Hugh Osgood

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Hugh Osgood
The Reverend Doctor
Hugh Osgood
ChurchFounder of Churches in Communities International
Personal details
Born (1947-04-21) 21 April 1947 (age 77)
London, England
NationalityBritish
DenominationEvangelical Christianity
SpouseMarion (m 1972)
Previous post(s)Moderator of the Free Churches Group, Free Church President of Churches Together in England

Hugh James Osgood is a British church leader, author, and director.[1][2][3][4][5][6] He was appointed Moderator of the Free Churches Group on 17 September 2014, following the resignation of Michael Heaney, and was the first President to serve for successive terms.[7][8][9][10] He was also the Free Churches President of Churches Together in England,[11][12] and is the co-convenor of the UK Charismatic and Pentecostal Leaders’ Conference, and founding President of Churches in Communities International.[13][14] He is largely known for his work on racial justice, social cohesion and supporting African Christianity in the United Kingdom.[15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24]

Early life and education[edit]

Osgood was born in 1947 into a Salvation Army family in Southall, England. Osgood attended The Knoll School for Boys. He studied at St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical School and the London School of Dentistry. He received a Bachelor of Dental Surgery in 1970.[25] In his own words, during the summer of 1965 when reading C. S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity, he discovered his calling as an evangelical Christian leader and pursued local church ministry in parallel to dentistry.[26][25] Subsequently, he received a Master of Divinity degree through the Full Gospel Assembly Bible College' Lahore, Pakistan, then earned his theological PhD through The School of African and Oriental Studies at London University.[27]

Career[edit]

Osgood was accepted as a missionary with the African Evangelical Fellowship in 1971, but was unable to travel to Zambia due to President Kenneth Kaunda's decision to cut aid to medical projects.[26] Osgood then joined a small house church in Forest Hill in London, that was linked to the ministry of George North, before establishing a congregation in Bromley, which he led as Bromley North Free Church until 1991. Osgood gave up dentistry incrementally while pastoring the Bromley church. The elders of Bromley Christian Centre, part of the Assemblies of God in Great Britain, approached Osgood in 1989 and decided to combine their church's ministry with that of Bromley North Free Church. After a year of joint activity, Osgood then planted Cornerstone Christian Centre[28][29][30][31] in 1991 as an independent resource centre church where he pioneered a TV department (which was to become Charis Communications), the staff of which, including Howard Conder and Rory and Wendy Alec, went on to establish Revelation TV[32] and GOD TV. Broadcasting began in 1994 on London Cable Network.

National and international ministry[edit]

From 1988, Hugh Osgood worked for Billy Graham's Mission '89,[33] and established the Council of Reference for Morris Cerullo's Mission to London in 1992.

In 1997, Osgood founded Churches in Communities International as an accountability and accreditation body for independent churches and ministries. This was in response to the significant increase in independent churches throughout the UK who were not formally recognised due to their autonomy.[34] Osgood is the current President of Churches in Communities International which had 117 member churches, 86 chaplains and 316 ministers in 2022.[35][36]

Osgood was elected as the 60th Free Churches Moderator by the then twenty-four Free Church denominations of England and Wales in September 2014.[37][38] He is well known in the denominations for his non-partisan ecumenical cooperation.[39] In 2017 he stated, "it doesn’t really bother me that we’ve got lots of denominations as long as we all respect each other and love each other as Jesus said".[40]

During Osgood's tenure as Free Church Moderator, he led the Free Churches Group response to the death of David Amess[41] and released a statement along with other prominent British church leaders, including the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, following the death of George Floyd.[42] In February 2021, Osgood signed an open letter to the Home Secretary calling for asylum seekers to be no longer housed in barracks.[43][44]

Personal life[edit]

Osgood is married to Marion who is also an author.[45]

Criticism[edit]

Osgood has been known to associate with leading figures from the radical house church movement of the 1960s such as Terry Virgo of New Frontiers, Colin Dye of Kensington Temple, Colin Urquhart of Kingdom Faith Church, Noel Stanton of the Jesus Army and John Wimber of the Vineyard Movement who have been criticised by some reformed theologians[46][47][48] for misusing the term 'apostolic networks'.[46][49] In 2016, Osgood presented a paper to the Churches Together in Britain and Ireland Conference in which he stated, "many Pentecostals, Independents and other evangelicals increasingly see themselves, regarding unity as being more about respect than institutional convergence".[50]

