The Church of God (Cleveland, TN) is in their General Assembly this week. Today, they finished the selection of the Council of 18, eleven of which are pastors this time.The complete list selected today is as follows.
- Bryan Cutshall, pastor
- Loran Livingstone, pastor
- Bill Isaacs
- David Cooper, pastor
- Tony Scott, pastor
- Don Walker
- Grant McClung, not under EC appointment (COGTS Professor)
- Lamar Vest, not under EC appointment (American Bible Society)
- Jentzen Franklin, pastor
- Oliver McMahan, pastor
- Gary Sears, pastor
- Nick Park, pastor (international)
- David Mungia, pastor (international)
- Mike Chapman, pastor
- Fedlyn Beason (international)
- Mark Walker, pastor
- Thomas Propes
The Church of God General Council met for its first session yesterday in the AlamoDome in San Antonio, Texas. During the morning session, the group of ordained bishops nominated the Executive Committee for the upcoming 2008-2010 Assembly period.
Accepting the top nomination for the office of General Overseer was Raymond F. Culpepper, first assistant general overseer since he was elected in 2004. Culpepper's nomination by the Council was a mandate as he received more than the required number of votes on the initial nominating ballot. The nominating ballot is followed by subsequent numbered ballots until the number needed to nominate is reached.
"As I stand before you I have two sensations," Culpepper stated as he accepted the nomination from his ministerial peers. "I have an overwhelming sense of honor and thanks, and then an overwhelming responsibility. When I was honored to be elected four years ago as your first assistant, I thought I knew the Church of God. What I have found as I have traveled the world these past four years is a new level of appreciation of the multi-cultural and multi-ethnic background of our movement." The newly-nominated leader of the denomination named and thanked his family, including his wife, Peggy, and promised, "We will give everything we have and everything we are to serve you. Our future is in God's hands and we will go forward together." Dr. Culpepper has served the Church of God as an evangelist, pastor and state youth and Christian education director.
Tim Hill, current second assistant general overseer, was nominated to fill the post of first assistant for the ensuing two years. Hill, who was elected secretary general in 2004 and then to his current post two years later, also went in on the nominating ballot.
"I sense an anointing to serve and assist and I feel very comfortable in this role," Hill stated in accepting the nomination. He has been active in ministry in the Church of God as a pastor, state overseer in Oklahoma and Southern Ohio and evangelist, as well as an elected member of the International Executive Council. He and his wife, Paula, have three daughters.
The next three positions nominated are newcomers to the Executive Committee. For second assistant general overseer, the General Council nominated Mark Williams, current state overseer for the states of California and Nevada. Williams, a former national evangelist and pastor, was nominated on the first ballot.
"There are moments in life when one is at a loss for words," Williams stated to the General Council. "I have a heart filled with gratitude right now for my heritage." He mentioned his parents, his wife, Sandra Kay and his two young children. "I love this church because of its heritage, its Pentecostal distinctives and its future. Thank you for inviting me to serve with this leadership."
David Griffis was nominated by the General Council to become the next third assistant general overseer. The current state overseer for Tennessee, Griffis has a long record of leadership in youth ministry, including state director for three states/regions, assistant and general director of youth and Christian education for the denomination and state overseer in West Virginia.
Griffis was humbled by his nomination stating, "My heart is overwhelmed ... from the depths of my being I am grateful to my family and my fellow ministers ... so many of you have had an influence on my life. The finest hours are ahead for the Church of God and I am willing to spend and be spent for this church. I will do my very best." David Griffis is married to Judy and they have two children.
The final nomination for the Executive Committee went to Dr. Wallace Sibley, the current international director for evangelism and home missions. Sibley, who is the first ethnic to be nominated to the Committee, has a long history of leadership in the Church of God, including director of Cross-Cultural Ministries, state overseer for Southern New England and Florida Cocoa and a local pastor, also holds the distinction of being the first person of color elected to the Council of 18.
"I approach this podium with love and respect for this church," Sibley stated. "I am overwhelmed by the vote of confidence and I pledge my full support to these leaders and to this church. I want to help our general overseer be the best that he can be and I believe God has His hand on this church." Sibley, and his wife, Dorothy, are the parents of four children.
In the closing hour of the morning session the General Council continued with nominations, completing the vote for director and assistant directors of the department of youth and Christian education. Thomas Madden, the current assistant director of the department, was nominated by the General Council to be elevated to the top post. Madden has spent his entire ministerial career in youth ministry, beginning as a youth pastor and then serving in two states as a youth director before spending 14 years as youth ministries coordinator for the youth and C.E. department where he was instrumental in developing the successful Winterfest program.
"I believe in youth ministry because I am a part of it," Madden stated upon accepting the nomination. "I am a product of our youth ministry, Lee University and of the Seminary ... I want to tell you that when we speak of our youth today, not all news is bad news. I want to equip our young people and release them to go to places will never go ... I will fight for this generation, for that's the only way to win it." Madden's family includes his wife, Charla, and three children.
Nominated to replace Madden as assistant director was Gary Lewis, state youth director of South Carolina, who said, "I am committed to the youth of our church ... there is a revival brewing among our young people and I commit myself to Brother Madden and the youth of this church." Lewis' ministerial resume includes leadership as a state director in five states/regions, including South Georgia, Eastern North Carolina and Iowa/Nebraska. He is married to Lori and they have two children.
As the morning session of the General Council adjourned, the body of ordained bishops had cast the first votes for director of Evangelism and Home Missions. As they returned for the afternoon and evening sessions, votes were cast for the director and assistant director of Evangelism and Home Missions and director and assistant director of World Missions and the International Executive Council.
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