What Does the Church of God in Christ

1. Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, teaches that it alone is the one true church.

“God has made no covenant with any other church” John Holdeman, A History of the Church of God, page 20.

“Outside the true organized Church of God [CGCM] the whole truth has never been found and neither will ever be found outside of it. God will not recognize any other church than His own organized Church; and therefore He will not reveal the whole truth to any other church or to any man who is not willing to be one with God through espousal with Him…” John Holdeman, Mirror of Truth, page 84.

“We believe in one united Church of God, a true, organized, visible Church of God, which constitutes the true believers” Conference Reports 1896-1993 published by Gospel Publishers article 9

“This written lineage of the Church of the Living God is the place, pillar, or ground where God has always revealed the whole truth; it is contained alone as a whole in this Church [The Church of God in Christ, Mennonite], and He will never do it elsewhere.” John Holdeman, A History of the Church of God page 189.

“Can we appreciate to be in a Church where it is a lone Church? We have many different denominations, we have many different so-called churches, but there was a lone Church, there, in the desert. Today, there is a lone Church, right here in Lone Tree Township [The original congregation in Kansas]….So that when we hear about other denominations, other so called churches, we think about Lone Tree.” Paul Swartly before a crowd of 2500-3000 at the centennial program recorded in Centennial of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite 1959 published by Gospel Publishers page 40-41

“There will be an unbroken lineage, or succession, of true doctrine unto the end of time. Therefore, there will never be a need for the church to be reestablished on a ground or foundation apart from that succession which reaches back to Christ” Bible Doctrines and Practices published by Gospel Publishers page 181

“Boasting to be the true church is akin to boasting of an endowment or inheritance of which we had no influence of power to bring about.” Article in The Messenger of Truth published by Gospel Publishers Sept 11, 2002

2. The Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, Believes All Other Churches Have Been Established to the Displeasure of God

“All sects organized alongside of His Church [The Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, founded by John Holdeman] have not been endowed with heavenly wisdom; otherwise they would not have been established to the displeasure of God and His Church.” John Holdeman, founder, Mirror of Truth published by Gospel Publishers, page 30

“If 10,000 persons should receive remission of sin and join in fellowship with each other by organizing themselves into a body without baptism, we could not acknowledge them as the church of God. .. before we could acknowledge them, they must be willing to unite with the truly organized Church of God [The Church of God in Christ, Mennonite] baptism.” John Holdeman, A History of the Church of God, page 183.

“The Church is careful to not be allied with other churches…The Church will not tolerate any effort of equating the churches. This would be considered heresy.” Reuben Koehn Sixty-Five Years a Holdeman page 26,27 published by Gospel Publishers

“Wherever you find a Christian, that’s the church, we are told. That’s not John Holdeman’s teaching, it’s not the teaching of the Christian.” Minister Frank H. Wenger in a speech in front of about 3000 members. Centennial of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite 1959 published by Gospel Publishers

3. The CGCM teaches that baptisms in other churches are not valid. All newcomers must be rebaptized in order to join the “one true church.”

“As God has made no covenant with any other church, therefore no baptism is valid outside of this only visible church of God [The Church of God in Christ, Mennonite].” John Holdeman, A History of the Church of God, page 20.

“We believe when a person unites with an organization outside the Church of God, receiving the symbol of water, it does not signify the truth.” The Confession of Faith and Minister’s Manual, page 34.

“We believe all baptisms unevangelical which are not officiated by the true ministers of the gospel upon faith in God and His Church.” Conference Reports 1896-1993 published by Gospel Publishers article 5

“To receive someone into the church of God upon a former baptism from another group infringes on the doctrine of the oneness of the church. To do so would imply that the church of God is fragmented.” Article in The Messenger of Truth published by Gospel Publishers Sept 11, 2002

4. The CGCM teaches that the Lord’s Supper, discipline, and the ordination of deacons and ministers is invalid outside her organization.

“The sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper necessitate an organized body* to be observed properly. The same is true of scriptural discipline. The two-fold office of the minister—ministers and deacons—relates to the operation of the church [The Church of God in Christ, Mennonite].” Bible Doctrines and Practice, page 170

*“We believe in one united Church of God, a true, organized, visible Church of God, which constitutes the true believers” Conference Reports 1896-1993 published by Gospel Publishers article 9

5. The CGCM teaches that other Christians are only part of the kingdom, not the church.

“All who are saved are in the kingdom, but not everyone in the kingdom is in the church.” Bible Doctrines and Practices, page169.

