Charles Karangwa - Central Africa

Charles Karangwa came to Christ in 1975 during the time Idd Amin was the president of his country Uganda. Charles was then in high school leading a scripture union group of students. His life was totally transformed when a visiting preacher at his school preached the risen Lord with such anointing and zest that Charles's heart melted into surrender to Jesus. He repented and received the Lord. It was difficult to affiliate to any spiritual church as the church had gone underground due to Amin's ban of the pentecostal church.

Charles together with ten other people gathered clandestinely in one of the brother's homes frequently for prayer, fasting and fellowship. He joined the church of God in 1982 and afterwards, became a pastor. He later served as regional overseer in Uganda and national CE coordinator. In the year 2000, Charles joined European Bible Seminary as a astudent. After his graduation with a BA in Theology,he returned to Uganda and served as Bible school director. In September, 2004 he was posted to Rwanda where he served as national overseer. In 2006 Charles was given additional responsibility of serving as CE coordinator for Eastern Africa.

He is currently serving as the superintendent for Central Africa region. Charles is married to Peace with four children.

Joseph Kagarama - Eastern Africa

Joseph Kagarama has been in the ministry since 1973. He began serving God in an independent church, but later joined Church of God World Missions in 1980 as a pastor under the leadership of the then national overseer of Uganda, L. K. Mbumbuka. Before he was appointed the national overseer of Uganda in 1988, he previously served as the national secretary/treasurer and the Kampala District overseer. At the August 2008 General Assembly, Kagarama became the Eastern Africa regional superintendent.

Kagarama established some 40 plus churches in the southern part of Sudan. The Ugandan churches have grown to over 500, and they have established many orphanages, feeding centers and schools in partnering with World Missions and other donors.

Kagarama's passion is to reach the Unreached People Groups, especially in the Muslim stronghold countries of Djibouti, Somalia, Eritrea and Khartoum (Northern Sudan). He desperately wants to share the love of Christ with all people and make Him known to them.

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R. H. Roberts - Director of Missions/Christian Education Director for Southern Africa

Dick Roberts has twice served as Director of Missions for the Full Gospel Church of God in South Africa. His latest tenure began in 1990.

Bro. Roberts is versed in commerce and educated in accounting and management. He also has a degree in Theology. He has planted churches, as well as ministered in prisons and to the military.

He has served in many various leadership positions. He has been Overseer of the Southwest Africa District, Treasurer (which evolved into Director of Finances, General Secretary of the Ordained Ministers Council and the General Moderator. He was instrumental in the union of the Irene Assemblies and the United Assemblies that now make up the Unified Church.

Bro. Roberts continues to plan and carry initiatives into areas that have never been penetrated by the Gospel in Pentecostal power.

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Ephraim Shawa - Western Africa

Ephraim Shawa accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior in December 1980. That same night the Lord appeared to him in a dream, handed him a microphone and commanded him to announce His presence to everyone everywhere as the risen Lord. He immediately left the Dutch Reformed Church and joined the Church of God.

In August 1986 Shawa accepted God’s call into ministry. From that time he has served in various positions in the church. He has served as provincial overseer, national secretary/treasurer, member of the national council, national overseer and finally as regional superintendent for Central Africa.

He was awarded a diploma from the European Theological Seminary in May 2006. In the Fall of 2006 Shawa enrolled into the Church of God Theological Seminary in Cleveland, Tennessee for a Master of Divinity degree, majoring in evangelism and missions. Upon his graduation at the seminary he was awarded the 2008 International Student Leadership Award.

Fred holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies from Lee University and a Master of Divinity degree from the Church of God Theological Seminary with an emphasis on ministerial ethics. Dr. Garmon also holds a PhD in Organizational Leadership from Regent University, Virginia Beach, Virginia.
 
Fred is presently serving as International Director and President of People for Care and Learning, an International Benevolence Organization that provides humanitarian care, education and training in developing third world countries.

He is also founder of Leader Labs Inc., a nonprofit ministry providing consulting and leadership development solutions for ministry and marketplace leaders. In addition, Fred and his wife Shirley sponsor and facilitate Christian Peer-Resourcing retreats and workshops designed for Christian leaders who want to better understand themselves and others, with the goal of being able to grow, adapt and manage the complexities of 21st leadership.   

A. Tommy Smith - Asia/Pacific - Southern Pacific Region

Reverend A. Tommy Smith Jr. has served in Indonesia since 1983 as missionary, evangelist, teacher, pastor and representative. Along with his wife, Poppi, the Smiths have a four-pronged ministry of evangelism, leadership development, ministerial enrichment and benevolence.   

An alumnus of Lee University and the Church of God Theological Seminary, Reverend Smith has a weekly TV program in the Indonesian language called “Indonesia Under an Open Heaven.” 

