Church of God (Guthrie, Oklahoma)

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For other uses of "Church of God", see Church of God.

The Church of God (Guthrie, Oklahoma) is a Christian denomination with roots in the holiness movement.

This body attempts to closely follow the teachings of Daniel Sidney Warner. They believe that God began to restore the church through Warner and others in 1880. The "Guthrie" body is a minority division that split off from the Church of God (Anderson) in 1910-1911. This minority felt that the majority were compromising the original teachings of Warner and the Church of God. They felt that this could easily be ascertained by comparing the teachings of the Anderson Movement at that time with the original writings of the teachings of Daniel Sidney Warner.

George Winn, an ex-slave, founded the local congregation at Guthrie in 1905. Its early work toward racial integration gained it the pejorative title The Church of God (Holstein). The congregation at Guthrie hosts the state assembly meeting each December.

The doctrines of the church are similar to those of the Church of God (Anderson) in its earlier days. In comparison, the church maintains a stronger emphasis on separation and holiness [1] than the Anderson Movement. Sanctification[2] is held as a second work of grace after justification by faith. Members are discouraged from participating in any type of warfare or military service, and are prohibited from using alcoholic beverages or tobacco, and the wearing of makeup. Using foul language and telling or listening to dirty jokes are also forbidden. Most members do not own televisions. The church teaches that the committing of willful sin, and that alone, disqualifies someone from being a member.

Practices of the church include baptism by immersion [3], the Lord's supper, feet washing, lifting up holy hands, anointing with oil, divine healing, fasting and a cappella singing. Eschatology is amillennial[4]

In 2003, the Church of God (Guthrie, Oklahoma) had 43 congregations in 18 states in the United States; (the largest concentrations being in Oklahoma and California). The church does not keep membership rolls. Faith and Victory (founded 1923) is a 16-page monthly (11 months per year) publication of the church. Through mission efforts the church has extended into 6 other countries outside of the U.S.

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  • Birth of a Reformation - Life and Labors of D. S. Warner, by A. L. Byers
  • Encyclopedia of American Religions, J. Gordon Melton, editor
  • Profiles in Belief: the Religious Bodies of the United States and Canada (Vol. III), by Arthur Carl Piepkorn