David Griffis, former first assistant general overseer for the Church of God, and M. Thomas Propes, secretary general for the last four years, are the new leaders for Church of God World Missions. Both were elected at the International General Assembly held in Nashville in July. For the first time two immediate past members of the International Executive Committee (IEC) have come from the committee to lead World Missions as director and assistant director.
[1]David Griffis, left, General Director of World Missions, and M. Thomas Propes, assistant director of World Missions.
Griffis and Propes agree on continuing the positive momentum set forth under the leadership of previous director and now general overseer, Tim Hill, and previous assistant director, John Childers, now serving as secretary general.
“We believe in maintaining and sustaining what has been done,” Griffis stated. “We love the concept of the Marcelly’s Dream project and caring for the children…the Word, Water, Walls and Wellness concept…we hope to continue the momentum that has been set in place by the previous administration.” In support of the general overseer, Griffis announced a FINISH acrostic tailored for World Missions to complement the FINISH Commitment of the Church of God.
At the same time, the new World Missions leaders are set to announce what is being called “The Lighthouse Project,” a bold initiative to establish ‘lighthouses’ in ten major cities around the globe, with cities like Moscow, Bangkok, Amsterdam, Georgetown (Guyana) and Paris. “The cities have been strategically and prayerfully chosen for this project.” Griffis noted. “We don’t want to just target these cities, have a revival event and then leave…this is all about sustainability and raising up a lighthouse in a dark city.” Griffis explained the plan is to build training centers that will birth new churches and train pastors and missionaries. “That, in itself, will make these training centers sustainable.”
A few weeks ago the International Offices family came together for a chapel service and during the gathering the General Overseer, Dr. Tim Hill, led in singing Send the Light. “This was a confirmation in my heart for our Send the Light project,” Griffis explained. “We want the Church of God and these training centers to be a lighthouse in each of these cities…to send the light into the darkness because the truth of Scripture is immutable: For where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. (Romans 5:20)”
–Cameron Fisher, Faith News