The Church of God in Christ

The Church of God in Christ was founded in 1897 in Lexington, Mississippi by Bishop Charles Harrison Mason, a former Baptist minister, and organized as a Pentecostal Church during the early stages of the holiness movement and, more specifically, as an outgrowth of the Azusa Street Revival of Los Angeles, California, in 1906-9.

Initial growth of the church was attributable to the organization of four departments between 1910-1916, the Women's Department, the Sunday School, Young People's Willing Workers and Home and Foreign Missions.

The Church is Trinitarian and teaches the infallibility of Holy Scripture, the need for regeneration and baptism of the Holy Ghost evidenced by speaking in tongues. It emphasizes holiness as God's standard for Christian conduct and recognizes as ordinances Holy Communion, Water Baptism and Feet Washing.

Its governmental structure is basically episcopal and consists of three branches. The General Board represents the Executive Branch, the General Assembly is the Legislative Branch, and the Judiciary Board represents the Judicial Branch.