Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith
Encyclopedia
The Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith is a Oneness Pentecostal
church organized in 1919.
The Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, as it is most commonly known, was organized by Robert C. Lawson
. Lawson, a protégé of G.T. Haywood
, claims to have received salvation and the baptism of the Holy Ghost in 1913.
, mainly in the Mid-West, and pastoring in Columbus, Ohio
. When he found himself at odds with the leadership of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World
(PAW), Lawson resigned from that organization in 1919 and moved to New York City
. That year Lawson founded another church, Refuge Church of Christ, after the members of a prayer band in Harlem welcomed him and turned their meetings over to him. That small church grew and became known as Refuge Temple. It was the hub of Lawson's evangelistic efforts in the Northeast
. Lawson's field work took him up and down the East Coast
, throughout the West Indies, and as far as West Africa
, where Lawson appointed missionaries to carry on spiritual work.
The Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ has been very influential among African-American Pentecostal churches, and has given rise to several spin-off bodies. The first major break-away was in 1930, when Sherrod C. Johnson created a rival organization, the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ
of the Apostolic Faith, through which he challenged Lawson's stance on practical holiness. The most important fracture in the church's history, though, was when, in 1957, Smallwood E. Williams led about 70 churches out of the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith to form the Bible Way Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ
. Other organizations that were birthed from or splintered from this church body include Progressive Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Refuge Temple Assembly of Yahweh, the Evangelistic Churches of Christ, a host of small organizations, and independent churches of varying sizes. Furthermore, there have been splits in many of the off-shoot churches; for example, the church founded by Sherrod C. Johnson (Church of the Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith, also referred to as CLJC) has splintered and re-emerged as the Holy Temple Church of the Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith; the Apostolic Ministries of America; and the First Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, all of which are actively evangelizing North America
, the Caribbean
, Europe
, and West Africa
. Thus, the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ is the mother
of a family of predominantly African-American Pentecostal Apostolic organizations.
After Lawson's death in 1961, a rising minister in the organization, William L. Bonner, proposed a change in the church's governmental structure. Whereas Bishop Lawson, as founder, had been the sole governing prelate of the organization, Bonner suggested that there be a board of archbishops, or apostles, who would govern the churches. Two other groups, the Board of Bishops and the Board of Presbyters, both hold accountable and are held accountable by the Board of Apostles.
The Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ has many other auxiliaries that function to serve its members and those of the community. The International ABYPU (Armor Bearers' Young Peoples' Union), the International Sunday School Department, the International Missionaries, and the International Congress are a few that work hand in hand to bring true ministry to laymen and surrounding communities.
In chronological order, the presiders of the organization have been: Robert C. Lawson
, 1919–1961; Hubert J. Spencer
, 1961–1973; William L. Bonner, 1973–1995; Gentle Groover, 1995–2001; James I. Clark, Jr., 2001–2007; and Matthew Norwood, 2007–Present.
organization like the United Pentecostal Church and the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World
. With roots in the earliest years of the American Pentecostalism, much of the culture of the church reflects the doctrine of the Holiness movement
of the 1800s. Among the practices that separate it from other Pentecostal churches are its outspokenness on the significance of the name "Lord Jesus Christ" (especially as a baptismal formula); a very conservative dress code, which includes the wearing of hats or some other type of headcovering (e.g., prayer veil
) by women during church services and excludes women's pants; insistence on wine to be used during communion
; strict interpretation of New Testament scriptures concerning divorce and remarriage; and the disallowance of women's ordination
and pastorship. (These last two were Lawson's points of disagreement with the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World.)
Major laity-driven auxiliaries are Women's Council; Ministers' and Deacons' Wives' Guild; the International Sunday School Association and the Armor Bearers' Young People's Union, which together make up the International Congress; and the International Music Department. Though women are not ordained, they are licenced as social, senior, and field Missionaries through the organization's International Missionary Department. There is also a Deacon's Union.
