The Assemblies of God Executive Presbytery has unanimously elected Donna L. Barrett to serve as the 11th general secretary of the U.S. Fellowship. With this election, the 21-member executive board fills the unexpired term of James T. Bradford, following his midterm resignation to pursue full-time pastoral ministry at Central Assembly in Springfield, Missouri.
Barrett’s ministry includes service on the Executive Presbytery of the Ohio Ministry Network and on the General Presbytery of the Assemblies of God. She was saved and baptized in the Spirit in 1975. After serving as a paralegal, she lived out the call of God on her life to serve in full-time ministry.
Barrett became an Assemblies of God minister in 1988. Serving 10 years as youth pastor in Youngstown, Ohio she then served seven years as associate pastor in Cleveland before planting Rockside Church in 2002.
“Through her service as a church planter, district leader, and general presbyter, Donna has shown humility paired with a special gifting for leadership,” says General Superintendent Doug Clay. “I’ve seen God use her time and time again to speak wisdom into difficult circumstances at the district and national level.”
Barrett’s ministry has been marked with a passion for prayer. For the past two years, she has opened the legislative session of the Ohio House of Representatives in prayer. Additionally, Barrett has led the National Day of Prayer observances in her area for the past 15 years.
“I have been consistently impressed with Donna’s wisdom, grace, and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit,” Bradford says. “This Fellowship will be blessed by her anointed leadership.”
Barrett will serve as the first woman on the Assemblies of God Executive Leadership Team.
“While Donna was not selected on the basis of her gender, I know this moment will be meaningful for many women who feel God’s calling on their lives,” Clay says.
The Assemblies of God has ordained women in ministry from its founding in 1914. Many women have played foundational roles in the Movement. Currently, 24 percent of Assemblies of God ministers are women.
“I’m humbled at this invitation to serve a Fellowship I love,” Barrett says. “I look forward to what God has in His heart for the future of the Assemblies God and I’m honored to be part of this outstanding team of leaders.”
As general secretary, Barrett will oversee the credentialing of ministers, church chartering, the collection of official statistics, and the Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center. Her term begins on June 1.
Source: www.news.ag.org
