Not Just for Pastors
All together now!
The first two of our 2018 Regional Conventions will be held this month in Phoenix and Oklahoma City. It’s not too late to register if you have not already. These and the other three Regionals are going to be events where you want to be! Wouldn’t it be great to gather ALL together for this time of inspiration, teaching, and encouragement?
Some may think that these events are only for pastors. That is not true! While we want every congregation to make sure their pastor is able to attend, we also want anyone who calls the Church of God home—and their guests—to be there, as well.
All are invited.
All will be inspired.
All will learn.
At each location, there will be a regional guest speaker—a practitioner in ministry—who will share their story, their ministry calling, and their challenge for us as a movement. You will want to be there to hear from Don Wilson (Phoenix & OKC), Harvey Carey (Columbus), or Brad Lomenick (Fairfax & Safety Harbor). They aren’t the only speakers slated for the Regional, however! At each location, Ben Hardman, Jim Lyon, Jo Anne Lyon, Jeff Whye, and the host pastor will challenge and inspire us, as well. The host church worship arts team will lead us in corporate worship, and electives will be offered that highlight ministry experience and expertise of the local staff, while giving all in attendance some resources to translate to their own ministry settings and communities.
For more information on each of the speakers, schedules, and electives, visit our convention page at www.chogconvention.org.
It’s not too late for Phoenix or Oklahoma City. Or plan now for Columbus, Fairfax, or Safety Harbor! Let’s ALL get together!
CHURCH OF GOD REGIONAL CONVENTION SPEAKERS

Ben Hardman
Ben Hardman is co-founder of Gravity Leadership, a coaching and training organization that helps Christian leaders re-imagine discipleship and navigate the mission of God together. Ben’s vision is to awaken God’s people, equip God’s family, and […]
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unleash God’s mission in the life of everyday leaders through mission and discipleship. The author of the book Thrive: Doing More Than Surviving Your Faith, he is a frequent speaker and trainer at many events across the country. Ben was also a team leader on the staff at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky, before becoming one of the founding pastors of The Avenue Church in Louisville. Formerly named as one of the top thirty youth ministers in America and one of the top thirty Christian leaders under thirty, Ben is a graduate of Anderson University with a degree in Bible and Christian ministries. He is a huge Ohio State Buckeye fan and a former high school basketball coach. Ben lives in Springboro, Ohio, with his wife Sarah and kids Cole, Caden, and Claire.

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.

Jo Anne Lyon
Jo Anne Lyon serves as ambassador of the Wesleyan Church, a position specifically created to retain the considerable connections and influence she has as former general superintendent. No relation to Jim Lyon, Dr. Lyon has developed a unique and significant set of connections to many national and […]
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international religious, political, and humanitarian agencies and leaders.
She has served on the board of directors of many organizations as representative of the Wesleyan Church, including the National Association of Evangelicals executive committee, Bread for the World, National Religious Partnership for the Environment, Asbury Theological Seminary board, Council on Faith of the World Economic Forum, and former President Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.
Dr. Lyon holds a master’s degree in counseling, has continued graduate studies in historical theology, and has been granted five honorary doctorates. She’s written several articles and publications, including the book The Ultimate Blessing and has served over 30 years in pastoral ministry. She has been adjunct professor of church and society at both Indiana Wesleyan University and Asbury Theological Seminary. As the founder and CEO of World Hope International (Alexandria, Virginia), she directed the faith-based relief and development organizations into over 30 countries to alleviate suffering and injustice.
Dr. Lyon and her husband, Rev. Wayne Lyon, live in the Indianapolis area. They have 4 children and 10 grandchildren. Find her on Twitter @JoAnneLyonGS or Facebook, JoAnneLyonGS.

Jeff Whye
Jeff lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with his four young children and his wife Nicky, who works as a family nurse practitioner and teaches online at two universities. Together he and his wife minister in the areas of marriage, dating, and relationships. […]
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He has been a high school, middle school, college, and associate pastor. Along with working for the local church, Jeff has been on staff at Azusa Pacific University, as well as Grand Canyon University and has been on the faculty as an adjunct professor at Arizona Christian University. Prior to this, he was involved in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles for seven years, doing stand-up comedy, acting, voiceover work, and production.
Today, Jeff serves as an associate campus pastor at Central Christian Church in Mesa, Arizona, a church of over 10,000. Before that he served as the teaching pastor at North Hills Church of God in Phoenix and ministered at Pasadena Church of God in southern California. Jeff received his masters from Fuller Theological Seminary, and is an alumnus of Anderson University and serves on the AU alumni council board. He also makes time to hold StrengthsFinder workshops and consults with Ministry Insights, Int’l., and travels, speaking the Word of God and emceeing at conferences, such as IYC.

OKC Only
Don Wilson
As an engaging leader and speaker, Don has held several pastoral and leadership positions over his 50 years of ministry. In 1982, he planted Christ’s Church of the Valley and it expanded to include eight campuses in the greater Phoenix area with attendance over 28,000 and a 300-person staff. […]
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Don is a graduate of Manhattan Christian College and California Graduate School of Theology. He is president emeritus of the North American Christian Convention and has served on the boards of The Solomon Foundation, Manhattan Christian College, and the North American Christian Convention.
Recently, Don has launched an organization called Accelerate Group to address the challenges facing the local church. Accelerate Group addresses leadership selection and transition, governance and role definitions, and strategic planning and multi-site expansion. Don and his wife Sue have three children and eleven grandchildren, and are passionate about helping other pastors balance the demands of ministry and family life.

