Church of God, Cleveland, TN ?

[tulipbee]

Theres a Church of God not far from where I live. I'm curous about this church. Can some share more details about this church, Church of God International Offices - Home - Cleveland, Tennesse, and how it compares to the rest of the Penticoatal churches? I believe the Pastor is an ordained bishop with the Church of God, Cleveland, Tenn. What does that mean?

 

[byhisstripes]

Good morning,
I am not sure what that means, have you tried to google it? Or call the church and ask them about it .... that would be where I would start. I am not aware that Pentecostles have Bishops .... and if we do, it is not a term I have heard them use before. Sorry I can not be of more help, but hope you find the answer you are looking for.

 

[stormdancer0]

I'm a CoG pastor. What do you want to know?

 

[tulipbee]

I'm a CoG pastor. What do you want to know?

I googled something and might have found a link between Ted Armstrong and CoG. Did worldwide CoG change their name? I used to get their magazine.

 

[LinkH]

Theres a Church of God not far from where I live. I'm curous about this church. Can some share more details about this church, Church of God International Offices - Home - Cleveland, Tennesse, and how it compares to the rest of the Penticoatal churches? I believe the Pastor is an ordained bishop with the Church of God, Cleveland, Tenn. What does that mean?

The Church of God denomination has a lot of churches in the Southeast. It grew out of a number of Holiness churches that were united together back before Azusa Street. They actually had an outbreak of speaking in tongues and various miracles before the Azusa Street Revival, and accepted Pentecostal doctrine (e.g. initial evidence) early on, I've read after the Azusa Street revival.

One of the early leaders, Tomlinson-- not exactly the founder since there were some existing churches before he came along, had a vision in the field of the woods near the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, not too far from Georgia, of the end times church of God. They named the denomination Church of God after that.

I think originally they believed in the baptism of the Holy Ghost as a third blessing, after salvation and an experience of sanctification. But like with many other Pentecostal groups in the Southeast, sanctification as an experience doesn't seem to be that common of a doctrine among the group.

I am not expert on this, but I think for them 'ordained bishop' is their highest level of ordination. The AOG also has levels of ordination or licensing. The COG started using the term 'bishop' for this some years ago. I don't think these bishops are over other churches. It is just an ordination title, I think. They do have state leaders abbreviated AB, which I think means administrative bishop. Church government is set up in an episcopal set up, kind of, emulating Methodists. This is found in some other Pentecostal denominations in the southeast-- at least with the PH churches. The COG (Cleveland) is a somewhat top-down organization where the AB has more authority in placing pastors than the congregation, though I think the smart ones try to work with the congregations' votes and recommendations, which don't officially decide anything--if I understand right. I don't know the COG minutes that they go by.

The COG denomination owns church buildings, making it difficult for churches to go independent. I think the denomination has been kind of shrinking in the US. Their doctrine is fairly standard Pentecostal doctrine on most issues. There is nothing too unusual, except maybe with church government issues if you are used to the AOG or other congregational or baptist type church government styles (or autocratic independent church leadership.)

Lots of COG's in the US are small, and there are a number of bi-vocational pastors who do not make near the minimum suggested salary on their payscale.

There are a lot of Bethel Church of Indonesia churches, which affiliated with the COG (Cleveland.) Style wise they are quite different. Some of them resemble certain other Charismatic movements in the US more. (WOF teachings were popular in some of them. It seems rare that COG preachers are heavily WOF in the US in my estimation, though there are some.) Indonesian Bethel churches also have some of their own leaders with their own doctrinal emphases you don't find much in the US.

Perry Stone is probably the most famous COG (Cleveland) preacher these days. He is an ordained bishop, I think, in their denomination. Probably your average COG preacher won't be as much into Jewish stuff and some of the more fantastic topics you might hear Perry Stone talk about. Jentzen Franklin was in the Congregational Holiness for a long time but I think that second church he ministered at or is ministering at in California is or was COG as well.

 

[Big Drew]

My experience is that Church of God is good folks...I've ministered at and visited several...there was only one that I did not like, but that was because the pastor seemed to have bought into the Word of Faith stuff...I visited there several times, and every Sunday he'd have a ten or fifteen minute mini sermon on paying your tithes...then all of his sermons were on being blessed...and by blessed he was speaking monetarily...That's a major turn off for me.

But, for the most part I like the Church of God...they're very similar to the IPHC, my denomination...they believe in the doctrine of Holiness...and that's a big plus in my book.

 

[stormdancer0]

I googled something and might have found a link between Ted Armstrong and CoG. Did worldwide CoG change their name? I used to get their magazine.

No, we were the Church of God for many, many years. Originally, the group, consisting of just a few people, was called the Christian Union. They had no intention of starting a new denomination.

If you go to the denomination website, you can find our statement of faith. If you have any questions, please, let me know.

