I. History of The Church of God
The historical account of Church as a governmental order began at the time of the Exodus where for the first time God's people were set up as a nation with governing elements, and a sanctuary (Church) was created as the focal point of God's governing element within His dominion or Kingdom (Psalms 114:1, 2; Acts 7:38). Inasmuch as the Old Testament is an account of the Church expressed only in types and shadows of good things to come (Hebrews 10:1; Colossians 2:16, 17) and not the reality, we will not dwell on that portion of Church history except for this brief mention.
A. The Early Church
In reality, Church history began with the ministry of Jesus Christ.
From our most accurate account, the Church began about 29 A.D. in the second
year of Christ's ministry. Christ was born in the year 4 B.C. (See
the Companion Bible, appendix 50 for a detailed analysis of the year of
the Lord's birth.) In fulfillment of Isaiah 8 and 9, Jesus ordained
the Twelve Apostles - thereby organizing the Church - in a mountain, according
to Luke 6:13 and Mark 3:14. Isaiah 9:1 declares that it was in the
land of Zebulun and Naphtali. This area lies west of the Sea of Galilee.
Luke 5:1 and Mark 3:7-13 show that Jesus, prior to the ordaining of the
Twelve, was at the Sea of Galilee and withdrew Himself to a mountain.
According to these scriptures and Isaiah's prophecy, it remains that the
location had to be Mount Hattin because this is the mountain lying due
west of the Sea of Galilee. Further scriptural proof is found in
Psalms 72:16. This prophecy foretells Jesus' activities prior to
the ordination of the Twelve Apostles when He went through the corn fields
on the Sabbath day plucking ears of corn and rubbing them in their hands.
These are the scriptural proofs which establish the doctrine of the Church's
being established on Mount Hattin in the second year of Christ's ministry.
A historical account of the Church's subsequent activities and
efforts toward the fulfillment of prophecy from the time of its being founded
until its decline and fall is outlined in the New Testament.
B. The Resurrection of The Church
Inasmuch as Jesus Christ lived and died and arose again, it would
follow that His other Body, the Church, would undergo this same experience.
This process was necessitated not only for that reason but also because
of Divine prophetic utterances foretold in the words of the Prophets.
It was in 325 A.D., therefore, that the Church made its final plunge into
the grave of the Dark Ages when Constantine joined the Church with the
State of Rome at the issuance of the Nicene Creed. From that date
until its arise in the latter days, there is no historical account of the
Church, for it had ceased to exist. Though the Church perished, the
Kingdom of God as a root of faith remained in the earth (Job 14:7, 8),
and many stalwart saints gave their lives for the cause of Christ (Isaiah
1:21-26).
According to prophecy, the Church (Zion) was ordained to arise
from the grave of the Dark Ages among the Gentiles in the Last Days (Isaiah
60:1-3; Isaiah 52:1). This occurred on June 13, 1903, in Cherokee
County, North Carolina, when Prophet A. J. Tomlinson found the body of
people whom God had chosen to be the resurrection Church of God in its
infancy this side of the Dark Ages. It was in this same year that
the Wright Brothers arose from the earth by the invention of the airplane,
a material witness to what God was doing spiritually (Isaiah 60:8).
Prior to this time, A. J. Tomlinson was a colporteur for the
American Bible Society, distributing Bibles and religious literature throughout
the southeastern United States. He also printed and distributed his first
publication called "Samson's Foxes." God began to move upon him to
find the body of people who would be the Church of the Last Days.
After investigating many groups, he scripturally determined the one which
God had chosen. It was the remains of a small union of churches which
in 1886 became an association under the guidance and direction of R. G.
Spurling and came to be known as the Christian Union. It had dwindled
into a small group in Camp Creek, however, because of the tragedies of
heresy and fanaticism which had crept in to destroy the flock. In
1902 the name was changed from Christian Union to Holiness Church.
The fellowship, consisting of some twenty members, was abiding under the
name of Holiness Church when A. J. Tomlinson was moved by God to approach
them for fellowship.
