the church of god an introduction. chapter 1 the christian union: the baptist womb
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The Church of God
An Introduction
Chapter 1
The Christian Union:The Baptist Womb
Landmark Baptist Movement
1820—1893 Most influential
person in Baptist life in 19th century South
Editor of weekly The Tennessee Baptist (1848-1893)
Prolific publishing company
James R. Graves
“Remove not the ancient lamdmark” Proverbs 22:28
Graves wrote An Old Landmark Reset (1854) Accused Baptists of setting aside “old
landmarks” Rejected all non-Baptist baptisms Believed unbroken continuity of baptism
back to New Testament Taught other churches are “societies” Taught Christians in societies are in
rebellion
The Quest for Revival Richard Spurling
[father] Born ca. 1810 Bought property
on Barney Creek in Monroe County, Tennessee
Farmer/MillwrightRichard Spurling (1810-1891)
The Quest for Revival Richard Green
Spurling [son] Born July 28, 1857 Moved to Monroe,
County, Tennessee
Operated grist and lumber mills with his father Richard Spruling
R.G. and Barbara Spurling
Call for Reformation Two year period (1884-1886)
Prayer Bible Study Study of church history John Plemons was companion of
Spurlings Called for Conference at Barney
Creek Meeting House
Call for Reformation Four Concerns:
Churches failed to reform from human creeds
Churches adopted “Law of Faith” [=faith in a creed] rather than “Law of Love”
Churches failed to reserve a right of way for leadership of the Holy Spirit and freedom of human conscience
God’s Church exists where His law and government are observed
Barney Creek Meetinghouse
August 19, 1886 Call to union by R.G.
Spurling [son] Took “Christian Union”
as name Richard Spurling
[father] moderated meeting
R. G. Spurling
Restorationist Impulse“As many Christians as are here present that are desirous to be free from all man-made creeds and traditions, and are willing to take the New Testament, or law of Christ as your only rule of faith and practice; giving each other equal rights and privilege to read and interpret for yourselves as your conscience may dictate, and are willing to set together as the Church of God to transact business as the same come forward.”
R.G. Spurling
Chapter 2
The Holiness-Pentecostal Revival
Shearer Schoolhouse Revival
1896 Camp Creek in
Cherokee County, North Carolina
Lay evangelists Preached
SanctificationShearer Schoolhouse
Holiness Evangelists: Preaching the Revival
William “Billy” Martin (Methodist)
Joe M. Tipton (Baptist)
Elias Milton “Milt” McNabb (Baptist)William “Billy” Hamby (Baptist)
Milt McNabb
Billy Martin
W. F. Bryant:Conserving the Revival
Prayer meetings Sunday school Divine healings Some experienced
speaking in tongues
HealingsWilliam F. Bryant
Holiness Church:Fruit of the Revival
Organized May 15, 1902
Camp Creek, NC Conservation of
revival W.F. Bryant home 16 charter
members R.G. Spurling
called as PastorW.F. Bryant home
Chapter 3
A New Leader: A.J. Tomlinson
Early Life 1865-1943 Quaker Immediate family
not religious Interested in
sports and drama Businessman Conversion
Early Life Married Mary
Jane Taylor April 24, 1889
Lighting struck house Studied Bible and Prayed
Wedding Day
Colportage Work in N.C.
American Bible Society
American Tract Society
From about 1897
Missionary Evangelist
“We are waiting here in Ohio for God to give us the money to go to the mission fields in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee.”—
A. J. Tomlinson (May 8, 1899)
Missionary Evangelist Established School Clothing Distribution Attempted Orphanage
Culberson, North Carolina
The Holiness Church
Tomlinson joined June 13, 1903 Had known and observed for
several years Introduction through Bryant’s son
Dad (W.F. Bryant) is “powerful religious”
Holiness Church
“If you take the whole Bible rightly divided, that makes it the Church of God.”A. J. Tomlinson
W. F. Bryant Home
The Holiness Church
Joined June 13, 1903
Tomlinson selected as Pastor
Bryant and Spurling free for evangelistic work
W.F. Bryant and R.G. Spurling (c. 1907)
Cleveland, Tennessee
Tomlinson relocated to Cleveland, TN
December 1904
50 miles from Camp Creek
Tomlinson home at 2525 Gaut Street
Chapter 4
The Development of Polity
First Assembly: Circumstances
Churches Camp Creek, NC Union Grove, TN Drygo, TN Jones, GA
Ministers Biblical Basis 21 Delegates Pastor
Tomlinson moderated
Union Grove, Tennessee
First Assembly: Location
Camp Creek, North Carolina J.C. Murphy Home (Owned by Dickson
Kilpatrick)
First Assembly:Topics of Discussion
Assembly record keeping Local church record keeping Communion and feet-washing Prayer-meetings Evangelism
First Assembly:Topics of Discussion
Use of tobacco Family worship Sunday school Letter of recommendation Annual assembly
First Assembly: Conclusion
“It seemeth good to the Holy Ghost and us, being assembled together with one accord, with the Spirit of Christ in the midst, and after much prayer, discussion, searching the Scriptures and counsel, to recommend these necessary things and that they be ratified and observed by all the local churches. It is the duty of The Church to execute the laws given us by Christ through His Holy Apostles.”
