The COGIC emphasized the use of the choir as an integral part of the worship experience. The church is thought to have nearly two million members in 7,000 churches on the continent of Africa. He was a speaker at the Democratic National Conventions first Ecumenical Service where he eloquently, challenged all to protect the unborn by advocating pro-life. The first general secretary of COGIC was Elder William B. Holt, a white minister. Charles Edward Blake Sr. - Wikipedia Patterson, as Presiding Bishop of the Church in the 2000s, he helped bridge denominational barriers and encouraged non-COGIC ministries and denominations to work collaboratively with the COGIC denomination to help support charity efforts for poor and disadvantaged African Americans and people affected by poverty and disasters in foreign countries through the COGIC Charities Department and the COGIC Missions and Evangelism Department. During the 1990s, President Bill Clinton was invited by then COGIC Presiding Bishop, Louis Henry Ford to attend the International Holy Convocation. Religious Figure, former Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC), the fourth largest Protestant denominaton in the world. General Treasurer Bishop Charles Harrison Mason Patterson Sr.. Financial Secretary Bishop Frank A. Christ is the Head of the church, and He is the only mediator between God and humanity, and there is no salvation in any other. The current chairman of AIM is Bishop Linwood E. Dillard of Memphis, TN.[62]. In 1982 he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Education, and in 1998 he earned a Master of Arts in Mathematics from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. The church's new presiding bishop, who took office on March 20, said he will have to. Evangelist Goldia Haynes, Elder Utah Smith, Madame Earnestine Washington, and Marion Williams continued COGIC's influence throughout the fifties and sixties. Church of God in Christ: COGIC Presiding Bishop Ousted The civil structure of the Church of God in Christ includes a president, first vice-president, second vice-president, general secretary, general treasurer, and the financial secretary. A visionary, she spearheaded the establishment of the multi-million dollar Hale Morris Lewis Manor, a senior citizen complex in Los Angeles, CA. However, the Church believes that in some extreme or rare cases, medical and operational abortion may be the safest way to help the mother if the pregnancy is jeopardizing the mother's life and health. As founder and CEO of Save Africas Children, a program of the Pan African Childrens Fund, he helps to support more than 200,000 children in 400 orphan care programs throughout more than 23 nations on the continent of Africa. [20], The first national tabernacle was built and completed in 1925. The church has more than 3,000 churches in Asia, and 2,000 churches in the Caribbean and South America. The denomination considers these to be inconsistent with COGIC doctrine and teaching. Presiding Bishop Emeritus of the Church of God in Christ, Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America, "COGIC Re-Elects Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr. as Leader - Afro", "PRESS RELEASE: Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr. Will Not Seek Reelection", "Why the Power of the Black Church Matters This Election", "Whitehouse.gov - Inaugural Advisory Council: Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships", Succession of Church of God in Christ Leaders, Historically African-American Christian denominations, First African Baptist Church (Richmond, Virginia), First African Baptist Church (Savannah, Georgia). Owens continued to serve as a jurisdictional bishop and member of the General Board until his death in 2011. The church has a tradition of prayer, fasting, praise, and consecration that was once unique to Holiness or Holiness Pentecostal groups. He was recognized in Washington, D. C. by President Barack Obama in 2009 and invited to serve on the White House Advisory, Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. His passion for meeting the needs of the whole man reaches globally through his humanitarian efforts. [61] Finally, she changed the visible presence of women in ministry with the introduction of the ministry "habit". Vice President of COGIC World Missions-Bishop Glenn Plummer. At the time, because many churches disagreed with what they considered its eccentric worship styles and expressions of Pentecostalism, such as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues and the laying on of hands, many churches distanced themselves from the COGIC for many years. He gave the eulogy for Till at Robert's Temple COGIC in 1955. Evangelist Missionaries are licensed to preach the gospel, conduct