It was on the morning of June 13, 1903, that Prophet Tomlinson
climbed the mountain known now as Prayer Mountain in Fields of the Wood,
Cherokee County, North Carolina, to pray for God's guidance in making this
prophetic move. This morning of June 13, 1903, was to become a notable
prophetic date. After having "prayed and prevailed," Tomlinson was
instructed of the Lord to join himself to that group with the understanding
that this was the Church of God of the Bible, even as he declared it to
be (Jeremiah 30:21). Tomlinson said of this event, "This gives a
description of what took place that so well corresponds with the prophecy:
'Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen
upon thee!' - Isaiah 60:1. And please notice that the statement
was not made to indicate that it is going to be the Church of God, but
it is the Church of God. This corresponds perfectly with prophecy
and while this was going on in the ‘land of the sky,' and where the springs
of water flowed, as well as in the ‘fields of the wood,' so named by David
around a thousand years before Christ, the mighty Wright Brothers were
laboring hard on the sand dunes in the opposite corner of the state [North
Carolina]. Now this corresponds with our scripture because the first
of the chapter commanded the Church to 'arise, shine,' while the wings
and flying are not mentioned until the eighth verse. There are many
scriptures which show the light of the Church went out and would return
'again.' 'For a small moment have I forsaken thee: but with great mercies
will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for
a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith
the Lord thy redeemer.' It is certainly also true that the place for the
'arise, shine' in the Last Days is to be a long distance from the place
where it was destroyed: 'For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the
land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the
inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away.' - Isaiah
49:19."
So apparent was his anointed leadership that Tomlinson was immediately
made pastor of the little body, and he eventually was to be recognized
as God's chosen leader. Under his guidance the Church began to grow
until it became necessary to convene a General Assembly consisting primarily
of the ministry which was first held January 26, 27, 1906, at the home
of J. C. Murphy. The Church began to take on greater proportions,
and Church business began to take on shape. The name of the Church
was changed from Holiness Church to Church of God in 1907.
C. The Church in its Infancy
A. J. Tomlinson was no longer merely pastor of the local church
but was recognized as General Moderator of the organization in 1909.
In 1910 the title of General Moderator was changed to General Overseer.
Also in 1910 the first official publication of the Church of God appeared,
entitled, "The Church of God Evangel." A. J. Tomlinson's God-given
appointment became so apparent that in 1914 his position of appointment
was acknowledged to be perpetual as it should be according to every scriptural
example.
In 1918 the plague of influenza scourged the nation, and this
was the only year in the history of the Church of God since the first assembly
that a general conference was not convened.
From the year 1919, the Church began to drift in to a democracy
and was headed toward disruption and eventual reformation. A democracy
in government was ultimately attained by the year 1922 when a constitution
was drawn up which in effect subjugated the Anointed Prophet of God,
A. J. Tomlinson, to the full control and limitation dictated by a "Supreme
Judges Court of Justice." Tomlinson first approved of this constitution
until he recognized it as a device against Theocratic Government.
He then made every effort to correct the error that had crept into the
Church. This type of situation precipitated chaos which took on many
forms as is made clear by Tomlinson's words in the Cyclopedic Index of
Assembly Minutes, page 129: "I am afraid God has been plaguing us
to bring us back to our senses. Nearly all of the churches have had
more or less trouble this year in one way or another. Scarcely one
has escaped. And to my knowledge this has been the direct cause of
some trouble, and in other instances it has been the indirect cause of
trouble."
A full account of situations in the view points of both factions
can be studied in the Cyclopedic Index of Assembly Minutes, published by
White Wing Press, and Like a Mighty Army, by Dr. Charles Conn. Due
to the lack of organization in the financial affairs of the Church, much
suspicion and doubt began to be generated in regard to the General Overseer's
office. A. J. Tomlinson had assumed full responsibility for the management
of financial disbursements. It became such a monumental task that
he was unable to operate efficiently and systematically. Due to the
lack of thorough accounting records and the necessity of subsidizing one
department from another, he was primarily charged with misappropriation
of funds. No conviction, however, could be obtained either from church
tribunal or from civil courts. The fact remains that A. J. Tomlinson
was guilty only of failing to organize and operate an efficient financial
system. So, as every major event of the New Testament Church was
of prophetic significance and fulfillment, so it was and is with the Last
Days Church: When A. J. Tomlinson was impeached on June 21, 1923,
the first Reformation of the Church of God which was to take place this
side of the Dark Ages was effected in partial fulfillment of Zechariah
13:8.