In 1990 the church had about 30,000 members in 450 churches in the United States. In 2008, there are now 582 churches worldwide, including congregations in West Africa
, Mexico
, Canada
, the British West Indies
, the Dominican Republic
, England
, Haiti
, and the Philippines
. Its U.S. membership is predominantly African-American. Headquartered at Greater Refuge Temple in Harlem
, New York City
, the church operates W.L. Bonner College in Columbia, South Carolina
and the Church of Christ Bible Institute in New York City
.
About the Leaders
Oneness Pentecostalism
Oneness Pentecostalism refers to a grouping of denominations and believers within Pentecostal Christianity, all of whom subscribe to the nontrinitarian theological doctrine of Oneness...
church organized in 1919.
The Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, as it is most commonly known, was organized by Robert C. Lawson
Robert C. Lawson
Robert Clarence Lawson was born on May 5, 1883 in New Iberia, Louisiana. His parents died when he was very young and he was raised by an aunt, Peggy Fraser, during his early childhood.-Early life:...
. Lawson, a protégé of G.T. Haywood
Garfield Thomas Haywood
Garfield Thomas Haywood was an African American pastor and song writer who served as Presiding Bishop of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World from 1925 to 1931.-Early life:...
, claims to have received salvation and the baptism of the Holy Ghost in 1913.
History
In 1914 Lawson was called to the ministry and soon began evangelizingEvangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
, mainly in the Mid-West, and pastoring in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. When he found himself at odds with the leadership of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World
Pentecostal Assemblies of the World
The Pentecostal Assemblies of the World is a Pentecostal Christian denomination. Founded in 1914, it is one of the oldest Oneness Pentecostal organizations in existence. Headquarters are in Indianapolis, Indiana, and The Christian Outlook is the church's official publication...
(PAW), Lawson resigned from that organization in 1919 and moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. That year Lawson founded another church, Refuge Church of Christ, after the members of a prayer band in Harlem welcomed him and turned their meetings over to him. That small church grew and became known as Refuge Temple. It was the hub of Lawson's evangelistic efforts in the Northeast
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
. Lawson's field work took him up and down the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
, throughout the West Indies, and as far as West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
, where Lawson appointed missionaries to carry on spiritual work.
The Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ has been very influential among African-American Pentecostal churches, and has given rise to several spin-off bodies. The first major break-away was in 1930, when Sherrod C. Johnson created a rival organization, the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ
Church of the Lord Jesus Christ
The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith is a Christian based church organization with its headquarters located in Philadelphia, PA....
of the Apostolic Faith, through which he challenged Lawson's stance on practical holiness. The most important fracture in the church's history, though, was when, in 1957, Smallwood E. Williams led about 70 churches out of the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith to form the Bible Way Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ
Bible Way Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ
The Bible Way Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ World-Wide was an African-American Oneness Pentecostal denomination started in 1957 in Washington, DC. In 1997, a division over who was the rightful successor to Presiding Bishop and founder Smallwood Edmond Williams occurred...
. Other organizations that were birthed from or splintered from this church body include Progressive Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Refuge Temple Assembly of Yahweh, the Evangelistic Churches of Christ, a host of small organizations, and independent churches of varying sizes. Furthermore, there have been splits in many of the off-shoot churches; for example, the church founded by Sherrod C. Johnson (Church of the Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith, also referred to as CLJC) has splintered and re-emerged as the Holy Temple Church of the Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith; the Apostolic Ministries of America; and the First Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, all of which are actively evangelizing North America
North 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...
, the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
. Thus, the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ is the mother
Mother Church
In Christianity, the term mother church or Mother Church may have one of the following meanings:# The first mission church in an area, or a pioneer cathedral# A basilica or cathedral# The main chapel of a province of a religious order...
of a family of predominantly African-American Pentecostal Apostolic organizations.
After Lawson's death in 1961, a rising minister in the organization, William L. Bonner, proposed a change in the church's governmental structure. Whereas Bishop Lawson, as founder, had been the sole governing prelate of the organization, Bonner suggested that there be a board of archbishops, or apostles, who would govern the churches. Two other groups, the Board of Bishops and the Board of Presbyters, both hold accountable and are held accountable by the Board of Apostles.
The Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ has many other auxiliaries that function to serve its members and those of the community. The International ABYPU (Armor Bearers' Young Peoples' Union), the International Sunday School Department, the International Missionaries, and the International Congress are a few that work hand in hand to bring true ministry to laymen and surrounding communities.
In chronological order, the presiders of the organization have been: Robert C. Lawson
Robert C. Lawson
Robert Clarence Lawson was born on May 5, 1883 in New Iberia, Louisiana. His parents died when he was very young and he was raised by an aunt, Peggy Fraser, during his early childhood.-Early life:...
, 1919–1961; Hubert J. Spencer
Hubert J. Spencer
Hubert Joseph Spencer, a preacher of the early 20th century Pentecostal movement, was born in the late 19th century. His first baptismal candidate was his wife, Mother Helen Spencer. Elder Spencer was a presbyter in the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World , and was a partner in evangelism with...
, 1961–1973; William L. Bonner, 1973–1995; Gentle Groover, 1995–2001; James I. Clark, Jr., 2001–2007; and Matthew Norwood, 2007–Present.
Doctrine and Practice
The Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ is, historically and doctrinally, a Oneness PentecostalOneness Pentecostal
Oneness Pentecostalism refers to a grouping of denominations and believers within Pentecostal Christianity, all of whom subscribe to the nontrinitarian theological doctrine of Oneness...
organization like the United Pentecostal Church and the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World
Pentecostal Assemblies of the World
The Pentecostal Assemblies of the World is a Pentecostal Christian denomination. Founded in 1914, it is one of the oldest Oneness Pentecostal organizations in existence. Headquarters are in Indianapolis, Indiana, and The Christian Outlook is the church's official publication...
. With roots in the earliest years of the American Pentecostalism, much of the culture of the church reflects the doctrine of 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...
of the 1800s. Among the practices that separate it from other Pentecostal churches are its outspokenness on the significance of the name "Lord Jesus Christ" (especially as a baptismal formula); a very conservative dress code, which includes the wearing of hats or some other type of headcovering (e.g., prayer veil
Christian Headcovering
The Christian headcovering is a veiling worn by various Christian women from a variety of traditions. Some cover only in church or while praying; most never cover their heads all the time. They refer to 1 Corinthians 11, or to custom, as the basis for their practice...
) by women during church services and excludes women's pants; insistence on wine to be used during communion
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
; strict interpretation of New Testament scriptures concerning divorce and remarriage; and the disallowance of women's ordination
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
and pastorship. (These last two were Lawson's points of disagreement with the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World.)
Organization
Governance of the church includes the Chief Apostle, the Presiding Apostle, the Board of Apostles, the Board of Bishops, the Board of Presbyters, the Executive Secretary, and the General Council.Major laity-driven auxiliaries are Women's Council; Ministers' and Deacons' Wives' Guild; the International Sunday School Association and the Armor Bearers' Young People's Union, which together make up the International Congress; and the International Music Department. Though women are not ordained, they are licenced as social, senior, and field Missionaries through the organization's International Missionary Department. There is also a Deacon's Union.
In 1990 the church had about 30,000 members in 450 churches in the United States. In 2008, there are now 582 churches worldwide, including congregations in West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, the British West Indies
British West Indies
The British West Indies was a term used to describe the islands in and around the Caribbean that were part of the British Empire The term was sometimes used to include British Honduras and British Guiana, even though these territories are not geographically part of the Caribbean...
, the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Its U.S. membership is predominantly African-American. Headquartered at Greater Refuge Temple in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the church operates W.L. Bonner College in Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
and the Church of Christ Bible Institute in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Mission statement
"To evangelize the world for Jesus Christ; to equip every believer to become true Disciples of Christ; and to engage those social problems that challenge the communities we have been called to serve."External links
General Links- Official Web Site
- Official Youth Site - ABYPU
- Official International Congress Site
- Official Forum
- Official Web Site Of Newly Elected Presider Bishop Matthew Norwood
- History and Movements coming out of C.O.O.L.J.C.
About the Leaders