GOD RESTORES HIS CHURCH

Chapter Eight

GOD RESTORES HIS CHURCH

The historical meeting known as the Solemn Assembly officially opened at 9:00 A.M., Friday, July 23, 1993. The meeting was held at the Memorial Auditorium in Chattanooga, Tennessee and was moderated by Robert J. Pruitt. It seemed befitting that he should moderate this meeting since the Holy Ghost had directed the South Cleveland Church to take the message to him. He said: “Yea, I tell you now, take it to the man. Take it to Bob Pruitt. Tell him to move quickly.” The Holy Ghost was not contradicting Himself when he said to take the message to the “Concerned” and to Bob Pruitt. Brother Pruitt was an active participant in the Concerned. Also the Holy Ghost had sternly warned us to tell the Concerned not to announce that this was one of their meetings but a meeting for the entire Church of God. It would not seem appropriate for one of the Concerned Representatives to moderate the meeting in light of these instructions by the Holy Ghost. The Solemn Assembly program bore the following announcement. “This Solemn Assembly was called by The Holy One in a Holy Ghost message and interpretation in the South Cleveland Church on April 25. This assembly is not being held or called by the group called The Concerned. However, several people who are actively involved with The Concerned, as well as numerous others, members and non-members have been instrumental in helping us obey this call of God.’’

Many who helped us obey the call of God for the Solemn Assembly used their own means to spread the word. Announcements were printed in newspapers and other announcements were printed and mailed around the country by many individuals in an effort to obey the call and help spread the word. Many telephone calls were also made at great expense by many people who were anxious for this move of God. Painted signs were placed along the highway and on lawns of homes of members. Even some billboards were rented for advertising the Solemn Assembly.

In the midst of this blaze of fervor and excitement for the anticipated event, there was pressure being applied by the presbytery of the Church of God of Prophecy for no one to attend this meeting, especially the ministry. This had to be, according to the Holy Ghost message when He said that they would fly forth out of the city, but they could not harm us. In spite of the threats, the people’s spirits were not dampened.

An estimated crowd of around 2,300 people gathered at the Memorial Auditorium on that memorable Friday morning, to participate in this prophetical and historical meeting. They came fasting and praying with one thought in mind; and that was to find the will and direction of God. The first session began with announcements, a song, a Scripture reading, flag pledge and a prayer challenge. The announcements stated that we were here in obedience to the Holy Ghost message to fast and pray and seek God’s will. The moderator encouraged us all to yield to the Holy Ghost to find the will of God. A trumpet sounded as the Church was challenged to “Awake, awake, O, Church of God;” another trumpet sound and challenge to “Hearken unto Our God, O, Church of God,” and a third trumpet sound and challenge to “Obey and submit, O, Church of God.” The trumpet sounds were in keeping with Scripture; for the prophet had spoken nearly three millennia ago to “Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly.” The congregation went on their knees in prayer for a lengthy session before the throne of God. After a season of prayer, the Holy Ghost spoke in two messages and interpretations. Gleanings from these messages are as follows: “O, O, O, My people, My people, I have called. Yea, ye have obeyed…I am going to do a great work…There will come a great healing. O, My people, this is the last days. I am calling, calling you out. Oh stand without sin before Me…Many are yearning; many are hungry. Oh, be ye ready, be ye ready to feed My people. They will come…Yea, before this meeting is over, I shall do a mighty work in thee.” After this prayer time and visitation of the Spirit, a minister ministered the Word of God from the pulpit. Following this message, announcements were made and the first session of the Solemn Assembly came to a close.

Each session of the Assembly followed the same basic format, more or less, with time given for the Holy Ghost to intervene at will. There were seven more messages and interpretations on this first day. Excerpts from these are given here. “Be not afraid of what is taking place…I will not lead you to the wrong place or to the wrong thing.…stay in the old paths. Stay with My Word. I will make a way of escape…I will bring you through the fire…Stay low before Me; humble yourselves. You are My Body; you are My Church… I will lead you and guide you into all truth… Yea, I say unto thee My people. Have you not taken a covenant? Yea, I say that covenant is perpetual. Yea, I say… if thou has not disobeyed—still hold that covenant… Yea, it is up to you to carry forth—to carry forth My covenant to show the world that I have a covenanted people… Obey Me. Listen, listen, listen, do not deviate from the path. Listen to My Word; listen to My Spirit for they agree.”

