or to get advice on how to do so, to discuss how to handle a situation
we are responsible for, or to inform someone who ought to be informed how we are handling some
situation. We can also speak to the person whose actions we are concerned about and to the one over
them, if we judge that it will help to do so. Under some circumstances, we have the obligation to speak
to the person at issue or the one over them.

At times we should make formal complaints either about the way something was handled or about the
competency of someone in a governmental position to handle their particular responsibility. We should
only do so when we know the situation well. We should do so to the person with responsibility to
handle the matter. We should also prepare to be identified and present our evidence in a way the
person complained of can respond to. The complaint should be heard by a formal process that uses
most of the same procedures of sound investigation and consideration that go into a judicial process. It
should not normally be made public unless the existence of the complaint has become public or unless
the matter at issue is causing a public concern. If the complaint is justified, the person or body
responsible for determining who holds the position can determine whether to change the person in the
position or to make some provision to handle the difficulty.
Responsibility of Chapter Members for Discipline
Every community member has some responsibility for the life of others in the community and, therefore
for their discipline. Sometimes it is a direct responsibility that comes from a particular position such as
the responsibility of parents for their children, or the responsibility of leaders in the chapter for those
entrusted to their care.

As members of our chapters we also have a fraternal responsibility for one another (1 Th 5:11; Col 3:13).
As brothers and sisters in the Lord, we build one another up and call one another to lives of holiness and
justice. This responsibility is normally exercised in sharing, teaching, admonition, encouragement, and
exhortation, but it can also be exercised in reproof or rebuke. There is a responsibility for fraternal
correction that has been recognized among the Christian people from the beginning.
Fraternal correction
When a brother or sister seriously speaks a word of exhortation or admonition, a person's first response
should be to accept the word. People can sometimes legitimately put aside serious correction given
them by a brother or sister in the Lord, but they should not do so lightly. They normally should not do so
without the counsel of their Action Group Leader.

Members of the BCBP have a fraternal responsibility for all other members of our community. However,
correction is most successfully given in a context of a good personal relationship. Brothers and sisters

should carry out their responsibility differently with those who are near to them, with whom they share
their lives in some ongoing way, than with those who are more distant from them. Normally, community
members should not correct someone with whom they are not close enough to know something of the
situation that person is in, and when they are not confident that they can give the correction in a way
that will be helpful. Showing love, giving encouragement and sharing wisdom can be done more freely.
The obligation to correct:
We are not obligated to correct everything that is wrong in others. More often we are called to bear
with our brothers and sisters and with their failings (Col 3:13). There are times, however, when we are
responsible to give correction. When other members are doing something so wrong that their action will
be seriously damaging to their welfare or to the welfare of others or of the BCBP as a whole or of the
kingdom of God, and when we are the ‘next one’ to them, either because of the relationship we are in
with them or because no one else is available, we have an obligation of correction. At those times we
must not avoid the task, even if it should be very difficult or seems like it will be fruitless. But for the
rest, the guideline for giving correction should be whether the correction will be helpful to others at this
time. When it is not helpful, we should wait patiently, showing the same forbearance to others that the
Lord shows us.
Being wronged
When a brother or sister is personally wronged by another BCBP member, he or she should repair the
relationship by going to the person who has wronged him or her, inquiring about the matter, and
perhaps speaking a word of reproof directly to that person. If the reproof is not accepted, and the
matter is serious, the next step is to lay the matter before the responsible Action Group Leader. When
the matter is not serious, however, it can be passed over and the wrong endured (Matt 18:15‐17).
Witnessing a wrongdoing
Normally, when members of the chapter are aware of some serious wrong, they should speak about it
to the person first and then lay the matter before the appropriate chapter leader. However, sometimes
they should go to the chapter leader first. When they present something to a chapter leader, they
should be ready to be identified and to be called upon to speak with their brother or sister about what
they have observed.

When serious wrongdoing comes to the attention of members of the chapter, but they are not a
personal witness to it, they have a fraternal but not direct responsibility, unless they also happen to be
the Action Group Leader of the person or persons involved. Because their responsibility here is not a
direct one, they should not personally investigate the matter, but should communicate to the
responsible leader that there might be something which demands attention and suggest that he
investigate further. The leader might communicate back to them, but he might not. If he does not, they
should forget the matter and hold no suspicions of their brother or sister, assuming that the information
they received was incorrect unless they know for sure otherwise.

Responsibility outside the local community
We do not have the same kind of responsibility for those who are not part of our chapter community
and with whom we do not have a commitment to live out a common way of life and to participate in
one mission. Our responsibility for those outside the BCBP community does not include a disciplinary
authority, except when we have been given a position that involves disciplinary responsibility by the
secular society, by church government, or by some organization (if we are, for example, a principal of a
school, a government official, or hold a position of authority in business). In these instances we should
not necessarily expect to be able to use the ways of the BCBP in exercising authority outside it.

There will be many occasions when we witness serious wrongdoing in the world around us, but will not
be able to do anything concrete about it. Three courses of action may be open to us: (1) to pray and
intercede for mercy for the person or persons involved, (2) to bring the good news of salvation to people
and to help them to ongoing conversion, and (3) to unite with others in bringing reconciliation to people
and to work for the transformation of society by the values of the gospel, which in fact is our mission.
Speech and Preserving Peace and Discipline
Peace can exist within the BCBP and discipline carried out in a loving way only if the BCBP community as
whole guards its speech carefully. The tongue is a great means of loving service. Its true call is to glorify
God and build each other up. But it can also be very destructive. Speaking against others, judging others,
gossiping against others, criticizing others, or abusing others can sow mistrust and dissension in a
community and destroy its ability to be a community of love (Jam 3:1‐10). When discipline of the tongue
is preserved, however, the way in which sisters and brothers speak to one another can be one of the
greatest sources of love in the community.

The entire local chapter is not a court, that is, charges against individuals are not made in public before
the community. In some groups the whole people together is a court, and charges against individuals,
especially public officials, are made in a public way by whoever chooses to make them. But among us,
matters of judgment are handled differently. Only the chapter leaders have the responsibility for
judgment and discipline of chapter members. Because of this the following is to be observed:

1. Accusations should never be made except to those with responsibility for the person accused.
2. Investigations should not be carried out except by the person with responsibility.
3. People’s difficulties should not be discussed except with someone who has responsibility for
them.
4. In general community members should only speak with another member’s community leader
about his or her wrongdoing or difficulty.
Speaking against one another
In general as Christians we should not speak against (slander) one another or against any person. Nor
should we gossip, pass on reports against someone, stir up suspicion and mistrust against a sister or a
brother. We should speak about them in a way which leads our listeners to love and respect those we
are speaking about.

Community members who observe something wrong should either speak to the person or to someone
responsible for the person and they should seek to do so in the proper way. If we are uncertain how to
proceed, we can ask for counsel, but we should usually ask counsel from someone who has leadership in
the community. If we are asked by someone with a governmental position we can give that person the
information in our possession, unless we know there is some morally binding reason why we cannot.

Community leaders should never speak against a member of the community or anyone else openly,
unless they have to warn the community against that person. No one, in short, should speak against
another unless he or she has a responsibility to do so.

When we have a personal dispute with someone in the community that we believe involves
wrongdoing, we ought not to make charges about them to others. We can go to someone mature in the
Lord for counsel, we can tell others about the dispute to keep them informed, as much as possible
without seeking to enlist their support for our side, but we should do our best to avoid damaging the
other person’s reputation. If the other party to the dispute has spoken about the matter in way that we
believe has unjustly damaged our reputation, we may and sometimes should speak about our side to
protect our good name or some just interest. In general, however, we should let the matter be decided
by the proper process and let others be informed by those with a responsibility to do so.
Accusations
We should try not to believe accusations we hear from others unless we personally know them to be
true. When we hear accusations, we should only entertain them if they concern someone we are
responsible for. Then we should inquire about the accusation to see if it is true before believing it.
We should expect anyone presenting an accusation to take part openly in the investigation. We should
not allow ourselves to be bound to confidentiality when someone makes an accusation to us although
we often should decide to preserve confidentiality.

When we hear accusations about people that we are not responsible for, we should not receive them. If
it seems important to do so, we should inform someone responsible about the accusation. We should
normally try to forget the accusations and not allow suspicions to be sown in our hearts. We should
correct a brother or sister who has not presented the accusation to the right person and when possible
we should refuse to listen to accusations or gossip (Prov 17:4).

We should not feel called upon to be curious about how others in the community are living their lives
nor to investigate reports or evidence of wrongdoing or serious difficulties, unless we have
governmental responsibility for these persons. All that should be entrusted to those who do have the
responsibility. Fraternal responsibility is direct only when there is a personal involvement in the
difficulty, either as a direct witness or as a party in a dispute.

Confidentiality
There are many matters we should not speak about unless we have a clear responsibility to do so. We
not only have a responsibility to protect the reputation of our brothers and sisters, we also have an
obligation to protect certain information about their affairs that we know because we are close to them.
In general we ought not to promise secrecy, but we should nonetheless keep secrets unless we have an
obligation not to. While we have an obligation to be open with those who share responsibilities with us,
and while we should be open with our Action Group Leaders and those with whom we are linked for
Christian support, we ought not to speak freely about our personal difficulties and affairs, unless we are
seeking help from someone we know to be trustworthy. We ought likewise to protect what has been
shared with us by others, unless we know there is reason to speak about it.
Evaluation
We should not give negative evaluations (criticisms) of how others conduct their services and duties
unless we are responsible to do so. Then we should only do so to someone who is over the person
concerned or the particular service the person is discharging.

We are free to evaluate openly how well activities, jobs or services go, but we should not openly give an
evaluative judgment of how people discharge their services and duties. Even when there is no
wrongdoing involved, we are not free to evaluate the people, because that involves taking a
responsibility in speech for someone that we do not have responsibility for.
Insult and abuse
Christians should never insult or abuse anyone. To attack someone with the tongue is equivalent to
attacking him or her physically and is something that can be even more harmful. This is an even greater
responsibility within the BCBP. There is to be peace and not conflict in the BCBP, and we are called to be
peacemakers and work for reconciliation.
Outside of the community
Matters of speech are often handled differently by those outside the community. Therefore, we cannot
simply follow the approach of the BCBP or the exhortations given in scripture to those who are
Christians. In a democratic mass society in particular, we often need to speak out more openly and make
evaluations more publicly. Normally outside of the community, we should take a greater concern to
protect our good name and that of the BCBP and to protect any just interest we are responsible for. We
should, however, resist the tendency to speak freely in a negative way about others and to speak freely
about information we have about others and the life of the BCBP. Our aim is the same: to be
peacemakers in and outside the BCBP and to seek to protect the reputation of others, regardless of
whether they are BCBP members or not, as well as the reputation of the BCBP and of the Christian
people.
True Justice and Holiness
Our commitment to strive for holiness and true justice in all our relationships can be a great source of
freedom and power for us to live as a son or daughter of God (Gal 5:13). Such a commitment will lead to
a deep experience of brotherly and sisterly love and a sense of security that comes through a confidence

in the care of the brothers and sisters. The dedication of all in our chapters to help one another live the
kind of life we are called to by the Vision and Mission, commitment card, and the Community Manual
can be a great protection against sin and personal failure in living the life of faith.

As long as we live out our commitment to holiness and justice in the Holy Spirit, the commitment will be
one of freedom and love, a joyful commitment. If, on the other hand, we should slip away from the
guidance of the Lord and from the inner commitment of heart and fall into an observance of rules of life
only, the commitment will simply lead to mutual surveillance and social pressure. Our call to holiness
and justice is so central to the nature of the Christian vocation that it can only be lived by grace and by
the power of the Holy Spirit.

The goal which the Lord sets before his people is not simply to keep the rules correctly. The goal which
the Lord sets before his people is that love of God and neighbor which is a reflection of his own divine
nature. The goal is that God's own image be fashioned in the life of his people as a whole and in the lives
of each of his followers. Through the Holy Spirit, the Lord wishes to teach his people the wisdom that
will let them see the goal with greater and greater clarity. Then they will be able to apply laws and
ordinances and rules and teachings as tools which help a heart that is set on the Lord to follow his ways.
Then they will be able to help one another use the same tools to strengthen the life of the Lord that is in
them.

Above all else, we have to hold unfailingly to our love for one another. We are responsible for one
another, but that responsibility needs to be exercised with respect and compassion. When we care for
one another as we wish to be cared for by others, with the love of Christ, then we have truly heard the
message of the law and the prophets.


V. Personal Care of Members
Leadership and members in our local chapters
We in the BCBP are a community, a body of people who belong to the Lord, and are brothers and sisters
together in him. We are a people with a way of life, the life of love of God and neighbor that is the life of
all Christians, but also the life of discipleship and mission in the marketplace that is our special call. Our
community life in our chapters is not primarily an added activity, but it is a relationship of brotherly and
sisterly love in which we support and care for one another in all our responsibilities as we seek to live a
life of discipleship and bring Christ into the marketplace and win the marketplace for Christ. Moreover,
we have not just committed some of our time and resources. We have personally committed ourselves
to the Lord and to our brothers and sisters, as well as to our corporate life and mission.

We are subordinate to the government of the chapter according to the Vision and Mission of the BCBP,
the commitment card and this Community Manual. The responsibility of the chapter government arises
out of the commitments involved in joining and being a local chapter community of the BCBP. The
government of the chapter, therefore, extends to everything that the members have committed to.
Moreover the chapters must be able to serve the Lord as chapters. They must be able to act effectively
as a unit. Therefore the government of the chapter is responsible to integrate chapter members into the
life and mission of the chapter.

The Chapter Head, Unit Leaders, and Action Group Leaders need to take a concern for the lives of the
members. They do so primarily in regard to the members’ ability to live the BCBP commitments and way
of life, including their ability to fulfill their personal responsibilities outside the contexts of our corporate
life. They do so by caring for the life of the chapter through which members help one another. They also
do so by care of the individual members, and at times that care involves the exercise of governing
authority.
Chapter pastoral care
Chapter pastoral care is the help the leaders of the chapter give to individual members for whom they
have some responsibility, so that those members might live the life of the BCBP well (and therefore live
the Christian life well). Chapter pastoral care is given by specific leaders of the chapter (primarily the
Chapter Head, Unit Leaders, and Action Group Leaders) to help members live the life they voluntarily
chose when they decided to become members of the BCBP. It is also given to help them move towards
that life once they have decided to enter the Basic Formation Program of the BCBP.

Pastoral care is help given in the context of a personal relationship of brotherly or sisterly love. It is a
service to the member. Chapter leadership in its care of the individual should not only promote the
welfare of the individual but also of the BCBP community as a whole. The government of the chapter has
a responsibility to see that the chapter provides the basic help needed for its members to live the life of
the BCBP well. Most of that help comes through the ongoing life of the chapter as described in “The

BCBP Community” above. That includes individual care which comes through the support of brothers
and sisters, especially those in the Action Groups. Once they have gone through the Basic Formation
Program, most members should be able to live the life of the BCBP with the normal help that comes
through chapter life. The leadership has a responsibility to provide certain pastoral care as part of that
normal help and an added responsibility for pastoral care in special circumstances.

Chapter Head, Unit Leaders and Action Group Leaders are responsible to help members be well
integrated into the chapter, including:

1. Making sure every member is integrated well into an Action Group;
2. Assigning them to service: requesting them to fill service needs; otherwise letting them
volunteer for service;
3. Giving counsel in major life directions and transitions: career changes, changes in the
relationship to the community, e.g. immigration, etc.;
4. Making sure that help is given in personal crises/difficulties and practical emergencies when the
chapter is capable of giving it or connecting them to those who can; and,
5. Providing major discipline or correction where that is called for by the community commitment,
including oversight for such community commitments.
Some of this can be delegated, although the Chapter Head retains final responsibility.

Every member should have an Action Group Leader as personal pastoral leader. Such leaders seek to
provide help for the community members in their care by giving:

1. Assistance for being well integrated into the community: especially taking care that members
have not been in some way overlooked.
2. Personal help in daily living as members (mainly for new members), including:
a. help in application of basic community instruction and approaches;
b. help in the order and peace in daily life: help to order their lives by sorting out their
priorities according to Christian principles.
3. Help in Christian living: standing with them to help them to get what they need, including:
a. helping with major personal challenges or problems when such help can be given ‐
either given personally or by making the connection with some other pastoral leader or
member or by referring them to someone outside the community;
b. possibly providing help to move them forward, usually either as part of formation
programs or Action Groups;
c. the Action Group Leader is responsible for:
i. Simple correction where appropriate;
ii. Ongoing encouragement to Christian dedication, faithfulness and commitment
to the BCBP, including;
iii. Encouragement to make personal decisions for the glory of God, the common
good and the furtherance of Christian mission.


To do the above well, Action Group Leaders especially must develop a personal relationship with the
members they are responsible for to know that they are doing well and to know what their needs are.
Chapter members are responsible to present to their Action Group Leaders decisions that might affect
their ability to fulfill what they have committed themselves to in the BCBP. They are responsible to
communicate to the Action Group Leader or Chapter Head enough ahead of time that the Chapter Head
especially can have input into the decision‐making process. In principle, members should not make a
decision that is incompatible with their BCBP membership unless the Chapter Head agrees that it is right
for them to do so. They are, however, the ones who make the final decision as to whether they will do
something that might involve ending their membership.

Chapter leaders do not necessarily provide individual or group counseling to help members with
personal problems and difficulties. When leaders give counseling, it is primarily counseling to help
members implement in their lives what they are committed to by the BCBP commitment card. Chapter
leaders do provide help with problems that keep members from keeping their commitments, but that
help might be in the form of advice to look for what is needed outside the chapter. Leaders may provide
whatever other counseling that they are competent to give.

Community leaders also do not necessarily provide ongoing positive help in Christian living after the
Basic Formation is ended. That normally comes fraternally or by the person’s own initiative. It is,
however, desirable for the chapter to give ongoing help, usually in the form of programs and chapter
events, and some of these might be given by the leader. Leaders do not necessarily provide spiritual
direction. Pastoral care in the chapter is help provided to live the life of the BCBP. It can provide some
elements of what is termed spiritual direction, but it is not the same, and spiritual direction cannot
substitute for pastoral care. Community leaders may provide spiritual direction if they are competent to
give it.

Members are free to get help outside the community and often leaders should encourage it. Many kinds
of help, however, are not supportive of BCBP membership, often because they make incompatible time
demands or operate on a set of principles that are not easily harmonized with our way of life. BCBP
members who desire to remain members of the BCBP should seek forms of help which can be
harmonized with community membership.
Personal direction and community members
We are personally subordinate to the life of the BCBP chapter. The nature of that subordination is
determined by the commitment and order of the BCBP community.

The Chapter Head exercises his responsibility of caring for all the members mainly through dealing with
the chapter as a whole. However, a Chapter Head should also be in a position to give input to individuals
as appropriate and as the need arises, not as a personal counselor, but as a community leader. Such
government of the individual members is normally expressed in instruction, encouragement, correction,
or admonition. It can include certain kinds of personal direction as well.


