Historical Commission Announces Conn Historical Writing Award Winners
The Church of God Historical Commission recently announced winners of the Charles W. Conn Historical Writing Award. The 2022-2024 award winners are Dr. Daniel Tomberlin for his book, Preacher Paulk: The Story of Earl Pearly Paulk, Sr. and the Reverend L. Brannon Bradford for his publication, Alabama Camp Meeting…A Centennial.
Tomberlin is the winner of the Charles W. Conn Historical Writing Book Award. Tomberlin is an ordained bishop in the Church of God, and after thirty-seven years of pastoring is currently serving as Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministries at Pentecostal Theological Seminary in Cleveland, Tennessee. He has authored Pentecostal Sacraments: Encountering God at the Altar; Radical Generosity; A Healed People; and An Undeconstructed Pentecostal. He is a regular contributor in the Evangelical Sunday School Lesson Commentary and writes a regular blog at www.DanielTomberlin.net. Preacher Paulk: The Story of Earl Pearly Paulk, Sr. can be purchased at Pathway Press and Amazon.
Bradford captured the Charles W. Conn Historical Writing Article Award. Bradford is a graduate of Lee University where he won the departmental award for the Division of Adult Learning. He is an ordained bishop in the Church of God and serves as executive and worship arts pastor of Christ Fellowship Church of God in Hartselle, Alabama. Bradford is also an archival assistant with the Dixon Pentecostal Research Center and was appointed as the official Historian of the Church of God in Alabama in 2023. Alabama Camp Meeting…A Centennial can be purchased from the Alabama Church of God State Executive Office.
Church of God International Executive Council created the Charles W. Conn Historical Writing Award in 2002 to honor the long-time Church of God author and historian. Conn penned his history of the Church of God in 1955. When Like a Mighty Army was revised in 1977, the Executive Council designated Conn as Church Historian. Pathway Press released a tribute edition in 2008.
The Historical Commission selects both a book and an article each General Assembly period to receive the writing award and to encourage the writing and publication of books and articles related to the history and heritage of the Church of God.
For 2022-2024, Dr. James E. Cossey served as chair of the Historical Commission and Assistant General Overseer Tony Stewart as the International Executive Committee liaison. The Writing Award subcommittee consisted of Dr. Douglas LeRoy, chairman; Rev. Lance Colkmire, and Dr. David G. Roebuck.
