Church of God, Who We Are

Today is going to be a kind of brief 101 style introduction into the Church of God.

We will not be covering everything, but we will be getting a good sense of who we are as a group.

From the Church of God, Anderson website, jesusisthesubject(.)org

The church is not the subject.

Our doctrine is not the subject.

The way we dress is not the subject.

Our music style is not the subject.

The name above the church door is not the subject.

From the dawn of creation to the present day, the name of Jesus has been reflected in creation, unearthed in archeology, discussed in literature, debated in politics, uttered in profane repetition, and worshiped by the multitudes. Throughout the holy Scriptures—from beginning to end—Jesus is the overarching theme. Everything points to Jesus, the Word made flesh.

Jesus IS the subject!

What does it mean that ‘Jesus is the subject?’

Church of God History

Founded in 1881 with a desire to rest solely on the Bible as the Word of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit

No formal creed has ever been established

Early leaders included Daniel S. Warner & Mary Cole

Pro women in ministry (since the start)

Not a formal denomination, but rather a movement of disciples of Jesus

Early mantras were “Where salvation makes you a member”, “A united church for a divided world”, & “The Bible is our creed”

Believes the gifts of the Spirit are for today - but are not like modern pentecostal churches

Are a Wesleyan Arminian Holiness based group

1891 - First missionary made it to Baja Mexico

1892 - CHoG makes it to England

1893 - The Gospel Trumpet gets to India and in 1896 those who found faith were holding gatherings and publishing books in Calcutta.

1912 - Into Africa thru Kenya (1995 KIST - Kima International School of Theology started)

1932 - Women form what is now Christian Women Connection

BLANK

Currently, worldwide there are around 8,000 congregations in 89 countries, with roughly 900,000 individuals calling Church of God their home church.

This number is not always easy to track, as most of the church, especially in North America, are non-member based. So tracking numbers isn’t always easy.

How are we like other church groups?

We partake and practice the sacraments

Water Baptism, Communion, Feet Washing

We accept the 66 book Bible as the Holy inspired Word of God

We believe in 1 God in 3 persons (Father, Son, Spirit)

We belief that faith alone in Christ Jesus is the means to salvation

How are we distinct?

We do not follow any man made creed, allowing the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to guide the movement and each individual church.

Our churches are autonomous - so each individual church can best serve their community in the way that God is leading them.

We strive for unity, including between different denominations and groups.

We are a movement, that all believers of Jesus can be a part of, so that we can unite rather than divide.

We do not require anyone to be baptized again if they come form a different denomination or group.

We encourage women to be in leadership equally with men, believing that God’s call is the more important.

We are a holiness church movement.

What does holiness mean?

We believe that born again Christians are called to be holy, as He who saved us is holy.

This is more than a mere call to “acting” holy, as holiness is a characteristic of God. He IS holy, so to be his image bearers we must thus be set apart as He is.

Galatians 2:20 ESV

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Paul explained to the church in Galatia the practical meaning of Jesus’s words in Matt 16:24

Matthew 16:24 ESV

Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

This is about understanding and accepting the deeper meaning of the union with God.

We need to get beyond the superficial “social norms” of Christianity, and into living the right life for the right reasons.

If we back up just 4 verses in Galatians, Paul explains this further...

Galatians 2:16 ESV

yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

Paul is telling us that it’s not about following rules, but rather following Christ.

But if we truly follow Jesus and are led by His Holy Spirit, we WILL be transformed and live His way.

Matthew 7:18 ESV

A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad.”

You see, it’s not our works that define us or gives us salvation, but rather they are evidence of the Holy Spirit residing inside us, which IS our evidence of salvation!

Paul even takes things a bit further when we wrote to the church in Rome.

Romans 12:1–2 CSB

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Paul’s “therefore” here refers to everything he’s spoken about in the entire letter to the Roman church up to that point. It’s a long list…

His point is that because of EVERYTHING God/Jesus has done, it’s only natural and right that we give God our Everything! All of us. (Body here is a sign of “every part of us”.)

Do not conform to the world, or this age. Perfectly stated even today. We belong to Heaven before we belong here.

Allow the HS to transform your our minds and thus our hearts and actions. Because God’s will is good, pleasing, and perfect.

WRAP UP -

The CHoG believes that God approaches us and we have a choice, a decision to make. We decide if we accept the gift of grace and salvation that God is offering us through the sacrifice of His son, Jesus.

We also believe that being a Christian is more than an insurance policy. We believe it demands action and a changed life. (Or as Uncle Ben put it - “with great power, comes great responsibility.”)

God loves you, each and every one of you. Exactly how you are. You don’t need to change to come to God - come to Him as you are and follow Him. Allow Him to change you in His way and in His time.

ALTER CALL

Prayer -

Father, we thank you for today and for the wonderful saving grace that you have given us through your son, Jesus. We thank you for this wonderful Church movement, and we ask your blessings and your guidance for the Church of God here in our congregation, throughout Missouri, in North America, and around the world. Help us be a blessing to the world and to each other. Help us to be a unifying wave of your call. Empower us to do your will as we go and do life this week. Put people before us and guide us in what to say and do. We love you.

In Jesus’s name we pray, amen.