COGIC 104th Annual Holy Convocation

 NEW, NEW, NEW ------> COGIC Issues Pt. 1 and COGIC Issues Pt. 2 <------NEW, NEW, NEW 
Dynamic Interview With Elder D.L. Foster Of Gcmwatch.com 

As the saints of God converge upon St. Louis, MO. for the 104th Annual Holy Convocation, we are reminded of the precarious times in which we live. There are ISSUES that must be addressed. ISSUES that will be addressed and spiritual blessings that must be delivered. I don't think that there is a better theme delivered for this holy time of reflection among the Saints of God. 

God's Church, God's People, God's Agenda!

Holy Convocation Live Stream Click This Link

We must remember that God hasn't called this church or any individual believer, to be like anyone or everyone else. He has called us, to holiness, without which "no man shall see the Lord" (Heb. 12:14). The redefinition of holiness within the culture and the church is a challenge of epic proportions. What does it mean to be "Saved, Sanctified, Baptized and Filled With The Holy Ghost" as we once proudly and unashamedly stated? What should the church do about the ever increasing and alarming allegations of Clergy Sexual Abuse and Misconduct (aka: SINS)? -I grow tired of giving ugly and deplorable behaviors good, politically correct and pretty titles-


What should the church do on behalf of the victims who have suffered at the hands of ungodly leaders who have defiled themselves by their ungodly and sinful actions?

Bishop Charles E. Blake
Presiding Bishop COGIC

Then there are fiances...no matter what one says, the recession, joblessness and the global economy has taken a hold of church finances. According to the General Assembly Minutes delivered in April 2011 only 83% of domestic jurisdictions had delivered a financial reporting or an account of funds to the national church while only 38% of foreign jurisdiction had reported. According to the same document, in a highly honorable, and humble move, the church's Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake, gave up his 2010 annual compensation as the leader of the church so that the church would not be further financially distressed. As I have stated in COGIC Issues Pt. 2, this isn't fair. I know of no one that will do what he does for no compensation. He could be happy simply serving the needs of his own church. While I may deliver criticisms of certain moves and actions by the Presiding Bishop on behalf of the church, it should be known that in church with over 6 million members, the leader of it should be paid for his service at all costs. That, to me, is simply a matter of respect.

God's Church

The Church Of God In Christ is a natural outgrowth of an inward spiritual reality. In that I mean that the church has never been a building, it is however a group of them that has been called out, from the death of this world to the life within Christ himself. 

Unfortunately, we are living in a time when men believe that the church belongs to them to handle it as they desire. This is why the 104th Annual Holy Convocation is so important, because it challenges us to remember once again, that the church is not the church because of us, but it it the church because of HIM. If that is the case, and we know that it is, the church and it's resultant actions must be delivered back to God as his possession so that he may care for it, tend to it, fix it, and love it. 

Dating of the Convocation

Although this may appear to be a simple issue, it is not. The dating of the convocation is one that is rooted within the institution of the church and it's subsequent revision both in 1980 and 1985. The issue has been temporarily addressed in the following manner: 

While the 2011 Holy Convocation is being held earlier than normal, the 2012 Holy Convocation has been set back further than any Holy Convocation has been set since 1980 according to adopted church rule. The rule was as follows:

"Resolution authorizing that Tuesday after the first Sunday in November through the following Sunday be declared Holy Week to allow attendance of the Saints at the Holy Convocation in Memphis, TN."  

According to current scheduling the 2012 Holy Convocation will begin Monday Nov. 12th with the General Assembly beginning Monday Nov. 19th 2012. While this years event is a week early, next years event is nearly a week later than it should be under normal circumstances. 

The reason for this is St. Louis's inability to accommodate the Saints for the previously necessary or required dates. The leadership of the church were required to enter into agreements with St. Louis for the event. Since cancellation would have resulted in greater fees to the church and greater financial distress, the Presiding Bishop had no choice but to continue with the plans in St. Louis. Therefore, Bishop J.O. Lawson of Texas introduced another resolution to the General Assembly which was adopted stating the following:

"I move that this resolution of 1980 that I just read, as well as the succeeding resolution of 1985, be suspended for the purpose of having the Holy Convocation in St. Louis, Missouri during the weeks that are consistent with the existing contracts that have been executed for the years 2011 and 2012."

Bishop N. Wells
General Board Member

So there has been a temporary fix to address what can be considered a very important issue for many reasons not to mention trust, and tradition. During the Holy Convocation Of Illinois 3rd Jurisdiction, Bishop Nathaniel Wells, challenged us to consider if the Holy Convocation should be handled like a convention, governed by men, or a Convocation governed by God. St. Louis, MO. has an unyielding NFL schedule during the time that we hold the Holy Convocation. St. Louis isn't the place of this church's birth. Right now we have been reduced to having a convention. Memphis certainly can't hold the crowd. Bishop Brandon Porter affirms that Memphis will not have a convention center that can seat over 20,000. However, should the "seating of the crowd" be our only consideration if this is God's Church? Should that be a consideration at all? (Special Note on Bishop Porter: In a message entitled "12 Laws Of The Harvest" aired 11/12/2011 on the Word Network, Bishop Porter stated that he too wanted the Holy Convocation to come back to Memphis, TN. and suggested that the move back to Memphis would be one of his goals if and when he were elected to the General Board of Bishops. So what is Bishop Porter's position on the issue?) 

