Administrative Bishops, Directors to Stay in Place Until 2022
April 29, 2020–Cleveland, TN—Church of God General Overseer Tim Hill announced today that state and regional administrative bishops, as well as youth and discipleship directors, will remain in place at their respective assignments until the 78th International General Assembly in 2022.
Hill made the announcement in separate Zoom conferences today, first with administrative bishops, then followed by all Church of God ministers.
“When the announcement was made that the 2020 General Assembly was postponed, there was put in place a clause for continuance of governance,” Hill shared. “However, this was not specifically addressed concerning leadership at the state and regional levels.”
Hill explained the action citing the Covid-19 virus continuing to affect normal operations of the church both nationally and worldwide, including the unknown end date of social distancing requirements, continued mass gathering restrictions, and the extent of and the effects of the virus varying from state to state.
Hill read a portion of a resolution entitled, “Resolution Regarding Tenure of State/Regional Overseers and State Directors,” the last portion which stated, “Be It Therefore Resolved that the members of the International Executive Committee, believing that it is in the best interest of the Church of God, herein freezes the tenure of all state/regional administrative bishops and state youth directors until the 78th International General Assembly in 2022, at which time tenure resumes in accordance with the International General Assembly Minutes.”
Several state/regional overseers would have reached tenure limitations this year, and even more youth and discipleship directors would have been required to change ministry portfolios based upon a measure that passed in 2018.
Hill stated that although the International Executive Committee is empowered by the International General Assembly to appoint state overseers and have jurisdiction over them (Church of God MINUTES, S7. General Overseer, II. Duties and Authorities, paragraph 7, page 75) and to look after the general interest of the churches (S7. General Overseer, II. Duties and Authorities, paragraph 4, page 75) and work with state overseers in the placement of state youth directors, he explained that there are no plans for a “fruit basket turnover,” of state and regional positions, based upon the extraordinary period the church – and the world – is in today.
“We have done everything within us to please the Lord, our people, and to be as true to the Minutes as possible,” Hill said.
He called attention to several websites which will continue to offer updates as warranted. The websites include coronacog.com and ga20.org, the former 2020 General Assembly website which has been re-purposed into a Q&A site for everything regarding the 78th International General Assembly, now scheduled for the summer of 2022.
