Journey with me as we stand before Victory Way Assembly Church of God in Christ. It stands as a testament to faith and community in Detroit. Victory Way Assembly Church of God in Christ is part of a larger movement. This movement is the Church of God in Christ or COGIC. COGIC is a Holiness Pentecostal Christian denomination. It has a predominantly African American membership in the United States.
Let’s delve into COGIC’s origins. It began in 1897. Dissatisfied Baptists Charles Price Jones and Charles Harrison Mason formed it. They emphasized Wesleyan doctrine. This doctrine stressed Christian perfection. It saw entire sanctification as a second work of grace. Amanda Berry Smith’s life inspired Mason. She was an African American Methodist evangelist.
In 1897 Mason founded St. Paul Church in Lexington Mississippi. It was the first church of this new movement. They called themselves simply the Church of God. To distinguish themselves Mason sought a unique name. He found it in 1 Thessalonians 2:14. God revealed the name Church of God in Christ to him. This name was adopted and congregations grew in the South. Members called themselves Saints. They believed in living a life of Christian Holiness.
By 1906 the church had nearly 100 congregations. Mason sought more about the Holy Spirit. He visited the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles. William J. Seymour led it. Mason received the baptism of the Holy Ghost there. He spoke in other tongues. This experience changed the church.
In 1907 disagreements arose. Some did not accept speaking in tongues. Mason reorganized the Church of God in Christ. It became a Holiness Pentecostal body. C.H. Mason became General Overseer and Chief Apostle. He was given authority to lead the denomination. The Church of God in Christ became the first legally chartered Pentecostal body in the United States.
After a legal battle Mason’s group gained the right to use the name. The other group formed the Church of Christ Holiness U.S.A. Bishop Mason moved to Memphis Tennessee. He established the COGIC national headquarters. He initiated the International Holy Convocation. This annual gathering lasted twenty days. Members prayed fasted fellowshipped and conducted church business.
Bishop John Drew Sheard Sr. is the current Presiding Bishop. He is the Senior Pastor of the Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ of Detroit Michigan. Bishop Sheard was re-elected in 2024. He will serve another four-year term.
COGIC originated in the South. It expanded during the Great Migration. African Americans moved north and west. Mason established churches in northern and western cities. Key figures spread COGIC William Roberts in Chicago and O. M. Kelly in New York.
Victory Way Assembly Church of God in Christ. is a part of this story. It continues to uphold the traditions and values of COGIC. The IRS granted the church its ruling in 1969. The church is a subordinate in a group ruling. It is identified by the EIN 45-2722208. It embodies faith community and service in Detroit.
Though Charity Navigator cannot currently rate Victory Way Assembly Church of God in Christ. due to its status as a church. Victory Way Assembly Church of God in Christ is not just a building. It’s a beacon of hope. It reflects the enduring legacy. The Church of God in Christ leaves a lasting impact on Detroit.