Faith News Network

Executive Council in Session; Leadership to Follow

Cleveland, TN—Members of the Church of God Council of Eighteen gathered Tuesday, September 23 at the International Offices for the first meeting since the group was elected at the 75th International General Assembly this past July. The Council of Eighteen, combined with the five members of the Church of God Executive Committee, forms the International Executive Council (IEC).

The IEC is the primary governing body for the Church of God and meets at least three times a year to discuss and debate issues and polity for the denomination. The Council of Eighteen is elected by the General Council and must consist of at least nine pastors and two representatives from outside the United States. The current group was elected on July 29 and will serve until the next General Assembly, scheduled for July 26-29, 2016 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Two members are newcomers, serving for the first time on the Council of Eighteen. They include Kip Box, pastor of Oak Park Church of God in Mobile, Alabama, and Tony Stewart, pastor of CityLife Church in Tampa, Florida. Two former general overseers were elected: Raymond Culpepper and Dennis McGuire. They currently serve as state overseer of Alabama and international revivalist respectively. Remaining members of the Council of Eighteen include Kevin Wallace, David Ramirez, T. Bryan Cutshall, Victor Pagan, Thomas Madden, Oliver McMahan, William Isaacs, Dwight Allen, Niko Njotorahardjo, Nick Park, Chris Moody, David Cooper, Mark Walker, and Jimmy Smith.

The members of the Executive Committee are Mark L. Williams, general overseer, David M. Griffis, first assistant, J. David Stephens, second assistant, Wallace J. Sibley, third assistant and M. Thomas Propes, secretary general.

Later this week, state and regional administrative bishops, youth and discipleship directors, and USA Missions directors will converge on the headquarters city for the biennial Leadership Conference. The weekend of training, instruction, fellowship, and worship is entitled ONE: Conversations on Leadership, and will begin with orientation for first-time state overseers on Thursday. On Friday and Saturday, the state leaders will gather at North Cleveland Church of God for intensive training sessions led and moderated by members of the Executive Committee. On Friday evening, Mitchell Tolle will lead a general session entitled, “Understand the Times.”

Special speaker for the closing Saturday morning session will be Craig Jutila, president and founder of Empowered Living, followed by a commissioning service led by General Overseer Mark Williams.