The Church of God in Christ is a Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in which the  word  of  God  is  preached,  ordinances  are administered  and  the doctrine of  sanctification,  or holiness,   is emphasized as being essential to the salvation on  mankind.  Our  church  is  commonly known as being Holiness or Pentecostal  in  nature  because of  the importance ascribed  in   the  events  which  occurred  on  the  Day of  Pentecost,  the 50th day after Passover, or Easter as being necessary for all believers in Christ Jesus to experience.  On the  Day  of  Pentecost,   the  first  day  of  the  week,   the  Lord's  Day,  Supernatural  manifestations  descended  in marvelous  demonstration  and  power.  The gift of  the spirit in the fulfillment of  the promise of  Jesus to clothe those who would wait in Jerusalem with power from on high,   was accompanied by three supernatural manifestations,  The sudden appearance  of  the  Holy Ghost  appealed  first  to  the ear.   The disciples heard a "sound" from heaven which rushed with a mighty force into the house and  filled it - even as a storm rushes -  but there was no wind.   It was the sound that filled the house and not the wind, an invisible cause producing audible effects.  Next, the eye was arrested by the appearance of  tongues  of  fire which  rested  on each of  the  gathered  company.   Finally,  there  was  the impartation of  a  new  strange  power to speak in languages they had never learned  as  the "Spirit gave them utterance."

 

It was in 1897,  while seeking a scriptural name which would distinguish  this church from others  of similar  title,   the name   "The  Church of God in Christ"   revealed  to  Bishop Mason while  he  stood  on  the corner of  8th and Gaines Streets in  Little Rock,  Arkansas. The following scripture supported his revelation: 1 Thessalonians 2:14,  "For ye, brethren, became followers of  the churches of God  which in Judaea are  in Christ  Jesus:  for yea also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:"  All the brethren unanimously agreed to the name of  "Church of God in Christ."