A Brief History of the Church of God, Headquarter in Cleveland TN
The Church of God was founded in 1886 upon the principles of Christ as they are revealed in the Bible, the Word of God. It has its foundation of faith and practice in the Scriptures and the vital experience of its constituents is scripturally oriented.
A group of eight sincere Christians in a crude meetinghouse on the Tennessee-North Carolina border, where the Church of God traces its roots had a deep desire for a closer relationship and life with Christ. Realizing the futility of reforming their own churches, they established a new church whose objective would be to restore sound scriptural doctrines of the Bible, encourage deeper consecration and promote evangelism and Christian service. Twenty-one years after the formation of the Christian Union that evening at the Barney Creek Meeting House, the growing movement would establish themselves permanently as the Church of God.
CHRISTIAN
First and foremost, the Church of God is a powerful determinedly Christian church. It is built upon the person of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The doctrines and practices of the church are based upon His teachings.
PROTESTANT
The Church of God is founded upon the principles of Protestantism, although it is not a traditional follower of any specific leader of the Protestant Reformation. The denomination stands firmly for justification by faith, the priesthood of believers, the authority of the Bible, religious freedom, and the separation of church and state. It stands against abuses and extravagance of ecclesiastical ritualism and dogmatism.
EVANGELICAL
Evangelical is the term used to describe those who affirm the primary doctrines revealed in the Scriptures. These doctrines include the inspiration and authority of the Word of God; the Trinity; the deity and virgin birth of Jesus Christ; salvation by faith in the atoning death of Christ; His bodily resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father; the ministry of the Holy Ghost; the second coming of Christ; and the spiritual unity of believers in Jesus Christ.
PENTECOSTAL
In 1896, many members of the Church of God experienced a spiritual outpouring they identified as the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Because it was so similar to the experience of the early Christians on the day of Pentecost, it came to be called a Pentecostal experience, an enrichment of the Christian life through the power of the Holy Spirit that empowered believers to be effective witnesses of Christ. The principle distinctive of the Church of God as a Pentecostal organization is its belief in speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance and that this is the initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Ghost.
EVANGELISTIC
From its inception the Church of God has been a revival movement. Evangelism has been in the forefront of all its activities. The church has maintained an aggressive effort to take the message of Christ throughout the world by all means and methods. Every program of the church reflects an evangelistic attitude: revivals, worship services, teaching, preaching and its missionary efforts.
CARINGevangelism, church planting and training. Its scriptural purpose is to fulfill the Great Commission of Christ; share Christ's love for the world; minister to the totality of human need; bring men and women to the knowledge of God and His redeeming grace; and obey Christ by confessing Him to the world. Today
From its beginnings, the Church of God Denomination has felt its responsibility to benevolence ministries. The Headquarters of the Church of God operates a number of specialized programs and institutions: Homes for Children, Youth and Unwed Mothers, Operation Compassion, and a variety of Ministries by Chaplains.
MISSION MINDED
The heart of Missions is the implementation of a global strategy of , Church of God missions is carried out in 192 countries organized in eight geographical regions.
From this seemingly insignificant origin has grown one of the most influential worldwide Pentecostal denominations. For nearly 120 years
the
Church of God has been a distinctive movement focused upon communicating the gospel in the power of the Holy Ghost. Presently, the Church of God has a worldwide membership of over 7 million with a presence in more than 192 countries.
WE INVITE YOU TO COME BE A PART OF THIS EXCITING WORK GOD IS DOING IN OUR ORGANIZATION AND OUR LOCAL CHURCH!