Sam Clements: The Issue of the Heart (1985)

This week, we revisit the 1985 International Assembly to hear a powerful message from former General Overseer Sam N. Clements, titled “The Issue of the Heart.” At the time, Bishop Clements was pastor to then General Overseer M.A. Tomlinson, at the Peerless Road COGOP in Cleveland, Tennessee.

Preaching from Hebrews 3 and 2 Corinthians 5, Brother Clements drew a vivid comparison between physical open-heart surgery and the spiritual need for a new heart. He warned that miracles alone don’t change people—only transformed hearts do. Even Israel, fed daily by God’s hand, turned to unbelief and idolatry.

With bold clarity, he called for a revival not of programs or appearances, but of the heart. “Impure hearts, even with right doctrine, will fail,” he warned. Clements urged the Church to stop its carnal pursuits and return to God with sincerity, humility, and love.