Church of God of Prophecy: Encyclopedia II - Church of God of Prophecy - History

Church of God of Prophecy - History

In August of 1886, Elder Richard Spurling (1810-1891), an ordained Baptist minister, rejected the dominant Landmark Baptist views on the church, which he believed were too creedal and exclusive. With seven members from Holly Springs and Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Churches in Monroe County, Tennessee and Cherokee County, North Carolina, he organized the Christian Union. These Christians hoped to free themselves from man-made creeds and unite on the principles of the New Testament. In September of 1886, Elder Spurling's son, Richard Green Spurling (1857-1935), was ordained as pastor of the Christian Union congregation. He also formed two other congregations. The father and son shared a vision to restore the church.

Around 1895, a holiness movement and Holy Ghost revival under the preaching of B. H. Irwin swept into the area. Richard G. Spurling accepted the holiness teachings, but was wary of the extreme direction in which he felt the movement was headed. But the revival was effective in moving Spurling's group away from the general faith and practice of Baptists and toward that of the Holiness. In 1902, R. G. Spurling influenced a holiness group led by W. F. Bryant to form the Holiness Church at Camp Creek, North Carolina. Spurling was elected pastor and Bryant was ordained as a deacon. The next year brought into the church an energetic and powerful leader - Ambrose J. Tomlinson. Tomlinson (1865-1943), a former Quaker who experienced an inner change of regeneration and sanctification, came in 1899 to the Appalachian region as a missionary. He became acquainted with Spurling and Bryant and caught Spurling's vision of the restoration of the church. He united with the church at Camp Creek on June 13, 1903, and soon became the acknowledged leader. New churches were organized in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia. The first annual meeting of all the churches was held in 1906 in Cherokee County, North Carolina, and the name Church of God was adopted in 1907. Tomlinson professed a baptism of the Holy Ghost experience in 1908, which firmly established the church as part of the pentecostal movement. This took place under the preaching of G. B. Cashwell, a minister who was very influential in bringing pentecostalism to North Carolina, the Appalachians and the east coast. In 1909 Tomlinson was elected General Overseer of the Church of God.

In 1923 the Church of God was disrupted by matters concerning finance and governance. The largest body of the division exists as the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee). The division under the leadership of A. J. Tomlinson was the smaller body. Tomlinson continued as General Overseer over this church until his death in 1943. The presbytery believed that the Lord directed them to bring the younger son, Milton A. Tomlinson (1906-1995), forward to leadership. This was confirmed by the General Assembly in 1944 and he became the General Overseer of the Church of God. The name "of Prophecy" was added to the "Church of God" on May 2, 1952. Under M. A. Tomlinson's leadership, the church began the White Wing Publishing House, White Wing Christian Bookstores, The Voice of Salvation radio and TV programs, and numerous other ministries. He served as General Overseer until 1990.

Homer Tomlinson, older brother of Milton, formed a separate Church of God denomination (now Church of God (Huntsville, Alabama)) under his leadership in 1943-44. In 1957 Grady R. Kent went out of the Church of God of Prophecy and formed The Church of God of All Nations, which adopted its name in 1958.

When the Church of God of Prophecy elected a new General Overseer in 1990 after the retirement of M. A. Tomlinson, the stage was set for another division. A small body left in 1993 and is commonly known as The Church of God (Charleston, Tennessee). Later in 1993 there was a division in the Church and at that time there was another Church formed called "The Church Of God" that felt that its congregation was led by God to appoint Robert J. Pruitt as their general overseer.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki