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Monday, March 1, 2021

ALL Is Not Lost...COGIC General Election Turmoil...Who Has The Authority?


It seems that the secular world is not the only place where there is election turmoil and confusion during COVID times. There seems to be "confusion" and mixed messages over exactly what to do and who is authorized to do it. 

SHORT STORY:

Former Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake chose not to seek reelection. Allegedly, and according to church rules his term as Presiding Bishop expired in November 2020. A date was set to hold a VIRTUAL General Assembly December 28th, 2020. At that time a date of Feb. 23rd 2021 was set to hold the Quadrennial Election for Presiding Bishop and General Board Members of our church. Allegedly 93% of delegates voted to conduct the election during that time as opposed to waiting until April of 2021. Under  normal circumstances the election would have been held in November 2020, so the time was already past for which a decision should have been made by the General Assembly. However, to make matters worse,  there were 4 General Board Members who had passed away and 2 (including Bishop Blake) not seeking reelection. 

That information can be confirmed HERE at about the 12:55 mark into the video. 

This is where the waters get kind of MURKY:

Well, it seems that on the Feb. 23rd date, not only was it unusually cold and half the country was in an unexpected deep freeze, which allegedly knocked many delegates out of the ability to vote at the appropriate time, but according to a letter sent to COGIC Delegates, by Bishop L.F. Thuston, The Chair Of The General Assembly, there were many unnamed "IRREGULATIRIES" in voting that occurred causing the leaders of the General Assembly to shut down the vote. ALLEGEDLY all parties concerned agreed to suspend the General election until such a time as was acceptable, this included the FORMER Presiding Bishop in his now technically nonexistent role...Yea, I know more confusion...

Well, it gets even worse...According to Bishop Thuston, the ACTUAL election is to take place March 20th...and ALL previous votes are to be zeroed out and everyone, including those who voted previously, are to vote again. 

This has led the FORMER Presiding Bishop to make a statement as we can hear for ourselves in this video:


As of this writing, there is an alleged letter being circulated among COGIC Bishops from the Presiding Bishop, or FORMER Presiding Bishop Blake instructing nobody to vote on March 20th, and wait until April to take up the entire matter. However, is that what should be done?

Serious QUESTIONS Have Arisen that must be addressed

Has the General Board Powers Expired because we are beyond November in which their term, all terms have expired?

If an election is had tomorrow, are the votes valid and binding? 

Does Former Presiding Bishop Blake have any authority to call a General Board Session to any degree while General Assembly is in session?

Remember, the General Assembly is the ONLY legislative and rule making authority in the Grand Ole Church. It doesn't matter what a preacher preaches and or believes. Only the General Assembly makes laws of the church. (Believe me, it's a complex relationship and I don't mean to over simplify it, as the General Assembly also includes the Bishops) 

So an additional question does Bishop's Thuston's have power as Chair of General Assembly to wield as he supposes in tandem with or with the authority of the General Assembly? 

The COGIC  JUDICIARY BOARD
"The Judiciary Board is the Supreme Court of the Church Of God In Christ, Inc. (COGIC). As the final authority of questions of ecclesiastical constitutional doctrine, it maintains balance between the Legislative (General Assembly) and Executive Branch (General Board). The Judiciary Board is also the final appellate forum of the COGIC for disputes, except in cases that have been appealed to the Presiding Prelate for executive clemency (i.e. Pastoral and Bishops removals and Church disorganization).

The Judiciary Board is comprised of nine members from Episcopal, Ministerial and General Assembly categories of the church. Three members are Jurisdictional Bishops (Episcopal); three members are elders other than bishops (Ministerial); and three members are from the church at large (General Assembly). Board members are elected and retained in office by the General Assembly.

Each member cannot serve more than two terms; nor can he or she serve more than 14 years in office, unless approved by the delegates of the General Assembly. Each Judiciary Board member is at least 45 years of age and an active member of the Church Of God In Christ in good standing. Because their duties require them to function as “judges,” it is imperative that each possess mature judgment, proven ability, integrity and a thorough knowledge of the Church Of God In Christ constitution and doctrine." ~ COGIC Judiciary Board
There appears to be a "court of appeal" to settle these issues. What is certain is that these questions can be answered and addressed and the situation is, in my opinion, not as desperate as it seems. 

The JUDICIARY is the only organization within COGIC that determines standing and ultimately authority under the church's constitution. It is the JUDICIARY headed by COGIC Chief Justice Bishop Martin Luther Johnson, that should be entrusted to make the final rule as it pertains to the Constitutional or organizational operations on this matter. Until then, all things are comments, observations and suggestions.

We deserve much more than that on all things and should be in a better position to know what is going on AFTER Judiciary has received the arguments and reviewed the cases.

CONCLUSION 

In short, it seems that everyone wants to see COGIC broken up yet again. COGIC is responsible for I would say, nearly 20 to 30% of independent churches that exist today. For one reason or another a COGIC Minister, Elder and in some cases Bishop, left COGIC to start their own church. Many for good cause and being led of the Lord because God is greater than any denomination or organization among men...HOWEVER, COGIC can certainly weather this storm. 

COVID has come to reveal motives and that is exactly what has happened. I have said time and time again, what needs to be asked of any and all future leaders, is what is the agenda for God's people? It needs to be more than just updating computers or buying land. It needs to be centered around SOULS, doing JUSTICE and RIGHTEOUSNESS of God. It must be against pedophiles and abusers of men and women in church. It must take an OPEN stand against sexual promiscuity and homosexual sins and perversions. 

These are things that are right and all I really care about...LET GOD ARISE AND HIS ENEMIES BE SCATTERED!

12 comments:

  1. Great article, I do have a question, or two.
    1. Did the Board of Bishops use the same vendor that was used for the General board election? Would they have to redo their election?
    2. When does the General Assembly vote for its officers?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for asking and reading...So far as the questions, I have no clue as to what vendor was used or is being used for the election. So that is a very good question.

      Secondly, Bishop Thuston was elected during a special election in 109th Convocation (2016) due to the death of Bishop Hunt who passed away just prior to that Convocation. The General Assembly positions are not up for election this year.

      Here are all the candidates and positions being voted on ALLEGEDLY, this session:

      https://www.cogic.org/generalsecretary/files/2021/01/E6E99903-5C42-4B2C-95EA-975F013A3202.jpeg

      and

      https://www.cogic.org/generalsecretary/files/2021/01/E9DC2DBA-063E-48AC-AE09-3FB94CEE06E2.jpeg

      Thanks.

      Delete
  2. In addition, Bishop Thuston is no slouch or unlearned "want limelight" person. He is a highly respected leader and one very knowledgeable of both the church, history and his position, rights and authority.

    Not that he is perfect, and or cannot be wrong, but any wrong I certainly don't believe would be intentional. Tell you what the Assemblies Of God sure respects his pedigree...Read this:

    https://news.ag.org/news/new-cogic-leader-is-graduate-of-cbc-and-agts

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Bishop Thuston was apart of the faculty at North Central University. The MN COGIC jurisdiction holds the states holy convocation at the campus chapel annually.
      One can only imagine what colleagues are thinking about the election and the COGIC leadership handling of the election thus far.
      Question #3
      Once the Quadrennial Election is completed, will there be an extension of the terms due to the fact that the candidates will not be serving a full term?

      Delete
    2. Thanks and so far as Question 3, we can only speculate. This has never happened before as far as I am aware as electronic voting has never been done or allowed. The voting was always in person at the Convocation Assembly session.

      Now, I would think that there would have to be a series of amendments added or ratified to make this all a binding process. I would think...

      So far I haven't heard the status of any complaint or even the packaging of a request to the Judiciary, but that may also be happening without public knowledge.

      Those things could be what Bishop Blake is referencing when he suggests that everything be suspended until Call Meeting in April.

      Delete
  3. 3a 😀 Once Bishop Blake is given an emeritus status, will he take over his former jurisdiction or does he just becomes an Elder/Pastor with a charge? What does he go back to?
    Thanks for your insight. I do appreciate it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the questions, and there are some supplemental additions to the constitution that I will check later, but like chandler Owens when he was defeated in his election, Bishop Blake will always have his church to oversee and he will do that with the distinguished of title of "Presiding Bishop", but he will not hold a Jurisdiction. So far as his income, he will receive a church retirement package I am sure, although I know absolutely no details of what that entails.

      Like I said, I'll check what records I have and see if there is more information in them, but all of this is fairly new.

      Delete
    2. “Unprecedented” times for sure.
      I so appreciate you taking the time out and providing answers to my questions. I pray that the next set of leaders will have the skills to actually govern the church. We are a good 5 months behind regarding the election. If this was truly treaded as a Corporation no way we would survive. The pandemic is a year old now and we are still holding meetings to talk about what to do. To wait 2 months after an event to talk about is pointless and to not have an action plan in plans is reckless. We should not be this stuck. IJS😌
      I wish Bishop Nesbit was alive. I would love to read a letter from him right about now!

      Delete
  4. Earl Carter said that Bishop Daniels in Milwaukee hacked the computer systems and their is supposedly some collusion between Bishops Blake, Daniels and Macklin to ensure that either Daniels or Macklin becomes Presiding Bishop because they know that they have little chance of beating Bishop J Drew Sheard fair and square.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Will they be disqualified for it?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Well it looks like Bishop J Drew Sheard is the new Presiding Bishop. It's the first time that a father was the Chairman of the Board of Bishops and his son was simultaneously the Presiding Bishop. Bishop Daniels isn't even an Assistant Presiding Bishop anymore. I wonder if he'll do like Neil Ellis did in the Full Gospel Baptist Church and break away and start his own reformation or if he'll be a good sport?

    Also, Bishop George McKinney passed away today.

    ReplyDelete

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