STRUCTURAL CHANGES AT HQ REFLECT EFFORTS TO RESOURCE MINISTERS, CHURCHES

The Executive Presbytery, in session in September, approved a restructure of the Ministerial Leadership Division at Headquarters. With the goal of more effectively resourcing AG ministers and churches, and to bring synergy to the area of Ministerial Leadership, the EPs elected to move this entire area under the General Secretary’s office. “The General Secretary is the repository for all matters dealing with ministerial credentials, so it made sense to place the area dealing with the development and resourcing of the minister in that area also,” states General Superintendent George O. Wood.

The Ministerial Leadership area has been under the direction of Ron McManus. The Presbytery has asked Ron to focus solely on Church Transformation. This will include helping small churches who are either stagnant or in danger of being closed to refocus their efforts and ministries to reach their community. Ron will be working with districts and churches to affect this new role.

To assist the General Secretary in carrying out the responsibilities of the Ministerial Leadership area, two offices have been created.

Pastor Care
The office of Pastor Care will be under the direction of Dr. Gary Allen. That office will continue as liaison with Emerge Ministries, will have oversight of the counseling data base referrals to assist churches and ministers with counseling needs and will work with districts who have appointed Pastor Care leaders to help resource those leaders. In addition, Gary will give oversight to the National Prayer Center which has been under the Division of Communications but now has been moved under the Pastor Care area. Sometime ago the ELT had requested the Prayer Center (under the direction of John Maempa) to focus on developing prayer resources for local churches and the staff has done that with a number of new, very effective resources. Gary also will serve as an in-house chaplain to headquarters employees who may need someone to advise and pray with those who face difficulties.

Ministerial Resourcing
The office of Ministerial Resourcing will give oversight to MinistryDirect.com and the Enrichment Journal. It also will serve as editor for the quarterly ministers’ letter, Called to Serve. This office will seek to develop resources for ministers and churches to assist with their individual ministries. General Secretary James Bradford has chosen George Paul Wood to lead this office. Dr. Bradford states, “When we looked for the right person who has ministerial experience, is a good writer/editor, and who has the academic credentials to lead this office, I felt George Paul was the person for the job.” George Paul has served on a church staff with Dr. Bradford and more recently has been the pastor of a turn-around church in Santa Barbara, California. He has a B.A. from Wheaton College and a M.Div. from Fuller Theological Seminary. Early on, he served as editorial assistant of the Pneuma magazine, the official publication for the Society for Pentecostal Studies. George Paul is a published writer and among others, has written articles for both the Pentecostal Evangel and Enrichment. The son of General Superintendent and Mrs. George O. Wood, George Paul and his wife Tiffany have a one-year-old son, George Reese.

“We solicit your prayers and support as we move ahead with this new structure,” states Dr. Bradford. “I believe the greatest days are ahead for our Fellowship as we continue to seek God, obey His will, and live our lives in light of His soon return.” The changes take effect in December.