There are almost 50 different church groups that associate the name “Church of God” with their identity. Town Center Community Church is part of a network of 2300 non-denominational churches called The Church of God in North America.
This movement was started in 1881 and today there are 7300 churches in 88 countries with almost 1 million attendees. There are 5,000 ordained ministers, 950 retired ministers and 1,000 licensed ministers. We have 6 colleges and universities in North America and many bible training institutes around the world. There are more than 2500 churches in the United States with around a quarter of a million in attendance.
There are 47 congregations in the Georgia Fellowship of the Church of God with approximately 200 credentialed full- and part-time pastors and ministers.
Strong non-denominational characteristics are distinctive to the churches in our network:
- Each congregation determines its organization, calls its own pastors & establishes its own bylaws.
- Congregations are controlled by their own membership—not by any outside person or organization.
- Organizations on the local, state and national level receive voluntary support from each congregation.
- The experience of salvation is the only qualification for membership.
The Church of God holds firmly to several important doctrines that are the backbone of our beliefs:
- Reality of experiential salvation
- Unity of all Believers in Jesus Christ
- Spirit-filled life of holiness
- Authority of Scripture
Why is this all so important?
We believe that people are looking for a strong Biblical message and for stability—not in denomination or in an established church-model, but simply in the Rock of Ages, Jesus Christ.
We Believe
That every person, Christian and non-Christian alike, is valuable to God and to His kingdom.
That “doing church” as a team is God’s design for effective ministry.
That a simple presentation of Jesus Christ in creative ways will impact and transform lives.
That every member should commit to a lifestyle of consistent spiritual growth with honest accountability.
That every member is a minister who has been given gifts to be discovered, developed and deployed.
That God is worthy of our very best. Therefore a growing spirit of excellence should permeate every activity.
That genuine love and caring relationships are keys to the life of every endeavor.
That the most effective evangelism happens through people inviting people
In identifying and training emerging leaders who are fully committed to Christ and who will reach their generation with the gospel.
Church of God Affiliations
Church of God Ministries
PO Box 2420, Anderson IN 46018-2420
Telephone: (765) 642-0256 or (800) 848-2464
Fax: (765) 642-5652
http://www.chog.org
Georgia Fellowship of the Church of God
P.O. Box 566
LaFayette, Georgia 30728
Phone: (706) 638-3418
Seminary
Anderson School of Theology
1100 East Fifth Street, Anderson, IN 46012-3462
Telephone: (765) 641-4030
http://www.anderson.edu/academics/sot/core/index.html
The mission of the School of Theology is to educate at the graduate level both men and women for Christian Ministry.
Affiliated Colleges
Anderson University
1100 East Fifth Street, Anderson, IN 46012-3462
Telephone: (765) 649-9071
http://www.anderson.edu
Established in 1917, the mission of Anderson University is to educate persons for a life of faith and service in the church and society.
Azusa Pacific University
PO Box 7000, Azusa, CA 91702-7000
Telephone: (626) 969-3434
http://www.apu.edu
Founded in 1899, APU is a coeducational, interdenominational Christian university with spiritual and academic emphases grounded in a strong Wesleyan tradition. The institution's relationship with the Church of God dates back to 1968 when Arlington College merged with Azusa Pacific.
Bay Ridge Christian College
PO Box 726, Kendleton, TX 77451-0726
Telephone: (979) 532-3982 Fax: (979) 532-4352
http://www.bayridgecc.com/
The mission of Bay Ridge Christian College is to equip persons spiritually, academically, and socially to function as leaders in society and the church.
Gardner College
4707 56th Street, Camrose, Alberta CANADA T4V 2C4
Telephone: (780) 672-0171 Fax: (780) 672-2465
http://www.gardnercollege.org/
Gardner College seeks to fill leadership needs in the Church of God in Canada through intensive study of the scriptures, theology, Christian education, and music. As a center for Christian studies, Gardner does offer one, two, three, and four year programs of study. Students pursuing a 4-year liberal arts degree can transfer after two years to cooperating schools: Warner Pacific, Warner Southern, and Azusa Pacifc.
Mid-America Bible College
3500 SW 119th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73170
Telephone: (405) 691-3800 Fax: (450) 692-3165
http://www.macu.edu/
As an evangelical institution of higher education, teaching and serving in the Bible tradition, Mid-America Bible College exists to equip Christians to grow spiritually and intellectually, to build the Church and to affect society through a biblically integrated curriculum in the Wesleyan theological persuasion.
Warner Pacific College
2219 SE 68th Avenue, Portland, OR 97215
Telephone: (503) 517-1000 Fax: (503) 517-1350
http://www.warnerpacific.edu
Basic to the purpose of Warner Pacific is the belief that a reinforcing relationship exists between faith, learning, and living. This belief is pervasive in the college curriculum and is borne out in the humanities core which asks students to think seriously about life's major issues.
Warner Southern College
5301 US Hwy 27 South, Lake Wales, FL 33853
Telephone: (941) 638-1426 or (800) 949-7248
Fax: (941) 638-1472
http://www.warner.edu/
The mission of Warner Southern College is to provide excellence in Christian higher education through a curriculum and community that consciously integrates and models Christian faith, scholarship, and servanthood.