 

[BarbaraJean]

The Church of God denomination has a lot of churches in the Southeast. It grew out of a number of Holiness churches that were united together back before Azusa Street. They actually had an outbreak of speaking in tongues and various miracles before the Azusa Street Revival, and accepted Pentecostal doctrine (e.g. initial evidence) early on, I've read after the Azusa Street revival.

One of the early leaders, Tomlinson-- not exactly the founder since there were some existing churches before he came along, had a vision in the field of the woods near the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, not too far from Georgia, of the end times church of God. They named the denomination Church of God after that.

I think originally they believed in the baptism of the Holy Ghost as a third blessing, after salvation and an experience of sanctification. But like with many other Pentecostal groups in the Southeast, sanctification as an experience doesn't seem to be that common of a doctrine among the group.

I am not expert on this, but I think for them 'ordained bishop' is their highest level of ordination. The AOG also has levels of ordination or licensing. The COG started using the term 'bishop' for this some years ago. I don't think these bishops are over other churches. It is just an ordination title, I think. They do have state leaders abbreviated AB, which I think means administrative bishop. Church government is set up in an episcopal set up, kind of, emulating Methodists. This is found in some other Pentecostal denominations in the southeast-- at least with the PH churches. The COG (Cleveland) is a somewhat top-down organization where the AB has more authority in placing pastors than the congregation, though I think the smart ones try to work with the congregations' votes and recommendations, which don't officially decide anything--if I understand right. I don't know the COG minutes that they go by.

The COG denomination owns church buildings, making it difficult for churches to go independent. I think the denomination has been kind of shrinking in the US. Their doctrine is fairly standard Pentecostal doctrine on most issues. There is nothing too unusual, except maybe with church government issues if you are used to the AOG or other congregational or baptist type church government styles (or autocratic independent church leadership.)

Lots of COG's in the US are small, and there are a number of bi-vocational pastors who do not make near the minimum suggested salary on their payscale.

There are a lot of Bethel Church of Indonesia churches, which affiliated with the COG (Cleveland.) Style wise they are quite different. Some of them resemble certain other Charismatic movements in the US more. (WOF teachings were popular in some of them. It seems rare that COG preachers are heavily WOF in the US in my estimation, though there are some.) Indonesian Bethel churches also have some of their own leaders with their own doctrinal emphases you don't find much in the US.

Perry Stone is probably the most famous COG (Cleveland) preacher these days. He is an ordained bishop, I think, in their denomination. Probably your average COG preacher won't be as much into Jewish stuff and some of the more fantastic topics you might hear Perry Stone talk about. Jentzen Franklin was in the Congregational Holiness for a long time but I think that second church he ministered at or is ministering at in California is or was COG as well.

This is excellent information and quite accurate! I'm not familiar with the information in the paragraph on the Bethel churches though so cannot confirm that.

Yes, Jentezen Franklin is CoG.

The Cleveland, TN CoG is not and has never been Worldwide Church of God.

Here is a brief synopsis of our origins from our web site.

"It was 1886, in a crude meeting house on the Tennessee-North Carolina border, where the Church of God traces its roots. There, a group of eight sincere Christians had a deep desire for a closer relationship and life with Christ. Realizing the futility of reforming their own churches, they established a new church whose objective would be to restore sound scriptural doctrines of the Bible, encourage deeper consecration and promote evangelism and Christian service. Twenty-one years after the formation of the Christian Union that evening at the Barney Creek Meeting House, the growing movement would establish themselves permanently as the Church of God."

 

[stormdancer0]

The Church of God has three levels of licensure.

An Exhorter is the first level of license. They are able to to most pastor duties, though they cannot marry people or preside over funerals.

Then comes ordained minister. They can marry people, etc. This is a high as a woman can go at this time.

Finally is ordained bishop. This is a voting level - in that they have voting power in the general assemblies, though everyone is allowed to speak their mind. Only ordained bishops can hold executive offices.

Hope this helps.

 

[iambren]

It has been my understanding that the COG Cleveland TN , the Assemblies of God, and the Foursquare Gospel church are pretty much doctrinally the same ie pentecostal-full gospel.

 

[Big Drew]

It has been my understanding that the COG Cleveland TN , the Assemblies of God, and the Foursquare Gospel church are pretty much doctrinally the same ie pentecostal-full gospel.

I know my denomination, IPHC, will allow someone with a minister's license or ordination from one of these denominations to pastor one of our churches. And, I know for sure that AoG honors our ministers as well...not sure if CoG or Foursquare does though. CoG, IPHC, and AoG all have Wesleyan Holiness roots...but Foursquare has it's roots in the Higher Life movement...but, when you read the difference between Higher Life and Holiness it's almost microscopic.

 

[LinkH]

I know my denomination, IPHC, will allow someone with a minister's license or ordination from one of these denominations to pastor one of our churches. And, I know for sure that AoG honors our ministers as well...not sure if CoG or Foursquare does though. CoG, IPHC, and AoG all have Wesleyan Holiness roots...but Foursquare has it's roots in the Higher Life movement...but, when you read the difference between Higher Life and Holiness it's almost microscopic.

