Influence: Tell us a little about your wife, children, and grandchildren.

Doug Clay: My wife, Gail, is from Athens, Ohio. We met when I was doing an internship with the church plant there in Athens. We’ve been married 32 years. Gail’s background is nursing with a specialization in geriatrics. We have two girls, Ashley and Kaylee, two sons-in-law, and five grandchildren, all under the age of 5.

The 57th General Council elected you as the next general super-intendent. That’s a pretty momentous thing to fall on anybody’s shoulders. How did you feel when the ballots were counted and your name was announced?

It was surreal. I’m typically a person who predetermines my opening remarks, but this time I didn’t. I went to the podium after my name was announced and made a statement about making sure we are applauding Dr. Wood and his legacy more than my welcome as the next general superintendent. I felt that was a God-inspired moment. It took the focus off of me and back on to Dr. Wood, where it belonged. I wanted to make sure he was honored for his many years of faithful service to the Assemblies of God.

The reality of the election didn’t fully hit me until Saturday when Dr. Wood started forwarding emails to me, and said, “Why don’t you weigh in on this.” My thoughts were, Oh, my word, what just happened?    

One of my life verses is, “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him” (Psalm 37:23). So, I’m taking this as another step in my life that has been ordered by God.

What events shaped your life and call to the ministry?

I’m a third-generation Pentecostal preacher’s kid from Adrian, Michigan, who was raised in the Assemblies of God. I cut my teeth on the back of church pews. 

Whether you’re in a joyous season or in a valley, God delights in you! He will use the experiences of your life to build character and strengthen you for whatever ministry assignment is in your future.

When I was 9 years old, my dad suddenly died of a massive heart attack. 

I was part of a healthy church at the time, so I never felt disadvantaged being raised by a single mom. I had a lot of spiritual dads — Royal Ranger com-manders and youth sponsors, so I grew up with a healthy view of life and the church.

I received the call to full-time ministry in the context of the local church. I entered Central Bible College in 1981, and I’ve been chasing that dream ever since. I owe a huge debt to the local church, so I am driven to give myself back to the fulfillment of healthy churches.

How have your prayers changed since being elected general superintendent?

The Lord gave me three words to pray about, reflect on and build into my spirit following the election. The three words are: wisdom, discernment and anointing. Every day since the election, I’ve asked the Lord for wisdom, discernment and anointing. In my daily Scripture reading, it’s amazing how these themes continue to emerge. That’s what I’m praying for daily in my own life.

I’m praying that the seeds planted and watered by past superintendents will continue to flourish — the seeds of church planting and academic scholarships for students, just to name a few. 

I’m also praying for a renewed commitment to missions in the Assemblies of God. Missions is who we are, and I don’t ever want to abandon that. I want to advance our missiology as aggressively as I can. 

As you step into the office of the general superintendent, what issues are on the horizon that the Assemblies of God needs to address? 

Four issues are on my heart right now. The first issue is biblical literacy. I am deeply concerned that our children and grandchildren have a healthy, biblical worldview.

We’ve lost some of the delivery systems for the systematic teaching of Scripture, and it is a challenge to creatively find ways to do that. How can we help kids be rooted and grounded in Scripture so that when they are on their own they are not bewildered by a cultural narrative that runs contrary to their biblical worldview?

Secondly, the Assemblies of God is made up of many affinity groups or networks, each with different expectations about leadership and the role the leader plays in the ministries of the church. I’m asking God for wisdom and direction on how best to lead the denomination that has these different affinity groups. 

The third challenge on my heart is the whole issue of human sexuality and teaching about it from a biblical perspective. The purpose of sex, the sanctity of human life, the value of marriage, and other issues of human sexuality are of great importance for the Church. We must teach our children and grandchildren what God says and thinks about these issues. 

Finally, I see the high cost of Christian higher education as an ongoing challenge. This was a concern under Dr. Wood’s administration, and it will be a continuing concern of mine as well. 

Tell our readers a little about your new book, Ordered Steps: A Life Prepared to Lead, and where they can order a copy.

The book was designed to introduce the Fellowship to me. It’s divided into three sections. Section one is about my family life. Section two talks about my ministry experiences. And the last section articulates the prayers, priorities, hopes and dreams I have for the Assemblies of God. 

The book can be ordered on myhealthychurch.com.

Share a final thought with our readers, especially ministers who might be in a season of discouragement.

I referenced earlier a verse from the Book of Psalms that I’d like to repeat: “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him.” Whether you’re in a joyous season or in a valley, God delights in you! He will use the experiences of your life to build character and strengthen you for whatever ministry assignment is in your future.

For my minister friends who may be in a season of discouragement, I pray God will baptize you with a spirit of joy, that you’ll find a sense of fulfillment in the place of your calling, and you’ll fall in love with the people God has called you to serve.

This article originally appeared in the January/February 2018 edition of Influence magazine. Subscribe here.