How a Baptist split in Mississippi became a global Pentecostal powerhouse

History · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Born from the expulsion of two ministers who embraced Wesleyan holiness, the Church of God in Christ evolved from a small 1897 fellowship into a massive international denomination. Today, it stands as the largest Pentecostal body in the United States, defined by its unique history of resilience, leadership, and rapid expansion.

The movement began in 1895 when Charles Price Jones and Charles Harrison Mason, licensed Baptist ministers in Mississippi, started preaching the doctrine of entire sanctification. Their adherence to this Wesleyan teaching led to their expulsion from the National Baptist Convention. In 1897, Mason founded a new church in Lexington, Mississippi, and later adopted the name Church of God in Christ, which he believed was divinely revealed.

A pivotal shift occurred in 1906 when Mason visited the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles. He experienced baptism with the Holy Spirit, evidenced by speaking in tongues. This Pentecostal shift caused a formal split in 1907 between Mason and Jones. While Jones continued a Holiness ministry, Mason reorganized the Church of God in Christ as a Pentecostal body, becoming the first legally chartered Pentecostal denomination in the United States.

Throughout the 20th century, the church navigated significant internal and external challenges. Following Mason's death in 1961, a period of leadership conflict led to a 1968 constitutional convention that established the current governance structure, including the office of the presiding bishop. Under leaders like J. O. Patterson Sr., L. H. Ford, and C. E. Blake, the church expanded its global reach, championed social justice, and addressed urban poverty, growing from ten congregations in 1907 to a worldwide membership of millions.

The denomination's influence is deeply tied to its Memphis headquarters and the annual International Holy Convocation, a tradition established by Mason to accommodate the agricultural cycles of his members. From its early days of racial integration to its modern role as a flagship religious organization, the Church of God in Christ remains a central force in the Black Church and the broader Pentecostal movement.

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