Assemblies of God Missions Leader Dies

October 28, 2002
by Juleen Turnage

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The Rev. J. Philip Hogan, longtime Assemblies of God World Missions director, passed away Sunday, October 27 in Springfield, Missouri, after a lengthy illness. He was 86.

Deeply committed to fulfilling the Great Commission, Hogan spent his life in missions. During his 30-year tenure (1959-1989) as executive director of the Division of Foreign Missions for the Assemblies of God, his leadership had a profound effect on Pentecostal organizations around the world. Always devoted to building fraternal ties to national church organizations, Hogan sparked the birth of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship that now represents some 40 million Assemblies of God members worldwide.

"This church has lost a giant in the homegoing of J. Philip Hogan," said Rev. Thomas E. Trask, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God. "He is recognized around the world as a church statesman. His heartbeat for world missions, his passion to see the gospel preached in every nation set the course for the Fellowship's world missions efforts. The church continues to reap rich benefits from his years of missions leadership."

Hogan's overseas ministry began when he and his family arrived in Ningpo, China, in February 1947. He taught in a Bible school, supervised a church building project, and engaged in evangelistic ministry in the region. When increasing civil unrest forced the Hogans to leave China, they went to Taiwan. Working with another missionary family, Hogan began the first Pentecostal ministry on that island. The continuing threat of war caused him to send his wife, Virginia, and their two children home to the United States with other missionaries, but he stayed six more months to establish the newly formed church.

After returning to the States, Hogan served under the auspices of the Division of Foreign Missions to promote missions in local churches. He traveled widely, speaking in missions conventions, district gatherings, regional missions meetings and at General Councils. Through his preaching and writing, he stressed the imperative of world evangelization.

Hogan brought pivotal leadership gifts to the Assemblies of God missions enterprise when he was chosen as executive director for the Division of Foreign Missions at the General Council in San Antonio, Texas, in 1959. His concern to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit for strategic planning led him to consider new and creative initiatives in evangelism and discipleship training. Four international ministries birthed during his administration (ICI University, Center for Ministry to Muslims, International Media Ministries, and HealthCare Ministries) contributed to the far-reaching efforts of the Assemblies of God foreign missions outreach.

"J. Philip Hogan, during his thirty years as executive director of Assemblies of God World Missions, set the course for our missionary movement that has put us light years ahead in the fulfillment of our Lord's Great Commission," said L. John Bueno, executive director of the Assemblies of God World Missions. "Brother Hogan . . . was a giant in his day and way ahead of his time in forward thinking, vision for reaching our world for Jesus Christ, and establishing national churches around the world."

Hogan served three terms as president of the Evangelical Foreign Missions Association, the missionary branch of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) with offices in Washington, D.C. He has been recognized repeatedly for his work as a member of the World Relief Corporation Board of Directors, the relief arm of NAE.

A highlight of Hogan's career as a world missions leader came in 1988 when he invited Assemblies of God leaders from around the world to attend a meeting in Springfield to plan an evangelism outreach for the last decade of the 20th century. Hogan envisioned a cooperative fellowship that would harness the energies of the worldwide Assemblies of God for a mighty decade of harvest. Forty nations accepted Hogan's invitation and sent leaders to the July 1988 meeting, prompting the formation of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship. Hogan served as chairman until 1992 when he asked to be relieved. He continued to serve in an honorary capacity and assisted the new chairman, Dr. David Yonggi Cho, whom he had mentored in ministry, with the World Assemblies of God Congress in Seoul, South Korea, in 1994. Representatives from more than 130 nations gathered there to pray for the evangelization of the world.

"He [Hogan] was a tremendous leader for the mission field and a great mentor for me," said Dr. David Yonggi Cho, pastor of the world's largest A/G church in Seoul, Korea. "His life and example will continue to inspire and motivate us for years to come."

When Hogan became executive director in 1959, the Assemblies of God had 788 missionaries working in 69 nations. In 1989, when Hogan retired, that number had grown to more than 1,500 missionaries serving in 120 countries. During the same time, overseas Bible schools increased from 61 to 329. Asked how he was able to direct such a wide range of missionary activities, Hogan responded, "The never-ending movement of the Spirit has been our guide. When I have seen places where God was working in a special way, I have stepped in and worked with Him."

Hogan was born December 4, 1915, in a log house his father built near Olathe, Colorado. He was one of five children of Leslie Irvin and Lucy Van Trump Hogan. In 1920 traveling evangelists brought the Pentecostal message to the community where the Hogan family lived. Services were held in the homes of believers, including the Hogans, until a church could be built. In this revival atmosphere, Hogan accepted Jesus as his Savior at age 7 and received the baptism in the Holy Spirit two years later.

The Hogan family moved to Springfield in 1933, and Philip enrolled in Central Bible Institute (new Central Bible College) to prepare for ministry. While there, he met and married Mary Virginia Lewis. Later, Hogan did graduate study at the University of California at Berkeley.

Before going to China as missionaries, Philip and Virginia Hogan pastored churches in Painesville, Ohio; and Lincoln Park, Michigan. After their return from China they pastored briefly in Florence, South Carolina. They are the parents of two children, James Richard (deceased 1956) and Phyllis Lynne (Mrs. Jon Hilton). The Hogans have two grandsons, Robert and Timothy McGlasson; and two great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations go to the J. Philip Hogan Chair at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary in Springfield to train future missionaries for the church.

Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Thursday (October 31) at Central Assembly of God in Springfield. Visitation is Wednesday evening 6-8 p.m. at Walnut Lawn Funeral Home which is in charge of the arrangements.

A/G News & Information Service