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Church of God (Anderson)
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The Church of God (Anderson) is a Holiness Christian non-denominational body, with roots in Wesleyan pietism and also in the restorationist and anabaptist traditions. One of its more distinctive features is that there is no formal membership, since the movement believes that true biblical salvation, which will result in a life free from sin, makes one a member. Similarly, there is no formal creed other than the Bible.
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The Church of God (Anderson) is a Holiness Christian non-denominational body, with roots in Wesleyan pietism and also in the restorationist and anabaptist traditions. One of its more distinctive features is that there is no formal membership, since the movement believes that true biblical salvation, which will result in a life free from sin, makes one a member. Similarly, there is no formal creed other than the Bible. Accordingly, there is much official room for diversity and theological dialog, even though the movement's culture is strongly rooted in Wesleyan holiness theology.
It was started in 1881 by Daniel Sidney Warner and several others. Warner had been a member of the General Eldership of the Church of God. He differed with the Winebrennerians on the doctrine of sanctification, which he held to be a second definite work of grace, and on the nature of the church. The desire of Warner and the others was to forsake denominationalism and creeds. To this end, they determined to trust in the Holy Spirit as their guide and the Bible as their creed. This church movement is not historically related to other Church of God bodies such as the Church of God (Cleveland) or Church of God (Charleston, Tennessee). Though these bodies are also holiness in outlook, the Church of God (Anderson) does not share their Pentecostal practices. Warner's vision was that the Church of God would "extend our hand in fellowship to every blood-washed one," rather than align themselves with a movement.
There are 2,214 congregations in the United States and Canada which are affiliated with the Church of God (Anderson), with an average attendance of 251,429. Worldwide adherents number more than 1,170,143 in 7,446 congregations spread over nearly ninety countries. Personal conversion and Christian conduct, coupled with attendance, are sufficient for participation in a local Church of God congregation.
The church observes baptism by total immersion, the Lord's Supper (commonly known as communion), and feet washing as symbolic acts, recognizing them as the ordinances (commandments) of God. According to the church's official web site, "None of these practices, termed ordinances, are considered mandatory conditions of Christian experience or fellowship." Church polity is autonomous and congregational, with various state and regional assemblies offering some basic support for pastors and congregations. In North America cooperative work is coordinated through Church of God Ministries with offices in Anderson, Indiana. Currently the General Director is Ronald V. Duncan.
For other Christian denominations in the Holiness/Pietist tradition, see Church of God.
Pacifism in the Church of God
In the beginnings of the Church of God there was a commitment to pacifism. In the late 1800s the Church of God used their journal the Gospel Trumpet as a means to disseminate their interest in pacifism. In April 1898 the Gospel Trumpet answered a question about the Church of God’s stance on a Christian going to war. The answer printed was "We answer no. Emphatically no. There is no place in the New Testament herein Christ gave instruction to his followers to take the life of a fellow-man"("Should We Go to War?" Gospel Trumpet, April 14th, 1898, p. 4.) As time went on the Church of God was able to maintain their stance on pacifism, but as World War I was erupting across Europe the church’s stance began to soften. As German Church of God congregants were drafted into the army the Gospel Trumpet began running letters submitted about the conditions of training camps and on the battlefields. While encouraging their readers to pray for the German soldiers the Gospel Trumpet made no reference to the apparent contrast between supporting the war effort and encouraging pacifism (see Merle D. Strege “The Demise [?] of a Peace Church: The Church of God (Anderson), Pacifism and Civil Religion, The Mennonite Quarterly Review, Vol. LXV April 1991, No. 2 pgs. 128-140).
As the United States entered World War I the Gospel Trumpet restated the church’s official stance of pacifism, but also reminded their congregants that they supported the authority of the state and should comply with local laws concerning the draft. There were articles run to help a pacifist request non-combat duty if they were drafted. For those who decided to volunteer the church reported that the volunteer would not lose their salvation, but would have to answer to God concerning their actions during the war. Strege writes as the war waged on, “there occurs in print no condemnation of those who entered the army-whether German or American-and there is no questioning of their religious commitment” (Strege p. 137).
