Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the

Americas
The Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the
Americas is a predominantly African-American
Fire Baptized Holiness Church of
Holiness-Pentecostal Christian denomination based God of the Americas
in the United States. Originating when the African
American members of the integrated Fire-Baptized
Holiness Church withdrew to form their own
organization, the church was founded at Greer, South
Carolina in 1908.

History
The church was founded by Benjamin Hardin Irwin The Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of the
and Bishop William Edward Fuller Sr. (1875–1958). Americas logo
The Fire-Baptized Holiness Association originated in
Abbreviation FBHC
Iowa in 1895 under the leadership of Benjamin H.
Irwin of Lincoln, Nebraska. Irwin expanded this into Classification Protestant
a national organization as the Fire-Baptized Holiness Orientation Holiness
Church at Anderson, South Carolina in August 1898.
Polity Episcopal polity
At age 23, William E. Fuller Sr., a member of the
African-American New Hope Methodist Church, Senior Bishop Bishop Patrick L.
attended the founding of that body in 1898. Blacks Frazier Jr.
and whites were admitted with equality. Fuller 2nd Episcopal Diocese Bishop J.L. Davis
returned to New Hope from the 1898 meeting,
resigned his offices, turned in his license, and cast his 3rd Episcopal Diocese Bishop A.L. Rodgers
lot with the Fire-Baptized Holiness. After Irwin left Headquarters Greenville, South
the church in 1900, Joseph Hillery King became the Carolina
general overseer. Fuller served as Assistant General
Founder Benjamin Hardin Irwin
Overseer to King in 1905.
and Bishop William
Acting on what he thought was a trend toward Edward Fuller Sr.
segregation, Fuller led about 500 members to Origin 1908
organize the Colored Fire Baptized Holiness Church Greer, South Carolina
in 1908 in Greer, South Carolina. The True Witness
periodical was established in 1909. On June 8, 1926 Congregations 160
the name Fire Baptized Holiness Church of God of Official website www.thefbhchurch.com
the Americas was adopted.
The predominantly Anglo-American division of the Fire-Baptized Holiness Church merged with the
Pentecostal Holiness Church on January 30, 1911 in Falcon, North Carolina, to form what is now known
as the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, though prior to this in 1898, the Southeastern Kansas Fire
Baptized Holiness Association separated from the denomination over differences in doctrine and is known
today as the Bible Holiness Church.[1]

Structure and beliefs

The church government of the organization is episcopal. Bishops are the highest officials of the church, and
preside over divisions called dioceses. The sacraments of the church are baptism and the Lord's Supper.
Feet washing, matrimony, and funerals are considered ordinances. Women can be licensed and ordained to
preach and serve as pastors.

The church headquarters and school are located in Greenville, South Carolina. In 2003, the Fire Baptized
Holiness Church of God had about 160 congregations, mostly on the east coast of the United States, but
also including one church each in Canada, England, the Virgin Islands, and 15 congregations in Jamaica.

References
1. Kurian, George Thomas; Lamport, Mark A. (November 10, 2016). Encyclopedia of
Christianity in the United States. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 244. ISBN 978-1-4422-4432-0.

Handbook of Denominations in the United States (8th ed.), by Frank S. Mead and Samuel S.
Hill

External links
Official website (http://www.fbhchurch.org/)

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