Congregational Holiness Church
| Congregational Holiness Church | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Pentecostal |
| Polity | Congregational |
| Associations | National Association of Evangelicals, Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America, Pentecostal World Fellowship |
| Origin | 1921 High Shoals, Georgia |
| Separated from | International Pentecostal Holiness Church |
| Congregations | 275 |
| Members | 25,000 |
| statistics for 2005 | |
The Congregational Holiness Church is a Pentecostal Christian denomination that was formed in 1921.
The Congregational Holiness Church shares the early history of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, from which it withdrew. In 1920 a schism came into the Pentecostal Holiness Church over the relation of divine healing and the use of medicine. Some pastors believed Christians had the right to use medicine and doctors, while the majority of the church believed in trusting God for healing without the use of medicine and doctors. The minority withdrew and formed the Congregational Holiness Church. Led by Reverends Watson Sorrow and Hugh Bowling, a delegation from 12 churches met on January 29, 1921 at the church in High Shoals, Georgia to organize. The church was chartered in 1925 as the Southeastern Association of the Congregational Holiness Church and changed in 1965 to the Congregational Holiness Church, Inc..
The early leaders of the CHC attempted to democratize church government, preferring congregational rule over the Pentecostal Holiness Church's episcopal polity. In its beginning, the church had no officially elected leaders, and a General Conference was held every two years. In 1935, the structure of the denomination was changed. The church was divided into three districts, and in 1938 the office of General Superintendent was added. Foreign mission work began in the early 1950s.
Offices are located in Griffin, Georgia. In addition to the United States, the Congregational Holiness Church has congregations in 34 countries including, but not limited to the following continents: Africa, Asia, North America, and South America. The Church now has eight districts: North Alabama, South Alabama, East Carolina, West Carolina, Central Georgia, North Georgia, Florida, Virginia, and a Hispanic Conference . USA Membership in 2013 was an estimated 29,000 in 275 churches. Partnership with the larger Pentecostal and evangelical communities is maintained through membership in the Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America, the National Association of Evangelicals, and the Pentecostal World Fellowship.
Those who organized the new church believed that, although divine healing was a part of Christ's atonement, God had given the gift of medicine to mankind as well. Otherwise, the faith and practice of the Congregational Holiness Church is quite similar to the parent body. Doctrine includes belief in the Trinity; the inspiration of the Scriptures; the Baptism of the Holy Ghost with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues; the Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ; the death, burial and resurrection of Christ; and His imminent, personal, premillennial second coming. They hold three church ordinances, water baptism, the Lord's supper, and feet washing, as well as the operation of nine gifts of the Spirit.
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