Annual Report 2020
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ANNUAL REPORT 2020 1 Table of Contents: About Brunstad Christian Church 4 From the Board 6 Key financial figures 8 Organization and Management 12 From our Leader 14 Important resolutions in the Assembly of Representatives 16 BCC events: Conferences are the heart of church life 18 A year’s events went online 22 Support for local churches 30 Organizations we support 32 Young members in the church 38 Information, action and inspiration for church life 40 Annual report of the board, 2020 44 Activity accounts 48 Independent Auditor´s Report 68 2 3 About In Norway, 19 local churches are affiliated with BCC through shared objectives. The Brunstad Christian Church local churches are independent legal entities responsible for their own operations and finances. • A Christian church with Norwegian This report covers the Norwegian origins and an international presence association that for many years has been 01 the principal actor of the international • Started in Horten, Norway in 1898, with church. The nonprofit association is Harstad Johan Oscar Smith’s conversion registered in Norway with organization • Has approximately 8,900 members in number 979 961 073. The report provides Norway, and in 2020, more than 60% are insight into how BCC in Norway works to under the age of 30 promote its Christian objectives. This is achieved by facilitating active ministry and • The Norwegian organization has its meaningful fellowship for fellow believers in administration and headquarters in Moss, Norway and all over the world. Norway • In 2020, the BCC Assembly of The main areas of focus in 2020 were Representatives resolved to establish an mission work, online conferences, media international federation and renew the production and support for local churches. organizational structure You can read more about these in the following report. The name Brunstad Christian Church BCC’s objectives: (BCC) is often used collectively for the BCC, along with fellow believers people and organizations that adhere to and affiliated organizations in other BCC works for the gospel to reach the the same Biblical teachings that Johan countries, wants to contribute positively entire world, so that all people can Oscar Smith converted to. They are to the communities it is a part of. In become disciples, and can learn to do connected by international TV broadcasts the last 20 years, BCC has undergone what Jesus has commanded. and conferences hosted at Brunstad in rapid development in terms of (Matthew 28:18-20) Sandefjord, Norway, but historically, the finances, membership numbers and church has existed without an international professionalization. In 2020, the church Molde structure until now. took the first steps from being a Norwegian association to establishing itself as an international federation. More information Måløy about this can be found in the BCC federation’s annual report. Valdres Hallingdal Bergen Hamar Hønefoss Oslo og Follo Stord Eiker Drammen Horten BCC’s head office is located Tønsberg Østfold Stavanger in Moss, Norway. Grenland Sandefjord Sørlandet 4 5 From the Board 2020 became an unusual year, when the Covid-19 pandemic made it necessary retained within the federation, where they of an influence operation against BCC, to change all plans. Meanwhile, renewal and digital development generated are managed in accordance with BCC’s which was conducted by the now defunct 02 objectives. The other financial results are organization PSY-Group. international enthusiasm in BCC. Assisted by technology, churches across satisfactory and are consistent with planned international borders were connected in a completely new way. budgets. Justified criticism can lead to change and improvements, but unfair criticism and Criticism for better or worse misinformation can be both harmful and Having an organization capable of rapid A renewed, online conference program Although we experienced a year of great destructive. BCC will therefore continue to changes turned out to be a contributing was the result of these innovations and commitment and change in our church actively document what is true and correct factor in turning the difficult situation solutions, and many volunteers mobilized internationally, BCC simultaneously faced in matters involving our operations. created by the Covid-19 pandemic into to help with technical support and massive media coverage and public something positive for the church. This year, translation. The conferences in 2020 had an criticism in Norway. This coverage affected A unique year that gave future direction we must extend a special thank you to our international flavor, which greatly enriched those with operational responsibility, BCC would like to thank all its employees donors and volunteers, who did not reduce the BCC community. Fellow believers from but also the many thousand Norwegian and the volunteers who made such their donations and efforts, but continued around the world felt as included in the members. The media attention around BCC extraordinary efforts in 2020. Without their to support our objectives. conferences as those from Norway and reached its peak in the second half of the enthusiasm and commitment, we would Europe. year, when the TV documentary program not have had all those fantastic experiences BCC’s income comes mainly from NRK Brennpunkt (Focal Point) discussed through the online broadcasts. donations made by individuals, Renewal of the organizational structure BCC in the series “God’s Chosen.” BCC organizations, and businesses. We also – entering into an international federation disputes substantial parts of the content in A big thank you is also extended to receive grants as a religious community. For several years, BCC has worked the documentary, and documentation also all of you who have shown care and In this annual report, you can see where with developing renewed bylaws and proves that many of the documentary’s consideration for the members in the many the donations come from and how BCC organizational structure. The transition of allegations are incorrect. local churches, both through practical manages these donations and grants to BCC into an international federation will assistance, encouragement and prayers. further our objectives. continue in the coming years, and will In addition, BCC spent considerable You have demonstrated Christianity in ensure that BCC remains a church for those resources on uncovering the consequences practice – and that is what we work for. Conferences moved online who wish to participate actively in fulfilling The world shut down in March 2020, Jesus’s Great Commission throughout the necessitating the cancellation of all world. conferences through the end of year, and creating a need to make rapid changes to The first step of the reorganization was BCC’s plans. The international conferences taken in 2020, when the media section was are BCC’s most important arena for ministry separated from BCC and re-established and fellowship, and are therefore given high as an independent organization in the priority. BCC federation. As part of this change, the Assembly of Representatives also The expertise built up in BCC Media over decided to provide BCC Media and the the last several years became an important newly founded BMS International with asset, and ultimately, the shutdown resulted financial support for start-up and future in both creativity and innovation. In record activities. These resolutions resulted in a time, dedicated staff and volunteers built deficit in the association for 2020 because a studio that connected local churches parts of BCC’s operations and assets were Board Member Chairwoman of the Board Board Member around the world virtually for the Easter transferred to new organizations in the Finn Å. Ødegård Berit Hustad Nilsen Trond Eivind Johnsen holiday in April. federation. Meanwhile, these resources are 6 7 9 % Public grants and VAT compensation 25 % Other contributors Key figures 18 % Financial income and investments Funds raised In 2020, BCC held 213.3 MNOK in funds As part of this development, the BCC 213 raised towards its objectives. Of this, Assembly of Representatives approved a 45 % 03 donations and grants from private donors substantial grant of 94.2 MNOK to BMS MNOK 6 % Norway and affiliated organizations accounted for International, the federation’s new mission Operational around 67%. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, organization. Furthermore, BCC Media was activities there was a sharp decline in income from separated into a separate foundation within operational activities in 2020, as there were the federation and received 27.4 MNOK in no participation fees for BCC’s conferences transferred amounts. Assets are therefore and events for large parts of the year. retained in the federation, and remaining 42 % Donations and other financial results are satisfactory and in line Donations and contributions BCC received a total of 11.7 MNOK in with planned budgets. collections 14 % public grants. Furthermore, the association Other 29 % was reimbursed 8.3 MNOK under the Equity and Fund countries Germany VAT compensation scheme for non- Book value of the association’s net assets 4 % profit organizations. BCC did not receive is 891.6 MNOK at December 31, 2020. Of 4 % any public grants or compensation in Denmark this, 737.9 MNOK is allocated to a separate 4 % Switzerland connection with the Covid-19 pandemic in fund, which has internal restrictions and is The Netherlands 2020. kept separate from operational finances. The size of the fund is affected by the Funds spent on operations totaled abovementioned grants to international 297.5 MNOK, which resulted in an Funds used media and mission activities in 2020. In line 2 % operating loss of 84.2 MNOK. The reason with this, the fund’s return was used as a for this deficit is the commencement of Other activities grant to BCC Media in 2020. In addition, a towards objectives restructuring to a federation model, where part of the fund was given as a grant to BMS 37 % 7 % parts of BCC’s activity and balances were International.