From Faith News Network

The Church of God was born with the formation of the Christian Union on August 19, 1886. In a simple meeting house in Monroe County, Tennessee, R. G. Spurling called for Christians to take the New Testament as our “only rule of faith and practice” and to sit “together as the Church of God.” Eight people responded to his invitation, and under the leadership of his father, Richard Spurling, they established a new congregation they named Christian Union. Building on their pioneer ministry, the Church of God now includes almost seven million members ministering in 181 counties and territories around the world.