2016 CHURCH OF GOD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
As Prayer Coordinator for the Church of God , P . Douglas Small orchestrated prayer efforts at the Church of God General Assembly in Nashville in July 2016 . The prayer room was full of innovative ideas for enriching prayer .
Participants received a guide with 15 prayer encounters in the prayer room . Lining the walls were dozens of colorful prayer banners in different sizes with different themes , all available from PROJECT PRAY – abortion , children , crime , gangs , youth , family , evangelism , pastors , the government , missionaries , revival , unreached peoples , and the colorful Church of God prayer ministries logo banner , showing the Shearer Schoolhouse Revival , a painting of the late , Dr . David Bishop , with the words , “ It all started with a prayer
meeting !”
Each afternoon , dozens of children flowed into the prayer room and moved through the stations . They , along
with hundreds of adults , pinned the names of loved
ones yet to be saved , to the ‘ wailing wall .’ They prayed on the carpet map of the world and placed prayer markers on a map of globe . They kicked their shoes off and prayer-walked the USA , on a carpet map of the nation . They laid hands of a globe , and prayed for revival to come to the whole earth .
Streaming all day long were videos of the
nations . More than a hundred nations were showcased in beautifully produced prayer videos , each some four-to-five minutes long . As the
nation of India appeared on the screen , one of the overseers of that nation , at that moment , was in the prayer room . With delight , he lifted his head and proclaimed , “ That ’ s my nation .” All day long , the prayers
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Order of the Towel
Each General Assembly Church of God Prayer Ministries and PROJECT PRAY present the “ Order of the Towel .” The servant award was presented this year in behalf of the ministry by Dr . Mark Williams , General Overseer . The recipient was Carter Conlon , Senior Pastor of Times Square Church in New York City . Conlon spoke at a special communion event for leaders held prior to the Assembly , and as the first speaker for the LEAD Conference on Monday . In addition , at a special prayer ministry leader ’ s afterglow , he was presented with “ the towel ” – a beautifully embroidered towel , bearing his name .
Dr . Mark Williams , in presenting the award , said , “ This is not something we lightly present .” Indeed , the heart of the award is to honor servanthood . It consists of Max Greiner ’ s “ Divine Servant ” bronze statue of Jesus , washing the feet of
Peter , along with a print of the same theme , an embroidered towel and framed certificate .
Pastor Conlon served a Church of God congregation that he founded in Canada , before joining David Wilkerson ’ s staff at Times Square Church . He said of the General Assembly , it was like being “ back home .”
The servant award , “ The Order of the Towel ” is given to a leader who exemplifies love , without compromising truth ; who is , indeed , a proven leader with a track record of success , a tender heart and a gentle disposition . Small says , “ Carter Conlon exemplifies servant leadership , impacting a world-class city , mentoring pastors around the world , selflessly partnering with churches next door , leading from his knees .” o