Woman With Local Ties Named To Leadership Of 2.8 Million Member Church

August 15, 2009

A woman with North Escambia ties has become the first woman elected to the leadership of the national Assemblies of God USA.

bethgrant10.jpgElizabeth (Beth) Grant, a veteran missionary and coordinator of the Women in Ministry Network, was greeted with a standing ovation from ministers and delegates after her election as the ordained female executive presbyter. The Assemblies’ Executive Presbytery is a 20-member body that serves as the board of directors for the 2.8 million-member fellowship of Pentecostal churches.

She was one of four candidates for the position on the Executive Presbytery that the 2007 General Council set aside for a woman, the first female position on that body.

“Ladies, thank you for hanging in there. But after 90-something years, what’s a few hours?” she said.

“We are here today and we in this vote are saying thank you God for the women in our Movement,” she said. “As I travel this nation, I meet many of you (women), and you inspire us, you inspire this Movement by your obedience to God.”

Grant had already made a little bit of history two years ago, when she was one of the three candidates in the final rounds of balloting for assistant general superintendent. Based on available records and memories at the time, Grant was the first woman to advance that far in the election for a top executive office.

Grant and her husband David have served as Assemblies of God missionaries to Southern Asia for 28 years. They currently run Project Rescue in India, a ministry to prostitutes and sex-trade workers in five cities.

She is the daughter-in-law of the Rev. Curtis Grant, a longtime pastor at the Molino First Assembly of God and the Faith Temple Assembly of God Church in Pensacola. The Rev. David Grant, her husband, grew up in the area until becoming a leading missionary director in the Assembly of God church. They both have numerous relatives in north Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

Pictured: Rev. Beth Grant  addressed the 53rd General Council of The Assemblies of God at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. Photo by Lane Simmins, The Council Today, for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

5 Responses to “Woman With Local Ties Named To Leadership Of 2.8 Million Member Church”

  1. Steve Miller on October 2nd, 2010 12:49 pm

    Wonderful !

  2. viewer on August 17th, 2009 12:08 am

    Well then following your logic, life guards should have the same rewards and applause as this woman.

    How can someone save someone from a poor economic sitiuation in asia?
    Many of those trafficed are sent by their families to better their economic lot.

    Not trying to minimize the women’s efforts just tired of organized realigon taking credit/glory for how the Almighty works in people’s lives….

  3. Local Girl on August 16th, 2009 11:28 pm

    True, only Jesus Christ saves from sin, but he did say from the “ravages of sin”, meaning the consequences of bad choices and situations. Beth works in rescuing girls/women from human trafficing in Eurasia. I’m sure if you asked any one of the women that Beth has helped, that woman would say that Beth saved her from the situation.
    If you see a person drowning and rescue them, you saved that person from their situation. No, Beth doesn’t save from sin, obviously.

  4. viewer on August 16th, 2009 11:08 pm

    No human being living on earth today has the power of saving anyone from the power of sin….

  5. Rev, Gene Hudson on August 15th, 2009 9:40 am

    Way to go Beth, you and David are a blessing to the Organization… May God bless you in saving girls from the ravages of sin… I know you will serve this area of ministry well and lead us in a solid Godly way.
    Pastor Gene Hudson PFAoG

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News