Church of God General Conference (Abrahamic Faith)
Encyclopedia
The Church of God General Conference (CoGGC) is an Adventist
Christian
body which is also known as the Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith and the Church of God General Conference (McDonough, Georgia). The Church of the Blessed Hope
, some of whose congregations also use the name Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith (CGAF) are a separate denomination, although they share the same origins.
that eventually united in 1921 in Waterloo, Iowa
to form the current national organization. These small groups had reached similar doctrinal convictions through independent Bible study. In the mid-19th century, some of the individuals and groups, including Joseph Marsh
of New York, Nathaniel Field
of Indiana
, and the Wilson family of Illinois
(Benjamin Wilson
's family), began to circulate religious writings which made the groups aware of one another. This led to fellowship, the development of state conferences, and an attempted national organization in 1888. Strong convictions on the autonomy and authority of individual congregations, though, led to the demise of the original attempt.
In 1921 the groups divided, with the larger becoming the Church of God General Conference, and the smaller the Church of the Blessed Hope
. The Church of the Blessed Hope held to the beliefs shared by Benjamin Wilson, and the Church of God General Conference expanded their belief system to embrace doctrines (e.g. the existence of a personal devil) previously not held by the group Wilson helped co-found.
historically known as Socinianism
, although adherents of this view today often prefer the term "Biblical Unitarianism
". The main distinguishing doctrinal difference between Church of God General Conference (CoGGC) and Christadelphians
and Church of the Blessed Hope
(CGAF) is that the majority of CoGGC members believe that Satan
is a literal fallen angel, although a minority do not. Anthony Buzzard
of Atlanta Bible College has debated Christadelphians and written defending the traditional view of the devil.
in Henry County, Georgia
in the metro-Atlanta
area. The Restitution Herald is the official periodical of the church, and is published bi-monthly. A journal dealing with the doctrines of the movement, A Journal From the Radical Reformation, has been published quarterly since 1991. According to the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches, the Church of God General Conference had 89 churches and 5018 members in 2002.
Korean Extension: The Korean Extension is a Korean ministry of the Atlanta Bible College. The Korean Extension was officially started in the fall semester of the 2003 school year by Pastor Steve An. The Korean Extension is led by Pastors Steve An & Sam An, and the campus is located in Duluth, Georgia. As of the year 2010 there are approximately 100 students in the Atlanta Bible College Korean Extension.
Adventist
Adventism is a Christian movement which began in the 19th century, in the context of the Second Great Awakening revival in the United States. The name refers to belief in the imminent Second Coming of Jesus Christ. It was started by William Miller, whose followers became known as Millerites...
Christian
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...
body which is also known as the Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith and the Church of God General Conference (McDonough, Georgia). The Church of the Blessed Hope
Church of the Blessed Hope
The Church of the Blessed Hope is a small first-day Adventist Christian body.-Background:...
, some of whose congregations also use the name Church of God of the Abrahamic Faith (CGAF) are a separate denomination, although they share the same origins.
History
The Church of God General Conference has roots in several similar groups in North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
that eventually united in 1921 in Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo, Iowa
Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census the population decreased by 0.5% to 68,406. Waterloo is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, and is the more populous of the two...
to form the current national organization. These small groups had reached similar doctrinal convictions through independent Bible study. In the mid-19th century, some of the individuals and groups, including Joseph Marsh
Joseph Marsh (Adventist)
Joseph Marsh was an American Millerite preacher, and editor of The Advent Harbinger and Bible Advocate.-Life:Joseph Marsh was born in St. Albans, Franklin, Vermont, on December 6, 1802. When he was 16 the family moved to Genesee County, New York, where his parents were disfellowshipped by the...
of New York, Nathaniel Field
Nathaniel Field (Adventist)
Nathaniel Field M.D was an American abolitionist, and Adventist preacher.-Life:Field was born in Jefferson County, Kentucky on the 7th of November, 1805. He graduated from Transylvania medical school, Lexington, Kentucky, and practiced medicine in Alabama for three years. In 1829 he removed to...
of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, and the Wilson family of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
(Benjamin Wilson
Benjamin Wilson (Biblical scholar)
Benjamin Wilson was an autodidact Biblical scholar and writer of the Emphatic Diaglott translation of the Bible...
's family), began to circulate religious writings which made the groups aware of one another. This led to fellowship, the development of state conferences, and an attempted national organization in 1888. Strong convictions on the autonomy and authority of individual congregations, though, led to the demise of the original attempt.
In 1921 the groups divided, with the larger becoming the Church of God General Conference, and the smaller the Church of the Blessed Hope
Church of the Blessed Hope
The Church of the Blessed Hope is a small first-day Adventist Christian body.-Background:...
. The Church of the Blessed Hope held to the beliefs shared by Benjamin Wilson, and the Church of God General Conference expanded their belief system to embrace doctrines (e.g. the existence of a personal devil) previously not held by the group Wilson helped co-found.
