International Executive Council Completes January Session
Cleveland, TN—The Church of God International Executive Council concluded their regularly-scheduled session on Wednesday, January 28.
The International Executive Council, which consists of the Council of Eighteen and the International Executive Committee, gathered in the Council chambers at the Leadership and Communications Center. The governing body of the denomination meets three times a year: January, April and September.
General Overseer Mark Williams opened the meetings with scripture and prayer and a re-visitation of the ONE emphasis of the Church of God: One Faith, One Lord, One Mission.
“I come to you this morning convinced more than ever before that if we are to fulfill our mission to communicate the full Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Spirit and power of Pentecost, if we are going to faithfully live out our core values, if we are going to see our vision fulfilled, we must be ONE, with one Lord, one faith, one mission,” Williams told the Council. “Only a united Church can reach a divided world. Only a united Church will bring disciples to maturity. Only a united Body, fitted and held together by what every joint supplies with individual parts functioning properly can experience growth and be built up in love. Only a united Church can overcome the onslaught of darkness. Only a united Church can capture the hopes and dreams of a new generation and see the passion of youth intersect with the mission of God.”
The General Overseer then introduced David Ray, chairman of the General Assembly cabinet for the Church of God. Ray presented members of the staff of Communications who individually reviewed portions of the promotional efforts of the 2014 General Assembly (GA2014) last summer.
The agenda of the Council included several items of interest, some of which were generated from actions taken at GA2014. Discussion items included the process of credentialing, especially as it relates to finding ways to enable ministers to continue to grow in their professional life.
The Council also projected into the future as it concerns multi-site church campuses and how they fit with the mission and vision of the Church of God.
Several committees presented reports to the Council, beginning with the Budget Review Committee. Last September was the final installment of a five-year process of reallocation of finances. General Overseer Williams noted that the denomination has now come to a place where the Church of God can, “seize the opportunity to re-prioritize our finances toward our core values.”
A sub-committee of the Council presented a preliminary report on the eligibility of female ministers to be advanced to the level of Ordained Bishop. The committee recommended that, “a complete study be done regarding the full rights and privileges of women ministers in the Church of God, along with a study of the nomenclature of all ranks of ministry in the Church of God. Further, that a study be made regarding the possibility of future contributions of women ministers in the governing bodies of the Church of God; and that a report be brought back to the September 2015 session of the Executive Council.”
A final committee report concerned the process of submission and adoption for resolutions presented at the General Assembly and how they can better be prepared and presented.
The International Executive Council adjourned their January meeting on Wednesday, January 28 and are scheduled to convene again beginning April 28, 2015.
As part of the coverage of this Council session, more than a dozen videos filmed on site are posted at www.churchofgod.org featuring snippets from several members of the Council. Among the set of video presentations, General Overseer Williams gives summary reports of the day’s activities and deliberations.
