A Historical Analysis of Prominent Leaders and Three Major Schisms in the Church of God of Prophecy

2018·1.5 MB·English

by  DON KNOBLICH

A HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF PROMINENT LEADERS AND THREE MAJOR SCHISMS
IN THE CHURCH OF GOD OF PROPHECY

A THESIS-PROJECT
SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF
GORDON-CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

IN PARTIAL FULLFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY

BY
DON KNOBLICH
MAY 2018
Copyright © 2018 by Donald L. Knoblich. All Rights Reserved.
This thesis-project is dedicated to the ministry
of the Church of God of Prophecy,
past, present, and future.
Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so?
— Amos 3:3
CONTENTS

ABSTRACT ix
Chapter
1. THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING 1
Introduction 1
Purpose of the Study 2
Typology: Two Primary Types of Schism 5
Factors Involved in Church Schism 6
Research Questions 12
Historical Analysis 15
Leadership Traits 17
Leadership Styles 18
Data Gathering, Analysis, and Interpretation 20
Summary 21
2. LITERATURE REVIEW 25
Introduction 25
William J. Seymour and Florence Crawford/Clara Lum Schism 27
William J. Seymour and William Durham Schism 31
Willis Collins Hoover and Methodist Episcopal Church Schism 33
Francisco Olazabal and H.C. Ball (Mexican Assembly of God) Schism 36
A.J. Tomlinson and J.S. Llewellyn (Church of God Elders) Schism 40
v
M.A. Tomlinson and Grady R. Kent Schism 47
Billy D. Murray and Robert J. Pruitt (“The Concerned”) Schism 52
Summary 57
3. BIBLICAL AND THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION 58
Introduction 58
Key Biblical Words 59
Works of the Flesh and the Genesis of Schism 60
Elements Involved in the Anatomy of a Division 61
Measures Used to Biblically Counter Schism 67
Old Testament Examples of Schism 73
New Testament Examples of Schism 76
Summary 78
4. PROJECT DESIGN 80
Introduction 80
Interview Protocol 81
The Participants 82
The Interview Proper 83
Interview Questions 84
Data Gathering 85
Data Analysis: Interview Questions Arranged By Categories 86
Data Analysis: Cognitive Expressions 88
Data Analysis: Affective Expressions 89
vi
Data Analysis: Behavioral Expressions 90
Data Analysis: Leadership Traits 92
Data Analysis: Leadership Styles 95
Summary 97
5. OUTCOMES 100
Introduction 100
Research Question # 1 (Cognitive, Affective, Behavioral Expressions) 101
Research Question # 2 (Leadership Traits) 106
Research Question # 3 (Leadership Styles) 108
Research Question # 4 (Patterns of Interaction) 110
Research Question # 5 (Corrective Measures) 121
Research Question # 6 (Justifiable Schism) 125
Conclusion 126
Appendix
1. INTERVIEW QUESTIONS 131
2. INTERVIEW QUESTIONS ARRANGED BY CATEGORIES 135
3. INCUMBENT LEADERS COGNITIVE EXPRESSIONS (INTERVIEW DATA) 141
4. OPPOSING LEADERS COGNITIVE EXPRESSIONS (INTERVIEW DATA) 142
5. INCUMBENT LEADERS AFFECTIVE EXPRESSIONS (INTERVIEW DATA) 143
6. OPPOSING LEADERS AFFECTIVE EXPRESSIONS (INTERVIEW DATA) 144
7. INCUMBENT LEADERS BEHAVIORAL EXPRESSIONS (INTERVIEW DATA) 145
8. OPPOSING LEADERS BEHAVIORAL EXPRESSIONS (INTERVIEW DATA) 146
vii
9. GRADY R. KENT EXPRESSIONS (AUDIO RECORDING DATA) 147
10. LEADERSHIP TRAITS – DEFINITION RUBRIC 148
11. LEADERSHIP TRAITS: A.J. TOMLINSON 149
12. LEADERSHIP TRAITS: J.S. LLEWELLYN 150
13. LEADERSHIP TRAITS: M.A. TOMLINSON 151
14. LEADERSHIP TRAITS: GRADY R. KENT 152
15. LEADERSHIP TRAITS: BILLY D. MURRAY 153
16. LEADERSHIP TRAITS: ROBERT J. PRUITT 154
17. COMPARISON OF LEADERSHIP TRAITS AMONG
INCUMBENT LEADERS 155

