International Youth Camp for The Church of God begins today at the Lutheridge Conference Center just outside of Asheville, NC.

The camp is directed by Dustin Hays, international youth director for the Church, which has its headquarters in Cleveland.

Staff members and camp representatives who are attending the camp from the Cleveland area include the Church's General Overseer, Stephen Smith and his wife, Vicki; Kevin, Connie, and Ashley Werkheiser; Georgia/Florida camp representative, Jonathan Muñoz; media staff coordinator, Grayson B. Kent; Oscar Pimentel, director of translation; Rob and Missy Hawkins; and James and Allene Cox and son, David, Tennessee camp representative.

The theme for IYC 2012 is "Wind in the Valley" (Ezekiel 37:9 and 10).

International Youth Camp is an annual ministry of the Victory Leaders Band Department.  each year delegates from around the globe gather together to better equip themselves to serve as staff members in the youth camp ministry...

People from across the United States, the islands and several countries are on their way to attend the Assembly of The Church of God, which is to be held at Ridgecrest, N.C., just east of Asheville, N.C., Aug. 21-26.

The meeting will be moderated by General Overseer Stephen E. Smith. This will be the 107th General Assembly since the original group was organized.

Prior to the convening of the assembly, the International Youth Camp will be held at Lutheridge Conference Center, near Asheville, Aug. 17-20. Several representatives and staff members from Cleveland will attend the four-day youth-training event.

The Tuesday evening service will officially open the assembly with flag and Bible pledges in the English and Spanish languages. An hour of prayer will follow a message by Delbert Bock of South Dakota before adjournment for the evening.

Wednesday’s program will include a message by Ted Cogburn, of Alabama, Brandon Allen of Mississippi, and Mike Grobe of Louisiana. General Field Secretary Robert F...

The Church of God is the "light of the world."  This may sound like a presumptuous and arrogant statement, and indeed it would be if it were not for the fact that Jesus Christ Himself made the declaration.  We are the light because He said we are the light.  Of course, we are not the light in the same sense as Christ, for we read of Him, "In him was life; and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4).  The Church of God has no light or life in and of itself, but only as it receives these from Christ.

The role of the Church is that of proclaiming the gospel of Christ through both preaching and living the gospel.  But the light we share goes beyond merely speaking the Word and living Christ-like lives, for the gospel of Christ is the gospel of power.  Through the Holy Ghost living in and operating through the Church we have a divine agent that speaks to men's hearts, convicting and convincing them of their lost and sinful condition and of their need to accept Christ as Savior and Lord of their lives...