In addition, the office certifies delegates to the General Assembly, publishes official documents and certificates, maintains the official record of General Assembly proceedings, distributes pertinent information to the constituents of the Church, plays a pivotal role in church: legal matters, collects and reports church statistics, maintains an accurate database of credential holders, officers, churches and jurisdictions, and keeps an archive of historical documents from across the church, including, books, national and jurisdictional records, and photographs and memorabilia of historical value. [29] She is also the Jurisdictional Supervisor of Women for the South Carolina Jurisdiction. [49] The church does not practice infant baptisms or christenings, but does conduct baby dedications in formal ceremonies. COGIC clergy do not officially sanction or recognize same-sex relationships to be united in marriage and the denomination at-large discourages same-sex relationships as unbiblical and immoral. According to the Church of God in Christ's official website, the role of the General Board, comprised of 12 bishops, is to establish and execute policies for the COGIC membership, as well as . It had a membership of more than 400,000, who supported more than 4,000 churches. The result of sin is the depravity of man, broken communion with God, shame and guilt, and physical and spiritual death. [44], COGIC teaches that salvation is the work of redemption to the sinner and his restoration to divine favor and communion with God. These auxiliaries are found in nearly every church, district, and jurisdiction within COGIC and function to support the holistic approach that COGIC has toward ministry within the church and the larger community that COGIC congregations serve. Mother Jennie Bell Dancy Jones of Arkansas became the first National Field Representative under Bishop Patrick. Women in COGIC have been influential in the leadership and organization of the church since its inception. His dream was to establish an international ministry complex known as "Saints Center" and an accredited institution known as "All Saints University". The first general secretary of COGIC was Elder William B. Holt, a white minister. Bishop Jones was the only living bishop of the five original bishops consecrated by Bishop Mason. Users should have no expectation of privacy as to any communication on or information stored within the system,
According to Alex Haley, "He and his wife then received bomb threats at home and at church." The fastest growing areas include Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil, and India. In 1955, Emmett Till's funeral was held at Robert's Temple Church Of God in Christ in Chicago, Illinois. Treasurer of the General Council of Pastors and Elders Pastor William Ward. Email: cogsecgeneral@churchofgod.org. Bishop David A. It is a separate and distinct work of grace that occurs in the lives of believers after conversion. Male as well as female evangelists were instrumental in spreading COGIC throughout the United States as well as around the world. The Board was updated on a proposed budget modification to cover outstanding obligations from the previous fiscal year. [29], Bishop Louis Henry Ford of Chicago, Illinois, was elected after the death of J.O. In 1951, the first separate National Sunday School Convention convened in Kansas City, Missouri. Salvation is an operation of the Holy Spirit upon sinners brought about by repentance toward God, which brings about conversion, faith, justification, and regeneration. Dr. Roy L.H. The ordinances of the church are water baptism by immersion, the Lord's Supper and foot washing. He also served as the Presiding Prelate of the New Jersey Garden State Jurisdiction and the Central Georgia Jurisdiction. Church Of God In Christ, Inc. 2015-23. Winbush General Board Member Jurisdictional prelate", Atonement: COGIC Leader Slams "Disrespectful" Preacher & Apologizes To 'I'm Not Gay No More' Guy | AlwaysAList.com, Bishop Blake Condemns 'Bad Preacher'; Apologizes to 'I Don't Like Mens No More' Guy, "COGIC's Bishop Charles Blake Wins Defamation Lawsuit Against Minister Earl Carter", "Man Who Attacked COGIC Bishop Charles Blake Jailed", "Dr. Earl Carter Responses to Bishop Blake Apology", "A Letter to the Members of the Church of God in Christ, Inc", Succession of Church of God in Christ Leaders, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Church_of_God_in_Christ&oldid=1141739755, Bishop J. O. Patterson Sr. presiding bishop, Bishop J. S. Bailey first assistant presiding bishop, Bishop S. M. Crouch second assistant presiding bishop. Bishop Prince E. W. Bryant Sr. Board member (2021present). Robinson was a staunch advocate for holiness and taught strict guidelines for the women with regard to dress and worldliness. The denomination teaches that God gives life to human beings, biologically and spiritually, through the moment of conception in the womb of the mother, using Jeremiah 1:5, Genesis 1:2627, and Psalms 139:1316 as their scriptural basis for this belief. On June 5, 1951, he selected Bishop A. [61] Finally, she changed the visible presence of women in ministry with the introduction of the ministry "habit". All charges