gospel meetings, and may be given the oversight of local congregations serving as the church administrator. Recognizing the significance of women to the ministry, COGIC has created numerous positions that allow women to work as counterparts to the department presidents as chair ladies (YPWW) and Elect ladies (Evangelism). Bishop Malcolm W. Coby Board member (2021present). C. P. Jones and those Holiness leaders who did not embrace the Azusa Revival experience continued as Holiness churches. Washington, Bishop Chandler D. Owens, Bishop Brandon B. Porter, and Bishop J. Mother Deborah Mason Patterson#, daughter of founder, Bishop Mason and wife of first presiding bishop James O. Patterson Sr. Upon his return to Jackson, Mississippi, Mason faced opposition when he recounted his experience. In 1992, during the Ford administration, UNAC was disbanded in favor of three separate conventions namely: the International Sunday School Convention, the MY Convention (Music and Youth) and the ME Convention (Missions and Evangelism) again meeting in separate cities.. Michigan Chronicle Endorses Bishop J. Drew Sheard for Re-election to In 1982 during the Seventy-Fifth Holy Convocation, the diamond jubilee of the church, COGIC published its own hymnal, Yes, Lord!, which included many arrangements and songs written by COGIC and African-American musicians and songwriters. All rights reserved. Nigeria alone has 19 bishops and more than 2000 churches. MEMPHIS, Tenn Funeral arrangements are set for COGIC Evangelist Louise Patterson, the widow of the late Bishop G.E. In 2010, Bishop Blake led more than 50,000 delegates to the 103rd International Holy Convocation to St. Louis, Missouri. The jurisdictional supervisor is assisted by district missionaries who oversee the women's ministry of the district. The following 4 pages are in this category, out of 4 total. His testimony "literally went viral, and brought upon him criticism and sardonicism. [7] The leadership of the Mississippi State Convention of the National Baptist Convention intervened and expelled Jones, Mason, and others who embraced the Wesleyan teaching of entire sanctification. PuLSE Institute Names COGIC Presiding Bishop Emeritus, Humanitarian Patterson established protocols of worship, policy and practices. All rights reserved. [35], In 2016, the Church had 5.5 million members in 60 countries around the world. [27], Bishop James Oglethorpe Patterson Sr. was elected in November 1968 as the first presiding bishop of the church by the General Assembly at the Sixty-First Holy Convocation of the church. The general assembly is the supreme authority over the church to decide matters of faith and practice. Together he and his wife, Karen, founded Karew Records, a faith-based record label focusing on various forms of Gospel, Christian and Inspirational music. Lizzie Woods Robinson (19111945) was the first "General Mother" of the church. Patterson Sr. in 1989. At its first convocation held in 1897, the group identified simply as the "Church of God." In 1982 he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in . According to the Articles of Religion in the COGIC Official Manual, COGIC believes in biblical inspiration and holds that the Bible is the supreme and final authority for doctrine and practice. Bishop Blake was the pastor of the West Angeles Church of God in Christ,[7] one of the largest African-American churches in the Western United States, with a membership of over 24,000, from 1969 until his retirement in 2022. During the 1930s and 40s, a white COGIC elder named James L. Delk who remained in the church after many whites had left, was very active in politics in Missouri and worked to promote civil rights by writing legislatures and petitioning the federal government on the behalf of COGIC. Student Aid a ministry of support to foreign students. Later in 1897, while in Little Rock, Arkansas, C. H. Mason stated that God had given him such a name for the group, the "Church of God in Christ". [33] In 2009, Bishop Blake unveiled an aggressive program known as "Urban Initiatives" to address the plight of America's urban areas. The school enjoyed its greatest growth and success under the leadership of Dr. Arenia Conella Mallory (19041977). Bishop Jerry W. Macklin First Assistant Presiding Bishop (2021present) and board member (2004present). They exist primarily in the spiritual realm and are organized according to duty and function. Most recently, Biola University conferred an honorary doctorate upon him on June 12, 2010. As a visionary who is both inspiring and influential, the awards and recognitions that Bishop Blake has received are extensive. In 1946, the National Sunday School Congress began to meet with the Young People's Willing Workers (YPWW) Congress. Robinson was a staunch