Editorial


JAMES E. COSSEY EDITOR IN CHIEF


THANK YOU AND FAREWELL


WHILE REALIGNMENT REQUIRES ADJUSTMENTS, WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT GOD IS DIRECTING US AS OUR ELECTED LEADERS FOLLOW THE LORD OF THE CHURCH. SOME WOULD BE PITIFULLY PESSIMISTIC, BUT I CHOOSE TO BELIEVE THAT GOD IS LEADING THE CHURCH OF GOD INTO A CERTAIN FUTURE.


You are invited to visit the online Evangel site at www.onlineevangel.org.


Young and his wife, Deloice, taught me to edit and publish (on a mimeograph, no less) the church newsletter. I was an editor for the high school newspaper during my senior year, and at age 18, I worked in a small-town newspaper office. In my 20s, while pastoring a small church and securing an education, I was a DJ and reporter for a small radio sta- tion. In the early ’70s, I met Dr. O. W. Polen, then the editor in chief, who took an interest in my writing, became a men- tor to me, and used my submissions in the Evangel and other publications. I have been honored twice to serve the Church of God in an international journalistic role, first as editor for the Department of World Missions and Save Our World (SOW) magazine in the 1970s, and since 2006, as editor in chief. Fifteen men before me—beginning with A. J. Tomlinson, the first general overseer— have served in this honored position. As many of our readers know, the Church of God is currently experiencing a realignment of ministries as mandated by the International General Assembly. The Church of God Publishing House (Pathway Press) and the Evangel are affected by this realignment. As part of this process, roles and positions in lead- ership are being redefined and prudent stewardship is being exercised in order to make the church more biblically missional. While realignment requires adjustments, we are confident that God


M


Y EARLIEST INTEREST in jour- nalism came in sixth grade, when I won a tiny transistor radio in an essay contest. At age 15, my pastor, James


is directing us as our elected leaders fol- low the Lord of the Church. Some would be pitifully pessimistic, but I choose to believe that God is leading the Church of God into a certain future. As the realignment process has unfolded, I have requested and have been granted an opportunity for ministry reassignment. This will be my final issue as your editor. However, if the Lord wills and if Jesus does not return first, Myrlene and I have several more years of active ministry prior to retirement. We want these to be our most effective. Ministry has been my life since I was 17, and I intend to finish strong!


I am grateful to all those who have worked with me, especially our manag- ing editors, Lance Colkmire and Wilma Amison, and my administrative assis- tant, Elaine McDavid. These have been fantastic partners, and without them, the production of the Evangel would not have been possible. I am forever grateful that God allowed me to work with them, and to be at the helm during the Evangel’s centennial celebration. Wherever I go and whatever I do in the future, I will support the Evangel and the ministry of Church of God publications.


As Bill George said of me when I fol- lowed him to this office, “Be kind to my successor.” The Church of God is a diverse, multicultural movement, and the preparation of every issue is a particular challenge. Pray for the editor and staff. Encourage them when they do well, and be Christlike when you must criticize. God bless you, my reader friend. And may God continue to bless the Church of God Evangel.


EVANGEL • AUG 2010 3


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