AG “Family” — welcome to General Council!
By George O. Wood
I love the chorus we joyously sang several years ago:
I love the thrill that I feel when I get together with God’s wonderful people!
What a sight just to see all the happy faces; praising God in heavenly places.
What a thrill that I feel when I get together with God’s wonderful people!
And, that’s who you are – God’s wonderful people! It’s my joy to welcome you to this 53rd General Council!
One of the greatest blessings of this week will be meeting long-time friends again whom you may not have met in years. I well realize that General Council involves business, meetings, exhibits, events – but, many of us look forward most to those times we share personally with people we know and love. Plus, Council provides a great opportunity to meet new friends!
There have been many terms to describe the Assemblies of God over the years. We don’t like the word denomination because it communicates something cold, officious and controlling. So, we have used words like Movement and Fellowship to describe ourselves. And, that we are!
But, I’m suggesting we also use a new term: Family. We are the Assemblies of God Family. Family describes an even closer relationship than Movement or Fellowship. Why? Because blood is thicker than water. A family is strong enough to thrive even when there are disagreements. A family welcomes the uniqueness of each person, celebrates successes and grieves over setbacks.
Even in healthy families there can be arguments. And we may even have a few of those this week when we deal with resolutions during General Council business sessions. But, when it’s all said and done, we coalesce together as a family because we are united as brothers and sister in Christ.
Tonight I will have opportunity for the first time to give the general superintendent’s message. I have felt led by the Spirit to focus on what the Lord is doing through the overwhelming number of persons whose names will never be known. Is God at work among those who toil in obscurity?
Years ago, Frances Schaeffer preached a sermon titled, “No little people, no little places.” That’s where most of us are. What encouragement does God’s Word have for us? I’ll use the example of a little known person in Scripture to illustrate that the Lord is powerfully at work in our losses, pains, heartaches – even when we don’t see evidences of what He’s up to.
Business sessions start tomorrow morning. It’s my first time to chair a General Council, so I’ll need your patience!
I love what Ruth Graham, the wife of Billy Graham, directed as the epitaph on her grave. One day she and Billy had been driving and came along some road work. She saw this sign: “End of construction. Thank you for your patience.”
So, I’m picking up on that and thanking you in advance for your patience while I’m “under construction” as the chair of the meeting.
We’ll get fairly rapidly to the voting on Wednesday morning – so be in your place, ready to go at 8:45 a.m. Chi Alpha pastor Sarah Krage will lead us in a brief devotional and then we’ll be underway with voting. We’re using electronic voting again this year. Offices to be balloted upon are: General Superintendent, General Treasurer, and Executive Director of AG U.S. Missions – all four-year terms. The office of General Secretary will be balloted upon for a two-year term.
You’ve received your resolutions in advance – and more also will be forthcoming from the Executive Presbytery and General Presbytery. I especially request that those going to the microphones keep their discussion succinct and to the point. There is little to be gained through repetition of points already made.
Wednesday night, I encourage you to take part in the Missions Experience in the Exhibit Hall – then you’re free to go out to dinner with family and friends while the youth use the main arena for their service (you are welcome to join them!).
On Thursday and Friday evenings, the youth and the adults will meet in the arena for the service together. Herbert Cooper and Dick Brogden will be ministering, respectively, in those two services. You’ll read more about them in The Council Today.
Friday morning we are delighted to have Rick Warren with us. Rick has been and continues to be a great friend of the Assemblies of God. Countless of our churches have used his 40 Days of Purpose with great effectiveness.
I want to encourage you also to take plenty of time to visit the Exhibit Hall. Hundreds of exhibitors are there to share resources with you that will benefit your life personally, and your ministry. It’s really one of the highlights of Council! Don’t miss it.
I’m grateful for the staff from our national office that has worked so hard to prepare for you. They are among the most dedicated and talented people in the world. They are here to help you in every possible way, so don’t hesitate to call upon their services if you have questions or needs.
It’s been a delight to serve you as general superintendent these past two years. You have given me a wonderful team to work with. I deeply appreciate Alton Garrison, Jim Bradford, Doug Clay, John Bueno and Zollie Smith who serve with me on the Executive Leadership Team. You’ve also selected outstanding Executive Presbyters with whom it has been a joy to work.
But, this General Council does involve far more than business, or meeting with God’s wonderful people. It involves us meeting with God Himself! I know you have been praying for this General Council. May each of us make room for the Holy Spirit in these days together.
The pace we keep at General Council can be exhausting. It goes from early morning to late night. But, let’s seek the refreshing of the Lord’s presence among us. Let’s worship together, pray together, give together, hear God’s Word together and respond at altar times together with this commitment on our hearts, “Lord, here I am. Your servant hears. Let it be to me as You will.”
We have over 10,000 of our young people here as well. Let’s pray for them – that this Council will be a vital moment in their spiritual journey.
We’re coming up on our 100th anniversary in just five years. Will you join me in praying this prayer of the prophet Habakkuk (3:2) for this Council, and for the years to come should Jesus tarry:
I stand in awe of your deeds,
O LORD.
Renew them in our day,
In our time make them known!