Church of God (Jerusalem Acres)
The Church of God is a holiness Pentecostal body that descends from the Christian Union movement of Richard Spurling, A. J. Tomlinson and others. They consider themselves officially The Church of God, but also designate themselves as The Church of God (1957 Reformation) and The Church of God (Jerusalem Acres), which is the name of their headquarters. History. The Church of God at Jerusalem Acres shares its early history with the Church of God of Prophecy. After A. J. Tomlinson formed the Church of Prophecy Markers Association in 1941, he appointed Grady R. Kent head  over it in 1943. After Tomlinson's death, his son Milton was appointed General Overseer, but Kent remained a forceful preacher and influential leader. In 1948, the Church of God of Prophecy adopted a resolution making the General Assembly the highest authority in the church. This helped set the stage for division. Some members within the church accepted the practice of Theocratic Government, with the Bishop or General Overseer ruling the church. In 1957 Grady R. Kent went out of the Church of God of Prophecy and formed The Church of God, which adopted its name in 1958. The church  was "reorganized" in Cherokee, North Carolina on February 17, 1957. On August 1, 1958, a seven-acre (28,000 m) tract of land was purchased in Cleveland, Tennessee, and the church undertook a project similar to the Fields of the Wood, which is owned by the Church of God of Prophecy. Great authority was placed in "Theocratic Government" and the Chief Bishop, who was responsible for ruling the church. Bishop Kent died on March 31, 1964 of cancer of the nose. He refused medical treatment for the cancer until just before death, preferring to rely on a prayer vigil conducted by  a rotating team of his 12 Apostles. Several other Bishops have presided over the church since then, and in 1996, another split happened with Bishop John A Looper leaving the church after disagreements over doctrinal issues. Bishop Lavell Craig, as of March 2017, is the Presiding Bishop (they no longer use the term "Chief Bishop"). Under former Presiding Bishop Samuel Kramer's leadership, the church has fully returned to a Sabbath-keeping service schedule which had largely been abandoned under Looper's administration. The church has expanded and continues to grow in Haiti, Liberia, Zambia, Mexico, Argentina, Tanzania, India, and  the Philippines. Faith and Practice. The faith and practice of The Church of God at Jerusalem Acres is similar to the related Church of God bodies, but with more of a "Jewish" flavor, which they call "New Testament Judaism". Because the church believes that Judaism is God's plan of worship, "New Testament Judaism" reflects the fact that Jesus came to reform Judaism, not to destroy it. In fact this body is often identified, and occasionally self-identified, as The Church of God (New Testament Judaism). This body teaches Theocratic Government and teaches that the whole Bible is the inspired  word of God; salvation by accepting Jesus as Saviour; the seventh-day Sabbath; the nine gifts of the Spirit and five gifts of ministry; and the post-tribulational premillennial return of Jesus Christ. While the group accepts prophecy as ongoing today, they believe that modern prophets are fallible, and therefore modern prophecies are not considered equal with the Bible. Biblical Feast Days. The Church of God at Jerusalem Acres does not celebrate traditional holidays which were introduced by the Roman Catholic Church, such as Christmas, Easter, and All Saints Day. Their church calendar is based on the Hebrew calendar. They  observe or celebrate a number of days, some of which are peculiar to their denomination. For example: The Church of God at Jerusalem Acres observes the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath, citing that the Bible states that this was the custom of both Jesus and Paul. Theocratic Government. Theocratic Government is the system of governance used by The Church of God. In this system, the Church is led by an Anointed Leader, often referred to as the Presiding Bishop (Presently Bishop Lavell Craig), who is considered to be the "good steward" who is commanded to give the church their "meat (or  revelation) in due season". In addition to the Presiding Bishop, Church government consists of twelve modern Apostles, Seven Businessmen and Seventy-Two Prophets, who oversee the works of the other bishops and deacons of the Church. Ministers are all welcome to participate in the discussion and any voting during the annual Minister's Council, but only ministers who have attained the level of Deacon or Bishop are allowed to present papers or subjects for discussion which may lead to a change in doctrine or procedure. Seven Business Auxiliaries. The Church of God considers all of the business of the church  to fall under one of seven categories for each of which they have a corresponding business auxiliary. These categories are considered to be the seven distinct workings of the Holy Spirit (or the Seven Spirits of God), which they give the names "Love, Preservation, Marking, Teaching, Perfection, Publishing and Evangelism". The corresponding auxiliaries, in the same order, are "World Missions Auxiliary, Church Preservation Endeavor, Church Marking Association, Bible Teaching Auxiliary, Church Perfection Auxiliary, Church Publishing Company and Church Evangelistic Auxiliary". Status. As of 2013, The Church of God at Jerusalem Acres had 18 churches in the United States with many  churches throughout Mexico, Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, South America, Africa, India and the Philippines. They have an estimated membership of 35,000 worldwide, and developing contacts in Russia, Ukraine, and Canada. Headquarters are at Jerusalem Acres in Cleveland, Tennessee.