What is the Church of God (Anderson IN)?

The Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) is a holiness movement with an interesting history and unique doctrine. In this video. we start by discussing the Church of God (Winebrenner) and the Churches of God General Conference, and move on to Daniel Sidney Warner, before discussing the teachings of this group of churches.

[@deborahmichalak8991]

I was raised in the Church of God (Anderson) and went to the college (now university) in Anderson to earn my BA in Elementary Education. When I was a child, the top of our weekly bulletin had this printed: "The Church where Salvation Makes You a Member". No formal membership records were kept. Until I saw this video, I didn't realize we didn't believe in a "young Earth". I'm glad, as I never have believed that! I don't remember it ever being preached however.

[@St_Bartys_Acolyte]

I will have to share this video with some people to explain where I came from. I'm Orthodox now. I usually enjoy your videos as they are mostly accurate.

[@acekoala457]

Many Years Brother. I also grew up in this denomination.

[@wingbeat68]

No offense, but I don't understand why and can't believe that someone would leave a group of believers like this. This movement is as close as you can get to the teaching of the bible and the intentions of God for the humanity. Although, I agree with some points of their teaching, with some very strongly, some I do not believe at all and some strongly like divine healing (but God created us in the way we do get physical cure/healing processes, like healing wounds...). But to leave to Orthodox church that's another level of confusion for me. I am originally from Ukraine and very familiar with their teachings and practices. Sad to hear that.

[@matiyas27]

This is the denomination I grew up in and was baptized and became born again in the Caribbean. The church is/was very active and alive in the Caribbean islands. I appreciate the nurturing I experienced in my younger days that laid the foundations for my belief and walk with the Lord. While praying with a Pentecostal minister on the radio I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues the first time the elders in my CoG became concerned. I remained a member but prayed in tongues in my private prayer times and I visited Pentecostal churches and gathering often. I got the best of both worlds. I've grown to not really agree with their view on eschatology as I lean more to being pre-millenium. But I agree with the Church of God view on devine healing, living a Holy life, and being one of the few denominations to still practice foot washing.

[@courtheath5138]

The Church of God (Anderson, Indiana) do not consider themselves a denomination but a movement. The Church of God - located in Cleveland, Tennessee do however. The COG (Cleveland, TN) believe in ordinances water baptism, communion, and foot washing. They also believe in the “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” evidenced by speaking and tongues as well as the operation of the 9 Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and sanctification (both instantaneous and gradual) which is too complex to discuss here.

[@matiyas27]

@@courtheath5138 That's interesting, it's true they started as a movement and I assumed the term denomination in a general sense. It seems a lot of denominations start off as a movement, or split, or off-shoot, or interpretation.

[@courtheath5138]

@@matiyas27 I was a “charismatic” who became Church of God (Cleveland TN) and I kept deep diving into our true doctrinal beliefs. When I googled “Church of God” I kept saying “I do not believe this… or…. I don’t believe that”. I found out it was taking me to the Anderson, Indiana pages. I had to use Cleveland, TN webpages only. There was a lawsuit about names and Cleveland, TN won the right to use “The Church of God” title standing alone without using the city name. However, we are using it to make sure people do not confuse our beliefs. People are sloppy on the internet and just call themselves the COG.

[@Fire_soul1796]

What island are you from?

[@matiyas27]

​@@Fire_soul1796 I'm from Trinidad & Tobago. 🇹🇹

[@raymondolson790]

Good summary of this movement.

[@patrickmccarthy7877]

Here's what I think Jesus meant by washing his disciple's feet, back then, most roads weren't paved, he was doing a servant's job. I think what He meant by this act is that we should take care of each other. I bought meals for strangers if they had a good sob story, I let homeless people stay with me, but not for long. They no longer need my help.

[@Tysto]

Winebrenner: There should only be one church of God. Warner: Totally agree. But yeah, I’m gonna split off.

[@johntippin]

Technically, they kicked him out.

