National Influence
He was elected to serve on the church’s highest administrative body, the Executive Committee, in 1962, where he began a four-year term as assistant general overseer. In 1966, the Church of God elected him to its top executive position. During the four-year tenure as general overseer which followed, he supervised the amalgamation into the denomination of the Bethel Church of Indonesia, which today accounts for 2.5 million members. He also directed the construction of a new headquarters building for the international church, moving its offices to the site at Keith and 25th Streets in Cleveland, Tennessee, which it occupies today. He also emphasized spiritual renewal and the creation of a general program of education to advance sound ministerial preparation, including the projection of a seminary, which was established in 1975. Conn helped foster within the Church of God an acceptance of educational pursuits and an acceptance of broader Christianity. He also emphasized the internationalization of the Church of God and visited each major area of the denomination during his tenure as general overseer. His ministry was characterized by his vision, integrity, and ability to connect with Church of God membership at the grassroots level.
His 12-year presidency of Lee College (now Lee University) was at that time the longest in the institution’s history. During the years of his leadership, the school set new enrollment records, built a married students apartment complex, and an auditorium, which was named the Charles W. Conn Center by the college board of directors in 1978, and made huge strides toward a broad range of academic and civic goals. He would later reflect on his teaching and administrative roles at Lee College as his most enjoyable years in ministry.
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