Vision and the Main Concepts of Functioning of Association of Christian Journalists
Goals and Objectives
Association of Christian Journalists (ACJ ) is an organization which is social, inter-regional and non-profit by its form and Christian and inter-denominational by its essence and spirit.
The goal of the Association is:
1. Unifying the efforts of the representatives of different Christian periodicals (newspapers, magazines, alma-nacs, bulletins, etc), as well as other Christian media of the CIS countries and other countries outside Russia, for the cause of spreading the Gospel, and active Christian enlightening activity.
2. Raising the professional level of the Christian press through creation of conditions for its growth (journalist seminars) with the purpose of further growth of the authority and prestige of the Christian press in Church and society.
3. Coordination of actions on formation of the readers market of the Christian press, both in the CIS countries and abroad.
4. Adoption of joint declarations and appeals with the purpose of affecting the negative processes taking place in the society, endeavors to prevent discussion and adoption sinful (godless ) laws by legislative bodies, if any.
5. Formation of a general Christian view of the spiritual, economical and political processes taking place in the world. Discussing new topics and new phenomena that are disputable for Church because they are analyzed insufficiently (reproductive medicine, attitude to death penalty, etc).
Structure
(PRESIDENT, CHAIR, SECRETARY, DIRECTORATE, INSPECTION COMMISSION, STAFF)
The Organization is governed by President elected by general meeting (Congress) for 4 years. Presidential contender must produce and make public his action program for the period of presidency. President of ACJ is the Chair of the Directorate.
Congress is held once every 4 years, Conference (or General Meeting) is held every year. On the decision of majority, Congress and Conference may be held in turn in such big centers of CIS as Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Kiev, Minsk.
For the periods of absence of the President (illness, business trips) he is substituted by one of the members of the Directorate.
President is elected (and dismissed) by the Congress by a simple majority of votes.
Directorate is formed from among most experienced and energetic members of ACJ. The members of the Directorate are selected by the President and must be approved by the Congress (General Meeting) by vote. The number of members of the Directorate is defined by the Congress. The Directorate is a deliberative (or recommendatory) body, and also a legislative one. It develops general strategic goals and objectives of the organization, discusses current matters, prepares Plenums and Congresses, receives applications for ACJ membership, defines the amount of mem-bership fees and decides other issues.
The Directorate gathers not more rarely than once every year.
Audit and control of the spent means is carried out by the Inspection Commission elected at the Conference or at the Congress. The Inspection Commission consists of 3 members, including its Chair.
The Secretary is selected by the President on the basis of his personal human and business traits. The Secretary, under direct leadership of the President, keeps track of the news of political and social life of society and Church, ac-cumulates materials of Christian, apologetic, legal and social character, conducts correspondence with the members of the Association. He/she sends necessary materials to the members of the Association on their order, coordinates the activity of the members of the Association in different regions. He/she conducts correspondence with foreign part-ners. He/she prepares materials of the Directorate, as well as of Conferences and Congresses.
The list of paid and unpaid staff positions is defined by the Directorate on the basis of real necessity and financial possibilities.
Interior Regulations
(Code of Honour of Christian Journalist)
In all current matters the Association follows the Interior Regulations (or Code of Honour of Christian Journalist). The Code of Honour is a list of rules of behaviour of Christian publishers and journalists which defines their mutual rela-tions, as well as their relationship with Christian and secular organizations (including churches, missions, political parties, etc).
These rules ought to be based on the principles of the Bible (Holy Scriptures).
The Organization must be free and independent
Since the created organization certainly has a considerable inner potential, it can undergo pressure (both political and financial) with the purpose of taking over the control of it in their own interests. In this connection it is important to de-termine that the Association must be free in its actions from any infringement from outside and it cannot be an object of anybody's financial or political bargaining.
It must be, in the true sense of this word, an organization independent from people (dependent from God).
ACJ exists owing to voluntary donations, and also sponsors' money.
All members of the Association must take an active Christian and civic stand and enter into the creation of the organization.
Who can become a member of the Association?
Any journalist (publisher) who shares the views, the concept and the vision of the Association and is loyal to its inter-ests and goals may be admitted into it.
Admission is carried out by means of making a written application considered by the Directorate. The applicant pro-duces the originals (or copies) of his works published in the press.