Bibliography[edit]

Journal articles[edit]

  • 'Pentecostalism: global trends and local adjustments' Journal of European Pentecostal Theological Association, 28:1 (2008) [51]

Book chapters[edit]

  • 'The Rise of Black Churches' in D. Goodhew (Ed), Church growth in Britain – 1980 to the present, (Farnham: Ashgate, 2012)
  • 'A biblical theology for engaging with society' in D.Singleton (Ed), Faith with its sleeves rolled up - a collection of essays on the role of faith in society,(London: Faith Action, 2013)

Books[edit]

  • Blessing the Nations - discovering your part in God's plan, (Croydon: Sophos Books, 2007)
  • Fulfilling your Ministry - communication, identification and partnership, (Croydon: Sophos Books, 2009)
  • The Power of Purity - Maintaining a Christian testimony in a compromising world, (Charis House Books, 2016)[52]
  • Understanding God - Disclosing the plan of salvation, (Charis House Books, 2016) [53]
  • with Glenn Myers, The Failure File, (London: Scripture Union, 1991) [54]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Osgood, Hugh James (10 March 2024). "Hugh James Osgood personal appointments". gov.uk. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  2. ^ "Dr Hugh Osgood | Author". Premier Christianity. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  3. ^ Revelation tv Presents "Reflection for Lent" with Dr Hugh Osgood, retrieved 2024-03-14
  4. ^ "Social cohesion is for life, not just for crises". www.churchtimes.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
  5. ^ Erickson, Melanie (2022-10-14). "Pastors Inspired, Encouraged at Calgary Summit". The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association of Canada. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
  6. ^ "Dare to dream at a church conference in Wisbech". Cambs Times. 2014-10-01. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  7. ^ "Churches Together in England : Free Churches Group elects new Moderator". cte.org.uk. Retrieved 2017-05-16.
  8. ^ "Free Churches Group names new moderator". Premier. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  9. ^ "Free Churches Group". Free Churches Group. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  10. ^ "Search for "hugh osgood"". Churches Together in England. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  11. ^ "The Presidents of Churches Together in England". Churches Together in England. Retrieved 16 May 2017.
  12. ^ "Two new presidents for Churches Together in England". www.churchtimes.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  13. ^ "Meet The Team". CiC International. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  14. ^ "Tributes to Roger Forster". Churches Together in England. 2024-02-09. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  15. ^ Olofinjana, Israel Oluwole (2019). "Reverse Mission: African Presence and Mission within Baptists Together1 in the United Kingdom". Journal of European Baptist Studies. 19 (2): 106 – via Jebs EU.
  16. ^ Adedibu, Babatunde (2016-01-02). "Missional History and the Growth of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in the United Kingdom (1988–2015)". Journal of the European Pentecostal Theological Association. 36 (1): 80–93. doi:10.1080/18124461.2016.1138631. ISSN 1812-4461.
  17. ^ Osgood, Hugh (2012), "The Rise of Black Churches", Church Growth in Britain, Routledge, pp. 107–125, doi:10.4324/9781315260297-10, ISBN 978-1-315-26029-7, retrieved 2024-03-14
  18. ^ Moyo, Anderson (January 2016). "MISSIONAL STRATEGIES FROM ANTIOCH: LESSONS FOR AFRICAN MISSIONARIES IN BRITAIN" (PDF). Missio Africanus Journal of African Missiology. 1 (2): 42–49.
  19. ^ "Building Back Better Conference: The Church and Social Cohesion". Theos Think Tank. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  20. ^ "https://discovered.ed.ac.uk/discovery/fulldisplay?vid=44UOE_INST:44UOE_VU2&tab=Everything&docid=alma9921355003502466&lang=en&context=L&query=any,contains,0691157103&offset=0". discovered.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-15. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  21. ^ "Social cohesion is for life, not just for crises". www.churchtimes.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  22. ^ "Call to address racial injustice by CTE Presidents". ctbi.org.uk. 2020-07-28. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  23. ^ Guildford, Diocese of. "Churches across the country unite in prayer for Ukraine - Diocese of Guildford". www.cofeguildford.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  24. ^ https://www.anglicannews.org/news/2018/12/uk-christian-and-jewish-leaders-speak-against-anti-semitism-and-persecution-of-christians.aspx
