Amendment Seeks to Raise International Executive Council to 24 Members
Cleveland, TN–A Previous Notice was emailed on May 1 to all ordained bishops in the Church of God calling for an amendment to the bylaws to raise the current number of elected members of the International Executive Council (EXC) from 18 to 24.
The Council, which met last week at the International Offices for their regularly-scheduled April session, debated the measure and ultimately voted in favor of passing the measure to the General Council of Ordained Bishops. The International General Council convenes this summer at the 77th International General Assembly in Orlando, Florida beginning on July 31.
In accordance with the Minutes of the International General Assembly, the amendment was released within the required 90 day window preceding the event. The amendment, stated in its entirety as it was released, is as follows:
Previous Notice
We recommend:
That we amend page 61, S2. BYLAWS OF THE CHURCH OF GOD, ARTICLE VI., Governing Bodies, 3. INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, Members—by deleting the words— “eighteen councilors [ the Council of Eighteen]” and replace with—twenty-four councilors [ the Council of Twenty-four].
So as to read:
The general overseer, his assistants, the secretary general, and twenty-four councilors [the Council of Twenty-four] elected by the International General Council shall constitute the International Executive Council of the church.
Rationale
1986—The Executive Council was increased from 12 members to 18 members. Membership in the United States and Canada was 546,728 and part of a worldwide membership of 1,652,089, with churches in 109 countries of the world.
2018—Membership in the United States and Canada is now 1,189,304 and part of a worldwide membership of 7,468,083, with churches in 184 countries of the world.
While the number of elected members of the Executive Council has remained the same for the past 32 years, membership has increased by 5,819,994 members during that same time period.
In light of this substantial growth, we are proposing that the number of Executive Council members be increased from 18 members to 24 members, plus the International Executive Committee which serves as members of the Executive Council by virtue of their office.
Further, that the General Council give equitable consideration in the selection process for ethnic and generational representation on the Executive Council.
It is understood that if adopted any reference to “eighteen (18) members” in S2. BYLAWS OF THE CHURCH OF GOD, or in any other section of the International General Assembly Minutes, shall be amended to “twenty-four (24) members” or the “Council of Twenty-four” where appropriate.
