New Beginnings Fellowship COGIC
Scripture:
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things
are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things
are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and
hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation. II Corinthians 5:17-18
THE STORY OF "THE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST"
THE CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST is a Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in
which the word of God is preached, ordinances are adminstered and the
doctrine of sanctification or holiness is empasized, as being essential
to the salvation of mankind.
OUR CHURCH is commonly known as being Holiness or Pentecostal in nature
because of the importance ascribed to the events which occurred on the
Day of Pentecost, the 50th day after the Passover, or Easter as being
necessary for all believers in Christ Jesus to experience.
ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST, the first day of the week, the Lord's Day,
Supernatural Manifestations descended in marvelous copiousness and
power. The gift of the spirit in the fulfillment of the promise of
Jesus to clothe those who would wait in Jerusalem with power from on
high, was accompanied by three supernatural extraordinary manifestations.
THE SUDDEN APPEARANCE of the Holy Ghost appealed first to the ear. The
disciples heard a "sound" from heaven which rushed with a mighty force
into the house and filled it-even as a storm rushes-but there was no
wind. It was the sound that filled the house and not a wind, an
invisible cause producing audible effects.
NEXT, THE EYE WAS ARRESTED by the appearance of tongues of fire which
rested on each of the gathered COMPANY. Finally, there was the impartation
of a new strange power to speak in languages they had never learned "as
the Spirit gave them Utterance."
OUR CHURCH is also considered to be a member of the great Protestant
body though it did not directly evolve from the European or English
Reformation but had its origin with the General Association to the
Baptist Church.
ELDER CHARLES HARRISON MASON, who later became the founder and organizer
of the CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST, was born September 8, 1866, on the Prior
Farm near Memphis, Tennessee. His father and mother, JERRY and ELIZA MASON,
were members of a Missionary Baptist Church, having been converted
during the dark crises of American Slavery.
ELDER MASON was converted in November,1878, and baptized by his brother,
I.S. Nelson, a Baptist Preacher, who was pastoring the Mount Olive
Missionary Baptist Church near Plumerville, Arkansas. In 1893, he began
his Christian Ministry with the accepting of ministerial licenses from the Mt. Gale
Missionary Baptist Church, in Preston, Arkansas.
He then experienced sanctification through the word of God and preached
his first sermon in "Holiness" from II Timothy 2:1-3: "Thou therefore endure
hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. On November 1, 1893, Elder
Mason matriculated into the Arkansas Baptist College, but withdrew after
three months because of his dissatisfaction with the methods of teaching
and the presentation of the Bible Message. He then returned to the streets
and to every pulpit that was opened to him declaring Christ by the word,
example, and precept.
IN 1895, Bishop Mason met Elder C.P.Jones of Jackson, Mississippi; Elder
J.E. Jeter, of Little Rock, Arkansas; and Elder W.S. Pleasant of Hazelhurst,
Mississippi, who subsequently became Bishop Mason's closest companions in
the ministry.
Jointly, these militant gospel preachers conducted a revival in 1896, in
Jackson, Mississippi, which had far-reaching affects on the city.
THE THEOPHANIC manifestations of the revival, which included the large
numbers that were converted, sanctified, and healed by the power of faith
and the dogmatic teachings of Bishop Mason on the doctrine of sanctification
caused church doors within the Baptist association to become closed to him
and to all those that believed and supported his teachings.
So in 1897, when these pioneering, persistent preachers returned to Jackson,
Mississippi, Bishop Mason was forced to deliver his first message from the
south entrance of the courthouse. A Mr. John Lee, who desired to see
Bishop Mason's ministry continue, provided the living room of his home
the next night. Because of the overwhelming number that attended, a Mr. Watson,
The owner of an abandoned warehouse in Lexington, Mississippi, gave his
consent to transfer the revival meeting to the gin house on the bank of
a little creek.
