Global Ministry Forums Conclude with Philippines Event
The last of nearly two dozen Global Ministry Forums took place last week, completing a nine-month process of assessing the future of the Church of God around the globe.
The first of the forums took place at the Living Waters Church in Fountain Valley, California on Thursday, February 7, 2019 and the final location was conducted on Sunday, November 15 at the Dasmarinas Church of God in Manila, Philippines.
At the 2018 Church of God General Assembly, a measure was passed that directed the International Executive Committee to conduct forums around the globe prior to the 2020 General Assembly, set for July 21-24, 2020 in Indianapolis. According to the measure that passed, the topics at the forum were to include the following four issues:
• The Importance and Understanding of Ministry Ranks
• Qualifications for Ministers
• Women in Church Leadership Positions, and
• The Meaning and Usage of the Term “Bishop”
From the discussion and comments in the forums, as well as the information received from a survey administered as part of the process, the International Executive Council of the Church of God will formulate motions for consideration at the next General Assembly.
Church of God General Overseer Tim Hill served as moderator for 20 of the 23 forums, conducting the events in an informal and less structured format than in normal church business settings. The agenda was the same for all 15 of the meetings held in the U.S., and included a time of interaction and dialogue, as well as the administration of the survey. General Overseer Hill also shared his vision for the Church of God headed into the decade of the 2020s. A similar agenda took place for the international meetings, most of which combined the forums with another event. A few of the seven forums outside the U.S. coincided with national conventions.
“These forums were not intended as a debate of ideas, but simply an opportunity to share thoughts about the direction of our church on some very important and vital issues,” stated Hill. “All ideas and comments were equally welcome, and respect was shown to each delegate who wished to share. Overall, I was very pleased and encouraged by the spirit of the discussions and I have come away from this process more excited about the future of the Church of God around the globe.”
Information gathered from the thousands of surveys completed during the forums is in the process of being tabulated and evaluated with an expected release of the results and findings after the first of the year. The website www.globalministryforums.com is currently idle following the completion of the forums, but will be revived when survey results are released.
