Gospel Assembly Churches

Gospel Assembly Churches are non-denominational Christian Churches based in the United States. The churches were founded in 1914 by minister William Sowders (1879-1952).

Origins

The beginnings of Gospel Assemblies may be traced to Paducah, Kentucky in 1914 during the early American Pentecostal movement. Sowders, a former Louisville policeman,^[1] evangelized primarily in the lower Ohio River valley region, settling in Louisville, where he established a congregation and ministered there until his death in 1952.^[2] Sowders' designated successor, T. M. Jolly,[1] ministered in St. Louis until 1991.^[3]

Doctrine

Like other evangelical denominations, Gospel Assembly churches believe the Bible to be the pure Word of God. Members utilize the term 'the Body of Christ' to refer to their fellowship exclusively, and 'Babylon' to refer to the remainder of the church world. They consider their movement to represent a restoration of the early church.^[4]

No formal doctrinal statement is published because they consider themselves to be continually growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. However, they are distinctly nontrinitarian. Like most churches, primary worship services are traditionally held on Sundays, however, most often they are in the early afternoon, in a departure from standard practice.^[5][6]

They believe in spiritual communion, meaning that their communion takes place over the fellowship of the Word of God, and also do practice the literal Lord's Supper with the elements. The churches practice literal water baptism as an outward ritual, but also emphasize the spiritual aspects of the ordinances.

Order and practice

Gospel Assemblies is Pentecostal by experience. They ascribe to holiness as the result of a sanctified heart, expressed in standards of speech and demeanor, modest dress, and a lifestyle of humility and moderation.^[7] Music is orchestral-based, with many of their published hymns and choruses written by church members.^[8][9] Their worship services are conducted in 'open-order' fashion, somewhat similar to Quaker worship services, encouraging active participation by the congregation in music and in the ministry of the Word, as led by the Spirit of God.

Constituency

Gospel Assembly churches are located in 17 nations, including some in western Europe, southern Africa, Mexico, and the Caribbean region. While centered in the lower Midwest, Gospel Assemblies can be found in 40 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces, with 150,000 to 200,000 members in several thousand congregations internationally.^[10] A schism from the group, founded by Lloyd Goodwin and based in Des Moines, Iowa, is almost identical in faith and practice but differs on issues of polity and leadership.^[11] That group publishes a quarterly magazine, The Gospel of Peace.

Facilities

In 1935, Sowders established the Gospel of the Kingdom campground at Shepherdsville, Kentucky for camp meetings, which still remains in use.^[12] Ministerial meetings for doctrinal discussion are held at the campground which are known as "the threshing floor." The fellowship's largest church, a 3000-seat building in Louisville on Stone Street Road known as “The Convention Center”, is also used for conventions. Another very large congregation is in Houston.[2]

Cult accusations and cult-like practices

Former and current members feel that Gospel Assemblies possesses several characteristics of a sociological cult.^[13][14] Former and current adherents cite spiritual abuse and "heavy shepherding," including control of activities, finances, time, possessions and relationships. The church has, however, refuted these claims.^[15]

Former St. Louis minister Thomas Jolly, Sowders' handpicked successor, was convicted in 1993 of child sexual abuse, receiving probation for molesting girls who sought counseling.^[16][17]

Practices proving cult include:

• Isolation- Suggestions from members include leaving family and hometowns and saying, "You will eventually get there" You are committing adultery if you go to another church.
• Elitist- Gospel Assembly believes they are the only ones who know the truth and are the true body. Creating a polarized us vs them mentality. In addition, speaking in tongues is the sole evidence of having the holy spirit.

• Mind-control - Thought-stopping, chanting, and repetitive music are used to create a trance. Thought stopping consists of stopping a thought that is not correct based on doctrine teaching created by the ministry.

• Information Control- Members are told that outside information is not needed, including the internet and are suggested not to consume that or outside information, including television. Gospel Assembly has its own doctrine made by Gospel Assembly Leaders. All messages are read from these books. Ministry and leaders are self-proclaimed. No accountability or main Christian education.

• Fear Tactics - Armageddon is used consistently, and leadership believes the world is ending in the time frame Gospel Assembly is in. In addition, subtle threats of members leaving and results include prophecies of members dying for leaving.

• Guilt and shame - This is completed by using scriptures from the King James Bible. Scriptures are used to prove why a member is "wrong," using said member's belief in Christ for manipulation. In addition, each member is told they are from the devil. This causes members to question whether their own thoughts are correct or not. Creating dependency on the leadership. In addition, the goal is to be perfect like Jesus for each individual creating an impossible burden on a person.

• Authoritative Leader - There is one single leader under whom all others fall and do the bidding. Leadership's explanation of the order of Christian theology is Father, Son, Ministry, Saints, and Everyone else. Saints are told to pray for the ministry. In addition, dating, marriage, type of clothes worn, where to live, whether to have children or not, jewelry, and hair are directed and judged accordingly.
• Group Thinking - Expectation is to do what everyone else is participating in. If majority of members go to the front, one goes to the front, etc.

These are all done by the use of suggestion so as not to establish blame on the spoken leader and to empower said member as one is making one's own decision. Some members and leaders are unaware as they may be a multiple-generation group, and thoughts and actions are learned from previous leaders. The definition of an abusive cult, as defined by the Israeli government, is the exercise of behaviors for the purpose of creating an identity that is distinct from society and by the use of false representation. For the most part, these groups encourage mental subservience to leaders and objectives.

Resources for help:

Books - Rick Alan Ross Cults Inside Out How People Get In and Can Get Out

David Johnson Jeff Van Vonderen The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse

Recovering From Churches That Abuse Ronald Enroth

Audible - Combating Cult Mind Control Steven Hassan

References

External links

• Watchman profile - Gospel Assembly Church