Nearly 175 international guests, currently serving and former Church of God missionaries, and mission pastors gathered together in the fellowship hall of Park Place Church of God, July 2, 2009 to have a Global Conversation. The six hour session hosted by Church of God Ministries centered on the issues of leadership development; specifically the ‘who’, ‘what’, ‘where’ and ‘how’.

The second day of the Leadership Summit, July 4th was a day of challenges—physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual. It was a day of getting better acquainted in our family groups, of thoughtful discussion and preaching on discernment as a key element of relational leadership, and of exploring the nations capitol.

The buzz among those who attended the 123rd North American Convention of the Church of God was that it was different.  True, the locations of the services moved from Anderson University’s Wellness Center to Park Place and Madison Park Churches of God. Fifth Street was torn up for road construction. And it was the centennial anniversary of the organized effort to send missionaries into the world.  But still, there was something more. 

On July 3, 2009, nearly ninety high school and college emerging leaders, accompanied by their adult mentors traveled to Washington D.C. to experience Leadership Summit 2009.  This deliberate program of emersion, training and engagement is designed to help develop these young people into the next generation of Christian leaders.

By Mark Gothberg
Church Planter

Kilgore, TX—The mission statement of Crosspointe Fellowship Church, in Kilgore, Texas, reads: “We desire to point people to the place of the cross, share with the hurting the love of the cross, and help rebuild lives through the work of the cross.” This congregation, started in 1939, lives this mission statement daily as they take the love of Christ to the twelve thousand people who call Kilgore their home.

Riley urges believers to embrace suffering
By Richard Willowby

The closing service of the North American Convention began with musical celebration, including an enthusiastic children’s choir from Kid’s Place and a moving offertory via video by the East African Radio Choir. Ronald V. Duncan, general director of Church of God Ministries, announced record offerings, including more than $31,000 given by the General Assembly. Women of the Church of God were also honored for the more then $50 million dollars raised by Christ’s Birthday Offerings since it began in 1950.

Having fun in their own way
By Richard Winford

Mention the words “Camp Meeting” or “North American Convention” to any young person who has grown up in the Church of God and immediately images of a hot, stuffy, crowded auditorium set in the 1920s pop into their heads. This past week while the “grown-ups” were enjoying speakers like Andy Stephenson, Milton Grannum, and Don Riley, and reflecting upon the past one hundred years of missions, the youth were able to have fun in their own way. Every night following the main services, the youth had opportunities to reflect and connect with one another.

Leaders and congregations called to become worshipers
By Vivian Atkins

The Society for Church of God Worship met on Wednesday to fellowship, worship, and hear from God’s Word regarding their ministry and purpose. Joanie Frymire leads this group of people, striving to connect via Web ministry and share with other worship pastors in the Church of God congregations across America. Todd Braschler led the group in worship; he appropriately asked them to put aside their responsibilities and stresses of convention and take time to picture the face of Jesus. He asked them to speak about the most magnificent thing that had happened in their ministry this past year. Participants recalled experiencing the unity of believers, leading a person to Christ, hearing timid members testifying about God’s work in their lives, and worshiping on days other than Sunday. Together, they sang the words to “How Great is our God”—the sound filled not only the room in the basement of Church of God Ministries building where they gathered but also the hallways where international guests were resting between conferences.

Conference for senior adults emphasizes passing love along
Jerry C. Grubbs

As I began my preparation for this conference for Senior Adults, I realized that the title given me was “miss worded.” By that I mean that sharing and receiving were out of order. As I thought about this topic, it seemed to me that receiving comes first. The old adage is that we cannot give that which we do not possess. So it is with love. If we have not learned to be recipients of God’s love, then we cannot share it with others.

Peace Fellowship honors Colombian couple
By Kay Shively

Imagine being kidnapped repeatedly, threatened with death, persecuted for preaching conversion to Christ and for speaking against the international drug trade, and having members of your church killed. This is the real life of Angel and Jeanneth Pinto, 2009 recipients of the Peace Fellowship’s Peacemaker of the Year award.