Open Letter from
Bishop Danny Carter
__
SUPPORTING
DOCUMENT
C
Special Note: The information contained in this section of the website deals with internal matters specific to members of The Church of God. If you are not a member of The Church of God, please avail yourself to the other pages listed at the left. If you need to experience a relationship with Christ, please visit the Spiritual Help page of the site. Thank You.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
An Open Letter from Bishop Danny Carter
Regional Overseer IN/KY/OH; Dated: 12/15/05
...to All Ministers, Members and Friends of The Church of God
Dear Brother Pruitt,
I hope that you are doing well but I am sure the weight that you bear is tremendous. Rest assured that daily you are prayed for. I felt I needed to respond to your letter. Forgive me if it adds to your busy schedule.
On first impression of reading the letter, I planned on checking that I would gladly accept the direction the Lord has given you and that I would submit even though I had my reservations concerning the proposed change because I greatly respect the office of General Overseer. However, I realized that this is a matter for the General Assembly to decide. The purpose of bring our business before the entire General Assembly is that there is safety in the multitude of counselors. Should any one of us make up our minds individually? How can I submit to a decision for the Assembly to make when the Assembly is not in session? I am not saying that I am completely against the proposed changes. I just feel that I cannot make a decision on this subject until the Assembly is in session and the Holy Ghost has had His way. It was said to me personally last year that we should come to the Assembly without having our minds made up one way or another. I would like to do the same this time. If I submit now and the Holy Ghost leads differently in the Assembly, I will feel bound by that submission. That is not a rebellion issue for me. It is not a self will issue for me. It is a theocratic issue. I understand that the General Overseer acts on behalf of the General Assembly when the Assembly is not in session. However, this is a matter to be decided upon by the entire Assembly when it is in session.
It is my observation that there is a problem in the Church between headquarters and the general membership of the Church. Since the reorganization, many members have carried over a mistrust of general headquarters that should have been left back in the former organization. I am sure this is apparent to you. But what I felt when I read your letter was that general headquarters also has a mistrust of the membership of The Church of God. Headquarters should not require a commitment of submission before the Holy Ghost has directed in the matter at the General Assembly. I would hope that you would trust me and the other members of The Church of God to find the direction of the Holy Ghost to yield to His Spirit.
Has there ever been a time in Church history that the pastors have been asked to submit prior to the General Assembly on any other matter? If so, maybe that would help me understand this situation. To me it seems foreign for Church business to be handles in this manner.
I am not saying that I have the answer. But I want you to know what my reservations are concerning this issue. This will not greatly affect me financially. However, I am not sure that it will not greatly hinder the work of the Church in the United States. I have been a pastor of a small church for five years. I look back and ask God why my local church has not grown more in these five years. Is it the membership of the church? No. The people are great. Is it the small numbers and old church building? Maybe to a small degree, but God is bigger than that. Can I blame it on the doctrine of the Church or the government? No, that is the best thing that we have going for us. Then I look back to myself. Is it some weakness of flaw on my part? I search my heart and realize that no, I love God with all my heart. But then I find the answer. Secular work is crippling The Church of God. It is the simple fact that our ministers are giving our time and energy to the world and we have little time left over for God. I am afraid that if we pass this that our pastors will be that much further from being able to spend full time in the ministry. Despite this reservation I will have absolutely no problem submitting to this proposal if it seems good to the Holy Ghost and the brethren.
Sincerely,
Pastor of The Church of God
Sellersburg, Indiana
________________________________________________________________________________
Copyright (c) Bishop Danny L. Carter & The Church of God in IN, KY, OH | Created & Maintained by Chad D. Carter & OnCoursePublishing.com
