The Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) is a global movement of people seeking to fulfill God’s mission in the world. We’re committed to studying the Word of God and faithfully living it out. We’re committed to the mission that Jesus Christ gave every believer: to make disciples of all nations (Matt 28:18–20).
The Church of God movement appeared in the 1880s in the midst of the broader American Holiness Revival. The pioneers of the Church of God hoped to restore a more biblical understanding and practice of what it means to be the church. One of our early church songs says: “The Bible is our rule of faith and Christ alone is Lord.” This lyric still summarizes the core belief of Church of God people. We have not issued any official belief statement, and we have no formal creed. Yet, the following statements reflect the heart of the Church of God:
- The Bible is the inerrant word of God. It is God-breathed. (2 Timothy 3:16) Which means even though human hands were used to write down the words, the thoughts were inspired by the Holy Spirit.
- Salvation makes us members of God’s church. We believe that the church is composed of every person who has accepted Jesus Christ as Savior. We enter into the life of the church, not by joining a denomination or a human organization, but by committing our lives to Christ (John 3:1–7).
- Christians are called to be one. We believe that God calls all followers of Christ to live in unity and peace, regardless of who they are or the church they attend (Gal 3:28). While we may not agree on everything, we can rally around our subject, Jesus.
- We must be holy. We believe that followers of Christ have been called to live a life of love, purity, and godliness. We are called to live like Christ, taking on a new nature (2 Cor 5:17).
Biblical Principles:
- The Lordship of Jesus. There is one Lord, who is God’s Son Jesus Christ, over the church. Christ is the church’s ultimate authority on all matters (Acts 2:36).
- Baptism. The word baptism comes from the Greek word baptizo. Baptizo is defined as immersion. Baptism is a ceremony that has an outer showing symbolizing an inner work. We are not baptized so that we have a ticket to heaven. We are baptized because we want people to know that we are a follower of Jesus. If have not been baptized, we encourage you to talk to the pastor about taking the plunge. If have been baptized and want to do it again, to show a deeper commit of faith, you also are encouraged to do so.
- Making Disciples. Each of us is called to fulfill Matthew 28:18–20, making fully devoted followers of Christ—disciples—who will then teach others to follow Christ.
- Loving God and Neighbor. We are called to fulfill Matthew 22:37–39, not only loving God with our entire being, but also loving all that he loves.
- The Work of the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit equips believers with unique gifts that enable us to carry out the mission of Christ in the world. At the same time, the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control in every believer (Galatians 5:22–23), which demonstrate the Spirit’s presence within us.
- Stewardship. Since God is the source of life, all of life is to be used for the honor, glory, and service of God (Psalm 24:1).
You will find a great diversity of convictions and practices within the Church of God. Though we have differences, we share a common story of faith, growing together into the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13). We worship and serve as citizens of God’s kingdom. We celebrate our life in Christ and accept our call to be the body of Christ in our world—all to the glory of God.