Many relationships within a local chapter involve personal subordination. The exercise of authority in
those relationships varies depending on the purpose of the relationship. Therefore, the kind of direction
which the governing authority gives also varies according to the relationship.
Normal direction by the Chapter Head or leader
Participation in community life:
Most of the direction members receive occurs in the context of corporate life. Corporate activities are
usually led. We seek to have them as participative as is reasonably possible, but strong leadership and
active participation are not necessarily incompatible. Directive leadership can often foster active
participation. Outside of community activities, the community leaders should foster the active sharing
and service in a daily life way that is an important part of our chapter life.

Because the Chapter Head is responsible for governing and leading the chapter as a whole, he is
responsible for overseeing the participation of the members of the local chapter in the life and mission
of the chapter. The Chapter Head determines how members should fulfill their commitments to the
corporate life. They may also determine which community activities the individual members may take
part in and what services they may perform for the chapter beyond those that are a matter of their
BCBP membership.

The Chapter Head does not always have to be involved in all aspects of the participation of individual
community members in the corporate life. Most matters will commonly be handled by other leaders in
the chapter. Service placements will commonly be handled by requests from other leaders to the
individual community member and by community members volunteering to serve. Nonetheless the final
decision in matters of chapter life belongs to the Chapter Head if some question needs to be
determined. Moreover, when the chapter has a serious need, either in maintaining its life or fulfilling its
mission, the Chapter Head is the one who should call upon the members for greater dedication and
even sacrifice in making time and resources available.

The personal responsibility of community members
As BCBP members we have a variety of responsibilities (duties) in life. We are responsible to live a good
Christian life, to be good members of our church, country, community, family, to be good
sons/daughters or parents, to be good husbands or wives, to be good employers or employees, etc. We
have to combine all our responsibilities into a unified whole in order to live our personal Christian
vocation well.

When we joined a Christian community, namely the BCBP, we took on a new responsibility: the
responsibility of a community member. As BCBP members, we are responsible to live the life of the
commitment card. We should fulfill that responsibility well for the sake of the Lord since we joined the
BCBP to live for him and serve him better. We should also fulfill that responsibility well for the sake of
our brothers and sisters with whom we share BCBP community life and to whom we have committed
ourselves by accepting the commitment card.

In a particular area of life, a variety of obligations may coincide. In family life, those of us who are
fathers may have to conduct ourselves in the light of responsibilities to the Lord and his teaching, to our
church and its teaching, to our country and its law, to the BCBP and its common approach to family life,
and to our family of origin and it’s just expectations. For each responsibility, we may be accountable in
certain ways to some authority: a church leader, a governmental official, our Chapter Head, our own
father. To understand how to be properly responsible, we need to understand the relationships and the
responsibilities they entail.

In the community, we are responsible to support and actively contribute to the corporate life and to live
the BCBP way of life. In large part, once we understand what it is to be a BCBP member, we can fulfill
our role without special direction. Directions are normally only needed for the good functioning of
corporate activities and for working with others in service inside the chapter.

We should not normally wait for directions from leaders to handle responsibilities that are not done
corporately with other BCBP members (that is, our ‘personal responsibilities’, those matters for which
we have the primary responsibility). In general we take initiative to fulfill our personal responsibilities
without waiting for direction.

Our participation in BCBP life should be expressed in active subordination. We should seek to foster the
common good and corporate life. We should live our personal lives in the light of the welfare of our
brothers and sisters. We should seek to cooperate with the direction of the leader or leaders
responsible for chapter activities. We should take active concern for the good of the chapter. We should
also take initiative to use the means of personal help provided by the BCBP through fraternal
relationships and pastoral relationships.

When there is instruction that involves our common way of life and therefore that applies to our
personal lives, we should take initiative in implementing it. We should, however, take the responsibility
to apply that instruction wisely. We should not do it “by rote”. If we do not know how to do it wisely, we
should take initiative to ask the appropriate person. If we think the instruction is causing difficulty due to
our circumstances, we should raise the difficulty. We are responsible to see that our personal lives,
families, etc. are doing well.

We are expected to be active in building up the life of the chapter, even apart from particular tasks we
are responsible to perform. For most things such as participating in meetings or helping other brothers
and sisters, we can simply take initiative to make contributions we think we can make helpfully when
there is an appropriate opportunity to do so. Where we want to do something which might have a
significant effect on the corporate life, we should discuss it first with the appropriate leader.

Before taking on any service whether in the parish, diocese, or wider society, members should discuss
the matter with the appropriate chapter leadership to discern whether they should do a particular
service or not and how their taking that service might affect their ability to do BCBP service or how it

might affect the life of the chapter and its outreaches. In any case, no service should be accepted that
would take a member out of the BCBP because of time demands.

Normally, the chapter leaders do not direct the personal life of the members of the community. The
members of our community are not under obedience for their personal lives in virtue of their BCBP
membership. When a community teaching is given or decision made that affects an individual member’s
personal responsibilities, the individual makes the final determination of how to respond to it, unless it
is a matter of something required for membership. When a personal decision arises that would change
the shape of a person’s life or affect it in a major way, the appropriate leader should be informed as
soon as the decision becomes imminent. He can give his advice and that advice should be received
seriously, but the individual makes his or her own decisions and takes responsibility for them. On the
other hand, the Chapter Head and other leaders are free to promote whatever is good in the lives of
individual members and in the corporate life. They can instruct, encourage, and build up freely as long
as they are promoting Christian living and the life of the BCBP commitments. They can call BCBP
members on to be more devoted to the Lord, the BCBP and to the welfare of their brothers and sisters
and to live their personal lives more fully in the light of the ideals they have committed themselves to.
BCBP members in turn should receive such encouragement with respect for the position of the leader
and seek to be receptive to it.
Special purposes for personal direction
The leaders give special personal direction normally for one of the following reasons: for personal
formation, or for meeting the needs of or accomplishing the goals of the BCBP as a whole or of some
group within it.

When direction is given for personal formation, the leader’s goal is to form people according to the
image of Christ and to help them grow more capable in serving the Lord. BCBP leaders normally give
such direction in relationships of ongoing formation, such as the instruction of Associate Members and
the training of members for positions of service in the BCBP. Direction that is given for formation is
usually limited in scope, determined by its purpose, and comes to an end as the person being formed
finishes the formation program. Such direction aims at making the person more capable and ready to
assume responsibility, not more dependent on direction from a leader in order to function. Training that
involves personal direction can be a very effective means of formation and can lead people to
responsibility and initiative more quickly than means which do not involve such personal interaction.

When a leader attempts to care for or protect someone in need, he often has to give direction in order
to be effective. Sometimes the need arises because of a personal problem. Sometimes the need is
created by wrongdoing and the necessity of correction. Whatever the reason, members of the chapter
often would be greatly helped by direction in their lives. Such direction, however, can only be given if
the matter is covered by the commitment card or if the person accepts an offer of help.

When the Chapter Head or other major chapter leaders give direction in order to meet the needs of and
accomplish the goals of the chapter’s life and mission, their aim is to lead the individuals to support the

chapter and its mission. For the most part, such direction occurs within the context of community
activities and services. At times leaders may give such direction frequently, at times rarely. They should
only give it when authorized by the commitment card or Community Manual. No community can
function effectively unless its members are receiving the essential direction that unites them and moves
them forward together.
Appeal
When subordinates experience difficulty in accepting their leaders’ direction, the differences normally
can be resolved through discussion. Sometimes in the matter at issue the final decision belongs to the
subordinate. Sometimes, however a subordinate is faced with a direction that his leader will not change,
that is within his authority, and the subordinate does not want to accept. Most commonly these
difficulties arise because the subordinate prefers a different approach or feels that a different approach
would work better. Such difficulties are opportunities to put aside preferences and opinions and grow in
submission.

At times the difficulty may arise because the subordinate, using Christian judgment, cannot accept the
leaders’ decision as being a good one. Out of concern for the Lord and the community, the subordinate
may continue to seek a change in a respectful way, although he should continue to obey. Sometimes
difficulties may arise because subordinates judge that the leaders’ directions are a serious mistake,
leading to results that would be harmful. In such cases, subordinates may and perhaps should appeal
the decision:

1. They should first ask the community leader who made the decision to reconsider;
2. Then if they are not satisfied, they can appeal to the next higher governmental authority in the
local chapter;
3. They should let the first community leader know that they are appealing the decision;
4. They can keep on appealing until the appropriate authority determines that they do not have
grounds for further appeal;
5. If the judgment finally goes against them, they should accept it, submitting their judgment to
their leaders; and,
6. If for some reason they find it impossible to submit to their judgment, they should normally still
submit to the decision and entrust the matter to the Lord, the Lord over all community authority
(Rom 8:28).

It could happen that the difficulty arises because the subordinate judges that the leader’s direction
would lead to some sort of unrighteousness, either breaking the commandments or being unfaithful to a
serious commitment. If either were the case, to obey would be wrong and the subordinate could not
obey. Before reaching such a conclusion, subordinates should investigate their own judgment. Their
judgment could be wrong and their leader’s correct. Normally, they should discuss the matter with the
leader who gave the direction and with those of higher authority in the chapter. If, at the end of the
process, the subordinates are convinced that the issue is one of unrighteousness, then their
responsibility is to refuse to accept the direction given them.

Community members who are having a difficulty with directions that have been given them by their
community leaders should conduct themselves in a loyal way. They can ask advice from mature
members of the BCBP, but they should not speak about their difficulty to very many, unless the
community leaders have the opportunity to present their view as well. Community members should not
bring the matter to someone outside the community, except competent church or civil authority, when
there is need for advice or some appeal is appropriate. They should not spread news of their difficulty
outside the community. In everything they should conduct themselves in such a way as to maintain the
unity of the community and protect its good name, trusting the Lord to care adequately for the
difficulty.
Submission
All the members of the BCBP irrespective of their position should be able to receive appropriate
direction from their leaders (Phil 2:12‐14). Their submission to authority strengthens the body, prevents
power struggles and conflicts, and brings peace and unity. A submissive attitude allows individuals to
receive wisdom, confidence, and protection from their leaders. Submission can free the power of God to
work in a community.

Submission is based on a willingness to receive direction from others (Phil 2:1‐11). In order to achieve
genuine submission, we have to take a position of humility so that we can genuinely place ourselves
under others. In order to be humble, we need to put aside our rebelliousness, our independence, our
self‐importance, our desire for power, our desire to have our own way, our attachment to our personal
preferences and pleasures, and our self‐concern and self‐protectiveness. Submission demands a certain
freedom from self. Submission is not the same as obedience. It involves some obedience, depending
upon the relationship. However, it involves more than looking for commands and obeying them. It
especially involves a cooperative way of responding to those over us:

1. Often the community leader entrusts an area of responsibility to a subordinate. Here submission
means being faithful to the responsibility.
2. Often the community leader gives advice and leaves the decision to the subordinate.
Submission here can mean not pressing for a decision from the leader, but rather accepting the
commission.
3. Submission means being active. Those who are being truly submissive normally take
responsibility for their lives and the things entrusted to them, showing initiative, discussing the
directions they receive from their leaders, especially when their efforts stem from a desire to
cooperate with their leaders.
4. Submission also involves relating well to a governing authority in whose judgment or abilities
one does not have the fullest confidence. It means helping and not opposing, offering advice or
even respectful correction rather than challenge. It means giving the leader the benefit of the
doubt. It may mean getting advice from the next higher governing authority on how to relate
well to the leader causing the perceived difficulty.

5. Submission means subordinating oneself and one's views about what would be best for the
strength of the cooperative effort, not always simply acquiescing in the direction given, but
always dealing with situations in a cooperative spirit and in a way that strengthens the
community.

Submitting to human beings can be a way of submitting to the Lord. When Christians submit to those
who are over them in the Lord or who have authority from the Lord, then their submission is obedience
to the Lord. When they feel that they are receiving directions from the Lord (leadings of the Spirit or
other revelations), they may follow them if they are confident in them, but they should submit these
directions to their governors for discernment if the matter is significant and affects the common life.
Submission to a human being is not a substitute for a relationship with God. Rather, submission to
human beings is something God works through to form his people in his own likeness, to train them in
submission to himself, and to protect them from self‐delusion. Submission to Christian authority can
only be based on the fear of the Lord. The members of the community should respect those over them,
especially the chapter leaders, not simply as brothers in the Lord but as those upon whom BCBP has
conferred authority. Their submission should come from this respect.
The wisdom and character of BCBP leaders
The leaders of our communities need wisdom in giving direction to those they are responsible for (Prov
28:2, 15‐16; 29:2; 4:14). They should give direction firmly, where appropriate. Yet they should not be
rigid and refuse to reconsider when there is good reason to do so. BCBP leaders should not assume
responsibility that should be entrusted to the person they are over, or they will train people to be
passive or timid and dependent. Yet they should lead strongly enough so that they do not encourage
rebelliousness, independence, or disorderliness, and so that they do not demoralize the group or lower
its confidence and commitment inappropriately.

BCBP leaders should not demand too much or they will discourage those they lead, nor should they ask
for too little or the result will be a low level of commitment and service. Leaders should not try to
handle matters that are beyond their capability, especially when those they care for have more
competence in the matter at issue or acquaintance with the situation. Yet they should not abdicate their
responsibility, but get information, advice, instruction, or direction from someone responsible for their
service as needed.

BCBP leaders have a demanding task and a great need for personal Christian maturity. They should
combine gentleness with firmness, grace with discipline, dignity with brotherliness or sisterliness,
patience with zeal. They must be eager to serve, dedicated to the good of those they are caring for. They
should not treat people as personal favorites, but should approve those who are more dedicated and of
greater maturity in Christian character. They must not seek a position for themselves for personal glory
or gain. BCBP leaders should themselves be ready to obey. They should be confident in the Lord, not
anxious or suspicious or excitable. They should, in short, model themselves on the good shepherd.

Authority and Love
Direction and submission in our BCBP communities should always function within a loving relationship
(Eph 4:1‐4, 31‐32). Those who give direction and those who submit to it are committed to each other in
love as members of Christ. Those who exercise authority have the responsibility to care for those they
have authority over. Those who submit to authority have the responsibility to cooperate with their
leaders and receive their appropriate directions willingly. Each should desire to make the relationship a
joy to the other. Governing authorities should have a reverence for the responsibility that has been
entrusted to them. Subordinates should be grateful for being served by their leaders. Both should love
one another out of love for Christ.


VI. Preserving the Bond of Unity
Unity
The Lord wants his people to be one as he and the Father are one (John 17:20‐21). He desires that same
unity to be present in all our BCBP community as well. Without that unity Christians cannot witness to
the world with full power.
The Lord wants a unity that is more than external for his church and all the communities in it. He wants
an oneness of mind and heart. It is founded upon our reception of the grace and new life he gives. It is
also founded on assent to his revelation, submission to the guidance of his Spirit, and valuing the
wisdom he gives about how to live and serve together in the circumstances he sets us in. He wants us to
be joined on the basis of his truth.
The bond of peace, that is, of good loving relationships, preserves the unity of the Spirit (Eph 4:3). When
there is mutual love in a community, that community can be one. Service, obedience, self‐sacrifice, and
care build unity in a body of Christians. Unity involves more than the absence of division and conflict.
Christian unity means loving one another as the Father loves the Son and Son loves the Father. We are
called to learn this kind of love and as we learn it, we forge bonds among us that can resist every kind of
attack from the devil and that will enable us to work through questions, disagreements and differences
in peace.
A loving unity depends upon government and submission. As the Son obeys the Father and subordinates
his life to the Father's authority (Phil 2:1‐16), and as the members of the human body order themselves
under the head, so also every Christian community needs government and submission to preserve the
order which allows love and unity to grow and to be effective. The Chapter Heads and other community
leaders have a special responsibility to preserve the order and unity of our Chapter communities within
the boundaries set by the Vision and Mission of the BCBP and this Community Manual.
They are responsible to teach and direct the members, to lead them forward in unity. Only when the
rest of the community submits to them and receives their direction in an appropriate way can unity be
maintained. For there to be such a unity in the Chapters the way the Chapter Heads function is
important:
Chapter Heads need to lead their Chapters well. They need the character, training, gifts and abilities to
lead effectively.
• They need to follow the Lord faithfully, studying his teachings, knowing the basic doctrinal
positions of the Catholic Church as they bear upon areas of our community life, seeking God's
direction and doing his will willingly as they discover it.
• The Chapter governance teams need to come to an oneness of mind or at least a common
decision about how to handle the various situations needing their joint care, handling
disagreements among themselves well and not spreading them to members of the community.

