WHAT WE BELIEVE
PURPOSE: Who is the Church of God?
 
There are a number of Christian churches/denominations who go by the name of “Church of God”, and it would be both presumptive and unscriptural to state that we’re “God’s sole church” on planet earth. We’re a congregation within the Church of God, Cleveland, TN, a church that’s reaching out to the local community and beyond with God’s message of grace and mercy. Our vision for our local congregation here at South Union Church of God is to have a place of worship where the preaching of God’s Word goes forth “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ..” (Eph. 4.12) A church that forgets its heritage soon finds itself adrift on a sea of change. But on the same token, a church that stays mired in her heritage misses both opportunity to serve her community and possibly, the move of God. We understand the blessed heritage that we have and how it has been rooted in the Pentecostal outpouring of the last century.
 
We realize we live in an ever changing world with new and challenging opportunities for service every day. Our goal is to run to these challenges head on, while holding on to our identity as Pentecostal believers. As a worshipping community of Christian disciples, we are committed to the proclamation and demonstration of this Good News in the power of the Holy Spirit.
 
What is Meant by “Evangelical or Pentecostal”?
Some view these as mutually exclusive terms, and they both are an accurate description of just what we are. By EVANGELICAL, we’re stating that we accept the primary doctrines that have been revealed through the Bible. These doctrines include the inspiration and authority of God’s Word (the Bible); the trinity of the Godhead; the virgin birth of Christ Jesus; Salvation by faith, thru repentance, in the atoning death of Christ; The visible, bodily resurrection of Christ and his subsequent ascension to the right hand of the Father; the ministry of the Holy Spirit; the second coming of Jesus for a church looking for Him and the unity of all believers in Jesus Christ.
 
By PENTECOSTAL, we’re stating that we hold to the continuous outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The same outpouring experienced on the Day of Pentecost is available to followers of Christ today, in order to empower them as witnesses and servants of the risen Lord. We recognize the Gifts of the Spirit as they’ve been revealed and taught through New Testament Scripture.
 
“A Snapshot History of the Church of God”
Our Church traces its roots back to the rugged hills along the Tennessee-North Carolina border when in 1886, eight Christians gathered at the Barney Creek Meeting house to form the Christian Union. It would be known by this name for the next twenty-one years when the Christian Union became the Church of God. Nearly a century and a quarter have passed and that fellowship has grown into a church now found in more than 185 countries, with a membership base of over seven million. “Thru many toils and snares it has already come” but this church has held onto the Heritage that has been passed on to it. As the first modern and oldest Pentecostal church in America, many of our leaders have become well known and respected within the Evangelical community. The Church of God has become the church it is today simply by proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and making itself available to the life-changing power of the Holy Spirit.
 
Frequently Asked Questions
  • Why does the whole church pray at once for specific needs? Acts 4:24 — “…And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said, “Lord, thou art God which hast made heaven and earth’…
  • Why do we anoint with oil and pray for the sick? James 5:14 and 15 — “…Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”
  • Why do we have audible praise unto the Lord? Psalm 34:1 — “And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God…”
  • Why do we lift our hands? Psalm 134:2 — “Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and bless the Lord.” I Timothy 2:8 — “I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”
  • Why do we clap our hands? Psalm 47:1 — “O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.”
  • Why do we stand when we sing? II Corinthians 20:19 — “…And the Levites,…stood up to praise the Lord God of Israel with a loud voice on high. Worship is personal. “…I will rejoice in thy salvation.” Psalm 9:14 “…I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the house of the Lord.” Psalm 122:1 “…If any man be a worshiper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.” John 9:31 Worship comes from the heart Matthew 12:34 — “…out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.” Matthew 22:37 — “…Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Worship is corporal Acts 2:46-47 — “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Romans 15:5-“…Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Timothy 2:8 — “I would therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”
  • Why do we give tithes and offerings? In obedience to God’s word, South Union Church of God gives every individual the responsibility to support God’s work as instructed by the following scriptures: Exodus 35:21 — “And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering for the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service and for the holy garments.”
Declaration of Faith
 
The Church of God believes the whole Bible to be completely and equally inspired and that it is the written Word of God. The Church of God has adopted the following Declaration of Faith as its standard and official expression of its doctrine.
 
We Believe:
• In the verbal inspiration of the Bible.
• In one God eternally existing in three persons; namely, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
• That Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of the Father, conceived of the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary. That Jesus was crucified, buried, and raised from the dead. That He ascended to heaven and is today at the right hand of the Father as the Intercessor.
• That all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and that repentance is commanded of God for all and necessary for forgiveness of sins.
• That justification, regeneration, and the new birth are wrought by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ.
• In sanctification subsequent to the new birth, through faith in the blood of Christ; through the Word, and by the Holy Ghost.
• Holiness to be God’s standard of living for His people.
• In the baptism with the Holy Ghost subsequent to a clean heart.
• In speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance and that it is the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
• In water baptism by immersion, and all who repent should be baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
• Divine healing is provided for all in the atonement.
• In the Lord’s Supper and washing of the saints’ feet.
• In the premillennial second coming of Jesus. First, to resurrect the righteous dead and to catch away the living saints to Him in the air. Second, to reign on the earth a thousand years.
• In the bodily resurrection; eternal life for the righteous, and eternal punishment for the wicked