Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee)
Introduction
The Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) is considered a Protestant Christian denomination. It is much different than other Churches of God because it is part of the Holiness Pentecostal movement that developed in 1800.
The Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) condemns the use of alcohol, tobacco, and the wearing of jewelry. They oppose the membership in all secret societies.
The Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) has its headquarters in Cleveland, Tennessee. They operate Lee University which was established in 1918.
The Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) is unique because of their music which plays an important part in their worship. Each church is individual and the music played varies. Music at times seems to overshadow the traditional Protestant sermons. The genre is usually old time gospel in a sing-a-long atmosphere.
History
The Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) can be traced back to 1886. There was a meeting of Christians at Barney Creek Meeting House on the Tennessee and North Carolina border. These Christians were originally known as the Christian Union. They were led by Richard G. Spurling.
Elder Richard Spurling was an ordained Baptist minister who rejected some of the views that were not based accurately upon the New Testament. Richard Spurling and seven other members from Holly Springs and Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Churches in Monroe County, Tennessee and Cherokee Country, North Carolina organized the Christian Union in August 1886. This newly formed group agreed to eliminate all man-made creeds and concentrate on the teachings of the New Testament.
The Holiness Church was founded by the son of Richard Spurling, Richard Green Spurling, and W.F. Bryant at Camp Creek, North Carolina in 1902. There were other churches organized in Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee and they adopted the name of The Church of God in 1907.
It was in 1923 when The Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) and the Church of God of Prophecy was created because of a division of the Holiness Church.
Belief
The Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) believes the Bible is the inspired and inerrant of Word God. They rely upon the Bible as a whole rather than upon any written creed.
They believe the one true God is eternal and exists in three persons; the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost. They believe Jesus is the only begotten Son of the Father; He was conceived of the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary. Jesus was crucified, buried and rose from the dead. They believe Jesus ascended into heaven and is today at the right hand of the Father as the Intercessor.
The Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) believes all people have sinned and come short of the glory of God. They believe repentance is the command of God for all and is necessary for the forgiveness of sins. They believe justification, regeneration, and sanctification are the result of a new birth brought by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ.
They believe Baptism is by full water immersion for all who repent. They believe all should be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and of the Holy Ghost.
The Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) believes the Lord’s Supper and washing of the feet of the saints are ordained by Jesus Christ for an observance of Him. They practice divine healing.
They believe in the second coming of Jesus. They believe this second coming is to resurrect the righteous dead and to catch away the living saints to Jesus in the air. They believe they will reign on the earth a thousand years with Jesus.
The Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) believes in the bodily resurrection for all. They believe in eternal life for the righteous and eternal punishment for the wicked.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee):.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2006.<https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2638,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006, January) “Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee):.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2638,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006) “Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee):.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2638, (accessed).