• They need to lead the community wisely and justly into accepting Christian teachings or the
common direction.
Unity also depends on the response of the members of the Chapters who should seek oneness together
with the leaders and who should seek to have a Chapter community that can live and act in unity. They
need the humility that allows them to serve the body by building unity in their areas of responsibility
and influence and in making contributions to the body as a whole. They also need the humility of mind
that allows them to acknowledge others as over them in the Lord and that allows them to be taught,
directed and corrected (Phil 2:3). While such humility does not involve automatically giving up one's
own understanding, it does involve willingness to allow those in authority to have the benefit of the
doubt, to be as cooperative as possible when the leaders give direction, and to handle all disagreements
or disputes with the leadership in a way that preserves the unity of the body.
Unity requires effort from community members. The model Jesus sets before us in our Chapters is the
oneness between him and the Father. It is a oneness of heart and mind, not a oneness achieved by an
effective human arrangement, or a clever human compromise, or the force of external authority. All in
the community, members and leaders alike, need to grow in the Lord’s ideal of unity for his people in
order to be effective members of the BCBP. Many in our society hold up independence of judgment as a
higher ideal than seeking genuine community. For Christians, the higher value is the love of God and of
their brothers and sisters that involves a unity of heart and mind based on God’s truth. They therefore
place a lower value on developing an individuality of approach or a more correct opinion than on
coming to a oneness of understanding with the community and on living the same truth together with
their brothers and sisters.
Conflict and meekness
When disagreements arise there is a choice of approaching them in a spirit of conflict or in a spirit of
meekness. When a spirit of conflict prevails, disunity results and love ebbs away (Rom 8:6; 1 Cor 3:3).
When a spirit of meekness prevails, unity grows and love thrives. We cannot approach disagreements in
a spirit that comes from the world, the flesh, and the devil, and still expect to be a community of people
who love one another.
The way of conflict
Those who approach discussion and disagreement in a spirit of conflict attempt to influence direction by
applying pressure. Sometimes their attempts openly manifest conflict and hostility, and their speech and
actions are characterized by attacks, abuse, and even physical violence. Sometimes their attempts
manifest conflict and hostility in a more indirect way. Their words are characterized by
argumentativeness, criticism, or a desire to propagandize. They often place a high value on protest,
confrontation, moral intimidation and public criticism or attack. They sometimes organize with others
into factions and begin campaigns in order to gain greater power in influencing the directions in which a
body might move.
All these approaches, whether direct or indirect, grow out of conflict and hostility. Sometimes the
conflict and hostility simply come out of the willfulness that is rooted in the flesh. Sometimes they come

from a conviction that conflict is the best way to raise issues and get action. Underlying such a
conviction is the view that force, at least in the form of resistance, whether physical or verbal, is needed
to see that the affairs of the body are directed in the right way.
Those who approach questions about the direction of the body in a spirit of conflict often believe that
everyone has the same responsibility for the direction of the body, and that the body as a whole is the
proper forum for all discussion. They feel entitled to advocate whatever they judge to be proper, and to
make their opinions heard whenever it seems good to them. While they may recognize the need to
entrust final decision making to another group, they will not accept a limitation on discussion or enter
into any submission to the judgment of the leaders responsible for direction.
The way of meekness
The spirit that should prevail in our Chapters should be a spirit of meekness, the spirit of those who
know that they are the servants of Christ, the Lord, and of one another (Gal 5:22‐23; Phil 2:1‐12). Our
communities should be free of conflict, hostility, protest, factions and party spirit. We should enter
discussions in good faith, trusting that our brothers and sisters will give our words a good hearing and
will want to know the truth and follow it. We also need to trust that the Lord will lead our communities.
Therefore, all should rely on directly and peacefully speaking the truth rather than on using pressure or
conflict to further their own views.
While having a responsibility for the Chapter and the BCBP and while needing to participate actively in
moving forward community life and mission, members should shape their concern for the direction of
the Chapter upon an acceptance of the authority of the leaders in the Chapter for decision making. Thus,
the spirit of meekness also manifests itself in a cooperative and submissive spirit. Members should be
willing to receive and to accept a decision that differs from their own and direction about how to handle
discussion.
A spirit of meekness and cooperativeness is not based upon confusion between disagreement and
conflict. Disagreement will be common within a Christian community, and it can be pursued in a way
that is free of conflict and hostility. Open discussion about matters of disagreement, and appeals to
Christian truth where relevant should characterize a healthy Christian community.
The spirit of meekness and cooperativeness should also not lead to reticence and unwillingness to be
open in discussion. On the contrary, peacefulness and brotherly and sisterly love should lead to a
greater mutual trust and a greater ability to speak freely. We need to learn to give our opinions directly
and firmly to those responsible for the matters that they are concerned about. For most matters this is
the most appropriate way to promote a serious conviction. Those in authority should be all the more
ready to listen because they know that the Lord can and does speak through any member of our
community and that all have a responsibility to build up the community. We also need to speak directly,
relevantly and helpfully in community discussions.

Discussion of approach
In our Chapters, we will experience discussion and disagreement in questions of approach, of major
direction and policy, and of teaching (fundamental principles and truths). Each area should be handled
somewhat differently.
The role of members in matters of approach
Our members should take an active concern for the approaches taken in community life and service (for
instance the manner in which singing is used in worship, or the way in which events are scheduled).
When our members see something that they think could be improved:
• They should share their opinion in a constructive way.
• When their evaluation is negative, they should only speak to someone responsible for the area
about which they are concerned. They should not complain to people who have no
responsibility for the area, although they may at times need to get advice to help form their
opinion.
• When they feel that their concern is a serious one, they should ask that their suggestion be
seriously weighed, and if they do not receive an affirmative response, they may speak to the
person, who is next higher in responsibility, if they are convinced the matter is important
enough. They should however accept that the final decision belongs to those who are
responsible.
The response of those in leadership
Those who are responsible for an area should respond in the following way to such suggestions:
• They should be eager to receive input from others in the community about their area of
responsibility.
• They should take suggestions and negative evaluation seriously.
• When a suggestion is serious and they do not agree with it, they should normally give an
account of their own approach to the interested person. They should be committed to taking
seriously the concerns of their sisters and brothers.
• If it seems like there might be broader concern in the body about the matter, they should
conduct an evaluation with input from the membership.
Those in leadership should also seek to be in touch with the members about how the life of the Chapter
is functioning. Often this is done successfully by surveys where the members are free not to give their
names. Regular Chapter Visitations from outside the community also help.
The evaluation of such input is important. Sometimes the input of community members is based on
views that they have inadvertently accepted from the media or societal currents and that are
incompatible with Christian or community orientations. Also sometimes an opinion comes from

particular subgroups or personality types within the community. On the other hand, community
members are often more in contact with aspects of community life than the leaders are and often
perceive the actions of leaders differently than leaders do and so often provide an important
perspective.
Discussion of major direction and policy
Everyone in the community can have a role in the direction of the Chapter and BCBP. All the members
can do this by giving their input to their appropriate leaders. They can do so in formal consultations, in
community evaluations, and by their own personal initiative as they think helpful. They also do so at our
gatherings, according to the instruction of St. Paul in 1 Cor 14, through the exercise of the spiritual gifts,
especially through prophecy and words of wisdom or knowledge.
The final responsibility for major directional and policy decisions belongs to the Board of Trustees of the
BCBP and Mancom. In deciding, the appropriate leadership bodies should listen to the contributions of
the members. They may and often should consult the membership formally or informally. They may,
however, make decisions for the community and expect the community to accept these decisions and to
support them.
When a member disagrees with a major direction or policy
When members seriously disagree with a directional decision the proper Chapter governing authorities
have made, they may ask for reconsideration. They may also request a consultation of a wider group
within the Chapter before the decision becomes final, or request that they be allowed to make an
appeal to any competent authority over the local Chapter, for example an appeal to the RCD. They have
a right to appeal to the national government of the BCBP on the grounds of incompatibility with the
policy established by the Mancom of the BCBP or because of possible harm to Church relationships.
The role of the Chapter Governance Team
The Chapter governance team may and often should arrange for discussion in the community after they
have made a decision. Moreover, if a decision provokes widespread dissatisfaction, they would be wise
to study the matter further until they are able to understand the reason for the dissatisfaction and
respond to it well. The leaders should be ready to change their decision if they discover good reasons to
do so. However, they have the authority to close discussion of the issue in the community if further
discussion would be harmful, and the members should submit to this decision.
All our Chapter communities should learn how to seek the Lord together about directional matters.
Their members also need to be able to receive directions from their leaders and submit to them. The
community’s ability to serve the Lord will often depend on its ability to either discuss or obey as is
appropriate. The Chapter Head has the authority to determine which approach is the wiser one, and the
unity and effectiveness of the community depends upon the members’ ability to accept the judgment of
the proper authority.

Discussion of instruction and principles
The Chapter Head through the Formation Director is responsible for supervising the instruction in the
Chapter. He should always do so in subordination to the BCBP Community Manual and scripture,
avoiding teaching anything incompatible with the doctrine of the Catholic Church.
Much community instruction may be given by members with responsibilities for teaching and formation
in areas of community life, or may come through the sharing of insight or inspiration by any member of
the community, but the final responsibility for overseeing all community instruction belongs to Chapter
Head, subject to the oversight over the community by the RCD.
Likewise, the final responsibility for deciding upon the principles the community will follow, if there is a
need to do so, belongs to the Chapter Head, subject to the RCD.
When members in a local community seriously disagree with something in community instruction,
whether in courses or talks, they can ask the proper governing authority to reconsider it or appeal if
such appeal is possible. They can likewise request some process of community discussion or wider
consultation or the freedom to discuss the matter with others. If it is a matter of policy directions from
the BOT or Mancom an appeal is possible to these bodies.
If all appeal is exhausted, they should accept the decision. If they cannot accept the instruction, they
should inform the Chapter Head of their reasons but not oppose the community instruction to others in
the community, although they may give their opinion when asked. If the disagreement does not involve
denial of basic Christian doctrine or morality the Chapter Head should allow them to remain a part of
the BCBP and should help them to approach the area in a constructive way. If they cannot accept the
decision and remain a cooperative member, they may leave in good order.
Serious disagreements in the local council
It can happen that in the Chapter governance team one or other of the leaders disagrees with a decision
proposed. The Chapter Head should take a concern to help the person to understand the decision
proposed. It must be remembered that the Chapter Head has the final decision.
It can also happen that the Board of Trustees or Mancom issues a policy directive and one or several of
the members of a Chapter governance team cannot accept the decision. It is the responsibility of the
Chapter Head to help the individual leader to understand the directive and, if the difficulty persists,
counsel him to appeal to the Board or to Mancom. If after all discussion and appeal he cannot accept
the direction or policy, he must resign from his position on the governance team.
Discussion in love
God is love, and love is essential to every Christian community (1 John 4:7‐12; 1 Pet 4:8; Eph 4:15‐16).
Many people in modern society put the highest value on opinions, policies and approaches. In our BCBP
communities the highest value is placed upon a loving relationship to God and to the sisters and
brothers. To love God we must be faithful to his truth and our love for one another must be based on
our faithfulness to God. This involves discussion and evaluation. Nevertheless, more effort should go

into building one another up and serving the Lord than into discussing issues, debating policies and
evaluating performance. When love is valued rightly, many of the causes of disunity disappear.
Almost everything in our communities can be discussed, if the discussion is carried on in a way that
builds up the community. In fact, a Christian community should be the place in which the freest
discussion can be carried on, because the members of the community can count upon one another’s
commitment to the body and to Christian love. In determining whether a discussion should be carried
on or approached differently, the most helpful criterion is that of whether or not the community is being
built up and strengthened.
Christian love involves loyalty, and loyalty to the community involves keeping community disagreements
within the community, except when those disagreements can and should be brought to any competent
authority over the community or when there is need to get advice from someone competent. It is
disloyalty to go to people outside the community in order to put pressure on the community to change.
It is disloyalty to expose community difficulties to the media or to people at large outside community. It
is disloyalty to draw others into taking part in disagreements within the community. Loyalty involves
relating to people outside in a way that will increase their respect for the community and for the Lord.
Our communities exist mostly in modern urban milieus and a society that do not approach unity in the
same way as we do. Often, the approach for relating to our brothers and sisters in community cannot be
fully followed outside the community. We should expect such differences and should have the wisdom
to know how to deal with them (Col 4:5‐6). We should not, however, give up an approach based upon
the ideal of the unity between the Father and the Son (John 17:20‐23).
Afterword
We live in a time when the Lord is seeking to renew his people in their faithfulness to Him and to his call.
That call involves a union with one another in Christ (Eph 1:10), a union which is intended to be lived out
in daily life love of one another (Eph 4:1‐3). Christian communities are a response to the call of the Lord
and to the renewal of the Christian people in our day, a response that comes from a desire for a deeper
discipleship. The commitment as full members of the BCBP we make is the commitment together of
disciples, banding together to follow their Lord.
We live between the first coming of Christ and his second coming. We live in a fallen world, weakened
by sinfulness. We also live in a time in history when natural community and commitment in relationship
is decreasing. We have been renewed by the outpouring of God’s Spirit, but that renewal does not take
away our weakness nor guarantee us against being undermined by the unredeemed society in which we
live nor by the opposition of the kingdom of darkness. We can be confident that God’s plan will be
fulfilled and God’s people will one day find themselves in the New Jerusalem when all things are new.
Nonetheless we know that what we seek to build for the Lord’s sake here and now is fragile. We
therefore know that we have to rely on him as we follow him.
To rely on the Lord means to seek his wisdom and obey it as we have been given it. The wisdom of the
Lord that we have sought to embody in this statement is a source of life for us that we wish to
implement to the best of our ability. To rely on the Lord also means to count upon his grace and help

beyond our ability to simply implement the wisdom we receive. To him, therefore, we entrust our
community life together, praying for the grace to be faithful to the call he has given us, and looking
forward to the day when we will be joined with him in his everlasting kingdom.

VII. The Government of the BCBP
Introduction: The BCBP as a MenLed Community
Men are often the absent majority in the Church. Most often women are not able to evangelize their
husbands. The Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals was formed to evangelize men,
to bring them to a new relationship with the Lord, to equip them for a life of discipleship in the
marketplace and the professions, and to support them in a brotherhood. Thus the title of the
organization is Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals.
Of course, the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals wants the wives of the
evangelized men to become members with their husband and to be formed in living as faithful disciples
together with their spouses. In order, however, to be able to win men for Christ, the men of the BCBP
alone take on major leadership roles. They are chosen to be Chapter Heads, Breakfast Heads, Regional
Council Directors, etc. The reason for this is not that women are less capable, but rather because the
BCBP needs to be an organization of men for men in order to achieve its unique vision and mission.
What then is the role of women in the BCBP? In the BCBP women are in support leadership roles. For
example, the wives of Action Group and Unit Leaders care especially for the women in those groups. The
wives of those on the Chapter Governance Team form close bonds with one another and take a concern
for the care of the women in the Chapter. Wives make an invaluable contribution to the mission of the
husbands by being a source of support for him and bringing peace and good order into the home and
family.
A. The Local Level
Introduction
The Chapters are the most important units of the BCBP, because the BCBP fulfills its mission of
evangelizing the marketplace and the professions and winning it for Christ primarily on the chapter
level. The chapters are also the base from which outreaches are begun and sustained in order to form
new chapters. Even more important, it is in the chapters that the members of the BCBP are supported in
their ongoing life of discipleship and training for mission. For these reasons we begin this section on the
government of the BCBP not with the national and regional leadership structure, but with the chapter.
Serving as a major leader is so important for the BCBP community and fulfillment of its mission that a
member cannot hold more than one major service at a time, whether within the BCBP or within the
BCBP and another organization. The reason is simply the time availability of the member over and above
his family and work.
1. Major Chapter Leaders
The chapter is enabled to achieve its purposes in large part through the work of those who have been
given positions of responsibility and the authority to establish and maintain a framework of good order.

While laws, procedures, and directives may be a great help in the common life and mission of a
particular chapter, even more important is the service of those who are the governors of such a
community. In the Church as a whole as well as in special communities within the Church, the Lord
works through human beings to whom he has given authority so that they might order and build up his
people (Ephesians 4:8‐14).
The Chapter Head together with his governance team has responsibility for the life and mission of the
chapter. They care for the chapter as a whole. They watch over everything and everyone in order to take
a concern that everything goes well and that the chapter as a whole grows in the Lord.
The Chapter Head can speak and act on behalf of the chapter as a whole. He can relate the chapter to
the wider church and society at large. After consultation of the governance team, he has the final
authority in the chapter for the order and direction of the life of the community and nothing can be said
to be an action of the chapter community without the approval of the Chapter Head. He and his
governance team give direction to the chapter in accordance with the policy directives of the BCBP
whether regional or national.
The Chapter Head is a member of the Regional Council and attends its regular meetings.
The Chapter Governance Team
Chapters are governed by leaders who are collectively known as chapter governance team. This team is
composed of the Chapter Head, mission director, formation director, programs and services director,
unit leaders and the chapter treasurer. These alone form the chapter governance team.
The wives of these men are not members of the chapter governance team and they normally not to
participate in the meetings and the decision making, except for specific agenda items that make the
consultation and input of the women necessary or desirable.
The chapter governance team meets monthly.
The Functions of the Chapter Governance Team
The Chapter Governance team decides on major direction, evangelistic, and outreach objectives of the
chapter in line with national and regional directives. It decides on teachings to be given on first Friday
Teaching Nights. It sets financial practices of the chapter, approves the chapter budget, and all major
adjustments to the budget. More importantly, the governance team takes a concern that the members
of the chapter are encouraged and supported in living out the way of life and mission of the BCBP. The
main focus of the chapter governance team meetings can never be just administrative. The main
purpose of the meetings is pastoral, i.e. to make sure members are supported in their life for the Lord
and enabled to participate fully in the BCBP mission.
The team should integrate the chapter well into the region and the national level of the BCBP. It has the
responsibility to implement the policies, decisions, and teachings decided on by these levels. The
governance team should keep clear before the membership of the chapter, that it belongs to a national
and international community and instill loyalty to the BCB P as a whole and the brothers and sisters in it.

The Role of the Chapter Head on the Governance Team
The Chapter Head presides over the governance team. He speaks for the governance team. The other
leaders cannot act as the chapter governance team except under his leadership or of someone he
appoints. He will direct those on the team as a body and individually with a responsibility to correct
them and direct them in their work as appropriate and needed. The major chapter leaders on the team
are responsible to the Chapter Head for their service.
The Chapter Head presides over the direction of the chapter, but he is not free to make major decisions
on his own without the consultation of his team. The Chapter Head should take a special concern for the
formation of the leadership of the chapter and for the selection and establishment of new leaders and
of training the candidates for Chapter Head when his term of service is ending.
If the members of the chapter governance team are going to be a body in a Christian way, they should
relate in Christian love to one another and be committed to one another personally (John 13:34‐35).
They should not be just a group of officeholders, but they should be brothers who serve and care for
one another. They should be open with one another, free to speak their mind to one another, free to
call upon one another in need. They should guard their unity with great earnestness, resolving all
difficulties and disputes – both those within the group and those between individual leaders – as rapidly
as possible. They should be submissive to the Chapter Head and support him in his work of leading
them. If the leaders do not love one another and are not one, the other brothers and sisters in the
chapter will not love one another and be one.
Decisionmaking in the Chapter
As governors of the chapter, the members of the governance team under the Chapter Head have the
responsibility for directing the chapter as a body, as one community. Areas of responsibility are
entrusted to the various members of the governance team. The governance team can and should
entrust other areas of responsibility to other members of the chapter. They should listen to the opinion
of the whole community or groups of responsible members within it about the direction of the chapter.
But the final responsibility for direction belongs to them and they should not give over responsibility to
any other person or group for the following decisions in as far as they fall within the competence of the
local chapter governance team:
• The order of the chapter 1
• Major directional decisions about the community life and mission of the chapter
• Choosing the teaching to be given to chapter members. 2
In so doing the governance team should protect the chapter community from teachings or
trends that are unsound or do not further the life and mission of the BCBP. All of this they do
according to the directives of the Region and National Governance.

1
By order is meant the way the chapter life and mission is organized and the way the chapter is structured.
2
This does not include Basic Formation of Associate Members, since this program has been established for the
entire BCBP and all chapters are obligated to follow it.