advocate for holiness and taught strict guidelines for the women with regard to dress and worldliness. Sister Church Support Ministry a church in the USA giving support to a church on the mission field. She led its expansion and emphasized high academic standards, disciplined behavior, and prayer. Of special note is Evangelist Reatha Herndon who served as the International Elect Lady of the Department of Evangelism from 1951 to 2001. [29] The spread of COGIC was due largely to the efforts of its evangelists through crusades and revivals. She revolutionized and reorganized the music ministry to become a leading department in the church. Winbush was selected to serve as the first chairman. On the local church level in addition to the office of missionary, COGIC developed and has maintained the position of the "church mother." In April 2018, Bishop Blake led COGIC in partnership with American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis to continue to struggle for civil rights in the 21st Century. Ford, as Saints' Academy, a private co-educational grade school. A Jeter and D. J. (19721994). [33] C. E. Blake served as the Presiding Prelate of the First Jurisdiction of Southern California. Succession of COGIC Leaders B. McEwen made conflicting administrative and executive decisions. [94][95], After the November 2016 COGIC Holy Convocation, Carter left the COGIC denomination because Blake had been re-elected as the Presiding Bishop. It teaches that sanctification should precede the baptism with the Holy Spirit. His ministry spanned more than seven decades. The former Detroit-based math teacher was elected as the new presiding bishop over the largest Pentecostal denomination in the country in March. C. P. Jones was elected the General Overseer, C. H. Mason was selected as Overseer of Tennessee, and J. She also established the Mattie McGlothen Library and Museum in Richmond, California, as a resource for COGIC historical facts and memorabilia. He consecrated and appointed more than 100 bishops during his twenty-one years of leadership. In keeping with the times, the school had some industrial education and training for its students, so that they could learn practical skills. COGIC theology and beliefs fall in the tradition of Wesleyan-Arminian theology.[40]. Funeral services set for COGIC Evangelist Louise Patterson These jurisdictions are then separated into districts, which consist of 5 to 7 churches and are governed by superintendents (ordained elder or pastor). Drew Sheard, Sr. as Presiding Bishop on March 20, 2021. According to the press release, The COGIC General Assembly, the legislat Her predecessor was Evangelist Dr. Rita Womack of Los Angeles, California. Bishop Sheard was inducted into the prestigious Morehouse College Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers. 2 in the denomination and whose death was reported by The Detroit News; Bishop Timothy Scott, a leader for nearly 50 years of the denomination in Mississippi whose death was reported COGIC teaches the deity of Jesus Christ, his virgin birth, sinless life, physical death, burial, resurrection, ascension and visible return to the earth. Mother Lillian Coffey appointed Mother Reatha Herndon as president of the National Women's Evangelist Board in 1951. One of her contributions was to divide the women's fellowship in the local congregations into two groups: The Christian Women's Council for the middle aged and senior women, and the Young Women's Christian Council (YWCC) for the younger women. Education was considered key to advancement of the race. Later, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, ironically known as the "godmother of Rock and Roll," expanded and highlighted the COGIC sound to the greater American public in the 1930s and 1940s. The most notable rift occurred in 1969, when fourteen bishops met in Evanston, Illinois, to form the Church of God in Christ, International. In 1916, a few white churches were organized as a white branch of COGIC. Some of these African-American Baptist pastors in local Southern areas such as Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas considered Jones and Mason to be controversial. Since 2007, Ebony has recognized Bishop Blake annually, as one of its 100+ most influential African Americans. In 1997, Bishop Chandler D. Owens appointed Evangelist Richard "Mr. Clean" White as president of the Department of Evangelism. Well-known gospel musicians with COGIC roots include; Andrae Crouch and Sandra Crouch, Walter Hawkins and Edwin Hawkins, Tramaine Hawkins, Rubenstein McClure, Yvette Flunder, Sara Jordan Powell, Daryl Coley, BeBe and CeCe Winans, The Winans, "Detroit" Gary Wiggins, John P. Kee, The O'Neal Twins, Vanessa Bell Armstrong, Rance Allen, Rev. [8][9] In 1984, after