General Superintendent Max Edwards & Judy
December 16, 2025 Officer Election Proposal from General Council As you all know, I have been blessed to serve as General Superintendent since 2018. Before that, I served for six years as a Conference Superintendent, and before that, I had the joy of pastoring one of our local churches for 15 years. As an EMC’er, I don’t go as far back as some of you, but in my 30 years I have seen various frameworks of denominational leadership. I came into the EMC as a member of a local church in the Atlantic District in 1996. Back then there were six districts, each with an elected superintendent. One district even had co-superintendents for a time. In 2010, we altered the structure significantly and instead of electing six District Superintendents to serve with one General Superintendent, we dissolved the district boundaries and elected a total of five superintendents: one General and four Conference Superintendents. A dozen+ regions were created; each assigned a coordinator who attempted to create fellowship opportunities. In 2014, we changed again, electing only 3 Conference Superintendents to serve under one General Superintendent. In 2018, we didn’t make any significant changes, although we now had five affiliated Global Conferences, instead of just the two we had in 2010, with Mexico and Myanmar. The reason I’m sharing all of this is to say that I don’t think there is some perfect organizational structure out there. Jesus didn’t die for an org chart, or a denomination. He died to reconcile men and women, boys and girls to God. But He did establish His church, gave it structure, and appointed leadership in it. Almost 80 years ago, the founders of the EMC drafted the first set of bylaws that we call the “Discipline.” They built flexibility into it regarding the number of Superintendents we elect. This has proven to be helpful, as in early years when we chose to elect 2 General Superintendents, Dr. Hamblen, and Rev. Breckbill; and later Dr. Hamblen and Rev. Lucian Smith. In later years, when the assembly began electing only one General Superintendent, it chose to elect Assistant General Superintendents such as Dr. Haggard, and Dr. Vanderwood. The General Council has been considering and discussing this as we approach the coming General Conference and the next four years. They have unanimously decided to present a motion to the Conference that we elect two General Superintendents (one lead and one assistant), and two Conference Superintendents. Pictured is a graphic showing the current structure, and what the new structure would be like. Pastors and church leaders are invited to join a ZOOM meeting on January 20th to ask questions and learn more about the proposal. Ultimately, the choice will be made by the Conference in July of 2026. The Council will make the motion, but the Conference will be making the final decision.