former presiding bishops of cogic former presiding bishops of cogic

Patterson, the nephew of the above-mentioned Bishop J.O. General Secretary Bishop Joel H. Lyles Jr.. Chairman of the General Assembly Bishop Lemuel F. Thuston. Bishop John Drew Sheard is Presiding Bishop and Chief Apostle of the Church of God in Christ, Inc., one of the largest African American Pentecostal denominations in the United States with 12,000 churches in over 112 countries. The Elders' Council met and organized the first Missions board of the Church of God in Christ. By 1906, the church had grown to nearly 100 congregations in three states. After the death of Bishop Mason, he assumed leadership as the Senior Bishop of the Church of God in Christ. By. Mother Dorothy Exume#, foreign missionary, Evangelist Reatha D. Herndon#, first and longest-serving elect Lady, church organizer, national evangelist, Supervisor Deola Wells Johnson, national evangelist, jurisdictional supervisor, Evangelist Maria Gardner Langston, COGIC pastor, national evangelist, former Elect Lady, Mother Elsie Washington Mason#, third and final wife of Bishop Mason, Mother Lelia Washington Mason#, second wife of Bishop Mason. However, his out-spoken criticism of the racial prejudice and discrimination of whites led most, if not all of them, to leave his church for other ministries where the message against racism was not so obvious and offensive to them. COGIC has always been traditionally anti-abortion. In 1988, he was installed as Pastor of Greater Emmanuel Church. [4] He was reelected to a third term as Presiding Bishop on November 15, 2016. During the tenure of Bishop G.E. Patterson Sr. in 1989. COGIC also teaches that all the spiritual gifts are for believers today. The judicial board serves as the judicial branch and is the supreme body that interprets polity and practice. [23][24] After Mason's death, in accordance with the 1952 church constitution, the control of the church reverted to the COGIC Board of Bishops. Charles Edward Blake Sr. (born August 5, 1940) is an American minister and pastor who served as the Presiding Bishop and leader of the Church of God in Christ, a 6 million-member Holiness Pentecostal denomination, that has now grown to become one of the largest predominantly African American Pentecostal denominations in the United . The school and college remain closed at present.[29]. 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. He testified to receiving entire sanctification after reading her autobiography in 1893. He is credited with helping to secure the steel needed to construct Mason Temple which was virtually impossible during World War II.[52]. All rights reserved. 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. The seminary is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) and is part of a consortium of the Interdenominational Theological Center. Pentecostals have been known and continue to be known for their lively worship, exuberant expressions of praise and worship, and musical compilations, mostly relying on congregational singing of hymns and chants. Her predecessor was Evangelist Dr. Rita Womack of Los Angeles, California. President, International Department of Missions Bishop Vincent Matthews Jr.. His dream was to establish an international ministry complex known as "Saints Center" and an accredited institution known as "All Saints University". As a result, the general board exercises great authority over the church. The church is thought to have nearly two million members in 7,000 churches on the continent of Africa. [42], COGIC teaches that angels are messengers sent from God who served during the creation, throughout the Old Testament, the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, the establishment of the church and the ministry of the apostles, and continue to be at work in the Kingdom of God. COGIC Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake issued a public apology, saying "I apologize for what seemed to be a harsh, uncompassionate, disrespectful spirit on the part of that speaker. For the Anabaptist denomination, see, The official seal of the COGIC features a sheaf of wheat representing the members of the COGIC. There are more than 200 ecclesiastical jurisdictions around the world, with 170 in the United States. Dr. Mattie Moss Clark#, second and longest-serving president of Int'l. Mother Willie Mae Rivers served faithfully for 20 years as General Mother until 2017 and the age of 91. More:J. A. Clean White, Jurisdictional Bishop, Bermuda Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, National Evangelist, Recording Artist, Songwriter, Atlanta, Georgia, This page was last edited on 26 February 2023, at 15:15. Sin was transmitted to humanity when Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, as a result all men have original sin. Superintendent, International Sunday School Department Superintendent Mark Ellis. In April 2018, Presiding Bishop Charles Blake along with Lee Saunders, Andrew Young, DeMaurice Smith, and Brian Dunn coordinated the "I AM 2018 Mountaintop Conference" at the historic Mason Temple in Memphis to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. COGIC believes marriage is a monogamous sacred, civil, and legal union between a husband and wife that is recognized as a covenant between them and God for the purpose of the couple being a helpmate to each other and raising a family together. The first Sunday School Superintendent was Professor L. W. Lee (19081916). She was the Jurisdictional Supervisor of Women for California Northern First Jurisdiction. The fastest growing areas include Nigeria, South Africa, Brazil, and India. There seemed no prospect of an integrated Pentecostal movement under the leadership of an African-American such as C. H. Bishop Carlis Moody immediately began to reorganize the Missions Department, giving new guidelines. He accepted his call into the ministry in 1956. The COGIC constitution at the time did not identify a clear successor or the authority of the executive board after Mason's death. It has nine members, elected by the general assembly, including three bishops, three elders, and three lay members. In 1924, the Sunday School was formally organized under "Father" F. C. Christmas (19161944). 