Church of God Presiding Bishop Mark Williams preaching.

Official church historians consider the Church of God (Cleveland, TN USA) the oldest continuing, and one of the largest, Pentecostal ecclesial organizations in the world. It dates back to 1886 with roots in the Unicoi Mountains of Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina. It considers itself more of a movement than a denomination, more of a dynamic and organic union than an institution. Yet with around 7 million members worldwide and a constituency closer to 15 million the Church of God certainly has developed some of the trappings of an organized institution. One of these institutional necessities has been its biennial General Assembly.

True to its origins in the American Wesleyan Holiness Movement the Church of God early adopted a mostly Episcopal form of government. Among other things, this has meant a centralized polity, although with some admittedly hybrid elements of congregationalism showing through here and there. Every two years Ordained Bishops of the Church of God meet in a General Council to elect leaders, discuss business, and address pressing issues in the church and in society. Then the General Assembly, which still includes the General Council but adds other credentialed ministers as well as registered lay delegates, meets to confirm (or not) the suggestions of the Bishops. The General Assembly is the highest governing body of a group that insists it adheres strictly to the teachings of Scripture in its beliefs and practices. In between General Assembly sessions the Church of God is led by an International Executive Committee consisting of a Presiding Bishop (General Overseer), three assistants (executive bishops), and a Secretary General together with 18 councilors comprising the International Executive Council. The Presiding Bishop moderates the General Council and the General Assembly.

For me, this opening process suggests something of an interpretative key for the 75^th General and what it says about where the Church of God is today and what it is about. Two words come to my mind: retention and expansion. The course of this General Assembly suggests to me that the Church of God is engaged in Herculean labors to retain its Holiness-Pentecostal heritage and identity and also to expand its ministries and mission for contemporary relevance and effectiveness in a world that has changed dramatically since the turn of the 20^th century. As a Church of God member, bishop, pastor, and educator, as well as something of an interlocutor with others, I applaud these dual drives. However, I recognize that there is an inherent tension in remaining rooted in the past while taking wing into the future. Nevertheless, I’m convinced that the most consistent way forward for the Church of God still involves integrating just such continuity and creativity.

I am especially grateful to have been the first ever formally endorsed invited guest and observer from the Church of God (Cleveland, TN) at the National Council of Churches General Assembly in Minneapolis, Minnesota (Nov 10-12, 2009). This was truly an historic occasion.

The theme of the Assembly was “Rejoice Always, Pray without ceasing, Give thanks in all circumstances (I Thessalonians 5:16-18, NRSV.) Some commented that although at first glance this seemed inappropriately optimistic in the face of world conditions, it actually reflects the Church’s faith that God has called them together to proclaim the gospel and restore justice to the world. Staff leaders of two sister two organizations – the Rev. Dr. Michael Kinnamon, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches, and the Rev. John L. McCullough, Executive Director and CEO of Church World Service – each described alarming conditions in which millions live in the nation and around the world, and called upon the member communions to recommit themselves to proclaiming this gospel of hope and justice. Dr Kinnamon in particular said it was appropriate for Christians to be openly outraged about the state of the world. However, he also called the NCC to repentance and to remember the cause for which God first raised it up: the unity of the body of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Dr Kinnamon also invited me to address the Assembly briefly, bringing greetings from the Church of God and from other Pentecostals in expressed appreciation for the meeting. I particularly stressed the work of the Holy Spirit in the world today. There was a great deal of applause then and later personal expressions of affirmation for the global role of the Church of God and Pentecostalism in general today. Partly as a result of this public exposure and partly as a result of some previous personal relationships, I spent a great deal of time talking with people about global Pentecostalism. I also passed out some literature and contact information. Many inquirers approached me. In short, I shared my Pentecostal testimony with others!

The NCC GA also had regular worship services with each one led by a different Christian tradition, and daily prayer times and Bible studies (with Bibles provided by the American Bible Society through the mediation of President R. Lamar Vest, former Presiding Bishop of the Church of God). The emphasis overall, however, was on social action. Emphasis was on alleviating poverty and establishing justice and peace; but economic crisis, health care reform, nuclear proliferation, and global water shortages were also addressed. A few times climate change came up too, along with some evidence of prolife presence and women’s rights advocacy. Ecumenism and interfaith issues repeatedly surfaced. A highlight was when Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty came. After breakfast, he addressed the GA, highlighting the importance of God and religion in American public life and government. Further, Dr Richard L. “Dick” Hamm, Executive Director of Christian Churches Together (CTT) was present and strongly stressed partnering with Evangelicals and Pentecostals to the entire GA. We have agreed to follow up on discussing Pentecostals and CTT.

As it turns out, another Pentecostal, my friend Andrew Hudson, was also present. Andrew was one of two senior stewards at NCC. He was a steward last year as well through application and this year he was asked and nominated to be one of the leaders of this group. He was also the chair of the worship committee for the New Fire young adult ecumenical conference in the preconference program. The committee was made up of 3 members and 12 denominations. Brother Hudson was the only Pentecostal. He is the son of a Church of God pastor and is himself an ordained minister from Western North Carolina. Andrew is a 2nd year Master of Divinity student at Princeton Theological Seminary. Further, he is the co-moderator for ACTS (Association of Charismatic and Pentecostal Theological Students) at Princeton Seminary. He is the multicultural ministries director for Mt. Bethel Church of God in Trenton, NJ and a member of the youth advisory board for the Church of God in NJ. Brother Hudson is as an example of some of our best and brightest young ministers and students who are becoming increasingly interested in ecumenical ministries. We were both very well received.