The year was AD 30. The place was Jerusalem. We call the day Pentecost because God's Church was established that day. The Holy Spirit came in a new and unusual way to indwell and empower the followers of Jesus Christ--both to bless their lives and to make them a blessing to all peoples of the earth. Luke, Paul, and Timothy refer often in scripture to this universal Church* that Jesus Christ founded and keeps in the name of his Father.
Since that day, believers in various groups at various times have been called by an assortment of names. In 1881, one particular group chose the name Church of God because that is what they sought to be. Today we are sometimes collectively known as the Church of God reformation movement with North American general offices in Anderson, Indiana.
The movement's first missionary was sent to Mexico in 1891. Since those early days, the Church of God has continued to grow into a multi-national community of faith. At present, the largest concentrations of U.S. churches are in the Midwest, along the Pacific Coast, and in western Pennsylvania. Average weekend attendance in the congregations of the United States and Canada totals approximately 235,000. There are nearly 2,300 congregations in the U.S. and Canada (2,232 in the U.S. and 49 in Canada). Worldwide, the movement has work in 90 countries representing approximately 7,340 churches and over 750,000 believers.
Wesleyan in theology, we seek to emphasize the unity of all those who follow Jesus Christ, whatever the name of their church group. We are also convinced that what we believe should make a difference in how we live. We attempt to serve and honor Christ by being faithful disciples, living out his Lordship as we understand it from scripture and are led by the Holy Spirit.
God is doing some marvelous things in and through the lives of Church
of God people around the world. As you read these pages, we hope you will
sense the commitment and character of this company of people who feel and
claim a direct link with the Church initiated by Jesus Christ on the Day
of Pentecost.
*Acts 20:28; Galations 1:13, I Corinthians 1:2, I Corinthians 10:32, I Corinthians 11:22, I Corinthians 15:9, II Corinthians 1:1, I Timothy 3:5.
This articles was taken from the Life & Ministry of the Church of God, 1997 issue, published by the Leadership Council of the Church of God, P.O. Box 2420, 1303 East Fifth Street, Anderson, Indiana 46018-2420.
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Updated: May 23, 2007