The Founding of the Church of God

The first official Pentecostal service in the Church of God occurred on May 9th, 1886, in a little building in a small town in Monroe County, Tennessee.

This service was attended by Daniel Sidney Warner, Ambrose J. Tomlinson, and Richard G. Spurling, three early Pentecostal pioneers. During the service, the three men experienced a powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the revelation of sanctification. These teachings greatly impacted the holiness movement.  

The baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues is a Christian experience in which the believer is filled with the Holy Spirit and is given the gift of speaking in other languages, or "tongues". This experience is often accompanied by a deep sense of joy, peace, and assurance of salvation. This experience is believed to be the same as the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that was experienced by the apostles on the day of Pentecost.

The doctrine of sanctification is a Christian belief that states that believers are made holy by the grace of God and are set apart for His purposes. It is the process of becoming more like Christ and involves the believer recognizing the sinful areas of their life and actively striving to rid themselves of those sins. It is believed to be an ongoing process that is completed when a believer dies and enters the presence of God.

Under the leadership of A. J. Tomlinson, the Church of God developed a centralized form of church government and established evangelization, education, and support services. The Church of God traces its roots back to the teachings and ministry of the early Pentecostal pioneers of the late 1800s as those Holy Spirit outpourings known as Azusa Street.

In the Church of God statement of faith, they believe in the Bible as the inspired, infallible Word of God. They believe in one God, eternally existing in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They also believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ and the importance of His virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, vicarious and atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension to the right hand of the Father, and personal return in power and glory.

They believe that salvation is by grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, and not by works. They also believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.

Furthermore, they believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost, with those who are saved rising to the resurrection of life and those who are lost rising to the resurrection of damnation. Finally, they believe in the spiritual unity of Christ's followers.

As said before, the Church of God was founded by several early Pentecostal leaders, including Warner, Tomlinson, and Spurling. Warner was a former Methodist minister who experienced a powerful Pentecostal outpouring and was instrumental in the founding of the Church of God.

Tomlinson was a former Baptist minister who had a powerful experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit in a prayer meeting in 1886. Spurling was a former Baptist mission worker who also experienced a powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit in a prayer meeting. It's amazing how the baptism of the Holy Spirit impacts the lives of thousands.

These three men, along with several other like-minded leaders, founded the Church of God and adopted the name "The Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith". They believed that the church should be a movement of believers that was united in the faith of Abraham, and they adopted the slogan "The Church’s mission is to make disciples within the nations, proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, and demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit through signs and wonders."

The Church of God believes that the Bible is the inspired, infallible Word of God and the only ultimate authority in all matters of faith and practice. The Church of God is organized into local congregations, state fellowships, national conferences, and an international general assembly.

The Church of God is committed to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ to "go into all the world and preach the gospel." The Church of God also engages in various social ministries, including disaster relief, urban ministries, and global missions. The Church of God is a member of the World Council of Churches and the National Association of Evangelicals.

One important aspect of history is the role of women in the Church of God. While the original founders of the Church of God were all men, women have long been an integral part of the church. In the early days of the church, women were involved in the leadership, mission, and outreach of the church.

Today, women serve in a variety of roles within the church, including pastors, evangelists, teachers, and missionaries. Women also serve as leaders in many of the church's social ministries and global missions. The Church of God is committed to recognizing and celebrating the contributions of women in the church.

Today, the Church of God is a global movement of believers centered around the teachings and ministry of the early Pentecostal pioneers of the late 1800s. With around seven million members in over 170 countries, the Church of God is committed to proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world and demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit through signs and wonders.

The Church of God is organized into local congregations, state fellowships, national conferences, and an international general assembly and is committed to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ to "go into all the world and preach the gospel."

Through its mission and outreach, the Church of God is committed to fulfilling its purpose of making disciples among the nations. In conclusion, the Church of God is committed to proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world and demonstrating the power of the Holy Spirit through signs and wonders. With their commitment to the Great Commission, the Church of God is dedicated to making disciples within the nations and building up the kingdom of God.

Your partner,
(c) Apostle Jonas Clark
www.jonasclark.com