against a Pastor or a local Church must be filed with the General Secretary, and the Jurisdictional Secretary. Assistant General Treasurer Bishop Kendall Anderson. The Holy Spirit is the agent that equips, empowers, leads, and guides the church until the return of Christ. The first youth leader on a national level was Elder M.C. He consecrated and appointed more than 100 bishops during his twenty-one years of leadership. B. McEwen made conflicting administrative and executive decisions. The general assembly is the supreme authority over the church to decide matters of faith and practice. This system HAS BEEN LICENSED FOR USE BY the General Secretary's and Financial Secretary's Offices of the Church Of God In Christ. The denomination considers these to be inconsistent with COGIC doctrine and teaching. General Treasurer Bishop Charles Harrison Mason Patterson Sr.. Financial Secretary Bishop Frank A. Patterson Sr. in 1989. As previously stated, COGIC although predominately black, had a significant white membership during its first decade of existence, with a number of white ministers holding leadership positions in the church. After being ejected for accepting these new Pentecostal teachings, Mason called a meeting in Memphis later in the year and reorganized the Church of God in Christ as a Holiness-Pentecostal body. President, International Department of Evangelism Evangelist Gary Sprewell, Elect Lady, International Department of Evangelism . Vice President of COGIC World Missions-Bishop Nate' M. Jefferson. Golden Jr. Mason Temple, a flagship of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC), was a monumental achievement, becoming upon its completion in 1945 the largest gathering place in Memphis as well as the largest church owned and operated by African Americans in the United States. Drew Sheard. [46], COGIC teaches that the baptism of the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit is an experience subsequent to conversion and sanctification, can be experienced by all believers who ask for it. Sin originated in eternity when Satan committed open rebellion against God in heaven. As public education was segregated and underfunded by white officials in the South through most of the tenure of the first major leader, this school became a destination for parents wanting their children to have high-quality education. Mamie Till-Mobley was a member of St. Paul COGIC led by then Elder Louis Henry Ford (who would later become the presiding bishop of the denomination) officiated the service. By accessing and using this system, you are consenting to such monitoring and information retrieval for
Login ::: Church Of God In Christ ARC Portal ::: Log-in to your ARC account. forgot password WARNING!!! Bishop Blake led COGIC through the death of G. E. Patterson while preparing the church for its 100th Holy Convocation; an important milestone for the church. Coffey also began the use of the title "Jurisdictional Supervisor" for state mothers as more jurisdictions were forming in each state.[59]. Under her leadership and tenure, COGIC choirs and individual singers came to dominate gospel music producing a number of recordings and gospel hits. Please note: Fields with ( *) are required. ", COGIC teaches that sanctification is a continuous operation of the Holy Spirit, by which he "delivers the justified sinner from the pollution of sin, renews his whole nature in the image of God and enables him to perform good works". The Church of God in Christ ecclesiastical structure is an episcopal-presbyterian form of government. President, International Department of Missions Bishop Vincent Matthews Jr.. Mrs. Mattie McCaulley of Tulsa, Oklahoma was the first to respond, and was sent to Trinidad. In 1945, Bishop S. Crouch of the Northern California Jurisdiction appointed Elder H. C. Johnson as State Sunday School Superintendent who appointed Missionary Lucille Cornelius to be Chairlady, the first woman to lead the supervision of COGIC women in the Sunday School Department. They are the largest department in the COGIC. Mason was given authority to lead the new denomination. [53], In 1965, during the March to Selma, a young COGIC minister Charles E. Blake, (previous COGIC Presiding Bishop) was studying at the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) in Atlanta, GA. COGIC also teaches that all the spiritual gifts are for believers today. [29], Bishop Charles E. Blake assumed leadership and was elected Presiding Bishop of the church after the death of Bishop G.E. Throughout the 1970s and 80s, as COGIC continued to grow to millions of members nationwide, COGIC ministers all over the country continued to advance civil rights in their communities. The beliefs of the Church of God in Christ are briefly written in its Statement of Faith, which is reproduced below:[41] It is often recited in various congregations as part of the order of worship and all national and international convocations. She built a home for missionaries in the Bahamas, a pavilion for senior citizens and unwed mothers in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. A. Jeter was selected as Overseer of Arkansas. [33] In 2009, Bishop Blake unveiled an aggressive program known as "Urban Initiatives" to address the plight of America's urban areas. She is also the Jurisdictional Supervisor for the First Jurisdiction, Southern California. We believe that there is One God, eternally existent in three persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These events include physical death, the intermediate state, bodily resurrection, the Second Coming of Christ, the Great Tribulation, the Battle of Armageddon, the Millennial Reign, the Final Judgment, the future of the wicked in hell, and life for the redeemed in heaven.