In their decision making, the members of the chapter governance team are subject to Christian teaching
and to the policy directives of the Regional and National Governance. Moreover the team is responsible
to see that no one in the chapter or anyone who may be invited from outside teaches about Christian
truth in ways that are incompatible with the teaching of the Catholic Church, and the practices and the
way of life of the BCBP.
If the members of the governance team under the Chapter Head are to fulfill their responsibility to
direct the chapter, they must be men who are dedicated to do whatever the Lord wants and everything
the Lord wants. They must be men of prayer who seek the Lord individually and together. They should
study the word of God together and be responsive to the Spirit of God together. They should know the
teachings of the Catholic Church. They should avoid being polemical, critical, contentious or rigid in their
discussions, but they should be respectful, teachable, kind, pursuing peace and oneness of mind and
heart. They should preserve a strong commitment to the truth and a dedication together to guard what
has been entrusted to them, preserving the true teaching of Christ as taught and lived out in the
Catholic Church.
The Governance Team Watching Over/Caring for the Chapter
As those who watch over the chapter, the members of the governance team see to it that everything is
going well in the community. They should not only take a concern for their own area of responsibility,
but be concerned for the chapter as a whole. Together they should make sure that all community
activities build up the body and advance the mission entrusted by the Lord to the chapter, to evangelize
the marketplace and the professions and to win the marketplace for Christ. They should encourage what
is good and correct what is wrong. They should exercise supervision over every major activity. No
service can be considered a service of the chapter without their approval and ongoing supervision. They
should take an active concern for the good of the community and its mission. If there is a problem in the
life of the chapter community, they should seek to resolve it or see that it is resolved. If the service of
the Lord is failing in any way, they should seek to move it forward.
The governance team should work to build up and strengthen the chapter. They should serve in a way to
utilize all the resources in the chapter and not in a way that unnecessarily takes away the initiative of
others in building up the chapter community. They should see themselves as trainers and enablers of
others, encouraging them to take responsibility for the life and mission of the chapter.
As shepherds of the community, the members of the governance team have a responsibility together for
those who belong to the chapter. They should take a concern for the welfare of the members of the
chapter, both for their spiritual and their material welfare. They should especially be concerned for the
needy, the sick, the weak, and for any guests. They should not neglect to admonish the disorderly and
negligent. They should preserve discipline in the community (1 Thessalonians 5:14; Hebrews 13:17).
They also need to be concerned for the care of the strong and the committed, helping them to receive
what they need to grow and to serve effectively. They should take special care to make sure Senior

Members 3 in the chapter are well integrated into the chapter and are given the opportunity to use their
experience and gifts for the welfare of the chapter and its mission. They should give special attention
and training to those who can care for others in order to build up the future leadership of the chapter.
The governance team should represent the needs of the chapter and its mission to the individuals in the
community, asking individuals in the chapter to make personal decisions to contribute their time,
talents, and material resources to the chapter and its mission in the marketplace and the professions.
The governance team should see to it that disputes are settled between members of the chapter that
the members cannot settle themselves. They should lead the community spiritually in its response to
the word of the Lord and call the members of the community on to holiness of life and selfless love.
They should do all these things, not necessarily by being in a counseling relationship with each member
of the community, but as shepherds leading the group and encouraging and correcting each member as
needed
The members of the governance team need the heart of a shepherd (John 10:10). They should love to
see each person grow strong and happy in the Lord. They should neglect neither compassion nor
discipline. When they can, they should faithfully provide for the community members what they need to
grow strong but cannot provide for themselves (1 Thessalonians 2:11‐12).
Others, both men and women, will be chosen to assist the members of the governance team in fulfilling
their responsibilities. Some of these will be appointed to be personal pastoral leaders for smaller groups
of men and women, for example, Discussion Group and Action Group Leaders. Others will be chosen to
help with the material and administrative aspects of the running of the chapter, but shall be available
for any service the chapter governance entrusts to them. Women will care for women, but they, too,
will be available for any need in the chapter. Both men and women will work closely with those over
their service and will not view their service as being independent of the service of the governance team.
These assistants will be chosen for their maturity of Christian life and their ability to perform the
services they will be given. They need to be people who can be respected as leaders in the chapter
community.
The Spirit of Service
Those who serve as leaders of the BCBP should never domineer over others, ruling for their own benefit
(1 Peter 5:2‐3; Mat 20:25‐28; Luke 22:24‐27). They are appointed to be servants following the example
of their Lord Jesus. That should not prevent them from exercising authority firmly. It does not mean that
what they do will always be pleasing to those under them (Titus 1:13; 3:8‐10). Nonetheless, they are
appointed as servants to serve the members of the BCBP. They should always be mindful of the God‐
given dignity of every member and approach them respectfully, ready to lay down their life for them.
Yet, those entrusted to their care are not their masters. The Lord himself is, and they should serve in
obedience to his teaching. He is the one who is responsible for giving the increase.

3
Senior Members are those who have served a full term as Chapter Head or as Chapter Head for one (1) year after
serving as Outreach/CIT Head for at least four (4) years. Current or former members of the BOT, Mancom are also
considered Senior Members.

Major Service Positions of the Chapters
Introduction
This section describes the major service positions in the chapters of the BCBP, the qualifications needed
for the position and the process of choosing candidates for these services. The following positions will
be discussed:
1. Chapter Head
2. Unit Leaders
3. Action Group Leaders
4. Formation Director
5. Programs and Services Director
6. Treasurer
7. Mission Director
The Chapter Head functions as the chief executive officer, or better as the main pastoral leader of the
chapter. He is assisted in caring pastorally for the members of the chapter by the Unit Leaders and
Action Group Leaders. The Formation Director and the Programs and Services Director assist the
Chapter Head in the area of ongoing formation of members and services within and without the chapter
respectively. The Treasurer is entrusted by the Chapter Head with the finances of the chapter. There is
one other important position on the chapter governance team, that of the Mission Director. His role and
function will be covered under Chapter Evangelization and Outreach, while the present section covers
the position of those directly responsible for chapter life.
The Chapter Head
Term of Office
Chapter Heads are appointed for a term of three (3) years beginning on the date stated in the
appointment letter of the President of the BCBP.
In case of incapacity, removal, or inability to complete his term, the successor, selected and appointed
according to the process described below, shall serve a full term of three years.
When warranted, the term of office of Chapter Head may be extended for one (1) year.
Role and Responsibility
The Chapter Head is the overall pastoral leader of the chapter. He is the principal keeper of the vision
and mission of the BCBP for the chapter. He manages and directs the day‐to‐day activities of the chapter
in accordance with the vision and mission of the BCBP and the set policies of the Regional and National
Governance. He leads the chapter governance team. He has the final decision‐making authority in the
chapter after discussion and consultation of the governance team members. The Chapter Head assumes
full responsibility for such decisions. He is also the Action Group Leader of the governance team.

Specific Responsibilities
1. He has pastoral responsibility for the members of the chapter in their life of discipleship.
Specifically he provides care and support for the members of the governance team as their
action group leader.

2. He has the responsibility to spot and train men whom he can recommend to be appointed as
Chapter Head when his term of office ends.

3. He makes sure policy directives and guidelines from the Region and the National Government
are communicated to the members of the chapter and implemented. He makes sure the
members understand such directives.

4. He presides over the chapter and leads its members in their life with the Lord and in the
fulfillment of the BCBP mission.

5. He presides over the regular governance team meetings and oversees the services of the
individual members of the governance team.

6. He submits to the Mancom through the RCD general chapter and outreach information reports
including among other information a directory of members and leaders, accredited sharers and
speakers and schedules.

7. He submits chapter plans and budgets to the Mancom through the RCD by the end of January of
each year.

8. He makes sure that a monthly financial report is given to the chapter membership at the chapter
assembly.

9. He makes sure that the chapter contributes regularly to the National Operating Fund (NOF) and
through the Chapter Treasurer submits the monthly financial report to the National Office
within two weeks after the end of the month.

10. He appoints Action Group Leaders and Ministry Heads and recommends to the RCD/AMD the
choice of members of the governance team for confirmation and appointment.

11. He oversees the service of the Chapter Mission Director and makes sure that the chapter
contributes to and fulfills the mission of the BCBP through the breakfasts and outreach
programs, the BCLP, and MEP.

12. On the recommendation of the Mission Director, the Chapter Head recommends to the
Mancom the opening of new outreach programs or breakfasts.


13. He oversees the service of the Chapter Formation Director and makes sure that members at
whatever stage of their membership get the formation they need in order to help grow the life
of the BCBP and contribute effectively to its mission. He makes sure the Basic Formation
Program of the BCBP is well implemented. He makes sure that Action Group leaders are
adequately trained for their service.

14. He oversees the service of the Programs and Services Director and assures that all members of
the chapter have the opportunity to contribute to chapter life and mission through appropriate
services and programs.

15. He oversees the service of the Unit Leaders and makes sure that Action Group Leaders receive
the care and support they need to serve the members of their action group and that any
difficulties and problems in individual groups and with individual leaders that cannot be solved
on the lower level are handled.
Choosing Chapter Heads
Selecting Chapter Heads is one of the most important tasks in the BCBP. Finding the right leader to be
Chapter Head is one of the greatest keys to the well‐being of the BCBP community. The primary
responsibility of spotting men with leadership ability and training them so that they can be
recommended for appointment as Chapter Heads belongs to the Chapter Heads. Of course, others will
be involved in spotting such candidates and especially in training them and overseeing their service in
the chapter.
The process of selecting and appointing Chapter Heads will be described in detail below, but all who are
involved in the process should consider the following personal qualifications:
Chapter Heads should be mature Christian men who are capable of bearing responsibility for the whole
chapter and chosen with the following criteria in mind:
1. Chapter Heads are chosen from the men fully committed to the BCBP, without reproach
morally, of known integrity of life, men of prayer, and responsible members of the Church. A
Chapter Head’s marriage needs to be in good order with the Catholic Church.

2. As a married man, he takes responsibility for his wife and children. His wife supports him as
head of the family. Both seek to raise their children as sons and daughters of God. They are able
to maintain obedience and good order in the home.

3. He is active and holds a position of responsibility in government, the marketplace or professions
either as owner of the business or as employed. He must not be unemployed or out of touch
with the business world or his profession.

4. He is loyal to the way of life and mission of the BCBP. He lives in conformity with the
commitment card of the BCBP. He has shown himself loyal to the chapter, regional, and national

leadership by the way he participates in life and service.

5. He keeps an open mind and can work as part of a team. He can lead others to God and can help
them enter deeply into the life and mission of the community and live it out faithfully. He has
enough prudence and wisdom and experience to help people with common problems
encountered in family and public life. He can teach the members of his chapter how to move
forward in a life of discipleship in the BCBP.

6. He must have been an effective unit leader for three years.

7. He must have the time for the service and the basic health required for fulfilling the above
responsibilities.
The Process of Choosing and Appointing Chapter Heads
For this process to work well it is very important that confidentiality be kept throughout. No candidate
should be told that he is the preferred candidate or chosen candidate at any stage in the process prior to
the appointment letter from the President of the BCBP.
Stage 1
Three candidates are identified and recommended by the outgoing Chapter Head, or by an Ad Hoc
Committee in case of the establishment of a new chapter, or because of a sudden vacancy. The
recommendation is submitted to the RCD at least six months before the targeted turnover.
Stage 2
The three candidates are interviewed and evaluated by the RCD. The RCD selects and endorses his
choice to the AMD. The AMD interviews the candidate for final review and assessment. If the AMD does
not agree with the proposed candidate, he can interview one or both of the other candidates. The AMD
then endorses the final choice for appointment by the President.
Stage 3
The President has the final decision. He approves the candidate and issues the letter of appointment
which should specify the effectivity date of the appointment. The term of the new Chapter Head starts
from the said effectivity date even if not yet installed.
Stage 4
On a date decided, the new Chapter Head is installed with an appropriate ceremony.
Pastoral Units and Unit Leaders
A unit comprises a group of four or five action groups whose members reside in approximately the same
geographical location and are cared for by a Unit Leader. He serves as a pastoral leader for the leaders
of the action groups in his unit and through them supports and strengthens the members of the action
groups in the unit to live out faithfully the commitments they have made in the BCBP.

Term of Office of Unit Leaders
A Unit Leader serves for three (3) years. In case of incapacity, a new Unit Leader shall be selected and
appointed according to the process described below. A unit leader’s service shall be evaluated after
each year of service by the Chapter Head. The evaluation report should be submitted to the RCD.
Role and Responsibility
1. He is a member of the chapter governance team and together with the other members under
the direction of the Chapter Head takes responsibility for the welfare of the chapter. He serves
as a channel of information and feedback between the chapter governance and the action group
leaders and members of his unit.

2. As the pastoral leader of the action group leaders in his unit, he cares and supports them in
living out their commitments in the BCBP and oversees their service. He does this primarily
through the action group that he leads
a. He visits the action group in his unit regularly to make personally sure that the groups
are led in a way that supports the members in the BCBP way of life and service.
b. He handles problems and concerns brought to him by the action group leaders under his
care as well as other concerns he may have noticed during his visit to the Action Group
Meetings.

3. If he has action group leaders in his unit that care for associate members, he makes sure that
the new members appropriate the basic formation they receive. With the action group leader
he evaluates the progress of the associate members and recommends to the Chapter Head
those that should be admitted to full commitment.

4. With the action group leaders under him, he spots members with leadership potential and
develops that potential by giving them service within the Unit or by recommending them for
service within the chapter.

5. Through the action group leaders, he encourages the members to evangelize businessmen and
professionals and to bring them to the breakfast of the chapter.

6. He regularly reports on the situation in the Unit to the Chapter Head to whom he is responsible
for his service.

7. He does anything else that the Chapter Head or the Formation Director may entrust to him;
always making sure that the service in the Unit has priority.
Choosing Unit Leaders
Similar to choosing Chapter Heads, choosing the right men for unit leader is crucial for a healthy chapter
with strong and vibrant membership. The men to be chosen must be willing to accept the service and
have the time to take on this added responsibility and the necessary health.

1. Unit Leaders are chosen from the men fully committed to the BCBP, without reproach morally,
of known integrity of life, men of prayer, and responsible members of the Church. A Unit
Leader’s marriage needs to be in good order with the Catholic Church.

2. As a married man, he takes responsibility for his wife and children. His wife supports him as
head of the family. Both seek to raise their children as sons and daughters of God. They are able
to maintain obedience and good order in the home.

3. He is active and holds a position of responsibility in government, the marketplace or professions
either as owner of the business or as employed. He must not be unemployed or out of touch
with the business world or his profession.

4. He is a regular member, loyal to the way of life and mission of the BCBP. He lives in conformity
with the commitment card of the BCBP. He has shown himself loyal to the chapter, regional, and
national leadership by the way he participates in life and service.

5. He can work as part of a team. He can lead others to God and can help them enter deeply into
the life and mission of the community and live it out faithfully. He has enough prudence and
wisdom and experience to help people with common problems encountered in family and
public life. He can teach the basics of the Christian life well.

6. He should bring to the service the following experience in the BCBP:

a. He has served as an effective action group leader for at least one (1) year.
b. Has been a breakfast sharer at least once either at a men’s breakfast or shared together
with his wife at a joint breakfast.
c. It is highly desirable that he has given teachings or talks as part of the BCBP teaching or
formation programs.
Selection and Appointment of Unit Leaders
The Chapter Head recommends those he considers qualified to serve the chapter as unit leaders to the
RCD. The RCD appoints the unit leaders with the confirmation of the AMD.
Action Groups and Action Group Leaders
The Action Group Is the most fundamental unit of the BCBP. In it members are supported in their life of
disciples on mission in the marketplace and the professions. An action group is made up of six or seven
couples, including the Action Group Leader couple. In the regular meetings of the action group the
members worship, share Scripture and in general care for and support one another. Each member of the
BCBP must belong to an action group irrespective of service position.
Action Groups are primarily made up of couples. Since the BCBP also has unmarried members, who have
different needs from married people, action groups specifically for single people have been set up. What
is said in this section about action groups and leaders applies to those of single people.

Terms of Office of Action Group Leaders
Action Group Leaders are appointed for a term of three (3) years. The service of Action Group Leaders
will be evaluated at the end of every year of service by the unit leader. A report of the evaluation is
submitted to the Chapter Head. In case of incapacity, a new leader will be appointed following the
process of selecting and appointing action group leaders described below.
The Role and Responsibility of Action Group Leaders
The action group leader gives pastoral care to the members of the group through the actual meetings
and by meeting periodically with the members one‐on‐one. In conducting the Action Group he follows
faithfully the directives contained in the Action Group Leaders’ Training Manual and the Basic Formation
Manual. His responsibilities include:
1. To create an action group atmosphere that encourages members to pray with one another, seek
the Lord’s will together for their life and service, and share with one another what the Lord is
doing in their lives.

2. He sees to it that the Bible sharing is done in a genuine atmosphere of prayer and helps
members draw closer to the Lord through the words of Scripture.

3. To foster genuine brother and sisterhood in the group.

4. He makes sure that the members not only live out the basics of membership in the BCBP well,
but do so in peace and joy of the Lord. He encourages his members to attend faithfully BCBP
events. He follows up his members, if they absent themselves from such BCBP gatherings.

5. He encourages the members to be open to service and to support the BCBP faithfully with their
time, material, and financial resources. He makes sure that the members tithe regularly.

6. If he has associated members in his group, he makes sure they attend the formation program
faithfully and helps them to live it out in their daily life.
Choosing Action Group Leaders
The persons to be chosen to serve as Action Group Leaders need to accept the service and have the time
and requisite health to take on the added responsibility involved in serving as Action Group Leader.
1. Action Group Leaders are chosen from the men fully committed to the BCBP, without reproach
morally, of known integrity of life, men of prayer, and responsible members of the Church. An
Action Group Leader’s marriage needs to be in good order with the Catholic Church.

2. He can work as part of a team. He can lead others to God and can help them enter into the life e
and mission of the community and live it out faithfully. He has enough prudence and wisdom
and experience to help people with simple problems encountered in daily life.


3. He is loyal to the way of life and mission of the BCBP. He lives in conformity with the
commitment card of the BCBP. He and his wife have shown their commitment to the BCBP
through loyal participation in their chapter’s life and mission.

4. Before he can be appointed as Action Group Leader, he and his wife must have taken the Action
Group Leaders Training Program.

5. He must have shared at least once at a men’s breakfast or together with his wife at a joint
breakfast.

The Action Group Leader for an all ladies group is chosen from among the mature women of the
chapter. She should be a regular member with proven loyalty to the BCBP shown by the way she lives
out the stipulations of the commitment card. She should have shared at the Ladies’ Breakfast or with
her husband at a joint breakfast. She should have the time and requisite health to take on this
responsibility. Prior to her service, she should have undergone the Action Group Leaders’ Training.
The Formation Director
The person primarily responsible for formation of members, whether for basic or ongoing formation, is
the Chapter Head. He is assisted in this responsibility by the Formation Director of the chapter, who is
accountable to the Chapter Head for the task entrusted to him.
Responsibilities of the Formation Director
1. He makes sure that all teaching and training programs are in accordance with the directives of
the BCBP whether national or regional and with the Vision and Mission of the organization.

2. He oversees the planning and execution of the BCBP’s basic formation program and makes sure
that the program is implemented as stipulated and that the speakers conform to the goals of
the individual inputs according to the formation manual.

3. He makes sure that all teachings given in the chapter is in line with the vision and mission of the
BCBP and genuinely supports the life and service of BCBP members.

4. He carefully selects speakers for the various talks and makes sure that they not only can present
a teaching clearly, but also are faithful to the teachings as specified in the respective manuals.
He selects those who are loyal and faithful to the BCBP vision and mission and have shown this
by consistently living out well the stipulations of the BCBP commitment card.

5. Any ongoing formation program needs to be submitted to the chapter governance team for
integration into the overall chapter plans and for providing information on upcoming events for
all who are responsible for the wellbeing of the chapter together with the Chapter Head.

