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The Church of God

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 19 th century South Editor of weekly The Tennessee Baptist (1848-1893) Prolific publishing company. James R. Graves.

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The Church of God

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  1. The Church of God An Introduction

  2. Chapter 1 The Christian Union: The Baptist Womb

  3. 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

  4. “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

  5. The Quest for Revival • Richard Spurling [father] • Born ca. 1810 • Bought property on Barney Creek in Monroe County, Tennessee • Farmer/Millwright Richard Spurling (1810-1891)

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

  9. 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

  10. 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

  11. Chapter 2 The Holiness-Pentecostal Revival

  12. Shearer Schoolhouse Revival • 1896 • Camp Creek in Cherokee County, North Carolina • Lay evangelists • Preached Sanctification Shearer Schoolhouse

  13. Holiness Evangelists: Preaching the Revival • Elias Milton “Milt” McNabb (Baptist) • William “Billy” Hamby (Baptist) • William “Billy” Martin (Methodist) • Joe M. Tipton (Baptist) Milt McNabb Billy Martin

  14. W. F. Bryant:Conserving the Revival • Prayer meetings • Sunday school • Divine healings • Some experienced speaking in tongues • Healings William F. Bryant

  15. 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 Pastor W.F. Bryant home

  16. Chapter 3 A New Leader: A.J. Tomlinson

  17. Early Life • 1865-1943 • Quaker • Immediate family not religious • Interested in sports and drama • Businessman • Conversion

  18. Early Life • Married Mary Jane Taylor • April 24, 1889 • Lighting struck house • Studied Bible and Prayed Wedding Day

  19. Colportage Work in N.C. • American Bible Society • American Tract Society • From about 1897

  20. 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)

  21. Missionary Evangelist • Established School • Clothing Distribution • Attempted Orphanage Culberson, North Carolina

  22. 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”

  23. Holiness Church “If you take the whole Bible rightly divided, that makes it the Church of God.” A. J. Tomlinson W. F. Bryant Home

  24. 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)

  25. Cleveland, Tennessee • Tomlinson relocated to Cleveland, TN • December 1904 • 50 miles from Camp Creek Tomlinson home at 2525 Gaut Street

  26. Chapter 4 The Development of Polity

  27. 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

  28. First Assembly: Location • Camp Creek, North Carolina • J.C. Murphy Home (Owned by Dickson Kilpatrick)

  29. First Assembly:Topics of Discussion • Assembly record keeping • Local church record keeping • Communion and feet-washing • Prayer-meetings • Evangelism

  30. First Assembly:Topics of Discussion • Use of tobacco • Family worship • Sunday school • Letter of recommendation • Annual assembly

  31. 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

  32. 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

  33. 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

  34. Third Assembly (1908) • Met at Cleveland church • Largest church in movement Cleveland (North) Church of God

  35. 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)

  36. Chapter 5 A Pentecostal Theology

  37. 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. Tomlinson Last Great Conflict William J. Seymour

  38. 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]

  39. 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

  40. Tomlinson and Spirit Baptism:Awakening • Tomlinson visited revival in Birmingham AL • June 1907 • M.M. Pinson was preacher M.M. Pinson

  41. 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

  42. 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. Tomlinson Last Great Conflict

  43. Chapter 6 The Developing Movement

  44. 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

  45. 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 school R.G. Spurling

  46. 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

  47. Chapter 7 A Painful Division

  48. Assembly Auditorium Cleveland 1920-

  49. Expansion of Responsibilities: General Overseer for Life • 10th General Assembly (1914) • Cleveland, Tennessee • Messages in tongues and interpretations • Human agreement A. J. Tomlinson

  50. 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

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