COG Assembly Focuses on Church Planting

Celebrating the past but embracing a missional future, the Wednesday night General Assembly service focused on church planting. With guest music from Jason Crabb, the worship experience featured Michael Knight, the director of the National Office of Church Planting, who highlighted the stories of planters from diverse contexts on the "mission field" of North America. As a litany of church planters came across the stage, the diversity of age, culture and location was pronounced.

Raised up from around the Church of God, each with particular callings to particular places, the idea of place was significant throughout the night. "God has places," declared Bishop Sean Teal in a rousing message.

Teal's own strategic place has been Chattanooga, Tenn., where the Church of God ordained bishop has a ministry of global influence through a thriving local church, frequent TV appearances and the Church Supernatural Prayer Network.

Teal's message pointedly addressed much of the Church of God's current struggle to commemorate its past while attempting to capture something of the pioneer spirit so characteristic of early Pentecostalism for the future.

Teal especially challenged ministers to go beyond the routine tasks of vocational obligation and recapture "ministry as a bread-breaking exercise," where the Word of God is preached from a place of lived experience. He called the Church to recognize the ways that God gives us "redirection through rejection." Drawing on the rejection of Jesus through the cross as the precursor for resurrection, Teal explained that "Rejection is not personal, it's spiritual. You can't take rejection personally, must take it spiritually. It's used by God to put you where you should have been in the first place!"

It was a timely message for a church in transition, a denomination that must follow the Spirit the only way He can be followed — on the move. Forward movement may involve leaving some things behind: "If God is through with it, you need to be through with it too ... If God is moving on, then you need to be moving on and move with those who are moving with God." Following the undomesticated Spirit of God comes at great price, as God's chosen method is to "sacrifice your way to the next level."

North American church planters find themselves embedded deeply within the larger story of people of the untamed Spirit, men and women who know what it is to sacrifice for the sake of following God to new places.

COG Selects a New Executive Council

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.

Pastors Are Getting a Lot of Attention at the COG Assembly

It seems that Pastors are getting much attention in the business meetings of the Church of God General Assembly going on this week in San Antonio, Texas right now.

So far there are 5 members of the Executive Council (council of 18). They are, in order of their nomination: Bryan Cutshall, Loran Livington, BIll Isaacs, David Cooper, and Tony Scott … 4 of the first 5 have been pastors.

Some are predicting that as many as 13 Pastors could be selected.

Church of God Elects New Leadership Today

Election results today thus far:

General Overseer---Raymond Culpepper
1st Assistant----Tim Hill
2nd Assistant---Mark Williams
3rd Assistant---David Griffis
Secretary General---Wallace Sibley

James Davis to Address COG Leading Pastors

On August 2-3, 2008, James Davis will address the top 1,000 Church of God pastors and leaders worldwide in San Antonio. From the beginning, the Church of God has helped lead the way in the Second Billion movement, including General Overseer Dennis McGuire, General Secretary Paul Walker, World Missions Director Roland Vaughn, and Douglas LeRoy, who serves as Assistant World Missions Director as well as Second Billion Cochair/Unreached Peoples.

Read more about this fine organization here.

Dr. Kim Alexander Elected SPS President

At the 2008 annual meeting the Society for Pentecostal Studies, Dr. Kimberly Alexander, a professor at the Church of God Theological Seminary in Cleveland, Tennessee, was elected Second Vice President of the prestigious organization.

The election starts a succession of leadership beginning at next year's meeting where Dr. Alexander will become first vice president and program chair for the 2010 meeting. At the 2010 meeting she will become president and deliver the President's address at the 2011 meeting. From now until 2012 she will serve on the Executive Committee and have various responsibilities depending on her office. She has been serving as the Interest Group Leader for the History Interest Group.

Dr. Alexander currently serves as Assistant Professor of Historical Theology at the Church of God Theological Seminary.

Dr. Terry Cross, dean of the School of Religion at the Church of God's Lee University, just completed his year as president of SPS and delivered the president's address at the meeting held last month in Nashville.

