Special / WAGF Executive Committee Meeting and 6th General Assembly

The Holy Spirit spreading world wide

On the morning of August 7, 2000, Dr. David Yonggi Cho, chairman of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship led the Executive Committee business meeting. The Executive Committee members consisted of 17 people representing the following regions: Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, North America, and Southern Asia.

Chairman Cho led the afternoon 6th General Assembly attended by delegates present from the 113 countries. Executive Committee representatives presented harvest reports from their regions of the world.

David Yonggi Cho, who succeeded J. Philip Hogan as chairman of the WAGF in 1992, presented a plaque to the 84 year old Dr. Hogan, paying tribute to him as the founding chairman of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship.

The World Assemblies of God Relief Agency (WAGRA), an arm of the World Fellowship providing relief humanitarian monies especially for the Assemblies of God family worldwide, gave its annual report and sought continued financial support. Since WAGRA's inception in 1994 it has given nearly $1.2 million to 30 countries devastated by famine, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, wars and tidal waves.

Elections were held for a new Executive Council and 20 worldwide representatives were elected. Officers were nominated by the Executive Council and were then elected by the member delegates. Dr. Thomas E. Trask, General Superintendent of the General Council of the Assemblies of God in America, was elected to serve as chairman of the World Fellowship. He succeeds Dr. David Yonggi Cho, who had served as the World Fellowships chairman since 1992. Dr. Cho chose not to allow his name to be submitted for another term as chairman. Dr. Thomas E. Trask, the new chairman of the World Fellowship, responded to the delegates saying, "The WAGF is here to be a witness to the world to show that the world is still under God's sovereignty today. The WAGF will continue to spread the good news to those oppressed countries that God wants to have hope and faith in Him."

Dr. Prince Guneratnam, General Superintendent of the Assemblies of God in Malaysia, was elected vice-chairman of the World Fellowship. Dr. Andrew Evans of Australia was chosen as secretary. The term of office for the Executive Council members and officers is for three years until the Fourth Triennial WAGF World Congress will be held in 2003.

Dr. Cho was elected to serve on the Executive Council as one of the four representatives for the Asia Pacific region. Therefore, he will continue to participate in the decision making of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship.

Pastor Robert Lim
Pastor Robert Lim from Singapore is known as a pastor who has developed many churches in third world countries among many other leaders who participated in the World Assmblies of God Congress. He developed 120 churches in the Philippines over six years. His motive to develop a church in the Philippines came after visiting an East Asia Mission Meeting held in Yoido Full Gospel Church in 1978. He was inspired to see Dr. David Cho's missionary work, then started to develop a Committee of Church Development together with some people who agreed with him.

He developed a church with five members in 1967 to one of 2000 members at present. He invited Dr. Cho to the big congregation in Singapore in 1982 and proposed a model of church development. He said that Dr. Cho is God's worker and a spiritual leader who gives hope and courage to young leaders. He commented he will try to further develop many more churches in third world countries.