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Archives: A. D. Beacham, Jr.

Arthur Douglas Beacham, Jr. 2012-2026

Arthur Douglas (Doug) Beacham, Jr., was born January 23, 1949, in Norfolk, Virginia. As the first of three children to grace the home of the Rev. A. D. (Pete) and Marjorie Beacham, Doug learned early what it means to follow Jesus. He made that life decision at age eight and joined the church his father pastored that year on Easter Sunday.

The family relocated from Virginia to Franklin Springs, Georgia, in 1962 following Pete
Beacham’s election as General Treasurer of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church (IPHC). That move proved providential not only for his parents, but also for 13-year-old Doug. With Emmanuel College as its hub, Franklin Springs was the academic environment that helped shape him for his destiny as a Christian leader.

Doug’s spiritual growth escalated during a revival with the Rev. H.L. Moore in Franklin Springs in 1965 when he stepped out in faith and was sanctified. A year later, during a youth event at Oral Roberts University, Doug was baptized in the Holy Spirit. Oral Roberts prayed with him to be filled to overflowing.

In 1967, as a freshman at Emmanuel, Doug recognized the call of God on his life to preach the gospel. He recalls that moment during the King Memorial Lectures when he surrendered to that mandate: “If You want me to be a minister, I will obey,” he responded. Doug received his ministerial license in the East Virginia Conference.

Doug graduated Franklin County High School in Carnesville, Georgia, in 1967 and immediately enrolled at Emmanuel College (EC). He graduated EC in 1969 with an AA in General Education. He continued his higher education at the University of Georgia, Athens, graduating in 1972 with a BA in History, and Union Theological Seminary (now Union Presbyterian Seminary), Richmond, Virginia, where he completed a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) in 1975 and earned a Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) in 1977.

In the fall of 1971, Doug met a young lady from Greenwood, South Carolina, who would become his life partner. Susan Reed was a freshman at Emmanuel College. They were married on September 2, 1972, in Greenwood with Doug’s father, Rev. A.D. Beacham, Sr., and Rev. John Swails officiating.

Through the years, Dr. Beacham has served the IPHC faithfully in numerous capacities, beginning as a youth pastor at the Hyde Park PHC in Durham, North Carolina (1970), then as associate pastor at Ray of Hope PHC in Richmond, Virginia (1972-1977). He taught Greek for five years at his alma mater, Emmanuel College, before accepting the pastorate of the Franklin Springs PHC (1982-1994). He was elected superintendent of the Georgia Conference (now LifePoint Ministries) in 1994 and served in that role for seven years.

While filling leadership roles at the local church and conference levels, Doug also served his country as a commissioned officer chaplain in the United States Army Reserve, serving units in Georgia. He retired as a lieutenant colonel in 2001.

Delegates to the 2001 General Conference affirmed Dr. Beacham’s leadership gifts by electing him to the position of executive director of Church Education Ministries (now Discipleship Ministries). He served in that office for four years before being elected executive director of World Missions Ministries in 2004. In 2009, he was elected vice chairman of the denomination. Then in 2012, he assumed the position of presiding bishop when Dr. Ronald Carpenter resigned because of health concerns. The following year at the 27th General Conference, he was elected by acclamation as general superintendent (presiding bishop) of  IPHC Ministries. Four years later at the 28th General Conference, held in Orlando, Florida, he was returned to the office of presiding bishop by acclamation.

Doug and Susan Beacham have two children: Elizabeth (Beth) White, and her husband Master Sergeant Kenneth White, Ret., live in Washington, D.C., where she is an attorney; and Dr. A. D. Beacham III (Douglas) and his wife Kellie, live in Edmond, Oklahoma. They have the Beacham’s two grandchildren: Caroline and Elizabeth (Lib). Douglas is a Pain Management D.O.

Bishop Beacham’s ministry has touched lives in the classroom, from behind the pulpit, and through one-on-one encounters. Yet his words will echo for countless generations through his writings. Some of his first assignments included developing Young Adult and Adult Sunday School curriculum from 1978 to 2001 for LifeSprings Resources, as well as writing a quarter annually of The Evangelical Commentary (Church of God, Cleveland, TN) from 1979 to 1995. Books he authored include, A Brief History of the Pentecostal Holiness Church (LifeSprings Resources, 1980, 1989); Light for the Journey: A Fresh Focus on Doctrine (LifeSprings Resources, 1998); Plugged In To God’s Power (CharismaHouse, Lake Murray, FL, 2002); Rediscovering the Role of Apostles and Prophets (LifeSprings Resources, 2003); Azusa East: The Life and Times of G. B. Cashwell (LifeSprings Resources, 2006); and The Christmas Spirit (LifeSprings Resources, 2012).

Though revered by his own denomination, Dr. A. D. Beacham was also recognized as a progressive leader by numerous parachurch organizations. While pastoring in Franklin Springs, he chaired the Pentecostal Charismatic Curriculum Commission (PCCC) for several years. Later, in his role as presiding bishop of the IPHC, he was appointed to the executive committees of Christian Churches Together, Empowered 21, the Pentecostal Charismatic Churches of North America (PCCNA), the Pentecostal World Fellowship, the Billion Souls Network, and Toward Jerusalem Counsel II.  He also served on the board of directors of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) and Bread for the World.

Bishop Beacham has one brother, Van Beacham (Susan C.), and one sister, Kathryn Beacham, both residents of Georgia.

 

–Shirley G. Spencer

Please visit our database for more information, photos, videos, and recorded sermons.

Here’s a video created by Dr. Harold Hunter on Dr. Beacham and the J. H. King Home.

The Seven Core Values of the IPHC has guided our denomination for several years.

Here is a video of Dr. Beacham introducing these.

What are they?

In 2017, the IPHC vision of “Place of Hope. People of Promise” is highlighted by our core value, “We Prayerfully Value Christ’s Kingdom.” As the fourth of seven core values, Christ’s Kingdom is the “door” that connects the other core values. The first three– Scripture, Pentecost, and Holiness, reflect the spiritual work of God in redeeming, sanctifying, and empowering us for service in the world. The final three– Every Generation, Justice, and Generosity, are the daily outflowing of God’s work in finding us as lost sheep, saving us, bringing us into His folds, and preparing us for His service.

Dr. Beacham defined these in the following articles:

We prayerfully value Christ’s Kingdom.

We prayerfully value scripture.

We prayerfully value Pentecost.

We prayerfully value holiness.

We prayerfully value every generation.

We prayerfully value justice.

We prayerfully value generosity.

Visit this page for videos and more explanations for each.

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