On February 17, 2013 World Missions Coordinator, Robert Hawkins, and Field Secretary/BTI Director Ray Dupre set out on a three week journey to India and Nepal. After a 24-hour delay in the United Arab Emirates, they continued their journey to the state of Kerala, southwest India where they would meet with National Overseer Isaac Thomas Adimavunkal, his wife, Sister Bindu, and two beautiful children. Our brothers spent the first day confined to their hotel, as there were labor union strikes throughout India and all but the most essential services were shut down. Any other persons or vehicles caught out and about were considered to be "breaking the picket line" and were subject to dangerous conditions. However, once the strike was over our travelers made the four hour drive from Trivandrum to scenic Kanjirapally for the National Convention and BTI's Leadership Pastoral Development Classes. How wonderful it was to see faithful and familiar faces, members and ministers that have been serving the Lord and His Church...

We have received information and photographs from Paul Sudhakar, National Overseer of North India, regarding the recent devastation caused by Cyclone Nilam in the Andhra Pradesh state of India. The cyclone made landfall near Chennai on October 31st and has led to heavy rainfall and flooding in the area.

According to national news reports the death toll in Andhra Pradesh was twenty-nine. Brother Sudhakar reports that this includes the thirteen year old son of a family who are members of the Church. A total of approximately seventy Church members have been seriously affected by the flood including the loss of food, clothing, and damage to shelters. Brother Sudhakar also reports that four pastors have lost everything they own.

A relief fund has been set up through General Headquarters to accept donations for this urgent need.

Ways to Contribute

Check: Please mail checks to The Church of God, c/o North India Flood Relief, P.O. Box 450, Charleston, TN, 37310...

On Thursday, June 21, 2012 The Church of God was organized on the island of Malabo, Equatorial Guinea by Oscar Pimentel.  Isaiah prophesied that the Lord would hiss unto the nations, and they would come with swift speed.  For the people of Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, this prophecy has been fulfilled!

The Church was initially organized on the volcanic tropical island with nine members, but additional meetings are being held on the mainland during the upcoming few days.

Equatorial Guinea is a country located in central Africa bordering Cameroon and Gabon.  It is a tiny country with a population just over 685,000 composed of a mainland portion plus five inhabited islands.  Malabo is the country’s capital, and Bata is the largest urbanized city.  Equatorial Guinea is unique because it is the only country in Africa with Spanish as its official language.

Let us pray for these special and precious saints who have made their way to the Church and for growth in this new nation...

This congregation in southern India has been meeting in the pastor's small home for the past five years.  They would very much love to have a church building.  Also, our people in India need land for cemeteries as the Hindus, Muslims, and Catholics only allow those of their belief to be buried in their cemeteries.  Brother and Sister Smith enjoyed sweet communion with these folks on their recent trip to India.  This congregation is hoping their brothers and sisters will assist them in raising the $10,000 - $12,000 needed to purchase five to seven acres of land and construct a local church building.  Pray about what the Lord would have you to do in response to this need. If the total funds received is insufficient to meet the completion of this project, all funds received will be sent to India where authorization for disbursement will be left up to the National Finance Committee.

The following article originally appeared in The Evening Light and was written by Stephen E. Smith, General Overseer of The Church of God.

A few weeks ago on our way to visit Church members in Turkey and attend the National Convention in Southern India, my wife and I had the joy of visiting Israel. It was an opportunity to walk through biblical history, to see the very places where the Old and New Testament events took place. We saw the valley of Jezreel, where Gideon and his 300 soldiers won the battle against the multitude of Midianites, and the caves of Ein Gedi where David hid from Saul. We walked the streets of Jerusalem, and saw the Garden of Gethsemane where it is said of our Lord, “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44). We visited the Sea of Galilee and its coastal cities where Jesus worked most of His miracles and preached so many of His sermons.

