Noted Theologian R. Hollis Gause Passes Away
Cleveland, TN–One of the Church of God’s most respected theologians, Dr. R. Hollis Gause, passed away on Sunday, September 6, 2015. He was 90.
Throughout his illustrious academic and ministry career, Dr. Gause touched thousands of young lives as they prepared for the ministry at either Lee University or the Pentecostal Theological Seminary. His influence reached beyond the institutional doors as he presented academic papers, speeches and commentaries to audiences around the globe.
For Gause, the ministry of study and the ministry of teaching were expressions of worship.
He became a credentialed minister in the Church of God at the age of eighteen. During his studies at Columbia Theological Seminary he became an active member of the Sixth Street Church of God where he met his future wife, Beulah Hunt. They married in 1948, one year after he joined the faculty of Lee College (now Lee University). They were blessed with one son, Valdane (Val).
Dr. R. Hollis Gause
Gause served in a variety of roles during his twenty-eight year tenure at Lee from 1947-1975, including instructor, Registrar, Dean of the Bible College, Department Chair, Dean of the Division of Religion, and Academic Dean of the College. He was an instrumental figure in the school’s transition to a liberal arts college and subsequent accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
During this period he emerged as a noted Pentecostal scholar serving as a founding member and later as President of the Society for Pentecostal Studies. He came to be recognized by many as being the leading theologian of his denomination. He became the unofficial private tutor to many church leaders helping them with the finer points of doctrine and through his publication of the book Church of God Polity he became the primary arbitrator of the processes and procedures of church government.
For almost a half century he served as parliamentarian for the International General Assembly of the Church of God and remained until his death an official consultant to the Executive Council of the Church. Concurrently, for many years he authored adult Sunday school commentaries for Pathway Press.
In 1975, Gause accepted the call from denominational executives to become the founding director and Dean of the Church of God Graduate School of Christian Ministry (now the Pentecostal Theological Seminary). He poured his energies into the creation of a model of theological education grounded in the Wesleyan Pentecostal tradition.
In 1980 he left the seminary and assumed the pastorate of the Church of God in Warren, Michigan. In that assignment he also served as district overseer and was soon elected by his peers to serve on the state council for the denomination. In 1982 the Gauses returned to Cleveland where Dr. Gause would once again teach both at Lee and at the seminary. In 1984 he gave his full attention to the seminary where he remained a professor until this year.
In recent months, Gause completed an extensive commentary on the New Testament Book of Hebrews and submitted it for publication. In recent weeks he submitted for publication a collection of short theological essays. A tribute to Gause, which is simply a video presented last year at the General Assembly entitled, Faith of Our Fathers,” has been posted on www.churchofgod.org.
He is survived by one granddaughter, three great-grandchildren and one great-great grandson.
“No one could bring us to the cross or to the throne like R. Hollis Gause,” said Church of God General Overseer Mark Williams. “He was a pioneer in Church of God education who gave his life to training and forming ministers for works of service. His lectures, sermons, books, wisdom and prayers shaped and challenged multiple generations to know God, to be transformed into His image, and to do His will.”
A Celebration of the Life and Home Going of Dr. Gause will be held Wednesday, September 9, 2015, at 2:00 p.m. at the North Cleveland Church of God main sanctuary with Dr. Mark Williams, Dr. R. Lamar Vest, Dr. Steve Land, Dr. Jackie Johns, Pastor Mitch Maloney, Rev. April Gause-Jolley and Brice Gause officiating. The family will receive friends Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m at the church. Interment will follow in Sunset Memorial Gardens. For those unable to attend in person, a livestream of the 2:00 p.m. service will be carried on www.nccog.org.
Monetary gifts to the R. Hollis Gause Endowed Scholarship fund at the Pentecostal Theological Seminary can be mailed to the seminary at 900 Walker Street, Cleveland, Tennessee, 37311.
“Behind a brilliant mind was a pastoral heart,” Williams concluded. “The love, concern, laughter, and tears we shared gave me courage in difficult times and taught me what it means to be a true disciple. He encouraged me in my pursuit of soul winning, and frankly, believed in me when I was struggling to believe in myself. His ministry will go on through the lives of those of us he touched. Every time we stand to preach ‘he being dead will still speak’”.
