Dr. Mark L. Williams Named to Pentecostal World Fellowship Advisory Board
CLEVELAND, TN — The Church of God International Offices is pleased to announce Dr. Mark L. Williams, General Overseer, was elected as an Advisory Board member of the Pentecostal World Fellowship. This Advisory Committee consists of Pentecostal World Fellowship member representatives who are superintendents, presidents, chairpersons, and key leaders of Pentecostal/Charismatic national councils, churches, organizations and educational institutions.
The 23rd Pentecostal World Conference is being held August 27-30, 2013, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Held triennially, this marks the first time Pentecostal leaders from around the globe will meet in this city. The theme for this conference, “IN ONE ACCORD Rallying, Reaching and Releasing the Next Generation,” is a prophetic call of our Lord Jesus Christ to inspire, equip, and connect everyone, of every age group and nation, for a strategic thrust to build His church.
The Pentecostal World Fellowship is a cooperative body of Pentecostal churches and groups worldwide who are committed to further the gospel to the ends of the world. The mission of the Pentecostal World Fellowship is to unite and mobilize the global Spirit-filled family in completing the Great Commission of Jesus Christ.
The Pentecostal World Fellowship objectives are as follows:
1. TO PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE regional and continental alliances among Spirit-filled networks.
2. TO PROMOTE AND CONNECT Spirit-filled leaders – shapers of communities and nations.
3. TO SPEAK to governments and nations when and where social justice and religious rights are compromised and/or violated for the sake of the gospel.
4. TO FOSTER WORLD MISSIONS AND TO SUPPORT humanitarian efforts and, where possible, to provide relief aid.
5. TO SERVE as a cooperative fellowship for Pentecostal Theological institutions to promote the development of education and leadership training.
6. TO CHANGE the global contour of Christianity by emphasizing coordinated worldwide prayer.
7. TO ORGANIZE a triennial celebration (Pentecostal World Conference) that will gather the global Spirit-filled family to advance the mission and purposes of the Pentecostal fellowship.
Dr. Mark L. Williams serves as general overseer for the Church of God, the highest leadership role in the denomination. Elected to the post in 2012, Williams previously served as second assistant general overseer from 2008-2012.
Prior to leading the Church of God on the International Executive Committee, Williams served as the state overseer for California-Nevada and was a member of the International Executive Council.
Dr. Williams began his ministerial career as an evangelist, traveling on the weekends while earning a degree from Lee University. In 1995, he accepted his first pastorate, leading the South Cleveland Church of God in Cleveland, Tennessee, for four years, followed by a five-year tenure at the Riverhills Church in Tampa, Florida.
Dr. Williams holds a bachelor’s degree from Lee University, M.Div. from the Pentecostal Theological Seminary, and is a D. Min. candidate at the seminary. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from Lee University in 2010. Reverend Williams is married to Sandra Kay, and they have two sons, Austin and Ryan.
# # #