The Savannah, Ga., native is a popular speaker and frequent pulpit translator in international and interdenominational conferences. Tommy and Poppi Smith have two sons, Andy, a law school student at Mercer University and Peter, a high school student at the Jakarta International School. Smith passionately believes that fulfilling both the Great Commandment and Great Commission of Jesus Christ is the highest calling of a Christian.

Dennis Heppner - Asia/Pacific - Western Region

Dennis and Denie Heppner are Canadian missionaries who have been in the Philippines since 1987. God gave them a specific calling to the Philippines in 1972, but they spent 15 years pastoring and evangelizing before they finally were able to serve in the land they love. Dennis has served as a missionary-evangelist in various parts of Asia, as well as locally in the Philippines.

Over the years, Dennis’ responsibilities have been many and varied, which have included doing crusades and pastor’s conferences, directing LIFESCHOOLS of Ministry, serving as superintendent of West Asia for two years and pastoring four different congregations.

Dennis has been appointed as the regional superintendent of the Western Region of Asia/Pacific.

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Marc Morris - Asia Pacific - North/Southeast Region/Oceania

Marc A. Morris serves as Regional Superintendent of North/Southeast Asia and Oceania. A native of Cleveland, Tennessee, USA, he was appointed in 1987 to direct the WEAC short-term missions and benevolence programs in Asia Pacific. His experience as an administrator and counselor in the Asian context, along with a passion for church health and growth, brings momentum and strategic methods to one of the church's most vital regions of ministry.

In 2000, Marc and his lovely wife Marilen founded Samaritan's Place (SP) orphanage in the Philippines. In addition to supervising SP's care services, they passionately help families in America with information about international adoptions. The Morris' have two older children, Christopher and Michelle.

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Andres Eduardo Rincon accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior at the age of 15. At a very young age,

he enrolled in the Bible Institute and soon became a leader in the local church in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Several years later he traveled to Panama to study at the International Latino Seminary.

Upon his return from Panama, he started to pastor for the first time. Bishop Rincon has served as pastor, district overseer, member of the National Council Board, and Bible Institute professor. He was director of the Institute for 12 years and national overseer for 12 years. On several occasions, he led the main interdenominational institutions in his country.

Besides his theological education, Rincon has a bachelor’s in education and literature and a master’s in education.

Jonathan Augustine - Europe: Eastern

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Paul Schmidgall - Europe: Middle East

During the 1975 Eurofest, Paul Schmidgall received his calling into the ministry and began his studies at the European Bible Seminary (EBS) in Rudersberg, Germany. Upon completion he attended Lee College for a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1979 and then received his master’s at Western Kentucky University in 1980.

Paul later returned to EBS as a faculty member and continued his studies toward a doctorate at the University of Tübingen. In 1987, Paul and his wife, Gabi, were asked to serve as overseers for the ministry of the Church of God in Israel.

In 1994, the Schmidgall’s were called back to Germany, and Paul served as overseer of the German Church of God. From 1996-2000, Paul also served as the chairman of the Federation of Pentecostal Churches in Germany. During his time as overseer, Paul was still involved in education in Europe and served as board chairman, dean and director of the master’s program at EBS. Since 2004, Paul has served as president and Gabi as general manager at the seminary, now known as the European Theological Seminary.

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He began his missions ministry at the European Theological Seminary in 1988. He is a graduate of Lee University (B.S. 1985), the Church of God Theological Seminary (M. Div., 1989), and Regent University (Ph.D., 2003). Tom and his wife, Claudia, are also very active in their local congregation at the Treffpunkt C Church of God. This is the congregation that they helped plant during their previous ministry at the European Theological Seminary.

Tony Summerfield - Europe: Western

Tony Summerfield was born to Spirit-filled Christian parents in a small mining village in South Wales. He became a Christian at the age of 12, and immediately started speaking at churches across the valleys. Tony was mightily used of God in reaching the drop-outs and drug addicts.

In 1972, Tony experienced great success in the business world, holding down senior management positions and directorships in a number of blue chip companies. However, in 1981, Tony felt the call of God on his life and planted a new church in Hitchin. The church began with six members, worshipping in a community center on the outskirts of Hitchin. Today the church is ministering to 400/500 men, women and children.

Tony has served the Church of God as overseer of Scotland for three years, overseer of the cross-cultural work in the United Kingdom for five years, and chairman for the board of the European Theological Seminary for ten years. 

Erich Schneider - Europe: Central

Erich Schneider ministered in Germany from 1986 to 2000 as co-pastor, pastor, district overseer, and regional overseer for the Church of God. During this time, he served as an evangelist and teacher in different churches within Eastern Europe.

In 2000, Erich was elected overseer of the German Church of God. Since then, he has continued working in this area of responsibility. In 2004, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the European Theolo gical Seminary.