“Picture the kingdom as a large circle, with the church as a smaller circle in the center of the kingdom. One enters the kingdom by inheritance upon becoming a child of God through spiritual birth (John 3:3-5)….Only those already in the kingdom may enter the church. The entrance into the church is by baptism.” Bible Doctrines and Practices, page169

6. The CGCM teaches that Christians outside their church are not their brothers and sisters in Christ.

”We cannot quickly call brethren all those who profess Christ, yet keep aloof from the Church.” V. L. Stoppel, Whether it be of God, published by Gospel Publishers, page 75

7. The CGCM teaches that it is spiritual adultery and grounds for immediate excommunication and loss of salvation to take communion in another Christian church.

“Dear Brother John and Sister Teresa,….you have participated in communion with another group which are not of the faith [ a Baptist church] , constituting spiritual adultery. 2 Cor. 11:1-4. We as your spiritual leaders are going to recommend excommunication to the brotherhood for the purity of the church, that the transgressor may humble himself and repent and also that the church may not be blasphemed” Letter written by the ministers of the Murray, Kentucky congregation of CGCM, dated 11/13/02

“Neither do members of the church of God participate in the Communion observances of other church fellowships. To deliberately do so is a serious departure from sound doctrine, and breaks one’s vows of faithfulness to the church of God. Such an act is viewed very seriously and becomes grounds for excommunication.” Bible Doctrines and Practice Page 212

8. The CGCM teaches that Christians who come into contact with the “true church” and do not join cannot long remain Christians.

“If they will not obey the call when they hear and understand it, they will find that Christ will slay them with the sword of His mouth: therefore, we cannot comfort anyone to stay in such churches.” John Holdeman, A History of the Church of God, page188.

“There is no salvation where anyone will not unite with the Church of God against better knowledge.” John Holdeman, A History of the Church of God, page 188.

“It would seem that one cannot refuse the church and remain in the kingdom indefinitely.” Bible Doctrines and Practice, page 169

9. The CGCM teaches that anyone who leaves their church (they are always excommunicated) is lost.

“Excommunication is the church’s proving and declaration of the individual’s severed spiritual relationship with God.” Bible Doctrines and Practice, page 189.

.“Sometimes those under discipline reject the church’s proving of their spiritual need. They may claim fellowship with the Lord. This only substantiates their fall from spiritual discernment.” Bible Doctrines and Practice, page 190.

10. The Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, teaches that in 1859 John Holdeman cleared away the false doctrine in Christ’s church and laid a new foundation, which new denomination continues as the One True Church.

“That’s what John Holdeman did; he removed the debris of false doctrine and neglect of doctrines, and laid a new foundation, upon which we believed we could build and be safe for eternity.” Frank Wenger before a crowd of 2500-3000 at the centennial program recorded in Centennial of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite 1959 published by Gospel Publishers page 17

“Brother Holdeman gave us a good foundation of the true Church” Frank Wengerbefore a crowd of 2500-3000 at the centennial program recorded in Centennial of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite 1959 published by Gospel Publishers page 20

“Brother Holdeman founded a new Mennonite Denomination by the name of the ‘The Church of God in Christ, Mennonite’” Reuben Koehn before a crowd of 2500-3000 at the centennial program recorded in Centennial of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite 1959 published by Gospel Publishers page 1

“In 1859 he [John Holdeman] organized a new, yet old, movement on the ground and faith believed and practiced by the church from the time of the Apostles thru the Middle Ages till the present time, called the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite” John Penner before a crowd of 2500-3000 at the centennial program recorded in Centennial of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite 1959 published by Gospel Publishers page 7

“Brother Holdeman really did not start a new Church, yet it was new, but just continuing to propagate the Truth as it was once delivered to the Saints” Albert Unruh before a crowd of 2500-3000 at the centennial program recorded in Centennial of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite 1959 published by Gospel Publishers page 15

“Our elder brother…has led the way, has propagated the faith” Minister Harry Harms before a crowd of 2500-3000 at the centennial program recorded in Centennial of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite 1959 published by Gospel Publishers page 5

“Now we were divided: Four of us separated from you.” John Holdeman in his letter to Bishop Shaum, A History of the Church of God, 125.