Many were praying and weeping audibly throughout these prayer times. Groanings in the Spirit continued all across the auditorium. The moderator encouraged us to pray until we found the will of God. He stated that the Solemn Assembly could not close until we found God’s will. He encouraged us to get into an attitude of spiritual weeping before God and have a willingness to let God speak to us and to help us to respond. He stated that time was short and the hour was late and that God wanted to do something and that we wanted Him to do it.

Weeping and praying before God continued for two days. The Holy Ghost continued to manifest Himself as He spoke to us. The Solemn Assembly progressed in this manner well into the final session of the second day. A prayer line for healing was formed by ministers; those desiring prayer went through it and were prayed for. After this prayer line, another prayer challenge was made. One of the verses of Scriptures read in this prayer challenge was Hosea 6:2: “After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.” Little did we know that within a short time, even minutes away, God would fulfill this verse of Scripture right before our eyes. As this season of prayer began to come to a close, a brother went on stage and read two verses of Scripture which were requested of him by some other brethren. One of these verses was Ezekiel 22:30: “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.” As the minister stood on stage with the Church flag, he began to challenge those who would, to stand in the gap for the Church of God. Ministers began to come to the platform to stand in the gap for the Church of God. At this time, prayer began to go up as a wave of Holy Ghost power swept through the auditorium. The collective vocabulary of the human race is not sufficient to describe the scene that followed. The power of Almighty God swept down throughout the entire auditorium in a manner which compares to the outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost. Many hundreds witnessed a move of God which far surpassed anything we had ever witnessed in our lifetime. The concrete floor literally shook and rolled like the waves of the sea. Many people actually witnessed the floor moving as thought it was waves of water on the sea. A mighty roaring filled the auditorium. Many others witnessed phenomena not associated with everyday life. In the midst of this tremendous outpouring of the power of God, two brethren under the anointing of the Spirit, led Brother Pruitt to the Bible stand. Ministers gathered around the Bible stand to pray as the Holy Ghost anointed Brother Pruitt as the General Overseer of the Church of God. A message and interpretation came forth which said: “…yea, I say unto thee, I have a man that will stand in the gap. I have placed My anointing upon him. Follow him; yea, for I have moved… Yea, I say, I call for oil. Yea, I say unto thee. I call for oil. I call for anointing oil… (Brother Jerry Wilda hands the oil, and Brother Roger Batson anoints Brother Pruitt with oil as the Holy Ghost message continued), This day, this day, I have done a work in The Church of God; and I anoint thee with oil.”

The mighty outpouring of the Holy Ghost continued as saints rejoiced in this great victory for the Church of God. The slogan used by a former General Overseer, A. J. Tomlinson; “I see nothing but victory upon top of victory for the Church of God,” was surely being experienced here tonight. Church flags were waving, people were shouting, some were lying on their faces, some were running as the spirit of rejoicing continued. We had cause for rejoicing, because God had divinely intervened and reorganized His Church to continue in the OLD PATHS of truth and victory. This was indeed the year of Jubilee for the Church of God; just as God had previously promised in His Word and in a Holy Ghost message in February of this year.

The second message in calling for the Solemn Assembly stated: “There is an anointing coming down.” That anointing came down on Saturday night, July 24, 1993 as a new leader was chosen by God to lead the Church of God. Another message in tongues came forth at this time to confirm what had just happened. It said (in part):“Follow My anointed one, I say. Follow him; I have chosen him for a mighty work Come out. Come out from among the world and be ye a separate people, I say… l am going to bring My Church through the fire…I told you the gates of hell shall not prevail against My Church. I have the answers, My people. Look to Me; look to My Word. Follow My leader as he follows Me.”

During this time of intense spiritual manifestation, the General Overseer was stricken to his knees twice under the power of God. The Assembly unanimously accepted the Holy Ghost’s selection and anointing of Brother Pruitt as the new General Overseer by a standing ovation. As the fervor began to subside somewhat and Brother Pruitt was able to regain his composure, he made the following statement to the Solemn Assembly: “I am as surprised and shocked as any of you. I never thought this would ever happen. There is only one thing that I fear more than assuming responsibility such as this, and that is to fail God. I feel the most inept, the most unqualified among God’s servants to act in this capacity. I only want the will of God.”

