The Church of God (Cleveland, TN) is a Pentecostal Christian denomination that was founded in 1886 in Monroe County, Tennessee by Richard G. Spurling, W.F. Bryant, and A.J. Tomlinson. It is headquartered in Cleveland, Tennessee and has over 7 million members worldwide. The Church of God believes in the infallibility and divine inspiration of the Bible, the Trinity, salvation through Jesus Christ, sanctification by the Holy Spirit, divine healing, foot washing, and the premillennial second coming of Christ.
History
In 1886, Richard G. Spurling, a Baptist minister, became concerned with the division and contention among the churches in his area. He began praying for God’s guidance to resolve these issues. In response, he felt called to start a new church built upon the principles of unity, holiness, and love. Spurling was soon joined by W.F. Bryant and A.J. Tomlinson, and together they established a church on Barney Creek in Monroe County, Tennessee in 1886. This church came to be known as the Christian Union. Their goal was to promote unity, sanctification, and Christ-centered living according to the New Testament pattern.
The Christian Union grew slowly during its early years. In 1902, A.J. Tomlinson was elected as general overseer of the church. Under his leadership, the church experienced significant growth and expansion. Tomlinson changed the name to the Holiness Church at Camp Creek in 1903. In 1906, the church headquarters was moved to Cleveland, Tennessee, and the name was changed to the Church of God. Over the next few decades, the Church of God saw rapid growth, both in the United States and internationally. Missionary work began in the Bahamas in 1923.
In 1923, the Church of God also began publishing their first official newspaper, now known as the Evangel. They established their bible training school (now Lee University) in 1918, their publishing house in 1925, and their missionary board in 1931. Their international reach expanded through revivals, evangelistic camps, church plants, and publications. This growth and organizational development transformed the Church of God into one of the largest and most influential Pentecostal denominations.
Beliefs
The Church of God believes that the Bible is the divinely inspired Word of God and the sole authority for doctrine and practice. Some key beliefs include:
- Trinity – God exists eternally as three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- Salvation – Salvation is received through repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ. It comes by God’s grace and not by human merit or works.
- Sanctification – Sanctification is the act of separating oneself from sin and the world and dedicating oneself fully to God. It is accomplished by the infilling and empowerment of the Holy Spirit which enables believers to live holy lives.
- Divine Healing – God uses divine healing and modern medicine to heal people. Spiritual, emotional, and physical healing are provided for in Christ’s atonement.
- Foot Washing – Foot washing is practiced regularly as a renewal of one’s baptismal cleansing and commitment to humble servitude.
- Baptism – Baptism is by full immersion in water and is done in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
- Spirit Baptism – Spirit baptism is a separate experience from water baptism. It is the baptism of the Holy Spirit upon believers that empowers them for service.
- Gifts of the Spirit – The gifts of the Holy Spirit (prophecy, tongues, healing, etc.) are valid for the modern church and should be exercised appropriately.
- Lord’s Supper – The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance commemorating the death of Jesus on the cross and anticipating His second coming.
- Eternal Security – A believer can fall from grace by failing to maintain a close relationship with Christ or persist in sin.
- Second Coming – Jesus Christ will physically return to earth in power and glory to receive the Church.
- Great Tribulation – The world will go through a time of great tribulation prior to Christ’s return. Believers are exempt from this time through a pre-tribulation rapture.
In general, the Church of God aligns with Oneness Pentecostal theology. They affirm the oneness of God instead of a Trinitarian view. They practice adult baptism by immersion, rigorously affirm holiness standards, and believe that speaking in tongues is confirmation of Spirit baptism.
Church Government
The Church of God has an episcopal polity with elements of both conciliar and presbyterian church governance. Overall authority is invested in the International General Assembly which meets biennially. This assembly consists of ordained bishops from around the world. The International General Assembly elects a General Overseer to provide spiritual oversight and an International Executive Council to handle administrative matters. Jurisdictional and state councils provide regional administration.