D. The 1922 Reformation - 1943
A. J. Tomlinson was stripped of his recognition from man and his
position in that body, but not of his anointing from God. He courageously
stood for Theocratic Government and his God-given appointment to lead God's
people in prophecy. This he did with tenacity and vigor. With
the torch of truth he stepped out to reform the Body of Christ by a principle
well supported in Jeremiah 18:1-11. On September 15, 1923, The Church
of God began to publish a new periodical entitled, The White Wing Messenger,
since The Evangel was retained by the "Elder Group." The name, White
Wing, was a variation of the same publication, Evangel, and was rendered
from the symbol of the dove which had been the symbol of the Church publication
for years. Under Tomlinson's leadership the Body of Christ began
to flourish again. The years from 1923 until 1933 were filled with
the bitter and the sweet. While being persecuted and prosecuted by
the opposition forces from the former group which impeached A. J. Tomlinson,
the Church of God also realized a financial and numerical growth.
More important was the continued increase of insight into the Word of God
and prophetic truth, which was brought forth by the leadership of A. J.
Tomlinson.
A major step was taken in the fulfillment of prophecy in 1933.
The Church Flag was revealed according to Psalms 60:4. A primitive
design was drawn up and presented to the Assembly and accepted as the official
flag of the Church of God. The flag received recognition by the United
States Patent Office on February 7, 1939.
The year of 1939 is also significant in that in this year a young
minister who was conducting a revival in Egan, Georgia, was taken by a
mob and beaten severely by leather straps dipped in tar and sand and tied
to sawed-off baseball bat handles. The beating was attributed to
his successful revivals, in the latest of which some two hundred souls
received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Later, he was to become
the Anointed Prophet of God and eventually the Chief Bishop of The Church
of God. His name was Grady R. Kent. He was not at all an educated
man, but his inspiration and divine insight into prophecy soon became evident.
After Kent's terrible persecutions, A. J. Tomlinson called him
to Cleveland to pastor the local church. He had such outstanding
success and vision that Tomlinson took him into confidence in many prophetic
passages of the Scriptures. Tomlinson began to see the need of establishing
a new area of effort in the Body of Christ and also recognized the man
to fill it. The Church of Prophecy Markers Association (C.P.M.A.)
was formed and accepted in 1941. Not until 1943 did Tomlinson appoint
Grady R. Kent to head this department. Kent records the following
in his booklet, The Church of God Marches On: "On the evening of
October 2, 1943, after leaving his office to go home, A. J. Tomlinson succumbed.
However, fifteen minutes before leaving his office, he appointed me [Bishop
Kent] as the General Secretary of the Markers' Association and in the additional
office of working at the perfecting of The Church of God . . . ."
The death of Bishop Tomlinson was a great loss to the Church,
the community, and the world. He was eulogized by his friends and
foes alike. The President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt,
sent his expression of condolences and regret to the Church at the loss
of this giant of spiritual leadership. Tomlinson was greatly responsible
for the overspread of Pentecostalism in the Twentieth Century; however,
along with his message of the Pentecostal blessing went the deeper revelation
of the Body of Christ.
E. From A. J. Tomlinson's Death in 1943-1957
After the passing of A. J. Tomlinson, his younger son, Milton,
was selected to fill the office of the General Overseer. He was not,
however, an influential man within the Church and greatly lacked the spiritual
fortitude in leadership which his father possessed. The reasons for
his selection are rather obscure, and an unclear account of the event is
given in the Cyclopedic Index of Assembly Minutes, pps. 370-4. No
scriptural or prophetic support was given to his selection; however, the
Spirit of God was at work to set the stage in order that prophecy might
be fulfilled. From 1943 after the death of A. J. Tomlinson until
1957, Milton Tomlinson was permitted to fill the Anointed Seat, acting
as the General Overseer. During this time, however, the Church did
not lack for spiritual and anointed leadership. Grady R. Kent, like
David of old, was God's Anointed One, revealing prophecy and working to
fulfill the prophetic vision of A. J. Tomlinson.