[@sloothlothos1]

Good job on this video. Mark Jackson is my pastor at Towne Church.

[@michaelgreen4183]

John Winebrenner was my 5th great-uncle. I suppose the kicker is that after all these years, some of us in the family now worship in a Reformed body of believers.

[@bloodboughtbigphilr8266]

My theology is dispensational and Free Grace, identifying with the open Brethren and moderately Calvinist but your ancestor sure sounds like a great man of God. Will have to check him out more and struck me as one on the same spiritual wavelength as the early Brethren in trying to restore the church back to the New Testament pattern. Much blessing.

[@anatolykalchik5504]

Good teaching

[@woodypitzer]

Love your videos. Very informative. Would like to see video concerning the church of god that began in the North Carolina hills. Church of god and church of god of prophecy. Thank you.

[@AmericanShia786]

In the mid-1990s, I was an elder in a local Church of God, Anderson church fellowship. At the time, I held to Wesleyan Arminian views as would be found in Dr. john Miley's Systematic Theology, except that I held the Credobaptist (Believers Baptism) view. Alas, our church plant was done in by large denominations who built nice buildings and had satellite dishes. Some members joined another COG local fellowship, and some joined a Wesleyan church fellowship. I did like the Maunday Thursday celebration where we practiced foot washing. We were Amillenial. Though most were not Pentecostal, two of the elders 4 elders held Pentecostal Distinctives, though they didn't speak in tongues at church services.

[@DanielScottJohnston]

I attended one of these churches in the early to mid-1970s. I was baptized there at age 12 and vividly remember it because the baptismal tank heater had broken and it was icy cold! I remember many of the distinctives mentioned in this video. For example, "we have no creed but the Bible," foot washing, and no formal membership. We did have something very interesting happen. When I was around 16 or 17 several people in the church came into the charismatic experience. It wasn't new to me because I was attending it charismatic church also at the time. This group of people met at a house and I remember having meetings until the wee hours of the morning where we were prophesying and praying for one another. The older folks in the church didn't take too well to this though, and I remember one of them handing me a tract titled "Speaking in tongues of the devil" as I entered the sanctuary when morning. I still remember the Sunday when the pastor addressed all this by going through 1st Corinthians 12 to 14. Interestingly, he acknowledged that the gifts were still valid for today and was open to them being manifest in the meetings, only in proper order. Nothing much came of this, however, as most of charismatics ended up leaving, including me. At some point the church must have dissolved as it is no longer listed in the directory.

[@jhakeanthony7843]

Good vedio. I am a church of Pastor in India, Tamilnadu.

[@historyhooligan2893]

Would love if you did a video covering “Holiness outliers”…. There are so many small Holiness groups, including the predecessor of the COG Anderson which calls itself the “Church of God, Evening Light”; they have acappella congregational singing and follow the old holiness dress standards etc. Also a small group called Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church which believes that entire sanctification is necessary for salvation; that the return of Jesus Christ already took place; and that physical ordinances like water baptism were replaced by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

[@ReadyToHarvest]

Great input - feel free to share more ideas for holiness outliers if you can think of them. This would be a good video.

[@IamGodSon]

Maria woodworth worked with them from 1883 to 1891. She was their most powerful and fruitful evangelist and started about 13 churches. They kicked her out because of their restrictions about preaching across state lines.

[@SweetE1403]

I went to one of these churches and am trying to do some research on it.

[@darlclemons9813]

Would love to hear about the Church of God, Finlay Ohio…

[@brentonhedrick]

Have you ever thought about doing a video on the Church of God Restoration movement in Greenville OH

[@andyman10]

Was wondering the same!

[@daniellehman1991]

My in-laws call it the Abbott group after their pastor at the time

[@yevonnejones1009]

Being at least 3rd generation CHOG , this reinforces what my mother taught me about our heritage. It is so nice to hear it stated so well. My grandfather was a Church of God pastor, Rev. Andy L. Carpenter. It is really hard to describe our faith in the Church of God Movement to those of different denominations.

