The first general secretary of COGIC was Elder William B. Holt, a white minister. Mason as General Overseer and Chief Apostle. 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 . Church Of God In Christ, Inc. 2015-23. Gary Lewis was elected to the post of Secretary General on July 29, 2022 at the Church of God International General Assembly in San Antonio, Texas. Login ::: Church Of God In Christ ARC Portal ::: Log-in to your ARC account. Owens continued to serve as a jurisdictional bishop and member of the General Board until his death in 2011. The COGIC constitution at the time did not identify a clear successor or the authority of the executive board after Mason's death. [13], Although the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) began earlier, it is still the case that in 1907, with ten congregations, The Church of God in Christ became the first legally chartered Pentecostal body incorporated in the United States. She developed the role of the State Minister of Music and traveled the world conducting seminars and workshops perfecting the quality of choir music, their performance, appearance and demeanor, and the COGIC sound. They unanimously chose C.H. She was greatly interested in the building of Mason Temple and she kept her national building fund drives functioning until she knew the building was ready for dedication. Winbush was selected to serve as the first chairman. In November 1975, at the National Holy Convocation in Memphis, TN., with the consent of the General Board, Bishop Carlis Moody Sr. of Evanston, Illinois, was appointed by Bishop J. O. Patterson to be president of the Department of Home and Foreign Missions. COGIC believes "that if such a case arises, the mother should pray and seek the wisdom and guidance of God and the Holy Spirit on whether or not they should resort to emergency abortion if it is necessary to save her life," but if not, the Church traditionally encourages expecting mothers to "seek God's guidance for other options and choices regarding their unborn child so that they do not have to choose aborting it, and can safely go through with their pregnancy until childbirth. [17][16] The organizers of the meeting in Hot Springs had sent invitations only to white ministers to discuss a new movement. The COGIC has always had a long history with Christian ecumenism, partnering up with and collaborating with other Christian churches and denominations for the purposes of advancing ministry and charity efforts, both in the United States, and globally in foreign countries as well. Some of these African-American Baptist pastors in local Southern areas such as Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas considered Jones and Mason to be controversial. He also established the COGIC national headquarters there. [9] This Holiness group/fellowship adopted the name Church of God in Christ, and COGIC began to develop congregations throughout the South. Mother Deborah Mason Patterson#, daughter of founder, Bishop Mason and wife of first presiding bishop James O. Patterson Sr. Vice President of COGIC World Missions-Bishop Nate' M. Jefferson. Our Legacy It includes not only those who are members of COGIC, but all believers who have placed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He believed that the name, taken from 1 Thessalonians 2:14, was divinely revealed and biblically inspired. A. Jeter was selected as Overseer of Arkansas. Evangelist Goldia Haynes, Elder Utah Smith, Madame Earnestine Washington, and Marion Williams continued COGIC's influence throughout the fifties and sixties. Jurisdictions are set up similar to the national church in terms of composition, polity, and procedure. COGIC believes, though, that even then in the case of saving the life of the mother, that abortion should still only be considered as a last resort, if all other options to help the mother and the unborn fetus have been thoroughly exhausted. The current General Supervisor of Women is Dr. Barbara McCoo Lewis of Los Angeles, California. Coffey also began the use of the title "Jurisdictional Supervisor" for state mothers as more jurisdictions were forming in each state.[59]. All charges against a Pastor or a local Church must be filed with the General Secretary, and the Jurisdictional Secretary. Battles served as president until his death in December 1996. She is also the Jurisdictional Supervisor for the First Jurisdiction, Southern California. G. E. Patterson established the Temple of Deliverance, the Cathedral of Bountiful Blessing which grew to become the largest Pentecostal church in Memphis with over 14,000 members. [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. The designated church mother along with other "older and seasoned" women of the church provided the practical teaching of holiness in daily life and practice. [10] After testifying to being sanctified, members of the church referred to themselves as "Saints", believing that they were set apart to live a daily life of Christian Holiness in words and deeds.[11]. This group of seven bishops became known officially as the executive commission; they took on greater responsibility over church affairs until Mason's death. On June 5, 1951, he selected Bishop A. During the tenure of Bishop L. H. Ford as Presiding Bishop in the 1990s, he helped gain COGIC membership into the Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America, a more diverse, international caucus of different Pentecostal church denominations and organizations that sought to heal the racial divides in the North American Pentecostal movement.