Founded in 1881 by Daniel Sidney Warner, the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) grew out of the 19th century Holiness movement, but it also has Anabaptist and Pietistic influences.
Warner and his associates rejected denominataional hierarchies and formal creeds. Warner taught that true unity was the natural product of personal holiness, and therefore holiness should be the basis of biblical unity. This philosophy has carried through to today, as the denomination has no formal membership process. The Church of God holds that salvation, which is the result of a life free of sin, makes one a member. There are also no formal creeds, other than the Bible.
The Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) is not historically related to most of the other Church of God religious bodies, and they are not affiliated, although some of these are also Holiness churches. The Church of God (Guthrie, Oklahoma) and the Church of God (Restoration) are break-off denominations, however.
There have been changes in the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) over the years, however. In the early years of the church body, it held to a strong emphasis on pacifism but its stance softened during World War I. While stating the church's official stance on pacifism, its leadership told its members that the church supported the authority of the state, and that they should comply with draft laws. This continued through World War II, and in the years to follow.
There have also been changes in the denomination's positions on dress and other issues of modesty. Men were allowed to wear long neckties in 1912 and, by the 1950s, the church no longer spoke against mixed swimming or having a television in the home. Other teachings that are no longer enforced include policies against women wearing pants, long hair for women and short hair for men, musical instruments in the worship service, and ministers receiving a salary.
The Church of God observes baptism by total immersio, communion, and foot washing as symbolic acts that are recognized as ordinances, and mandatory conditions of the Christian experience.
Local congregations are autonomous and congregational, responsible to their own way of functioning. Because of this, there is a variety of organizational structures within member churches. Ministers and lay leaders meet voluntarily in state and regional assemblies for inspiration, instruction, and to deal with business matters. The General Assembly meets annually in Anderson, Indiana.
Headquartered in the United States, the denomination is active throughout the United States and Canada, although the majority of its membership is about ninety countries overseas. In Jamaica, Church of God members make up nearly a quarter of the population. There are two congregations in the United Kingdom.
The denomination operates the Anderson School of Theology in Anderson, Indiana, which serves as its seminary. It also has affiliations with other colleges in North America, the West Indies, and Africa.
The Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) is associated with Christian Churches Together, Christian Holiness Partnership, Wesleyan Holiness Consortium, and the Global Wesleyan Alliance.
The focus of this category is on the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana). Websites representing the denomination or any of its affiliated arms, associations, schools, publication houses, or corporations are appropriate for this category. Those representing local congregations should be submitted to the Local & Global category that corresponds to its geographical location.
Recommended Resources
AU is a private, liberal arts educational institution in Anderson, Indiana, founded by the Church of God in 1917. Offering undergraduate majors and graduate programs in business, music education, and theology, its academic programs are posted, along with course catalogs, its registration policies, admissions policies, tuition and fees, financial aid options, and other details. Employment opportunities are posted to the site.
https://www.anderson.edu/
The child sponsorship ministry of the Church of God, Anderson, Indiana, partners with CHOG congregations in several countries around the world, providing food, clothing, education, healthcare, and spiritual nurture to children in need. Its affiliations, global ministries, directors, and staff are introduced, along with resources for Sunday Schools, sponsors, and other contributors. Giving options are reviewed.
http://www.echildrenofpromise.org/
Offering news from or about the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana), the news portal is maintained for Church of God Ministries and offers news bulletins from the denomination, mission reports, and reports on its crisis or disaster responses worldwide, as well as at home. Its content is sorted by several topical categories, as well as categories representing CHOG ministries and organizations.
https://chognews.org/
Organized in the early 1930s, the organization formally got its start at the 1932 Anderson Camp Meeting of the Church of God in Anderson, Indiana, its focus on promoting missionary work at home and overseas. Originally known as the National Woman’s Home and Foreign Missionary Society, the Women of the Church of God in the 1970s, it assumed its current name in 2009. Its history, affiliations, mission, and employment opportunities are put forth.
http://www.christianwomenconnection.org/
Founded by Daniel S. Warner and Mary Cole in 1881, the Church of God is headquartered in Anderson, Indiana. The history of the denomination is featured here, in text, photographs, and video, along with demographic data, a staff directory, general assembly, and standing committee on credentials. Member churches and ministries are highlighted here, along with a calendar of events and various reports and publications.
http://www.jesusisthesubject.org/
Global Strategy is an arm of the Church of God in Anderson, Indiana. Charged with connecting individuals, congregations, and organizations together to develop strategic global partnerships, its process is described and outlined in informational videos. Other resources include a historical timeline of the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana), its mission projects, personnel, testimonies, and contacts.
http://chogglobal.org/
Historical Society of the Church of God
The Society was created to encourage the collection and preservation of artifacts and documents relating to the history of the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana), to write the history of the denomination, and to provide a forum for other interested people to participate in furthering the heritage of the CHOG. Its collections, research projects, and publications are reviewed, along with several historical articles and a blog.
http://choghistoricalsociety.org/
The Ministry Connector is a tool for ministers and individuals seeking vocational ministry opportunities and congregations of the Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) with open positions. The site is designed for ministers who have been credentialed by the Church of God, approved churches, and potential missionary candidates. An account is required in order to use the resource, but instructions are given, along with the candidating process, and a directory of state and regional sites.
https://chogministryconnector.com/
