Editorial
JAMES E. COSSEY
EDITOR IN CHIEF
Happy
Birthday
A
FEW DAYS AGO, I stood at the Evangel. It is a life-changing experi-
the spot across the street from ence to be called to occupy the position
the old A. J. Tomlinson home once filled by such remarkable Pente-
on Gaut Street in Cleveland, costal leaders as A. J. Tomlinson, S. W.
where the original Evangel Publishing Latimer, and J. H. Walker Sr. Daily I feel
to the
Company building (shown on the cover) the influence of such former editors as
once stood. It was difficult to imagine the inimitable Charles W. Conn, and my
CHURCH
that this simple two-story home and that personal mentor, O. W. Polen, who, with
nearby vacant lot were the birthplace 18 years in the office, served here longer
and childhood home of the Church of than any other editor. In my ministerial
OF GOD
God Evangel, the official journal of the journey of four decades, I have become
Church of God. personal friends with my six most recent
EVANGEL
The year was 1910, a mere 24 years predecessors—all great men of God and
removed from the August 19, 1886, outstanding journalists. I am blessed.
establishment of the Christian Union at This is the centennial issue of the Evan-
Barney Creek in Monroe County, Ten- gel. While we take time this month to look
WHILE WE TAKE TIME
nessee; only eight years away from the back, we do not plan to linger long. Down
Christian Union’s reorganization as the the highways of life, one must, in order
THIS MONTH TO LOOK Holiness Church at Camp Creek on May to remain safe, take an occasional glance
BACK, WE DO NOT PLAN
15, 1902. At the Fifth Church of God in the rearview mirror. But the future is
General Assembly, on Thursday, January through the windshield, not the rearview.
TO LINGER LONG. DOWN 13, 1910, a discussion ensued regarding Glancing back reminds us of where we
a “church paper,” and a four-man com- have been—with its successes and its strug-
THE HIGHWAYS OF LIFE,
mittee was appointed to further consider gles. “Up to this point the Lord has helped
ONE MUST, IN ORDER
the matter. On Saturday, January 15, the us!” (1 Samuel 7:12, NLT).
committee gave its report, a seven-man From the biweekly tabloid of the
TO REMAIN SAFE, TAKE
publications committee was appointed, early days, to a weekly magazine, to an
AN OCCASIONAL GLANCE
and the Evening Light and Church of God every-other-week publication, and now
Evangel was conceived. The first issue to a full-color monthly, we have been
IN THE REARVIEW
rolled off the press on March 1, 1910. blessed. With the advent of the World
MIRROR. BUT THE
One year later, at the 1911 Assembly, the Wide Web, we now have a global plat-
name was shortened to its present form, form available to anyone, anywhere at
FUTURE IS THROUGH Church of God Evangel. www.onlineevangel.org. Our readership is
THE WINDSHIELD, NOT
At the time of the Assembly in 1910, steadily increasing in the international
the Church of God claimed 1,005 mem- community through our online edition.
THE REARVIEW. bers, 31 churches, 22 ordained ministers,
The small group of delegates who
and 32 licensed ministers. Today, we are departed on January 16, 1910, from the
in 179 nations, with 6,955,317 members, Fifth General Assembly left excited about
34,293 congregations worldwide, 8,230 a “church paper.” We still are! We are
You are invited to visit
missions (international), and 35,359 cre- also thankful for the many other pub-
the online Evangel site at
dentialed ministers. lications that have developed over the
www.onlineevangel.org
At the General Assembly in 2006, past 100 years.
and the editor’s blog at
it was my privilege to be appointed as Thanks for joining us as we say,
www.evangelnotes.blogspot.com. the 16th editor in chief for the Church “Happy birthday to the Church of God
of God and, as such, the 16th editor of Evangel!”

EVANGEL • MAR 2010 3
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