A Jeter and D. J. Chairman of the National Judiciary Board Bishop Martin Luther Johnson. Robinson was a staunch advocate for holiness and taught strict guidelines for the women with regard to dress and worldliness. At the time, because many churches disagreed with what they considered its eccentric worship styles and expressions of Pentecostalism, such as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues and the laying on of hands, many churches distanced themselves from the COGIC for many years. [45] It teaches that salvation is a work of grace brought about through faith in Jesus Christ; it does not promulgate nor encourage the doctrine of eternal security, also known as "once saved, always saved. But during the early twentieth century, the Pentecostal movement had rapid growth nationally and attracted racially integrated congregants to its worship services. Born in Birmingham, Alabama on October 2, 1931, Bishop Owens started preaching as a young child. In 1945, Mason dedicated Mason Temple in Memphis as the church's national meeting site. In 1982 he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in . "[92], Elder Carter was attempting to address members of COGIC as to sexual misconduct, and specifically, homosexual practices. His sons Reverend Charles Blake, Jr. and Reverend Lawrence Blake were officially appointed as the senior pastor and assistant pastor of the church in October of 2022.[13]. Their pastor was then elder Gilbert Earl Patterson, who also became a COGIC Presiding Bishop, at Holy Temple COGIC in Memphis, Tennessee. [5] Although an international and multi-ethnic religious organization, it has a predominantly African-American membership based within the United States. Sister Church Support Ministry a church in the USA giving support to a church on the mission field. Salvation is an operation of the Holy Spirit upon sinners brought about by repentance toward God, which brings about conversion, faith, justification, and regeneration. Washington, Bishop Chandler D. Owens, Bishop Brandon B. Porter, and Bishop J. The fastest growing areas include Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil, and India. Drew Sheard, Sr. as Presiding Bishop on March 20, 2021. Bishop Blake led the COGIC to become a greater global ministry, primarily in Africa and Latin America, while at the same time investing in the inner cities where many COGIC congregations are located. He also established the COGIC national headquarters there. The church is thought to have nearly two million members in 7,000 churches on the continent of Africa. Desiring to learn more about the work of the Holy Spirit in the church, C. H. Mason, J. However, after a meeting in Hot Springs, Arkansas that led to the founding of the Assemblies of God, the white constituency of COGIC continued to decline, until it was almost nonexistent by the 1930s. Since 2007, Ebony has recognized Bishop Blake annually, as one of its 100+ most influential African Americans. As a result, the general board exercises great authority over the church. The ordinances of the church are water baptism by immersion, the Lord's Supper and foot washing. He was the founding Chair of the Board of Directors for,[10] and has served as a board member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors, for the Interdenominational Theological Seminary. A new constitution and official manual of the church were completed in 1973. We believe that the redemptive work of Christ on the Cross provides healing for the human body in answer to believing prayer. COGIC policies and bylaws have also been established regarding sexual misconduct of COGIC clergy and laymembers for disciplinary purposes. It was reopened in the early 1990s under the administration of Bishop L.H. Bishop Carter came into holiness in 1952 at the Jones Avenue Church of God in Christ, under the leadership of the late Bishop George Briley. As a classical Holiness Pentecostal denomination,[2][4] COGIC continues to embrace its holiness heritage, teaching modesty in dress, appearance, moderate participation in secular entertainment and prohibitions against profanity, alcohol, substance abuse and immoral behavior. Bishop Prince E. W. Bryant Sr. Board member (2021present). In 2015, after more than 40 years of faithful service, Bishop Carlis L. Moody was emeritized as Bishop of Missions. There is a presiding bishop, known as the chief apostle of the church. ", 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". On May 19, 1952, he added Bishop J. O. Patterson Sr. Also in 1952, Mason revised the constitution to determine the leadership and succession of the church after his death. All rights reserved. Owens outlined a progressive plan to position the COGIC for ministry in the twenty-first century, known as "Vision 2000 and Beyond." Under her leadership, the Women's International Convention added the term "and Crusade" to highlight and promote the evangelistic approach of the convention. According to a 2015 statistical study by the Pew Research Center, the denomination was estimated to have a United States membership of approximately 84% African-Americans, 5% White Americans, 8% Latino-Americans, and roughly 2% Asian-Americans. Church mothers have historically served as the leader of the women's ministries in the local