The Church of God in Christ got its humble beginning in the State of Mississippi in 1897. The development of the Church of God in Christ Organization was ignited through the radical leadership of Elder C.P. Jones, Pastor of Mt. Helen Baptist Church in Jackson, MS, Elder W. S. Pleasants, Pastor of White Oak and Damascus Baptist Churches in Hazelhurst, Mississippi, and the Elder Charles Harrison Mason. As a result of their (Jones, Pleasants, & Mason) involvement in the Holiness movement, these leaders were ejected from the Baptist Churches in that area. After being excommunicated from the Baptist Fellowship, Pastors Jones and Pleasants along with Elder Mason organized the first group of the most Holy faith. Elder C. P. Jones was chosen to serve as Overseer and C. H. Mason was chosen to serve as the Evangelist of this newly established group. Inspired by God, many congregations were preached into the faith and buildings were erected.

In 1907, the issue concerning the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and speaking in other tongues brought about controversy among the brethren. As a result of this disagreement, in 1908 the group separated with many of the followers remaining with Elder C. P. Jones, the Overseer.

The Lexington Church went into litigation which lead to the appointment of Elder C. H. Mason as Overseer. He became Overseer of the group that believed in the Baptism of the Holy Ghost accompanied by speaking with other tongues as recorded in Acts 2:4 and Mark 16:15-18. The work, under Elder Mason’s leadership, continued to flourish.

The pioneer ministers who were responsible for the early strides in the Church’s growth spoke with authority the things concerning the Kingdom of God. They held that the practice and development of pure religion in this hectic age were just as necessary and paramount as in the days of the early church when the inhabitants of the earth in many regions had neither seen nor heard of Christ, God’s Anointed.

Elder C. H. Mason and followers, whose faith was founded upon the doctrine of the baptism of the Holy Ghost, formed the first assembly of the Church of God in Christ.