Qualifications for the Position of Formation Director
The personal qualifications are similar to those listed under Chapter Head and Unit Leaders. In summary,
he needs to be a fully committed member of the BCBP who has shown his understanding of the vision
and mission of the BCBP by his proven loyalty to the BCBP in the way he has lived out his commitment
card and has fulfilled service responsibilities in the past. In addition, he must have the requisite health
and time to take on this added responsibility.
Service Experience
1. The candidate has served as BCLP course leader.
2. Served as an exemplary Unit Leader
3. Has led in chapter assemblies
4. Has shown teaching skills in the various service positions in the chapter
In the various service positions the candidate occupied he has shown that he can lead, work as a team
member and is capable of leading a team.
Term of Office
The Chapter Formation Director is appointed for a term of three (3) years. His service is evaluated by the
Chapter Head at the end of each year of service. The evaluation reports are to be sent to the RCD.
Selection and Appointment of the Formation Director
1. The Chapter Head submits the names of three (3) candidates together with their
business/professional and BCBP profiles to the Regional Council Director (RCD).

2. The RCD reviews the candidates and appoints the Formation Director upon the confirmation of
the Area Managing Director (AMD)

3. The AMD confirms the choice and appointment of the RCD.
It is crucial that strict confidentiality be observed till the formal appointment of the Formation Director
is announced by the RCD. Chapter Heads cannot tell any of the candidates that he is the Chapter Head’s
first choice. Such unwarranted comments can lead to serious relationship difficulties. The RCD cannot
announce his choice before that choice has been confirmed by the AMD. Should the AMD not confirm
the choice for any reason, another acceptable candidate will have to be found.
The Team of the Formation Director
1. Teaching Ministry Head
2. Liturgical Ministry Head
3. Assembly Ministry Head
4. Music Ministry Head
5. Intercessory Ministry Head
6. Family Life Ministry Head

All the above positions are in support of the responsibility of the Formation Director as well as formation
events, programs, and chapter life.
The members chosen for these positions must have served preferably as Action Group Leaders. They are
recommended for the position by the Formation Director and appointed by the Chapter Head. (The
head of the music ministry for example need not be an ex‐action group leader but is chosen on the basis
of giftedness.)
The Programs and Services Director
In general the responsibility of the Programs and Services Director (PSD) is to assist the Chapter Head in
making sure that the needs of members are met and that individual members, groups, and the chapter
as a whole have the opportunity and mechanism to respond to needs beyond the chapter, be these
concerns of social justice or campaigns for honesty and integrity in the various sectors of our society.
The Responsibilities of the PSD
He will initiate the programs and projects that address the above mentioned concerns of social justice,
campaigns for honesty and integrity, and assistance to needs both inside and outside the chapter. The
PSD is accountable to the Chapter Head for his service. In order to accomplish his responsibility he will
do the following:
1. He establishes the chapter’s social action ministry.

2. He establishes and leads the chapter advocacy program. He identifies and coordinates with the
regional and national levels of the BCBP plans that will allow chapter members to express their
support for causes that affect the marketplace, the nation, and the Church.

3. Develops within the chapter in cooperation with the secretariat an effective network of
communication.

4. Works with the Celebrations Ministry in setting up opportunities for fellowship
a. Helps organize area‐wide activities
b. Helps organize chapter anniversary celebration, family days and other events to foster
camaraderie in the chapter.
Qualifications for the PSD
Every leadership position in the BCBP whether on the national, regional, or chapter level requires that
the person chosen is an active member in good standing. This means he has made the vision and
mission of the BCBP his own and shows this by living out the commitment card in an ongoing and
faithful way.

The personal qualifications for PSD are the same as those for Chapter Head, Unit Leaders, and
Formation Director (see above). He needs to have the health and time to take on the added
responsibilities. To this should be added the following:
1. He can work as a member of a team, since he must work together with the other members of
the chapter governance team under the Chapter Head.

2. He has proven leadership ability enabling him to work effectively with the team that supports
him in his ministry.

3. Has undergone a six months (6) training period under the incumbent PSD as well as the Chapter
Head
Term of Office and Appointment Process
The PSD shall serve for a term of three (3) years. His service shall be evaluated at the end of each year by
the Chapter Head and a report of the evaluation sent to the RCD.
Appointment Process
1. The Chapter Head recommends candidates for appointment to the RCD

2. The RCD appoints the chapter PSD upon the confirmation by the AMD.

3. AMD confirms the choice of the RCD.
The Team of the PSD
The following make up the team of the PSD and support him in the carrying out of his duties:
1. Social Action Ministry Head
2. Advocacy Ministry Head
3. Secretariat Ministry Head
4. Celebrations Ministry Head
All these service leaders are recommended for appointment to the Chapter Head by the PSD and
appointed by the Chapter Head.
The Chapter Treasurer
The Chapter Treasurer is a member of the Chapter Governance Team. He oversees and handles all
chapter financial matters and holds in trust all the chapter’s assets.
The Responsibilities of the Chapter Treasurer
In particular the Treasurer does the following:

1. Collects and issues official BCBP receipts for all tithes and other payments from the members

2. Ensures the chapter’s prompt remittance of NOF to the National Office within two (2) weeks
after the end of the month.

3. Submits monthly financial reports on the chapter’s financial condition to the Chapter Head and
the chapter governance team and copy furnished to the National Office within two (2) weeks
after the month’s end. A copy of the report must also be sent to the RCD.

4. Issues check payments for chapter expenditures. Checks are signed by the Chapter Head and
any other member of the Governance Team. In this the Treasurer follows the procedures
stipulated by the National Office.

5. Makes a monthly financial report to the members of the chapter during the chapter assembly.

6. Ensures that all cash advances are liquidated and supported properly within fifteen (15 days of
proposed use.

7. He is the custodian of all chapter and outreach assets. He maintains an accurate inventory of all
chapter assets, e.g. musical instruments, sound systems, LCD projectors and so on. He has the
oversight responsibility of the custodianship of these assets.
8. Prepares an annual budget of the Chapter and submits this to the Chapter Governance Team for
review and approval by the Chapter Head.

9. In the execution of his office, the Treasurer follows the following guidelines faithfully: “Treasury
and Finance Procedural Matters” and “Cash Handling Policy Guidelines.” A copy of these is
found in Appendix B and C at the end of this Manual.
Qualifications
What was said above about the character qualities of the Chapter Head, Unit Leaders, Formation
Director, and PSD apply also to the Chapter Treasurer. He needs to be an active member in good
standing, fully committed to the BCBP, of proven loyalty to the vision and mission through living out the
commitment card in a steady and ongoing way. He needs to be a business man or professional of known
integrity with competence in financial management or accounting.
Specifically he needs the following:
1. He needs to have the time and requisite health to fulfill the demands of the position of Chapter
Treasurer.

2. Needs to have good rapport with the chapter governance team and outreach team and with the
chapter and outreach membership in general

Term of Office and Appointment Process
The term of the chapter treasurer shall be three (3) years. His service is evaluated by the Chapter Head
at the end of each year of service. The evaluation report should be sent to the RCD.
Appointment Process
1. The Chapter Head recommends candidates for Chapter Treasurer to the RCD
2. The RCD appoints the Chapter Treasurer with the confirmation of the AMD
3. The AMD confirms the choice of the RCD.

Chapter Evangelization and Outreach
Introduction
The central purpose of the BCBP’s existence is to evangelize business people and professionals and
through them to win the marketplace for Christ. This area is so basic that without evangelization of
businessmen and professionals the local chapter loses the reason for its existence. Besides the pastoral
care of chapter members, this is the most important responsibility of the Chapter Head. The Chapter
Head fulfills his responsibility in the area of evangelization and mission through the Chapter Mission
Team.
The Composition of the Chapter Mission Team
1. The Chapter Mission Director
a. The Breakfast Head
b. Outreach Coordinator
c. Marketplace Evangelization Program (MEP) Head

2. Brotherhood Christian Life Program (BCLP) Course Director
In what follows, the above service positions will be described in detail.
The Chapter Mission Director
The mission director is responsible for overseeing evangelism by means of the BCBP men’s breakfast and
helping interested breakfasters to take their first step toward becoming BCBP members through the
BCBP Christian Life Program. He oversees the establishment of outreaches and their growth into new
chapters of the BCBP. Finally, he oversees the Marketplace Evangelization Programs (MEP) of the
chapter. He accomplishes this mission assisted by the team as described above.
Personal Qualifications of the Mission Director
The same character qualifications described above for Chapter Head and the other major positions apply
as well to the Mission Director. In addition, the following qualifications are essential for the Mission
Director:

1. He understands, has accepted, internalized, and made his own the Vision and Mission of the
BCBP.

2. He is a man of proven loyalty to the BCBP mission and way of life and has shown this by
faithfully living out the stipulations of the commitment card.

3. He is able to be part of a team and can lead a team. He has shown this by his past participation
on the Chapter governance team and by his ability to enable those under him in his major
service positions in the BCBP.

4. He can work under the direction of the Chapter Head.

5. He is a faithful member of the Church

6. He is an active business man or professional and is known for his integrity, honesty, and
transparency.

7. He has the time and the requisite health to take on the responsibilities of the Mission Director.
BCBP Service Experience
The mission director should have the following BCBP service experience and shown through it that he
has the necessary leadership ability for the task.
1. Has served as BCLP Course Director or as director of other BCBP Formation Weekends.

2. Has served successfully as a Unit Leader

3. Has served on the Breakfast Team, preferably as its Head.

4. Has given his testimony by himself or with his wife at a joint breakfast.
Term of Office
The Mission Director shall have a term of office of three years. His service will be evaluated at the end of
each year of service by the Chapter Head and the evaluation report sent to the RCD. In case of incapacity
a replacement shall be chosen in the same way as the Mission Director.
Process of Selection and Appointment
The Chapter Head submits to the RCD three candidates with their BCBP and business/professional
profiles. The RCD interviews the three candidates and appoints the most suitable candidate upon the
confirmation of the AMD

The Need for Confidentiality
For the selection and appointment process to work well, confidentiality needs to be observed
throughout the process until the official appointment of the Mission Director by the RCD. The Chapter
Head may not tell one of the candidates that he is the Chapter Head’s favorite nor must the RCD reveal
to the candidate that he has appointed him prior to the AMD’s confirmation. The AMD must be free to
confirm a candidate he thinks most suited. He needs to have the freedom to ask the RCD for other
recommendations, if the one recommended does not seem suitable to the AMD.
The Breakfast Head
Introduction
The men’s breakfast is the most important evangelistic activity of the chapter. Nothing can take its place
and without it the chapter does not fulfill its mission whatever else it does. A chapter can fulfill its
mission without ever having a joint or ladies breakfast, but not without the men’s breakfast. It is the
venue where businessmen and professionals, who are decisions makers and potential change agents,
are introduced to the BCBP. This is the reason why the Breakfast Head together with those who work
with him in the breakfast must be chosen with care.
The Responsibility of the Breakfast Head
1. Responsibility for the breakfasts.
His main responsibility is to oversee especially the men’s breakfast. He takes responsibility as
well for the joint breakfast and through one of the women leaders for the ladies’ breakfast, if
the chapter should have one. He does this in conformity to the Breakfast Manual of the BCBP.

2. Responsibility for breakfast sharers
He makes sure sharers are lined up for the upcoming breakfasts. He also previews and clears
every sharing.

3. Recommends
He informs and recommends breakfast attendees to be invited to the BCLP to the Chapter
Governance Team.
It is neither the responsibility of the Breakfast Head nor the leaders of the Chapter to ensure the
attendance of first timers. All the men of the Chapter are responsible for the Chapter’s evangelization of
businessmen and professionals. The responsibility to ensure that there are first timers belongs to all the
men of the chapter, whether they are leaders or not.
Personal Qualifications
What has been stated above for the major positions of the chapter also applies to the Breakfast Head,
because as the point man between the BCBP and new comers, he is for new comers the model of the
BCBP member, the following should be present in the candidates for this service.

1. He is a full member of the BCBP.

2. He has made the Vision and Mission of the BCBP his own and lives it out as evidenced by his
faithfulness to the commitment card of the BCBP

3. He is a member of the Church in good standing.

4. He is a businessman and professional, who either owns and is active his own business or is
employed in a position of responsibility. He should not be unemployed or retired for evangelistic
reasons.

5. His business life is above reproach, marked by integrity, honesty, and transparency.
Service Experience in the BCBP
The following service experience is required for being appointed Breakfast Head:
1. The candidate should have served successfully at least as an Action Group Leader.

2. He should be known for his faithfulness in attending the men’s breakfast and for bringing first
timers who are decision‐makers in the business world and the professions to the breakfast.
Preferably, he should have served some time on the men’s breakfast team.

3. He should have shared at the men’s breakfast at least once or given a sharing together with his
wife at a joint breakfast.

4. Prior to his appointment he should be thoroughly familiar with the Breakfast guidelines.

5. He should have the time and prerequisite health to fulfill the responsibilities of Breakfast Head
well.
Terms of Office
The Breakfast Head is appointed for a term of one (1) year with provision for extension for a maximum
of three (3) years. In case of incapacity, a new Breakfast Head shall be appointed with the same
qualifications.
Selection and Appointment of the Breakfast Head
The Breakfast Head is appointed by the Mission Director with the confirmation of the Chapter Head. The
Chapter Head has the responsibility to make sure that the person proposed for Breakfast Head fulfills
the requirements for the service.

The Brotherhood Christian Life Program (BCLP) Course Director
Introduction
The BCLP Course Director is responsible for the oversight and management of the BCLP Program. His is a
most important service, because the BCLP is the first step from the Breakfast to becoming members of
the BCBP. The BCLP Course Director is responsible for his service to the Mission Director and ultimately
to the Chapter Head. He does the following:
1. He does whatever is necessary to assure that the BCLP leads to its goal, i.e. to the adult
conversion of the participants and their empowerment with the Holy Spirit.
2. Appoints a course leader to handle the administrative aspects of the course.
3. He chooses and trains the BCLP speakers
4. He appoints and trains discussion leaders
Qualifications
He needs to be a fully committed BCBP member, who has understood, internalized, and lives out the
Vision and Mission of the BCBP by being faithful to the commitment card. Since he is involved in
evangelization, the following need to be present:
1. He needs to be a man of integrity, honesty, and transparency in every sphere of his life.

2. He needs to be a business man or professional, who either owns his own business or is
employed and active in the market place on a decision‐making level.
Service Qualifications
1. Should have been discussion group leader at a previous BCLP and subsequently have served
successfully as Action Group Leader and Unit Leader
2. He should be known for his faithfulness in attending the men’s breakfast and have been
regularly bringing businessmen and professionals, who are decision‐makers and change agents
in their companies to the breakfast.
Term of Office and Appointment
The BCLP Course Director is appointed by the Chapter Mission Director upon the confirmation of the
Chapter Head for a term of three (years). During the second year of his service the BCLP Director must
identify one candidate for training as future BCLP Director. The selection is confirmed by the Mission
Director. This person may be appointed BCLP Director at the end of their training by the Mission
Director upon the confirmation of the Chapter Head.
The BCLP Director’s service is evaluated at the end of each year by the Mission Director and submitted
to the Chapter Head.

The BCLP Course Leader
Responsibilities
1. Makes sure that the venue is prepared and properly set up for the BCLP meetings.

2. Organizes his team of assistants and discussion group leaders, assigns them their tasks and
oversees the execution of the assigned tasks.

3. Makes sure of the speakers for the particular sessions, reminds them of their schedule and
assists them with needed audiovisual equipment.
4. Anything else assigned to him by the BCLP Course Director

Qualifications
Has to have served successfully as an Action Group Leader. Needs to have the qualifications to become a
unit leader after the BCLP.
The Marketplace Evangelization Program (MEP) Head
Introduction
The MEP is not intended to recruit individuals to become members of the BCBP. Should there be
persons who could become members of the BCBP they should be brought into the Brotherhood the
usual way via the Breakfast, BCLP and the Basic Formation Program. In general, the MEP is an outreach
to rank‐and‐file in business organizations or government agencies and has for its purpose to lead to a
closer relationship with our Lord. The MEP participants should not be considered as a unit attached to
the local chapter or outreach.
Praiseworthy as such outreaches are, it must never be forgotten that MEP is not central to the mission
of the BCBP and can never take the place of evangelizing businessmen and professionals, who are
decision‐makers and change agents via the Breakfast, BCLP, and Basic Formation Program.
Special Concerns Arising in MEP Programs
The proposed MEP outreach programs need to take into account the potential participants and the
actual program must then be set up accordingly. For example, if the participants come from the Catholic
Church and various Protestant Churches, the program needs to be designed with ecumenical sensitivity
and should focus on what Catholics and Protestants have in common in order to be able to bring Christ
to all the participants and not to Catholics only while driving away the Protestants who came.
If the potential participants are Catholics, Protestants, and non‐Christians, for example Muslims, the
program needs to be designed with interreligious sensitivity. In fact, the chapter should ask whether it
has the people who can actually handle a program for such an audience. Not paying attention to the

interreligious dimension and taking it into account can possibly bring about division and strife rather
than leading the participants closer to God.
Qualifications of the MEP Head
He should have the same qualifications as the Breakfast Head and in addition have been a course leader
in the BCBP’s Formation Program.
Term of Office
The MEP Head serves for one (1) year with provision for extension for a maximum of three (3 years). His
term of office is also determined by the type of and length of the MEP program engaged in.
Selection of MEP Head
The MEP Head is appointed by the Mission Director and confirmed by the Chapter Head.
Outreach Coordinator
Introduction
The Mission Director, assisted by the mission team, assumes overall supervision and initial responsibility
for the Formation, Mission and PSD development of the Outreach and for building up the outreach into
a chapter. The Mission Director may appoint the Outreach Coordinator with the approval of the Chapter
Head.
Responsibilities of the Outreach Coordinator
He is responsible for his service to the Mission Director and oversees the activities of the Outreach. The
Outreach Coordinator’s term of office depends on the progress and needs of the Outreach.
Qualifications of the Outreach Coordinator
He must meet the same qualifications as the Breakfast Head with the following addition. He must have
served as course leader for the BCLP and possibly as director for other courses of the BCBP’s Basic
Formation Program. He must be either the owner of his own business or employed at a decision‐making
level. He should not be a retired man. His personal reputation in business must be above reproach. He
must be known for personal integrity, honesty, and transparency.