I thought Foursquare came from Amie Semple McPherson's ministry and that she was ordained by Durham in LA less than a decade after the Azusa Street Revival, in the other Pentecostal church in town that sprung up after the Apostolic Faith Mission.

Do Foursquare believe in sanctification as a one-time experience? I would be surprised. I just went to one for a year, but they didn't talk about tongues or supernatural gifts from the pulpit in this one.

 

[Big Drew]

I thought Foursquare came from Amie Semple McPherson's ministry and that she was ordained by Durham in LA less than a decade after the Azusa Street Revival, in the other Pentecostal church in town that sprung up after the Apostolic Faith Mission.

Do Foursquare believe in sanctification as a one-time experience? I would be surprised. I just went to one for a year, but they didn't talk about tongues or supernatural gifts from the pulpit in this one.

McPherson was heavily influenced by the Salvation Army...which is the church she was raised in, and they believe in entire sanctification...this carried over into Foursquare's doctrine...I've never been to a Foursquare church, but a friend of mine used to pastor one and he said that there are many of the churches that you'd never even know were Pentecostal because there's never any movements of the Spirit...

 

[Ephesians1:3-23]

Lee University! I plan on going there after Junior College. Theres some awesome stuff happening there.

 

[ThePresbyteers]

My experience is that Church of God is good folks...I've ministered at and visited several...there was only one that I did not like, but that was because the pastor seemed to have bought into the Word of Faith stuff...I visited there several times, and every Sunday he'd have a ten or fifteen minute mini sermon on paying your tithes...then all of his sermons were on being blessed...and by blessed he was speaking monetarily...That's a major turn off for me.

But, for the most part I like the Church of God...they're very similar to the IPHC, my denomination...they believe in the doctrine of Holiness...and that's a big plus in my book.

Whats the difference between Word of Faith and CoG?

 

[ThePresbyteers]

---

Here is a brief synopsis of our origins from our web site.

"It was 1886, in a crude meeting house on the Tennessee-North Carolina border, where the Church of God traces its roots. There, a group of eight sincere Christians had a deep desire for a closer relationship and life with Christ. Realizing the futility of reforming their own churches, they established a new church whose objective would be to restore sound scriptural doctrines of the Bible, encourage deeper consecration and promote evangelism and Christian service. Twenty-one years after the formation of the Christian Union that evening at the Barney Creek Meeting House, the growing movement would establish themselves permanently as the Church of God."

Where these men in those crude meeting Methodist? Or what were they before? Baptist?

 

[stormdancer0]

Where these men in those crude meeting Methodist? Or what were they before? Baptist?

There were both Baptists and Methodists in this first meeting. There were several who had prayed for and worked for a couple of years for revival in traditional protestant churches, but when that was rebuffed, they met and discussed the possibility of a new movement, for the purpose of praying for and studying for a return to the full-power apostolic church.

 

[stormdancer0]

Whats the difference between Word of Faith and CoG?

Word of Faith is a belief system, where (in my opinion) God is treated like a blessing dispenser - if you give to the right ministries, you get blessings in return. It is this group that people say, "Send me $1000 seed money and God will bless that seed and you'll get $5000 back within a few months."

They also believe that if you have enough faith, you will have all your needs and wants provided by God. It is a school of thought that has allowed TV evangelists to justify living in multi-million dollar mansions, have private jets, and $3000 suits (or dresses) while millions of people go hungry every day. Needless to say, I don't agree with these teachings.

CoG is a protestant, Pentecostal denomination. We have teachings, doctrines, and a bureaucracy of leaders, just like Methodists and other denominations.

 

[Builder_Bob]

There is a CoG near me where the pastor is a bishop over 27 churches, a very smart man. I talk to him often about discussions here in CF we have some interesting conversations about the word of God. Good man.

 

[ThePresbyteers]

There were both Baptists and Methodists in this first meeting. There were several who had prayed for and worked for a couple of years for revival in traditional protestant churches, but when that was rebuffed, they met and discussed the possibility of a new movement, for the purpose of praying for and studying for a return to the full-power apostolic church.

Baptist and Methodist are probably more tolerant towards the Gift of Prophecy than the churches that teach Calvinism. I have a gut feeling that Calvinism is intolerant towards any new Prophecies. I believe the Jehovah Witness and related churches don't believe in modern day miracles, either.
I've run out of denominations to hop and starting to look into churches that are more towards the living God or allowing the Holy Spirit to move people. I'm liking the idea of being in the presence and most churches that I've hopped from are intolerant to anything new and somewhat stuck in the chains of legalism or Calvinism.
My question, here, is how does the Pentecostals observe the Gift of Prophecies compare to churches that don't believe there isn't no long tongues and gift of Prophecies?
Are gifts of Prophecies still in effect?