God's People

Luke 4:16-21 ~ 16-And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 17-And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

18-The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19-To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. 20-And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21-And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

One of the greatest things that can be done is to serve the People of God. Jesus work was about serving the people. Preaching to the poor, healing the brokenhearted, deliverance to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, setting free and justifying those that were bruised or beat up by this world. What more great of a work and mission to the hearts of men could there be? Further why would God's church NOT do this?

Clergy Sexual Abuse (SINS) and Victims Advocacy

Unfortunately, the church has not yet set themselves to address the spiritual fallout regarding the victims of clergy sexual sins. To our shame, COGIC has not moved to address the hurts and pains of bonafide cases that involve these ungodly actions.

In our recent radio program "COGIC Issues Pt. 1", Elder D.L. Foster of Gcmwatch.com outlined that the website Reportcogicabuse.com documented over 40 publicly documented allegations of sexual sins by COGIC pastors or church leaders. He also stated that his office has received in excess of 25 additional calls from individuals from various parts of the country who have either suffered sexual abuse or that have a family member who is looking for answers, help and direction because of the abuse they suffered. We all agree that these things shouldn't happen, but there seems to be no agreement on how we should minister to the victims or if they should be ministered to at all. This becomes vitally important because many of the victims who go on to litigate against the church do so because the church was unresponsive to their needs and inquiries for help and assistance. 

Further, as I have documented in my post "Clergy Sexual Sins Pt. 2", in a 2009 address to the General Assembly, Presiding Bishop Blake stated the cost  of dealing with  matters as a result of clergy sexual sins are usually around $800,000. Based on current numbers and a worst case scenario, this could mean a potential monetary loss to the church of over $20 Million at some point in the future. Right now, we can point to at least 2 jurisdictions that have lost their worship centers as a result of either proven or settled sexual allegations. The monetary loss from those cases alone have exceeded $6 Million, not to mention the untold number of souls that have regressed from worship of any kind as a result. What further adds insult to injury is that the leaders of the churches that had to be sold were not the ones who committed the sins. They were simply silent and reluctant to act. 

I WON'T be Silent Any More!

How much longer can this church...God's church, full of God's People, REFUSE to act in light of this serious issue and the potential resultant fallout? Addressing the victim and the victims family through a victims advocacy program, will allow the victims and their families to begin the healing process and will allow the church to also grow as a result. It is not beyond our capacity to take a devastating situation, deliver it to God, and watch God get HIS glory through the healing and salvation of the lost. Could this be the very reason that we exist? To heal the people in the middle of situations that are destroying lives, to destroy the chains and bondage that the enemy imposes upon hearts and minds?  We certainly must consider our place and time in this epoch of time. 

God's Agenda

Bishop C.H. Mason
Founder Of The Church Of God In Christ

The salvation of souls is the purpose of the church. The church was not called to build buildings, sell concert tickets or promote the nearest gospel celebrity, personality or play. We are called however to reach and teach the lost through the power of the gospel and impact them by living a holy life under the power of the Holy Ghost. 

1 Sam. 4:19-22 ~ 19-And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. 20-And about the time of her death the women that stood by her said unto her, Fear not; for thou hast born a son. But she answered not, neither did she regard it. 21-And she named the child Ichabod, saying, The glory is departed from Israel: because the ark of God was taken, and because of her father in law and her husband. 22-And she said, The glory is departed from Israel: for the ark of God is taken.

After years of continued disobedience and waiving the hand at the warning from God through the Prophet Samuel, there cam a day that Israel went to battle seeking to gain the victory, only this time something was amiss. Before, all they had to do was usher the Ark Of the Covenant onto the scene and begin to praise God, and the battle, no matter who was the enemy would turn in their favor.

This time, they brought the ark, but they forgot the word. The word had already been delivered that they would lose out because of their sins and failure to correct themselves and refusal to hear the voice of the Lord. (1 Sam. 3: 11-13)

In other words, the agenda of God was clear...CLEAN UP the house of God and REPENT if we want the favor and grace of the Lord to shine upon us, our family, our communities and our nation. This message of repentance centered on the ungodly actions of a few, but ALL were punished by the refusal of that few to comply, listen to, understand and follow the Lord. 

We are CERTAINLY NOT pronouncing judgement upon the church, because the Lord hasn't instructed us to do so, but we are pointing to the fact that God has given us plenty and ample opportunity to make a turn and deal with issues, whereby others can be saved and blessed. The community needs the glory of the Lord through us, but how can they see it, when we are unconcerned about dealing with ourselves and our issues and getting them right before the Lord?   

Is God's agenda at heart, or is it the agenda of men?

God's Church, God's People and God's Agenda. We are in hopes that the issues of the Grand ole Church Of God In Christ will center around these things for the next 104 years!

Blessed!

I'll update the comments section with happenings from the Convocation. If you attend I invite you to do the same. Let the saints know your experience as well as what's going on.