Prior to this time, God had moved on Brother Pruitt to write a “Proclamation” which he felt might be presented at some point in the future, but not necessarily during the Solemn Assembly. This seemed to be the point in time to do just that. Brother Pruitt read the Proclamation and the Assembly accepted it unanimously. Highlights of it are given here in summary form. The proclamation can be found in its entirety at the end of this book.

We gathered at the Solemn Assembly at the command of God. The Church had let down on its stand on the doctrine which the Holy Ghost had revealed and which we had embraced. There was a definite departure from theocracy in the presbytery meeting in 1990 and the Assemblies of 1991 and 1992. The present church leadership had shown a great insensitivity to the Holy Ghost message which had called for the Solemn Assembly. In departing from theocracy, they had relinquished their rights and privileges to the divine Church of God by their heresies and apostasy. Those who were still holding to the doctrines and principles of the Church prior to this abandonment constituted the Church of God because they still maintained their covenant before God (the Holy Ghost message had spoken about this earlier in this Assembly). Those willing to stand together as the true Church of God under the official name The Church of God were asked to renew their covenant of membership. Those who renewed their covenant were distinguishing themselves as being the true Church from those who continued on in the apostate Church. The act of renewing the covenant by those present would constitute a beginning of the reorganization of the true Church under God and theocracy. Those ministers renewing their covenants, whose licenses had been revoked, and those who had been disfellowshipped, because of the present disruption and division in the Church, would be restored to their pre-disruption standing, if at that time they were in good standing. Ministers being re-licensed would be asked to answer, in the affirmative, a general questionnaire concerning the doctrinal and theocratic aspects of the Church and its operation. A promise was made to deal swiftly and resolutely with heresy. Heretics would be rejected. If the Lord so ordained, a leader would be chosen at this meeting (God had already taken care of this aspect of the Proclamation as mentioned above). The membership of the reorganized Church throughout the world would constitute the General Assembly of The Church of God.

After the reading of this proclamation, many ministers present marched by the microphone and pledged their support to the new General Overseer and The Church of God. The Scripture had said that in two days He would revive us and the third day He would raise us up. The end of this second day saw this reviving of the saints, as God had so miraculously led us out of the pits of despair which we were in and reorganized the Church once again under theocracy. He had taken His Church out of the hands of flesh and had placed it back into His hands as He said He would do in the Assembly of 1986.

After this reviving on the second day of the Solemn Assembly, the third day would see the raising up of the Church. This would be the official acts of business which were necessary for the reorganized Church to function properly.

The saints gathered on Sunday, the third day of the Solemn Assembly, with much lighter hearts for their sorrow had been replaced with joy. This third day of the Assembly would also be a prophecy fulfilling day. The Word of God is sure and exact. Not one jot or tittle would fall to the ground without being fulfilled. All the prophecies concerning the Solemn Assembly, then, would be fulfilled also; for God had spoken it. To recap, the Prophet Joel had said: “Gather the people, (that had happened)—sanctify the congregation, (that took place as well)—…Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar,” (this took place for two days). Now the part which said, “… assemble the elders, gather the children,” was about to take place also. At 9:35 A.M., the children were gathered upon theplatform area for their program. At 2:01 P.M., those over 65 years of age gathered on the platform also for their program. No doubt, these did not think of themselves as fulfilling prophecy at the time, but they were active participants in playing their prophetical roles.

The third day of the Solemn Assembly saw a deviation from the program due to the need for discussion and deciding business matters which became incumbent upon us because of the reorganization of The Church of God by the Holy Ghost. The General Overseer requested that all ministers present, who desired to be a part of the re-organized Church, come forward to renew their covenants. A minister was asked to read the obligation for membership. One hundred thirty eight ministers joyfully responded by marching upon the platform to answer “I will” in response to the covenant which was read by the minister. They gave their names to the Assembly Clerks for the records. The laity would renew their covenants upon returning home. Individual memberships would be placed in the local reorganized church nearest to them.

