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Church of God in Christ
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The Church of God in Christ, Incorporated is a Christian church in the Pentecostal tradition. The church has congregations in nearly 60 countries around the world. It is also the denomination from which early leaders of the Assemblies of God denomination first received ministerial credentials before forming their own organization in 1914. While the most probable reason of the early separation from the Church of God in Christ by the early leaders of the Assemblies of God was racially motivated, the two organizations have dedicated themselves to reconciling and healing the two streams of faith by working together in common ministries.
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The Church of God in Christ, Incorporated is a Christian church in the Pentecostal tradition. The church has congregations in nearly 60 countries around the world. It is also the denomination from which early leaders of the Assemblies of God denomination first received ministerial credentials before forming their own organization in 1914. While the most probable reason of the early separation from the Church of God in Christ by the early leaders of the Assemblies of God was racially motivated, the two organizations have dedicated themselves to reconciling and healing the two streams of faith by working together in common ministries. Two signs of this reconciliation and healing are the 1994 "Memphis Miracle" and the School of Urban Missions of Oakland, CA operated jointly by both denominations.
History
The Church of God in Christ, commonly referred to by its acronym COGIC, was formed in 1897 by a group of disfellowshipped Baptists, most notably Charles Price Jones (1865-1949) and Charles Harrison Mason (1866-1961).
Charles Mason was a licensed Baptist preacher in Arkansas in the 1890s who was disfellowshiped by the local Baptist association in Arkansas for his biblical teaching and preaching of Holiness. He became associated with a group of like-minded individuals who would become subsequently the early African-American leaders of the Holiness Movement in the late 19th century. Charles Price Jones of Jackson, Mississippi, J. A. Jeter, of Little Rock, Arkansas, and W. S. Pleasant of Hazelhurst, Mississippi were a few of these early Holiness leaders. Many revivals were conducted leading to the establishment in Jackson, MS of a new church, eventually called the Church of God In Christ. The first convocation called by these Holiness individuals was held in 1897.
Simultaneously in 1897, while seeking a name to distinguish this Holiness organization, Charles Mason believed that the name Church of God in Christ was divinely revealed and biblically supported. The Church Of God In Christ would be reorganized with C.P. Jones as General Overseer, Elder C.H. Mason as Overseer of Tennessee, and Elder J.A. Jeter as Overseer of Arkansas.
In 1906, Elder C. H. Mason, Elder Jeter, and Elder D. J. Young were appointed as a committee by General Overseer C. P. Jones to investigate reports of a revival in Los Angeles, conducted by the itinerant preacher, William J. Seymour. Elder C. H. Mason's visit to what was known as the Azusa Street Revival changed the direction of the newly formed Holiness COGIC church. Upon his return to Tennessee from the Azusa Street Revival, C. H. Mason began preaching and teaching the Pentecostal, Holiness message.
In 1907 Elder Jeter and Elder C. P. Jones rejected C. H. Mason's biblical teaching on Baptism with the Holy Spirit, resulting in a mutual separation. Overseer C. P. Jones continued to lead his COGIC adherents as a Holiness church, changing the name in 1915 to the Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A.. C. H. Mason, called a conference in Memphis, Tennessee and reorganized the Church of God in Christ as a Holiness, Pentecostal body.
The early pioneers of this newly formed COGIC Pentecostal body in 1907 were E.R. Driver, J. Bowe, R.R. Booker, R. E. Hart, W. Welsh, A.A. Blackwell, E.M. Blackwell, E.M. Page, R.H.I. Clark, D.J. Young, James Brewer, Daniel Spearman, and J.H. Boone. These Elders of the newly organized Pentecostal group became the first Pentecostal General Assembly Of The Church Of God in Christ. They unanimously chose C.H. Mason as General Overseer and Chief Apostle.
C.H. Mason was given authority to establish doctrine, organize auxiliaries and appoint Overseers or Bishops. It was during these formative years that Bishop Mason credentialed both White and African-Americans who would subsequently become leaders within other Pentecostal denominations such as the Assemblies Of God, the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, and the United Pentecostal Church International.
From November 25 -December 14, Bishop Mason established what is commonly called the COGIC National Holy Convocation of Saints to be held annually in Memphis, TN. The meeting was for worship, preaching, fellowship and to conduct any church business pertaining to the national organization.
The first national COGIC meeting was held at 392 S. Wellington St. in Memphis, TN. The first national tabernacle was built and completed at 958 S. Fifth St. in 1925. This tabernacle was destroyed by fire in 1936. In 1945 Bishop Mason dedicated Mason Temple in Memphis as the church national meeting site. The miracle of this event was that Mason Temple was built for less than $400,000 during World War II. The auditorium hall was the largest church structure owned by any black religious group in America at the time of its completion.
Theology
The doctrinal emphasis of the church is the inspired,infallible, authority of Scripture, trinitarian, conversion, repentance, salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ, regeneration, justification, sanctification and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Church teaches that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is given to all Christian believers who ask for it. Divine healing is practiced, but not to the exclusion of medical supervision. Holiness of life and practice are emphasized. The ordinances of the Church, as act of obedience to Faith, are water baptism (immersion), the Lord's Supper (Holy Communion) and the Ordinance of Humility (foot washing).
Affirmation of Faith
Members of the church profess the following Affirmation of Faith:
- We Believe the Bible to be the inspired and only infallible written word of God.
- We Believe that there is one God eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost.
- We Believe in the blessed hope, which is the rapture of the church of God which is in Christ at his return.