B. The Area and Regional Levels
Introduction
The BCBP in the Philippines is divided into four Service Areas: Northern Luzon, Southern Luzon, Visayas,
and Mindanao. Each of these Areas is headed by an Area Managing Director. Each Area is made up of
Regions, each headed by a Regional Council Director. We shall first describe the position of the Regional
Council Director and then that of the Area Managing Director.
The Regional Organization
The Regional Council
A number of chapters and outreaches form a region. Regions are overseen by Regional Councils
composed of the following:
1. Regional Council Directors voting members
2. Current Chapter Heads as voting members
3. Incoming Chapter Heads as non‐voting members
4. Outreach Heads as non‐voting members
The Regional Council Director heads and presides over the Regional Council. He is responsible for
managing and directing the day‐to‐day activities of the region in accordance with the Vision and Mission
and policies of the BCBP.
The Purpose of the Regional Council
The Regional Council cares for the Region in line with the Vision and Mission of the BCBP, the
Community Manual, and other policy directives from the Service Area to which the Region belongs, and
from the National Government. The primary function of the Regional Council is to provide a strong
support system for the chapters, outreaches in what pertains to the BCBP life and its mission. In
addition, the Regional Council acts as a conduit of information from the National and Service Area levels
to the Region and vice versa.
Creation of Regions
The President of the BCBP can create regions, or reconfigure existing regions. He can appoint an interim
RCD until a regular RCD can be duly elected by the affected Region.
The Role and Function of the Regional Council Director (RCD)
Introduction
The RCD is accountable for his service to the Area Managing Director.
As has already been stated above, the RCD is the chief governor of the Region. He presides over the
Regional Council and directs the council members in their work. Specifically he is responsible for the
following:

1. He links the chapters and outreaches of his region with the wider Service Area and the National
Government.

2. He must ensure that all directives issued by Mancom are communicated to the chapters and
outreaches in the Region. He serves as a conduit of important concerns and issues of the
chapters and outreaches in the Region to the Service Area and the National Government.

3. He makes sure that all policies, directives, and guidelines issued by Mancom and the Board of
Trustees are fully implemented by chapters and outreaches in the Region.

4. He cares for the Chapter Heads and Chapter Heads in training by serving as their Action Group
Leader. At times his Action Group will include the Outreach Heads as well. He acts as their
pastoral leader. He attends to leadership development, chapter/Church relationships, and other
practical concerns.

5. Participates in the selection and appointment of major leaders
a. Chapter Head
Interviews the three candidates submitted by the current Chapter Head and after
evaluation endorses one to the AMD.

b. Unit Leaders, Mission Director, Formation Director, the Programs and Services
Director, and Chapter Treasurer
From the candidate submitted by the Chapter Head, the RCD selects the most suitable
candidate for appointment and sends the name to the AMD for confirmation prior to
appointing the candidate.

c. Outreach Head
Approves the appointment of an Outreach Head and submits a report to the AMD and
Mancom of this development.

6. He is responsible to ensure that chapters in the Region comply with the Financial Policy of the
BCBP. Therefore, it is his duty to review the financial statements and tithe reports, making sure
that the chapters contribute regularly to the National Operating Fund (NOF) and submit their
monthly financial reports.

7. He leads in the development of Regional Action Plans in line with the Vision and Mission,
Community Manual, NSPR Outputs, BOT, and Mancom directives.

8. He regularly visits the chapters and outreaches of the Region. He conducts chapter reviews and
visitations (CRV), represents the BOT and Mancom at major events.


9. He evaluates the recommendations of sponsoring chapters with respect to outreach growth and
development as well as the proposals for opening new breakfast venues and new outreaches.

10. He serves his Region with talks and teachings.

11. As a member of the Service Area of his Region he attends Area Meetings and submits reports
concerning his Region.
Qualifications for the task of RCD
It goes without saying that the RCD should be a model of the BCBP member for his region. Everything
that has been said about Chapter Heads and other major leaders applies to the RCD. He should own his
own business or be employed at a decision‐making level of responsibility in his company. In general, he
should be a member of the BCBP long enough to understand the vision and mission of the organization.
He should be young enough in years to have the energy for the task.
In general, all Senior Members, i.e. former Chapter Heads of the region, qualify for the position of RCD,
provided they actively and loyally participate in the BCBP and show it by complying faithfully with the
provisions of the commitment card. Senior Members who currently serve on the Board of Trustees or
who serve as AMD cannot be selected as RCD as long as they hold their current position.
Selection of the RCD
Under the leadership of the current RCD, the Senior Members of the Region shall convene and vote for a
short list of two candidates for the position of RCD. The names of the two candidates who gained the
highest votes are submitted to the AMD for review and submission to the President of the BCBP for final
choice and appointment.
Term of Office
The RCD is appointed for a period of three (3) years. In case of incapacity, a new RCD shall be elected in
the same manner as stipulated above. The new RCD shall serve for a period of three (3) years.
Service Areas and Area Managing Directors
As we have seen above a number of chapters and outreaches in a specific area form a Region under the
Regional Council Directors. A number of contiguous Regions form a Service Area under an Area
Managing Director. There are four Service Areas: Northern Luzon, Southern Luzon, Visayas, and
Mindanao.
The Area Managing Director
Personal Qualifications
Everything that has been stipulated for Chapter Heads, other major leaders in the chapters, and
Regional Council Directors applies as well to the Area Managing Director. Because of his leadership

position, he should be a model businessman or professional as well as a model BCBP member. His
loyalty to the BCBP, his faithfulness to the BCBP Vision and Mission should be outstanding and evident in
the way he participates in the BCBP life and mission in line with the commitment card.
Service Qualifications
Those who have proven pastoral and leadership gifts as shown by their service as RCDs, members of the
Mancom, and on the Board of Trustees of the BCBP may be chosen as AMDs, provided that the personal
qualifications mentioned above are in place.
Responsibilities of the Area Managing Directors
In general, the Area Managing Director is the main pastoral leader of his Service Area. He is responsible
for his service to the President of the BCBP. Specifically he is called upon to do the following:
1. He has final authority for the day‐to‐day activities of the Service Area in line with this
Community Manual.
2. He sees to it that the Regions in his Area are well integrated into the Nation‐wide BCBP. He is
the link between the Service Area and the National Government
a. He makes available all pertinent information, directives and policies that come from
Mancom and apply to all Regions, chapters, and outreaches in the Area.
b. He assures that national concerns raised in the Area are promptly communicated to
Mancom.
3. He cares pastorally for the RCDs in his area through an Action Group that he leads. On occasion
and for practical reasons he may delegate the leadership of this Action Group to a qualified
Senior Leader or a member of Mancom.
4. He oversees the development of an Area Action Plan of long term goals in line with the output
of the National Strategic Planning Retreat (NSPR) and short term goals as directed by Mancom’s
yearly planning sessions. The AMD needs to make sure that long range and short term goals are
in conformity with one another
5. He makes sure that policies and guidelines in the Community Manual as well as those passed by
the BOT are observed, especially those that relate and impact the major service directorates of
the Area: Finance, Administration, Formation, Mission, and Programs and Services.
6. He oversees leaders on all levels within the Service Area. He makes it his concern that these
servants live out the Vision and Mission of the BCBP. He makes sure that those responsible for
various service directorates report regularly on their service responsibility by means of written
reports.
7. Through the RCDs he makes sure that all members irrespective of service or membership status
are placed in Action Groups.

8. He is directly involved in the selection and appointment of major leaders within the Area in the
following way:
a. Selection of Regional Council Directors
He recommends the appointment of RCDs to the President for appointment.
b. Selection of candidates for Chapter Head
He interviews the candidate endorsed to him by the RCD and, if he approves of the
candidate as suitable, he endorses him to the President for appointment.
c. Chapter Unit Leaders, Mission Directors, Formation Director, Programs and Services
Director, and Treasurer
Confirms the candidate chosen by the RCD.
Term of Office
The AMDs are appointed by the President for a term of three (3) years coterminous with the term of the
President.
The National Government of the BCBP
The Board of Trustees
The Board of Trustees of the BCBP is above all the guardian of the vision and mission the Lord Jesus
Christ has entrusted to the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals. It is the highest
policy making body of the BCBP in what pertains to the Brotherhood as a whole whether its life or its
mission. In addition the Board of Trustees has the following responsibilities:
1. The President and the Management Committee that assists him in the performance of his duties
are accountable to the BOT, which regularly reviews the work of the President and Mancom.
2. The BOT approves all national development plans proposed by the various National Service
Coordinators (NSCs).
3. It approves the national action plan submitted to the BOT by the President and Mancom and
makes sure that the development plan and proposals from the NSCs are well integrated and not
at odds with one another.
4. It reviews and approves the national budget and approves funding for special projects.
5. The BOT once convened elects the Chairman of the Board and the President. With the approval
of the BOT, the Chairman appoints a Legal Counsel and a Corporate Secretary.
6. The BOT meets at least quarterly and as may be deemed necessary by a majority of the Board
and/or the Chairman.

Composition of the Board of Trustees
The Board shall consist of fourteen (14) members with representation of the geographical regions and
the immediate past president of the BCBP as voting members. The Spiritual Director sits on the Board as
a non‐voting member. The composition of the Board by geographical regions is as follows:
Metro Manila 3
Luzon 3
Visayas 3
Mindanao 3
Immediate past President 1
Spiritual Director 1 [13 voting and 1 non‐voting member]
Process of Electing Trustees
During the last year of the three‐year term of the incumbent BOT, on a designated date and time, a new
set of Board of Trustees shall be elected from among the Senior Members in the following way:
1. At a given date and time the Senior Members of each geographical region shall come together
to nominate the respective allocated number of senior members who will represent their
geographical region in the BOT.
2. The Senior Members nationwide will then elect the members of the BOT.
Terms of Office
The members of the BOT can serve, if re‐elected, for a maximum of two (2) consecutive terms of three
(3) years each. In case of a vacancy, a replacement trustee shall be elected in the same manner as the
predecessor to serve the balance of the unexpired term. The Chairman and President shall serve for a
term of three (3) years. They may not be re‐elected in their current position. (They can of course be re‐
elected as a member of the BOT).
The President of the BCBP
The President is the chief executive officer of the BCBP. He is responsible for his service to the Board of
Trustees and shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
1. The president is not just a manager of the BCBP but a pastor who sees to it that all, but
especially the leaders of the BCBP at whatever level are enabled to live out the vision and
mission of the BCBP. To assure this he will make sure that he receives regular reports from the
Service Directorates and the Regional Councils
2. Through the AMDs and RCDs he makes sure that all members of the BCBP are cared for and
supported in life and service by belonging to Action Groups.
3. He serves as the Action Group Leader of the members of the Mancom. For practical reasons he
may delegate this service to a qualified member of the Mancom or to a Senior Leader.

4. Implementation of the long term goals of the BCBP as derived from the National Strategic
Planning Retreat (NSPR) as well as the short term goals as stipulated in the Mancom Yearly
Planning Sessions. The President makes sure that the long term and short term goals are
integrated and in conformity with one another.
5. He implements the policies and guidelines contained in the Community Manual as well as other
policies passed by the BOT relating to Finance, Administration, Formation, Mission, Programs
and Services.
6. He oversees the National Service Coordinators and directs them in their respective area of
responsibility.
7. He oversees and directs the Mancom in its work. After appropriate consultation he decides all
operational concerns affecting the BCBP as a whole.
8. He appoints Area Managing Directors, RCD’s, and Chapter Heads, the National Treasurer , and
NSCs.
9. The President may create other service directorates and appoint the corresponding National
Service Coordinator as the situation warrants.
10. He represents the BCBP to Church and Society.
The Management Committee
The Management Committee assists the President in the day‐to‐day business of the BCBP community.
The President presides over the Mancom meeting and assigns the members of the Mancom to their
work. The Mancom members are responsible to the President for the responsibilities entrusted to them.
In addition, Mancom will undertake the following:
1. Mancom will conduct a yearly planning session and come up with a yearly action plan that
responds to issues and development needs of the past year and moves the BCBP forward in the
accomplishment of its vision and mission.
2. Mancom assists the President in caring for the overall welfare of the members of the BCBP
chapters and outreaches. To assure that, Mancom does the following:
a. Mancom establishes policy directives for Chapter Review and Visitation (CRV) and
makes sure such visitations take place.
b. Mancom is tasked to assure an adequate communications system from Mancom to the
chapters and outreaches and from them to Mancom.
3. Mancom is responsible for the overall direction of the BCBP Mission, Formation of Members,
Programs and Services, Administration and Finance.

4. Mancom approves all promotional items of the BCBP at whatever level such as the logo,
banners, stickers, posters, etc. especially in situations where the use of the BCBP logo for
example could give the impression that the BCBP is endorsing certain civic or political programs.
5. Mancom decides the BCBP stand on any local or national organization as well as matters
involving the Church. It is the duty of Mancom to come up with the necessary policy directives in
this area as these may be needed.
6. Mancom sets directives how major service positions are to be filled, for example how RCDs are
to be chosen.
7. Mancom serves as a consultative body to the President in the appointment of RCDs and Chapter
Heads.
8. Under the leadership of the President, Mancom can create other service positions as they are
needed.
9. Mancom sets up the overall Mission and Evangelization Programs of the BCBP. It does this
through the National Service Coordinator for Mission (NSC). In line with this Mancom approves
all recommendations to open new Outreaches and prospective Breakfast Venues in
coordination with the RCD.
10. Mancom through the NSC for Formation takes responsibility for all the formation programs in
the BCBP. Approval for introducing other programs into the BCBP at whatever level requires the
approval of Mancom.
11. Through the NSC for Programs and Services Mancom assures that members have the
opportunity to serve both in and out of the local BCBP chapter community.
12. Mancom oversees the financial administration through the National Treasurer. It formulates
financial guidelines for Chapter, Regional and National levels. It approves all major financial
transactions. Through the Treasurer Mancom prepares the National Budget and submits it to
the BOT for approval.
13. All fundraising projects need the approval of Mancom.
14. Mancom meets at least once every three months. Additional meetings may be scheduled as the
situation warrants or as called for by the President.
Composition and Qualifications
The Mancom shall consist of the President, the Area Managing Directors, the National Service
Coordinators, and the National Treasurer.

Term of Office
The members of Mancom serve for a term of three (3) years. In case of vacancy of a Mancom Member, a
replacement shall be chosen in the same manner and level that the predecessor was chosen into office
to serve the unexpired term.
The National Service Directorates
The National Service Coordinators work closely with the President and Mancom and assist them in their
task of overseeing the community life and mission of the BCBP. The Coordinators work closely with their
counterparts at the Chapter Level to assure uniformity of approach in life and mission. In general, the
NSCs are tasked to provide the support needed in the following vital areas in order for the BCBP to live
the kind of life the Lord has called it to and to fulfill the mission entrusted to it. These vital areas are:
1. Mission
On the national level, the mission policies and guidelines are formulated by Mancom in
coordination with the NSC for Mission. Mancom directs the AMDs to implement these
guidelines and policies through the RCDs, Chapter and Outreach Heads. The RCDs
receive support from the NSC for Mission. Through the NSC Mancom prioritizes areas
for evangelization in order to accomplish its mission.
2. Formation
On the national level, formation guidelines are formulated by Mancom upon the
recommendation of the NSC for Formation. Through the AMD, Mancom directs the
RCDs to implement the formation programs on the level of Chapters and Outreach. The
RCDs are supported in this work by the NSC for Formation.
3. Programs and Services
On the national level, Mancom upon the recommendation of the NSC for Programs and
Services, formulates the activities of the PSD. Mancom directs the RCDs to implement
the programs in their respective regions through the Chapter and Outreach Heads. The
NSC for PSD assists the RCDs in this task by coordinating and helping train the Chapter
PSD Directors.
4. Finance and Treasury

The National Service Coordinators are tasked to develop their respective areas through guidelines and
directives, but above all with viable action plans to move their respective area forward in the
accomplishment of its goals and purposes.
Qualifications
All Senior Members, who have shown their understanding of the vision and mission of the BCBP by the
faithfulness with which they live out the commitments of the BCBP, who are owners of businesses or
employed at decision‐making levels can be chosen for the position of NSC. Preferably they should have
served previously in the area for which they are appointed. For example, the NSC for Mission should

have worked as Chapter Mission Director, Breakfast Head, or Outreach Coordinator and shown the
ability to handle the responsibility well. The same applies mutatis mutandis for the NSCs of the other
three areas.
Term of Office
The NSCs have a term of three (3) years. In case of vacancy a replacement shall be appointed by the
President to serve the balance of the term. The term of the NSC is co‐terminus with the term of the
President.
Summary
The sections above describe in detail the various levels of leadership in the BCBP together with the
qualifications, job descriptions, terms of office, and selection procedures. At the end of the section we
have to take a step back and ask once again what a leader in the BCBP is and what his most basic
qualifications and responsibilities are.
Paul summarizes it well in his exhortation to the elders of Ephesus when he tells them: “Keep watch
over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the
church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son” (Acts 20:28). Peter continues the
exhortations as follows: “I exhort the elders among you to tend the flock of God that is in your charge,
exercising the oversight, not under compulsion but willingly, as God would have you do it—not for
sordid gain but eagerly. Do not lord it over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock” (1 Peter
5:1‐3). Leaders are shepherds who out of love for the Lord, care for the people the Lord has won with
his blood. It is the desire and longing of the heart of leaders to see those they care for grow in holiness
and become more and more empowered by the Holy Spirit to participate effectively in the mission of
the BCBP. No leader in the BCBP regardless at what level of responsibility he serves can do what Paul
and Peter ask, unless he remains deeply united with Christ in prayer and through obedience to his
commandments (John 15:1‐8, especially verse 5).

