Church of God (Guthrie, Oklahoma)
Encyclopedia
The Church of God is a Christian
church with roots in the holiness movement
.
in 1905. Its early work toward racial integration gained it the pejorative title The Church of God (Holstein). The congregation at Guthrie hosts the Oklahoma State campmeeting each May and the Oklahoma State assembly meeting each December.
In 2003, the Church of God (Guthrie, Oklahoma) had 43 congregations in 18 states in the United States
; (the largest concentrations being in Oklahoma
and California
). The church does not keep membership rolls. Faith and Victory (founded 1923) is a monthly (11 months per year) publication of the church. Through mission efforts the church has extended into 6 other countries outside of the U.S.
and others that were instrumental in bringing about the "Evening Light Reformation." They believe that God began to restore the church to the standards and light of the early morning church era through Warner and others in 1880. The Guthrie congregation and associated congregations are from a minority group that dissolved fellowship with Church of God (Anderson)
in 1910-1911. This minority felt that the majority was compromising the original teachings of the Evening Light Reformation and chose to remain with what they believed to be the original standards. They felt that this could easily be ascertained by comparing the teachings of the Anderson Movement at that time with the original writings of the Evening Light Reformation.
Although Guthrie is home to one of the larger congregations in this fellowship, Guthrie is not the headquarters. The church teaches that Christ is the head of the church and that the headquarters is in heaven. An ecclesiastical hierarchy with one man having the preeminence over others is considered man-rule and not the pattern described in the Bible for church leadership.
The doctrines of the church are similar to those of the Church of God (Anderson)
in its earlier days. In comparison, the church maintains a stronger emphasis on separation and holiness than the Anderson Movement. Sanctification
http://www.churchofgodeveninglight.com/doctrines.htm is held as a second work of grace
after justification by faith. In keeping with the standard of holiness, a ministerial statement http://thegospeltrumpet.net/ was issued in 1959 taking a stand against people in leadership positions in the church having televisions in their homes. The church teaches that the committing of willful sin, and that alone, disqualifies someone from being a member.
Practices of the church include baptism
by immersion, the Lord's supper, feet washing
, lifting up holy hands, anointing with oil, divine healing, fasting and a cappella
singing. Teaching on the end of time is that the second coming of the Lord represents the end of the world and the end of life on the world for all people, both good and evil, without there being a one thousand year reign on earth or second chance for the wicked to repent. Free-will offering is taught rather than tithing, and the ministry believes in living by faith rather than accepting salaries.
The Monark campmeeting begins the third Friday of each July and continues for 10 days. The grounds include dining and sleeping facilities. The Church of God ministry believes in Holy Spirit leadership in the services, allowing liberty for calling of songs, testimonies, and preaching in the general services, as the Lord leads rather than following a prepared schedule. Special services are usually set aside for missionary reports, for observance of foot-washing and the Lord’s supper, and for healing of the sick. The healing service coincides with fast day.
Two meetings are held in Guthrie each year - the Oklahoma State Campmeeting toward the end of May and the Assembly meeting toward the end of December. Both are ten day meetings. Other major meetings are held in California, West Virginia, and Louisiana each year.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
church with roots in the holiness movement
Holiness movement
The holiness movement refers to a set of beliefs and practices emerging from the Methodist Christian church in the mid 19th century. The movement is distinguished by its emphasis on John Wesley's doctrine of "Christian perfection" - the belief that it is possible to live free of voluntary sin - and...
.
History
George Winn, an ex-slave, founded the Guthrie congregation at GuthrieGuthrie, Oklahoma
Guthrie is a city in and the county seat of Logan County, Oklahoma, United States, and a part of the Oklahoma City Metroplex. The population was 9,925 at the 2000 census.Guthrie was the territorial and later the first state capital for Oklahoma...
in 1905. Its early work toward racial integration gained it the pejorative title The Church of God (Holstein). The congregation at Guthrie hosts the Oklahoma State campmeeting each May and the Oklahoma State assembly meeting each December.
In 2003, the Church of God (Guthrie, Oklahoma) had 43 congregations in 18 states in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
; (the largest concentrations being in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
). The church does not keep membership rolls. Faith and Victory (founded 1923) is a monthly (11 months per year) publication of the church. Through mission efforts the church has extended into 6 other countries outside of the U.S.