Since the early 1930's Bishop Kent had a vision of the general
characteristics of God's prophetic work for the Last Days. He had
known that the Church had to be established in the mountain in a place
known as Fields of the Wood, a fact which was typified in the Old Testament
by the Ark of the covenant and the place where it was found (Psalms 132:6).
Kent and A. J. Tomlinson shared intensely in these revelations, and the
suggestion of memorializing the spot where he joined the Church and initiated
its Arise, Shine, according to Isaiah 60:1, was presented to the Assembly.
Under the direction of Grady R. Kent, who was General Secretary of the
C.P.M.A., a one and one-half million dollar project was constructed to
mark the place of the Arise, Shine of The Church of God among the Gentiles.
Bishop Kent and the C.P.M.A. virtually led the Church in the ensuing years
until 1957. Bishop Kent also began to preach the airplane and its
rightful place in prophecy, noting that it was invented and arose also
in 1903, in the year of the Church's Arise, Shine.
The preaching of Bishop Kent became so forceful and persuasive
that in 1948 the first airplane was purchased for the Church of God to
fulfill prophecy. The occasion was at a series of special meetings
conducted by Grady R. Kent in Tollison, Arizona. After a two-hour
message concerning the spreading of the Gospel by wings according to Ecclesiastes
10:20 and Ezekial 10:2, a man by the name of Guy F. Klapp donated the purchase
price for a five-place Cessna 195. Other religious movements had
used airplanes for transportation, but never had a prophetic program been
manifested until then. This effort added new life and greater heights
to the Church of God. Eventually there were more than two hundred
pilots and over one hundred aircraft composing the White Angel Fleet, the
largest non-commercial, non-military fleet in the world. Public airport
demonstrations were conducted at home and abroad demonstrating this amazing
fulfillment of prophecy. Grady R. Kent and the C.P.M.A. were doing
their job, marking the places and things of prophetic significance (Romans
1:20) and working at the perfecting of the Church.
The year of 1948 is also significant in regard to government.
The General Overseer permitted a tragic error to be made by the Assembly.
As in 1922, the Church again drifted toward a democracy. Previously
an attempt had been made in 1946 to establish democratic rule with the
Assembly as the highest order of government, which is government "by the
people for the people." In the Forty-Third Annual Assembly of 1948,
Theocratic Government was dealt its final blow when the clause, "as the
General Assembly is the highest authority," was added to the 1946 resolution
(Cf. 1948 Assembly Minutes, page 124, paragraph 3.). A pseudo-"theocratic"
atmosphere remained throughout the Church, but the stage was set which
rendered the Body of Christ vulnerable to the development of Satan's devices
which he always uses in an attempt to destroy the Church of God.
Meanwhile the Church was still having its legal conflicts with
the "Elder" group. Both factions were using the name, Church of God,
and mail and finances were, therefore, become confused. Eventually
the Church was prosecuted in Sessions Court of Bradley County, Cleveland,
Tennessee, and in 1953 the name was changed from Church of God to Church
of God of Prophecy, the name under which the organization continues until
this day.
Until 1957 the airplane program, in particular, dominated the
theme of The Church of God of Prophecy. The C.P.M.A., over which
Grady R. Kent was General Secretary, reached monumental proportions.
Ezekial's Cherubims, the name by which the airplanes began to be referred,
were flying everywhere. A significant highlight of this era was the
prophetic trip made to the West Indies Islands in February, 1956.
Bishop Kent, with several pilots and other personnel with nine single-engine
airplanes flew to the islands in fulfillment of Isaiah 60:9: "Surely the
isles shall wait for me." They hazarded their lives in hardship as
the Apostles of old, but the news of the prophetic trip was spread abroad.
The people of the islands rejoiced in this message of the Gentile program
revealed to them in a further light by this Prophet of God.
