[charity]

Dear Friends of the Global Missions cause:

It is with a heavy heart I communicate with you a concise overview of what has taken place with the missionary appointment of Brother T. W. Drost. On several occasions, the Global Missions Board (GMB) and/or Global Missions administration has dealt with Brother Drost and have endeavored to be understanding, longsuffering, patient, and merciful.

Over the past fifteen months we have been dealing with a volatile situation in our work in Mexico. We initially received correspondence from several high-level leaders of the UPC of Mexico (IPUM) stating there were problems in the work there. This was communicated to Global Missions as well as our General Superintendent, Brother David Bernard. Although the work in Mexico is considered to be nationalized, the United Pentecostal Church International continues to offer insight, wisdom, and support as needed and requested.

Global Missions and the General Superintendent attempted to work through this with Brother T.W. Drost. After discussion with Brother Bernard about the importance of his legacy and in an effort to avoid disunity and division in the church, Brother Drost decided to resign as Bishop President of the IPUM and communicated this in writing to the church in Mexico. The Global Missions Board supported Brother Drost’s decision to resign and communicated this to him in October of 2011, felt this was in the best interest of the work in Mexico.

Brother T.W. Drost changed his mind about resigning. We asked Brother Drost to meet the GMB in February of 2012 but due to passport issues, he could not travel outside of Mexico. Therefore, the GMB sent a committee to Mexico to meet with him and hear his side of why he did not fulfill the directive of the board. In this meeting, Brother Drost stated emphatically, “I will not obey a directive from the Global Missions Board. I answer to God. My calling is from God. You cannot tell me what to do with my life and my ministry.” Regrettably, this attitude had been manifested and documented on previous occasions.

Upon receiving this report from the committee, the Global Missions Board voted unanimously to withdraw the missionary appointment of Brother T.W. Drost. Brother Drost attempted to appeal to the Ministerial Appeals Council. However, our decision had nothing to do with his ministerial license; therefore it was not within their jurisdiction, so the matter was referred back to us.

Brother Drost appealed to his Regional Director and the General Director and was given an audience with the entire GMB in August of 2012. There he promised the board that he would return to Mexico and resign immediately as Bishop Superintendent, per his letter and the GMB directive. The GMB voted unanimously to uphold their decision regarding Brother Drost’s missionary appointment and to observe the situation in Mexico. To date, Brother Drost has not resigned as promised.

In March 2012, a considerable portion of leadership left IPUM.

In consultation with Brother Bernard, a unity conference has been proposed in order to bring the work back together. The brethren that departed have agreed to the unity conference. However, we have not received an answer from Brother Drost and/or IPUM regarding their acceptance.

Our sincere hope and prayer was that this would all be resolved and the church could move forward. That is the reason we have not communicated concerning this before now. Now that Brother Drost has addressed this publicly we are compelled to clarify our perspective. Brother T. W. Drost lost his missionary appointment due to insubordination to the GMB and being in direct violation to the agreed upon terms of his missionary appointment.

Sincerely,

Bruce A. Howell
General Director of Global Missions

BAH/btl