The largest annual gathering of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) recently wrapped up its week long Holy Convocation in St. Louis, MO. The viral video and numerous meme’s highlight St. Louis resident, Andrew Caldwell, declaring his deliverance from homosexuality. COGIC has released their official statement responding to the viral video.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Church of God in Christ
Statement on Video Airing From 107th Holy Convocation
During the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) 107th Holy Convocation in St. Louis, MO, November 3-11, 2014, many tremendous things occurred that demonstrated the church’s love for community and for the whole man.
Through a number of COGIC Cares initiatives, the St. Louis and metro east communities were helped in some of the following ways:
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- During our Health Fair and Job Fair, hundreds received free healthcare services while many unemployed attendees were able to network with St. Louis employers;
- 5,000 people received assistance in the form of food, clothing, blankets, toys, haircuts and medical check-ups at our Christmas in November event on Saturday, November 8, 2014;
- Members of our denomination dispersed within the North St. Louis Fourth Ward community to provide cleanup assistance to blighted areas; and
- Several COGIC leaders visited a St. Louis Public School to conduct “a day of reading” among elementary school children.
Since 2010, when the Church of God in Christ Holy Convocation moved from Memphis, TN to St. Louis, the economic impact to the bi-state, metropolitan area has been over $120 million.
As a Pentecostal, Bible-believing organization, our goal is to edify and care for the entire individual, both naturally and spiritually. Thus, during the convocation:
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- 559 individuals committed their lives to Christ;
- 97 individuals re-dedicated their lives to Christ;
- 224 Christians were filled with the Holy Spirit, according to (Acts 2:4); and
- 227 individuals received divine deliverance from a number of afflictions.
A video, which is now viral, of a young man stating his deliverance from a particular lifestyle does not, in any capacity, speak to all of the remarkable things that transpired during this great church convention.
We believe that we should reflect the love and compassion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in all that we do. We do not in any way compromise our biblical position against same sex unions or in favor of biblical teaching on matters of sexual conduct. At the same time we expect that our clergy and laity will be civil and considerate as they speak to men and women regarding issues related to our Christian faith. We love all people, regardless of their faith or moral standards. When we fail to express ourselves with love and humility we contradict our witness to the world.
Furthermore, the Church of God in Christ wholly condemns acts of violence against and the subjugation of any person to verbal or physical harassment on the basis of their sexual stance. Such actions violate entirely the Christian’s obligation to love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
The Church of God in Christ will have no further comment on this matter.
What are your thoughts? Do you think the response would have been different if he declared he was being delivered from something else?
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