It was 1886, in a crude meeting house on the Tennessee-North Carolina border, where the Church of God traces its roots. There, a group of eight sincere Christians had a deep desire for a closer relationship and life with Christ. Realizing the futility of reforming their own churches, they established a new church whose objective would be to restore sound scriptural doctrines of the Bible, encourage deeper consecration and promote evangelism and First General Assembly in 1906 Christian service. Twenty-one years after the formation of the Christian Union, that evening at the Barney Creek Meeting House, the growing movement would establish themselves permanently as the Church of God. From this seemingly insignificant origin, one of the most influential worldwide Pentecostal denominations has grown. For nearly 120 years, the Church of God has been a distinctive movement focused upon communicating the gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit. Presently, the Church of God has a world-wide membership of over 7 million, with a presence in nearly 160 countries. Leaders of the Church of God are recognized as some of the most respected Pentecostal leaders of today. One of the first leaders' council, circa 1920 The call of the Church of God today beckons back to those early days at Barney Creek. Church of God congregations around the globe are experiencing the fire of the Holy Spirit today more than ever. Reports of revivals where hundreds are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit are frequent and on-going. The call of the Church of God is for world evangelization. It is a call to discipleship and prayer. It is a call of commitment. It is a call for the Church of God to be a channel for Pentecostal revival well into the new millennium. For further information on the history of the Church God, recommended reading is the book Like A Mighty Army, by Dr. Charles W. Conn, available through Pathway Press. Visit their web site at www.pathwaypress.org

OKLAHOMA CHURCH OF GOD HISTORY

The Church of God in Oklahoma was started by Roy L. Catman in 1919. Brother Catman had held revivals in various locations in Oklahoma in 1916-1917. In 1918 he started preaching in Tishomingo. Persecution was very severe there. They literally chased him out of town. So he went to the nearby town of Ravia where he started a revival in the Rock Creek School House about two miles out of town. The revival continued for eight weeks and in 1919 the Church of God was organized. Brother Johnny Moore a young man 27 years of age, was told by his sister, Frances, about the revival. She said “Come see what’s going on at this meeting. It’s scary.” Brother Moore went, got saved and was called to preach. One night he took his wife and two children in the horse drawn buggy. Sister Moore went outside to change the baby and while she sat in the buggy, she saw a huge ball of fire come down over the building and hover over it for a few minutes, then lift back up into the sky and disappear. Inside the power was falling. Miracles of healing and transformation of lives were the order of the day. They rented a building in Ravia, an old grocery store, and continued the services there. One night, (early in the morning really 2:00 or 3:00 a.m.), they dismissed the service, went outside and heard heavenly music surrounding the church. They went back inside and worshiped and shouted the rest of the night. There was a big iron wood stove in the middle of the church and people danced and shouted all around it. One night, it was heated red hot. People were coming from near and far to see what was going on there. Brother Johnny Moore was dancing and fell over the top of that red hot stove. They examined his clothes and they weren’t even singed or scorched. Brother Moore pastored the church for a year and then he evangelized. He started the church in Hugo, Wapanucka, Bullet Prairie, Ft. Towson, Milburn and Sapulpa. He received his minister’s license in 1920 or 1921. He won Edmond Stark to the Lord and he traveled with Brother Moore.  Historical Account Submitted By, Reverend Odell N. Vanderburg