Update - Dr. Charles W. Conn

Dr. Charles W. Conn, who served in the highest capacities of leadership in the Church of God, passed away on March 18. He was 88.

Charles Conn’s ministry spanned a wide spectrum of positions throughout his ministerial career. A native of Atlanta, Ga., Conn’s first denominational appointment was in Louisiana where he was the 20 year-old Sunday school and youth director for the state. Two years later he accepted his first church where he served as a pastor for six years at two Missouri churches , St. Joseph (1942-44) and Leadwood (1944-48). By 1948, Charles Conn had earned his ordination and the Church of God had recognized his emerging leadership by appointing him director of Sunday school and youth literature. Four years later, at the age of 32, he would be appointed editor-in-chief of all Church of Godpublications. For the next decade, Charles Conn’s integrity and respect as a church leader, author and historian would rise. In 1955 he released perhaps his most enduring legacy to the Church of God, Like A Mighty Army, the first comprehensive history of the Church of God. The publication would be the first of nearly two dozen titles Conn would pen throughout his career, including Pillars of Pentecost, Where the Saints Have trod, The Bible: Book of Books, A Guide to the Pentateuch, Acts of the Apostles, Why Men Go back, Cradle of Pentecost, the Pointed Pen and Anatomy of Evil.

In 1962 Dr. Conn was elected assistant general overseer on the Church of God Executive Committee, the denomination’s highest governing body. He would serve eight years on the Committee, rising in 1966 to the office of General Overseer, the highest role of leadership within the Church of God. During his tenure from 1966-70 the church of God would grow around the world and a new general offices building would be dedicated at the current site of the international offices in Cleveland, Tennessee. During his years on the Executive Committee he represented the Church of God in several interdenominational capacities such as the executive committee of the Pentecostal Fellowship of North America, the presidium of the Pentecostal World Conference and the board of directors of the National Association of Evangelicals.

In 1970, General Overseer Conn became President Conn when he accepted the presidency of theChurch of God’s flagship educational institution, Lee College. His leadership over the next twelve years would be marked by a time of unprecedented growth and advancement, both in student enrollment and standing in the academic community. New enrollment records were set during his tenure and a new 1,800 seat auditorium – the Conn Center – was constructed.

From 1982-84, Charles Conn would serve for two years as state overseer for the Church of God inVirginia. In years to follow he would devote his time to Church of God history as the official Historian for the Church of God. He would lead the Historical Commission and serve as a valuable resource of knowledge and history of the Church of God.

During his appointed and elected positions throughout his life, Conn received numerous recognitions, honors and awards and served on boards and ministries. Including his service on the Executive Committee and excluding the years off due to tenure limitation, Dr. Conn served for 30 years on theChurch of God Executive Council, from 1952-1990. He was a member of the National Radio and Television Board (1962-64), director of Ministry to the Military (1962-66), member of the national Layman’s Board (1964-66) and the Centennial Commission (1980-86). He is the recipient of the Doctor of Letters degree from Lee University (1962) and a Doctor of Divinity from Berea TheologicalCollege in South Africa (1977).

In addition to an honorary doctorate, Charles Conn’s alma mater Lee University has honored him in various ways over the years. In 1960 he was the first recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award. A Charles W. Conn scholarship was endowed for needy students by the Collegiate Sertoma Club . The annual Charles W. Conn Leadership Award and scholarship was established several years ago and the Lee board of directors bestowed the title President Emeritus in 1999.

First and foremost in the life of Charles W. Conn was his wife Edna, who passed away in 1997, and their twelve children Philip, Sara, Stephen, Paul, Sharon, Raymond, Camilla, Mark, Cathy, Bruce, Jeffrey and Melody.

The family will receive friends on Friday, March 21, 2008 at Ralph Buckner Funeral Home, 4:00-7:00 pm. The funeral will be Saturday, March 22, 10:00 am. (location to be determined).

Please continue to keep the Conn family in your prayers.