The Church of God Historical Commission recently announced the winners of the Charles W. Conn Historical Writing Award.
The 2016-2018 award winners are Dr. Esdras Betancourt for his book, En el Espiritu y Poder de Pentecostes: Historia de la Iglesia de Dios Hispana en Estados Unidos [In the Power and the Spirit of Pentecost: History of the Hispanic Church of God in the United States] (VIDA Foundation and CEL Publications, 2017), and Dr. Douglas LeRoy for his article-length publication, “Evangelist Mae Terry: The Harvest is Not Finished” (Church of God Evangel, February 2018).
Dr. Betancourt is a former director of the Church of God Department of Hispanic Ministries and Editorial Evangélica and served as dean of Hispanic ministries at New York Theological Seminary. Among his other books include Edificando ciudades de refugio: ministerio urbano [Building Cities of Refuge: Urban Ministry] (Editorial Evangélica, 1998) and Los hispanos: su historia, su presencia y su mission [Hispanics: Their History, Their Presence, and Their Mission] (Editorial Evangélica, 1999).
Dr. LeRoy is an avid researcher of the history of Church of God, particularly about world missions. A former general director of World Missions, he has served both at the Church of God International Offices and as a missionary abroad. Dr. LeRoy also is a former managing editor of the Church of God Evangel and his other books about Church of God history includeWorkHard,HaveFun,MakeFriends: The Story of Men and Women of Action (Derek Press, 2017) and Called to Serve: Biographies of Church of God General Overseers, 1909-2012 (Pathway Press, 2012).
The Church of God International Executive Council created the Charles W. Conn Historical Writing Award in 2002 to honor long-time Church of God author and historian Dr. Charles W. Conn. 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 heritage and history of the Church of God.
Dr. Floyd D. Carey serves as chairman of the Historical Commission and Assistant General Overseer J. David Stephens is the Executive Committee liaison. The Writing Award subcommittee consists of Dr. Louis F. Morgan, Dr. David G. Roebuck, and Lance Colkmire.
(Source: Lee University)