According to their website, “The Church of God of Prophecy is a vibrant, worldwide body of believers, united in worship, working hand-in-hand to share God’s love and a message of hope to the broken-hearted.”
Unless you screw up.
This weekend I’m going to the CoGoP in my neighborhood. I admit I have some strong biases against this particular assembly. When I was in high school I knew the pastor’s son at this church. We were classmates together at a private school—that is until he got his girlfriend, one of our cheerleaders, pregnant. Our school administration decided that it was best that he not continue in our school. As I look back I’m not sure who that decision was best for.
It didn’t seem to matter what this young couple decided to do “right” after they had already done the “wrong.” They found themselves on the outside of grace, even though by definition unmerited favor shouldn’t have any such boundary.
What shocked me even more was what happened at my friend’s church. Under pressure from the denomination leaders back in Cleveland, Tennessee, the CoGoP state director asked my friend’s dad to resign. Apparently in the Holiness Movement “keeping your house in order” means taking responsibility for all your offspring’s actions. If you, or yours, screw up, you’re out.
This isn’t a message of hope.
I talked to my friend this week on the phone. Though very hurt by how the church and denomination mistreated his family, and still feeling the pain two decades later, he speaks of them with patience and gentleness. I’m humbled by his forgiving spirit towards the religious spirit he encountered. He is full of grace towards those who don’t deserve it, but then isn’t that the point?
