Church of God by Faith

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For other uses, see Church of God.

The Church of God by Faith, Inc. A Body of Holy Ghost filled Pentecostal believers of the Christian Faith.

1 History
2 Beliefs
3 Organization
4 Membership
5 External links
6 References

[edit] History

The Church of God By Faith, Inc. was founded in 1914 in Jacksonville, Florida by Crawford Bright, John Bright, Aaron Matthews, Sr. and Nathaniel Scippio. In 1922 an assembly was held in Alachua, Florida, a charter was drafted, and the name Church of God By Faith, Inc. officially adopted. Since 1987, the annual meetings of the church have been held in Atlanta, Georgia.

[edit] Beliefs

The church stands in the holiness tradition, teaching that entire sanctification is an instantaneous work obtained by faith, but must be preceded through the consecration of the individual. Divine healing is held, but they do not reject the use of medicine and doctors if necessary. The church's articles of faith do not address the issue of speaking in tongues.

[edit] Organization

National headquarters are located in Jacksonville, Florida. Most of the churches are in the southeastern United States – especially Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.

[edit] Membership

In 1996, the Church of God by Faith had 8325 members in 145 congregations.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] External links

[edit] References

Encyclopedia of American Religions, J. Gordon Melton, editor
Handbook of Denominations (10th ed.), by Frank S. Mead and Samuel S. Hill
Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches (1997), National Council of Churches