Headquartered in Cleveland, Tennessee, the Church of God is one of the largest Pentecostal denominations in the world, and the oldest Pentecostal body.
Founded in 1886, the denomination began as the Christian Union, organized by Richard Spurling and his son, R.G. Spurling, who met at the Barney Creek Meeting House on the border of Tennessee and North Carolina.
R.G. Spurling was a Missionary Baptist minister, while his father was an ordained elder. They were dissatisfied with what they viewed as spiritual indifference, formalism, and a growing tendency toward modernism. Not trusting that the churches they attended could be adequately reformed, they decided to establish a new church, with the intent of basing it on sound scriptural doctrines, encouraging deeper consecration, and promoting evangelism and service.
By 1895, the Spurlings had organized three more churches, which were autonomous but functioning in association with the Christian Union.
In 1902, the association changed its name to Holiness Church. At this point, the church was part of the Holiness movement, believing that entire sanctification was an attainable objective for the Christian.
Ambrose J. Tomlinson joined the body in 1903. A Quaker and distributor for the American Bible Society, Tomlinson had connections with several other churches. Although not an ordained minister, he was a gifted speaker, and churches often invited him to speak. After joining the church in Camp Creek, North Carolina, Tomlinson was soon elected minister.
With Tomlinson serving as pastor, Spurling was free to evangelize, and other churches were soon established in Georgia and Tennessee.
By 1905, they felt a need for more organization within the body, and a general assembly was called at Camp Creek in January of 1906. Tomlinson was elected moderator and secretary and became the general overseer in 1909.
Tomlinson became interested in the Azusa Street Revival, which took place in Los Angeles from 1906 to 1915, and has become known as the origin of the Pentecostal movement. He invited Gaston B. Cashwell, an early Pentecostal minister who had taken part in the Los Angeles revival, to preach in 1907. Through Cashwell's preaching, Tomlinson received the gift of the Holy Spirit, and spoke in tongues for the first time, as did others.
After Tomlinson's experience, the church identified as a Pentecostal church, and its name were changed to the Church of God. Although the legal name of the body is Church of God, it is generally defined as the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) in order to differentiate itself from the several other denominations that use "Church of God" in their names.
In 1923, Tomlinson was impeached over questions of financial discrepancies and lax bookkeeping. This led to a schism in the church and to the creation of the Church of God of Prophecy, which Tomlinson led until his death in 1943.
For a short period of time in the 1920s, the practice of snake handling became associated with some congregations of the Church of God after it was endorsed by George W. Hensley, a licensed minister with the denomination, but the practice was soon repudiated the leadership, leading to the departure of a few of its congregations, which formed the Church of God with Signs Following, under Hensley's leadership.
The Church of God holds that the Bible is inspired, inerrant, and infallible.
God exists in three persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and absolute deity. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin. His death was a sacrifice for the sins of the world. He was buried, rose, and ascended to heaven, where He intercedes for us.
The Holy Spirit ministers among believers. The baptism of the Holy Spirit comes about due to regeneration and a clean heart, and its initial evidence is speaking in tongues. The church also believes in divine healing.
All have sinned, and repentance is required for forgiveness. For the believer, justification, regeneration, and the new birth are made possible through faith in the blood of Christ. After the new birth, sanctification may be acquired through faith in Christ, the Word of God, and with the assistance of the Holy Spirit.
Baptism is for believers and by immersion in water, using the Trinitarian formula. The church also observes the Lord's Supper and footwashing.
The Church of God believes in the premillennial Second Coming of Christ, the resurrection of the righteous to eternal life, and of the wicked to eternal punishment.
The church condemns the use of alcohol, tobacco, and recreational drugs, as well as gambling, gluttony, and respects the sanctity of life. The only allowable reason for divorce is fornication. Homosexual acts and adultery are considered to be sinful.
Recommended Resources
With a presence in approximately 180 countries, and headquartered in Cleveland, Tennessee, the Church of God has been in operation for more than 125 years. The official denominational site presents a history of the Pentecostal body, a database of member churches and state and regional, educational, and missions sites. Denominational publications, video, and church and pastor resources are included.
http://www.churchofgod.org/
Associated with the Church of God, headquartered in Cleveland, Tennessee, the Australian association was formed in 1976. Its programs and publications are highlighted, and a declaration of faith, brief history, ministry updates, and other resources are included. Regional divisions, member churches, educational programs, and its child safety and protection policies are included, with links to affiliated sites.
http://www.cogaus.org.au/
Affiliated with the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee), the site represents the organizational structure for the Canadian churches, educational facilities, and other programs and ministries. A profile of the denomination is put forth, along with a directory of ministers and member churches, world missions, colleges, and seminaries. Other resources include administrative contacts and a calendar of events.
http://www.cogcanada.org/
Dixon Pentecostal Research Center
The research center collects, preserves, and makes Pentecostal and charismatic documents, records, and archives available for research. Its location and contacts are published, and its guidelines for use, reference services, duplication and photographic fees, donations, gifts, and publication policies are posted. Included are histories, original documents, online journals, and other publications.
http://www.cogheritage.org/
The founding church of the Church of God, headquartered in Cleveland, was formed in 1905, making it the oldest continuing Pentecostal church in the United States. Its location, service hours, and calendar of programs and events are posted, along with a history of the congregation, its values, beliefs, and mission. Services may be viewed online, and an online store offers DVDs, CDs, and other products.
https://nccog.com/
The first congregation of the Church of God in Ohio was formed in 1917. For a time, the Ohio district was divided geographically, but it was combined again in 2010. A history of the church’s work in Ohio is presented, along with its core values, leadership team, and an overview of its several ministries, ministerial development programs, camps, and retreats. Sustaining churches and church plants may be found, and a calendar of events is included.
http://ohiocog.com/
Pathway Press is the publishing arm of the Church of God, headquartered in Cleveland, Tennessee. In operation for more than a century, Pathway Press purchased Dockins Graphics in 1994, and the two became one company in 2012. Offering several types of Bibles and Christian books, in print and on Kindle, as well as Sunday School and Vacation Bible School curricula, church supplies, and other resources, purchases may be made online.
http://www.pathwaybookstore.com/
Pentecostal Theological Seminary
Situated in Cleveland, Tennessee, and originally known as the Church of God Graduate School of Christian Ministries, PTS is an accredited graduate school serving the Church of God. Its accreditation status, history, a faculty and administrative directory, and career information are set forth, along with admissions policies, programs of studies, course schedules, tuition and fees, and financial aid options.
https://www.ptseminary.edu/
The Church of God Jerusalem Acres
With roots as far back as 1903, the denomination seeks to restore the doctrines and practices of the New Testament Church that were lost during the Middle Ages. Representing a member church in Cleveland, Tennessee, the site offers a profile and brief history of the Pentecostal body, a description of its beliefs, including Scriptural references, a gallery of photographs, sermon notes, sermon audio, schedules, and administrative contacts.
http://www.thechurchofgodcleveland.org/