[@elishakhongjoh3538]

I am a church of God in india

[@SeanWinters]

Pretty much say "non-denom but with more feet washing", like how the Christian church is "non-denom but with more communion" or the churches of Christ(DOC) is "nondenom but without instruments".

[@jtv_70]

I grew up in the other COG (TN) here in IN. Was confused at first there was two. I thought the College in Anderson was from the TN COG denomination. Interesting video!

[@courtheath5138]

@Christ1st - I converted from NON- denominational “charismatic” to Church of God (Cleveland TN) and when I was deep diving into beliefs, I was on Anderson,IN webpages and I was think “I do not believe this… or that”. The courts awarded Cleveland TN the right to use the words “Church of God” as a stand alone without a city after it. People were giving money to orphanages etc and it was going to the wrong place. I started using CoG Cleveland, TN pages ONLY.

[@marshsundeen]

Not at all. The Church of God, Anderson is Evangelical, but not Pentecostal.

[@seasonedsofisticate1901]

@@marshsundeen it is more frequently referred to as Pentecostal. Never heard it referred to as Evangelical.

[@marshsundeen]

@@seasonedsofisticate1901 I grew up in an Evangelical church. It was not Pentecostal. We took the Bible seriously, but not literally. They were a Holiness church that did believe in a personal salvation. They were too conservative for me, so I became a Progressive UMC member.

[@daffirain2814]

Can i get a book ( soft copy) of the history of the church of god America Anderson...i belong to the church of god meghalaya India. Some how, the cog America has had some influence on the formation of our church here

[@Lori-xt2lf]

I’m a “member” and though I don’t agree with every point, I’m pretty proud of the doctrine as a whole.

[@rev.randall2292]

Myself as well. I think you will find this opinion holds true in every denomination. People must find after reading and study of Scriptures a Church they most agree with and fits closest to their own understanding.

[@IamGodSon]

You people kicked out maria woodworth etter. She was a great blessing to you though.

[@jnycrwsh]

I grew up in the Church of God, went to Anderson yearly for "Camp Meeting," spent my summers at Camp Challenge, and even attended Anderson University. I love that you're covering it. In my experience the non-denominational aspect was odd to some, but I did know some of this. What I didn't realize is that that non-denominational aspect is probably why I am now a faithful Catholic. I know that may seem a full 180 from the church described in this video, but it was very clear to me that the Bible was authoritative (Matthew 16:18-19) and that there is only ONE church. Alas, as all the videos you've made about Protestantism show, when freedom from hierarchy reigns, the church splits. Another split (or exodus) is coming to the Church of God because of the "Church of Woke" infiltrating. At the last general meeting my old college roommate (the son of the pastor who baptized me into the church) proposed acceptance of gay marriage and transsexualism. I pray for my family still in the Church of God and hope for their continuing conversion (and eventual return to the first non-denominational church).

[@christopher.96]

Our church is considering leaving. We have grown more and more concerned with the direction they have been moving

[@jnycrwsh]

@@christopher.96 They voted them down, but I fear it is only a matter of time. The university helps as do the Gaither's (I think), but the larger issue is that the lack of hierarchy allows Satan to work his progressive poison into the church. Even the Catholic church isn't immune. Pray for the Church on Earth so we may all meet again in the Church in Heaven!

[@poogmaster1]

Glad you made it home 🙏

[@lawvere]

Sounds like Winebrenner had some very similar views to Alexander Campbell and Barton Stone of the American Restoration Movement particularly the desire to abolish denominationalism and unify Christians.

[@samzwell]

From a roman catholic to protestant, now simply a Christian. There are false doctrines, in both catholic and protestant. What do you follow denomination or follow christ?

[@jenex5608]

Just be a Christian who follows The Bible.