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. He protested during the 1950s and 1960s against lodging segregation in Memphis, while participating in COGIC Holy Convocations there during the Civil Rights era before federal laws prohibiting such segregation. The early conventions of the Evangelist Board were basically crusades led by Page and a few other Evangelists from across the country. Sin originated in eternity when Satan committed open rebellion against God in heaven. The rope that holds the shaft together represents Charles Harrison Mason, COGIC's founding father. A. Blake, Jr., who is also a bishop and pastor in the COGIC denomination in San Diego, California. [17][16] The organizers of the meeting in Hot Springs had sent invitations only to white ministers to discuss a new movement. COGIC clergy are also allowed to be married. [94][95], After the November 2016 COGIC Holy Convocation, Carter left the COGIC denomination because Blake had been re-elected as the Presiding Bishop. He led a group of students to participate in the March on Selma. Adelle M. Banks. [47] COGIC regards homosexuality, infidelity, and any other forms of sexual immorality that does not agree with Biblical scripture as sinful. The current president of the Missions Department is Bishop Vincent Mathews Jr. of South Africa. The most notable rift occurred in 1969, when fourteen bishops met in Evanston, Illinois, to form the Church of God in Christ, International. Assistant General Treasurer Bishop Kendall Anderson. The church has a tradition of prayer, fasting, praise, and consecration that was once unique to Holiness or Holiness Pentecostal groups. [29] She is also the Jurisdictional Supervisor of Women for the South Carolina Jurisdiction. As the first elected presiding bishop, Bishop Patterson Sr. established the Charles Harrison Mason Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia. Not everyone in the church were willing to accept "speaking in tongues" as the initial evidence of baptism of the Holy Ghost. She was the Jurisdictional Supervisor of Women for Texas Southwest Jurisdiction under the late Bishop T. D. Iglehart. Nurses Aid Ministry nurses taking their skills to the mission field. Women in COGIC have been influential in the leadership and organization of the church since its inception. 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]. This group of seven bishops became known officially as the executive commission; they took on greater responsibility over church affairs until Mason's death. Assistant Elect Lady, COGIC World Missions-Supervisor Lee E.Van Zandt. 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. COGIC members gathered for praying, fasting, teaching, preaching, fellowship and conducting business related to the national COGIC organization. Bishop Patterson was the second youngest person to ever be elected Presiding Bishop of COGIC at the age 60 in 2000, second to his uncle, Bishop J. O. Patterson Sr. who was 56 when he was elected Presiding Bishop in 1968. [citation needed] Bishop Ford is credited with inviting President Bill Clinton, a personal friend, to speak to the Eighty-Sixth International Holy Convocation on November 13, 1993. His decision means that the Feb. 23 Quadrennial Election will vote-in a new Presiding Bishop. The current General Supervisor of Women is Dr. Barbara McCoo Lewis of Los Angeles, California. Today thousands of COGIC women when ministering the gospel or serving in official capacities are seen in their civic (black) or ceremonial (white) habits. Music Dept. Bishop Blake said, "The Church of God in Christ does not compromise its stance against homosexuality as the Word of God condemns it as sin, but "this preacher's" (referring to Earl Carter) comments were unacceptably offensive and uncalled for, and will not be tolerated by the Church of God in Christ or its leadership. 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. On October 23, 2020, Bishop Blake announced that he will not seek re-election as Presiding Bishop nor as a member of the General Board. Secretary of the Board of Bishops Bishop William Watson, III. They rejected denominational names such as Baptist, Methodist, or Episcopal. National Baptist Convention of America, Inc. National Missionary Baptist Convention of America, Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith, Church of Universal Triumph, Dominion of God, Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the Americas, Triumph the Church and Kingdom of God in Christ, United Pentecostal Council of the Assemblies of God, Incorporated, Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America, Imani Temple African-American Catholic Congregation, Israelite School of Universal Practical Knowledge, Original Church of God or Sanctified Church, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Charles_Edward_Blake_Sr.