Our History

First Church of God History

To God Be The Glory

The First Church of God was founded on Dawson Cabin Road in 1911 with Brother J. Luther Taylor serving as the first pastor. He and his daughter Josephine traveled to Verona from Ogden on the fourth Sunday of the month for a preaching service. They brought with them a portable organ. Cottage prayer meetings were held before the first building was constructed. Brother Taylor served as pastor until 1924.
In 1931, Reverend Ray Long, and his wife Lindy and daughter Glenis came from Virginia and pastored for a short time. Reverend Grady Garnet Taylor felt the call to pastor in Jacksonville. He moved his family in 1947. Rev. Taylor led the church in building a parsonage in the fall of 1947 on land given to the church by the Isaac Smiths. The Sunday morning offering of ten to twelve dollars was used to build the parsonage. The Sunday evening offering was used for the electric bill. The women of the church sold chickens to raise money for gas heaters for the church. On March 3, 1948 the first service was held in the new church building. When the Taylors left in 1952 there were 160 in attendance in church. Percy and Geraldine Tramel ministered here from 1952-1953. Jesse and Elizabeth Chambless accepted the pastoral responsibilities from 1954-1955. Frank and Helen Ledford pastored from 1955-1958. The fellowship hall was built during their ministry. Joseph and JoAnne Stephenson pastored from 1958-1962 with an emphasis on youth ministry. Johnny Smith served as pastor in 1962, son of Isaac and Jennie Smith. From 1966-1971 Marion and Edna Elston served the congregation. During their tenure the church made good progress with the youth traveling to the International Youth Conventions in Minneapolis and Dallas. From 1971 to 1973 Herrod and Helen Ely served on an interim basis. Furden and Maggie Roberts came to Jacksonville from Summerville, SC, in 1973. Under their leadership, a new parsonage was begun. William and Joy Yates served our congregation from 1976-1977. The new parsonage was completed and the Yates with their four children was the first occupants. Freddy and Kathy Dowden served in the ministry from 1978-1980. Church renovations were completed under the leadership of Rev. Dowden. From 1981-1983 Paul and Doris Phelps ministered here. They placed emphasis on the youth program, evangelism, music ministry and church renovations. Following the Phelps were John and Alice Addington who served from 1985 to 1995. The Addingtons emphasized improving the church grounds, church organization, building a new sanctuary and educational facilities. In February, 1995, the congregation moved into the new church. Reverend Greg Tucker and his wife Lenora served our congregation from 1996-1999. Reverend Stan and wife Shelley Farrar moved to Jacksonville with their five sons in December 2000. Their ministry has focused on teaching and the youth ministry. Reverend Farrar served our congregation from 2000-2003. 2003-2005 Pastor Leonard Laycock and wife Bobby served as interim pastor with an emphases on fellowship and love, Pastor Laycock enjoyed humor. 2005-2008 Reverend Jerry and Sandy Baker and daughter Alisa moved here from Ohio. Pastor Baker enjoyed fellowship and singing groups, his wife Sandy was loved by all and taught Sunday school as well as worked well with the teen youth. 2008 - Present interim pastor Reverend James Deluca and wife Becky. Reverend Deluca has a strong voice and sings very well. Becky is active with the ladies auxiliary and fellowship events.

Our congregation and community are indebted to all those who have made possible the founding and continuing ministry of the First Church of God on Dawson Cabin Road.

Church of God
Anderson Indiana

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History

It was started in 1881 by Daniel Sidney Warner and several others.^[2] Warner had been a member of the General Eldership of the Church of God. He differed with the Winebrennerians on the doctrine of sanctification^[3], which he held to be a second definite work of grace, and on the nature of the church. The desire of Warner and the others was to forsake denominationalism and creeds. To this end, they determined to trust in the Holy Spirit as their guide and the Bible as their creed. Warner's vision was that the Church of God would "extend our hand in fellowship to every blood-washed one," rather than align themselves with a movement.

