2020 Regional Conventions Locations Announced!
2020 Regional Conventions Locations Announced!
APRIL 24-26, 2020
Center of Hope LA
Inglewood, CA
Pastor Geremy Dixon
JUNE 26-28, 2020
Madison Park Church of God
Anderson, IN
Pastor Paul Strozier
SEPT. 18-20, 2020
Church of God of East New York
Brooklyn, NY
Pastor Clifton McDowell
More information about Regionals registration will be coming soon!
Our 2018 regional conventions theme was Receive. Hear. Embrace. This is the imago dei: Who we are created in the image of God. We want to receive, hear, and embrace all that God is, does, and gifts to us. These are personal experiences that we have authentically tasted.
Out of this grows our mission – missio dei – the community’s expression of what we have known and how we will live it out in the world. If we are the body of Christ, then we have the opportunity to GIVE LIFE in Jesus’ name. Can the aroma and fragrance of our very presence, speech, and action bring life? Jesus is the model and our relationship with him empowers us to experience and share. How did he breathe life? How did he speak life? How did he give life?
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A Huge “Thank You” to our Convention 2019 Speakers and Special Guests
A Huge “Thank You” to our Convention 2019 Speakers and Special Guests
Matt Anderson
Matt Anderson is the lead pastor at McDowell Mountain Community Church (mcdowell.church) in Scottsdale, Arizona. Matt and his wife Robin have been leading in local church ministry for over twenty years. They’ve served churches in Indiana, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Arizona. […]
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Matt and Robin met in college at Anderson University. Matt also studied at Wesley Seminary (Indiana Wesleyan University), where he earned an MA in pastoral leadership. Matt and Robin love desert living with their three boys: Connor (born in 2001), Calvin (born in 2004), and Charlie (born in 2010). They spend as much time as possible outside, exploring the beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Matt and Robin love being a part of the local church and God’s mission to redeem and restore all people through the love of Jesus.
Harvey Carey
Harvey Carey is the founder and senior pastor of Citadel of Faith Covenant Church in Detroit, Michigan. The former IYC speaker’s dynamic global ministry continues to change lives with the transforming truth of God’s Word. As a youth pastor in Chicago, Carey developed a nationally emulated youth ministry[…]
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… model that has reached thousands of teens in inner-cities across the nation.
Passionate about restoring the inner-city, Carey has partnered with several community organizations and nonprofits, providing housing, social services, and ministry to youth and children in the city of Detroit. His inspiring leadership and vision for urban renewal unites people across boundaries of race, age, class, and culture. Harvey Carey, his wife Nancy, and their daughter Tiffany reside in the heart of Detroit.
Josh Edington
Josh Edington serves as pastor of contemporary worship at Crossings Community Church in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He joined the Crossings staff family in August 2008 and leads worship in Crossings’ contemporary worship space called the Venue. […]
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He has been instrumental in growing an authentic worship culture at Crossings, and currently leads over 3,000 people weekly in the Venue, online via live stream, and at Crossings’ newest satellite site, Joseph Harp Correctional Center for men. Josh has a heart for building a strong worship team and staff whose sole purpose is to point people to Jesus. Josh and his wife Kiley just celebrated their ninth year of marriage and have called Crossings their home for the past ten years. They are passionate about leading worship together, creating space for community, and enjoying their three children: Camille, 5; Owen, 3; and Lyla, 1.
Natalie Grant
Four-time Grammy-nominated Natalie Grant is known for her powerful and soaring vocals, heart-gripping lyrics and passionate performances, and has remained one of the top-selling Christian and gospel artists since her 2005 breakout RIAA Gold certified album, Awaken. […]
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The Gospel Music Association has named her Female Vocalist of the Year five times and she has had multiple Number Ones on the Billboard singles and albums charts, including her most recent record titled Be One.
More than just music and awards, Grant has built a relationship with her fan base on a personal level that goes well beyond the music. Regarded as real, authentic and transparent, that connection with people puts Grant at the top of the industry with fan engagement across all social media platforms.
Beyond her music career, Natalie is the author of several books, including the fall 2016 release, Finding Your Voice, and the 2016 tween book series titled Glimmer Girls. Her fashion and jewelry line, NG by Natalie Grant, has seen great success, and most importantly she has used her platform to be an outspoken advocate for victims of human trafficking since 2005. She co-founded Hope for Justice, Int’l., which identifies and rescues victims of trafficking and then provides them with complete restorative care. The organization now has six offices spanning four countries and three continents.
