History of The United Church of God, Inc.

The United Church of God, Inc. is an outgrowth of the ministry of the late Elder T.C. Marshall, who in 1916, in Mt. Gilead, North Carolina, united a small band of Christian followers in the formation of a church. These Christian believers held services under trees. As they praised God, they drew an audience and were inspired to seek a place to worship. As the membership of the church grew, a brush harbor was constructed. Thus began the Church of God (Colored).  In 1917, the members purchased land and built a small church.  St. Luke in Mt. Gilead, North Carolina became the first church in the Church of God (Colored). Patriarchs of this early church included Sister Henrietta Ricks, Brother J.D. McLendon, and Brother Wade Lewis, who became the first deacon of the church. As the membership increased, it became necessary to enlarge the church.

 After the death of Elder Marshall, Elder K.D. Christian became the pastor. He served as pastor of the church for nine years. Elder K.D. Christian was consecrated as the first Senior Bishop of the organization, and the first charter was obtained. The city of Albemarle, North Carolina became the Headquarters for the newly formed organization. On September 3, 1928, the first assembly of the church organization convened at St. John Church of God, Carthage, North Carolina. Bishop K.D. Christian presided at this time. Other ministers who attended the session included P.L. Ledbetter, O.C. Crone, N.M. Krone, J.D. McLendon, C.T. Edwards, and H.E. Cochran. By this time, the church body had expanded to the state of New Jersey. Later, further expansion included the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.

 Bishop Christian became ill in 1952, and Elder P.L. Ledbetter was appointed to serve as the second Senior Bishop in September 1952. After the death of Bishop K.D. Christian in February 1953, the council of elders voted to elect both a Senior Bishop and a Vice Senior Bishop. Elder P.L. Ledbetter and Elder J.A. Jackson were installed as Senior Bishop and Vice Senior Bishop, respectively. Under Bishop Ledbetter’s tenure of office, other churches were added to the Church of God (Colored).  Evangelist Ruth H. Lee was the founder of the church in Charlotte, North Carolina.  She was also instrumental in this expansion of churches in the states of South Carolina and Florida.  She founded the church in Dillon and Andersonville, South Carolina. In addition, she founded the churches in Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, and Miami, Florida. 

 After the death of Bishop Ledbetter in 1960, Vice Bishop J. A. Jackson became the third Senior Bishop. Elder O.C. Crone served as the General Overseer under Bishop Jackson. During Bishop J.A. Jackson’s reign, the name of the organization was officially changed in 1962 from Church of God (Colored) to the United Church of God, Inc. Following the resignation of Bishop J.A. Jackson, Overseer O.C. Crone served as the chief  executive of the United Church of God, Inc., later accepting the title as General Bishop. He became the fourth Senior Bishop. Overseer Dan Hayes became the Vice Bishop. Bishop Hayes succeeded the late Bishop Crone in 1976 and became the fifth Senior Bishop. He was assisted by Bishop James Leak as Vice  Bishop. Upon the death of Bishop Hayes in 1983, Bishop James Leak took the helm as the sixth Senior Bishop.   During Bishop James Leak’s tenure of office, the official Headquarters of the United Church of God, Inc. was moved to Greensboro, North Carolina. Phase I of a Convention Center and Headquarters (home of Mt. Zion United Church of God) was completed in 1985 at 705 Banner Avenue in Greensboro. Bishop James Leak served as Senior Bishop until his death in 1988.

 The General Board of Directors, chaired by Overseer Samuel Leak, Sr., son of the late Bishop James Leak guided the organization from 1988 to 1989. In 1989, the General Board of Directors and the General Elders’ Council bestowed the honor of General Bishop upon Overseer Samuel Leak, Sr.  Bishop Samuel Leak, Sr. became the seventh Senior Bishop. Elected to serve as Bishop Samuel Leak’s First and Second Vice Bishops were Overseer E.H. Bain and Elder Johnny Williams, respectively. Under the leadership of Bishop Samuel Leak, Sr., additional land adjacent to the Banner Avenue site was purchased. Architectural plans for Phase II of the Convention Center and Headquarters commenced in 1995 and the new sanctuary was completed in 1996. Following the tenure of Bishop Samuel Leak, Sr., Bishop E. H. Bain assumed the office as the eighth General Bishop of the United Church of God, Inc.  He led the organization from December 2000 until the general election in July 2001.

 In July 2001, Bishop Marvin D. Williams, Chairman of the General Board of the Directors, was elected by the General Elders’ Council as the ninth Senior Bishop of the United Church of God, Inc., and Bishop Claude L. Campbell was elected as the General Vice Bishop. During this time, increased efforts were made to pay off the mortgage debt of the Convention Center and Headquarters. In July 2005, Vice Bishop Claude L. Campbell was elected by the General Elders’ Council as the General Bishop of the United Church of God, Inc.  In November 2006, Bishop Claude L. Campbell was installed as the tenth Senior Bishop of the United Church of God, Inc. During the reign of Bishop Claude L. Campbell, Phase II of the Convention Center and Headquarters of the United Church of God, Inc. became debt free.  Bishop Campbell was re-elected as General Bishop in 2009, 2013, 2017,  and 2023.