have their administrative office at 10515 Chester Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio;
are associated with a Pentecostal congregation at University Circle, Cleveland, Ohio called Pentecostal Church of Christ ; and
trace their origin from the formation in 1935 of the abovementioned Pentecostal congregation.
Historical background and information
Following a meeting on May 29, 1992 convened at Cleveland, Ohio by Bishop Ellis, several congregations affiliated together as United Pentecostal Churches of Christ.. The then newly formed United Pentecostal Churches of Christ recognized Bishop Ellis as their general overseer and president on August 22, 1992. Bishop Ellis continued in this role with United Pentecostal Churches of Christ for twelve years until he resigned in June 2004.
The present situation
There are now at least two distinct groups or associations or organizations that look to the May 29, 1992 meeting convened by Bishop J. Delano Ellis as their starting-point or as a particular landmark on their journey, and that regard the first twelve or more years of United Pentecostal Churches of Christ as part of their history; these two are Pentecostal Churches of Christ, and United Covenant Churches of Christ. Bishop J. Delano Ellis is presiding bishop of Pentecostal Churches of Christ. Bishop Eric Garnes is presiding bishop of United Covenant Churches of Christ. When Bishop Garnes was installed as presiding bishop of United Covenant Churches of Christ, Bishop Ellis was chief installer at the ceremony of installation.
Distinctive characteristics
A notable characteristic of the Pentecostal Churches of Christ is that they have sought to combine Pentecostal Holiness teaching and practice with a much enhanced sympathy and openness towards the teachings and practices of the worldwide Christian community, including the teachings and practices of the ancient church over the two thousand years of Christian history. The theological insights underpinning this are:-
an aspiration that Christian Worshiphere on earth might more fully reflect, express and celebrate God's Glory, leading people to sense His Glory within their hearts, and preparing them for the glories of heaven and/or of the second coming; and
deeper reflection upon Jesus's prayer in John: 17 concerning the unity of all Christian people, leading to a quest to express more fully the essential unity of the whole worldwide Christian community, past and present, and to a determination that the traditional barriers of yesteryear must never again keep saints of like faith apart from each other.
As at 2012, the principal office-bearers of "Pentecostal Churches of Christ" were as follows:
Presiding bishop: Bishop J. Delano Ellis
Secretary General: Bishop Benjamin T Douglass
General Treasurer: Elder Jessie R Woodson of Memphis, Tennessee.
Bishop Darryl D. Woodson of the El-Shaddai Pentecostal Church of Christ, Memphis, Tennessee is a diocesan bishop within this grouping, association or jurisdiction. Bishop Ellis is archbishop-metropolitan of the Joint College of African-American Pentecostal Bishops.
In October 2013, when the Apostolic Pastoral Congress, a United Kingdom-based organization, elevated its presiding prelate to the status of archbishop, the Congress was supported in this by J. Delano Ellis and the Pentecostal Churches of Christ, in that Bishop Ellis issued a "Consecration Mandate" and sent a delegation of two Pentecostal Churches of Christ bishops to London, England where they took leading roles in the ceremony of consecration/elevation which was held in Southwark Cathedral. Archbishop Agama is a member of the House of Bishops of Pentecostal Churches of Christ.