[48]. Mother Willie Mae Rivers (19972017) of Goose Creek, South Carolina, succeeded Mother Crouch. He established the World Fellowship of Black Pentecostal Churches and gained COGIC membership in the Congress of National Black Churches. As African Americans migrated north and west to industrial cities during the Great Migration, he began to establish COGIC churches in the north and, especially after 1940, in the west. The COGIC emphasized the use of the choir as an integral part of the worship experience. law enforcement and other purposes. [31], Bishop Ford also renovated several COGIC structures in Memphis, including Mason Temple. Patterson, the nephew of the above-mentioned Bishop J.O. The Ecclesiastical Jurisdictional Pastors and Elders Council is the gate way to the COGIC Judicial system. Mother Willie Mae Rivers served faithfully for 20 years as General Mother until 2017 and the age of 91. A new constitution and official manual of the church were completed in 1973. Bishop John Drew Sheard Sr., who had previously been elected to the General Board in 2012 and 2016, was reelected to the General Board and subsequently elected as the current Presiding Bishop on March 20, 2021, in the first-ever virtual online election for the denomination. He referred in his sermon to gay men as "sissies", "perverted and lost", and said, "If you want to feel like a girl; I wish God would give you the monthly of a girl; I wish He had you bleeding out of your butt. Patterson, Evangelist Joyce L Rodgers#, Jurisdictional Supervisor, Former Chairlady of Youth Dept., international evangelist, Dr. Lytia R. Howard, Emeritus, President of the Sunshine Band, COGIC Pastor, Mother Leatha Herndon Chapman Tucker#, church organizer, national evangelist, Mother Elizabeth White#, foreign missionary, Dr. Rita Womack, national evangelist, former Elect Lady, Mother Willa Mary Collins#, founding First Lady of Holy Trinity Church of God in Christ in Evansville, Indiana. [19], Mason continued to travel across the nation preaching and establishing COGIC churches. Holy Temple COGIC was the first church to open its doors to the garbage workers. COGIC Bishop Alvin A. Childs of the Faith Temple Church of God in Christ (later renamed Child's Memorial in his honor) was the clergyman who finally opened his doors. Missions work in COGIC began under Elder Searcy in 1925. Today however, many church mothers have been reserved to titular positions as many pastor's wives have assumed the role of leader of women's ministries in local congregations. Secretary of the Board of Bishops Bishop William Watson, III. WARNING!!! Forms; Assessments, Records and Credentials Portal; Resolution; General Assembly Minutes; COGIC ARC; OGS Training Registration; Facebook; Contact; In 1917, the YPWW was officially organized under the leadership of Elder Ozro Thurston Jones Sr., who in 1928 established the first Youth Congress bringing together youth leaders and workers on a national level. He was denied such trial in 2016. Remarriage is usually highly discouraged, except in the case of the death of a spouse or former spouse. He called for an annual gathering of COGIC members, known as the "International Holy Convocation", to be held in Memphis. During the 1940s and 50s, Bishop Mason often invited the white elected officials of the city of Memphis to the International Holy Convocation on Civic Night. In 2010, Bishop Blake led more than 50,000 delegates to the 103rd International Holy Convocation to St. Louis, Missouri. In 1975, he resigned as co-pastor, withdrawing his membership in the COGIC because of leadership disagreements with his uncle, J. O. Patterson Sr. concerning an establishment of another jurisdiction in the city of Memphis. "[91] Bishop Blake apologized to a young man (Andrew C. Caldwell) who, following Superintendent Carter's message, came forward to proclaim that he had been delivered from homosexuality. After being removed from the office of Senior Bishop, he remained the Jurisdictional Bishop of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania until his death in 1972. Bishop Elijah Hankerson III - Board member (2021present), Bishop Charles E. Blake Presiding Bishop Emeritus. Military chaplains have also been instrumental in spreading COGIC through military installations. Driver, who was the overseer of California and pastor of the Saints Home COGIC led an interracial congregation made up of many Blacks, Whites, and Latinos, for many years. The men selected to lead the Church were chosen by God and the membership of the Church Of God In Christ. The seminary is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and is part of a consortium of the Interdenominational Theological Center. She