The written vision of Fields of the Wood (Habakkuk 2:2, 3) was
also declared throughout the country and the world. National newspapers
and magazines, such as Life, gave full pictorial coverage of this effort.
Grady R. Kent continued to reveal the Word of God. The pattern for
Kent's construction of Fields of the Wood was according to the City of
God in Revelation 21. His understanding of the Book of Revelation
and his frequent references thereto became obvious. Many rejoiced
in the ministry of this man of God, and their understanding was opened
by his many unorthodox manners of demonstrating the Gospel. He was
a colorful man, rude in speech, yet not in knowledge. His effectiveness
and leadership were second to none of his fellow ministers. Eventually
it became evident that his insight into the Word of God superseded any
other man in the Church.
F. Events Which Precipitated the 1957 Reformation
In the meantime, resentment and jealousy against Kent were generated
among the brethren. There seemed to be no stopping this man in anything
that he undertook to do. Some of the ministry and membership began
to suggest that he was one of the Two Witnesses of Revelation 11.
From the expression of his personal convictions and because of his tremendous
ability to solve the mysteries of the Book of Revelation, some referred
to him as John the Revelator. If he went to certain places to preach,
many would follow. After they had listened to his inspired ministry
at the services for as long as two or three hours, thirsty souls would
gather where he stayed to hear more about these truths. Because of
this, resentment and opposition began to be mounted against him.
He was reflected upon and intimidated by his fellow Bishops, yet he continued
on.
Opposition did not seem to deter his ambition and determination
to establish the Revelation in the hearts of men. Kent was requested
by many of his equals to water down his message and to discontinue his
open declarations. It was their feelings that his interpretation
of certain passages of Ezekial chapters 1 and 10 referring to cherubims
as airplanes and other such assertions were too absolute. He did
not submit to these pressures, and he continued to preach his revelations.
These men were left no alternative other than to begin to legislate him
into submission if he was to be stopped.
The Church of God of Prophecy, the name by which is was then
known and remains until this present day, had formed what was called the
"Questions and Subjects Committee." This committee, which in effect
formulated the doctrinal practices and teachings of the Church, was composed
of six men - namely, M. E. Wilson, Sidney A. Cooley, E. A. McDonald, L.
V. Jones, Earl Cowan, and H. A. Ferguson. These men rendered forth
the legislative tool which would eventually be their means of getting rid
of Kent. At the Fifty-First Annual Assembly in 1956, they brought
forth the following resolution: "The Church does not endorse attempts
by its ministers to identify themselves or other ministers as the Two Witnesses
mentioned in Revelation 11. Neither does it approve of anyone indicating
that he is John the Revelator." This was clearly designed to ensnare
Bishop Kent. So subtle was the design and execution of it that it
was passed almost before anyone knew it or could oppose it; therefore,
it received no immediate opposition.
From September of 1956 until the early part of the following
year, Kent was somewhat in the valley of decision as to what must be done.
Kent was no quitter. He continued to carry out his duties with vigor.
This ruling did not assuage the tempo of the growing opinions that Bishop
Kent was in the spirit and power of John the Revelator and a Bible character
as such.
In January of 1957, Bishop Kent was in a revival at the pastorate
of D. M. Cobb in Waycross, Georgia. It was here that he decided to
write his testimony, put it into print, and begin to circulate it.
In brief, it was an autobiography of his spiritual life containing incidents
of peril encountered for the Gospel's sake which had brought him to the
place where he then was. He also declared his many works of prophetic
fulfillment such as Fields of the Wood and the airplane program, as well
as others. He also for the first time by printed page openly declared
himself to be in the spirit and power of John the Revelator. In effect
he issued an open challenge to the previously quoted ruling of the doctrinal
committee.
Bishop Kent's opposers were more than anxious to take up the
gauntlet and slay whom they considered the enemy. Kent was called
into question for his actions and was brought before the General Overseer,
M. A. Tomlinson. Tomlinson asked him to recall and cease distributing
his written testimony and to make immediate apologies or to submit his
resignation. This, of course, placed Kent in very awesome circumstances.