Though she is a Seattle native, Natalie makes her home in Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband, producer/songwriter Bernie Herms, and their three children: twins Grace and Bella, and their youngest, Sadie.
John Michael Hinton
Using no sorcery at all, John Michael Hinton performs captivating illusions that make people doubt their senses, question their reality, and search for answers. He fakes the supernatural to cause people to desire the Real Supernatural! […]
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In his words, “My goal is simply to be a tool that God can use to spread his incredible gospel. If my illusions earn me the right to be heard, awesome! But it’s the heart of God that I want you to truly walk away remembering.” For more information, and to see him in action, please visit www.JohnIsMyFriend.com.
Amante Lacey
Amante Lacey is a gifted singer, songwriter, and worship leader, and the epitome of a culture-changer. Using the incredible gift of music, he lives out his life purpose to unite people through the power of God-encounters. […]
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He has ministered with churches across the United States, including The Potter’s House (Bishop T. D. Jakes), City of Refuge Church (Bishop Noel Jones), Christian Cultural Church (Bishop Floyd Flake), Cornerstone Church (Pastor Michael Pitts), and countless others. In 2006, he released his debut project with The Life Worship Band, titled The Scale of Worship. He would soon become a highly sought-after songwriter. Since then, he’s penned singles for Israel & New Breed, Tye Tribbett, Byron Cage, B. J. Putnam, and Christon Gray, among others.
In 2016, he would return with his solo effort, titled Momentum. That release produced tracks such as “Dance in the River,” “Freedom Song,” and the anthem “Call the Name of Jesus,” which has been recently recorded and released by award-winning worship leader Darwin Hobbs. Amante serves each week as the worship pastor for First Church of God in Columbus, Ohio.
Juan Santos Lugo
Juan Santos accepted Christ as Lord and Savior in July 1983. In 1989, Juan traveled to Argentina to do his theological studies at the Instituto Teológico Posadas. It is there where he met Miriam, who today is his wife. They have a son named Hernán. […]
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Juan and Miriam returned to the Dominican Republic and, in 1998, started the church Acción Misionera, Los Palmares (Church of God in Los Palmares, Northern Santo Domingo). Juan Santos is a musician and a worship leader, an author and a radio/tv producer. He is currently the producer and host of the popular radio program Antes de Dormir, which airs Monday through Friday through the most influential Christian radio station in the country and one of the top four radio stations of all, counting the secular stations in the Dominican Republic. Juan Santos, with his wife and son, is the founder and president of the worldwide leadership network, Transformers World. Juan loves leading worship, preaching, and teaching around the world.
Jim Lyon
Jim originally dreamed of a career in politics and found himself representing northwest Seattle in the Washington State House of Representatives in the early 1980s. But ultimately, it was Christian ministry that became his passion. […]
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He served in pastoral ministry in both the Pacific Northwest and the Midwest. From 1991 through 2013, he served as senior pastor at Madison Park Church of God in Anderson, Indiana. In August 2013, he became the general director of Church of God Ministries. An articulate preacher, teacher, and motivational speaker, Jim has also anchored the ViewPoint broadcast since 1996. Helping people see Jesus at work in their world has become his life’s work; engaging the world for heaven’s sake has become his life’s calling.
Samir Salibi
Samir Salibi is a lay leader in an Arabic Church of God in Paris, France. The church’s vision for Paris is to bridge the gap between the French and Arabic churches, specifically among the next generation. After many years praying for a specific direction […]
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to share the good news, Samir received the call to go and start a church for refugees and migrants in Paris. His vision is a European church for refugees.
Samir was born in Beirut, Lebanon, and currently resides in Paris with his wife Joanna and their sons Maxim and Liam. He spent his early years in Beirut until age twelve. He then moved to France where he finished his primary education and went on to study computer engineering. In addition to engineering, he went through a biblical counseling program in Paris. He currently leads the church known as AtHome, preaching, teaching, and discipling through the Word of God. Jesus Christ is Samir’s inspiration and message.
Lori Salierno-Maldonado
Dr. Lori Salierno-Maldonado has worked as a passionate keynote speaker, author, and trustworthy leadership consultant for over twenty years. The daughter of well-known Church of God preacher-evangelist Gerald Marvel […]
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has effectively equipped and motivated audiences around the world with her gripping and contagious style of unique illustrations, well-researched concepts, and impactful life applications. Sharing these gifts have brought her to a variety of stages, ranging from the leadership of the U.S. Air Force Academy, prestigious educational institutions, numerous ladies’ events, city prayer meetings, business associations, and international church conventions.
