International Assembly location ?

[paul]

An open question to the pastors and members of COGOP

I noticed that the IA will be held in NC 2010. The one coming up and the last one was in the south. The farthest I think it has gone was Ft. Worth.

Do you ever see it going outside the good old Bible Belt ? If not, why?

I think the name change is misleading also. It really is not an international gathering. It is more of a gathering of the members of the United States with a few international delegates in attendance, and not a true reflection of the general population make up of the cogop.

Why the name change if the substance has not changed ?

Just curious....no disrespect intended...

Just a side note: It use to crack me up when I heard people come to the front and say they had not missed an assembly in 50 years. BTW they lived in chatanooga or Cleaveland.

[RamboPreacher]

if it really is international, it shouldn't be in CONUS - mi dos centavos that I have expressed previously.

[one love]

hmmmm I dont know about that is it not open to the international membership, how many come and can come shoud not change the intent.

[Pastorbps]

I'll answer your questions.

Do you ever see it going outside the good old Bible Belt ?

Nope.

If not, why?

Because we southerners like the south better than any other place.

I think the name change is misleading also. It really is not an international gathering. It is more of a gathering of the members of the United States with a few international delegates in attendance, and not a true reflection of the general population make up of the cogop.

Why the name change if the substance has not changed ?

We changed the name because we're international and its a General Assembly duh! It is reflective of the whole church because we say so.

Just curious....no disrespect intended...

Really?

Just a side note: It use to crack me up when I heard people come to the front and say they had not missed an assembly in 50 years. BTW they lived in chatanooga or Cleaveland.

They were just old ignorant people who just weren't smart enough to put it altogether?

Now for the serious part. The COGOP has tried hard to include all members everywhere probably to our own hurt. Take for instance the new proxy system which is an attempt to allow all voices to be heard but which is a logistical nightmare. I don't like the proxy system but I know why they went to it. We spend a vast amount of money to bring ministers to our Assembly from around the world but we can't bring everyone. As far as the Assembly moving overseas, you have to deal with reality. This organization was founded in the south, is headquartered in the south, and the majority of its finances are generated in the south. Does it make sense to spend thousands of extra dollars to send all the staff overseas? So they accomodate the southerners. I pastored out west and looked forward to the Assembly. I can't imagine what sense it would make for them to have come to New Mexico for our 400 people. The meeting in Acts 15 decided a major controversial issue but it favored the citizens of Judea & Jerusalem. The church at Jerusalem didn't go to them, they came to Jerusalem. The fact is, you either get the will of God or you don't. Either leadership is spiritual enough to consider the whole membership of the international organization or they're not. There is no perfect representative system but I'm not sure it is supposed to be a representative system. If it was founded in Botswana and I joined in the U.S. I would either trust the leadership in Botswana or I would go to another organization where I trusted the leadership.

[Pastor Gary]

I know there has been much discussion, and some exploration, of a truly International Assembly, hosted outside the US. I suggested Honolulu as a transitional site: requires air travel, is "exotic" enough to be different, but no passports or shots required for Americans.

[Pastor Gary]

...and the majority of its finances are generated in the south.

I am not 100% sure that is the case now -- although it certainly ONCE was. Many of the "foreign" countries that once received funds shifted from that status several years ago and now send funds. I think The Bahamas, The Dominican Republic and others send huge amounts of funds... of course they are technically "in the south" I suppose.



(I agree that the proxy system this year has been, and will be, pretty messy. It remains to be seen whether it will out come out okay in the actual experience, and whether it will go smoother next Assembly as we move past the learning curve.)

[KBevangelist]

My vote is to take it to Hawaii or Jamica

KB

[PastorP]

My vote is to take it to Hawaii or Jamica

KB

Why not have a virtual IGA, of course we would have to make sure that every member has internet access!

Of course this just isn't logical at all.