His heart was made heavy with the weight of such a decision. Since
he was not fully aware of all that God was then doing to bring about the
fulfillment of Zechariah 13:8, Zechariah's Third Part, it seemed an impossible
decision. To leave the Church was not his desire, but to deny his
revelation was impossible. The following day he wrote his resignation
and signed it on the Cross Marker in Fields of the Wood, the project which
he had developed and for which he had long worked. The following
day, February 13, 1957, he delivered his resignation. Little note
was taken of Kent's resignation at the time, but eventually as in 1922,
this date would become known as a Reformation date, effecting the complete
fulfillment of Zechariah 13:8.
G. Early Reformation Years, 1957-1964
In due course of a few days some three hundred people made a decision
to stand with Kent in his convictions. Zechariah's Third Part met
at the Cherokee Hotel on February 17, 1957, to reorganize and reform the
Body of Christ according to a more perfect pattern. Inasmuch as Tomlinson's
submission to the General Assembly left the Anointed Seat vacant, and God
had chosen Grady R. Kent to fill this office as David of old did after
Saul had disobeyed God, Kent declared himself on the authority of the Scriptures
to be the Chief Bishop of The Church of God. (Minutes of this meeting
are on file at General Offices of Jerusalem Acres in Cleveland, Tennessee.)
Seven Auxiliaries were formed instead of the previous five. The offices
of the Two Witnesses, the Twelve Apostles, and The Minister were restored.
The following year was filled with adjustment in doctrine and design.
On August 1, 1958, the seven-acre tract of land now known as
Jerusalem Acres was purchased. Bishop Kent began another project
very similar to Fields of the Wood. The revelation contained in Jerusalem
Acres, however, was to be more far reaching, including the entire vision
of both Jew and Gentile promise. It was Bishop Kent's intention for
Jerusalem Acres to become a virtual display of the City of God (Revelation
21).
On August 20, 1958, the official name, The Church of God, was
legally adopted and restored to the Body of Christ. The previous
titles, Church of God and Church of God of Prophecy, are easily differentiated
from the present name by the prefix, "The," which is included in the official
name to bring forth a more perfect identification.
After the events of February 13, 1957, the revelation continued
to unfold, and the Servant over the House proceeded to "give meat in due
season." The following year, 1958, was "due season" for more truth.
Bishop Kent revealed God's intended use of the motorcycle and the boat
to spread God's message. Seeing that God, according to Haggai 2:6,
would shake the heavens and the seas, these He had provided to accomplish
the work. The prophetic forecast and description of the motorcycle
was declared from Joel 2:4, 5. In 1958, The Church of
God Navy, or the Ships of Tarshish, was revealed from Isaiah 60:9; Ezekial
27:25; and Ecclesiastes 11:1.
Jesus came in a Reformation which lasted a period of three and
one-half years in which Israel could have repented and accepted their Anointed,
but they refused. So it was with the Church of God of Prophecy and
Bishop Kent. On June 13, 1960, three and one-half years after the
Reformation of February 13, 1957, the Church of God of Prophecy was cut
off from being the Body of Christ (Zechariah 13:8).
In 1961, Bishop Kent lettered out and identified with prophecy
the first automobile. Since the identity of the automobile was a
fulfillment of the prophecy that is revealed in Nahum 2:4, the specially
lettered automobiles began to be referred to as Nahum's Chariots.
In this year, Bishop Kent also began to develop the Highway Gospel Caravan,
an entourage of motorcycles and automobiles which travels each summer to
various parts of the United States to declare the message of salvation
and the coming of the Lord Jesus in the streets and lanes of the cities
and in the highways and hedges in fulfillment of Jesus' command in Luke
14:21-23.
May 2, 1962, is another date of significance on which a prophetic
event occurred. Bishop Kent made a prophetic trip to the land of
Israel in partial fulfillment of Ezekial 3:12-17; 37:16-22. In so
doing he also marked Mount Hattin where Jesus established the Church. Twelve
stones were placed upon one large stone symbolizing the organizing and
construction of the Early Church with Jesus the rock upon whom the Twelve
Apostles were built (I Corinthians 3:11; Ephesians 2:19-22).