In the month of February, World Mission Coordinator, Robert J. Hawkins, Jr., took his first tour of South America to get acquainted with the work and workers on the field in their respective countries.  Traveling with him were Headquarters Translator Oscar Pimentel as well as Bible Training Institute Director Ray D. Dupre.  

They were involved in three National Conventions and one Bible Training Institute school.  Also their journey would take them to the country for Panama for the annual National Convention.  While in South America they were privileged to stop by Chile for a day to encourage Brother and Sister Concha after the death of their daughter in a tragic car accident in December.  

Signs of good growth and encouraged people were the norm in each country.  It is hoped you will enjoy the photographs with this article.

The theme for the Mexico National Convention, held July 29-31, 2011, was "All That the Lord Hath Spoken We Will Do," taken from Exodus 19:7, 8. It was a special blessing for General Field Secretary and Sunday School Coordinator Bishop Robert Strong, his son Brother Frankie Strong and General VLB Coordinator Dustin Hays to attend this convention. God certainly met us there as the delegates began to gather, with a great spirit of expectation of God's blessings, and convention convened on Friday evening.

On Friday night Brother Juan Noriega preached a wonderful message regarding the battle that the Israelites had with the Amalekites and the hands of Moses being held up throughout the battle. Also on Friday night the state marches began. This was a special blessing as throughout the convention each state represented marched in with all of their delegates, carrying banners, sharing testimonies then typically singing a song. It was reminiscent of the state marches in the General Assemblies of times past. It was truly...

England National Convention convened July 8-10, 2011. It would be another record-equaling attendance for the Church in England. National Overseer Philip Bennett ably moderated this God-anointed and blessed Convention. His address to the saints of England was targeted and inspiring.

Field Secretary, Ray D. Dupre, was privileged to be in attendance at the Convention this year. His messages from the theme "The One Shall Be Taken and The Other Left", were a blessing to the Convention.

Each Auxiliary Secretary presented an inspiration program of special songs, skits and preaching. Oh, how wonderful the Word of God went forth from each minister in this Convention! All had found that stream of inspiration from the Holy Ghost, for each sermon continued where the last sermon ended. Over and over again the Spirit led us back to the all important thought, "The One Shall Be Taken and The Other Left."

The National Choir blessed the National Convention with two special numbers which delighted those in attendance as well...

Monday, April 11, 2011 was a historical day for The Church of God and an exciting one for our General Overseer and his wife, Bishop and Sister Smith. On this day, they would make a long journey and their very first visit to the continent of Africa. Accompanying them were our World Mission Coordinator and his wife, Brother and Sister Hawkins. The 18-day visit would include visits to Swaziland, South Africa, and the new country of Lesotho.

In Swaziland, our visitors were warmly greeted by the saints at the small national airport and escorted to their place of stay in the capital city of Mbabane. From here, they would travel all week long to our local churches in Esobovini, Dlangeni, and Manzini. A revival was also held in a new area called Gebeni, where souls were saved, sanctified, filled with the Holy Ghost and bodies were touched and healed as the sick were anointed with oil and prayed for. How glad The Church of God in Swaziland was to have their General Overseer minister the Word of God to them and to...

When E. Roger Ammons of Cleveland was thrown into a car at gunpoint by four large men and driven to parts unknown in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa, his death was the only thing that appeared to be a certainty.

But as suddenly as death pressed down on his life, his life took hold of his faith, and without ruckus or reason the pastor of The Church of God Southside was suddenly set free. The trip he made to help change lives from March 30 to April 12, had also changed his life and reawakened a lesson he would never forget.

As the general evangelism coordinator for The Church of God, Ammons coordinates the evangelistic outreach for their ministry with its headquarters on Tillie Road in Cleveland. He is sent out of the country once a year to a mission field with a national overseer to conduct revivals in addition to other mission trips.

"Before I went (to the Congo) I was told that they had made arrangements for my time in Kinshasa to stay in the four-star Grand Hotel...