I don't think it is logical to even imagine that all of the COGOP would be happy with the IGA at any location. It really wouldn't matter to me where it would be held. If I couldn't go, I would stay home and watch Daystar Network.

[Pastorbps]

I'll go to Hawaii or Jamaica as long as its SOUTHERN Hawaii or SOUTHERN Jamaica. Don't you try and put it in northern Hawaii!!! I also want to know how you expect me to get my RV to Hawaii? I also demand that all of you give me your proxies if you are unable to attend the Jamaica "Not So International" Assembly!!! I WILL RULE THE WORLD!!!!
Bro. Gary, it would be interesting to see if the U.S. was still the number 1 supporter of missions, etc. How do countries send money to Cleveland? Don't they send their 10% of tithe to their national offices? It would be interesting to know.

[Rob]

I think to be a truly International Assembly why not take it to Toronto, Canada. Would not be necessary to fly what is necessary to conduct an Assembly! Plus it would be held in another country.

[EagerBeaver]

Denver would be an awesome location, in my opinion. It's part of the western US, but it's not too far west that it isn't still somewhat centrally located.

Plus it is a beautiful city with a ton to do.

Anything the COGOP can do to get out of the Bible belt and move west would really signal an end to the Us Four and No More mentality.

[Pastor Gary]

Plus it is a beautiful city with a ton to do.

I suppose this is where I need to point out the differing perspective of those who plan Assemblies and those who ATTEND Assemblies.

For the leaders who plan Assemblies, it is all business. There are days of meetings before the Assembly, sometimes days of meetings afterward. They are living out of a suitcase for the better part of two weeks. They are not, frankly, looking for a city venue with "a ton to do" because they have no time or inclination to go beyond a few blocks of the arena/hotel, and the days, for them, start at 7:00 AM and end around 11:00 PM.

Now, I know that many use the Assembly trip as a partial vacation, and skip entire sessions -- entire DAYS -- to go sightseeing, enjoy local attractions, etc., but the planners are not in that mindset when picking locations. They are looking for deals on space rental, abundant hotel rooms nearby, and other factors that will make their job easier.

[Pastor Gary]

Do you ever see it going outside the good old Bible Belt ? If not, why?

As one who once did Trade-Shows for a living, I can suggest one additional factor that leads to Assemblies in the deep south; many southern states are "right-to-work" states, in which labor unions are not a dominant factor.

An Assembly in Detroit or Chicago or any major city with strong labor unions is unlikely -- ever -- because we would never be allowed to set up our own exhibits, bookstore, etc. We would have to use union security, ushers, and a dozen other union mandates.

[EagerBeaver]

Plus it is a beautiful city with a ton to do.

I suppose this is where I need to point out the differing perspective of those who plan Assemblies and those who ATTEND Assemblies.

For the leaders who plan Assemblies, it is all business. There are days of meetings before the Assembly, sometimes days of meetings afterward. They are living out of a suitcase for the better part of two weeks. They are not, frankly, looking for a city venue with "a ton to do" because they have no time or inclination to go beyond a few blocks of the arena/hotel, and the days, for them, start at 7:00 AM and end around 11:00 PM.

Now, I know that many use the Assembly trip as a partial vacation, and skip entire sessions -- entire DAYS -- to go sightseeing, enjoy local attractions, etc., but the planners are not in that mindset when picking locations. They are looking for deals on space rental, abundant hotel rooms nearby, and other factors that will make their job easier.

So then does this mean that the Assembly's main focus should be simply on getting business done? I do know for a fact it's just like State Convention in that aspect...basically a business weekend with enough preaching peppered in to make it attractive enough to those who aren't in leadership.

[MrDanger]

...and the added cost of shipping all the items needed to run an Assembly or rent them in the towns.

Having been on the planning side of conferences and meetings for Future Business Leaders of America in TN and for the National Leadership Conference, it has amazed me how much it costs just to run these 5 to 7 day events.

It's a lot cheaper to have them in Louisville, Nashville, North Carolina....