congregations. B. McEwen made conflicting administrative and executive decisions. Today COGIC operates the All Saints Bible College in Memphis, the C. H. Mason system of bible colleges, and the C. H. Mason Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia. He established the World Fellowship of Black Pentecostal Churches and gained COGIC membership in the Congress of National Black Churches. Since so many new holiness groups and fellowships were forming that used the name "Church of God," C. H. Mason sought a name to distinguish his Holiness group from others. Drew Sheard. Drew Sheard elected as COGIC's new presiding bishop; two Memphis bishops elected to general board Sheard, 62, was elected in late March to lead the predominantly African American . Bishop Blake was the pastor of the West Angeles Church of God in Christ,[7] one of the largest African-American churches in the Western United States, with a membership of over 24,000, from 1969 until his retirement in 2022. Today thousands of COGIC women when ministering the gospel or serving in official capacities are seen in their civic (black) or ceremonial (white) habits. More:J. As founder and CEO of Save Africas Children, a program of the Pan African Childrens Fund, he helps to support more than 200,000 children in 400 orphan care programs throughout more than 23 nations on the continent of Africa. [43], COGIC teaches that man was created perfect and sinless in the image of God as a tripartite being having a body, soul, and spirit. After graduating from high school, he matriculated to Wayne State. The rope that holds the shaft together represents Charles Harrison Mason, COGIC's founding father. Some pastor's wives have served as pastor of congregations usually after the death of a pastor sometimes serving under the title of "shepherdess, shepherd mother, or church administrator. Church Of God In Christ, Inc. 2015-23. He also served as the Presiding Prelate of the New Jersey Garden State Jurisdiction and the Central Georgia Jurisdiction. Treasurer of the General Council of Pastors and Elders Pastor William Ward. Pentecostals have been known and continue to be known for their lively worship, exuberant expressions of praise and worship, and musical compilations, mostly relying on congregational singing of hymns and chants. According to its 1973 Constitution, the church has two structures to govern the church: civil and ecclesiastical. During the formative stages of COGIC, Bishop Mason organized departments to further support the work of the church as it continued to grow and expand. In a November 2007 special election, he was elected to complete the unexpired term of his predecessor as Presiding Bishop. As the first elected presiding bishop, Bishop Patterson Sr. established the Charles Harrison Mason Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia. The judicial board serves as the judicial branch and is the supreme body that interprets polity and practice. Secretary of the National Board of Trustees Dr. T. Lynn Smith. There was the creation of the Sunday School Field Representative. Vice chairman of the General Council of Pastors and Elders Bishop Marcus Ways. He is known to many as being an eloquent, compassionate and practical leader, as well as a humanitarian and an advocate with a God-given gift for ministering to the whole man. COGIC teaches that because God uses conception through and after sexual reproduction and intercourse to create human life, that willfully aborting a human fetus is contrary to God's Word and Christian ethics, and it is considered to be a sin against God and the Bible within the denomination. In 1915, after years of court litigation over the name of the organization and use of the name "Church of God in Christ" by the two groups; Mason's group was granted the use of the name and Jones's group organized a legally chartered Holiness body called the Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A.[14], After moving to Memphis, Tennessee, Bishop Mason established a local congregation called Temple COGIC. Bishop Brandon B. Porter Secretary to the General Board (2021present) and board member (2012present). A. Timothy Wright, Myrna Summers, Rev. The YPWW department began in 1928 with the convening of its first Youth Congress. B. McEwen was elected chairman of the executive board, and O.T. The school enjoyed its greatest growth and success under the leadership of Dr. Arenia Conella Mallory (19041977). 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. The legislative authority of the church is vested in a general assembly, composed of the members of the general board, jurisdictional/auxiliary bishops, jurisdictional supervisors, chaplains, pastors, ordained elders, four district missionaries and six lay members from each jurisdiction. On June 5, 1951, he selected Bishop A. After the death of Mother Coffey in 1964, Dr. Annie L. Bailey (19641975), became the third General Supervisor. He re-ignited the church to be a flagship Pentecostal denomination. He was a speaker at the Democratic National Conventions first Ecumenical Service where he eloquently, challenged all to protect the unborn by advocating pro-life. Humanity can only be restored through salvation offered only through Jesus Christ. He was a lifelong member of the. [citation needed] Bishop Ford is credited with inviting President Bill Clinton, a personal friend, to speak to the Eighty-Sixth International Holy Convocation on November 13, 1993. Presiding Bishop J. Dr. Roy L.H. The study also found that over 70% of COGIC members overwhelmingly opposed the legalizing of same-sex marriage, and considered relationships from infidelity, polygamy, polyamory, and sex outside of marriage as sinful and unbiblical as well.