This gin house subsequently became the meeting house for the Church of
God in Christ. This miracle deliverance revival was such a success it stirred
up the "Devil", causing someone to shoot five pistol shots and two double-
barreled shotgun blasts into the midst of the saints while they were
shouting and praying. Some persons were wounded, but miraculously, none
of the shots were fatal.
AT THE CLOSE OF THE MEETING, it was necessary to organize the people
for the purpose of establishing a church with a stronger appeal and
greater encouragement for all Christians and believers, a church which
would emphasize the doctrine of entire sanctification through the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit.
A MEETING WAS MUTUALLY CALLED BY ELDER MASON, Elder Jones, and Elder Pleasant, and sixty
stood as charter members. Land was soon bought on Gazoo Street, from Mrs.
John Ashcraft, just beyond the corporate line, upon which was built a little
edifice 60x40. These charter members formed a pentecostal body known as the
"Church of God."
SUBSEQUENTLY, in 1897, while seeking a spiritual name which would distinguish
the church from others of the similar title, the name "Church of God in Christ"
was revealed to Bishop Mason while walking along a certain street in
Little Rock, Arkansas. The following scripture supported his revelation:
I Thessalonians 2:14, "For ye brethren became followers of the Churches
Of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus: for ye have suffered like
things of you own countrymen even as they have of the Jews." All of
the brethren unanimously agreed to the name "Church of God in Christ"
The following are excerpts from Elder Mason's personal
testimony regarding his receiving the Holy Ghost. THE FIRST DAY IN THE
MEETING I SAT TO MYSELF, AWAY FROM THOSE THAT WENT WITH ME. I BEGAN
TO THANK GOD IN MY HEART FOR ALL THINGS, FOR WHEN I HEARD SOME SPEAK IN
TONGUES, I KNEW IT WAS RIGHT THOUGH I DID NOT UNDERSTAND IT.
NEVERTHELESS, IT WAS SWEET TO ME. I ALSO THANK GOD FOR ELDER SEYMOUR
WHO CAME AND PREACHED A WONDERFUL SERMON. HIS WORDS WERE SWEET AND
POWERFUL AND IT SEEMS THAT I HEAR THEM NOW WHILE WRITING. WHEN HE
CLOSED HIS SERMON, HE SAID, "ALL OF THOSE THAT WANT TO BE SANCTIFIED
OR BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY GHOST, GO TO THE UPPER ROOM; AND ALL THOSE
THAT WANT TO BE JUSTIFIED, COME TO THE ALTAR."I SAID THAT IS THE PLACE
FOR ME, FOR IT MAY BE THAT I AM NOT CONVERTED AND IF NOT, GOD KNOWS
IT AND CAN CONVERT ME..."GLORY!" THE SECOND NIGHT OF PRAYER, I SAW A
VISION. I SAW MYSELF STANDING ALONE AND HAD A DRY ROLL OF PAPER IN MY
MOUTH TRYING TO SWALLOW IT. LOOKING UP TOWARDS THE HEAVENS, THERE
APPEARED A MAN AT MY SIDE. I TURNED MY EYES AT ONCE, THEN I AWOKE AND
THE INTERPRETATION CAME. GOD HAD ME SWALLOWING THE WHOLE BOOK AND IF
I DID NOT TURN MY EYES TO ANYONE BUT GOD AND HIM ONLY, HE WOULD BAPTIZE
ME. I SAID YES TO HIM, AND AT ONCE IN THE MORNING WHEN I AROSE, I COULD
HEAR A VOICE IN ME SAYING, "I SEE..." I GOT A PLACE AT THE ALTAR AND
BEGAN TO THANK GOD. AFTER THAT, I SAID LORD IF I COULD ONLY BAPTIZE
MYSELF, I WOULD DO SO; FOR I WANTED THE BAPTISM SO BAD I DID NOT KNOW
WHAT TO DO. I SAID, LORD, YOU WILL HAVE TO DO THE WORK FOR ME; SO I
TURNED IT OVER INTO HIS HANDS. THEN, I BEGAN TO ASK FOR THE BAPTISM OF
THE HOLY GHOST ACCORDING TO ACTS 2:4, WHICH READETH THUS: 'THEN THEY
THAT GLADLY RECEIVED HIS WORD WERE BAPTIZED,' THEN I SAW THAT I HAD A
RIGHT TO BE GLAD AND NOT SAD. THE ENEMY SAID TO ME, THERE MAY BE
SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOU. THEN A VOICE SPOKE TO ME SAYING, IF THERE IS
ANYTHING WRONG WITH YOU, CHRIST WILL FIND IT AND TAKE IT AWAY AND MARRY
YOU...SOMEONE SAID, 'LET US SING.' I AROSE AND THE FIRST SONG THAT CAME
TO ME WAS 'HE BROUGHT ME OUT OF THE MIRY CLAY.' THE SPIRIT CAME UPON
THE SAINTS AND UPON
Slogan:
"We Are A Church Where Everybody Is Somebody!" 