[57]. Bishop Charles H. McClelland Board member (2021present). The first convention was held in Los Angeles, California, in 1951. She was the wife and companion of Bishop John Seth Bailey, a trusted adviser of Bishop Mason, and later the first assistant presiding bishop of the church. Each department convened its own convention in various cities through 1975. As the first elected presiding bishop, Bishop Patterson Sr. established the Charles Harrison Mason Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia. Deaconess Missionaries serve and assist in the ceremonial and temporal affairs of the local church. Mother Willie Mae Rivers (19972017) of Goose Creek, South Carolina, succeeded Mother Crouch. It has nine members, elected by the general assembly, including three bishops, three elders, and three lay members. Patterson Sr. in 1989. He was denied such trial in 2016. Field representative, International Sunday School Department Mother Cleolia Penix. [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. Mrs. Mattie McCaulley of Tulsa, Oklahoma was the first to respond, and was sent to Trinidad. Jurisdictions range in size between 30 and 100 churches. Complete biographical information will be added to this page soon. Carter currently posts material on YouTube and Facebook reporting alleged misconduct and impropriety within current leadership of COGIC and other Christian (mainly African-American) denominations. 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]. Bishop Jones was the only living bishop of the five original bishops consecrated by Bishop Mason. The international membership of COGIC is estimated be between one and three million adherents. Under her leadership, the Women's International Convention added the term "and Crusade" to highlight and promote the evangelistic approach of the convention. COGIC teaches that the Holy Spirit is alive and active in the world. The school enjoyed its greatest growth and success under the leadership of Dr. Arenia Conella Mallory (19041977). At the 1907 COGIC Convocation held in Jackson, a separation occurred among Jones and other leaders in the church because of such disagreements. Patterson established protocols of worship, policy and practices. He is credited with helping to secure the steel needed to construct Mason Temple which was virtually impossible during World War II.[52]. She was the Jurisdictional Supervisor of Women for California Northern First Jurisdiction. 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 presiding bishop is part of a general board, consisting of eleven other bishops elected by a general assembly consisting of pastors, elders, chaplains, bishops, missionaries, supervisors, and designated lay delegates. 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. Office of the General Secretary Office of the General Secretary Church Of God In Christ | Memphis TN Vice President of COGIC World Missions-Supervisor Faye M. Butler. In 1964 however, disagreement between the authority of the Senior Bishop and the executive board, led by Bishop A. By 1906, the church had grown to nearly 100 congregations in three states. Youth on a Mission (YOAM) a ministry of young people visiting the mission field to serve each summer. Church mothers have historically served as the leader of the women's ministries in the local congregations. This seasonal period was selected because most of the COGIC members were farmers and were finished harvesting their crops around this time. Assistant Elect Lady, COGIC World Missions-Supervisor Lee E.Van Zandt. A. Blackwell, E. M. Blackwell, E. M. Page, R. H. I. Clark, D. J. Mason sent ministers and evangelists to cities and urban areas outside the South, including William Roberts (Chicago), O. M. Kelly (New York), O. T. Jones Sr. (Philadelphia), E. R. Driver (Los Angeles), and Samuel Kelsey (Washington, D.C.) From these major cities, COGIC spread throughout the country. The first Sunday School Superintendent was Professor L. W. Lee (19081916). It can be spoken of as the individual and the collective, physical and spiritual. President, International Department of Evangelism Evangelist Gary Sprewell, Elect Lady, International Department of Evangelism . Furthermore, the new constitution created the office of the presiding bishop and a general board of twelve bishops and defined their responsibilities. Bishop Prince E. W. Bryant Sr. Board member (2021present). In 1945, Mason dedicated Mason Temple in Memphis as the church's national meeting site. [29] She is also the Jurisdictional Supervisor of Women for the South Carolina Jurisdiction. Administrative Assistant & Member Executive Committee-General Assembly - 1989-Present. 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. Education was considered key to advancement of the race. Each state in the US consists of at least one jurisdiction, and several states have more than one jurisdiction. He testified to receiving entire sanctification after reading her autobiography in 1893. They were given the authority through a "gentlemen's agreement" to license ministers and establish churches under the COGIC name. Secretary of the National Board of Trustees Dr. T. Lynn Smith. The Church may search and retrieve any information stored within this system. law enforcement and other purposes. Welcome to the Official Church Of God In Christ, Inc Online Store Dismiss. The COGIC emphasized the use of the choir as an integral part of the worship experience. General Secretary Church of God in Christ, Inc. 930 Mason Street Memphis, Tennessee 38126 To file charges against a bishop, send the grievance to; The Chairman of the Board of Bishops, the Chairman of the Board of Bishops Grievance Committee, and the General Secretary Bishop Lyle. Mother Jennie Bell Dancy Jones of Arkansas became the first National Field Representative under Bishop Patrick. On November 14, 1968, the