the death of his father, he was ordained and consecrated as a jurisdictional bishop of the First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Southern California for the COGIC denomination, and remained in that position until 2009 when he stepped down from the position to dedicate himself fully to the duties of the Office of the Presiding Bishop. He was denied such trial in 2016. During the tenure of Bishop G.E. They were also instrumental in establishing 75 churches across the nation. Nevertheless, women are licensed in COGIC to proclaim the gospel as evangelists. [4] He was reelected to a third term as Presiding Bishop on November 15, 2016. [36], In 2022, it was present in 112 countries in 2022. Bishop. Coffey was a child convert to COGIC under the preaching of Bishop Mason, and was influential in organizing many of the auxiliaries, bands, and units that exist within the COGIC Women's Department. In 1917, the YPWW was officially organized under the leadership of Elder Ozro Thurston Jones Sr., who in 1928 established the first Youth Congress bringing together youth leaders and workers on a national level. COGIC policies and bylaws have also been established regarding sexual misconduct of COGIC clergy and laymembers for disciplinary purposes. A local church mother since the age of 21, she was committed to strengthening the auxiliaries in the local churches and to prepare the younger women to carry the mission of COGIC into the Twenty-first Century. In 1918, COGIC opened its first institution of higher learning, the Saints Industrial and Literary School in Lexington, Mississippi, for both girls and boys. Mother Willie Mae Rivers (19972017) of Goose Creek, South Carolina, succeeded Mother Crouch. President Clinton gave speeches at COGIC meetings including the International Holy Convocation at Mason Temple and the Women's International Convention. After the death of Bishop Mason, he assumed leadership as the Senior Bishop of the Church of God in Christ. There was the creation of the Sunday School Field Representative. He is known to many as being an eloquent, compassionate and practical leader, as well as a humanitarian and an advocate with a God-given gift for ministering to the whole man. [44], COGIC teaches that salvation is the work of redemption to the sinner and his restoration to divine favor and communion with God. It has had rapid growth in many regions as one of the fastest-growing and largest religious groups in the United States.[30]. In 2010 Superintendent J. The current International Sunday School Superintendent is Superintendent Mark Ellis of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the International Field Representative is Mother Cleolia Penix of Chicago, Illinois.[29]. As a classical Holiness Pentecostal denomination,[2][4] COGIC continues to embrace its holiness heritage, teaching modesty in dress, appearance, moderate participation in secular entertainment and prohibitions against profanity, alcohol, substance abuse and immoral behavior. In 1915, after years of court litigation over the name of the organization and use of the name "Church of God in Christ" by the two groups; Mason's group was granted the use of the name and Jones's group organized a legally chartered Holiness body called the Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A.[14], After moving to Memphis, Tennessee, Bishop Mason established a local congregation called Temple COGIC. She served as chairperson of the board of supervisors, member, Executive Board, member, Screening Committee, member, Program Committee General Church, coordinator, Leadership Conference, International Marshall, secretary, and Assistant General Supervisor for the Department of Women. [60] Units added during her tenure as general supervisor were the: business and Professional Women's Federation, Rescue Squad, Sunday School Representatives Unit, United Sisters of Charity, National Secretaries Unit, and the Jr. Missionaries. (Young People Willing Workers), and Missions and Evangelism. Some pastor's wives have served as pastor of congregations usually after the death of a pastor sometimes serving under the title of "shepherdess, shepherd mother, or church administrator. In November 2008, Bishop Blake was re-elected to serve a four-year term as Presiding Bishop. Charles Blake was born on August 5, 1940 in Little Rock, Arkansas, to the late Bishop Junious Augustus (J. More:J. Bishop David A. [10] After testifying to being sanctified, members of the church referred to themselves as "Saints", believing that they were set apart to live a daily life of Christian Holiness in words and deeds.