The (Original) Church of God is a

Holiness Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects (a ...

Pentecostal Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a Protestant Charismatic Christian movement

Christian denomination located mostly in the

Southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...

. Its origins can be traced to a small meeting of Christians at the Barney Creek Meeting House in

Monroe County, Tennessee Monroe County is a county on the eastern border of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 46,250. Its county seat is Madisonville. History During the early part of the 18th century, the area around what is now ...

in 1886. This church is often denominated the ''Church of God (Chattanooga, Tennessee)'' to distinguish it from other related Church of God bodies, but the church's designation for itself is ''The (Original) Church of God, Inc''. Offices and a publishing house are located in

Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. Located along the Tennessee River bordering Georgia, it also extends into Marion County on its western end. With a population of 181,099 in 2020 ...

and

Pulaski, Tennessee Pulaski is a city in and the county seat of Giles County, which is located on the central-southern border of Tennessee, United States. The population was 8,397 at the 2020 census. It was named after Casimir Pulaski, a noted Polish-born soldier ...

History

The (Original) Church of God shares a common origin and history with the

Church of God (Cleveland) The Church of God, with headquarters in Cleveland, Tennessee, United States, is a Holiness Pentecostal Christian denomination. The Church of God's publishing house is Pathway Press. History Origins (1886–1902) R. G. Spurling (1857–1935), ...

and several other Christian bodies named ''Church of God''. The (Original) Church of God, Inc. came into being in 1917, when the Church of God in

, led by Joseph L. Scott, separated from the Cleveland-based church. This body's use of ''Original'' in parentheses reflects the belief that it is true to the original faith, purpose and practice of the Church of God movement. The church incorporated in 1922. Ridgedale Theological Seminary was founded in 1925.

Beliefs

Five ordinances are recognized:

baptism Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost ...

by immersion, biblical

church government Ecclesiastical polity is the operational and governance structure of a church or of a Christian denomination. It also denotes the ministerial structure of a church and the authority relationships between churches. Polity relates closely to ...

, the

Lord's Supper The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was instit ...

feet washing Maundy (from Old French ''mandé'', from Latin ''mandatum'' meaning "command"), or Washing of the Saints' Feet, Washing of the Feet, or Pedelavium or Pedilavium, is a religious rite observed by various Christian denominations. The Latin word ...

and

tithing A tithing or tything was a historic English legal, administrative or territorial unit, originally ten hides (and hence, one tenth of a hundred). Tithings later came to be seen as subdivisions of a manor or civil parish. The tithing's leader or ...

. Other beliefs include the need for repentance, justification & regeneration for salvation, the

Wesleyan Wesleyan theology, otherwise known as Wesleyan– Arminian theology, or Methodist theology, is a theological tradition in Protestant Christianity based upon the ministry of the 18th-century evangelical reformer brothers John Wesley and Charle ...

teaching on sanctification, divine healing, and

speaking in tongues Speaking in tongues, also known as glossolalia, is a practice in which people utter words or speech-like sounds, often thought by believers to be languages unknown to the speaker. One definition used by linguists is the fluid vocalizing of sp ...

as the evidence of the

baptism of the Holy Spirit In Christian theology, baptism with the Holy Spirit, also called baptism in the Holy Spirit or baptism in the Holy Ghost, has been interpreted by different Christian denominations and traditions in a variety of ways due to differences in the doctr ...

Structure

In 2014, the (Original) Church of God had a membership of over 500 in 14 congregations. The (Original) Church of God has around 40 ordained ministers. Churches are located mainly in the east and south-central United States, such as Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Virginia, and West Virginia. They also have several churches and ministers located in the Philippines, Liberia and India. The (Original) Church of God owns a campground in Van Leer, Tennessee called Camp Ridgedale and publishes a bi-monthly magazine called ''The Messenger''. The (Original) Church of God is governed by a Board of

Bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...

s and led by a General Overseer. The current general overseer is Bishop James (Randy) Taylor. 255 Bailey Lane, Pulaski, TN 38478. The church has been updating its bylaws and beliefs, the beliefs. In 1993, the (Original) Church of God had a membership of over 18,000 in 70 congregations. The (Original) Church of God has around 50 ordained ministers. Churches are located mainly in the east and south-central United States, such as Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Virginia, and West Virginia. They also have several churches and ministers located in the Philippines, Liberia, and India. The (Original) Church of God owns a campground in Van Leer, Tennessee and publishes a bi-monthly magazine called The Messenger.

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Original Church of God, The Pentecostalism in the United States Church of God denominations Pentecostal denominations in North America Religious organizations established in 1886 Holiness denominations Holiness Pentecostals

History

Beliefs

Structure

Further reading

References

External links