The Church of God, with International Offices in Cleveland, Tennessee, operates in 185 countries around the world. Since 1976, the Church of God has conferred the Distinguished Educator Award on recipients who have made a unique contribution to education in the Church of God across the globe.
The recipients of these awards are selected from a list of nominees submitted by church leaders, faculty and administration from educational institutions, missionary educators, and Ministerial Development Board members internationally.
In 1996, the General Board of Education added a Leadership Award designed to recognize distinguished administrators in education. The faculty educator award and the leadership award honor outstanding educators in parallel, yet distinctive roles.
The 2024 awards will be presented during the International Educators Luncheon on Wednesday, July 10, 2024, at the Indianapolis Convention Center – WABASH BALLROOM, during the 79th International General Assembly in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Past Award Winners
1976 Dr. Charles Beach
Professor, Lee College
1976 Dr. H.D. Williams
Chairman, General Board of Education
1978 Dr. Laud O. Vaught
President, Northwest Bible College
1980 Dr. R. Hollis Gause
Dean, School of Theology
1982 Dr. R. B. Thomas
Dean, Northwest Bible College
1984 Dr. Robert E. Fisher
Director, General Education Department
1986 Dr. Yung-Chul Han
President, Korean Theological Seminary
1988 Dr. Ray H. Hughes
Assistant General Overseer
1992 Dr. James M. Beaty
Dean, School of Theology
1994 Dr. Charles Paul Conn
President, Lee College
1996 Dr. Esdras Betancourt
Director, Hispanic Ministries
1996 Dr. Hector Camacho
Associate Professor, Lee College
1998 Dr. Carolyn R. Dirksen
Dean of Arts and Sciences, Lee University
1998 Dr. Steven J. Land
Dean, Theological Seminary
2000 Dr. Cecil B. Knight
President Emeritus, Theological Seminary
2000 Dr. French Arrington
Professor, Theological Seminary
2002 Dr. F.J. May
Professor, Theological Seminary
2002 Dr. David Ramírez
President, Seminario Ministerial Sudamericano
2004 Dr. Larry G. Hess
International Director, Ministerial Development
2004 Peter A. Thomas
Director of Programs of Extension Education of East Central Africa
2006 Dr. Lois U. Beach
Professor Emeritus, Lee University
2006 Dr. Roberto Rivera
Professor, Colegio Bíblico Pentecostal de Puerto Rico
2008 Dr. Selwyn Arnold
Missions Representative on Special Assignment
2008 Dr. Robert O’Bannon
Professor of Biology, Lee University
2010 Dr. Donald N. Bowdle
Professor of Theology, Lee University
2010 Dr. Donald S. Aultman
Chancellor, Division of Education
2012 Dr. Paul L. Walker
Former Chancellor, Division of Education
2012 Dr. Cheryl Bridges-Johns
Professor, Theological Seminary
2014 Dr. Paul Schmidgall
President, European Theological Seminary
2014 Dr. Richard E. Waldrop
Missionary Educator, PTS/SEMISUD
2016 Dr. Carlos Canizález
President, Central America Pentecostal Bible Seminary
2016 Dr. Mary Ruth Stone
Professor, Lee University
2018 Dr. Jurgen Rudolph
Education Director for Africa
2018 Dr. Marcia Anderson
Retired Professor, Africa
2022 Dr. Rickie Moore
Professor, Lee University
2022 Dr. Miguel Álvarez
President of Seminario Biblico
Pentecostal Centroamericano
(SEBIPCA–Quetzaltenango, Guatemala)
Please complete the following form to nominate your choice for the faculty award and your choice for the leadership award.
Nominating Ballot for
2024 Distinguished Educator Awards
Who may nominate a candidate?
Church of God officials, national and territorial leaders, faculty, and administration from educational institutions, missionary educators, Ministerial Development Board members internationally.
How Important is this nominating form?
The nominating forms are the primary source of information on which the judges can base their decisions.
Criteria for Nominations:
Faculty Award
A person should be nominated for the faculty award on the basis of his/her excellence and dedication within the Church of God to the ministry of teaching and to the spiritual formation of students.
Leadership Award
A person should be nominated for the leadership award on the basis of his/her unique contribution as a leader/administrator in an educational ministry within the Church of God.
2024 Distinguished Educator Awards Nominee Ballot
Please complete this form no later than May 1, 2024 at 11:55 p.m. EDT.