[@JohnPotts-kq7kk]

I also have visited, attended, and tried to be a part several different denominations within the 4 walls of a building they called church. I would always ask what they believe & teach? ALL would either hand me a book or tell me their denomination beliefs/rules, requirements & man created doctrines. NOT one ever handed me a Bible proclaiming "This is what we believe & teach!" That's why there is so much division in the church, The Body of Christ, putting denomination first. I left denomination religion bondage behind, and now proudly proclaim, I'm a Follower of Jesus Christ!!! Have never felt closer & been more Blessed by my Savior!!! Just my opinion.....

[@samzwell]

@@JohnPotts-kq7kk i left following denominations after i read this 👈 1 Corinthians 1:11-14

[@davidlattimore3393]

A missing link to the Church of God is the role that William S Crowdy played. Who was the Prophet of the church of God movement.

[@bobbrooke6426]

Today's Church of God Movement (2021) is called to be a global body of visionary and vibrant Christians who have much yet to learn, much life in God's Spirit yet to be deepened, a series of important truth perspectives yet to be shared, and a determination to reach toward, strengthen, and serve the whole church. This Movement sees itself less as an exiled remnant of the truly faithful and more as a humble witness to the church universal, a witness aware of and intentionally living from the theological riches resident in its Wesleyan-Holiness tradition.

[@meganotofthisworld]

Nice presentation, but one-sided, unfortunately. The CHOG Reformation Movement came into being on the foundation of two doctrines: entire sanctification as the second work of God, and the Comeoutism. The latter doctrine has been totally abandoned - try promoting that in any local congregation today and you will be kicked out. LOL. So, if DS Warner and the Gospel Trumpet people could come back today, they would not be accepted by CHOG, Anderson. Fact. And the former doctrine, entire sanctification, well, it's so watered-down that anyone can believe what ever they want. How many people in CHOG Anderson do believe in the second blessing Wesleyan doctrine? Only few elderly people who are slowly dying out. So, why not admit the obvious: CHOG Anderson has rejected, although not formally, the basis of its existence and is a bunch of mainstream Evangelicals where everyone can believe what ever they want.

[@marciethomas7371]

Will you answered my question - but let me back up to when my family started going to the Church of God, Anderson group. My grandmother was born about 1884 in PA was a easy member of the church movement. My mother born in 1909 lived her whole life within the Church of God movement. I was born in 1942 and until 1973 was very active in the church. Got married in the church. The church broke apart into five or six other churches. One of my paster was FG Smith. I will not name the others. If your view of homosexuality is sinful I sure being transgender female is equally sinful, but I found God after I came out and I found a church that accepts me as a child of God. Still, I hold some of the teachings close to me, divine healing I have seen it work. In Texas there very few churches here, could I go back to my old church, no. Most of the youth that might be still there are long gone. Thanks for your information and if you delate this I will understand. Thanks to the Church of God Anderson did lay some of the groundwork of my life, but --- but --- but

[@skhemborlyngdoh8724]

Why it broke out?

[@jeffkardosjr.3825]

There's one of these right across the border in the neighboring town.

[@ignatiusbuji]

What's the difference between the Church of God and the New Church of God?

[@McIntyreBible]

1:56, that's a view I share with!

[@portland214]

pleas talk about lds / coummiity of crist

[@nickmoser7785]

Well if you look at this channel it's mostly Protestant. Although he does occasionally do videos on Orthodox. I'm not really sure if she would do a video on a Protestant sect let alone a separate abrahamic religion like Mormonism

[@PShawtx]

Church of God Anderson recently changed its worship style. Going form a traditional to contemporary style. My local one which I visited several times is a small congregation at that time it had about 25 people attending. Its services where traditional. The church was named simply the Church of God Anderson. Now its services are contemporary and the name of the church has changed. You can't tell from the sign out by the street now that it is a Church of God Anderson church. I thought it was a new church and looked into it and found out it is still Church of God Anderson. It has new pastor. The change was made to attract younger people. The above is from the Church of God Anderson. When I visited the age of the people attending was upper middle age to senior age. There are younger people attending there now. They have been here since the 1940's.