Brad Lomenick
Brad Lomenick is passionate about raising up great leaders around the globe. He is a renowned speaker, writer, leadership advisor, and founder of Blinc Consulting. He has built a reputation as a strategic connector and […]
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convener of America’s most respected and sought-after leaders over the last two decades. For more than ten years, Brad served as lead visionary and president of Catalyst, one of America’s largest and most influential conference movements of young leaders, convening hundreds of thousands of leaders through high energy and experiential conferences across the United States. He is largely credited with growing the organization into one of the largest and most recognized leadership brands and conference gatherings in the world.
Brad is author of the groundbreaking book, The Catalyst Leader: Eight Essentials for Becoming a Change Maker, as well as his most recent leadership book, H3 Leadership: Be Humble, Stay Hungry, Always Hustle, both from Thomas Nelson. Brad serves on the advisory boards for the A21 Campaign, Red Eye Inc., Values Partnerships, No Losing, Fuller Youth Institute, Alpha USA, and Praxis.
Brad Lomenick holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma and currently resides just outside of Atlanta. Brad once played American football in Australia and New Zealand, was in a rap group in high school, and is an outdoorsman who loves hunting, fishing, and snow skiing. He hopes to have his own hunting show someday, and possibly try out for the Senior PGA golf tour.

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 model that has reached thousands of teens in inner-cities across the nation. […]
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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.

Allan Fuller
HOST PASTOR—Allan is thankful for stumbling into the church across the street from his house growing up: First Church of God in Edmonton, Canada. In college, he ended up shifting from an engineering pursuit to a calling into fulltime ministry. […]
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After graduating from Anderson School of Theology, Allan enjoyed serving as an associate pastor at Vineyard Community Church in Cincinnati, Ohio, for a number of years. Eventually he, along with his wife, Tami, and their three children, headed west to pastor Mountain Park Church in Phoenix, AZ. where he has been for the past twelve years.

Timothy Clarke
HOST PASTOR—Bishop Timothy Joseph Clarke is a faithful pastor, anointed teacher, strategic thinker, and an articulate and prolific preacher. He is the visionary leader and senior pastor of First Church of God in Columbus, Ohio, where, under his dynamic and prophetic leadership for thirty-seven years, First Church has become a spiritual beacon at the local and national level.[…]
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Called to the ministry in January 1974, Bishop Clarke served as the associate minister at First Church of God, in his hometown of Far Rockaway, New York, under his mentor, the late Dr. James E. Cray. Prior to First Church of God in Columbus, Clarke served in ministry at several other congregations. Clarke is the founder and chief prelate of Berean Fellowship, an international assembly, partnering with pastors of small to mid-size churches and young pastors, and those new to pastoral ministry.
Bishop Clarke is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including induction into the Morehouse College Board of Preachers. He holds a certificate of theology and ministry (Princeton Theological Seminary); bachelor of theology (Graduate Theological Foundation); master of ministry (Southern California School of Ministry); doctorate of divinity (Mid-America University); and a doctorate of humanities (Wilberforce University). Bishop Clarke has maintained a fellowship with the National Association of the Church of God, serving in several leadership capacities, including president of the National Inspirational Youth Convention, chairman and vice-chairman of the General Assembly; and president, vice-president, and presiding elder. On July 1, 2018, Bishop Clarke will assume the position of chairman of the General Assembly. Clarke ministers to our heart and encourages our soul through the numerous books he has published, too, including his latest, Bind Up Your Broken Heart, available from Warner Press.
Bishop Clarke is husband of Lady Clytemnestra Lawson Clarke, the loving father of two amazing adult daughters, Dionesha and Joscelyn, and a devoted grandfather to his grandson Ryan Joseph and granddaughter London Yvonne.

OKC Only
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.

Terry Rolen Jr.
HOST PASTOR—Terry Rolen Jr. has spent 25 years in ministry, including 19 as senior pastor. He has served congregations in Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, and Ohio. For the past 5 years, he has served as lead pastor of Bayside Community Church. Terry grew up in and graduated high school in the Cajun heartland of Lafayette, Louisiana. He accepted Christ at age 18 and was called to ministry at 20. […]
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He has a bachelor of arts in Biblical studies from Anderson University, a masters of divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary, and a doctor of ministry from Anderson University School of Theology. Since 2005, Terry has served as an adjunct religion professor for Regent University, where he teaches New Testament, Old Testament, and Introduction to the Bible.
Terry Rolen has also held several state ministry positions. In Virginia, he served on the credentials board and the leadership task force. The leadership task force spearheaded the reconciliation and unification of the Virginia Assembly and the Virginia Association. In Ohio, he served for three years on the governance board of Ohio Ministries and as an elder in the Southwest District of Ohio. Terry keeps balance in his life by being a devoted husband and father, running, boating, rooting on LSU, UF, and the Dallas Cowboys.
Terry met his wife Kristy on a blind date at a church hay ride in Pendleton, Indiana. They were married on February 11, 1995. They have three children, including Kasey (20), Kelly (17), and J.T. (12).