18. COMPARISON OF LEADERSHIP TRAITS AMONG
OPPOSING LEADERS 156

19. COMPARISON OF LEADERSHIP TRAITS BETWEEN
INCUMBENT AND OPPOSING LEADERS 157

20. LEADERSHIP STYLES – DEFINITION RUBRIC 158
21. COMPARISON OF LEADERSHIP STYLES AMONG
INCUMBENT LEADERS 159

22. COMPARISON OF LEADERSHIP STYLES AMONG
OPPOSING LEADERS 160

23. CYCLE OF SCHISM 161
BIBLIOGRAPHY 162
VITA 169

viii
ABSTRACT

This thesis-project, A Historical Analysis of Prominent Leaders and Three Major
Schisms in the Church of God of Prophecy, addresses a cyclical problem of division within
the history of the church. For the study, semi-structured interviews were conducted
from interviewees who had a close relationship with one of the former leaders in the
church. Data was collected on each leader’s cognitive, affective, and behavioral
expressions within the context of the schism they were a part of. These expressions
were useful in helping to identify leadership traits, leadership styles, and patterns of
interaction among leaders. Whereas no direct correlations could be made between
leadership traits with schism and leadership styles with schism, the study raises the
question as to the impact that both traits and styles may have had on influencing
divisions in the church.
From the data gathered, a Cycle of Schism was proposed showing the various
stages of a schism in the making. Corrective measures were suggested for leaders to use
in being proactive or reactive in preventing or ameliorating future schism. It is hoped
that this thesis-project will assist in identifying those factors among leadership that lend
themselves to schism in the church. It is also hoped that the thesis-project will be
helpful in working toward promoting unity within the body of Christ.

ix
CHAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Introduction
The history of Christianity has been beset with numerous schisms or divisions in
the church. The earliest and most notable division took place in 1054 A.D. in what is
termed the Great Schism between Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.
Further fragmentation occurred during the Reformation in the early 16th Century when
Martin Luther broke away from the Catholic Church. Classical Pentecostalism1 has also
had its share of divisions in the church.2 As a Pentecostal denomination, the Church of
God/of Prophecy is no exception in that there have been three major schisms since its
beginnings in 1903.3 All schisms involve the office of the General Overseer of the Church
of God/of Prophecy and an opposing faction. The three major schisms include the
disruption that occurred in the early 1920’s between General Overseer, A.J. Tomlinson

1 H.V. Synan, “Classical Pentecostalism,” in The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and
Charismatic Movements, eds. Stanley M. Burgess and Eduard M. Van Der Mass (Grand Rapids, MI:
Zondervan, 2003), 553. The term ‘Classical Pentecostalism’ refers to those Pentecostal churches which
had their origins in the U.S. at the beginning of the 20th Century. ‘Classical’ is used to distinguish
Pentecostal churches from Neo-Pentecostals found in mainline churches and from Charismatics found
primarily in the Roman Catholic Church.
2 Cecil M. Robeck, Jr., “Ecumenism,” in Studying Global Pentecostalism: Theories and Methods, et al., eds.
Allan Anderson (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 2010), 286. Robeck makes the observation
that over the last seventy years there has been a significant rise in the number of independent
Pentecostal and Charismatic ministries which serves to only exacerbate the problem of division.
3 W.A Poovey, Your Neighbor’s Faith (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House, 1964), 105.
Poovey makes the point that there are at least 200 independent church bodies that use the name the
‘Church of God’ in their title. Five groups claiming to be the ‘Church of God’ have their separate
headquarters at Cleveland, TN.
1