Churches of God General Conference (Winebrenner)
Encyclopedia
The Churches of God, General Conference (Winebrenner) (CGGC) is a Baptist
Christian denomination
in the United States
originating in the revivalism and evangelistic
efforts of John Winebrenner
.
, a Calvinist body; he was given charge of the congregation in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Winebrenner labored extensively in revival meetings, but some of the older members opposed what they considered "unusual efforts for the conversion of sinners." In 1828 the General Synod of the German Reformed Church dropped him from its roster of ministers, in response to such complaints. In July 1830, Winebrenner was rebaptized by immersion by Jacob Erb. That year, he and co-laborers sympathetic with his efforts met and organized the General Eldership of the Church of God. Representatives from various denominations were present, and the new organization reflected that diversity.
In the early years of the Church of God, its members were popularly called Winebrennerians, after their founder. The official name was changed to the General Eldership of the Churches of God in North America in 1845, and to its present title in 1975.
. The church is divided into regional conferences, with headquarters in Findlay, Ohio
. The church reported 336 congregations with 32,208 members in 2000, principally in Pennsylvania and the Midwest
. The church operates Winebrenner Theological Seminary
on the University of Findlay
campus. The Church Advocate is the CGGC's official periodical, published quarterly by the church.
The CGGC might best be described as a Fundamentalist Bible
church, though it has often been categorized as German Baptist or Arminian Baptist. The basic theology of the Churches of God is Arminian, conservative
, and Evangelical
. The church holds three ordinances: baptism
by immersion, the Lord's Supper
, and feet washing
. The Bible is the church's only rule of faith and practice. There are 7 branches of the Churches of God. There are the Allegheny Region, Eastern Regional Conference, California Eldership,Great Lakes Conference, Mid-South Conference, Midwest Region, and Western Region.
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Christian denomination
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
originating in the revivalism and evangelistic
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
efforts of John Winebrenner
John Winebrenner
John Winebrenner , founded the Churches of God General Conference.He studied at Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and was ordained in the German Reformed Church in 1820...
.
History
John Winebrenner (1797-1860) was ordained on September 28, 1820, as a minister of the German Reformed ChurchEvangelical and Reformed Church
The Evangelical and Reformed Church was a Protestant Christian denomination in the United States. It was formed in 1934 by the merger of the Reformed Church in the United States with the Evangelical Synod of North America . After the 1934 merger, a minority within the RCUS seceded in order to...
, a Calvinist body; he was given charge of the congregation in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Winebrenner labored extensively in revival meetings, but some of the older members opposed what they considered "unusual efforts for the conversion of sinners." In 1828 the General Synod of the German Reformed Church dropped him from its roster of ministers, in response to such complaints. In July 1830, Winebrenner was rebaptized by immersion by Jacob Erb. That year, he and co-laborers sympathetic with his efforts met and organized the General Eldership of the Church of God. Representatives from various denominations were present, and the new organization reflected that diversity.
In the early years of the Church of God, its members were popularly called Winebrennerians, after their founder. The official name was changed to the General Eldership of the Churches of God in North America in 1845, and to its present title in 1975.
Organization and theology
The CGGC has a presbyterian polityPresbyterian polity
Presbyterian polity is a method of church governance typified by the rule of assemblies of presbyters, or elders. Each local church is governed by a body of elected elders usually called the session or consistory, though other terms, such as church board, may apply...
. The church is divided into regional conferences, with headquarters in Findlay, Ohio
Findlay, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 38,967 people, 15,905 households, and 10,004 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,266.3 people per square mile . There were 17,152 housing units at an average density of 997.6 per square mile...
. The church reported 336 congregations with 32,208 members in 2000, principally in Pennsylvania and the Midwest
Midwestern United States
The Midwestern United States is one of the four U.S. geographic regions defined by the United States Census Bureau, providing an official definition of the American Midwest....
. The church operates Winebrenner Theological Seminary
Winebrenner Theological Seminary
Winebrenner Theological Seminary was established in 1942 as a graduate school of theology of Findlay College...
on the University of Findlay
University of Findlay
The University of Findlay is a private university located in the city of Findlay in Hancock County, Ohio, United States. It was affiliated with the Churches of God, General Conference, and was founded in 1882 by the city of Findlay and the Churches of God, General Conference. Findlay offers more...
campus. The Church Advocate is the CGGC's official periodical, published quarterly by the church.
The CGGC might best be described as a Fundamentalist Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
church, though it has often been categorized as German Baptist or Arminian Baptist. The basic theology of the Churches of God is Arminian, conservative
Conservative Christianity
Conservative Christianity is a term applied to a number of groups or movements seen as giving priority to traditional Christian beliefs and practices...
, and Evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
. The church holds three ordinances: baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
by immersion, the Lord's Supper
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
, and feet washing
Feet washing
Foot washing or washing of feet is a religious rite observed as an ordinance by several Christian denominations. The name, and even the spelling, of this practice is not consistently established, being variously known as foot washing, washing the saints' feet, pedilavium, and mandatum.For some...
. The Bible is the church's only rule of faith and practice. There are 7 branches of the Churches of God. There are the Allegheny Region, Eastern Regional Conference, California Eldership,Great Lakes Conference, Mid-South Conference, Midwest Region, and Western Region.
Further reading
- History of the Churches of God in the U. S. A., by C. H. Forney, 1914
- Religious Congregations & Membership in the United States, 2000, Glenmary Research Center
External links
- Churches of God General Conference (CGGC) - official Web Site
- Articles on the Churches of God, General Conference (CGGC)
- Winebrenner Theological Seminary - official Web Site