Robert J. Pruitt, who served the Church as General Overseer from July 24, 1993, until May 11, 2006, began his tenure as General Overseer in perhaps the most unique manner and time period of all our General Overseers. The Church was reorganized in July 1993 at the Solemn Assembly, which was called by the Holy Ghost as a result, in part, of a departure from theocracy in May 1990 at the Presbytery meeting which met to select an Interim Overseer following the resignation of M. A. Tomlinson. During the meeting, the Presbytery selected Billy D. Murray without unanimous agreement, and he was subsequently installed as General Overseer in the following Assembly, which many felt was also without unanimous agreement. Therefore, the 88th Annual Assembly in November 1993, rejected all the business acts of the Assemblies that had convened from 1990 through 1992 as un-theocratic. This meant that Billy Murray was not officially recognized as General Overseer by the Assembly in November 1993 when the Church officially returned to the theocratic order of Church business practices. Brother Robert Pruitt was selected and anointed by the Holy Ghost as General Overseer on July 24, 1993, at the Solemn Assembly and was unanimously accepted by the 88th Annual Assembly in November 1993 as our officially appointed General Overseer.
Prior to this time, he was active with the group commonly called “The Concerned” whose objective was to secure the attention of the general Church and persuade them to return to theocracy. When their objective failed, God called the Church to a Solemn Assembly through the Holy Ghost. It was at this Assembly that God called the Church out from its decline and gave us a new Overseer to lead us on in the work He had ordained in the Scriptures for His Body to accomplish.
Brother Pruitt served the Church in the reconstruction years following the Solemn Assembly and helped rebuild the Church, basically from the ground up, to what it is today. These were trying times with little finance and few people of leadership qualities. Many new and inexperienced leaders were struggling to find their proper roles and function.
Brother Pruitt rose to the need of the times by advising and guiding those under appointment in their responsibilities. He also had to deal with some who had come in prematurely (whose hearts were not with us) as well as seek out and encourage those who were looking our way.
Brother Pruitt was called out of retirement at 67 years of age to take on this tremendous responsibility. He served admirably with God-given wisdom and decorum for thirteen years, until his failing health determined that he should retire. A Presbytery meeting was called by the Administrative Committee and set for June 10, 2006. Brother Pruitt was truly a man who was given to The Church by God for such a time as this. It was indeed a humbling experience to work with him during his thirteen years of leadership and to have known him personally for several years prior to this historical time period.
He served the general Church over the years, prior to his becoming General Overseer, in the following capacities. He pastored in Tennessee and Missouri and served as State Overseer of Missouri. He also served as Sunday School Editor, Script Writer, Announcer, and Speaker for the Church’s radio program, “The Voice of Salvation” (he authored several books during this time). He served as Principal of Tomlinson Memorial School and President of Tomlinson College. His last position with the Church, before his initial retirement in 1991, was Assistant Editor of the White Wing Messenger. After becoming General Overseer of The Church of God, his regular messages in the White Wing Messenger were compiled into a book entitled, Think on These Things.
Brother Pruitt passed away at the age of 81 on June 27, 2007, approximately thirteenth months after his resignation as General Overseer.