Church of God General Conference
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Not to be confused with Churches of God General Conference (Winebrenner).
The Church of God General Conference (CoGGC) is an nontrinitarian, 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.
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[edit] History
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| Theology |
| Annihilationism Conditional immortality Historicism · Intermediate state Premillennialism |
| Denominations |
| Advent Christian Church Christadelphians Seventh-day Adventist Church Church of God (Seventh-Day) Church of God General Conference Church of the Blessed Hope Seventh Day Adventist Reform Mov't Davidian SDA (Shepherd's Rod) United Seventh-Day Brethren Branch Davidians Primitive Advent Christian Church Sabbath Rest Advent Church |
See also: Church of the Blessed Hope
The Church of God General Conference has roots in several similar groups in North America 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.
[edit] 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.
[edit] Statement of Faith
The Church of God General Conference statement of faith states,[1] and Atlanta Bible College advocates[2] as follows:
- the oneness of God (1 Cor. 8:6)
- that the Holy Spirit 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 dead (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 God 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)
[edit] 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 Christology 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.[3][edit] 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 McDonough 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.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ CoGGC Washington Statement of Faith
- ^ Atlanta Bible College Statement of Faith
- ^ Buzzard A. Angels, Demons and Elohim; Buzzard A. The New Testament Declares the Existence of Demons Buzzard A. Satan, the Personal Devil
- Handbook of Denominations in the United States, by Frank S. Mead and Samuel S. Hill
- Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches (2009), National Council of Churches
- Hemingray, Peter (2003). John Thomas: His Friends and His Faith. Canton, MI: Christadelphian Tidings. ISBN 81-7887-012-6.
Church of God (7th Day)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Church of God (7th day) - Salem Conference)
For other uses, see Church of God (disambiguation).
seventh-day Sabbath-keeping Christian denomination. The Church of God (7th Day) observes the seventh-day Sabbath, which is (according to Genesis 2:2-3Exodus 20:8)) the Biblical Sabbath for the Judeo-Christian tradition.Contents[hide] |
[edit] Church of God (Seventh Day)
The Church of God (7th Day) represents a line of Adventist Christians that rejected the visions and teachings of Ellen G. White before the formation of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. In 1858, five years before the founding of the SDA Church, a group led by Gilbert Cranmer (1814–1903) of Michigan separated from the Adventists that followed White. Another independent Sabbatarian Adventist body formed in Iowa in 1860, and joined with the Church of God (7th Day) in 1863.A publication called The Hope of Israel, then The Bible Advocate and now The Advocate of Truth, was started in 1863, and this publication extended the influence of the body into other areas. Through this publication, the doctrines of the Second Advent and seventh-day Sabbath were promoted, and other Christians were invited to gather for meetings. This extended the movement into Missouri, Nebraska and other places, and in 1884 the General Conference of the Church of God was organized. They incorporated in 1899, and "(Seventh Day)" was added to the name in 1923. Offices were established in Stanberry, Missouri.
A well-publicized member of the Church of God (Seventh Day) was evangelist Herbert W. Armstrong (1893–1986). In 1927 Armstrong was challenged by his wife, Loma, to find a Biblical justification for keeping Sunday as the Christian Sabbath day. Loma had come under the influence of Mrs. Runcorn, a member of the Seventh Day church in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Emma Runcorn and her husband Ora were lay leaders in the Oregon conference. Armstrong soon became a minister for that church and a writer for the Bible Advocate journal. Within a few years Armstrong began teaching the British-Israel Theory - the alternative history that regarded the nations of Western Europe and North America as the literal descendants of the "Lost Ten Tribes" of Israel - and the mandatory keeping of the Feast Days in Leviticus 23. Armstrong was ultimately disfellowshipped over these two issues, which were not original doctrines of the Church of God.
The undivided conference named "Church of God (Seventh Day)" remained until 1933.
[edit] Church of God (7th Day)
The Church of God (7th Day) split at their conference meeting on November 4, 1933, creating another body headquartered in Denver, Colorado, and known as the General Conference of the Church of God (Seventh-Day). The Church of God (7th Day) - Salem Conference became at this point formally organized following the apostolic model as found in the Scriptures (12 apostles, 70 evangelists, 7 deacons).[1] Elder A. N. Dugger, a prominent member of the Church of God and one the main editor of the long time used The Bible Home Instructor study manual, was for a time part of the Salem Conference. He was never part of the Church Council of the Twelve.In the work of A. Dugger and C.O. Dodd (1935)[2] the church traced its history back to the Apostles through various medieval groups which they believed were Sabbath-keeping. Arius is considered to have been part of the original Church of God. In the case of some of these groups, such as the Waldensians[3] and Paulicians,[4] that claim is disputed.
The Salem conference now typically uses the name "Church of God (7th Day)" with a numeral.
[edit] Membership
The Church of God (7th Day) has congregations in the United States, Canada, Philippines, India, Mexico, Caribbean, Africa, etc. Headquarters are located in Salem, West Virginia.[edit] Doctrine and practices
The Church is organized in respect for the apostolic teachings.[5] According to the Church of God (7th Day), salvation is by grace, received by faith in Jesus Christ, apart from good works. The Church believe in one true God, Jehovah (a title belonging only to the Father), who is the Creator of all. He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. He sent His Son to Earth to be a sacrifice for our sins. He is a separate individual from His Son, Jesus Christ, who is God's first creation. The Holy Spirit is the power of God and not a separate being with a separate consciousness.[6] The church observes two ordinances - baptism by immersion and an annual Lord's supper (which is accompanied by feet washing), observed annually on Passover, the day of Jesus' death. The eating of unclean meats such as pork and shellfish is forbidden. The church discourages its members from the use of alcohol, tobacco or illegal drugs (see Christianity and alcohol). The church also opposes the observance of traditional holidays such as Christmas, Easter, and Good Friday because of their pagan roots[7][8]and does not practice the Jewish Feast Days. Conscientious objection is the official position of this group.[edit] See also
- Sabbath in Christianity
- Sabbath in seventh-day churches
- Arius
- Arianism
- Andreas Fischer
- Oswald Glaidt
- Quartodecimanism
- Christian pacifism
- Adventist
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.churchofgod-7thday.org/
- ^ A history of the True Religion Traced From 33 A.D. to Date, A. Dugger and C.O. Dodd Bible Advocate 1935
- ^ Giorgio Tourn You are my Witnesses: The Waldensians Across Eight Centuries. Torino, Italy: Claudiana Editrice, 1989. ISBN 8870160890
- ^ Frederick Cornwallis Conybeare "Was the Sabbath observed in the early Armenian church?" p.clxii in The Key of Truth. A Manual of the Paulician Church of Armenia.
- ^ http://www.churchofgod-7thday.org/Publications/New%20Constitution.pdf
- ^ http://www.churchofgod-7thday.org/FAQs.html#Trinity
- ^ http://www.churchofgod-7thday.org/Publications/Tracts/Christmas.pdf
- ^ http://www.churchofgod-7thday.org/FAQs.html#Christmas
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