Lori has appeared on multiple radio shows and has shared content from her numerous articles on excellence, personal development, and effectiveness. She’s authored several books, including Designed for Excellence (1995), When Roosters Crow (1997), Real Solutions for Ordering Your Private Life (2001), Balance at Its Best (2007), Hope Dangerously (2012), and a chapter in Threads of Wisdom (2018). She is the founder and CEO of Teach One to Lead One (T1L1), through which she passionately leads the charge to impact the next generation with strong character and leadership training, especially those most at risk. Lori resides in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband Jose.
Allyson Felecia Smith
Minister Allyson Felecia Smith is from Atlanta, Georgia, and Sharon, Pennsylvania. She earned her bachelor of arts degree in history from Spelman College. In 2006, Allyson acknowledged her call to ministry. Minister Smith received her master of divinity […]
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from Candler School of Theology, Emory University, where her focus was sexual ethics and pastoral care. She currently serves as assistant director of admissions at Spelman College and associate minister at Community Church of God in Atlanta. At Community, she works with the women’s ministry and Christian education. Allyson is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She believes in loving God, loving herself, and loving others as God has loved her.
Erin Taylor
Erin Taylor is passionate about helping others experience the transforming love of Jesus Christ. Her life and ministry are marked by her love for the local church, passion for developing leaders, and desire to pour out her life for Christ. In the summer of 2018, […]
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she was thrilled to begin serving as senior pastor of First Church of God in Alma, Michigan. Prior to that, she served as teaching pastor at Church at the Crossing in Indianapolis for thirteen years. Much of the story of her life is deeply rooted in the local church. As the daughter of a Church of God pastor, Bob Moss (wife Renee), she grew up in St. Joseph, Michigan, and answered the call to ministry at age fifteen at the International Youth Convention. In 2002, she served as Miss Michigan for the Miss America organization and traveled throughout the country speaking at schools, community events, and many churches. Erin completed her undergraduate and seminary work at Anderson University, where she currently serves as a member of the board of trustees. Erin and her husband Dan have four energetic kids (Will, Noah, Jake, and Anna Kate) and love celebrating how adoption is part of their family story.
Jake Zaske
Jake Zaske is the senior pastor of Indian Creek Community Church in Olathe, Kansas. Over the past twenty years, he has served pastorally at churches in England, California, and New York City. He counts it a privilege to serve and resource the wider church in […]
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whatever way possible and is passionate about church planting and revitalization. Jake and his wife Sarah reside in the Kansas City metro area with their two children, Caleb and Grace.
Marty Grubbs
HOST PASTOR—Marty Grubbs is the lead pastor of Crossings Community Church, based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Driven by the foundational and ever-relevant elements of the church in Acts 2, Marty inspires his congregation to live out their mission statement: to be a […]
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Christ-centered church committed to live by faith, to be a voice of hope, and to be known by love.
Crossings will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2019. Originally known as Westridge Hills Church of God, the congregation has grown from an average attendance of 143 to over 7,000 today. Marty has been with the congregation for thirty-six years, serving as lead pastor for the past 31 years.
You can find Marty on Twitter at @martygrubbs, on Facebook at Marty Grubbs (Public Figure), and at his blog (MartyGrubbs.com).
ROD STAFFORD
HOST PASTOR—Rod Stafford is the Senior Pastor of Fairfax Community Church. Strategically located in the Washington D.C. area, Fairfax Community is an intergenerational church committed to impacting the next generation for Christ. Over the last thirty years, Fairfax Community has grown from a worshipping community of 100 to over 2,500. […]
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The church has developed a ministry ethos in which every believer is empowered to use his or her abilities, passions and spiritual gifts to build up the church and transform the culture.
Nearly 100 people from the congregation have gone into vocational ministry, many of those going into cross-cultural mission settings. The church is in partnership with ministries and churches around the world to engage the culture with the good news of the Kingdom.
Rod received his undergraduate degree from Anderson University and his master of divinity and doctor of ministry degrees from Anderson University School of Theology. He has served the broader church on various local, state, national and international boards. Rod’s passion is to help raise up a new generation of visionary pastors to lead the local churches in the great cities of the world. He is the author or Free to Lead: The Decision Making Ethos of Healthy Growing Churches.
He and his wife, Donna, have two children – a married daughter, Kora (Ted), and a married son, Zach (Heidi) and six grandchildren.