New Beginnings, COGIC is a church of New Beginnings. Our members love Christ
and we love people. We are dedicated to reaching souls for Christ. In a
world that is rapidly changing, Christ is the only person who remains the same.
Therefore it is our manifest destiny to spread the "Good News" of our Saviour.
If you are ever in the Austin area, please stop by and fellowship with us.
It will be an experience that you will never ever forget. Until then,
may the Lord bless you and keep you in HIS holy will. "I WILL BLESS THE
LORD AT ALL TIMES AND HIS PRAISES SHALL CONTINUALLY BE IN MY MOUTH."
OUR SYMBOL: The Symbol of the Church Of
God In Christ, shown above, is an outgrowth of the Presiding Bishop's
Coat of Arms which has
become quite familiar to the
Church. The design of the
Official Seal of the Church
was created in 1973 and
adopted in the General
Assembly in 1981 (April
Session).
The obvious GARNERED
WHEAT in the center of the
seal represents all of the
people of the Church Of God
In Christ, Inc. The ROPE of
wheat which holds the shaft
together represents the
Founding Father of the
Church, Bishop Charles
Harrison Mason, who, at the
call of the Lord, banded us
together as a Brotherhood of
Churches in the First
Pentecostal General
Assembly of the Church, in
1907.
The date in the seal has a
two-fold purpose; Firstly, to
tell us that Bishop Mason
received the baptism of the
Holy Ghost in March 1907;
and, Secondly, to tell us that
it was because of this
outpouring that Bishop
Mason was compelled to
call us together in November
of 1907, to organize the
Church Of God In Christ.
The RAIN in the background
represents the Latter Rain or
the End-time Revivals which
brought about the
emergence of our Church
along with other Pentecostal
Holiness Bodies in the
same era. The rain also
serves as a challenge to the
Church to keep Christ in the
center of our worship and
service, so that He may
continue to use the Church
Of God In Christ as one of
the vehicles of Pentecostal
Revival before the return of
the Lord.
This information was reprinted from the
book"So you want to KNOW
YOUR CHURCH" by Alferd Z.
Hall, Jr.
STATEMENT OF FAITH:
WE BELIEVE the Bible to be the
inspired and only infallible written Word of God.
WE BELIEVE that there is One God; Eternally existent in
three presons; God the Father; God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
WE BELIEVE in the blessed Hope, which is the rapture of the Church of
God, which is in Christ, at His return. WE BELIEVE that the only means
of being cleansed from sin is through repentenance, faith in the
precious blood of Jesus Christ and being baptized in water. WE BELIEVE
that regeneration by the Holy Sprit is absolutely essential for
personal salvation. WE BELIEVE that the redemptive work of Christ on
the Cross provides healing for the human body in answer to "believing"
prayer. WE BELIEVE that the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, according to
Acts 2:4 is given to believers who ask for it. WE BELIEVE in the
sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling, the
Christian is enabled to live a holy and separated life in this
present world. AMEN.
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