[56]. Chairman of the General Council of Pastors and Elders Superintendent Michael Eaddy. Assistant General Treasurer Bishop Kendall Anderson. Bishop Charles E. Blake, as the Presiding Bishop of the COGIC from the late 2000s up to the 2010s, was also dedicated to increasing and maintaining stable ecumenical relationships from the COGIC with other diverse Christian denominations, most notably Pentecostal/Charismatic churches, Baptist churches, African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Churches, and A.M.E. Zion churches, and even some non-denominational Christian ministries for the purposes of ministry efforts and collaborating on addressing social issues that affect Christians and specifically the Black Church in America, most notably through his Urban Initiatives program. Owens continued to serve as a jurisdictional bishop and member of the General Board until his death in 2011. Upon his return to Jackson, Mississippi, Mason faced opposition when he recounted his experience. It was destroyed by fire in 1936. 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. In 1927, the call was made for workers to go to serve the Lord in foreign lands. It has nine members, elected by the general assembly, including three bishops, three elders, and three lay members. For many years, West Angeles has been one of the fastest growing churches in the United States and remains the largest COGIC local congregation with a membership of 25,000. (Young People Willing Workers), and Missions and Evangelism. [60] Units added during her tenure as general supervisor were the: business and Professional Women's Federation, Rescue Squad, Sunday School Representatives Unit, United Sisters of Charity, National Secretaries Unit, and the Jr. Missionaries. The current presiding bishop and chief apostle is Bishop J. It had a membership of more than 400,000, who supported more than 4,000 churches. Drew Sheard is a former public-school teacher. Her life story led many African-Americans into the Holiness movement, including Mason. In 1968, COGIC established the C.H. 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. Known for the achievements of her students and school alumni, she had also served during these years, by invitation and appointment, on national federal commissions and with noted African-American women's groups. [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. In the 1920s, Arizona Dranes, a blind Evangelist Missionary became one of the first gospel artists to bring the musical styles of COGIC to the public in her records for Okeh and performances. Today COGIC has more than 12,000 churches, and several schools, missions, and medical clinics in more than eighty nations, including every inhabited continent. She was the Jurisdictional Supervisor of Women for Texas Southwest Jurisdiction under the late Bishop T. D. Iglehart. Each jurisdictional bishop appoints a jurisdictional supervisor to lead the work of the women on a jurisdictional level. Co Directors of the Men's Department Bishop Michael B. His pastor and mentor was Bishop F. D. Washington of Brooklyn, NY. Originally, this gathering of the 'Saints' lasted for twenty days, from November 25 to December 14. The pair modeled the pastor and wife ministry team in COGIC. Together they traveled across the country proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Another body operating under the same name Church of God in Christ, International, split and organized in the Northeast area under Bishop R. T. Jones of Philadelphia and later Bishop C. E. Williams Sr. of Brooklyn, New York. Women in COGIC have been influential in the leadership and organization of the church since its inception. Chairman of the Board of Bishops Bishop Albert Galbraith. Well-known gospel musicians with COGIC roots include; Andrae Crouch and Sandra Crouch, Walter Hawkins and Edwin Hawkins, Tramaine Hawkins, Rubenstein McClure, Yvette Flunder, Sara Jordan Powell, Daryl Coley, BeBe and CeCe Winans, The Winans, "Detroit" Gary Wiggins, John P. Kee, The O'Neal Twins, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Rance Allen, Rev. Adelle M. Banks. They are fallen angels who joined Satan in his failed attempt to usurp power in Heaven. His passion for meeting the needs of the whole man reaches globally through his humanitarian efforts. On June 5, 1951, he selected Bishop A. Sin was transmitted to humanity when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, as a result all men have original sin. The current leader of the International Music Department is recording artist Dr. Myron Williams, succeeding Dr. Judith Christie McAllister of Los Angeles, California, who is also a praise and worship national recording artist. She served as chairperson of the board of supervisors, member, Executive Board, member, Screening Committee, member, Program Committee General