State Leaders Embrace Debt Reduction Challenge
Cleveland, TN—Church of God General Overseer Tim Hill issued a challenge to state and regional leaders last week during their biennial Leadership conference. The administrative bishops, youth directors, and members of the International Offices Administrative Ministries Council surpassed an initial goal of ten percent toward retirement of remaining debt on the International Offices campus.
Hill has prioritized retirement of $1.8 million remaining of long-term debt on the International Offices from a major expansion more than 20 years ago. The goal is one of seven objectives unveiled by Hill as part of his Harvest Commission 2024 initiative for the 2022-2024 period, culminating at the 79th International General Assembly set for July 8-12, 2024 in Indianapolis.
Under “ACHIEVE the Continuity of Significant Growth,” the priority states to, “Mobilize the fiduciary responsibilities of the International Offices by retiring debt on existing facilities that has been a twenty-year process; and further accelerate the fulfillment of other obligations, thereby releasing resources to help fund the Harvest perpetually.”
Hill shared that the monthly obligation toward the debt retirement is over $62,000.
“This has become a spiritual priority for me,” Hill stated. “Imagine the ministry we could disseminate from these offices if we had these funds to distribute toward planting 1,000 new churches, mobilizing a new generation of young ministers, and providing educational resources for them, all priorities of Harvest Commission 2024.”
In his closing remarks at the leadership conference, Hill shared his heart concerning the critical priority of freeing up funds earmarked each month for debt reduction and loan payments. He then issued a challenge for those in attendance to “tithe” the first ten percent ($180,000) toward the overall goal. In the subsequent offering and receipt of pledges, the church leaders gave more than twenty percent of the debt, with a total of $376,503.00.
“This offering helped to strengthen the future of our movement as we strive to FINISH the Great Commission with the most resources God can place in our hands. To Him be the glory!”
