Our Executive Leadership
The executive leadership team (ELT) includes (left to right): L. John Bueno,
executive director, World Missions; John M. Palmer, general secretary;
L. Alton Garrison, assistant general superintendent; George O. Wood, general
superintendent; Douglas E. Clay, general treasurer; Zollie L. Smith Jr., executive
director, U.S. Missions.
A Message from George O. Wood
Let us introduce you to the Executive Leadership Team of the General Council – the team I believe God has called to serve this Fellowship.
We are committed to the following core values [Español]:
- Passionately proclaim, at home and abroad, by word and deed Jesus as Savior, Baptizer in the Holy Spirit, Healer, and Soon Coming King.
- Strategically invest in the next generation
- Vigorously plant new churches
- Skillfully resource our Fellowship
- Fervently pray for God’s favor and help as we serve Him with pure hearts and noble purpose
We stand ready to serve you and work with you as we further God’s kingdom and the Assemblies of God. We are praying for you and ask that you pray for our leadership team. Let us go forward in His might to do His will.
George O. Wood
General Superintendent
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George O. Wood |
Dr. George O. Wood was elected chief executive officer of the Assemblies of God at the 52nd General Council in August 2007. 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 12,300 congregations in the United States with some 2.8 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. He pastored Newport-Mesa Christian Center in Costa Mesa, California, for 17 years. During his tenure, the church experienced significant growth, relocated and constructed new facilities, and gave $1 million to world missions in the last biennium of his pastorate.
The son of missionary parents to China and Tibet, Wood holds a doctoral degree in pastoral theology from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, and a juris doctorate from Western State University College of Law in Fullerton, California. He is a member of the California State Bar. Wood did his undergraduate work at Evangel University (College) in Springfield, Missouri, and served the college in several capacities, including that of director of spiritual life and student life from 1965-71. He was ordained by the Southern Missouri District in 1967.
Wood is author of a number of books including: A Psalm In Your Heart Vol. I & II, Living Fully, The Successful Life and a college text on the Book of Acts. He also is an attorney and a member of the California State Bar.
Sermons by Dr. Wood may be heard at www.georgeowood.com.
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L. Alton Garrison |
L. Alton Garrison was elected assistant general superintendent of the Assemblies of God at the 52nd General Council of the church in August 2007. He is a member of the Fellowship’s Executive Leadership Team and Executive Presbytery.
As assistant general superintendent, he serves as the commissioner on discipleship and as executive director for the Discipleship/Church Ministries Division, which includes all of the adult, youth and children ministries of the church.
Garrison served as executive director of U.S. Missions from 2005 until his election to assistant general superintendent. He served in district leadership in the Arkansas District, including assistant superintendent and superintendent from 2001 until his election to AG U.S. Missions. As superintendent, he launched a district mentoring ministry for pastors with the District Coaching Group and local church leadership through the Arkansas Cohort Group.
Garrison served as pastor of First Assembly of God in North Little Rock, Arkansas, for 15 years. Throughout his pastorate, the church experienced significant growth, developed extensive lay ministry involvement and gave millions to missions. Garrison began his pulpit ministry as an evangelist from 1966 to 1985.
Garrison is a graduate of Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie, Texas. He is author of Hope in America’s Crisis and Building a Winning Team.
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John M. Palmer |
John M. Palmer was elected general secretary of the Assemblies of God at the 52nd General Council in August 2007. John is a member of the Executive Leadership Team and the Executive Presbytery. As general secretary, John oversees the credentialing of ministers, church chartering, the collection of official statistics and the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.
Prior to his current post, John served as Executive Presbyter of the North Central Region and as an AG World Missions representative for the Africa Oasis Project, raising funds to dig wells in East Africa and plant churches in those same communities. In 2006, he founded Come Alongside Ministry, in order to provide encouragement, coaching and consultation to pastors and churches. John served as senior pastor of First Assembly of God, Des Moines, Iowa from 1985-2006. He pioneered New Life Assembly of God, Athens, Ohio from 1974-1985.
John holds a Master of Arts in Pastoral Leadership from Assemblies of God Theological Seminary and is a 1974 graduate of Central Bible College.