Assembly Minutes
Second Assembly January 9-13,
1907 Community church Near Cleveland Key leaders living
in Cleveland R.G. Spurling
preached opening service
Union Grove Community Church
Second Assembly Preachers’ Conference
Selected name of the church: “Church of God”
Christian Union (1886) Holiness Church (1902) Church of God (1907)
Determined method of credentialing ministers
Third Assembly (1908)
Met at Cleveland church
Largest church in movementCleveland (North) Church of God
Shift to Episcopal Polity Congregational polity (1906)
General Assembly of local congregations
Local Moderator and Clerk General leadership
General Overseer (1909) Elders Council (1916/1917)
State overseers (1911) Appointment of pastors (1913)
Chapter 5
A Pentecostal Theology
Tomlinson and Spirit Baptism:Awakening
“Where did Dr. Seamore [sic] get the Pentecostal doctrine that he preached in Los Angeles, Cal., a few years ago…?”
A.J. TomlinsonLast Great Conflict
William J. Seymour
Tomlinson and Spirit Baptism:Awakening
“In January 1907, I became more fully awakened on the subject of receiving the Holy Ghost as He was poured out on the Day of Pentecost. That whole year I ceased not to preach that it was our privilege to receive the Holy Ghost and speak in tongues as they did on the day of Pentecost.” [continued]
Tomlinson and Spirit Baptism:Awakening
“I did not have the experience, so I was always among the seekers at the altar. The Lord gave great revivals, and souls were converted and sanctified, and some really went through and were baptized with the Holy Ghost evidenced by the speaking in tongues.”
A.J. Tomlinson, Last Great Conflict
Tomlinson and Spirit Baptism:Awakening
Tomlinson visited revival in Birmingham AL June 1907 M.M. Pinson was
preacher
M.M. Pinson
Tomlinson and Spirit Baptism:Experience
G.B. Cashwell invited to Third Assembly (1908)
Preached two times
January 12, 1908 Tomlinson received
Spirit-baptism experience
G.B. Cashwell
Tomlinson and Spirit Baptism:Experience
“This was really the baptism of the Holy Ghost as they received Him on the day of Pentecost, for they all spake with tongues. With all I have written it is not yet told, but judging from the countries I visited I spoke in ten different languages.”
A.J. TomlinsonLast Great Conflict
Chapter 6
The Developing Movement
Church of God Evangel First titled
The Evening Light and Church of God Evangel
March 1, 1910 Name changed to
The Church of God Evangel in 1911
Early Education R.G. Spurling was a
teacher A.J. Tomlinson
God’s Bible School Holy Ghost and Us Bible
School School for children in
Culberson 1917 Assembly
approved a training schoolR.G. Spurling
Education: Lee University First opened:
January 1, 1918 Called Bible Training
School Nora Chambers was
first teacher Lee College (1947) Lee University (1997)Bible Training School--1918
Chapter 7
A Painful Division
Assembly Auditorium
Cleveland1920-
Expansion of Responsibilities: General Overseer for Life
10th General Assembly (1914)
Cleveland, Tennessee
Messages in tongues and interpretations
Human agreement
A. J. Tomlinson
Diversification of Responsibilities
Elders Council Suggested 1915 Created 1916 Selected 1917 First Meeting
October 4-17, 1917
Advisory or decision making?
Recommendations to General Assembly
Diversification of ResponsibilitiesExecutive Council (1922) [renamed Committee]
A.J. TomlinsonGeneral Overseer
F.J. LeeSuperintendent of Education
J.S. LlewellynEditor and Publisher
Road to Exclusion Investigation
Committee “The June Council”
June 12-21, 1923 Impeachment
The Guilty Verdict (July 26, 1923)
Elders select F.J. Lee as General Overseer
Aftermath of Division
A.J. Tomlinson begins new movement Church of God Tomlinson Church of
God Church of God, Over
Which A.J. Tomlinson is General Overseer
Church of God of Prophecy
Battle in the courtsBible Place on Central Avenue
Chapter 8
A Faithful Doctrine
Doctrinal Development Doctrinal tradition
Protestant Baptist Wesleyan Holiness Pentecostal
Historically anti-creedal Development of
diversity R. G. Spurling
Church Teachings Committee to assist
ministerial candidates Printed in Evangel
August 15, 1910 “The Teachings” Modified from time to
time
Our Statements of Faith “The Teachings”
divided in 1974 Doctrinal
Commitments (1-21) Practical
Commitments (22-34)
Practical Commitments revised in 1988
Resolution on Holiness (1960, 1976, and 2002)
Declaration of Faith 1948 General
Council Committee
appointed to draft Declaration of Faith
Chairman: James L. Slay
14 items approved
James L. Slay
Sources
Sources
Like A Might Army by Charles W. Conn (1996)
The Last Great Conflict by A.J. Tomlinson (1913)
Minutes of the Church of God General Assemblies
The End
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