Gregory, Rice, Baker to Lead Children of the World Ministry
Thursday night of the Church of God General Assembly worshipers from the United States joined with delegates from more than 100 of the 180 mission fields of the church in grand celebration of the 100-year ministry of World Missions and the global outreach to children called “Children of the World Ministries.”
The COTW was officially organized in 1996. It received a strong impetus in 2000, when then World Missions Director Gene Rice and Care Ministries Director John Nichols spearheaded an effort that raised money to fund children’s care ministry. The outpouring of benevolence resulted in an offering of $2.5 million which was matched by the Lazarus Foundation, headed by Church of God businessman John Gregory. These funds were distributed among 60 children’s ministries in the United States and overseas, primarily for capital projects.
The new partnership unveiled at this Assembly combines the continuing efforts of the Lazarus Foundation, World Missions, and Care Ministries, and adds the Discipleship Ministries of the denomination. Governed by a board of church leaders who head the various cooperating agencies, the ministry will be headquartered in Bristol, Virginia.
COTW will be led by three individuals including John Gregory as president, Richard Baker as chief field officer and Rev. Darrell Rice has accepted the role of chief financial officer.
“Although it seems “out-of-the-box” in terms of my ministerial history, both Marsha and I believe the right next step for us is to serve as Director of Children of the World Ministries,” Rice said. “We’ve prayed that our next assignment will be ‘intentional’ and not a default appointment. We feel compelled of the Lord to pursue this ministry which has the potential of changing lives and changing the world.”
Rice has a rich history with the Church of God as a state youth director and most recently overseer of the Great Lakes Region. He will run the day-to-day operations of COTW and also travel to orphanages and children’s home around the world. The Rices will relocate to Bristol this month where they will open the offices of the new and developing ministry.
During the July 29 Missions service in Orlando, the heart of the service was a presentation of Children of the World Ministries, Inc., which will be a partner agency to help 131 Church of God homes for children care for orphans, destitute, and abused children around the globe. Most of the children’s ministries were founded by local churches, territories, and nations and many are funded completely by their founders. During the past decade, however, the U.S. church has supplied funds to help 76 of them in their times of need.
Dr. Douglas LeRoy, general director of World Missions, and Victor Pagan, assistant director, joined Assistant General Overseer David Griffis in opening a service featuring a colorful parade of nations, with delegates wearing cultural dress and presenting flags of their countries. Danny Murray of Lee University led the congregation and a choir of young people in celebrating missions victories, and Assistant General Overseer Tim Hill brought the Word.