By the time World War II came there was very little pacifistic sentiment left in the church, even though the official stance never changed. There was always a conflict between the church’s stance that they should submit to the leadership of the government, and their position of pacifism.
Changes in Doctrine of the Movement that Followed
The majority of the Movement of the Church of God (Anderson) no longer espouses the teachings of the Ministry that began the Movement in 1880. Warner believed that every group of organized churches who had an earthly Headquarters and an earthly creed other than the Holy Bible, was a part of Babylon. They taught that God had restored the light of Unity in 1880. The Evening Light ministry became known as "come outers" because they traveled from town to town preaching that all of the saved need to worship together in one place rather than being separated by creeds, dogmas and doctrines of men. The Reformation Ministry believed that Babylon or false Christianity was the Harlot Woman in the book of Revelation. The ministry believed that the Harlot woman was a symbol of Roman Catholism and that her daughters were a symbol of Protestantism. This view has changed over the past seventy years. Today, the Anderson Church of God will fellowship with churches of many different beliefs. This is a major difference between the teachings of Warner and the current beliefs of Anderson today. The Movement as a whole does not call people out of "Babylon" anymore.On a whole the movement does not espouse the teachings or beliefs of the Reformation Ministry. The slogan of the paper, "One Voice", almost became "On Becoming the Church". The Evening Light Ministry of 1880-1915 believed that they taught all of the truth and that they were the Church. The Church of God Ministry now does not hold this standard. These statements are generalized and cannot state the actual condition of each individual but as the majority of the group. As with most changes in large groups, these changes took about 40 years to notice the major differences between the original beliefs and the current beliefs of the Church of God (Anderson). The changes began in 1912, with the change of wearing of the neck tie; to by 1950 the movement no longer taught against the immodesty of mixed bathing(swimming) between the sexes, outward adornment of worldly fashions, makeup and jewelry, and the addition of the television into the home.
Below is a list of things that the Church of God (Anderson) no longer believe:
- Against outward adornment: wedding rings, ear rings, lipstick on women, following "worldly fashions"
- Entertainment such as movies, books with written material that contained writing such as was against Holiness, holy living and God
- that Catholicism and Protestantism are Babylonian, or false Christianity and they the Church of God (Anderson) should separate themselves
- that women should not wear clothing that pertains to men,i.e pants
- that ministers should not receive a set salary
- that musical instruments (such as a piano or organ) should not be used in the worship service
- No divorce, no exception
Church of God affiliated schools
The church's seminary is Anderson School of Theology in Anderson, Indiana. It is also affiliated with several colleges across North America, including Anderson University, Azusa Pacific University, Bay Ridge Christian College, Gardner College, Mid-America Christian University, Warner Pacific College and Warner University.
Notable members
See also
Affiliated Colleges and Universities
External links
- - official Web Site
- - Unofficial Web Site
- - official Web Site
Media and Communications
- - (Christians Broadcasting Hope, formerly The Christian Brotherhood Hour) a weekly radio program
- - a bi-monthly publication that follows in the footsteps of the Gospel Trumpet that was printed in the early days of the Reformation movement
Reference and Theology
- - Church Government, as was practiced by D. S. Warner and other early church of God pioneers
- - A library of books and articles that were written by the Ministry of the Reformation. These writings clearly show the teachings of D.S.Warner and the Reformation Ministry. Read the original teachings of D.S. Warner, H.M Riggle, C.E. Orr, F.G.Smith, Do. O Teasley, Willis M Brown, C. E. Orr, Mother Sarah Smith, E.E. Byrum, R.R. Byrum,
Member Congregations
- - Congregation in Århus, Denmark - a member of "Church of God (Anderson)" and "Danmarks Missionsforbund"
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