Our church, from its earliest inception, has been a church for all people. Founded on a holiness theology by earnest seekers of the true church of the Bible, the Church of God of Prophecy adopted the philosophy that the message of the gospel is for all people everywhere. This worldwide vision permeates the visionary leadership of Bishop A. J. Tomlinson and other early church leaders through the years. This vision still lives within our global church movement—we are an ALL NATIONS CHURCH.
In browsing the historical archives of our movement, we see the actions and read the sermons preached that reflect an equality among all people in the sight of God. The reality that we are all created in God’s image and likeness and can accept God’s salvation has been a key part of our theology and resonates with Paul’s words in Romans 10:12–13.
As early as 1909, Bishop Tomlinson ordained African American evangelists, both male and female. He had traveled to Florida to speak in numerous locations. In one of the meetings held at Pleasant Grove, Edmund and Rebecca Barr accepted Tomlinson’s message of the Church of God. This event was the beginning of change to the racial landscape of the Church. Not long after joining the Church of God, the Barrs became the first Black licensed ministers. This couple traveled to the Bahamas and evangelized there, making them the first missionaries to go outside of the United States for this small but growing movement.[1]
Bishop Tomlison went on to ordain bishops of various races, thus placing them in the highest level of ordination within the movement and solidifying the reality that we are an “all nations” church. Bishop Tomlinson believed, preached, and practiced that the message of God’s church was for all mankind, regardless of ethnicity, color, or language. In the early years of this movement in the United States South, this was often quite challenging due to certain laws that had been enacted that promoted segregation. Yet, despite these challenges, R. G. Robins would later describe the efforts of Bishop Tomlinson and the Church in his work entitled A. J. Tomlinson: Plainfolk Modernist, writing, “The sign of the True Church, then, was to be its multicultural composition.” He continued, “Recruitment was not easy, but the Church of God did its best, and when it found minorities it thrust them into the limelight.”[2]
At the 14th International Assembly, in his Annual Address, Bishop Tomlinson spoke on this topic of inclusion of all believers when he stated,
Every subject on the program is of the utmost importance. But it is not expedient for me to call attention to everyone separately, however I feel it my duty to mention one more. We have deviated from our former practice by giving a place on our program for our colored brethren. We have recognized them and loved and fellowshipped them as brothers and sisters and members and given them opportunity for extemporaneous utterances, but this is the first time they have been given a representation on the program. We feel they are due this recognition. They are truly our brethren.[3]
As he continued to speak, there were shouts from all across the auditorium. There were some shouts of agreement mixed with shouts from those who were not accepting his comments. Despite these shouts, records indicate that Tomlinson proclaimed, “Let the Devil’s prejudice forever disappear and yet, let us ask God for wisdom about how to do.”[4]
The topic of racial inclusion was addressed repeatedly by Bishop Tomlinson over the next twenty years. His addresses on the topic would expand to include Latinos and others. These addresses were not the beginning of his thoughts and beliefs for racial inclusion. As mentioned earlier, even before this and the corresponding addresses, he was ordaining leaders of all ethnicities. This represented a departure from the norm of the South during this time period, but it reflected the heart of God and the truth of God’s Word—God’s church was a church for all nations.
The promotion of ethnically diverse men to higher positions in the Church represented Bishop Tomlinson’s “all nations” response and was indicative of the acceptance of God’s call for all people. He believed that the church was a place where all people groups could worship freely and experience the powerful presence of God in their lives and ministry, but this belief did not go without its challenges. Through the years, there were times of exhaustion and contemplation about giving up on this “all nations” effort. At one point, there was a separate entity for the “Church of God Colored Work.” However, in the 1926 Assembly, the question was brought to the Assembly floor, and after discussion, the Questions and Subjects Committee deferred to the General Overseer A. J. Tomlinson for a decision. His decision was to end the segregated work and operate once again as one distinct body. This decision would lead to a more robust multiracial church. Such inclusion broke from the societal norms of the southern United States and has led to who we are today, a church for all nations.
Through the years, this movement has continued its “all nations” emphasis. The result is what we now know as an international body of believers from over 130 nations of the world, speaking multiple languages, having varied colors of skin, yet united in one body through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Today, we live in a world that attempts to divide us not only on racial differences, but also on cultural, business, familial, and social “likes” and “dislikes.” In this environment, let the Church be ever mindful that we are a body of believers that sees all nations as vital to our global movement. Let us remember the words of Paul in Romans 10—salvation is for all who will trust in the Lord and believe in their heart that Jesus Christ is the Messiah.
Let us reflect on the vision recorded by the writer of Revelation:
. . . I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a great roar, “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9–10 NLT)
We are an ALL NATIONS CHURCH. We must be compassionate to all people. We must be intentional to love them as Christ would love them, and care for them as he cares for us.
One of my greatest pleasures in ministry was my time pastoring a truly international church in Erlangen, Germany. At one time within that local church, we had every continent represented except Antarctica. Yes, it had its challenges. But it also had such great rewards. We learned from one another. We experienced each other’s cultural understandings. We cherished the delicious foods from all nations. We embraced one another. We stood together as one in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And today, we have family in every part of the world because of the “all nations” community of our church.
The Church of God of Prophecy heritage is a “Church for All Nations.”
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[1] Christopher Kinder, “‘Let the Devil’s Prejudice Forever Disappear’: Race and Inclusion in A.J. Tomlinson’s Church of God” (master’s thesis, Southeast Missouri State University, 2014), 42, https://www.dixonprc.org/uploads/1/3/1/6/131606484/chriskinder_thesis_cgp.pdf.
[2] R. G. Robins, A. J. Tomlinson: Plainfolk Modernist (New York: Oxford University Press, 2004), 227, quoted in Kinder, 26.
[3] A. J. Tomlinson, “Ninth Annual Address to the 14th General Assembly-Oct. 30-Nov.4, 1919—Cleveland, TN,” in General Assembly Annual Addresses, 1911-1927 (Cleveland, TN: White Wing Publishing House, 2011), 104–105, quoted in Kinder, 31.
[4] Minutes of the Fourteenth Annual Assembly of the Church of God, Held at Cleveland, Tenn., Oct. 29–Nov. 4, 1919 (Cleveland, TN: Church of God), 21, part of Minutes of the General Assembly of the Church of God (1911-1954) Collection, Hal Bernard Dixon, Jr. Pentecostal Research Center, Lee University, quoted in Kinder, 31.