- We Believe that the only means of being cleansed from sin, is through repentance, faith in the precious blood of Jesus Christ, and being baptized in the water.
- We Believe that regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for personal salvation.
- We Believe that the redemptive work of Christ on the cross provides healing for the human body in answer to believing prayer.
- We Believe that the Baptism of the Holy Ghost according to Acts 2:4 is given to believers who ask for it.
- We Believe in the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling, the Christian is enabled to live a holy and separated life in this present world. Amen.
Growth
The church has experienced phenomenal growth since its inception in 1907 with 10 churches. COGIC began originally in the southern states of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. As African Americans migrated north during the Great Migration, converted members spread the church north and west. At the time of Bishop Mason's death in 1961, COGIC had spread to every state in the Union and many foreign countries with a membership of more than 400,000. In 1973, the church claimed a worldwide membership of nearly three million. Today, COGIC is generally acknowledged to be the largest African-American and Pentecostal body in the United States, with over 6,000,000 members.
Leadership
The Church of God in Christ employs an episcopal form of government where churches are organized in dioceses called jurisdictions each under the authority of bishops. However, the administrative and legislative authority of the church is vested in a General Assembly. Additionally, the General Assembly elects a 12-person General Board (Presidium) from the college of bishops who serve functionally as Apostles. The Presidium oversees the operation of the international church when the General Assembly is not in session. The Presidium includes a separatedly elected International Presiding Bishop who serves a term of four years, and two appointed assistant presiding bishops. The current officers are as follows:
Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr. of California is the Presiding Bishop and Chief Apostle of the Church of God in Christ. Bishop P.A. Brooks of Michigan is the First Assistant Presiding Bishop and Bishop J.W. Macklin of California is the Second Assistant Presiding Bishop. The remaining General Board members are as follows:
•Bishop W.W. Hamilton of California, General Board Secretary
•Bishop R.L.H. Winbush of Louisiana, Assistant Secretary
•Bishop C.D. Owens of Georgia, Former Presiding Bishop
•Bishop J.N. Haynes of Texas
•Bishop S.L. Green of Virginia
•Bishop G.D. McKinney of California
•Bishop N.W. Wells of Michigan
•Bishop F.O. White of New York
•Bishop S. Daniels of Wisconsin
The general officers of the church are:
•Bishop J.O. Patterson, Jr. of Tennessee, Chairman of the General Assembly
•Bishop J.H. Sheard of Michigan, Chairman of The Board of Bishops
•Supt. Derrick W. Hutchins, Sr. of South Carolina, Chairman, General Council of Pastors and Elders
•Bishop J.H. Lyles, Jr. of Maryland, General Secretary
•Elder F.A. White of New York, Financial Secretary
•Bishop S.L. Lowe of Tennessee, General Treasurer
National officers of the church are chosen at a General Assembly every four years unless special elections are warranted.
The General Assembly of COGIC is composed of men and women who are ordained and/or credentialed pastors, elders, evangelists, missionaries, chaplains, and jurisdictional/auxiliary bishops. In addition to a 12-person General Board, there is a Board of Bishops, a National Trustee Board, Judiciary Board, Council of Pastors and Elders, and departmental presidents.
Headquarters
The COGIC identifies its world headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee, commonly referred to by its members as the following: Holy City of the Saints of God or Jerusalem or the Holy Mecca of the Saints of God. The World Headquarters of the Church of God in Christ, Inc. is the historic Mason Temple at 938 Mason Street, Memphis, Tennessee. Mason Temple, built in 1940 (during World War II) was a benchmark effort by a group of African-Americans during that period. It became the largest Black-owned church auditorium in America during the 1940s. The historic church auditorium is the location of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's final message to the world: he delivered his "I've been to the Mountaintop" speech from the pulpit of Mason Temple.
Each year, more than 50,000 representatives from COGIC churches across the country meet in Memphis for Holy Convocation. The 2007 convocation marked the 100th COGIC Holy Convocation, an important milestone that was celebrated by the church and even marked by a leading African-American hair gel company.
Departments and auxiliaries
Women's Department
Of particular note is the International Women's Department. Women in the COGIC have been the most influential in the leadership and organization of the church since its inception. Lizzie Woods Robinson (1911-1945) was the first "General Mother/Supervisor" of the church. Her successor, Lillian Brooks Coffey (1945-1964) was the organizer of the 1st International Women's Convention (1951) and was most influential in organizing many of the departments that exist within COGIC today. Foreign missions and schools were established through the leadership of women in the COGIC.
Mother Willie Mae Rivers is the General Supervisor of the COGIC Women's Department and President of the Women's International Convention of the COGIC. She serves the COGIC through the leadership of the Presiding Bishop. Some of her areas of oversight are:
- District Missionaries, National Evangelists, Public Relations, Secretarial Staff, Usher Board, Mothers' Board, Prayer & Bible Band, Hospitality, Board of Examiners, Sewing Circle;
- Deaconess Missionary, Minister's Wives Circle, Young Women's Christian Council (YWCC);
- Sunshine Band and Purity Class. Although women within COGIC have not yet been given full status of ordination, COGIC women are serving as pastors of local COGIC churches, chaplains in the United States Armed Services; college/university, hospital, hospice, correctional, prison chaplains and other institutions requiring religious endorsements.
Department of Missions
The COGIC has churches, schools, missions, and medical clinics in nearly sixty nations including the following:
COGIC operates schools of higher learning including the the C. H. Mason Bible College and the C. H. Mason Theological Seminary, an institution accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and part of a consortium of the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
See also
External links
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