At the local church level, self-governing congregations are pastored by ordained ministers. Local churches own their own property and call their own pastors. The denomination approves pastor appointments and maintains ministerial credentials. Church of God polity balances local church autonomy with centralized authority through its multi-tiered representative governance.
Membership and Organization
Church of God membership exceeds 7 million globally with several million more affiliated. They have a presence in nearly 200 countries with over 35,000 churches worldwide. Their international headquarters is located in Cleveland, Tennessee. Other major facilities include their bible college, publishing house, and youth/education camp grounds.
The Church of God is organized into six geographical regions subdivided into numerous state and regional offices. These administrative units provide oversight and coordinate ministries such as: evangelism, education, ministry training, youth camps, disaster relief, chaplaincy, and leadership development. National Youth and Discipleship ministries and Men’s and Women’s ministries also facilitate specialized programs.
Several affiliated organizations and auxiliaries complement the main denomination including: the Church of God Chaplains Commission, Lee University, the Pentecostal Theological Seminary, Church of God World Missions, the Church of God Benefits Board, Christian Women Connection, and the Church of God Historical Society.
Worship and Practices
Worship in the Church of God is characterized by contemporary praise and worship, Pentecostal exuberance, and biblical preaching. Services are often Spirit-led and include prayer, singing, preaching, teaching, testimony, and altar calls. The frequency of communion and foot washing varies by congregation. Healing services, outpourings of the Spirit, and other charismatic expressions often occur in revival settings.
In addition to their distinctive practices of adult baptism, foot washing, divine healing, and Spirit baptism, the Church of God adheres to biblical moral values. They affirm the sanctity of life, oppose homosexuality, gay marriage, and abortion. They also prohibit alcohol, tobacco, gambling, and illegal drug use. In cultivating personal holiness, most wear modest, conservative clothing and avoid secular entertainment.
Education and Publications
Education and publishing are priorities for the Church of God. They operate several bible institutes, colleges, and seminary programs including:
- Lee University (Cleveland, TN)
- Pentecostal Theological Seminary (Cleveland, TN)
- Church of God Theological Seminary (Charlotte, NC)
These schools train thousands of ministers and graduates each year. The Church of God also produces a wide array of publications including:
- The Evangel – news journal
- Church of God Publications – books, ministry resources
- Adult Teacher – Sunday School curriculum
- Accent – youth magazine
- Emerge – children’s magazine
Their media and publishing arm spreads Church of God doctrines, news, and ministries throughout the world. Across all languages, they publish 200+ book titles and dozens of study resources.
Missions and Relief Efforts
Global evangelism and compassion ministries are central to the Church of God’s identity. Church of God World Missions oversees their international work which includes:
- 6000+ cross-cultural workers
- Missionaries in 193 countries
- Bible schools
- Literature distribution
- Radio broadcasts
- Leadership training
- Church planting
- Schools
- Medical clinics
They also have a strong commitment to humanitarian work through their Operation Compassion ministry. These relief efforts provide food, water, medical aid, education, and disaster response globally. The Church of God has made a significant impact worldwide through their extensive missions and compassion footprint.
Church of God Reformation Movement
In the 1980’s, the Church of God experienced a schism which led to the formation of the Church of God Reformation Movement. Several local churches separated from the main denomination in response to perceived liberalism in areas like dress codes, entertainment standards, and doctrinal shifts. The Reformation Movement adheres to a staunch, conservative Holiness theology.
This faction is much smaller, claiming 200+ congregations. They publish Reformation Voices magazine and operate several bible colleges. The Reformation Movement essentially accuses the mainline Church of God of compromising biblical standards of holiness and abandoning their spiritual heritage. They seek to preserve traditional Church of God teachings and practices.
Conclusion
The Church of God (Cleveland, TN) has grown from a small revival movement to one of the largest Pentecostal denominations worldwide. Their history reflects a passion for unity, holiness, and Spirit-empowered living. Their rapid growth results from fervent evangelism, charismatic worship, and strict biblical values. Though splits and controversies have occurred, their core identity remains anchored in Oneness theology, the baptism of the Spirit, and living a sanctified life.