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Statement: Lee University Leadership Commitment to Doctrinal Integrity


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Lee University Leadership Commitment to Doctrinal Integrity
March 30, 2021 • Cleveland, Tennessee
Dr. Tim Hill, General Overseer, and the International Executive Committee

In recent days, you may have heard or seen statements concerning a Lee University chapel service where a non-faculty guest speaker addressed sexual orientation, sexual identity, and marriage in a manner contrary to Scripture, teachings, and foundational doctrine of Lee University and its sponsoring denomination, the Church of God.
 
The International Executive Committee shared their concerns and those of many ministers with President Mark Walker and the leadership of Lee University. At such time, Dr. Walker was already proactively focusing upon the situation.  In cooperation with the Executive Committee, Dr. Walker began immediately to address the issue firmly, providing Biblical correction and doctrinal understanding for the student body of Lee.
 
Dr. Walker and the Lee University team released a formal statement regarding the presentation and, further, Dr. Walker scheduled the next chapel service to speak with the student body to provide clarity of the Biblical foundation of Lee University and the doctrine upon which the university was founded and built.
 
During the process, the International Executive Committee maintained regular communications with Dr. Walker.  In addition, Church of God leaders, including the Executive Council and state/regional administrative bishops, were kept informed through an email update and a video conference.
 
The Executive Committee has and continues to affirm the leadership actions of Dr. Walker and the commitment of Lee University to doctrinal integrity and practice. In addition, in recent days the Board of Directors of Lee University have also affirmed the leadership of Dr. Walker and emphasized the school’s foundational guidance of Biblical principles. 
 
Relevant issues of marriage and sexuality must be predicated upon a sound Biblical perspective and church doctrine.  The beliefs and commitments of the Church of God are our non-negotiables and should be clearly taught based upon the authority of Scripture.  

As we move forward, our prayer is that God will continue to strengthen, provide guidance and spiritual direction to President Walker, Lee University, and the Church of God as we fulfill the Great Commission as a church on mission.

 


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International Executive Council Meets in Historic Session


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International Executive Council Meets in Historic Session

Cleveland, TN – The International Executive Council of the Church of God met in their regularly-scheduled spring session on Monday, April 20, 2020, where they made the historic decision to postpone the 78th International General Assembly until 2022. In what would have been a session to finalize the agenda for the Assembly, members of the Church’s governing body instead grappled with the fallout of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic that has impacted millions of lives and caused countless deaths around the globe.

From the beginning of the process, General Overseer Tim Hill challenged the Council to follow four clear priorities in making their decision:

  • The decision had to be pleasing and honoring to the Lord
  • The health and well-being of our church members and participants had to be first and foremost in our thought process – and we had to consider both our national and international delegates potentially from 185 nations
  • The financial and economic concerns of the local church, pastors, and delegates had to be factored into the decision, and
  • The decision had to be as least intrusive on the Church of God Minutes and Bylaws as possible.

Working from a proposal crafted by a specially appointed General Assembly Task Force, the Council adopted a resolution, stating in part that, “the 78th International General Assembly be postponed until the summer of 2022.” The measure also gave the Executive Committee the authority to continue its negotiations with the City of Indianapolis about an event in that city in the future.

The extensive resolution presented to the Council was the result of hours of discussion and debate by the Task Force, made up of Executive Council members and chaired by Dr. Mark Williams. A second item recommended by the Task Force and presented to the Council dealt with a continuity of governance within the Church of God in the intervening period of 2020 to 2022. The resolution provided that, “persons currently holding general elected positions continue in their positions with full legal and ecclesiastical authority until such time as nominations or elections by the International General Council and elections by the International General Assembly can be properly conducted and successors chosen.”

As stated several times by Council members, the second resolution was necessary to “keep the plane flying.” The resolution cited this “unprecedented period the Church of God, as well as the world is experiencing through the shutdown of economies, churches and businesses and how the continuing worldwide pandemic of the coronavirus is preventing the usual operation of the denomination.” 

An overarching sentiment expressed throughout the Council meeting was the concern for the health and well-being of Church of God constituents around the globe. Comments from Task Force members revealed the on-going travel restrictions that are and would likely be in place well into next year and concerns for the timing of an economic recovery worldwide.

“We are in uncharted waters and decisions made by this body may not be pleasing to everyone,” Hill stated in his closing remarks to the Council. “However, we have done our best to be respectful of our Minutes. God knew this was coming.… He knows where we are and that this body would be in place to grapple with this matter. My prayer is for a period of continuing to be ‘the Church on Mission’ as we seek to FINISH the Great Commission.”

Click or Tap the buttons below to view either of the two motions passed by the International Executive Council on Monday, April 20, 2020:

Motion to Postpone the 78th General Assembly
Continuity of Church Government

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April 24, 2012–Cleveland, Tenn.—Members of the Church of God International Executive Council are meeting in session at the International Offices with a primary purpose of preparing an agenda for the upcoming 74th International General Assembly …

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