also established the Mattie McGlothen Library and Museum in Richmond, California, as a resource for COGIC historical facts and memorabilia. Bishop Blake said, "The Church of God in Christ does not compromise its stance against homosexuality as the Word of God condemns it as sin, but "this preacher's" (referring to Earl Carter) comments were unacceptably offensive and uncalled for, and will not be tolerated by the Church of God in Christ or its leadership. As the first elected presiding bishop, Bishop Patterson Sr. established the Charles Harrison Mason Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia. To be consistent with progressive measures and modernization, in the Nineties, the international church along with many local COGIC churches began to use the term "youth department" instead of "YPWW. " [16], A few years after the Azusa Revival, in 1914, shortly before the United States entered World War I, approximately 300 white ministers, representing a variety of independent churches and networks of churches, including the "Association of Christian Assemblies" of Indiana; and the "Church of God in Christ and in Unity with the Apostolic Faith Movement" from Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas; met in Hot Springs, Arkansas. She developed the International Women's Convention into a training institute for women in the ministry. [12] Mason stayed in Los Angeles for five weeks and his visit to the Azusa Street Revival changed the direction of the newly formed holiness church. Patterson in March 2007. [36], In 2022, it was present in 112 countries in 2022. Secretary of the National Board of Trustees Dr. T. Lynn Smith. In Chicago, Ford organized voter registration initiatives. Jesse Jackson was invited to speak during the COGIC International Holy Convocation when he was running for the presidency. Drew Sheard who was elected in 2021. They rejected denominational names such as Baptist, Methodist, or Episcopal. The General Board received a summation of the actions of the National Board of Trustees and updates on national properties since November 2018. He began production of the YPWW Quarterly Topics to train the youth of the COGIC in the faith, doctrine, and polity of the church. Later in 1897, while in Little Rock, Arkansas, C. H. Mason stated that God had given him such a name for the group, the "Church of God in Christ". He is credited with helping to secure the steel needed to construct Mason Temple which was virtually impossible during World War II.[52]. "[92], Elder Carter was attempting to address members of COGIC as to sexual misconduct, and specifically, homosexual practices. The Department of Evangelism was officially organized on a national level by Overseer L.C. Vice chairman of the General Council of Pastors and Elders Bishop Marcus Ways. Divorce is considered inconsistent with biblical teachings and highly discouraged as well. Dress should be modest and business-formal. The international headquarters is in Memphis, Tennessee. The son-in-law of Bishop Mason, J. O. Patterson Sr., had served the church previously as a member of the executive board and as executive secretary. Founded . A general supervisor of women is appointed by the presiding bishop and given authority to lead the International Women's Ministry of the church. Jurisdictions range in size between 30 and 100 churches. Office of the Secretariat members: Missionary Marcia Black-Watson, Jurisdictional Secretary 1st Assistant Presiding Bishop Bishop Jerry W. Macklin. In 1982 during the Seventy-Fifth Holy Convocation, the diamond jubilee of the church, COGIC published its own hymnal, Yes, Lord!, which included many arrangements and songs written by COGIC and African-American musicians and songwriters. She established a high school and gained accreditation for it, and then for the junior college which she founded on campus. The general assembly meets biannually each year in April and November while the presidium acts as the executive branch of the church, overseeing the day-to-day operation when the general assembly is not in session. Vice Chairman of the Board of Bishops Bishop Roger L. Jones. It has had rapid growth in many regions as one of the fastest-growing and largest religious groups in the United States.[30]. The constitutional convention drafted and approved a new constitution which dissolved both the office of the Senior Bishop and the executive board; it also established the General Assembly, which meets biannually, as the supreme authority over the church to decide matters of faith and practice. However, in 1996, the umbrella format was revised under the administration of Bishop C.D. He appointed regional presidents to serve as liaisons to the jurisdictional presidents. Bishop Sedgwick Daniels Board member (2008present). Field representative, International Sunday School Department Mother Cleolia Penix. Bishop Mason was pivotal in licensing and credentialing both white and African-American ministers, who spread the Pentecostal message and planted new churches. President Clinton gave speeches at COGIC meetings including the International Holy Convocation at Mason Temple and the Women's International Convention. 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