the offices of director and assistant director of Youth and Discipleship; Jimmy Smith and Larry Timmerman in USA Missions; and Douglas LeRoy and Victor Pagan in World Missions.
The eighteen men elected to the 2010- 2012 International Executive Council were H. Loran Livingston, senior pas- tor of the Central Church of God in Charlotte, NC; R. Lamar Vest, executive director of the American Bible Society, New York City; M. Thomas Propes, state overseer of the Church of God in South Carolina; Gary W. Sears, lead pastor of Mount Olive Ministries in Cleveland, TN; Mitchell Maloney, lead pastor of the North Cleveland Church of God; Donald M. Walker, new state overseer of Tennes- see; Tony Scott, lead pastor of the Church on Strayer in Sylvania, Ohio; J. David Stephens, new state overseer of Florida; Jerry F. Chitwood, representative for USA Missions; Mark Walker, lead pastor of Mount Paran North Church of God in Atlanta; John D. Childers, state overseer of Alabama; Ishmael Prince Charles, pas- tor in Tortola and overseer of the British Virgin Islands; Gerald McGinnis, lead pas- tor of Park West Church of God in Knox- ville, TN; Nick Park, overseer of Ireland; David Munguia, overseer of Northwestern Hispanic Churches of God; Daniel Vassell, regional overseer of western Canada; Mike Chapman, lead pastor of City Church of Chattanooga, TN; and J. Martin Taylor, former state overseer of Florida. Nominations of church leaders was completed by the close of the first session of the General Council on Tuesday morning as each mem- ber was supplied with an indi- vidual hand-held electronic voting device as opposed to previous years when delegates shared keypads.
Two items on the agenda dealt with major change to two of the three departments involving the elected leaders. The General Council voted and the
The members of the Executive Committee were reelected for another term: (l-r) Timothy M. Hill, David M. Griffis, Raymond F. Culpepper, Mark L. Williams, Wallace J. Sibley.
General Assembly approved a change in name of Youth and Christian Education to “Youth and Discipleship.” Likewise, Evangelism and Home Missions has now been renamed “USA Missions.” These changes reflect a restructuring taking place at the International Offices and will more accurately reflect a new focus of each former department under the new divisional umbrella.
Women in Ministry Debated
Perhaps the most contentious issue of GA2010 was the third item on the agen- da, which dealt with allowing women in ministry to advance to the highest level of ordained bishop. Following General
Overseer Culpepper’s moving remarks about the Great Commandment and a significant time of concert prayer, the General Council session quickly moved into passionate and spirited debate. Cul- pepper, who also served as moderator for the week, urged the ministers to be sensitive to the council’s tone, decorum, and demeanor, and to carefully weigh all remarks. The measure for consideration by the council was a motion to delete the phrase, “It is understood that female ministers are not eligible for ordination as bishop.” The nature of this item did not allow for amendment or adjustment, but rather just an opportunity to leave or remove the current statement in the Church of God Minutes.
As the councilors grappled with the impact of this measure, the discus- sion reminded everyone that the centrality of Scripture and the desire to live in accordance to its teachings are still the heart and soul of the General Council and General Assembly pro- cess. Though much of the discussion was about nomenclature, culture, and context, the process required a simple “yes” or “no” response. It ultimately failed with
EVANGEL • SEP 2010 19
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