[11]. In November 1975, at the National Holy Convocation in Memphis, TN., with the consent of the General Board, Bishop Carlis Moody Sr. of Evanston, Illinois, was appointed by Bishop J. O. Patterson to be president of the Department of Home and Foreign Missions. This group of seven bishops became known officially as the executive commission; they took on greater responsibility over church affairs until Mason's death. In 1976, under the leadership of Bishop J.O. Today however, many church mothers have been reserved to titular positions as many pastor's wives have assumed the role of leader of women's ministries in local congregations. He became a Christian and converted to Pentecostal Christianity as a young adolescent, under the ministry of his mother and father in Arkansas, and he and his family moved to Los Angeles when he was in his 20's when his father was asked to take over as a bishop of the First Jurisdiction of Southern California for the COGIC denomination. Churches are organized in dioceses called jurisdictions, each under the authority of a bishop. Helm Baptist Church in Jackson, Mississippi, attended by Mason and others from several states. She formed her daughters into a singing group who became known as the legendary "Clark Sisters" who helped introduce and became leaders of the contemporary gospel music era. She developed the International Women's Convention into a training institute for women in the ministry. Mason Theological Seminary to train its ministers and ministry leaders. As COGIC continued to grow, the various departments began the practice of convening annually to conduct the business unique of their ministries. Deaconess Missionaries serve and assist in the ceremonial and temporal affairs of the local church. COGIC became a staple of gospel music under the guidance and leadership of Dr. Mattie Moss Clark. According to a 2015 statistical study by the Pew Research Center, the denomination was estimated to have a United States membership of approximately 84% African-Americans, 5% White Americans, 8% Latino-Americans, and roughly 2% Asian-Americans. [49] The church does not practice infant baptisms or christenings, but does conduct baby dedications in formal ceremonies. Pastor Dennis Martin and Superintendent Willie James Campbell succeeded Bishop White as presidents. Mother Jennie Bell Dancy Jones of Arkansas became the first National Field Representative under Bishop Patrick. Drew Sheard was born on January 1, 1959, in Detroit, Michigan, to Bishop and Mrs. John Henry Sheard. The school and college remain closed at present.[29]. Mother Rivers also began the "49 and Under" to enlist and focus the younger women of COGIC to remain committed to the doctrine and teachings of the church. Dr. Valerie Daniels Carter, entrepreneur, Jurisdictional Supervisor, Dr. Dorinda Clark Cole, International Elect Lady of Evangelism Dept., international evangelist. Demons exist as manifestation of evil or unclean spirits. Bishop Jones was the only living bishop of the five original bishops consecrated by Bishop Mason. [5] Although an international and multi-ethnic religious organization, it has a predominantly African-American membership based within the United States. His decision means that the Feb. 23 Quadrennial Election will vote-in a new Presiding Bishop. Assistant Secretary of the Board of Bishops Bishop Adrian Williams. Church Of God In Christ, Inc. 2015-23. President, International Youth Department Superintendent Nathaniel Green. He is an example of servant leadership and has become a voice to the nations to uphold the standards of holiness. By 1906, the church had grown to nearly 100 congregations in three states. Church of God in Christ - Wikipedia The denomination teaches that God gives life to human beings, biologically and spiritually, through the moment of conception in the womb of the mother, using Jeremiah 1:5, Genesis 1:2627, and Psalms 139:1316 as their scriptural basis for this belief. The presiding bishop is part of a general board, consisting of eleven other bishops elected by a general assembly consisting of pastors, elders, chaplains, bishops, missionaries, supervisors, and designated lay delegates. Bishop Blake is an ardent advocate of education and academic excellence, who holds multiple academic and honorary degrees, from various educational institutions. Desiring to learn more about the work of the Holy Spirit in the church, C. H. Mason, J. When she died in 1945, she had laid an impressive foundation for the women's ministry in COGIC. The church declares to be evangelical in ministry, fundamental in doctrine and practice and Pentecostal in worship and expression. The Church of God in Christ ecclesiastical structure is an episcopal-presbyterian form of government. At the start of the new millennium, then COGIC presiding Bishop Gilbert Earl Patterson, continued to support the advancement of civil rights. [17][16] The organizers of the meeting