Eight responded to Spurling’s invitation, including his father, Richard Spurling, who as an ordained Baptist elder had the ecclesial authority to set a church in order and to moderate their business meeting. They called themselves Christian Union—signaling a rejection of separatism and exclusivism they had experienced in other churches.
A few days later, Elder Spurling ordained his son as their first pastor, and over the following decade or so, Richard Green Spurling organized other Christian Union congregations in nearby communities.
Although none of those original mountain congregations have survived until 2021, Richard Green Spurling’s vision, first proclaimed alongside an Appalachian mountain creek, now reaches more than 7,600,000 members globally, who worship in more than 40,000 congregations, in 185 nations and territories of the world.
For the earliest publication of this account, see A. J. Tomlinson, “The Last Great Conflict” (Cleveland, Tenn.: Press of Walter E. Rodgers, 1913; reprinted White Wing Publishing House, 1984 and 2011).
Church of God General Overseer Tim Hill has posted a greeting about the birthday of the Church of God and it can be viewed by clicking here: