Wood Selected Co-Global Chair and Mills Appointed Global Director
Contact: Jeremy Burton, Oral Roberts University, 918-495-7337
JERUSALEM, Jan. 15, 2014 /Christian Newswire/ -- Empowered21 held the opening session of its Global Council meeting with leaders from around the world at the David Citadel Hotel in Jerusalem the evening of January 14, 2014. William Wilson, global co-chair for Empowered21 and president of Oral Roberts University laid out the vision for Empowered21 and set the stage for the Global Congress to be held in Jerusalem May 2015. George Wood, general superintendent for the Assemblies of God USA and the chairman of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship was unanimously affirmed by the global council as the new global co-chair --replacing Jack Hayford, chancellor of Kings College. Hayford will move to be an honorary member of the Global Council. Wilson also announced the appointment of Ossie Mills, Executive Vice President for University Advancement at Oral Roberts University, as the Global Director of Empowered21.
"Being selected to serve this esteemed group is a humbling honor," said Wood. "I have committed my life to reaching more people with the salvation message of Jesus Christ and the full power of His Spirit. This new leadership opportunity is exciting for me because we are all working toward this same end as a world conclave of ministry leaders. I pray that God continues to give us wisdom of how to impart the full power of the Holy Spirit to the world and through new generations."
"I am more energized than ever with the future of the Spirit-empowered movement around the world through Empowered21. The entire Global Council is deeply thankful for the work of Dr. Hayford, who is a father to the movement all over the globe. Dr. Wood is a wonderful choice to fill the global co-chair position with his international leadership and impeccable integrity," said Wilson. "Ossie Mills is also a great addition to the E21 leadership team as we gear up for this unprecedented conference in Jerusalem in May of 2015. His executive leadership experience and global connections will serve us well."
Wood was elected chief executive officer of the Assemblies of God at the 52nd General Council in August, 2007. In February of 2011 he was selected as the chairman of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, which represents 66 million believers worldwide and is made up of over 150 fellowships. As general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, USA, part of the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world, he is a member of the denomination’s Executive Leadership Team and Executive Presbytery. The church has over 12,700 congregations in the United States with over three million members and adherents.
Prior to his present position, Wood served the church as its general secretary for 14 years. He was assistant superintendent of the Southern California District from 1988-93. Wood pastored Newport-Mesa Christian Center in Costa Mesa, California, for 17 years. Sermons by Wood may be heard at www.georgeowood.com, more information on the Assemblies of God USA at www.ag.org, and more information World Assemblies of God Fellowship at www.worldagfellowship.org.
"I am honored to serve this important movement which has become very important to the vibrancy of the Spirit-empowered community," said Mills. "The Global Congress in Jerusalem in 2015 is a large undertaking but we serve a massive God. We believe that this event will be a stepping stone for the continued explosion of the work of the Holy Spirit around the world."
Mills will serve the regional cabinets and provide leadership to ensuring a successful global congress with thousand of Christians anticipated to band together in the Holy Land for prayer, worship and teaching. The congress is scheduled for May 19-24, 2015.
Mills has decades of experience in media, management, communications and distribution of for-profit and nonprofit organizations. He has been engaged in leadership roles in television (most recently as an executive vice president at Inspiration Networks), production, marketing, interactive communications, commerce and executive management.
The global council began the meeting with a devotional from Wayne Hilsden from King of Kings Community in Jerusalem and worship led by the churches praise team in English and Hebrew. The opening session concluded with reports from the success of the twelve regional cabinets in promoting the power of the Holy Spirit around the globe. The council meetings were scheduled to continue with numerous events including a local pastors luncheon, excursions to the upper room and the garden tomb, a banquet with government officials along with other business of the council.
The global council members attending the meeting included: Doug Beacham, general superintendent of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church; Jürgen Bühler, International Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem; Isak Burger, President of the Apostolic Faith Mission in Johannesburg, South Africa; Omar Cabrarra, senior pastor Iglesia Visión de Futuro, Argentina; Ingolf Ellssel, Chairman on the Pentecostal European Fellowship; Jeff Farmer, chair of Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America (PCCNA);David Ferguson; author/developer of the Intimacy Therapy model and founder of Intimate Life Ministries; Alton Garrison, assistant general superintendent of the Assemblies of God; Prince Guteratnam, chair of the Pentecostal World Fellowship and senior pastor of Calvary Church in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Tom Hess, pastor and president of Jerusalem House of Prayer for All Nations; Hilsden; Arto Hämäläinen, chairman of the Pentecostal European Mission and the World Missions Commission of the Pentecostal World Fellowship. Al Hollingsworth, founder of BOSS; Rob Hoskins, president of One Hope and board chair-elect for Oral Roberts University; Cindy Jacobs; founder of Generals International; Bill Johnson, Senior Pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, California; Lawrence Khong, senior pastor of Faith Community Baptist Church in Singapore; Dennis Lindsay, president and CEO of Christ for the Nations; Ron Luce, president and founder of Teen Mania Ministries; Gordon McDonald, bishop for the Pentecostal Holiness Church in Canada; Niko Njotorahardjo, senior pastor of GBI Jl Gatot Subroto; Opoku Onyinah, president of the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, and Chairman of the Church of Pentecost; Samuel Rodriguez, Jr., president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference; Matthew Thomas, founder and president of Central India Outreach; Mark Williams, general overseer of the Church of God; David Wells, general superintendent of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada; Wood and Wilson.
Empowered21 aims to help shape the future of the global Spirit-empowered movement throughout the world by focusing on crucial issues facing the movement and connecting generations for intergenerational blessing and impartation. Their vision is that every person on Earth would have an authentic encounter with Jesus Christ through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit by Pentecost 2033. Get more information at www.empowered21.com. Empowered21 is a Kingdom initiative served by Oral Roberts University, www.oru.edu.
The next Empowered21 Global Congress is scheduled for Jerusalem May 19-25, 2015. Get more information or register at www.jerusalem2015.com.
