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{{Infobox Christian denomination
| name = Gospel Assembly churches
| image =
| imagewidth =
| caption =
| main_classification = [[Nondenominational Christianity|Non-Denominational]]
| orientation = [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostal]]
| polity = [[Congregational]]
| founder = William Sowders
| founded_date = 1914
| founded_place = [[Paducah, Kentucky]]
| separated_from =
| headquarters = USA
| leader/moderator =
| parent =
| merger =
| separations =
| fellowships = Gospel Kingdom church in Louisville, Ky
| associations = Names of churches may include Gospel Assembly, Gospel Kingdom, Body of Christ
| area = Worldwide
| hospitals =
| nursing_homes =
| aid =
| congregations = 10s of thousands
| members =

| missionaries = Haiti, Dominican Republic, India, Kenya, Burundi
| temples =
| primary_schools =
| secondary_schools =
| tertiary =
| footnotes =
}}

'''Gospel Assembly Churches''' are non-denominational Christian Churches based in the United States. The churches were founded in 1914 by minister William Sowders (1879-1952).

== Origins ==
The beginnings of Gospel Assemblies may be traced to [[Paducah, Kentucky]] in 1914 during [[Azusa Street Revival#Birth of Pentecostal movement|the early American Pentecostal movement]]. Sowders, a former Louisville policeman,<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/gospelassemblychurchprofile.pdf|title=Watchman Fellowship Profile: Gospel Assembly Church}}</ref> evangelized primarily in the lower Ohio River valley region, settling in [[Louisville, Kentucky|Louisville]], where he established a congregation and ministered there until his death in 1952.<ref name="auto"/> Sowders' designated successor, T. M. Jolly,[http://www.tmjolly.com/ Brother Thomas Miles Jolly] ministered in [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]] until 1991.<ref>{{cite news|author=Kirkland, Stephen|work=St. Louis Post Dispatch |title=Church Attracts Protest Shelter For Minister In Sex Case Criticized|date=August 16, 1993}}</ref>

==Doctrine==
Like other [[evangelical]] denominations, Gospel Assembly churches believe the Bible to be the pure Word of God. Members utilize the term 'the Body of Christ' to refer to their fellowship exclusively, and 'Babylon' to refer to the remainder of the church world. They consider their movement to represent a [[Restorationism|restoration]] of the early church.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/gospelassemblychurchprofile.pdf|title=Watchman Profiles - Gospel Assembly Church}}</ref>

No formal doctrinal statement is published because they consider themselves to be continually growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. However, they are distinctly [[nontrinitarian]], neither are they [[oneness]] like other Christians within the [[Pentecostal]] tradition. They commit to the God Head doctrine of [[Arianism]]. Like most churches, primary worship services are traditionally held on Sundays, however, most often they are in the early afternoon, in a departure from standard practice.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gacindianapolis.com/schedule|title=Events|website=gacindy}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.godfreygospeltabernacle.com/|title=Gospel Tabernacle - Godfrey, Illinois|website=Godfrey Church}}</ref>

They believe in [[Spiritual Communion|spiritual communion]], meaning that their communion takes place over the fellowship of the Word of God, and also do practice the literal [[Eucharist|Lord's Supper]] with [[Eucharist|the elements]]. The churches practice literal water baptism as an outward ritual, but also emphasize the spiritual aspects of the ordinances.

==Order and practice==
Gospel Assemblies is Pentecostal by experience. They ascribe to [[Outward holiness|holiness]] as the result of a [[sanctification|sanctified]] heart, expressed in standards of speech and demeanor, modest dress, and a lifestyle of humility and moderation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gospelassemblyfree.com/gac/photo.html|title = Gospel Assembly Church - Photos}}</ref> Music is orchestral-based, with many of their published hymns and choruses written by church members.<ref>{{cite book |title= Voices of Praise |year=1982 |publisher=Gospel Assembly Music Staff, St. Louis, Missouri}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title= New Voices of Praise |year=1988 |publisher=Gospel Assembly Music Staff, St. Louis, Missouri}}</ref> Their worship services are conducted in 'open-order' fashion, somewhat similar to [[Quaker]] worship services, encouraging active participation by the congregation in music and in the ministry of the Word, as led by the Spirit of God.

==Constituency==
Gospel Assembly churches are located in 17 nations, including some in western Europe, southern Africa, Mexico, and the Caribbean region. While centered in the lower [[Midwest]], Gospel Assemblies can be found in 40 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces, with 150,000 to 200,000 members in several thousand congregations internationally.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thechurchatmorley.org/directory/|title = Church Directory}}</ref> A schism from the group, founded by Lloyd Goodwin and based in [[Des Moines, Iowa]], is almost identical in faith and practice but differs on issues of polity and leadership.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dmgac.org/about/|title=About}}</ref> That group publishes a quarterly magazine, ''The Gospel of Peace''.

==Facilities==
In 1935, Sowders established the Gospel of the Kingdom campground at [[Shepherdsville, Kentucky]] for camp meetings, which still remains in use.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gospelkingdomcampground.org/|title=All of God's People Welcome | Gospel of the Kingdom Campground | Shepherdsville, KY|website=Gospel Kingdom}}</ref> Ministerial meetings for doctrinal discussion are held at the campground which are known as "the threshing floor." The fellowship's largest church, a 3000-seat building in Louisville on Stone Street Road known as “The Convention Center”, is also used for conventions. Another very large congregation is in Houston. www.gahouston.org.

==Cult accusations and cult-like practices==
Former and current members feel that Gospel Assemblies possesses several characteristics of a sociological [[cult]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/gac/cult.html|title = Gospel Assembly Church - Info on cults}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.culteducation.com/group/938-gospel-assembly/7606-gospel-assembly-visitor-comments.html|title = Gospel Assembly Visitor Comments}}</ref> Former and current adherents cite spiritual abuse and "heavy shepherding," including control of activities, finances, time, possessions and relationships. The church has, however, refuted these claims.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/gac/notacult.html|title=Gospel Assembly Church - This church is not a cult, pastor says|website=www.gospelassemblyfree.com}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.watchman.org/profiles/pdf/gospelassemblychurchprofile.pdf Watchman profile - Gospel Assembly Church]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gospel Assembly Churches}}
[[Category:1914 establishments in the United States]]
[[Category:1914 establishments in Kentucky]]
[[Category:Christian organizations established in 1914]]
[[Category:Organizations based in Kentucky]]
[[Category:Fundamentalist denominations]]
[[Category:Pentecostal denominations]]
[[Category:Evangelical denominations in North America]]
[[Category:Christian new religious movements]]
[[Category:Nontrinitarian denominations]]
[[Category:Premillennialism]]
[[Category:Restorationism (Christianity)]]
[[Category:Christian denominations founded in the United States]]

Gospel Assembly Churches - Revision history

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