Assemblies of God Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ===Origins=== {{Main|General Council of the Assemblies of God in the United States of America}} Beginning in 1911, many white ministers affiliated with the [[Church of God in Christ]] expressed dissatisfaction with African-American leadership.<ref>Cecil M. Robeck, Jr, Amos Yong, ''The Cambridge Companion to Pentecostalism'', Cambridge University Press, UK, 2014, p. 78</ref> In 1913, 353 white ministers formed a new church, which gave its own credentials, although still using the same name ([[Church of God in Christ]]). In April 1914, after separating from the black-founded [[Church of God in Christ]] over disagreements with governance and credentials,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-03-28 |title=Church Of God In Christ (1907- ) |url=https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/church-god-christ-1907/ |access-date=2022-09-03 |website=BlackPast |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Burgess |first=Katherine |title=Bishop Mason built COGIC out of revival, the faith of former slaves |url=https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/news/2019/09/10/church-god-christ-bishop-mason-built-cogic/2220079001/ |access-date=2022-09-03 |website=The Commercial Appeal |language=en-US |quote="You have this very interesting phenomena that at the beginning of racial segregation, the Church of God in Christ as a larger body is interracial," Daniels said. "This interracial impulse will continue to shape the Church of God in Christ in various ways all the way up until you get to the 1950s. β¦ It's this interesting situation where African Americans are supervising white clergy, white pastors during this time of segregation."}}</ref> about 300 preachers and laymen from 20 states and several foreign countries met for a [[General Council of the Assemblies of God in the United States of America|general council]] in [[Hot Springs, Arkansas]], [[United States]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Randal Rust |title=Mason, Charles Harrison |url=https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/charles-harrison-mason/ |access-date=2022-09-03 |website=Tennessee Encyclopedia |language=en-US |quote=Mason dreamed of an integrated church and believed that all races were entitled to equal rights and authority. From COGIC's inception, Mason ordained and allowed whites to join his denomination. From 1907 to 1914, Mason ordained hundreds of white ministers. In 1914, a group of whites left COGIC and established the Assemblies of God. Throughout his tenure, Mason continued to integrate COGIC. A white COGIC pastor named Leonard P. Adams pastored Grace and Truth in Memphis, and COGIC's first general secretary was a white man named William B. Holt. Mason also conducted integrated funerals, baptisms, and worship services. At the height of Jim Crow, Mason allowed blacks and whites to sit next to each other in church. In the 1930s, Edward Hull "Boss" Crump told Mason he could not continue to allow blacks and whites to sit together. However, Boss Crump did not stop Mason from holding integrated meetings. Mason used COGIC as a platform to fight against segregation and encouraged blacks and whites to embrace racial unity.}}</ref> A new fellowship emerged from the meeting and was incorporated under the name [[General Council of the Assemblies of God in the United States of America]]. In time, self-governing and self-supporting general councils broke off from the original fellowship or formed independently in several nations throughout the world, originating either from indigenous Pentecostal movements or as a direct result of the indigenous missions strategy of the General Council.<ref>William W. Menzies, Robert P. Menzies, ''Spirit and Power: Foundations of Pentecostal Experience'', Zondervan Academic, USA, 2011, p. 28</ref> In 1919, Pentecostals in Canada united to form the [[Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada]], which formally affiliated with the Assemblies of God USA the following year. The [[Assemblies of God in Great Britain]] formed in 1924 and would have an early influence on the Assemblies of God in Australia, now known as [[Australian Christian Churches]]. The Australian Assemblies of God formed in 1937 through a merger of the Pentecostal Church of Australia and the Assemblies of God Queensland. The Queensland AG had formed in 1929; though, it was never formally affiliated with the AG in America. The Assemblies of God of South Africa, founded in 1925, like the AG Queensland was also not initially aligned with the US fellowship. Before 1967, the Assemblies of God, along with the majority of other Pentecostal denominations, officially opposed Christian participation in war and considered itself a [[peace church]].<ref>Jay Beaman, [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00071P318 ''Pentecostal Pacifism: The Origin, Development, and Rejection of Pacific Belief Among the Pentecostals''] (Hillsboro, KS: Mennonite Brethren Historical Society, 1989)</ref> The US Assemblies of God continues to give full doctrinal support to members who are led by religious conscience to pacifism. Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. 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