VIII. Speakers and Teachers of the BCBP
Introduction
In general, only full members of the BCBP who understand, have internalized, live faithfully BCBP life
according to the BCBP’s vision and mission, and participate actively in mission should be chosen as
speakers in any BCBP program. In addition, they should have manifested the ability to present ideas
clearly and in a way easy to understand for their audience. Formation course leaders should submit a
list of course speakers to the RCD with a copy furnished the National Office. In particular speakers
should be able to do the following:
1. They should convey the message of the talk in a clear and concise way.
2. Speakers should witness by their life to what they present in their talks or teachings. The
listeners should be able to encounter Christ through the speaker and the talk.
3. Speakers must have experienced personally the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. Speakers are
encouraged to illustrate the topics of the talk with short examples from their own life and
experience.
4. Giving talks is a service that is given freely and no stipend is given for such talks. Members
should refuse to accept stipends should they be offered. Reimbursement for transportation
expenses does not fall under this category.
5. Good speakers and teachers as well as good sharers should be added to the National Speakers
Pool.
Sharers and Teachers/Speakers
Breakfast Sharers
In general, the breakfast sharer is a member in good standing of the BCBP. This means he is active in
business or professions. He has gone through the BCLP, has become a regular member of BCBP. He has
begun to live the commitments of the BCBP in a steady and consistent way.
The normal sharing is not about the person’s entire life with complete biographical information, but
about how he lived his life before he found Christ in the BCBP, what led him to the BCBP and how he
found Christ in a new and deeper way through the BCBP and how he is now trying to live a life of
discipleship. The sharing from the beginning should have Christ in the center and not the sharer. The
purpose of the sharing is to invite and encourage new comers to open their heart and mind to the Lord.
Another way of saying this, the purpose of the sharing is evangelistic, to present the Gospel through the
experience of a concrete individual. Not the life of the individual is important, but the Gospel message.
It is possible for special reasons to have a speaker who is not from the BCBP. For example if the BCBP
Chapter wants to present accurate information on the implications of a change in the Constitution of the
Philippines, a constitutional lawyer could be invited to present the legal implications of such a move. Or

again if the Chapter wants the men to be informed especially about the Reproductive Health Bill, it could
invite an expert in Moral Theology to make such a presentation. These are special occasions and in no
way take the place of the regular, evangelistic breakfast sharing.
Teaching at First Friday
The purpose of the regular monthly teaching in the BCBP is to help members live more fully their life of
discipleship in the BCBP. Thus the teachings should primarily focus on BCBP life and mission. The most
competent teachers are those who have internalized the Vision and Mission of the BCBP and who show
it by their proven loyalty to the BCBP and the faithfulness with which they live out the commitments in
Chapter life and Chapter mission.
The teachings should be practical, i.e. help the members concretely how to live the BCBP ideal in the
circumstances of their daily life.
Teachers need, of course, to be able to teach, i.e. to be able to organize their material well and be able
to present their ideas clearly with concrete examples. They should also make use of visual materials in
order to help members to follow their ideas more easily. Above all they need to remember that the
attention span of people, especially after a long day in the office, is not much more than 20 minutes.
Long drawn out teachings are self‐defeating.
Teaching in Formation Weekends
Those who teach should be men and women who have understood, accepted, and internalized the BCBP
Vision and Mission and show it by consistently living out the commitment card and by actively
participating in Chapter Life and Mission. They should themselves have gone through the course in
which they are now to serve as teachers, understand the material to be taught and especially the
purpose and reason for teaching it.
As above, teachers in our formation courses need to be able to teach, i.e. to be able to organize the
material, make it concrete through apt illustrations drawn from their own BCBP and life experiences. It is
highly recommended that they use visual materials, like Power Point to help their listeners to follow
their talk more easily. Above all, teachers need to present the talk clearly and not change it into
something else.
Responsibility of Formation Director, Breakfast, and Course Leaders
It is their responsibility to make sure that speakers are properly screened in line with the above
provisions.
Summary
It cannot be stated enough that teaching and sharing are most important services in the BCBP. They
bring new comers closer to Christ. They enable new members to grow to maturity in the BCBP. Teachers
need to be men and women of prayer who allow God’s Spirit to work through them for the benefit and
blessing of those they serve with their sharing or teaching.

IX. Finances and Financial Policy of the BCBP
Introduction
The BCBP life and mission is supported primarily by the tithe contributions of its members. Tithe income
is amplified by love offerings and other types of contributions. All of these contributions finance life and
mission on the Chapter level. Chapters must contribute 25% of their total income to the National
Operating Fund (NOF). The National Operating Fund supports the National Office, the services of the
Management Committee in addition to the programs and activities initiated by Mancom with respect to
mission, formation, and programs and services.
Chapter Finances
The Obligation of Members to Tithe
Members of the BCBP ought to consider themselves stewards of the Lord for everything that they are
and have including their material and financial possessions. This demands first of all wise and
responsible management of what has been entrusted to the individual.
All members of the BCBP have responsibility for the life and mission of the BCBP. It follows that they are
together responsible to support the life and mission of the BCBP not only with their time or presence at
activities, but also with their material and financial resources to make that life and mission possible.
Therefore, all members without exception are obligated to tithe, i.e. to set aside a regular amount in
support of the BCBP. Members who do not tithe cannot be considered members who have fully
understood what it means to belong to the BCBP. Chapters and Outreaches cannot initiate programs
that its members are not prepared to support fully with their resources.
Tithe Contribution
The Action Group Leader has the responsibility to make sure that the members of his group do not
lightly excuse themselves from their obligation to support the Chapter and BCBP with their resources. Of
course, it goes without saying that the Action Group Leader has to be an example in this for the
members of his group.
To facilitate contribution the following process has been set up:
1. Tithe contributions are submitted by each member in a sealed envelope distributed for this
purpose to the AGL. Group tithing is not an acceptable practice in the community.
2. The Action Group Leader submits the sealed envelopes to the Chapter Treasurer.
3. The Treasurer exchanges the contribution for an official receipt, which is placed in the same
envelope and returned to the member.
4. Finally, the Treasurer consolidates all tithes into a report that includes the names of donors,
Action Group and Unit, amount, and for what month the contribution was given. This report is
only for the Chapter Head and the Treasurer.

5. The information of the report minus the amounts donated by individuals is reviewed and
discussed by the Chapter governance team.
Outreaches and Tithing
The members of outreaches should be trained from the beginning that they need to assume financial
responsibility for their life as an outreach. Once the outreach leadership has been established,
outreaches should be encouraged to begin regular tithing.
Outreaches have an obligation to share in supporting the BCBP, by remitting 25% of their gross income
to their Mother Chapter. The amount donated will be used by the Mother Chapter for training and
developing the Outreach. The 25% Outreach contribution is not part of the income of the sponsoring
Chapter from which 25% is remitted to the NOF.
Chapter Financial Management
Bank Accounts
1. Each Chapter or Outreach must open a bank account preferably with the same bank where the
national office bank account is maintained
2. The Chapter Head must request in writing from the National BCBP Treasurer the necessary
documentation: board resolution, secretary’s certificate, and specimen signatures of the
National Officers.
3. Two signatures are required. Normally these are the signature of the Chapter Head and the
Chapter Treasurer. A third alternative signature may be used in case either the Chapter Head or
Treasurer is unavailable.
Allocation of Chapter Income
The total income of the Chapter from whatever source is to be allocated, more or less, as follows.4
1. 25% remitted to the NOF at the national office.
2. 30% allocated for Mission and Outreach activities
3. 25% allocated for Chapter Formation activities and programs
4. 15% allocated to Programs and Services activities and programs
5. 5% allocated for administrative expenses
Disbursements and Liquidation
All expenses must be approved by the Chapter Head and disbursed in line with the allocation stipulated
under “Allocation of Chapter Income” above. The unspent portion of the 30% allocation for mission and
outreach is to be divided as follows: 75% is to be contributed to mission efforts of the Region, where it

4
The only exception of this is the 25% Outreach contribution to the sponsoring Chapter. This contribution is used
to increase the money available to the Chapter for its Outreach work.

will be distributed according to the decision of the Regional Council. The chapter may keep 25% as seed
money for next year’s mission efforts.
Expenses of the Members of the Governance Team: These may be expenses incurred by attending
required seminars and retreats, national anniversaries and other official BCBP activities. These are
defrayed by the Chapter provided funds are available. The Chapter covers only activity fees, food,
transportation, and accommodation expenses.
Expenses incurred for services to the BCBP: Expenses arising from services to Mancom/BOT, RCD and
other Chapters/Outreaches are to be borne by the host. These are limited to transportation and
accommodation expenses.
RCD Expenses: The RCD can request his home Chapter to advance his expenses for BCBP official
functions. These the Chapter can offset against its contribution to the NOF.
Managing Advances and Liquidation: All advances made and approved by the Chapter or Outreach
Head must be liquidated with receipts within seven (7) days from the date of issuance of the advance.
Not adhering to this timeframe without legitimate excuse shall obligate those who received the advance
to restitution of the entire amount to the pertinent fund of the Chapter.
Financial Reporting
All Chapters are required to submit a monthly financial report to the national office, the RCD, and to the
Chapter membership during Chapter Assembly. The report should follow the guidelines established by
the national office. The reports are due within two weeks (2) after the end of the month.
Fund Raising
In general, the BCBP does not encourage activities that are intended to raise funds in order to finance
certain projects or programs, particularly those of Mission and Chapter Life. In exceptional cases the
Programs and Services Director shall be allowed to fund raise for specific pro‐poor and social action
activities in accordance with the Fund‐Raising Guidelines below.
Rather than fundraise the Chapter should work on project budgets based on the availability of funds
from the commitment of the members through tithing. It must not be forgotten that each BCBP
member is personally responsible for financially supporting the activities of the Chapter through tithing.
Personal Needs and “Pass the Hat” Fund Campaigns
The Chapter Governance Team under the leadership of the Chapter Head needs to exercise prudence in
dealing with this kind of activity. Preference shall be given to special serious needs of members or the
immediate members of the family. The practice should be discouraged for other uses and occasions.
Good communication with the leadership is a must.
The Principle of Subsidiarity needs to be observed
What can be accomplished on the lowest level, e.g. the Action Group should not be elevated to the Unit,
the Chapter, the Region, or the National Level.

Finances on the National Level
Expenses of the Management Committee and the Board of Trustees
Members of these groups will incur expenses in line with the service of the BCBP beyond their own
chapters. These expenses are charged to the National Operating Fund (NOF).
Annual Budget of Mancom and Board Members
Members of these groups must submit a budget covering their projected expenses by October 30. These
individual budgets shall be approved by the National Treasurer and the President, and subsequently
ratified by the Mancom, and become part of the total budget of the National Office. The budgets shall
include transportation, accommodations, meals, and activity expenses arising from the following:
1. Conducting Chapter and Outreach visitations
2. Conducting seminars, retreats, and training programs initiated by Mancom.
3. Presiding over Chapter installations
4. Attending BOT/Mancom meetings and national activities such as the national anniversary and
retreats.
5. Other expenses authorized by Mancom.
Liquidation of Expenses: Whenever possible the National Office makes all arrangements and is
responsible for assuring that the expenses are covered by the NOF. In some cases, leaders may have to
advance payments for such expenses. These advances are disbursed as follows:
1. The National Offices reimburses on the basis of submitted support documents.
2. The concerned Mancom of BOT member may ask for a reimbursement of his expenses from his
Mother Chapter or other Chapters in his Region (this applies to RCDs). These Chapters will offset
the amounts from their contribution to the NOF submitting the corresponding documents.
Exemptions
1. Unless otherwise specified only the expenses of Mancom and BOT members are covered for the
above mentioned BCBP services. If the wives of members have a specific function to perform in
the activity, she too shall have the same expense allowance as her husband.
2. Expenses other than those listed in the budget are subject to the approval of the President of
the BCBP.
3. The registration fee for the National Anniversary is charged to the anniversary host. These fees
are reported as part of the expenses of the Anniversary. Transportation and accommodations of
the members of the Board and Mancom are sourced from the NOF.

4. Both the expenses of Mancom and Board members and their spouses are covered by NOF for
national retreats.
5. Both members of Mancom and BOT and their spouses are covered with travel insurance, the
cost of which is included in the National Budget.
The National Anniversary Celebration
Introduction
The National Anniversary Celebration is considered a Mancom‐initiated activity. In practice, however,
the Mancom assigns the management of the National Anniversary (NAC) to a Regional Council with a
specified Chapter as Lead Host. The RCD must oversee the entire activity, specifically in matters
pertaining to finances. Both the RCD and the host or lead Chapter should be guided by the following
1. Funding (Projected Revenues)
a. The NAC is initially funded by the National Office with seed money coming from the
National Anniversary Fund to enable the host Chapter to start operations. This seed
money is to be returned to the NAC Fund upon completion of the activity.
b. Chapters and Outreaches are assessed an amount determined by the Mancom in
accordance with the prevailing conditions. These assessments are remitted to the
National Office and, later transmitted to the host Chapter on a staggered basis
according to the amount already collected.
c. A Registration Fee will also be collected from the attendees as part of the fund.
d. In addition, substantial revenues may also be generated from souvenir programs,
advertisements, sale of goods, concessionaires’ fees, solicitations and donations, etc.
e. All of the above should be consolidated as Projected Revenues and should be the basis
in preparing the Anniversary Budget.
2. Budget
a. The host/lead Chapter is required to submit a Budget for the approval of Mancom.
b. The Budget must indicate all the projected revenues and project expenses. The host
Chapter is advised to project items of activities that will best contribute to a wholesome
celebration
c. It should also specify the return of the seed money.
3. After the NAC Requirements

a. The host Chapter is required to submit a comprehensive financial report not later than
one (1) month after the celebration. The RCD should see to it that this is accomplished
accordingly.

4. Excess Funds
a. Ideally the projected revenues and expenses should balance and there should be no
excess funds. NAC is not a vehicle for fundraising and certainly it is not intended to
benefit the host Chapter financially.
b. In case of excess funds, however, the seed capital provided by the National Office shall
first be returned. Of the remaining excess funds after such deduction, 25% must be
remitted to the NOF to be added to the NAC Fund for succeeding celebrations. After
deducting other incidental expenses possibly incurred by the Host Chapter, the
remainder is to be shared with the chapters and outreaches in the Region who worked
together on the annual celebration. The RCD should be consulted to bring about an
equitable sharing.
Fund Raising Guidelines
BCBP Fundraising Campaigns
A fundraising campaign becomes an official BCBP activity only upon the completion of the following
requirements and is approved by Mancom:
1. Proponents must submit for approval to Mancom a written proposal specifying the following:
a. Specific purpose for the use of the funds generated
b. Approval of the Chapter governance as recorded in the minutes of its meeting
c. Procedure and program of implementation
d. Coverage, whether local or nationwide
e. Projected revenue and budget plans, including any tax exposure
f. Specimen of tickets, brochures, posters and all other paraphernalia and/or collateral
attendant to the conduct of the project

2. Funds generated must be used exclusively for the specified purpose. Excess funds are subject to
25% remittance to NOF and may only be used for another activity upon clearance of the
Mancom through the RCD.
3. A comprehensive financial report of the fundraising must be submitted within one (1) month
after the activity. This report must show gross receipts, expenses and net revenues.
4. A subsequent report must be submitted giving details of how the funds were used.
5. Once approved as an official fundraising project, other Chapters or Outreaches are encouraged
to support the project whenever possible


Support for NonBCBP Fundraising Campaigns
At times the campaigns of other organizations are brought into the BCBP by leaders or members.
Mancom has the option to endorse some of these and thereby encourage support from BCBP members.
In any case, contributions are entirely voluntary and up to individual members

X. The Mission of the BCBP
Introduction
This final section focuses on the mission of the BCBP which consists of bringing Christ into the
marketplace and winning the marketplace for him. The Section has two parts; the first discusses the
BCBP’s mission to evangelize businessmen and professionals. The second consists in the BCBP’s call to
establish new BCBP Chapters. The BCBP fulfills the first part of its mission primarily through the men’s
breakfast and the second through its outreach programs.
The Men’s Breakfast
The BCBP began in 1980 with the establishment of a men’s breakfast to evangelize leaders and decision
makers in the marketplace and professions and through these leaders to bring Christ in the board rooms
of corporations and to bring Gospel values to bear on the way businesses and the professions are
conducted.
The breakfast is so central to the BCBP that no group can claim to be a BCBP Outreach or Chapter
without having a regular men’s breakfast and without bringing decisions makers in business to the
breakfast.
The Role of the Breakfast Head and the Team
The breakfast head especially must be a model of the BCBP member. He should own his own business or
be employed at decision‐making level and be a man known for his justice, integrity, and honesty. His
team members likewise should be examples of Christ‐centered business people.
The purpose of the Breakfast, which is evangelizing businessmen and professionals, determines
everything that is done at the breakfast. The choice of venue, the way the breakfast is organized, from
the way the room is set up, to the way the opening prayer is said, the type of songs played, the way the
sharer is chosen and the way he delivers his sharing, everything needs to support the purpose of the
breakfast. Anything in terms of decoration, style of song, manner of praying that could turn
businessmen away should be changed in such a way that it is attractive to those we wish to bring to the
breakfast.
The breakfast should be characterized by a business‐like discipline, i.e. faithfulness to an agreed on
starting and ending time. Sharers must observe a given time limit for their sharing, which should

normally not be more than 20 minutes. The overall length of the breakfast should normally not be more
than 1 ½ hours from start to finish.
The Role of the Sharer
The sharer must be an outstanding example of a man who has given his life to Christ. This must be
obvious in the way he shares. Sharers must never glorify themselves or by the manner of their sharing
call attention to themselves. The purpose of the sharing is to bring those who listen closer to Christ and
to awaken in their hearts a longing for entering into a relationship with our Lord. Sharers should be
chosen accordingly.
The Role of the Breakfast Team
The team, irrespective of what service the individual may perform, is there to evangelize. In other
words, conversation should not just be on the latest gossip or scandal or business problem, but in a
good and manly way focused on the Lord, on the BCBP and on its call and mission.
In short, everything that is done at the breakfast has only one aim to bring breakfasters and Christ
together.
The Role of those who invited businessmen to the breakfast
The responsibility to bring businessmen and professionals to the breakfast belongs to all the men of the
Chapter. The reason why the commitment card states that “I will regularly attend the breakfast” means
that I will attend and bring new comers to the breakfast.
Those who bring first timers to the breakfast have an ongoing job of continuing to invite those they have
brought to subsequent breakfast. Their task of evangelizing is only done, when the man accepts the
invitation to participate in the BCLP and even then they should still be in touch to show their concern.
Ladies Breakfasts and Joint Breakfasts
The women members of the chapter may want to get together for fellowship at a ladies breakfast. The
ladies breakfast is not for evangelization, since we evangelize married women through their husbands at
the men’s breakfast. The ladies breakfast does not have the purpose of bringing in single women or
widows into the BCBP. The primary purpose of the Ladies breakfast is for fellowship and for building one
another up in the love of the Lord. The Ladies Breakfast Head should understand the purpose of the
breakfast and make sure that it achieves its purpose.
We need to remember that there is no obligation for a Chapter to have a ladies breakfast. A Chapter can
be a Chapter in good standing without a ladies breakfast, but not without a men’s breakfast.
The Joint Breakfast
From time to time a Chapter might want to organize a joint ladies and men’s breakfast. The Breakfast
Head responsible for it needs to remember that the venue, way of handling the breakfast, songs,
prayers, sharing needs to be of such a nature that it is upbuilding to both men and women.

It needs to be remembered that the men’s breakfast has higher priority in the BCBP than joint
breakfasts. If a Chapter had resources for only for one breakfast, they should be used the men’s
breakfast and not the joint breakfast. Joint breakfasts can never take the place of the men’s breakfast.
BCBP Outreach Development Program
Introduction
BCBP mission is not exhausted by Chapters evangelizing businessmen and professionals and adding
them to their number. The mission includes also community building in the sense of assisting other
groups of businessmen and professionals to organize and over time develop into chapters. This section
describes the procedures governing outreach development.
Requirements for Opening an Outreach
Before an area or a group may be considered for outreach development, the Chapter Head through his
Mission Director needs to ascertain that the following basic requirements are present:
1. The bishop of the place where the proposed outreach is located agrees with the development of
a BCBP outreach in his diocese.
2. The local group must consist of at least ten (10) married or single businessmen or professionals,
either owning their own business or employed at decision‐making level.
3. There is real growth potential for the proposed outreach
a. The starting group has men with leadership potential who are willing to put time and
effort into the development of the outreach.
b. The place of the outreach has enough of a business community to make the
development of a chapter a real possibility. A business and professions environmental
scan may be helpful in this.
4. A possible venue for a men’s breakfast has been found together with a set day and time for the
breakfast.
5. The Chapter sponsoring the outreach needs to have sufficient personnel and financial resources
to see the project through.
a. Initial sharers at the breakfasts need to be available together with teachers for the
various programs like the BCLP and the weekends of the Basic Formation Program.
b. A budget needs to be prepared for the 18 to 24 months of the project. The funds are
sourced from the General Fund of the Chapter and not through fundraising. Any special
needs that go beyond the capability of the Chapter need to be brought to the RCD and
through him to the AMD.