[@jnycrwsh]

That happened to two Church of God churches that I knew of as we grew up. The pastor changed, and they went from singing Daniel Warner and Barney E. Warren hymns to breaking out a "house band," putting up a projector, and singing whatever was playing on Christian radio. The inconsistency in worship is definitely possible given that each church is independent of the others.

[@AhmedPuno]

Please discuss Iglesia ni Cristo

[@ReadyToHarvest]

Thanks for the suggestion. I am working on it and will have a video on INC in the next few months.

[@AhmedPuno]

Ready To Harvest Salamat po

[@nickmoser7785]

The Filipino version of Jehovah's witness cult.

[@justinfiorenzio7112]

They Iglesia ni Cristo, are non- trinitiarn 7th day Adventist offshoot gruop

[@patrickmccarthy7877]

I'm an independent Christian. I believe the Bible and Jesus makes sense to me, but all these denominations are confusing.

[@BigTrollingMan]

If your trying to unite Christianity by rejecting denominations, your not fixing the broken glass, your making it worse.

[@patrickmccarthy7877]

@@BigTrollingMan Tell that to the believing thief who died next to Jesus, he didn't have time for the denomination game. Worry about yourself.

[@poogmaster1]

From what I've heard they are infamously anti catholic but don't mention that anywhere on their website

[@danfsteeple]

My parents church is a Church of God General Conference

[@KevinBullard]

He sound like Joseph Smitf

[@marshsundeen]

I was raised in the Church of God, Anderson. I am a Progressive, so did not feel at home in that denomination - (for lack of a better label), after growing up. I became a Reconciling united Methodist. My mother was attracted to the Church of God, Anderson because of the view on Salvation, Foot Washing, and lack of formal membership.

[@amekaimbaya7370]

CHURCH of God in Kenya needs help and restoration.

[@meganotofthisworld]

You mean, money, of course.

[@acekoala457]

Grew up in this sort of church. Left due to just the willingness to bend to the terms of the Progressive church. Female pastrixes, placing of good works over faith, pro-gay messaging. My great-great-grandfather was a bigwig in the movement in the Turn of the Century and was shunned due to his believing in the inerrancy of scripture. Now I am Orthodox and life has never been better.

[@ultimateoriginalgod]

Like, eastern orthodox ☦ ?

[@acekoala457]

@@ultimateoriginalgod Yes. Baptised last February with St. Raphael of Brooklyn as my Parish.

[@romoproperties3549]

Where did COG stand on allowing their ministers to be homosexual?

[@jnycrwsh]

They just voted down a statement in the General Assembly which would have opened the church to LGBTQ supportive stances.

[@daveb9342]

Fun to see the all-so-serious fierce defense of any given church/denomination. Maybe get a buffet, flip a coin, go to a service and act like you're one of the bunch!!

[@nomadicrecovery1586]

Basically. He’s arguing for Catholicism

[@HairyBigger20]

There are two works of grace praise God but in the 1920’s Anderson fell to heresy how sad

[@herbertmouse3005]

A bunch of tongues

[@chadrackard3700]

This church don’t believe in tongues. This particular church is the most spiritually dry church I’ve ever been in.

[@michaelemmanuelhutagalung-948]

I AM EX MEMBER LOCAL CHURCH AKA LORD RECOVERY LED BY WITNESS LEE.....WHY DO NOT YOU EXPOSE THEM....

[@meganotofthisworld]

You quote a theologian Gray - what he wrote is NOT the belief of the CHOG Reformation Movement, it is his own, personal opinion. Majority of people in the CHOG, of course, believe in the simple biblical account of Creation and are thus Creationist. This Theistic Evolution view of Gray and his condemnation of Creationism, Young Earth, literal interpretation of the Bible is rather evidence of Gray's liberalism and not of the CHOG views.

