Our Executive Leadership
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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. The U.S. Assemblies of God is part of a larger World Assemblies of God fellowship with a membership of over 60 million.
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. He was elected to serve as chairman of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship at its meeting in Lisbon, Portugal in May, 2008.
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 did his undergraduate work at Evangel University (College) in Springfield, Missouri, and served the college in several capacities, including being director of spiritual life and student life from 1965-71. He was ordained by the Southern Missouri District in 1967.
Dr. Wood is author of a number of books including his most recent Living in the Spirit along with A Psalm In Your Heart, Living Fully, The Successful Life, and a college text on the Book of Acts. Sermons by Dr. Wood may be heard at www.georgeowood.com.
Wood and his wife, Jewel, have a daughter and son.
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L. Alton Garrison |
Alton Garrison serves as the assistant general superintendent of the Assemblies of God. In addition, he serves as the executive director of the Division of Church Ministries and Discipleship, giving oversight to 11 departments that serve children, youth, and adults.
Garrison served as executive director of U.S. Missions from 2005-2007, overseeing 1,073 U.S. missionaries and more than 450 chaplains across the United States and in military installations around the world.
Garrison served as superintendent of the Arkansas District from 2001-2005. During his four years as superintendent, he launched a district mentoring ministry for pastors with the District Coaching Group and local church leadership through the Arkansas Cohort Group. Prior to this, Garrison pastored First Assembly of God in North Little Rock, Arkansas, for 15 years. Throughout his pastorate, First Assembly saw significant growth, both numerically and financially. In 1996, First Assembly gave $1.4 million to world and U.S. missions. Garrison served as an evangelist from 1968-1985.
Garrison and his wife, Johanna, have one daughter, Lizette. He has authored the books: Hope in America’s Crisis, Building a Winning Team, Acts 2 Church, and The 360° Disciple. Johanna Garrison authored the book: Tangled Destinies, an account of her family’s hardships through the Nazi holocaust and an Indonesian revolution and their subsequent immigration to the United States.
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James T. Bradford |
Dr. Jim Bradford was elected General Secretary of the Assemblies of God by the Executive Presbytery in February 2009. He is a member of the Executive Leadership Team and the Executive Presbytery. As general secretary, Bradford oversees the credentialing of ministers, church chartering, the collection of official statistics and the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center.
Prior to his election as general secretary, Bradford served as Senior Pastor of Central Assembly in Springfield, Missouri. Jim holds a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Minnesota. As a student he led a small Chi Alpha campus Bible study that eventually grew into a university church. Upon graduation in 1979, Jim stepped into full time ministry with that campus outreach. In 1988, Jim and his family moved to Southern California where he pastored Newport-Mesa Christian Center in the heart of Orange County.
Twelve years later the Bradfords transitioned to Vancouver, B.C., to pastor Broadway Church, a move that returned Jim to his early Canadian roots. It was in 2003 that Jim and his family moved to Springfield to assume the pastorate of Central Assembly.
Bradford has also served on a variety of executive boards including that of Vanguard University, the Southern California District Executive Presbytery, and the General Presbytery of the Assemblies of God.
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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 2,700 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 28 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, Remember the Poor, Agents of the Kingdom (Spanish) and Soul Clinic (Spanish).
Non-resident Executive Presbytery
View pictures and bios here.
Clarence St. John
North Central Area
H. Robert Rhoden
Northeast Area
Larry H. Griswold
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