John is author of Equipping for Ministry, Stories to Keep you Looking Up and Keeping Up With the Jonahs, and has contributed to many others including: The Decisive Leader, The Pentecostal Pastor and Power for Living. He has also written numerous articles for Today’s Pentecostal Evangel.
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Douglas E. Clay |
Douglas E. Clay was elected general treasurer of the Assemblies of God by the Executive Presbytery in January 2008. He is a member of the Executive Leadership Team and the Executive Presbytery. Clay oversees the Division of the Treasury, which is responsible for handling all finances sent to Headquarters for the world ministries of the church.
Prior to his election as general treasurer, Clay served as superintendent of the Ohio District from June 2004 to 2008. He pastored Calvary Assembly of God in Toledo, Ohio, from 1997 to 2004. Clay has also served as the Assemblies of God national youth director (1995-1997), Ohio District youth director (1989-1995) and as a youth pastor in Ohio and Iowa.
Clay was ordained by the Iowa District in 1988 and is a 1985 graduate of Central Bible College in Springfield, Missouri.
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Zollie L. Smith Jr. |
Zollie L. Smith Jr. was elected executive director of Assemblies of God U.S. Missions at the 52nd General Council in August 2007. He is a member of the Executive Leadership Team and Executive Presbytery. Smith coordinates the ministries of six departments: Church Planting; Chaplaincy Ministries; Teen Challenge International, USA; Chi Alpha Campus Ministries; Intercultural Ministries; and U.S. Mission America Placement Service (MAPS). Currently, there are more than 1,000 missionaries and more than 400 chaplains under AGUSM, with 5,000 other related field personnel.
Prior to U.S. missions, Smith served as the Executive Presbyter representing the Ethnic Fellowships and as president of the National Black Fellowship. He served the New Jersey District of the Assemblies of God as assistant superintendent (1998-2005) and as executive secretary (2005-07).
Smith served as pastor of Eternal Life Christian Center (ELCC) of the Assemblies of God, Somerset, New Jersey for 15 years. During his pastorate, the church grew to over 300 members and completed a $2.7 million educational enrichment center. Prior to ELCC, Smith pioneered a church that later became Plainfield Assembly of God, a New Jersey district affiliate.
Smith holds a masters degree in business management with emphasis on non-profit organizations from Regent University; a bachelors degree in criminology and criminal justice from Florida State University; and a diploma in ministerial studies from Berean Bible College. Smith has spent his life in service as a former police officer/detective; U.S. Postal Inspector; and Airborne Infantryman in the Vietnam War where he was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star.
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L. John Bueno |
L. John Bueno was elected executive director of Assemblies of God World Missions at the 47th General Council in 1997. He is a member of the Executive Leadership Team and Executive Presbytery. Bueno serves a family of over 2,600 missionaries and missionary associates in 212 countries and territories.
Prior to his election he served eight years as field director for Latin America and the Caribbean region. A dynamic speaker and veteran missionary, Bueno served for 25 years in El Salvador where he pastored the Evangelistic Center in San Salvador. Under his leadership, the church became the largest evangelical church in Central America. He also began a small school for the children who attended the church. This program grew until 1978, when Bueno founded Latin America ChildCare. This is a ministry that provides schooling, clothing, meals and medical care for thousands of needy children in Latin America.
Bueno also has served as chairman of the missionary field fellowship, area representative of Central America, and as sub-director of the Executive Council of the Assemblies of God in Central America, the Caribbean and northern countries of South America.
Born in Modesto, California, Bueno attended Bethany Bible College in Scotts Valley, California, receiving a degree in exegetical theology. The college later awarded him an honorary doctorate. Bueno has also received honorary doctorates from the Evangelical University of El Salvador and the Christian University of El Salvador.
He is author of An Open Heart.
Non-resident Executive Presbytery
Clarence St. John
North Central Area
H. Robert Rhoden
Northeast Area
Vacant
Great Lakes Area
Dan Betzer
Southeast Area
Warren D. Bullock
Northwest Area
Richard L. Dresselhaus
Southwest Area
Douglas E. Fulenwider
Gulf Area
J. Don George
South Central Area
Jesse Miranda, Jr.
Language Area
Nam Soo Kim
Other Language Area
John E. Maracle
Ethnic Area