[@St_Bartys_Acolyte]

I would disagree. The Church of God has no formalized doctrines or creeds. So therefore one can only use sources that claim to be part of that movement. If I recall right, Gray was part of the Church of God Anderson. So the source of his claim being written down is something that is more practical for understanding what the COG (or CHOG) has believed historically.

[@edwardhill7045]

What if God deliberately divided the church?

[@VersieKilgannon]

The foot washing thing is a bit new and unnerving, to be sure. But I just can't get behind any Christian group that doesn't believe in eternal security. The whole point of Jesus is that He died for all of us to cover all sins for all time. He did that out of love. To imagine that human effort even remotely affects salvation is either laughable or arrogant. Granted, you can't just go out and internationally do truly terrible things and expect salvation to cover you. But if you really believe in Jesus as your personal Savior, you should show that you've been changed by Him by sharing the gospel and helping others in need. It's literally that simple. You can't lose salvation. You can only stray from the path. But Jesus' sacrifice is what puts you back on track

[@KevinBullard]

Eternal security is a protestant heresy

[@rauldelarosa2768]

​@@KevinBullard I'm a Protestant and I reject OSAS. Please do not lump all Protestants as pseudo southern baptist..as wesleyans and others hold to conditional security of the believer.

[@rauldelarosa2768]

The Bible says that in the last days many will depart from the faith.. If you are able to depart from the faith..this means you once stood where you're at to be able to depart from this place..

[@Roaddog223]

The gospel of John teaches about washing feet Jesus also washed feet, how is it new? The gospel also says numerous times that you most certainly CAN lose salvation idk where you came up with the idea that you can’t because that’s not biblical, if it says that you can’t lose salvation please show me where. Here is a prime example 2 Peter 2:20 keep in mind Peter knew Jesus Christ personally. If you turn from God and continue in sin, you will not walk beside Him. If that’s not losing salvation then idk what is, stop spreading the lies from the Baptist church.

[@KevinBullard]

@@Roaddog223 he a heretical fellow

[@rauldelarosa2768]

Interesting. Guy is against sectarianism..speaks from both sides of his mouth and then starts his own sect/denomination. My one experience with church of God isn't a favorable one..the one here is very sectarian and doesn't seem to do anything but keep to themselves. I was invited to a church of God service years ago..I went and the guy who invited me promised he would go to my church afterwards..he lied and then said after I went that he couldn't go. They seem very cultist. I don't know if it's a church of God Anderson..if they are, they're not doing a good job of being marketed as non sectarian.

[@courtheath5138]

Your videos are excellent but please say “Church of God Anderson”. I am Church of God - meaning (Church of God, Cleveland, TN). We are the Church of God. It gets confusing to most people.

[@courtheath5138]

@Electronic Adventures in a sense yes but also the doctrines and interpretation of scriptures are so different that none of them won’t to be confused with the other such as a - millennial eschatology and inerrancy of the Bible.

[@schs1977]

You state you are the Church of God (meaning TN). Does the Church of God TN "own" or have a trademark of the name?

[@courtheath5138]

@@schs1977 yes they do. There was a court case and the Church of God (Cleveland TN) won the right to use simply “The Church of God” as a stand alone. The precise legal name of this body is " Church of God ". After a protracted court case involving donations intended for the use of its orphanages being received by other groups using the same name, the Supreme Court of Tennessee determined that it alone was entitled to use the simple name Church of God in 1953.

[@schs1977]

@@courtheath5138 Obviously there are other churches who continue to use the name "Church of God", I am sure if a court case was presented to them, the Supreme Court of Indiana would rule in the Church of God Anderson's favor as the Supreme Court of Tennessee did for your group.

[@courtheath5138]

@@schs1977 Bless your heart! I am so sure they would. Now let us not fret any on this subject. I should have not said a word.