Ozarks Profile: The Rev. Thomas E. Trask

The Rev. Thomas E. Trask

General superintendent of the General Council of the Assemblies of God. Trask began serving his term in August 1993. As general superintendent, Trask has responsibility for the 12,055 congregations within the Assemblies of God, the largest Pentecostal denomination in the world. The church has 2.5 million members and adherents, and its headquarters is in Springfield. The Assemblies of God is 86 years old: It was founded in 1914 in Hot Springs, Ark. Trask is also responsible for the 1,100 employees at the General Council. Trask is on the board of directors of Cox Health System, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, the Rural Pentecostal Conference, the Pentecostal World Conference, the Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America, in addition to several other Assemblies of God associations.

Age: 63.

No. of years in Springfield: Eleven years; a native of Brainerd, Minn.

Education: Graduate of North Central Bible College in Minneapolis, Minn. Holds a master of divinity degree and a conveyed doctorate from the college. The conveyed doctorate is an honorary degree recognizing Trask's extensive work with the church.

Early career: Was born a minister's son and has been in the ministry most of his life, as has his brother, who is also a minister; his sister is a pastor's wife, and all are in the Assemblies of God. Trask worked in sales while in college and while starting his first church in Hibbing, Minn., in 1956. From there he moved to Vicksburg, Mich., where he was pastor of an Assembly of God church from 1960 until 1964, and then to Saginaw, Mich., where he was pastor from 1968 until 1973. He was then pastor at Brightmoor Tabernacle in Southfield, Mich., from 1976 to 1988. In between pastorates he held positions with the Michigan District, as youth and Sunday school director, from 1964 to 1968, and then as district superintendent from 1973 to 1976. He joined the General Council in Springfield in 1988 as general treasurer, and from that position became general superintendent in 1993.

Current projects: Planning for the Assemblies of God's world fellowship celebration, to be held Aug. 8-10 in Indianapolis, Ind. The event is expected to draw several thousand people. The Assemblies of God has a presence in 157 countries and the church is adding nearly 10,000 adherents each day, Trask said. The church's vision for the future is to double in size in the next five years, he added.

Management philosophy: He is taking on a project to rename the Springfield center the Assemblies of God Resource Center. "I want to show the churches that we are here to benefit them and support them," Trask said.

Spare-time pursuits: Having lived in Michigan, Trask developed an interest in cars. He owns a 1957 Chevrolet and an older Porsche.

Family data: Married 43 years to Shirley. They have four children and four grandchildren.