Church of God of Prophecy
The Church of God of Prophecy is a Holiness Pentecostal Christian denomination. It is a part of the Church of God body of Cleveland, Tennessee. Their congregation came from a meeting of believers who had gathered at the Barney Creek Meeting House near the border of Tennessee and North Carolina in 1886.
The mission of The Church of God of Prophecy is to bear witness of Christ and His truth, to spread the Gospel of the Kingdom in its fullness and in its power, and to bring the rule of God into the hearts of men. They began the White Wing Publishing House, the White Wing Christian Bookstores, The Voice of Salvation radio and TV programs under the leadership of Milton A. Tomlinson.
History
An ordained Baptist minister, Elder Richard Spurling, had rejected the Landmark Baptist views of the church in 1886. He did not agree with exclusive and the dogmatic creeds.
Spurling organized the Christian Union from members from Holly Springs and Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Churches from Tennessee and North Carolina. The goal of this newly formed congregation was to free themselves from any man-made creed and get back to the New Testament teachings.
The son of Elder Richard Spurling, Richard Green Spruling, was ordained as the pastor of the Christian Union congregation in September 1886. Along with his father they had hopes to repair the church.
The Holiness Movement and Holy Ghost revival were going strong under the preaching of B. H. Irwin in 1895. Richard Green Spurling accepted the teachings from this movement, but rejected the direction he felt the movement was going. He influenced a holiness group that was led by W.F. Bryant to form the Holiness Church at Camp Creek, North Carolina.
Richard Green Spurling was the elected pastor and W. F. Bryant was ordained as a deacon in 1902.
A former Quaker, Ambrose J. Tomlinson came to the Appalachian region in 1899 as a missionary. He became a leader with the church at Camp Creek in 1903 and organized new churches in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia. The name of the newly organized churches was Church of God and the name was adopted in 1907.
Ambrose Tomlinson professed a Holy Ghost baptism in 1908 and this established the churches as part of the Pentecostal movement. He was elected General Overseer of the Church of God a year later in 1909.
Financial matters and governmental issues caused a split in the Church of God. The Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) was the largest of the split church. Ambrose Tomlinson was the leader of the smaller body until his death in 1943. Milton A. Tomlinson took over for his father in 1944. The name of this smaller church was called Church of God of Prophecy in May of 1952.
Belief
The Church of God of Prophecy believes the Church of God was founded by Jesus and restored in modern times. They believe reformation of Martin Luther, the Reformation of the Anabaptists and the Great Awakenings were part of the movement from God to restore the church in the year 1903.
The Church of God of Prophecy believes all members must be born again and maintain a Christian witness. All members of The Church of God of Prophecy must avoid the use of tobacco, alcohol and any illicit drugs, wearing gold for decoration, and taking of oaths. All believers are forbidden to be members of any secret societies or lodges, especially the Freemasons. Members cannot live in any sexual relationship that are deemed immoral and includes any marriage that is not sanctioned by the Scriptures.
The Church of God of Prophecy believes the Bible alone is the inspired, infallible inerrant word of God, and is the highest authority in the matters of faith and practice. They believe the Bible teaches living a life of holiness. Anyone not living a life of complete holiness will not gain membership into the church or can lose their membership. The Church of God of Prophecy believes God is the Sovereign of all creation, Christ is the headship over the Church, and the Holy Ghost leads in the worship and allows full manifestation of all spiritual gifts
The Church of God of Prophecy believes in water Baptism by immersion and Baptism in the Holy Spirit, the Lord’s Supper, and feet washing as the ordinances of the church. The Church of God of Prophecy believes members who have received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit must speak in other tongues. If a person has not spoken in tongues they are not baptized with the Holy Spirit.
The Church of God of Prophecy believes in physical healing. Ambrose Tomlinson taught physical healing was part of atonement. Tomlinson taught taking medicine, going to doctors was against the Word of God as written in Deuteronomy 28: 15-29 and Jeremiah 46: 11.
The Church of God of Prophecy believes they equip all believers to faithfully preach, teach and live the whole Word of God. They prepare for the return of Christ with all their hearts by committing to living lives of Biblical holiness and applying Biblical church discipline with love.
Cite Article Source
MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “Church of God of Prophecy:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2006.<https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2644,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006, January) “Church of God of Prophecy:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2644,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2006) “Church of God of Prophecy:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2644, (accessed).