6. Should the sponsor be an Outreach, the explicit approval and commitment from the supervising
Chapter to assist the sponsoring Outreach must be obtained
7. All of the above information needs to be submitted in writing to Mancom through the RCD and
AMD.
Responsibility of the Sponsoring Chapter or Outreach
Opening an outreach means that the sponsoring Chapter takes on the responsibility to help the
outreach group to become a Chapter of the BCBP. This involves the following development tasks
1. Development of a men’s breakfast
The men need to be taught how to conduct an evangelistic men’s breakfast in a way that it is
welcoming to other businessmen and professionals.
a. The men of the outreach need to be taught how to evangelize and whom to evangelize
so that they bring the right men into the Outreach in line with our Vision and Mission.
b. A breakfast head needs to be trained
c. Immediately after the first BCLP breakfast sharers from the outreach men need to be
trained and developed. The outreach needs to be trained to supply as many services
from its own resources.
d. A music ministry needs to be formed from the men and not the women, because the
women are not present at the men’s breakfast. As quickly as possible the outreach
should be able to handle its own music requirements.
2. Sponsoring and developing a local BCLP Team
a. After the first four breakfasts or after the local members are already involved in support
services for the breakfast, a BCLP should be scheduled for those who wish to grow in
their relationship with the Lord. It is very important to have the BCLP answer to a
hunger and desire to grow closer in the Lord than to schedule it just because it ought to
be scheduled.
b. During the first BCLP the outreach men and women should be participants only. The
emphasis is on leading them to adult conversion and a new empowering by the Holy
Spirit. It is crucial that the BCLP be well prepared, well taught, with experienced
discussion group leaders, because it lays the foundation for the outreach development
into a Chapter.
c. In all subsequent BCLPs the local men and women should be involved and be trained
how to serve on the BCLP team. After about three or four BCLPs the local outreach
should be able to handle the BCLP on its own with pastoral supervision from the
Outreach Coordinator.

d. Those who show gifts of teaching should be trained for giving some of the talks of the
Basic Formation Program.
3. Action Group Leaders Training and the Establishing of action Groups
a. After the first BCLP the participants need to be trained as Action Group Leaders and
then placed in Action Groups. The sponsoring Chapter team needs to make sure that the
new people are trained in leading Action Groups so that they can serve as Group
Leaders as soon as new people are evangelized and brought into the group.
b. Outreach people need to be assigned to lead Action Groups but under supervision by a
competent Unit Leader from the sponsoring Chapter.
4. Basic Formation Program
a. The sponsoring Chapter needs to make sure that the Basic Formation Program is well
prepared, scheduled, and executed. It is crucial for raising up an outreach into a well‐
formed Chapter.
b. As soon as possible the local leaders need to be involved in the Formation Program and
trained to handle more and more as their training and understanding of the BCBP grows
and progresses.
5. Selection and Appointment of an Outreach Head
As soon as possible, the Mission Team should identify an Outreach Head and, subject to the
approval of the Chapter Head, recommend him for appointment by the RCD This Outreach Head
shall serve for two (2) years. The term may be extended as necessary and as approved by the
sponsoring Chapter Head with the agreement of the RCD.
6. Term of the Development Process
Normally the development process from Outreach to Chapter takes three to five years. It is the
task of the Mission Team to conduct regular assessments of the growth of the Outreach. The
RCD needs to be kept informed about developments in the Outreach.
Criteria for Elevating an Outreach to a Chapter of the BCBP
The following should be in good order before an outreach can be established as a chapter of the BCBP.
In general the Outreach should have about 150 committed full members. Those who joined but are no
longer active do not count. In addition, the chapter needs to have at least an equal number of men and
women. A majority of men is acceptable; a majority of women may be a sign that the Outreach needs
more training in evangelization and in understanding the vision and mission of the BCBP.
The Outreach must have been in operation for at least two years and well integrated into the Region. In
addition, the following should be present.

1. A well‐trained Outreach Head, who has grown in his understanding of the vision and mission of
the BCBP and shows it by consistently living out faithfully the stipulations of the commitment
card of the BCBP, and has the gifts and leadership qualities to serve as the first Chapter Head.
2. The Outreach is capable of running its men’s breakfast on its own including well‐trained sharers
from its own ranks. It can offer a well‐run BCLP and again can provide the speakers from its own
ranks together with the needed discussion group leaders.
a. The men’s breakfast should take place at least twice a month.
3. The Outreach is capable of running its own Formation Program for Associate Members, being
able to provide most the speakers from its own ranks.
4. The Outreach has well‐trained Action Group Leaders to care for new people coming into the
Outreach.
5. Most important, the Outreach has shown itself capable of evangelizing businessmen and
professionals and bringing such men and their wives regularly into the Outreach where they
now serve as active members. A well‐run and successful men’s breakfast is a must.
6. The Outreach needs to be able to finance its own community life and mission and have been
faithful in remitting 25% of their tithe income to its Mother Chapter.
7. Toward the end of its training and development the Outreach should have opened an outreach
itself and have begun to help another group develop into a chapter of the BCBP.
The Appointment of the New Chapter Head
The sponsoring Chapter recommends the candidate to the RCD and AMD who will interview the
candidate. The AMD recommends the prospective Chapter Head to the President. With the due
consultation with the Mancom, the President appoints the person as the new Chapter Head of the new
Chapter.
After being established, the new Chapter takes its place with the other Chapters in the Region and its
Chapter Head serves as a member of the Regional Council.

Appendix A: The BCBP and Masonry
[A compilation of Freemasonry documents may be obtained from the National Office]
The Position of the Philippine Hierarchy of 1954 and 1990
Assertions of Many People including Masons
Many say that the various Masonic societies here in the Philippines are non‐sectarian organizations
which Catholics may join without injury to their Catholic faith.
Statement of the Bishops
This is false and We wish to reiterate in the strongest and most solemn terms of which We are capable
the ruling decreed by the Holy See that a Catholic who knowingly and willingly becomes a Mason
automatically incurs excommunication, may not receive any of the Sacraments of the Church and may
not be buried in a Catholic cemetery
Freemasonry is today what it has always been
1. It is a naturalistic religious sect
2. Denies or ignores many truths contained in Sacred Scripture and defined by the Catholic Church
as necessary for salvation.
a. E.g.: Jesus Christ is the Son of God in the strict sense
b. For Freemasons Jesus Christ is a man
c. Son of God can only be meant metaphorically
3. To subscribe to Masonry by membership is to deny or doubt essential truths of Catholic belief
4. Other grounds for incompatibility of Freemasonry and Catholicism
a. Religious indifferentism
b. Naturalistic religion
c. Its nature as a secret society bound by oaths
5. Catholics who join Masonic associations are
a. Excommunicated (may not receive sacraments)
b. Cannot be sponsors at baptism and confirmation
c. Cannot be sponsors at weddings, where that could cause scandal
d. May not be buried in Catholic cemeteries

6. Guidelines on membership in Masonic Associations approved by the Permanent Council of CBCP
(14 March 1990)
a. Quotes Ratzinger’s (Pope Benedict XVI) statement of Nov 26, 1983
i. Any Catholic who is publicly known as mason, i.e. whose membership in any
Masonic Association can be proven (external forum)
1. May not receive Holy Communion
2. May not be allowed to act as sponsor in Baptism Confirmation, and
weddings
3. Funeral rites may be denied, unless some signs of repentance before
death has been shown
4. Where funeral rites are allowed by the Ordinary [bishop], no Masonic
services shall be allowed in the Church or cemetery immediately before
or after the Church rites in order to avoid any public scandal
[signed, Leonardo Z. Legaspi, OP, D.D., President, CBCP]
Masons and Invitation to the BCLP and Membership
Masons like everyone else irrespective of religious affiliation are welcome to the BCBP Breakfast.
In inviting breakfasters to the BCLP care must be taken to advise those who wish to join of the
requirements of membership. This must be done up front especially in the case of Masons. Candidates
need be members in good standing of their church. Masonry and Catholic Church membership are
incompatible according to the teachings of the Vatican and the Philippine Hierarchy. Only those who are
willing to renounce their Masonic affiliation should be invited to the BCLP, because it is the first step in
becoming a member of the BCBP. The BCLP team needs to be aware of this and the Discussion Group
Leader needs to make sure that if there should be any Mason in his group, he is informed about the
incompatibility of Masonry with the Catholic Church and thus with the BCBP.
Approach to BCBP Members Who Are Masons
It is possible that someone’s Masonic affiliation was not detected prior and during the BCLP and the
person actually went through the Formation Program and possibly became a committed or full member
of the BCBP. Whenever this is discovered, the Masonic brother needs to be confronted honestly and
with brotherly love. He needs to be given the choice to remain in the BCBP and renounce Masonry, or
leave and continue with his Masonic affiliation. Such a person needs to be given all the help in
understanding why Masonry and the Catholic faith are incompatible.
The Masonic brother should be given a certain time for discernment and to come to a decision. If he
decides to remain with the BCBP and to renounce his Masonic affiliation, he should offer proof of his
actual renunciation of his Masonic affiliation. If he decides not to remain with BCBP, he should be

assured that he is always welcome at the breakfast and to full membership should he decide in the
future to renounce his Masonic affiliation.

Appendix B: Treasury and Finance Procedural Matters
A. BCBP BANK ACCOUNTS
BCBP has bank accounts with the Bank of the Philippines Islands (BPI), Buenida-Pasong Tamo
Branch located at the Ground Floor of Comfoods Building, Sen Gil Puyat Avenue corner Chino
Roces Avenue, Makati City, as follows:
Account Name BPI Current Account No.
BCBP National Office # 3561-0452-15
(NOF, admin & misc. payments)
BCBP Calamity Fund # 3561-0451-93
(calamity donations)
BCBP Kapatiran # 3561-0452-23
(subscription & advertising payments)
BCBP Anniversary # 3561-0452-07
(anniversary assessments)
IMPORTANT: Upon depositing, FAX Transaction Slip to (02) 819-0051
Or text advise to CP 0917 8005006
NOTE: On line deposits still require documentation which must be sent immediately following.
Remittances thru courier. Send checks with proper document and support papers through courier
to
BCBP NATIONAL OFFICE
UNIT 216 COMFOODS BLDG. GIL PUYAT AVENUE COR CHINO ROCES AVENUE, MAKATI
CITY
No Cash or PMO. Please do not send Cash thru courier or pay using Postal Money Order (PMO).
B. BCBP OFFICIAL RECEIPTS
The BCBP uses ONLY ONE (1) OFFICIAL RECEIPT (OR) for the whole community. No chapter/outreach
is authorized to print its own receipts. These OR’s are available at the BCBP national Office and given to
the chapters in the following manner:

1. An official written request for OR’s by the Chapter Head addressed to the National Treasurer,
cc: National Office, is required. (Send to the National Office address).
2. Old/Used OR’s, together with the third copy (yellow) are to be returned to the National Office -
who in turn will replace the number of OR’s (Booklets) returned.
Chapters are responsible in providing OR’s to their outreaches and are held accountable for it.

Appendix C: CASH HANDLING POLICY GUIDELINES
CASH RECEIPTS / COLLECTIONS

A. Sources of Collections:
1. TITHES
2. LOVE OFFERING
3. DONATIONS
4. EXCESS OF BREAKFAST
5. RETURN OF ADVANCES
6. OTHERS
7. PASS THROUGH
B. Objectives:
1. To ensure that all cash receipts / collections are properly recorded and accounted.
2. To ensure that all cash receipts / collections are properly deposited intact or the latest the
next banking day.
C. General Guidelines:
1. All cash receipts/collections must be covered with Official Receipts (OR).
a. Distribution:
Original Copy – MEMBER/PAYOR
Duplicate Copy – TREASURER
Triplicate Copy – STUB COPY
b. Detailed information:
Date of Issuance
Complete Name of Payor
Amount in Words and Figures
Reference or Particulars
Signature of Treasurer
2. All Official Receipts shall be issued chronologically.

3. The TREASURER shall keep the unused Official Receipt
4. Used Official Receipts shall be returned immediately to the BCBP National 0ffice or in
cases of outreaches, to the mother chapter for replacement.
5. All cash receipts/collections for the day shall be deposited intact the same day or the latest
the next banking day.
Deposits
Original Copy – Bank
Duplicate Copy – TREASURER
6. All issued official receipts shall be RECORDED in the cash receipts book or equivalent and
tithes collection are posted to the individual records/ledgers of members.
7. Checks received should be made in the name of the BCBP. As much as possible, checks,
drafts, etc. not in the name of the BCBP shall be discouraged and not accepted.
8. There shall be an established Petty Cash Fund for a maximum of PhP5,000.00 per
chapter/outreach as well as a maximum Breakfast Fund of PhP5,000.00.
9. Daily collections shall not be co-mingled with the BREAKFAST Fund and PETTY Cash
Fund.
10. Strictly speaking, collections should not be used to defray expenses.

CASH DISBURSEMENTS
D BREAKFAST FUND and PETTY CASH FUND

Objective: To facilitate payments of BREAKFAST expenses and PETTY / Miscellaneous
expenses.
Funds Set-up
Set-up fund of PhP5,000.00
General Guidelines
1. Appoint cash custodian.

2. The Funds shall be the responsibility & accountability of the custodian.
3. No personal checks of members or third parties shall be encashed from the funds.
4. No personal cash advance shall be allowed from the funds.
5. Funds shall not be co-mingled with collections and other funds.
6. In cases where total expenses exceed the amount of the cash advance, the custodian
shall reimburse the member the amount equivalent to the deficit.
7. In cases where expenses of the member are less than the amount of cash advanced, the
member shall return the excess cash to the custodian.
8. Liquidation of cash advances shall be made immediately after the expense has been
disbursed and shall not take more than five (5) days from the date the amount of cash
advance was granted.
9. Unliquidated cash advance should be followed up by the custodian from the member who
made the cash advance.
10. When funds are about 50% depleted, the custodian shall prepare summary of expenses
paid from the funds for replenishments.
10. The custodian shall forward the summary of paid expenses from the funds to the
Treasurer for checking and for check processing and replenishment.
11. Upon approval by the Chapter/Outreach Head of the payment, the Treasurer forwards
the related check to the Custodian. The custodian shall immediately encash checks
pertaining to the Fund to augment fund balance and availability.
E. CHECK PROCESSING / RELEASING

Objective: To process payment promptly.
Checks/Check Voucher
1. The Treasurer shall check the propriety of transactions for payment, mathematical
accuracy, based on the supporting documents.
2. Prepare check voucher for every Payment based on the supporting documents.
3. A corresponding check shall be prepared and attached for each check voucher.
4. Checks/Check Vouchers shall be used chronologically.
5. The amount in the check shall tally with the check voucher amount.
6. The Chapter/Outreach Head shall review and approve Check Vouchers.
7. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the release of duly approved maturing
checks/check voucher.
8. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the filing of the Check vouchers.
9. The Treasurer shall maintain cash disbursements book or equivalent for proper
monitoring and accountability.
10. The Treasurer shall maintain records of the chapter/outreach properties such as
laptop, lcd, projectors musical instruments, sound system equipment, etc showing the
following:
i. Date acquired
ii. Quantity
iii. Description of property
iv. Acquisition Cost/Donor

v. Custodian
11. The Treasurer shall maintain records of Cash Advances for liquidation showing the
following:
a. Date of Cash advance
b. Purpose of Cash Advance
c. Amount
12. Liquidation of cash advance shall be made within 24 hours after completion of the
transactions or no more than five (5) days from date of the grant of the cash advance.
General Guidelines
1. All disbursements out of the brotherhood funds shall be made by check and should be
covered by an approved Check vouchers and its supporting documents.
2. Cancelled checks shall be stamped “CANCELLED”. Reasons for cancellation shall be
indicated at the back of the check.
3. Approved checks shall be acknowledged and released only to the payee or to the duly
authorized representative and must be covered by an official receipt/provisionary receipt
of the payee.
4. In case of installment payments/down payments to suppliers, Treasurer shall monitor or
maintain a separate file for the amount advanced to avoid double payment.
F. REPORTS
1. A Daily Cash Position reports especially if there are cash transactions. Alternatively, an
update of the chapter record slip provided for in the checkbook is also imperative. This will
help the treasurer keep track of bank account balance and eventually the auditors at the time
audits are undertaken.
2. At month end, the Treasurer prepares the following reports for submission to the BCBP
National Office and to the Chapter for presentation during Assemblies and/or First Friday
gatherings.
a. Summary of Collections showing:
i. Date
ii. OR Number
iii. Payor
iv. Amount classified as tithes, pass through others
b. Summary of Disbursements
i. Date
ii. Check Number
iii. Payee
iv. Amount classified as Mission, Formation, PSD, Others
c. Monthly Financial Report showing:
i. Statements of Collections and disbursements
ii. Financial Condition
iii. Bank Reconciliation
iv. Summary of Advances
v. Summary of Properties

Appendix D: Guidelines on Internet Facilities
Chapters and Outreaches should take steps to assure Internet access in order to be connected with one
another and the National Office. The Chapter secretariat should know which members have an Internet
connection and who would allow the connection to be used by the Chapter or outreach.
It is highly encouraged that the Chapter have the use of a computer, Internet and email connection and
to advise the National Office once the connection has been established for easy contact. The National
Office will assign them an e‐mail account within the BCBP Website (bcbp.phil). Once you have received
your e‐mail address, the Chapter needs to send a test message to test the connection.
The BCBP’s website address is http://www.bcbp‐phil.com. In order to assure that the BCBP website
remains up‐to‐date, all Chapters and Outreaches must submit to the National Office the following
information for posting on the BCBP website: Governance Team, Breakfast venue and schedules,
Assemblies and venues.

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A. BCBP BANK ACCOUNTS

Account Name BPI Current Account No.

BCBP National Office # 3561-0452-15

(NOF, admin & misc. payments)

BCBP Calamity Fund # 3561-0451-93

BCBP Kapatiran # 3561-0452-23

(subscription & advertising payments)

BCBP Anniversary # 3561-0452-07

IMPORTANT: Upon depositing, FAX Transaction Slip to (02) 819-0051

Or text advise to CP 0917 8005006

BCBP NATIONAL OFFICE

B. BCBP OFFICIAL RECEIPTS

CASH RECEIPTS / COLLECTIONS

2. All Official Receipts shall be issued chronologically.

D BREAKFAST FUND and PETTY CASH FUND

1. Appoint cash custodian.

E. CHECK PROCESSING / RELEASING

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