11. The Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, believes the Protestant view of the church is heresy.

12. The Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, believes the view of the church as the universal body of believers is heresy.

13. The Church of God in Christ, Mennonite, believes the view that a local congregation may be independent of a central conference is heresy.

“He did not take His flesh from Mary” Bible Doctrines and Practice pg 40

“The word was made flesh, not of Mary, but in Mary” Bible Doctrines and Practice pg 40 Note: “God sent forth His son, made of a woman” Gal. 4:4

“The body of Jesus was an eternal product from heaven” Bible Doctrines and Practice pg 40

“The body chosen by the Godhead for man’s salvation was of heavenly origin” Studying the Gospel published by Gospel Publishers page 7

“His flesh or body was became flesh, not of Mary or of any created substance, but only of the Word of life which had come down from heaven” Bible Doctrines and Practice pg 40

"Christ, His begotten Son...did not need to have a part made up from the human race so that he could be the Christ." Minister Gladwin Koehn in a taped sermon October 19, 2003

[It is unscriptural to say] that the Son of God united himself with human nature, that is, with a man of the flesh of Mary” Menno Simons Complete Works, Forty-Five Unscriptural Confessions pg 379

“Menno Simon’s writings ….surpass all others in thoroughness, excepting the Holy Scriptures” John Holdeman, founder of the denomination, John Holdeman,Mirror of Truth published by Gospel Publishers, Moundridge, KS page 37

“Take note that this verse and the previous one point to the resemblance only.”

“Do we not need carefulness in bringing the human dimension into Christ?”

“Does the thought of Christ’s humanness attract us…?”

“The fact that Christ’s body did not even begin to decay is proof that His body was not of this earth."

“His body did not begin to go back to dust between the crucifixion and the resurrection, as ours would have.”

“’For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham’ (the italics are KJV text). Removing the italics, which indicate missing or unclear text in the original manuscript, leaves this verse with less difficulty.”

“There was no possibility for humanity to contribute to their salvation”

“Are we consistent with our conviction on the deity of Christ when we allude to His struggle in the Garden as His humanity recoiling from fulfilling the promise…?"

Messenger of Truth Article October 1, 2003

"Those who would mingle the Son of God and the son of Adam in the incarnation of Christ would also mingle the children of God with the children of Adam in the body of Christ today. It is impossible, they say, to conceive of a pure, organized, visible church containing only those who have had their sins forgiven and their consciences sprinkled by the blood of Christ.

"This is the nub of the whole matter. Those who accept an impure Christ, born of the literal flesh of Mary, must of necessity also accept an impure church. Those who see the organized and visible church as an imperfect body also believe in an impure Christ.

When we speak of a perfect church, some people view this as tantamount to blasphemy. Yet the Bible does speak of a perfect church, without spot or blemish (Eph 5:27). The point that is being missed is that the church is not a man-made body and that it is more than the sum of its earthly members."

Messenger of Truth Article

"the most prevalent error concerning the nature of Christ has been that He obtained His humanity through Mary"

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MESSENGER OF TRUTH: “The Messenger of Truth is recognized as the official Church organ. ” Messenger of Truth article titled “The One Hundreth Year” January 2, 2002

BIBLE DOCTRINES AND PRACTICE: “Bible Doctrines and Practice is an explanation of the faith and practice of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite….The articles were carefully read and revised by a group which was comprised of the Publication Board, the Historical and Doctrinal Writing and Proving Committee, and the books editors” Preface, page 23-24.

CONFERENCE REPORTS 1896-1993: “Resolved, That conference decisions are mandatory” Conference Reports. Article 6, November 1974. A compilation of all the mandatory decisions reached in churchwide conferences. This book has been referred to as the cornerstone of the Holdeman faith.

“Further, be it resolved, that we unitedly pledge, before God and one another, to uphold the true faith, as delivered to the saints, and practiced by the apostles, and reformers like Peter Waldo, Menno Simons and John Holdeman, and upheld by the Church today according to the scripture” Centennial of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite 1959 published by Gospel Publishers page 20