  25. ^ a b Kay, William K (2007). Apostolic Networks in Britain, New Ways of Being Church. British Library: Paternoster Press. p. 182. ISBN 978-1-84227-409-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  26. ^ a b Kay, William (2007). Apostolic Networks in Britain (1 ed.). Milton Keynes: Paternoster. p. 182.
  27. ^ Osgood, Hugh. African neo-pentecostal churches and British Evangelicalism 1985-2005 : balancing principles and practicalities. catalogue.libraries.london.ac.uk (Thesis). University of London. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  28. ^ Black Majority Churches UK. African and Caribbean Evangelical Alliance. 2003. p. 52.
  29. ^ "Leadership". Cornerstone Christian Centre. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  30. ^ Perriman, Andrew (2003). Faith, Health & Prosperity. Paternoster Press. p. xi.
  31. ^ Edwards, Joel (1999). Lord, Make Us One (1st ed.). Hodder & Stoughton. p. 107.
  32. ^ The Interview with Dr Hugh Osgood, 2015-07-07, retrieved 2017-06-10
  33. ^ Pettie, Gordon (2013). Hey Howie. Fines Creek Publishing. p. 97.
  34. ^ "History". CiC International. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  35. ^ https://static1.squarespace.com/static/595b5e8a8419c2e81ee4a3a5/t/638900a34375fd068501ebce/1669923009243/CiC+AMM+2022.pdf
  36. ^ "CHURCHES IN COMMUNITIES INTERNATIONAL - Charity 1139043". register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
  37. ^ Tibbs, Joy (19 September 2014). "Free Churches Group names new moderator". Premier Christian Radio. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  38. ^ Assisted dying: leaders of faith communities speak out against new bill The Observer, 05 Sep 2015: 46.
  39. ^ Mladin, Natan (2014). "That they all may be one: Insights into Churches Together in England and contemporary ecumenism" (PDF). Theos: 7.
  40. ^ "Progress of Christian unity witnessed at CTE Forum". ctbi.org.uk. 2018-09-25. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
  41. ^ Osgood, Hugh (15 October 2021). "Free Churches Group Moderator Revd Dr Hugh Osgood, Offers Condolence on the Death of David Amess MP". Free Churches Group. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  42. ^ "CTE Member Churches Take a Stand Against Racial Injustice". Churches Together in England. 2020-06-10. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
  43. ^ "Church leaders call for Government to stop housing asylum seekers in barracks – Churches Together in Cornwall infoHub". 2021-02-11. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
  44. ^ "Church leaders call for Government to stop housing asylum seekers in barracks". www.churchofengland.org. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
  45. ^ Osgood, Marion (2010-05-10). Whatever Happened to Kathy Keay?. Roperpenberthy Publishing, Limited. ISBN 978-1-903905-47-0.
  46. ^ a b Scott, Benjamin G. McNair (25 December 2014). Apostles Today: Making Sense of Contemporary Christian Apostolates: A Historical and Theological Appraisal. The Lutterworth Press. p. 50. ISBN 9780718893552.
  47. ^ "Restorationism and the 'house church' movement". The Gospel Coalition. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
  48. ^ https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/287589017.pdf
  49. ^ Scott, Benjamin G. McNair (25 December 2014). "Apostles Today: Making Sense of Contemporary Christian Apostolates" (PDF). The Lutterworth Press. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  50. ^ Osgood, Hugh (23 November 2016). "A unity perspective drawn from Acts 15" (PDF). Journal of CTBI: 5.
  51. ^ Osgood, Hugh (2008). "Pentecostalism: global trends and local adjustments" (PDF). Journal of the European Pentecostal Theological Association. 28 (28): 62–76. doi:10.1179/jep.2008.28.1.006. S2CID 144884336.
  52. ^ Osgood, Hugh (2016). The Power of Purity (1 ed.). Bromley: Charis House Publishing.
  53. ^ Osgood, Hugh (2016). Understanding God (1 ed.). Bromley: Charis House Publishing.
  54. ^ Osgood, Hugh; Myers, Glenn (1991). The Failure File. Scripture Union.
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