On June 13, 1903, A. J. Tomlinson went up onto a mountain, near where the Holiness Church at Camp Creek had their meetings, to a place alone to pray.  He later testified to a small group, in the home of W. F. Bryant, that the Lord had inspired him, during his prayer, that they had espoused a faith and attitude toward the word of God that, if they would accept it, they were the Church of God. Of course, they did accept it.

Brother Spurling immediately submitted the leadership to A.J. Tomlinson, and the work began to grow.  In two and a half years, it had grown to such an extent, that they thought it was necessary to call a general conference.

They did not officially adopt the name “Church of God” until 1907, but their beginning can neither be dated from the time of organization in 1902, nor from the time of the official name change. They became the Church of God when the bold declaration was made by the man to whom God had given the revelation of it. The blessings given by patriarchs in the Old Testament are a good example of this phenomenon.

In the years which have passed, several groups, large and small, have developed from that small beginning.  In 1951, it was claimed that 44 different groups had grown out of that work. ^[6]

I will not attempt to address all of these groups, because, in the light of the prophetic advancement of God’s Church, they are of small significance.  I only hope to point out clearly, that the formation and development of the Church of God was the work of an Apostle of God, whom God has confirmed beyond doubt with many signs.