General Assembly
of the
Church of God
If the local church is the building block of the kingdom of God, then the General Assembly of the Church of God is the one mechanism that brings the whole family of churches together in the United States and Canada for the purpose of understanding the Spirit’s leading for the Movement.
The General Assembly met for the first time in 1917 and now meets biannually during the Convention for the Church of God in the United States and Canada. Throughout the years, this body has met to serve as a forum for the identification, selection, and empowerment of leaders for the Assembly and the ministries and agencies within the Assembly’s portfolio. It is the one place, every two years, where the leaders of the church come together to listen, learn, and speak into our collective future.
Every local Church of God congregation has a voice and a place at this table, whether through the credentialed pastor(s) or lay delegate(s) sent by the church. The Assembly is not just a business meeting; it is a key part of the soul of the Church of God movement, in which ideas are put forward, prayed over, and acted upon, as the Holy Spirit informs the Body.
The Organization of the General Assembly
Within the General Assembly are several groups that serve a specific function in carrying out the will of the Assembly.
Ministries Council
As the governing board of Church of God Ministries, the Ministries Council is responsible for conducting the business of the General Assembly when the Assembly is not in session.
Church of God Ministries
The office of Church of God Ministries is often considered the “working arm” of the General Assembly. Led by the General Director, Church of God Ministries empowers the people of God to collectively build a Jesus-centered, biblically grounded Movement, bringing the kingdom to life on earth as it is in heaven.
Committee on Credentials
Since establishment at the 2017 General Assembly, this seventeen-member, ongoing body exists in direct accountability to the Assembly to implement, interpret, review, and consider future revisions to the Credentials Manual. To access the Credentials Manual or submit an appeal, please log in to Atlas.
Business, Leadership, and Resource Committee
(BLRC)
The BLRC is responsible for nominations to leadership roles in the General Assembly and reviews new business for consideration at the floor of the General Assembly.
Bylaws and Organization Committee
(BYOC)
The BYOC reviews and recommends organizational changes to the General Assembly when such changes up for consideration enhance the function of the Assembly.
Today the structure of the Church of God movement in the United States and Canada demonstrates the generous freedom God gives in church governance and operation, yet also the practical need for partnership, collaboration, and accountability. Though no humanly devised organization is flawless, the goal of the following structure is to acknowledge the Scriptural mandate for order and practically answer Jesus’ prayer “that they may be one” (John 17).
- Leadership relationships indicate the responsibility of reporting to an entity or individual granted a leadership role.
- Coordinating relationships indicate formal agreement and historical precedent to work together for the good of the Church of God movement.
- Covenantal relationships indicate binding commitments made to the General Assembly for cooperation, accountability, and shared mission between organizations that fill essential and unique roles in the Church of God movement.
So what does this look like?
So what does this look like?
