When the article of justification has fallen, everything has fallen… This is the chief article from which all other doctrines have flowed… It alone begets, nourishes, builds, preserves, and defends the church of God; and without it the church of God cannot exist for one hour. [It is] the master and prince, the lord and ruler, and the judge over all kinds of doctrines.
Martin Luther

Our Heritage page 1 of 2

Our Heritage page 1 of 2 B9-05-4W 42 OUR HERITAGE Ps. 16:6

INTRODUCTION: Heritage (Webster’s) “something handed down from one’s ancestors or the past, as a characteristic, a culture, or tradition.”

I. THE HERITAGE OF THIS CONGREGATION:

  1. Worshipped in old buildings without modern conveniences
  2. Worked to build a nice building with nice furniture
  3. Made many advances over the years in physical ways
  4. WE MUST NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF OUR HERITAGE

II. THE HERITAGE OF THE CHURCH OF GOD

  1. In 1884, some folks in Cokercreek community in Monroe Cnty. TN. began studying about living free from worldliness and started praying for such in their own lives
  2. The pastor of the church was Richard G. Spurling (74 yrs old)
  3. On Thursday, August 19, 1886 they met at Barney Creek Meeting House
    1. Richard Spurling and seven others joined together
    2. The group was founded upon the tenets of holiness that they had found during their studies in the Bible and formed the Christian Union
    3. Then Richard G. Spurling, Jr. joined also (tot = 9)
  4. September 26, of that year R. G. Spurling, Jr. was ordained

    as pastor of the Christian Union

  5. Many struggles and little gain for 10 years
  6. When the saints received the Baptism in the Holy Ghost in 1896, real persecution began.
    1. Liberty Baptist Church in the community of Patrick excluded 33 persons in one conference because they “professed to live a holy life.”
    2. The group was forbidden to use the Cherokee Cnty. school as a meeting place.
    3. Many homes of these “holiness” people were burned
    4. Ray of light – Gift of some land by an influential man in the community allowed them to build a log church
    5. A mob of 106 men tore it down, then burned it
    6. Many people were shot or whipped (one man, Paint Broang, was whipped so severely that he was bedfast for several weeks)

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