Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee)
The Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) is one of the oldest and largest Pentecostal denominations in the world, founded in 1886 and reorganized around Pentecostal experience in 1907. It holds to Wesleyan-Arminian theology, emphasizing entire sanctification as a second definite work of grace, the baptism of the Holy Spirit evidenced by speaking in tongues, and divine healing. The denomination is headquartered in Cleveland, Tennessee, and has a global presence with particularly strong growth in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
Theology
Christology
Soteriology
Salvation
Affirms
Salvation by grace through faith; sanctification as second definite work; Arminian
Atonement & Ransom
Affirms
Penal substitution atonement; unlimited atonement; Christ died for all humanity
Predestination
Nuanced
Election conditional on foreseen faith; Arminian; human free will preserved
Original Sin
Affirms
Human sinful nature inherited; total depravity qualified by prevenient grace
Eschatology
Soul & Afterlife
Affirms
Immortal soul; conscious intermediate state; bodily resurrection at last day
Hell
Affirms
Eternal conscious torment; final separation from God for the unrepentant
Heaven
Affirms
Eternal communion with God; bodily resurrection; new creation promised for believers
Second Coming
Affirms
Premillennial return of Christ; literal bodily resurrection; pretribulation rapture common
Millennium
Affirms
Premillennial; literal 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth before final judgment
Ecclesiology
Church Authority
Nuanced
Episcopal oversight; General Assembly authority governs doctrine; Scripture remains supreme
Clergy & Priesthood
Varies
Full female ordination; episcopal leadership; priesthood of all believers affirmed
Sacraments & Ordinances
Nuanced
Three ordinances: water baptism, communion, foot washing; symbolic, not salvific
Scripture
Biblical Canon
Affirms
66-book Protestant canon; Old Testament and New Testament; apocrypha rejected
Biblical Inerrancy
Affirms
Inerrant in original manuscripts; infallible rule of faith and practice
Extra-biblical Revelation
Affirms
Ongoing prophetic gifts; Spirit speaks today; Scripture remains primary authority
Scripture Interpretation
Matthew 28:19 — "Baptize in the Name"
Affirms
Baptize in the Trinitarian formula; name of the Trinity invoked in baptism
Hebrews 1:8 — "Your Throne, O God"
Affirms
Affirms divine address to Christ; supports Christological claim of divinity
Revelation 20:1-6 — "The Thousand Years"
Affirms
Literal thousand-year reign of Christ; binding of Satan; resurrection of saints premillennial
Genesis 1:1-2 — "In the Beginning"
Affirms
God created the heavens and earth; literal creation account; Trinitarian creative work
Mark 16:9-20 — "The Longer Ending"
Affirms
Includes Mark 16:9-20 as Scripture; authenticargument and appearance of risen Christ
John 7:53–8:11 — "The Woman Caught in Adultery"
Affirms
Includes passage as Scripture; affirms Christ's compassion and call to repentance
1 John 5:7-8 — "The Comma Johanneum"
Nuanced
Questions authenticity but affirms Trinitarian doctrine from other clear passages
Deuterocanonical Books — "Tobit, Wisdom, Sirach, Maccabees"
Denies
Deuterocanonical books not canonical; Protestant 66-book canon affirmed
Shepherd of Hermas — "Early Christian Text"
Denies
Not canonical; early patristic writing valued but not Scripture
John 1:1 — "The Word Was God"
Affirms
The Word is divine; affirms traditional reading of John 1:1
Isaiah 7:14 — "Virgin or Young Woman"
Affirms
Affirms virgin birth interpretation; almah understood as virgin in Isaiah context
Matthew 16:18 — "Upon This Rock"
Nuanced
Peter's faith is the rock; Christ's church built on confession of Christ, not Peter
Romans 9:18-21 — "God's Sovereign Choice"
Nuanced
God's sovereignty affirmed but human free will preserved; Arminian reading
James 2:24 — "Justified by Works"
Nuanced
Justification by faith, perfected/demonstrated by works; works evidence of faith
Ethics & Practice
Sabbath
Nuanced
Sunday worship as Lord's Day; no strict Sabbatarian requirement; flexibility
Blood Transfusions
Affirms
Blood transfusions are permitted; medical treatment is acceptable and encouraged always
Military Service
Affirms
Military service is permitted for believers; just war principle; conscience respected
Holidays
Affirms
Christmas, Easter, Pentecost observed; religious celebration of Christ redemptive work