Bishop Kent remained in the office of Chief Bishop seven years
until his death on March 31, 1964. His death was during the Passover
season and was witnessed by the great earthquake in Alaska (Amos 8:8-10).
Upon the death of Bishop Kent, the Twelve Apostles and the Seven
Businessmen of the Church gathered in Cleveland, Tennessee, to search the
Scriptures for the purpose of identifying the man whom God had chosen to
fill the seat of the Anointed. Several men within the Pattern seized
this opportunity to assert themselves and their aspirations for this position.
Two of Bishop Kent's sons, James and Clarence, felt that by inheritance
they should assume the position. David Williams (Ben-Judah), the
left-hand witness of Bishop Kent and the Apostle to the Jews, attempted
to persuade the apostleship of his right to this office but soon submitted
to the judgment of the Council. Overwhelming amounts of scripture
were produced, including Psalms 80; Hosea 10:11, Job 39:10-12; Psalms 92:10;
and Genesis 48;14, to support the right of Bishop Kent's right-hand witness,
the Apostle to the Gentiles, Marion W. Hall, to the Anointed Seat.
Bishop Hall was a former minister with what is referred to as the "Elder"
Church of God, they who had previously impeached A. J. Tomlinson as Overseer.
H. Events from 1964-1979
There were minor losses at this troublesome time (including some
when Bishop Hall was required of prophecy to demonstrate and reveal an
Abomination of Desolation within the church); however, Bishop Hall continued
to advance prophetic light which is the witness of the Body of Christ and
the testimony of Jesus.
In the year of 1967, the huge Tabernacle of Witness on Jerusalem
Acres was reconstructed and completed. The construction of the project
was primarily the work of Bishop Hall. In it was contained a display
of the Throne of the Son of Man (Revelation 4). Inasmuch as Bishop
Hall was revealed from the Scriptures in the principles of Elisha and Ephraim,
he was and is referred to as the "double-portion" man - that is, he had
a double portion of the Elijah ministry affecting work not only within
the Church but also in the Kingdom and nations of the world in order to
bring about the conclusion of the whole matter in this end-time dispensation
and bring about the setting up of the Throne of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Marion W. Hall continued to expand on the revelation and kept
the Church on a prophetic path. Many major doctrines and revelations
contained in the Manual of The Church of God at Jerusalem Acres are a direct
contribution of this man of God.
I. Continuing History
In 1969, Marion Hall resigned from his position as Chief Bishop
of The Church of God at Jerusalem Acres, because it was evident that the
Church had faltered in the light of the Word of God. At that
time, Bishop Somerville took the reins of the Church but it also soon faltered,
at which time Johnny A. Looper took over as the Chief Bishop. The
Church has since split because, once again, it left prophecy lines by choosing
the General Assembly as the highest authority in the Church just as those
before who sought to be the Bride of Christ without theocratic government,
which cannot be done. This was decided in Bishop Looper's final address
to the Church in 1992.
During this time, Bishop Samuel Doffee, who had served under
Bishop Kent and Bishop Hall, as one of the 70, one of the 12, as State
Overseer over several states, and as an evangelist, was disfellowshipped
from the Church because he would not stop preaching the Word of God as
Bishop Kent had taught. It was no longer "politically correct" to
do so. Bishop Doffee, in 1981, chartered "The Church of God for All
Nations" in order to keep preaching the light of Bishop Kent's revelation
of the Word. The Church of God for All Nations is still operating
in Cleveland, Tennessee, under theocratic government, and Bishop Doffee
still is preaching the true Word of God on the same lines and concepts
as Bishop Grady R. Kent, and, therefore, is striving to be the true Bride
of Christ that the Word of God calls for, striving to bring about the former
and latter rain, and striving to bring forth the 12 apostles, 72 prophets,
and the full pattern of God which was given to Moses in the Mount.
It is our hope that this small digest of Church History will
prove an assistance to you in better understanding our background.
We are a product of prophetic history and rejoice in this testimony (Revelation
19:10).
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