Church, coordinator, Leadership Conference, International Marshall, secretary, and Assistant General Supervisor for the Department of Women. In April 2018, Bishop Blake led COGIC in partnership with American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis to continue to struggle for civil rights in the 21st Century. In 1982 he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Education, and in 1998 he earned a Master of Arts in Mathematics from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Bishop O. T. Jones Sr, however, did not leave the COGIC. COGIC became a major force in the collective Black Church and worldwide Pentecostal movement. President, International Department of Missions Bishop Vincent Matthews Jr.. [11] In 2016, Bishop Blake was appointed as the Co-Chairperson to the leadership council of the Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America. [25], Bishop Ozro Thurston Jones Sr. was pastor of the Holy Temple Church of God in Christ in Philadelphia and the Jurisdictional Bishop of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Jurisdiction. Not everyone in the church were willing to accept "speaking in tongues" as the initial evidence of baptism of the Holy Ghost. The civil structure of the Church of God in Christ includes a president, first vice-president, second vice-president, general secretary, general treasurer, and the financial secretary. Holy Temple COGIC was the first church to open its doors to the garbage workers. 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. The Department of Evangelism was officially organized on a national level by Overseer L.C. [21], In 1907, there were ten COGIC churches, but by the time of Bishop Mason's death in 1961, COGIC had spread to every state in the United States and to many foreign countries. The most notable rift occurred in 1969, when fourteen bishops met in Evanston, Illinois, to form the Church of God in Christ, International. Clean White, Jurisdictional Bishop, Bermuda Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, National Evangelist, Recording Artist, Songwriter, Atlanta, Georgia, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 15:15. He called for an annual gathering of COGIC members, known as the "International Holy Convocation", to be held in Memphis. [29] In 1926, upon the recommendation of Mother Lizzie Roberson, Elder C. G. Brown of Kansas City Missouri, was appointed the first Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the Home and Foreign Missions Department by Bishop C. H. Mason. Vice Chairman of the Board of Bishops Bishop Roger L. Jones. A general supervisor of women is appointed by the presiding bishop and given authority to lead the International Women's Ministry of the church. Mason. President, International Department of Evangelism Evangelist Gary Sprewell, Elect Lady, International Department of Evangelism . As the International Holy Convocation grew to thousands, COGIC leaders had to negotiate with city officials to provide hotel accommodations for the saints. Hall Sr. Board member (2021present). Drew Sheard was consecrated as Jurisdictional Bishop, succeeding Bishop Herbert J. Williams, Sr., the founding prelate of North Central Michigan Jurisdiction. [55], A 2014 statistical study from the Pew Research Center Forum on Religion & Public Life, reported that most members of COGIC usually got married between the ages of 25 and 30, and that over 42% of COGIC members between the ages of 25 and 65+ were married, at least 19% were divorced or separated, 32% were never married, and at least 5% were widowed. At the start of the new millennium, then COGIC presiding Bishop Gilbert Earl Patterson, continued to support the advancement of civil rights. Bishop. On October 23, 2020, Bishop Blake announced that he will not seek re-election as Presiding Bishop nor as a member of the General Board. He testified to receiving entire sanctification after reading her autobiography in 1893. The rain in the background represents the, Members of the General Board (2021present), General supervisors for the Department of Women, Young People Willing Workers (YPWW) International Youth Department (IYD), United National Auxiliary Conference (UNAC) and Auxiliaries in Ministry (AIM), Last edited on 26 February 2023, at 15:15, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Worldwide Fellowship of the Assemblies of God, Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America, List of jurisdictions of the Church of God in Christ, "Bishop Mason built COGIC out of revival, the faith of former slaves", "A Brief Historical Sketch of the Church of God in Christ, International (Arkansas)", "PRESS RELEASE: Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr. Will Not Seek Reelection", "Catholics, Mormons, Assemblies of God growing; Mainline churches report a continuing decline", "The most and least racially diverse U.S. religious groups", "Human Coalition Launches Three-year Initiative with Church of God in Christ", "Proclamation on Marriage | COGIC General Assembly", "Racial and ethnic composition among members of the Church of God in Christ", https://mccormick.edu/content/daniels-david-ii, "RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project: York's Fentress County