Theology and Practices
This body attempts to closely follow the teachings of Daniel Sidney WarnerDaniel Sidney Warner
Daniel Sidney Warner is known primarily as a church reformer and one of the founders of the Church of God and other similar church groups. He is also known for some of his songs which other church groups have incorporated into their hymnody. He is mostly known by only the initials of his given...
and others that were instrumental in bringing about the "Evening Light Reformation." They believe that God began to restore the church to the standards and light of the early morning church era through Warner and others in 1880. The Guthrie congregation and associated congregations are from a minority group that dissolved fellowship with Church of God (Anderson)
Church of God (Anderson)
The Church of God is a holiness Christian body with roots in Wesleyan pietism and also in the restorationist traditions. Founded in 1881 by Daniel Sidney Warner, the church claims 1,170,143 adherents...
in 1910-1911. This minority felt that the majority was compromising the original teachings of the Evening Light Reformation and chose to remain with what they believed to be the original standards. They felt that this could easily be ascertained by comparing the teachings of the Anderson Movement at that time with the original writings of the Evening Light Reformation.
Although Guthrie is home to one of the larger congregations in this fellowship, Guthrie is not the headquarters. The church teaches that Christ is the head of the church and that the headquarters is in heaven. An ecclesiastical hierarchy with one man having the preeminence over others is considered man-rule and not the pattern described in the Bible for church leadership.
The doctrines of the church are similar to those of the Church of God (Anderson)
Church of God (Anderson)
The Church of God is a holiness Christian body with roots in Wesleyan pietism and also in the restorationist traditions. Founded in 1881 by Daniel Sidney Warner, the church claims 1,170,143 adherents...
in its earlier days. In comparison, the church maintains a stronger emphasis on separation and holiness than the Anderson Movement. Sanctification
Sanctification
Sanctity is an ancient concept widespread among religions, a property of a thing or person sacred or set apart within the religion, from totem poles through temple vessels to days of the week, to a human believer who achieves this state. Sanctification is the act or process of acquiring sanctity,...
http://www.churchofgodeveninglight.com/doctrines.htm is held as a second work of grace
Christian perfection
Christian perfection, also known as perfect love; heart purity; the baptism of the Holy Spirit; the fullness of the blessing; Christian holiness; the second blessing; and entire sanctification, is a Christian doctrine which holds that the heart of the regenerant Christian may attain a state of...
after justification by faith. In keeping with the standard of holiness, a ministerial statement http://thegospeltrumpet.net/ was issued in 1959 taking a stand against people in leadership positions in the church having televisions in their homes. The church teaches that the committing of willful sin, and that alone, disqualifies someone from being a member.
Practices of the church include baptism
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
by immersion, the Lord's supper, feet washing
Feet washing
Foot washing or washing of feet is a religious rite observed as an ordinance by several Christian denominations. The name, and even the spelling, of this practice is not consistently established, being variously known as foot washing, washing the saints' feet, pedilavium, and mandatum.For some...
, lifting up holy hands, anointing with oil, divine healing, fasting and a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
singing. Teaching on the end of time is that the second coming of the Lord represents the end of the world and the end of life on the world for all people, both good and evil, without there being a one thousand year reign on earth or second chance for the wicked to repent. Free-will offering is taught rather than tithing, and the ministry believes in living by faith rather than accepting salaries.
Camp
A campground for church of God meetings was built at Monark Springs, Missouri. The original tabernacle was constructed in 1940, and has been expanded more than once. The tabernacle at Monark is still in use today for the national Church of God campmeeting, with attendance from a number of States and international locations.The Monark campmeeting begins the third Friday of each July and continues for 10 days. The grounds include dining and sleeping facilities. The Church of God ministry believes in Holy Spirit leadership in the services, allowing liberty for calling of songs, testimonies, and preaching in the general services, as the Lord leads rather than following a prepared schedule. Special services are usually set aside for missionary reports, for observance of foot-washing and the Lord’s supper, and for healing of the sick. The healing service coincides with fast day.
Two meetings are held in Guthrie each year - the Oklahoma State Campmeeting toward the end of May and the Assembly meeting toward the end of December. Both are ten day meetings. Other major meetings are held in California, West Virginia, and Louisiana each year.
External links
- Church of God Website - Doctrines of truth and holiness, books for the seeker, tracts for the believer and unbeliever, recorded messages that can be heard online, beautiful singing and food for the soul.
- Faith Publishing House Publisher of Church of God books, tracts, Sunday School material and a monthly paper entitled Faith and Victory.
- Church of God missionary efforts - in Africa
- Church of God missionary efforts - in Honduras and India
- Testimonies of Saints - Healing, Salvation, and Sanctification
- Church of God Singing - Congregational and Special Songs
- Church of God Preaching - Gospel preaching by Church of God ministry
- Predicación - Predicación de la iglesia de Dios en Español