I have lived for over 28 years in the Memphis,…

I have lived for over 28 years in the Memphis, Tennessee area. My observation is that it could be the most segregated Christian community in America. I’m sure that can be disputed. Racial separation cannot be more apparent than Bellevue Baptist with one of the early pastors R. G. Lee (Payday Someday) and later Adrian Rogers.

It is commonly stated that the most segregated day of the week is Sunday and that I’m suggesting that the most segregated city on Sunday is Memphis, Tennessee.

The history of the Pentecostal movement has one of it’s historical settings as Memphis. The Church of God made many efforts to reach into Memphis as early as 1910. There were already Pentecostal missions in the heart of the City.

The Mississippi/Memphis area had successful COG work established. North Mississippi and Memphis are part of the mid-south region as well as Arkansas across the river.

A. J. Tomlinson took a personal interest in the heart of Memphis. The COG could have been to Memphis what the Assembly Of God had done. The growth of the African American community was a given in the work of Charles H. Mason and the Church of God in Christ.

The first Pentecostal Denominational appearance in Memphis was the Assembly of God. Out of this began the Church of God in Christ. The AOG had credentialed black ministers and many of the blacks then joined the COGIC.

The divide was a racial divide. In this midst of this there was the foiled attempt of the COG to reach Memphis. For a short period Tomlinson had recruited and credentialed L. P. Adams into the COG. Adams pastored a holiness church in his home. Mason had worked with him in a racial mixed ministry.

Tomlinson invited Adams to the General Assembly in Cleveland, 1910. Adams was an eloquent lawyer and was one of the chief speakers at the assembly. Adams was a strong leader in the Memphis, mid-south, region and was a chief asset for the COG in Memphis. It was not long before Adams was brought into the AOG.

Tomlinson lost ground in his quest and it seems he gave it his best effort. The Church Of God denomination would have been a great mid-west Pentecostal witness.