General Assembly of the COGIC elected the first general board and presiding bishop of the church. The Chairman of the Board of Bishops, CC it to both the Board of Bishop's Secretary and the Chairman of the Grievance Committee. She established new auxiliaries including the International Hospitality Unit, the Educational and Bishop's Wives Scholarship funds, WE-12 and Lavender Ladies. Dr. Mattie Moss Clark#, second and longest-serving president of Int'l. Bishop Mason was opposed to the ordination of women to formal ministry, but in 1911 created an autonomous department to promote the ministry of women in the church. [22], The years of 19621968 has been described as a "Dark Period" in the history of the Church of God in Christ, because there was polarization and conflict in leadership following the death of the founder. These elders became the first Pentecostal General Assembly of the Church of God in Christ. Young were appointed as a committee by C. P. Jones to investigate reports of a revival in Los Angeles, California that was being led by an itinerant preacher named William J. Seymour. It is a separate and distinct work of grace that occurs in the lives of believers after conversion. Young, James Brewer, Daniel Spearman, and J. H. Boone. However, the Church believes that in some extreme or rare cases, medical and operational abortion may be the safest way to help the mother if the pregnancy is jeopardizing the mother's life and health. Chairman of the Board of Bishops Bishop Albert Galbraith. He was pastor of the Pentecostal Temple Institutional COGIC in Memphis, Tennessee, and was the Presiding Prelate of the Tennessee Headquarters Jurisdiction. Other leaders of the Youth Department who leader became influential leaders of the church included: Bishop F.D. Chairman of AIM Bishop Linwood Dillard. The General Board of the Church of God in Christ, Inc (COGIC) is responsible for establishing and executing policies for the membership, as well as sustaining and perpetuating spiritual order within the Church. 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. Women in COGIC have been influential in the leadership and organization of the church since its inception. Throughout the dispute, Elder Carter made allegations against Bishop Blake for impropriety, sexual misconduct, and abuse of power as presiding bishop. Dr. Roy L.H. COGIC became a major force in the collective Black Church and worldwide Pentecostal movement. [16] [3] 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. " The church believes that women are gifted and called to ministry; it does not, however, officially ordain women to the office of elder, pastor, or bishop. In his first year as Presiding Bishop in 2021, in order to combat debt that the church had accrued from previous years, Bishop Sheard helped to launch the "I Love My Church" Initiative, which was a massive fundraising campaign that helped the COGIC denomination to pay off much of its debts, renovate and refurbish its headquarters church, Mason Temple, establish housing complexes for low-income families throughout Shelby County, Tennessee near the church's headquarters, and purchased a former Catholic nunnery convent in Memphis to provide housing for single mothers affected by health challenges, disabilities, teen pregnancies, and domestic violence. [29] COGIC continued to grow and in 1973, the church claimed a worldwide membership of nearly three million. 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. 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. Christ is the Head of the church, and He is the only mediator between God and humanity, and there is no salvation in any other. Recognizing the significance of women to the ministry, COGIC has created numerous positions that allow women to work as counterparts to the department presidents as chair ladies (YPWW) and Elect ladies (Evangelism). He also instituted the Annual Prayer Breakfast, conducted Evangelistic Crusades across the country and developed the Church of God in Christ National Evangelist Registry. Dress should be modest and business-formal. He was elected four times uncontested as presiding bishop. The church has more than 3,000 churches in Asia, and 2,000 churches in the Caribbean and South America. Not everyone in the church were willing to accept "speaking in tongues" as the initial evidence of baptism of the Holy Ghost. Divorce is considered inconsistent with biblical teachings and is highly discouraged as well, but exceptions are made for special circumstances. 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. These jurisdictions are then separated into districts, which consist of 5 to 7 churches and are governed by superintendents (ordained elder or pastor). The Department of Evangelism was officially organized on a national level by Overseer L.C. For a brief period of time, the YPWW Congress was combined with the Sunday School Congress in a joint convention until 1951. Drew Sheard. 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]. They disagreed in having an electoral process to select the presiding bishop.[28]. There seemed no prospect of an integrated Pentecostal movement under the leadership of an African-American such as C. H. Between one and three million sent to Trinidad a separate and distinct work of grace occurs. Were willing to accept `` speaking in tongues '' as the church 's national meeting site cogic general secretary ( ). 19081916 ) Patterson Sr. established the Charles Harrison Mason Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia collective, physical and.! Bishop Jones was the Jurisdictional secretary to nearly 100 congregations in three states throughout South... 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