Discussion on the name of the Church followed. A verse of Scripture in Acts 20:28 was cited “… the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.”Also, a reference was made to the Holy Ghost message which had called for the Solemn Assembly. The Holy Ghost had said, “ …I have told you to call all My people together to sit in the council as the Church of God.” After reminders of all the ramifications of using the name “The Church of God,” everyone agreed to obey the Word of the Lord regardless of the consequences. This name was officially selected by the Solemn Assembly as the Bible name for the Church. In the evening session of the Assembly, the Holy Ghost confirmed the selection of the name by stating; “You are The Church of God. That is the name I have given thee. Look to My Word. You are The Church of God.”

The Holy Ghost continued to move among us throughout the day to encourage and instruct us. He spoke to us concerning the work of the Church and again reminded us that He had chosen us a leader. Highlights of Holy Ghost messages relative to this are given here. “I have made a path for thee…Fear not the things that will come against thee. Be not afraid. I am with thee. No one can stop the work that I am doing… obey My commandments; live by My Word… be faithful to the covenant. I am with thee.” In reference to the leader He had chosen for us, He stated: “My little flock, I have given you this leader: Do not look too close at My work. Yea, My little flock, do not guess against Me. I have given you this leader:.. Believe and walk before Me and have faith.…The man that stands before thee I have chosen for thee and anointed him to lead and guide thee… Touch not Mine anointed… My hand is upon My leader: I have chosen him. Do not ask what I have done. I have chosen this leader: He shall lead My people. I am with him.”

Other business matters addressed included a report of the status of the Church flag, a report from the Concerned for Bible Doctrine Representatives and instructions on what to do with tithe money until a General Assembly could be held. An announcement was made that periodic updates of ongoing developments and information regarding the next General Assembly would be available on the prayer request line.

As the Solemn Assembly was nearing a close, the Holy Ghost spoke to us one final time to encourage and instruct us again. He said, “Yea, I say unto thee, My children, yea, do not return to thy homes and forget what I have shown thee. Yea, I want to bless thee even more. Do not let discouragement come your way. When you feel the wrong spirit moving upon you, I say, seek My face; and I will deliver thee. This is My time to work a great and mighty work. I love thee, children, but I love others. Pray for others as you have never prayed before. My children, keep seeking after Me; and I will lead thee into a deeper realm than you have ever known. Yea, lo, yea lo, stay low, My children, stay low.”

The General Overseer assured each one of his prayers when they returned home. The Solemn Assembly concluded with a prayer line being formed by ministers for all those who desired prayer for personal needs and afflictions. The sacredness of the presence of God was hovering around us, and the wonderful “old time Church of God feeling” was manifested among us as the genuine love of God was flowing from one to another. It was in this wonderful atmosphere that the historical meeting known as“The Solemn Assembly” was brought to a close at 9:34 P.M. Many stayed around the auditorium for fellowship for quite some time after the closing of the Assembly. It was hard to leave such a refreshing meeting as this, especially after the long dry spell we had gone through in the last few years in the Church. But we felt the weight of responsibility settling down upon us and we knew that we must return home to be about our Father’s business. The last paragraph of the Solemn Assembly Minutes sums it up thus: “As this Solemn Assembly comes to an end, the Ensign will continue to wave signifying Victory on top of Victory for the Church of God. We thank you, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, for your presence in every session of the Solemn Assembly. We claim Victory that God has given The Church of God an anointed General Overseer selected by the Holy Ghost. We offer our thanksgiving to Almighty God.”

The Church of God was restored back to theocracy in this glorious Solemn Assembly on Saturday evening July 24, 1993. This restoration took place exactly 70 years to the day from the restoration following the first disruption in 1923. Once again God’s glorious Church was on the right course, this time to head toward the glorious climax of reaching perfection and being caught away to meet her Bridegroom in the Rapture. God saw our plight and drew us into a communion with Him, in order to reconcile the erring organization back to the Old Path, by calling out the remnant to continue on in theocracy. He allowed us to have a part with Him in doing this glorious work. His love and grace extended from Heaven to touch His people, to restore His image, and will upon them, and for this we are eternally grateful.