Pacifism

In the beginnings of the Church of God there was a commitment to pacifism. In the late 1800s the Church of God used their journal the Gospel Trumpet as a means to disseminate their interest in pacifism. In April 1898 the Gospel Trumpet answered a question about the Church of God’s stance on a Christian going to war. The answer printed was "We answer no. Emphatically no. There is no place in the New Testament herein Christ gave instruction to his followers to take the life of a fellow-man"("Should We Go to War?" Gospel Trumpet, April 14, 1898, p. 4.) As time went on the Church of God was able to maintain their stance on pacifism, but as World War I was erupting across Europe the church’s stance began to soften. As German Church of God congregants were drafted into the army the Gospel Trumpet began running letters submitted about the conditions of training camps and on the battlefields. While encouraging their readers to pray for the German soldiers the Gospel Trumpet made no reference to the apparent contrast between supporting the war effort and encouraging pacifism (see Merle D. Strege “The Demise [?] of a Peace Church: The Church of God (Anderson), Pacifism and Civil Religion, The Mennonite Quarterly Review, Vol. LXV April 1991, No. 2 pgs. 128-140).

As the United States entered World War I the Gospel Trumpet restated the church’s official stance of pacifism, but also reminded their congregants that they supported the authority of the state and should comply with local laws concerning the draft. There were articles run to help a pacifist request non-combat duty if they were drafted. For those who decided to volunteer the church reported that the volunteer would not lose their salvation, but would have to answer to God concerning their actions during the war. Strege writes as the war waged on, “there occurs in print no condemnation of those who entered the army-whether German or American-and there is no questioning of their religious commitment” (Strege p. 137).

By the time World War II came there was very little pacifistic sentiment left in the church, even though the official stance never changed. There was always a conflict between the church’s stance that they should submit to the leadership of the government, and their position of pacifism.

Doctrinal changes

The Church of God (Anderson) espouses the teachings of the Ministry that began the Movement in 1880. Warner believed that every group of organized churches who had an earthly Headquarters and an earthly creed other than the Holy Bible, was a part of Babylon. They taught that God had restored the light of Unity in 1880. The Evening Light ministry became known as "come outers" because they traveled from town to town preaching that all of the saved need to worship together in one place rather than being separated by creeds, dogmas and doctrines of men. The Reformation Ministry believed that Babylon or false Christianity was the Harlot Woman in the book of Revelation. The ministry believed that the Harlot woman was a symbol of Roman Catholism and that her daughters were a symbol of Protestantism. The slogan of the paper, "One Voice", almost became "On Becoming the Church". The Evening Light Ministry of 1880-1915 believed that they taught all of the truth and that they were the Church. Some changes began in 1912, with the change of wearing of the neck tie; to by 1950 the movement no longer taught against the immodesty of mixed bathing(swimming) between the sexes or the addition of the television into the home.

Below is a list of things that the Church of God (Anderson) no longer believe:

Against outward adornment: wedding rings, ear rings, lipstick on women, following "worldly fashions." However, as a Holiness movement there is still an emphasis on "modesty," i.e. non-ostentatiousness in such things
that women should not wear clothing that pertains to men,i.e pants
that ministers should not receive a set salary
that musical instruments (such as a piano or organ) should not be used in the worship service
No divorce, no exception

Beliefs

The church observes baptism^[4] by total immersion, the Lord's Supper (commonly known as communion), and feet washing as symbolic acts, recognizing them as the ordinances (commandments) of God. According to the church's official web site, "None of these practices, termed ordinances, are considered mandatory conditions of Christian experience or fellowship."^[2]

Organization

Church polity is autonomous and congregational, with various state and regional assemblies offering some basic support for pastors and congregations. In North America cooperative work is coordinated through Church of God Ministries with offices in Anderson, Indiana. Currently the General Director is Ronald V. Duncan.

There are 2,214 congregations in the United States and Canada which are affiliated with the Church of God (Anderson), with an average attendance of 251,429^[5]. Worldwide adherents number more than 1,170,143 in 7,446 congregations spread over nearly ninety countries. Personal conversion and Christian conduct, coupled with attendance, are sufficient for participation in a local Church of God congregation.

Affiliated schools

The church's seminary is Anderson School of Theology in Anderson, Indiana. It is also affiliated with several colleges across North America, including Anderson University, Azusa Pacific University, Gardner College, Mid-America Christian University, Warner Pacific College and Warner University.