The General Council elected five new members to the Executive Presbytery
in August at the Fellowship’s biennial convention in Kansas City,
Mo.
Altar experience:
Worshipers respond at the end of a service.
"The new membership that has been elected to the Executive Presbytery
has a wide variety of ministerial backgrounds, which will bring many
years of service that will be meaningful to the church as we embark
upon the 21st century," says Thomas E. Trask, himself re-elected general
superintendent of the Assemblies of God at the gathering. "These new
members will bring a perspective that will be most helpful in dealing
with the challenges the church will face in the new millennium."
The new members are Warren D. Bullock from the Northwest Area, J. Don
George from the South Central Area, Charles E. Crank from the Great
Lakes Area, L. Alton Garrison from the Gulf Area and H. Robert Rhoden
from the Northeast Area.
The Executive Presbytery is charged with carrying out the directives
that are established by the General Presbytery and the legislative action
that is taken by the General Council.
Rhoden, superintendent of the Potomac District since 1991, says he
is grateful to be a new member of the national body. "Any organization
that is moving forward has to be a change agent," Rhoden says. "The
leaders of that movement are called to be change agents. Not change
for change sake, but change to help fulfill the vision."
Crank, Indiana District superintendent, says being selected is an honor.
"I feel unworthy," Crank told the Pentecostal Evangel. "I hope we give
leadership that will help move the Fellowship forward and help bring
a sense of spiritual renewal and revival across the breadth of the Assemblies
of God."
Six incumbents were re-elected at the meeting: Richard L. Dresselhaus
from the Southwest Area, David W. Argue from the North Central Area,
Dan Betzer from the Southeast Area, Jesse Miranda and Nam Soo Kim from
the two Language Areas, and Spencer Jones from the Ethnic Fellowship.
Trask, who has served as superintendent of the Assemblies of God since
1993, was picked for another four-year term on August 7.
"I pledge to you that in the days to come, should Jesus tarry, we will
continue to herald this Pentecostal message and the power of Pentecost
and the power of the Holy Spirit," Trask told delegates after the election
results were announced. Trask received 1,187 of 1,381 votes in being
re-elected in the first round of balloting.
General Treasurer James K. Bridges and Division of Home Missions Executive
Director Charles Hackett also were re-elected to new four-year terms
by overwhelming majorities. Hackett also inherited a new name for his
division, as the General Council voted to change the Division of Home
Missions to Assemblies of God Home Missions.
About 17,000 people attended the 49th General Council. Featured speakers
at the evening sessions were Trask, Evangelism Commissioner Randy Hurst
and Brooklyn Tabernacle pastor Jim Cymbala. Excerpts from their messages
will be featured in the October 28 Pentecostal Evangel.