Doctrines
Doctrines of the Church of God General Conference include belief in the authority of the Bible as the rule of faith, one God, who is the Father, Jesus is God's Son, who came into existence beginning with his miraculous conception in Mary's womb, repentance is life long change, the literal premillennial second coming of Jesus Christ, those who have accepted the gospel will be resurrected at the return of Christ, and that the promises of God to Abraham will be literally fulfilled, referred to as the "Kingdom of God" being established on earth.Statement of Faith
The Church of God General Conference statement of faith states, and Atlanta Bible College advocates as follows:- the oneness of GodMonotheismMonotheism is the belief in the existence of one and only one god. Monotheism is characteristic of the Baha'i Faith, Christianity, Druzism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Samaritanism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.While they profess the existence of only one deity, monotheistic religions may still...
(1 Cor. 8:6) - that the Holy SpiritHoly SpiritHoly Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
is God's power (Acts 1:8) - Jesus Christ is God's only begotten Son (Matt. 16:16), and is our Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5)
- the Bible is the inspired Word of God (2 Tim. 3:16)
- the mortality of man (Job 4:17; Psa. 146:4)
- the near return of Christ (Acts 1:11), and life only through Him (Col. 3:3)
- the literal resurrection of the deadResurrection of the deadResurrection of the Dead is a belief found in a number of eschatologies, most commonly in Christian, Islamic, Jewish and Zoroastrian. In general, the phrase refers to a specific event in the future; multiple prophesies in the histories of these religions assert that the dead will be brought back to...
(John 5:28, 29) - the immortalization of those in Christ (1 Cor. 15:53, 54)
- the destruction of the wicked (Rev. 21:8)
- the final restoration of Israel as the Kingdom of GodKingdom of GodThe Kingdom of God or Kingdom of Heaven is a foundational concept in the Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.The term "Kingdom of God" is found in all four canonical gospels and in the Pauline epistles...
under the kingship of Christ (Luke 1:32) - the church to be joint heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17), and Israel to be made head over Gentile nations (Isa. 60:13)
- the "restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of His holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:21)
- it also firmly advocates repentance and immersion in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), and a consecrated life as essential to salvation (Heb. 12:14)
Other doctrines
A significant distinctive doctrine of the Church of God General Conference is denial of the personal pre-existence of Jesus Christ, but acceptance of the virgin birth; a position in ChristologyChristology
Christology is the field of study within Christian theology which is primarily concerned with the nature and person of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament. Primary considerations include the relationship of Jesus' nature and person with the nature...
historically known as Socinianism
Socinianism
Socinianism is a system of Christian doctrine named for Fausto Sozzini , which was developed among the Polish Brethren in the Minor Reformed Church of Poland during the 15th and 16th centuries and embraced also by the Unitarian Church of Transylvania during the same period...
, although adherents of this view today often prefer the term "Biblical Unitarianism
Biblical Unitarianism
Today, biblical Unitarianism identifies the Christian belief that the Bible teaches God is a singular person—the Father—and that Jesus his son is a distinct being...
". The main distinguishing doctrinal difference between Church of God General Conference (CoGGC) and Christadelphians
Christadelphians
Christadelphians is a Christian group that developed in the United Kingdom and North America in the 19th century...
and Church of the Blessed Hope
Church of the Blessed Hope
The Church of the Blessed Hope is a small first-day Adventist Christian body.-Background:...
(CGAF) is that the majority of CoGGC members believe that Satan
Satan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
is a literal fallen angel, although a minority do not. Anthony Buzzard
Sir Anthony Buzzard, 3rd Baronet
Sir Anthony Farquhar Buzzard, 3rd Baronet, ARCM , is a Christian scholar, author and professor on the faculty of Atlanta Bible College.-Early life:...
of Atlanta Bible College has debated Christadelphians and written defending the traditional view of the devil.
Organization
The Churches of God are congregational in government, yet cooperate in publications and missions ministries, and the Atlanta Bible College. International headquarters are located in McDonoughMcDonough, Georgia
McDonough is a city in Henry County, Georgia, United States. The population was 22084 at the 2010 census. Inclusion of the unincorporated neighborhoods surrounding McDonough, which are not part of a town/city, raises the population to approximately 30,000 from an estimate in 2008. The city is the...
in Henry County, Georgia
Henry County, Georgia
Henry County is a growing suburban county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2000 census, the population was 119,341. As of 2010, the county's population swelled to 203,922, up 70.9% from the previous census and becoming Georgia's 8th most populous county and the 10th fastest growing...
in the metro-Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
area. The Restitution Herald is the official periodical of the church, and is published bi-monthly. A journal dealing with the doctrines of the movement, A Journal From the Radical Reformation, has been published quarterly since 1991. According to the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches, the Church of God General Conference had 89 churches and 5018 members in 2002.
Korean Extension: The Korean Extension is a Korean ministry of the Atlanta Bible College. The Korean Extension was officially started in the fall semester of the 2003 school year by Pastor Steve An. The Korean Extension is led by Pastors Steve An & Sam An, and the campus is located in Duluth, Georgia. As of the year 2010 there are approximately 100 students in the Atlanta Bible College Korean Extension.