&oldid=1138808010, People from Los Angeles County, California, Presiding Bishops of the Church of God in Christ, African-American television personalities, Interdenominational Theological Center alumni, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, April, 2007, November 2008, November 2012, November 2016, This page was last edited on 11 February 2023, at 19:00. Carter currently posts material on YouTube and Facebook reporting alleged misconduct and impropriety within current leadership of COGIC and other Christian (mainly African-American) denominations. (Young People Willing Workers), and Missions and Evangelism. Bishop Sheard was first elected to the General Board in 2012 and re-elected in 2016. His testimony "literally went viral, and brought upon him criticism and sardonicism. This endorsement allows female chaplains who are serving in the military, working in an institution or jails to perform religious services including funerals and weddings. These offices are found in every local, district, and jurisdiction to support development and growth of the Sunday School. Dr. Roy L.H. [9] This Holiness group/fellowship adopted the name Church of God in Christ, and COGIC began to develop congregations throughout the South. [43], COGIC teaches that man was created perfect and sinless in the image of God as a tripartite being having a body, soul, and spirit. He was a noted evangelist who had pastored several churches, including: Bostick Temple in St. Louis, Missouri; Well's Cathedral COGIC in Newark, New Jersey; and Greater Community COGIC in Marietta, Georgia. During the formative stages of COGIC, Bishop Mason organized departments to further support the work of the church as it continued to grow and expand. COGIC policies and bylaws have also been established regarding sexual misconduct of COGIC clergy and laymembers for disciplinary purposes. In 2000, he was elected as the Presiding Bishop of COGIC. In 2009 he was appointed as a member of Barack Obama's Inaugural Advisory Council of the Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships where he served for one year on the council. In 1918, COGIC opened its first institution of higher learning, the Saints Industrial and Literary School in Lexington, Mississippi, for both girls and boys. Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr. is the fifth Presiding Bishop and the seventh leader in succession, appointed in November 2007 by the General Assembly of the Church of God in Christ. The church has more than 3,000 churches in Asia, and 2,000 churches in the Caribbean and South America. Together they traveled across the country proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. [33] C. E. Blake served as the Presiding Prelate of the First Jurisdiction of Southern California. Jurisdictions are set up similar to the national church in terms of composition, polity, and procedure. Drew Sheard was consecrated as Jurisdictional Bishop, succeeding Bishop Herbert J. Williams, Sr., the founding prelate of North Central Michigan Jurisdiction. In Chicago, Ford organized voter registration initiatives. However, the General Assembly vested authority in the executive board composed of the seven bishops selected by Bishop Mason before his death. In November 2008, Bishop Blake was re-elected to serve a four-year term as Presiding Bishop. The court ordered the church to convene a constitutional convention in February 1968. [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. [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. Bishop John Drew Sheard is Presiding Bishop and Chief Apostle of the Church of God in Christ, Inc., one of the largest African American Pentecostal denominations in the United States with 12,000 churches in over 112 countries. Bishop Mason was pivotal in licensing and credentialing both white and African-American ministers, who spread the Pentecostal message and planted new churches. After being ejected for accepting these new Pentecostal teachings, Mason called a meeting in Memphis later in the year and reorganized the Church of God in Christ as a Holiness-Pentecostal body. In keeping with the times, the school had some industrial education and training for its students, so that they could learn practical skills. She organized the sewing circle and after meeting Elder Searcy, she encouraged the women to support mission work through the Home and Foreign Mission bands. When she died in 1945, she had laid an impressive foundation for the women's ministry in COGIC. Pastor Dennis Martin and Superintendent Willie James Campbell succeeded Bishop White as presidents. [58], Her successor, Lillian Brooks Coffey (19451964) was the organizer of the Women's International Convention to support the work of foreign missionaries. B. McEwen was elected chairman of the executive board, and O.T. As the International Holy Convocation grew to thousands, COGIC leaders had to negotiate with city officials to provide hotel accommodations for the saints. He was a strong advocate for social justice. 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. Patterson established protocols of worship, policy and practices. Chairman of AIM Bishop Linwood Dillard. Mason as General Overseer and Chief Apostle. It was destroyed by fire in 1936. [13], Although the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) began earlier, it is still the case that in 1907, with ten congregations, The Church of God in Christ became the first legally chartered Pentecostal body incorporated in the United States. This seasonal period was selected because most of the COGIC members were farmers and were finished harvesting their crops around this time. Driver, who was the overseer of California and pastor of the Saints Home COGIC led an interracial congregation made up of many Blacks, Whites, and Latinos, for many years. The presiding bishop and all twelve members of the general board are to be elected every four years and preside over the church when the General Assembly is not in session. The Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is the chief ecumenical officer of the church, and the leader and caretaker for the bishops of the synods. COGIC Bishop Alvin A. Childs of the Faith Temple Church of God in Christ (later renamed Child's Memorial in his honor) was the clergyman who finally opened his doors. COGIC considers any physical, sexual relationship outside of the sanctity of marriage to be outside of the sovereign will of God and unbiblical. [96][97][98][99], This article is about the Holiness Pentecostal denomination. He established COGIC Charities which has provided thousands of dollars in college scholarships and disaster relief efforts such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.