“Do you have the Spirit of Caleb? That is what I am aspiring to be like. In Joshua 14:11-14, Caleb said, “…the Lord has kept me alive, as He said, these forty-five years…and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in.12 Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day … It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.” 13 And Joshua blessed him…”
I love his Spirit and it clearly communicates the value of older leaders who “Think Younger.” Caleb was 85, yet he had a vision and vigor to push forward and possess the land.
I believe that we have a large number of Church of God leaders who “Think Younger.” Some of these leaders have retired yet they are still encouraging and motivating the Church of God possess the land.
There are hundreds of “Spirit of Caleb” leaders and I would like to highlight every one of them. Today, however, I want to focus on these leaders that I feel could be valuable as we move the church forward. These leaders are good candidates for the Council of 18 and some for the Executive Committee. These leaders are tested and proven. If you were to ask me who to vote for at this year’s General Assembly, I would say let the Lord lead you, but consider these because they have the anointing and they “Think Younger.””
In remembrance of Doyle, the old faithful Acts-Celerate that has been here forever, has called once again to THINK YOUNGER at GA 2026 – a whole decade after the THINK YOUNGER movement started with obvious results.
Marty Baker called us to think younger. So lets think younger for a minute.
Can you think of younger leaders who are in the COG?
“The Executive Committee is the face of our denomination. The members who serve in these positions should be men of vision. They need to be able to see and discern what the Lord is saying for the future of the movement. These positions should not be filled with career politicians, but forward-thinking men who can navigate difficult situations with love and compassion. Men in these positions should not be arrogant in any way, but they should show kindness and gentleness as they encourage the pastors to take their next step.
Here’s my rule of thumb: We need men who know how to reach beyond themselves and men who realize that these positions require a heart of a servant. The Executive Committee serves the pastors and the denomination. We do not need people who lead by intimidation nor bully folks, but instead inspire with vision and hope.
There are hundreds of great leaders in the Church of God. The men listed on this page have the credentials and as far as I can determine, they are men who “Think Younger.””
Potential Executive Council of 18: “The Council of 18 needs to “Think Younger.” Consider these men as you vote at the General Assembly.”
- Tony Stewart | 44095
- Richard E Waldrop | 20897
- Kevin Wallace
- Scott Sheppard | 44949
- Bill Isaacs | 23561
- John Childers
- Eli Bonilla | 37586
- Rick Whitter
- Lennox Walker | 28203
- Bill Lee
- Doyle Scott
- Travis Johnson
- Jeremy Isaacs | 58239
- Travis Hall | 61460
- Sean O’Neal | 37991
- Dony Donev | 49922
- Hong Yang | 37264
- Jason Daughdrill | 62350
- Jason Browning | 55593
- C. Worley | 60670
- Mark Leonhardt | 45461
- Bill Coble | 45449
- Gerron Ayento | 40219
- Anthony McDaniel | 35658
- Michael Carr | 27242
So, with the General Assembly, it seems appropriate to consider the ramifications of elections. I’ll pose this in questions and hope for some discussion. (FYI I’m not fishing for names, and prefer the discussion not become about individuals/names)What are you looking for in your consideration of who you will vote for in positions on the Executive Committee and Council of 18?Are you looking for:
- Someone true to the history and structure of our church that will keep us on the course we have been following?
- Someone with innovative thinking that would push toward shifts in structures, vision/mission, direction, etc?
- Someone with strong administrative experience, able to take the reins with the knowledge and (hopefully) wisdom that it affords?
- Someone not ingrained in a long standing system, unmarried to the way it’s been for a long time, and thus willing to lead in new directions?
- Someone older… someone younger?
- Someone of a certain ethnicity with the goal of creating diversity?
- Someone popular, in demand, that has the it factor going on?Someone willing to stir things up in order to effect perceived needed change?Someone diplomatic, looking to navigate troubled times with minimal turbulence?
Maybe some consideration that I haven’t listed? (Feel free to add them in comments)It always happens. Voting begins and a few names hit the top of the list. Many shift their voting to select from those top names in order to fill the slots. So, IMO, how we begin that important role of selection will have significant ramifications on who we are as the COG.
Here is exactly WHY?
If you want your church to grow, you MUST … Think Younger! On May 16, I posted a note on this page calling the readers of this forum to Think Younger. If you read the post in its original form, you will see that it is not downgrading anyone, but attempting lift up the next generation of leaders. People have misread my intentions and have concluded that I am against my own generation. Some folks on another forum have challenged my integrity and maligned my motives. They do not know my heart. What they are saying is simply not true. Stevens Creek Church has been intentional about raising up the value of older Church of God leaders. For years, I dreamed of the day when I could hire a retired Church of God minister on staff. I had this dream when our congregation was less than 500. In 2009, that dream became a reality when we hired Steve Sturgell, who had retired from River Hills Church and moved to Augusta to be with his grandchildren. More recently, James and Genie Byrd retired from Mount Paran North and moved to Augusta. I hired Pastor Byrd at my company, SecureGive. You say, “What? James Byrd working at a software company?” Yes … he is on staff, with a desk, and serves as an intercessor. So, if your church uses SecureGive for online and kiosk giving, then James Byrd is praying over your church and its stewardship. Oh, one more thing… James refused a salary, but instead, asked if it could be given to missions. He is a special person. As a congregation, Stevens Creek Church gives retired ministers and widows Christmas bonuses each year. We started this at least ten years ago. We started with 10 retired ministers from the state of South Carolina, giving about $100 each. Each year we have slowly increased it to around 20 – 25 ministers receiving $500.00 each at Christmas. I tell you these numbers you that you can use this idea as a potential model for your church. We believe in the older generation. So, this idea that I am not for men of my generation is crazy, so it’s time to stop deflecting the conversation. Last week when I wrote the original post, I never dreamed that it could strike a nerve. I was shocked. Twelve hours after I posted it, a pastor of a church that I considered a “mega church” when I was growing up in Abbeville, sent me a FB message and asked for help. Twelve hours later, that pastor and his associate was at Stevens Creek meeting with our Lead Team. His challenge … this once vibrant church now has 85 people in attendance and only person in the youth group and that person happens to be his son. He desperately wants us to help him think younger. If you want your church to grow … you must think younger. Two years ago, the pastor of the formerly-named Fleming Church of God called me and asked for help. Their numbers were sinking. Stevens Creek reached out to a congregation that was once our district church. They were down to a handful of young people and a couple of babies in the nursery. We started coaching them along and Pastor Steve Norsworthy made some bold changes. They are now around 250 people (nearly 400 on Easter) and recently had 41 in the nursery. You can determine the health of your congregation by the size of your nursery. Are you reaching the next generation? You must think younger. Consider ways to have conversations with twenty-somethings. These folks are making major decisions that will impact their lives. They need Jesus to lead them and guide them in the process. You and I are commissioned to start a conversation with them with hopes that these twenty-somethings will come to the Lord. What kind of small groups do you have in your youth ministry? Teenagers want relationships more than they want big services. The Bible says “iron sharpens iron.” Start conversations with teenagers and begin a discipleship process. I could go on, but this note is getting long. Here’s my point. The two churches that I have mentioned are snapshots of our movement. Our churches are declining. The ones that are growing are the ones that Think Younger. As the local church goes, so goes the denomination. I am begging you to Think Younger … please don’t push me away. This is a clarion call, some may say, a prophetic call, to raise up a new generation of faith so that “Like a Mighty Army” the Church of God will march on. #ThinkYounger [email protected]__
SecureGive was founded by Marty Baker, who serves as the creator and head of the company. He is a pastor who built the platform specifically for churches and non-profit organizations
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