in Hot Springs had sent invitations only to white ministers to discuss a new movement. Nevertheless, as time progressed in the 1950s and 60s, and as COGIC began to grow and became increasingly institutionalized as a denomination, several other churches and denominations began partnering up with COGIC's leaders to help advance the cause of Civil Rights for African Americans, most notably such as the National Baptist Convention, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, and many other similar predominantly Black denominations as well. On May 19, 1952, he added Bishop J. O. Patterson Sr. Also in 1952, Mason revised the constitution to determine the leadership and succession of the church after his death. [15], In 1951, when Bishop Mason was approaching 85 years of age, he set up a "special commission" to help with the administration and oversight of the church. Chairman of the National Judiciary Board Bishop Martin Luther Johnson. Owens and became known as AIM (Auxiliaries in Ministry). COGIC members gathered for praying, fasting, teaching, preaching, fellowship and conducting business related to the national COGIC organization. Then in 1946, the YPWW Department was combined with the Sunday School Department for joint conventions until 1951 when they were separated once again. Over time, the ministers and churches under Leonard P. Adams also separated from COGIC; they assimilated into other white Pentecostal groups or organizations. Mallory retired in 1976 after fifty years of service; and she had a national reputation. In 2021 he was again re-elected Bishop as a member of the Presidium (General Board) of the Church of God in Christ, Inc., at that time he was also subsequently elected to the Office of the Presiding Bishop as Chief Apostle. The legislative authority of the church is vested in a general assembly, composed of the members of the general board, jurisdictional/auxiliary bishops, jurisdictional supervisors, chaplains, pastors, ordained elders, four district missionaries and six lay members from each jurisdiction. In 1968, COGIC established the C.H. Bishop Brandon B. Porter Secretary to the General Board (2021present) and board member (2012present). B. McEwen was elected chairman of the executive board, and O.T. The three-year-initiative with The Human Coalition was also supposed to encourage local COGIC clergy leaders across the United States, both male and female, to partner up with other anti-abortion advocacy groups and Christian ministries to lobby for more anti-abortion restrictions throughout local states.[51]. As a compassionate advocate for the advancement of Gods Kingdom, he is committed to accomplishing Gods agenda as both a leader and a laborer, reaping a harvest of souls. Presiding bishop - Wikipedia Built in the 1940s during World War II, the nearly 4000-seat building was the largest church auditorium of any African-American religious group in the United States. The Voice of Missions a bimonthly magazine, John Seth Bailey#, general board member, jurisdictional bishop, Michigan Southwest Jurisdiction; pastor, Bailey Cathedral, Detroit, MI, Elmer Elijah Cleveland#, jurisdictional bishop, Northern California Jurisdiction, pastor, Ephesians, Oakland, CA, Bishop David Willard Grayson, Sr#, Jurisdictional Bishop of Maine, Founding Jurisdictional Bishop of Eastern New York Fourth, David Daniels, educator, professor, auxiliary bishop, James Logan Delk#, politician, pastor, First, Hopkinsville, KY, James Louis Felton, auxiliary bishop, pastor, Mount Airy, Philadelphia, PA, James Neaul Haynes#, general board member, jurisdictional bishop, Texas Northeast First Jurisdiction; pastor, Saintsville, Dallas, TX, Roderick Hennings, author, auxiliary bishop, pastor, Zion Dominion Global Ministries, Amherst, NY, William Morgan James#, general board member, jurisdictional bishop, Ohio North First Jurisdiction, pastor, St. James, Toledo, OH and James Temple, Cincinnati, OH, Orzo Thurston Jones Jr.#, general board member, jurisdictional bishop, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Jurisdiction; pastor, Holy Temple, Philadelphia, PA, Otha Miema Kelly#, general board member, jurisdictional bishop, Eastern New York First Jurisdiction; pastor, Kelly Temple, Harlem, NY, Otis Lockett#, church planter, jurisdictional bishop, North Carolina Second Jurisdiction, pastor, Evangel Word Fellowship, Greensboro, NC, George Dallas McKinney#, scholar, general board member, jurisdictional bishop, Southern California Second Jurisdiction; pastor, St. Stephen's Cathedral, San Diego, CA, S.E. On June 5, 1951, he selected Bishop A. The presidium includes a separately elected international presiding bishop by the general assembly who serves a term of four years, who, then appoints two assistant presiding bishops.