As a pastor who loves the church, a parliamentarian/polity wonk who values process, and someone privileged to help write the agendas for multiple General Assemblies, I wanted to take a moment to address a question I have been asked dozens of times about a shift in the language of our biennial deliberations.
Those who followed the last two Assemblies have noticed a transition from “resolutions” toward a use of official “statements.” Having received many questions about this shift, and recognizing that there was some confusion in the last General Council regarding these statements, I believe it would be fruitful to share about this deliberate shift, the polity reasoning behind it, the vision that birthed it, and how it serves to enrich our discussions on the floor at the Assembly.
For decades, the Church of God has passed resolutions to voice its collective position on cultural, moral, geopolitical, or other current global issues. These documents, filled with flowery prose and formal syntax, feel good in the room and serve a powerful purpose in the moment. However, from a parliamentary and polity perspective, resolutions are significantly limited.
Except for binding resolutions – those that outline strict mandates and specific consequences for non-compliance- these documents do not earn a permanent place in the Book of Discipline, Church Order, & Governance. Non-binding resolutions, the vast majority of those we adopt, are expressions of the Assembly’s sentiment at a frozen moment in time. When the adjournment gavel falls, the resolutions are recorded in one iteration of the minutes, then fade to the archives where they join the ranks of resolutions past. This leaves a gap for Church of God ministers and members who wish to locate and leverage those resolutions for clarity on the Church’s positions.
Our current General Overseer, Bishop Gary Lewis, had the foresight to recognize our system of resolutions was inadequate to meet the needs of the Church in perpetuity. Seeing the Church’s need for a perpetual, accessible voice on the pressing issues of our day, and days to come, Bishop Lewis cast a vision of moving toward official statements of the Church. Unlike non-binding resolutions, statements are preserved for posterity by being entered permanently into the Book of Discipline, Church Order, & Governance.
In addition to the preservation benefits, statements also bring depth and substance to our discussions at the General Assembly. The theological foundations, pastoral tone, and intentional commitments of these comprehensive documents create opportunity for meaningful dialogue at the General Council and Assembly. They invite us to make our business sessions less about procedural machinations and more about engaging in the holy work of substantive discourse regarding what we believe and how we are called to live out those convictions.
The long-term benefit of Bishop Lewis’s vision is significant. We are building a permanent theological and practical library which can be consulted to navigate complex situations that arise years or decades from now. In those moments, every Church of God voice will be able to speak with a clear, unified response by simply consulting the current edition of the minutes, where they will find the precise, enduring position of the Church of God.
When Bishop Lewis shared his vision, I was honored to help develop the statement layout. Working as a writer for our Church and other organizations, I have learned that effective deliberation inescapably relies upon clear presentation of the proposed business. To make statements doctrinally solid and pastorally actionable -and to provide a framework for floor discussions- we arrived at the Believe, Affirm, and Commit layout. “We Believe” anchors our stance in biblical truth and our Pentecostal heritage, ensuring we are not driven by culture, but rooted in truth. “We Affirm” ensures we move beyond ambiguity and declare our official position on the matter at hand, providing a clear reference point for where the Church stands. Finally, “We Commit” moves us from theological theorizing into application, detailing how we will live out the beliefs and affirmations in everyday ministry and lives.
This move from resolutions to statements is more than a procedural adjustment; it is a step forward for our polity and serves to bridge the gap between the Assembly floor and the frontlines of ministry. The new structure elevates our conversations and ensures that when the Church of God speaks on the vital issues, our voice resonates beyond the moment; it is preserved and ready to equip generations for whatever the future holds.
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