Bishop Gary Lewis elected as the new Church of God General Overseer

Bishop Gary Joseph Lewis, a first-generation member of the Church of God, was nominated to serve as the 24th General Overseer in church history Tuesday at the 79th International General Assembly.

Bishop Lewis received 1,001 votes from the Ordained Bishops who make up the International General Council after serving as Secretary General of the International Executive Committee for two years. If elected by the body of the International General Assembly on Friday, he will succeed outgoing Presiding Bishop Dr. Tim Hill.

“I thank God that, when I was 13 years old, I had a classmate who invited me to a Church of God, and from that Revival, I stand here today,” Bishop Lewis said. “You educated me in a Church of God school. My kids were raised in Church of God parsonages. Everything that I have is because of this great church. You have loved me, you stood with me … I’m overwhelmed with your expression of trust.

“I love this church.”

Bishop Lewis, who met his future wife Lori as a student at East Coast Bible College, was first elected to the International Executive Committee in 2022 after serving six years as the Administrative Bishop of South Georgia. Before that, he served eight years in the International Youth and Discipleship Department, first as the Assistant Director and then as the International Director.

He has also served as a Council of Eighteen member, Youth and Christian Educator, senior pastor, and student pastor throughout the nation.

The Lewis family includes three children and two grandchildren.

The General Council also nominated four additional members to the International Executive Committee:

Bishop Tony D. Stewart moved up one position to First Assistant General Overseer, two years after the Florida pastor was elected as the Second Assistant.

Bishop T. Wayne Dority was chosen as the Second Assistant General Overseer after serving most recently as Administrative Bishop of the Tennessee Church of God.

Bishop Mark L. Williams returns to the IEC as Third Assistant General Overseer. The North Cleveland Church of God pastor previously served as General Overseer from 2012-16.

Bishop Tom Madden was nominated as Secretary General. The former International Youth and Discipleship Director has been serving as Administrative Bishop of the North Georgia Church of God.