Author

In 1990 I was pastoring in Memphis for over one year and had gotten the Church out of debt however the last few months the giving took a turn to the negative. The state office held the mortgage on the property and we had fallen two months behind.

We sent young people to Chattanooga youth camp and I got a call from my daughter, crying, saying that a man introduced himself to her as the new pastor for her Church. She wanted to know what was going on. I didn’t know and soon discovered that it was true. I had less than a week to clear out.

I heard second hand that Orville Hagin, state overseer, was sending a letter to inform me and he had delegated the job to Harvey L Turner Sr., state evangelism director. Harvey neglected to send me the letter and needless to say I was left without any word.

I hastily packed and at my own expenses and found a rental house. I was caught by surprise and believed there was no hope for another appointment. I mailed my credentials back to the Tennessee state office without a response from them. Some time later I got a letter from the office, short of an apology.

I requested a transfer to the Assembly of God and got the needed referral from headquarters. I was accepted by the AOG and was ordained. However I could not personally recover and finally surrendered that ordination and completely left denominational ministerial associations.

Discussion

19 comments

  1. Are you posturing now in the AOG.

  2. I am sorry that happened to you and your daughter. That was defiantly mishandled

  3. Unfortunately your story has been multiplied countless times. One of my best friends was pastoring a COG in Minnesota and had completed advanced theological training in the Twin Cities. One of most godly men I have ever known. Unfortunately a state overseer snatched his church out from under him as he had to have income due to financial cutbacks for overseers in mission states. My friend went on to pastor with the AG for nearly 30 years before retiring.

  4. Charles Page says:

    I encourage others to make your “horror story” know in a post here. It will not be censored nor edited.

  5. Kyle Morrow says:

    Sounds to me like Brother Hagin and Brother Turner had discernment.

  6. Charles Page says:

    sounds to you…hardly reliable…comes from your heart!!!

  7. Charles Page says:

    now I can look back and say God was very good to me to have gotten me out of the COG ministry. What TN leadership meant for bad God brought good out of it.

  8. Link Hudson says:

    What I think of when I read this is how different this was from the way things were carried out in the New Testament. In the New Testament, the apostles Barnabas and Saul went out, sent out by the Spirit, and preached the gospel in the synagogues and other venues in various cities. In response to their preaching, there were those who believed and began to meet as churches.

    Barnabas and Saul would preach, leave a city, return and appoint elders from within the very congregations to pastor them.

    I can’t find the practice of being assigned a church (and it being reassigned) in the Bible. The apostles appointed elders raised up from within their own local churches, not ‘hired gun’ ministers.

    Btw, in the 1800’s, the letters of Paul to co-laborers Timothy and Titus began to be called ‘the pastorals.’ Many clergymen reinterpret the story to be that the recipients were ‘pastors’ of their local churches appointing elders to sit on the board or something along those lines, instead of viewing them as church-planting co-laborers of Paul.

  9. I think a study would reveal that a good number of ministers have resigned for various reasons from the CoG (Cleveland, TN) denomination over the past 30+ years. I believe that a vast portion of them were even graduates of Lee College. It must be realized that a person raised in the CoG their entire life, being the only church they ever knew, it creates major problems in their heart when they are hurt by the very ones they loved. Still yet, very few leave without a charge of “Insubordination.” What is the answer or solution to this dilemma? The CoG must work to close its back door. I understand that there is a department today in General Headquarters known as Ministerial Care that is trying to do this very thing. I do congratulate them for this endeavor.

  10. Lahry Sibley says:

    In a word, the CoG calls this “polity”. The Bible has not such description. Look up the word for yourself.
    Leaders in the Bible were not “approved” by popular vote. They were called of GOD. They were “apostles”, messengers anointed and empowered by the HOLY SPIRIT. HE supplied all the authority needed to accomplish HIS will. Men today attempt in vain, to accomplish this missing link Failures to love are bound to occur, when polity is substituted for divine guidance and empowerment. Think about it.

  11. That is just horrible but i have heard if this happening to several other good men. Such a shame, not right and very unchristian. I will never understand it.

  12. Lahry Sibley says:

    It doesn’t take a “theologian” to see that the CoG is all about the “money train”. When the money stops flowing, somone is “going”. WAKE UP!

  13. Lahry Sibley says:

    Eze 34:19 And as for my flock, they eat that which ye have trodden with your feet; and they drink that which ye have fouled with your feet.
    Eze 34:20 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD unto them; Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle.
    Eze 34:21 Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad;
    Eze 34:22 Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle.

  14. Lahry Sibley says:

    Gal 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
    Gal 6:2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
    Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
    Gal 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
    Gal 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
    Gal 6:6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
    Gal 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
    Gal 6:8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
    Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
    Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

  15. Galatians 6:1-10 is an outstanding passage of scripture. Spiritual men need to study this passage out clearly and fully implement it.

  16. Larkin Self says:

    Mr Cole is all about negativitism. He has slurred anointed men of God. He never says anything good about the CHURCH OF GOD. The truth has finally came out. MORAL ISSUES,HUH? Wonder what they were? Seems to me, that He has losted his FIRST LOVE. He needs ANGER MANAGEMENT. First He has to forgive himself before He can forgive others. Really holding a grudge this long is not healthy. So what you accomplished? A lot of hatred. Get over all this & move on. Find some real JOY & LOOK FOR GOOD not bad in everything you talk about. Just saying……

  17. Larkin Self says:

    That text was from Wanda Self

  18. Paul A. Lett says:

    I’m so sorry that you and your family had to go through this. As a PK I can only imagine what your daughter went through. I’m thankful that God is faithful.