The applicant has an interview with the members of the Directorate. The applicant does not have to represent a Chris-tian periodical. It may be a freelance journalist who brings up topical issues in his materials and discusses them in the Biblical (Christian) spirit.
Membership Fees
The amounts of the entrance and annual membership fees are determined by the ACJ Directorate. Currently they are: annual membership fee - $US 30.
What is gained by the Association membership
The membership in the Association will enable each member:
1. To use without hindrance and on preferential terms the bank of materials on any topic that he is interested in (cults, heresies, witnesses, social issues, and so on, and so forth) - both of printed and visual (photographs, drawings) character. Free circularization of materials by e-mail is planned, as well as distribution of materials on CDs during Congresses and Conferences.
2. To improve one's professional skills by means of special journalist seminars held every year (once or twice a year) and conducted by experienced journalists.
3. To be protected by the Association in case of persecution and violation of the rights of Christian publishers, whoever they came from, to have legal and juridical protection timely and without delay.
4. Besides that, the Association will actively participate in the formation of new periodicals, in every way promot-ing and helping them in their first steps.
5. The Association intends to support most promising periodicals by means of organizing and conducting competitions for grants. The competitions will be held if necessary funds are available in the organization's budget. The winners will be defined collectively, by secret vote of the Board (Directorate) of the Organization.
Perspectives: 3 stages
The development of the organization implies several stages. At each stage its specific strategic goals and objectives are to be achieved.1st stage (1 - 2 years)
First steps. The start of the functioning of the organization. Registration, adoption of the Code. Development of the Interior Regulations (Code of Honour).
Propagation of the goals and objectives of the Associations among secular and Christian organizations.
Creation of the bank of Christian materials (recording of best early published materials on CDs.
Measures on forming the readers market of the Christian press.
Organizing the general education processes, selecting the teaching personnel for conducting the journalist seminars.
Work on attracting talented journalists from the so called secular press, those who share the goals and the vision of the organization, to the ranks of the Association.
Search for friends and potential partners, and also for sponsors (periodicals, churches, businessmen) in the CIS countries and abroad.
Finding the general vision of the organization.
Involving all members of the Association in active creation of the organization.
2nd stage (up to 5 years). Formation of the organization
Opening an office of the organization abroad. Changing the status from regional to international.
Qualitative transformation of Christian periodicals included in the Association (increase of the circulation, for-mat and volume, etc), considerable improvement of published materials.
Working out the principles of interaction with political and economical parties and movements, subject to their affinity to Church or remoteness from it.
Working out the principles of interaction with the heads of religious denominations, the heads of missions, including foreign ones, as well as with Christian newspaper and magazine periodicals not included in the Association.
Starting a dialogue with governmental and legislative organizations, unions, funds, eminent cultural workers, public and political figures of the CIS countries.
Wide-ranging enlightening activity, dialogue with secular printed media.
Opening the Association's own agency (Agency of the Christian press, or The Origins Agency of Christian news).
Elaboration and development of new themes (reproductive medicine, attitude to death penalty and to participation in war conflicts), assessment of new phenomena through the prism of the Bible.
Adoption of resolutions and joint declarations of ACJ regarding different legislative acts adopted by parlia-mentarians of Russia and CIS countries.
Creation of the Association's own website (in Russian and in English).
3rd stage. Entering into the period of maturity
Finding the Association's unique image. Winning authority in the society. Real influence upon the processes taking place in the society, upon adopted laws, and so on, and so forth.
Considerable quantitative, as well as qualitative growth of Christian periodicals in Russia and all over post-Soviet area.
The Headquarters of the organization
The Headquarters of the Association is situated at the place of residence of the President.
Note: This Vision and Concept was stated by S.A. Romanov, the Chair of the Organizing Committee of the 1st Constituent Conference of Christian Printed Media in Saint Petersburg (Komarovo).
The Document was adopted unanimously with all modifications and amendments. (Minutes น1 of 15 May 2001).
On the basis of this Concept the Code of the Association of Christian Journalists was elaborated. The Code was adopted by a majority (Minutes น2 of 16 May 2001) and at the present time has been registered at Saint Petersburg Department of the Department of Justice of Russia. (Registration Number 1-25).
