Ministry Divisions
The National Executive Council forms ministry divisions to support the work of the church. Each ministry division has a responsible committee, whose tasks are stipulated by the National Executive Council. The Church of God in Germany currently has the following ministry divisions:
Home Missions
By conducting seminars and providing relevant information, this ministry division focuses on strengthening the church’s understanding of missions and church planting in Germany.
Foreign Missions
Director of the Foreign Missions Division
Dr. Herbert Banholzer
The committee for this division is primarily focused on informing those with a missionary calling about the possibilities for serving in foreign missions. There are various possibilities for serving in this capacity, ranging from short-term assignments to being formally appointed and commissioned through the German National Assembly.
The guidelines for foreign mission trips can be requested from the director of the division. The director also coordinates regular visits from missionaries in local churches, helping to establish stronger ties between missionaries and their supporting churches.
A further emphasis of the Foreign Missions Division is providing information on emergency and disaster response projects in cooperation with the Church of God in the USA. We regularly contribute to special relief efforts as part of this ministry.
Education and Training
Director of the Education and Training Division
Dr. Steffen Schumacher
The focal point of the Education and Training Division is promoting and conducting training and development measures for our pastors and church workers. This includes making suitable material available and organizing training programs (e.g., ILD-1 and ILD-2). Information about the ILD-1 and ILD-2 programs is available HERE.
The ILD programs are accredited through the Church of God European Theological Seminary in Freudenstadt-Kniebis.
Children’s and Youth Ministries
Providing Christian care and instruction to young people is an important task within the Church of God in Germany. We regularly organize and conduct retreats and vacation programs for these age groups at the national, regional and local church level. We also promote the work of the Royal Rangers program and offer seminars for church workers in the field of youth and children’s ministries.
Women’s Ministries
Our vision is to enable the women of the church to find more deeply their whole identity in God and to recognize and live out their individual calling according to Matthew 28. (Hence serving and winning women outside the church.) There should be a more intensive release of the God-given potential. To this end, we will focus on supporting the local women's work leaders. We achieve this, among other things, by offering training courses, providing work materials for the ministry and introducing mentorship as one of the ministry principles of women's work.
Senior Adult Ministries
We offer regional events designed especially for our senior adults. Regular afternoon gatherings for senior adults are held at the local church level, and the committee for this ministry division is glad to offer its support where needed.
National Subcommittees
To promote the work of the Church of God at the national level, the National Executive Council forms and appoints specialized subcommittees, which are tied to a specific ministry division or report directly to the National Executive Committee.
Theology Subcommittee
The task of this subcommittee is to deliberate and reflect on current theological and ethical issues. It compiles well-founded reports to assist the National Executive Council in the process of forming an opinion on specific issues. The subcommittee then implements the feedback, additions and desired changes from the National Executive Council into a final report on the subject. The National Executive Council then adopts this final version and provides it as a resource to the local churches.
Church of God Guidelines Subcommittee
This subcommittee is tasked with ensuring that the guidelines of the Church of God in Germany (consisting of its constitution, bylaws, doctrinal commitments and practical commitments) are kept up to date. It handles relevant proposals that are submitted, drafting suggested amendments and wording for review by the National Executive Council.