Tennessee", http://www.mtairycogic.com/index.php/about-us/243-drlouisfelton, "James Haynes Obituary (19312015) Dallas, TX Dallas Morning News", "Ohio North First Jurisdiction COGIC | About Us", "Senior Pastor | St. Stephen's Cathedral Church Of God in Christ", "Chicago's Historic Roberts Temple COGIC Receives Landmark Status", "Our Pastor GREATER EMMANUEL INSTITUTIONAL CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST", "Nathaniel Simmons Obituary (2006) Atlanta, GA Atlanta Journal-Constitution", "Barnett Thoroughgood Obituary (2012) Norfolk, VA The Virginian-Pilot", "Wells Memorial Church of God in Christ About Us", "Influential Hampton Roads Bishop Levi E. Willis Sr. dies", "Bishop Roy L.H. In 1946, the National Sunday School Congress began to meet with the Young People's Willing Workers (YPWW) Congress. These offices are found in every local, district, and jurisdiction to support development and growth of the Sunday School. After graduating from high school, he matriculated to Wayne State University, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in education and a Master of Education degree in mathematics. Elder Carter called for a Church trial before the COGIC General Assembly and Judicial Board according to the Constitution of the COGIC. Elect Lady, International Department of Missions Mother Maddaline Norfleet. Mother Rivers also began the "49 and Under" to enlist and focus the younger women of COGIC to remain committed to the doctrine and teachings of the church. He continued to build on the department through expansion of the Regional Administration into 10 geographical locations across the country. He served faithfully as an Ordained Deacon, the Sunday School Superintendent and the Guitarist. The current president of the Missions Department is Bishop Vincent Mathews Jr. of South Africa. Patterson Sr. in 1989. The general secretary, general treasurer, and financial secretary terms run concurrent with the current presidential administration that is elected every four years.[20]. In 2000 at the Ninety-Third International Holy Convocation, the COGIC General Assembly elected Bishop Gilbert Earl Patterson to replace Owens as Presiding Bishop. There seemed no prospect of an integrated Pentecostal movement under the leadership of an African-American such as C. H. The Youth Congress eventually become one of the largest conventions in COGIC. 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. Ford, as Saints' Academy, a private co-educational grade school. As a compassionate advocate for the advancement of Gods Kingdom, he is committed to accomplishing Gods agenda as both a leader and a laborer, reaping a harvest of souls. The church has more than 3,000 churches in Asia, and 2,000 churches in the Caribbean and South America. [36], In 2022, it was present in 112 countries in 2022. The church started with only 50 members in 1969 when he became pastor. They unanimously chose C.H. Secretary of the Board of Bishops Bishop William Watson, III. During his visit, Mason received the baptism of the Holy Ghost; the evidence was believed to be his "speaking in other tongues", in accordance with the biblical account found in the book of Acts 2:4. [49] The church does not practice infant baptisms or christenings, but does conduct baby dedications in formal ceremonies. He was succeeded by Bishop Joe L. Ealy. During World War I, the FBI opened a file on Bishop Mason and conducted surveillance on him because of his pacifism during the war. He self-identifies as Bishop/CEO of his newly organized fellowship called the 7000 Club (not to be confused with The 700 Club from Pat Robertson). Young, James Brewer, Daniel Spearman, and J. H. Boone. 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. " [29] The spread of COGIC was due largely to the efforts of its evangelists through crusades and revivals. Patterson established protocols of worship, policy and practices. Medger Evers, the famed NAACP Field representative for the state of Mississippi who was gunned down in the front of his house in 1963 was raised in by his mother as a member of COGIC before later becoming a Baptist. C. D. Owens had gained national attention in the church as the president of the Youth Department. Chairman of AIM Bishop Linwood Dillard. He is credited with helping to secure the steel needed to construct Mason Temple which was virtually impossible during World War II.[52]. Lizzie Woods Robinson (19111945) was the first "General Mother" of the church. The early conventions of the Evangelist Board were basically crusades led by Page and a few other Evangelists from across the country. Rev. Bishop Mason taught COGIC members against going to war, but more so he was against African-American men being called to fight a war overseas for freedom and then coming home and being treated as second-class citizens and being lynched, even in their uniforms, because of racism. He established COGIC Charities which has provided thousands of dollars in college scholarships and disaster relief efforts such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Herndon and her twin sister Leatha were pioneers of the evangelistic work of the Church of God in Christ. He was one of the nine members of the strategy committee that organized the sanitation strike in Memphis. COGIC has always been traditionally anti-abortion.