New Executive Presbyters Elected

ORLANDO, Florida — Delegates to the General Council biennial convention in Orlando on Aug. 3 elected four new executive presbyters while returning another three EPs to office. The 21-member Executive Presbytery serves as the board of directors for the Assemblies of God.

New EPs set to begin four-year terms in October will be Bradley T. Trask, Don E. Miller, D. Rick Ross, and Darnell Keith Williams Sr. Re-elected to another four-year term are Duane P. Durst, Wilfredo “Choco” De Jesús, and A. Elizabeth “Beth” Grant.

Trask, Iead pastor of Brighton Assembly of God in Michigan since 1992, succeeds incumbent Larry H. Griswold, who had been Great Lakes Area EP since 2008. Trask gained the most votes in the third round of voting in a field of a dozen candidates. His father, Thomas E. Trask, served as AG general superintendent for 14 years ending in 2007.

“Larry Griswold is an amazing leader who loves the Lord,” Bradley Trask said to the assembled. “I’m honored to follow in his footsteps.” Griswold serves as spiritual life pastor at Calvary Church in Naperville, Illinois.

Miller, who has been Southern Missouri District superintendent since 2011, gained election in a field of 10 candidates on the fourth ballot as Gulf Area EP. He succeeds Rod Loy.

Ross, who has been North Carolina District superintendent since 2016, will replace the retiring Dan Betzer. Ross served as pastor of First Assembly of God in Concord, North Carolina, from 2004-16. Among 11 candidates, Ross gained election on the fourth ballot, after being tied with Randy L. Valimont, pastor of First Assembly of God in Griffin, Georgia, on the first vote.

Williams succeeds the retiring Nam Soo Kim as Language Area (other) EP. Williams has been pastor of New Life Church International in Lima, Ohio, since 2006. He also is vice president of the AG’s National Black Fellowship. Williams and his wife, Charlene, are active in the AG’s International Ministry Network. Delegates chose Williams over five other contenders in two rounds of voting.

Delegates selected De Jesús, one of half a dozen candidates vying for the Language Area-East Spanish post, in the second round of voting. In short remarks to the crowd, De Jesús, who has been a part of the Assemblies of God for 30 years, paid tribute to his mentor, the late Jesse Miranda Jr.

Grant, executive director of Project Rescue, gained re-election in the second round of voting with three other nominees. She has been the ordained female minister EP since 2009. Grant says she appreciates being able to represent the U.S. AG’s 9,000 credentialed women ministers.

“I see God doing a new thing among women,” Grant told the crowd. “It’s a great day. Ladies, step up, step in, step out.”

Durst, New York Ministry Network superintendent since 2004, returns for a second term as Northeast Area EP. He faced 11 other candidates, but won re-election in the second round of balloting.

Attendance at the 2019 General Council equaled 22,100, of which 12,228 participated in National Youth activities.