Greater Liberty Tabernacle
Church of God in Christ
Greater Liberty Tabernacle
Church of God in Christ
Superintendent Victor & Jeanette Jones
Superintendent Victor & Jeanette Jones
"Invite the Lord Into Your Heart"
"Invite the Lord Into Your Heart"
Who We Are
Who We Are
Greater Liberty Tabernacle COGIC is located at Seth Temple, the Mother Church of the COGIC, in Michigan. Established in 1914. Greater Liberty Tabernacle is dedicated to continuing the legacy of the established founder of providing a church that has a family atmosphere of love and devotion to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We are the resource and light to gaining liberty and freedom from sin and serving our Savior.
Prayer Lists
Prayer Lists
You can email your prayer requests to the following email addresses:
What We Believe
What We Believe
The Bible
The Bible
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God and contains one harmonious and sufficiently complete system of doctrine. We believe in the full inspiration of the Word of God. We hold the Word of God to be the only authority in all matters and assert that no doctrine can be true or essential if it does not find a place in this Word.
The Father
The Father
We believe in God, the Father Almighty, the Author and Creator of all things. The Old Testament reveals God in diverse manners by manifesting his nature, character, and dominions.
The Gospels in the New Testament give us knowledge of God the “Father” or “My Father”, showing the relationship of God to Jesus as a Father, or representing Him as the Father in the Godhead, and Jesus himself that Son (St. John 15:8, 14:20). Jesus also gives God the distinction of “Fatherhood” to all believers when he explains God in the light of “Your Father in Heaven”. (St. Matthew 6:8)
The Son
The Son
We believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the second person in the Godhead of the Trinity or Triune Godhead. We believe that Jesus was and is eternal in His person and nature as the Son of God who was with God at the beginning of creation (St. John 1:1).
We believe that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin called Mary according to the scripture (St. Matthew 1:18), thus, giving rise to our fundamental belief in the Virgin Birth and to all of the miraculous events surrounding the phenomenon (St. Matthew 1:18-25).
We believe that Jesus Christ became the “suffering servant” to man; this suffering servant came seeking to redeem man from sin and to reconcile him back to God, his Father (Romans 5:10). We believe that Jesus Christ is standing now as the mediator between God and man (I Timothy 2:5).
The Holy Ghost
The Holy Ghost
We believe that the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, proceeds from the Father and the Son, is of the same substance, equal to power and glory, and is together with the Father and the Son to be believed in, obeyed, and worshipped.
The Holy Ghost is a gift bestowed upon the believer for the purpose of equipping and empowering the believer, making him a more effective witness for service in the world. He teaches and guides one into all truth (John 16:13; Acts 1:8, 8:39).
The Baptism of the Holy Ghost
The Baptism of the Holy Ghost
We believe that the Baptism of the Holy Ghost is an experience subsequent to conversion and sanctification, and that tongue-speaking is the consequence of the baptism in the Holy Ghost with the manifestations of the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23; Acts 10:46, 19:1-6). We believe that we are not baptized with the Holy Ghost in order to be saved (Acts 19:1-6; John 3:5).
When one receives a baptismal Holy Ghost experience, we believe one will speak with a tongue unknown to oneself according to the sovereign will of Christ. To be filled with the Spirit means to be Spirit-controlled as expressed by Paul in Ephesians 5:18-19.
Since the charismatic demonstrations were necessary to help the early church to be successful in implementing the command of Christ, we, therefore, believe that a Holy Ghost experience is mandatory for all men today.
Man
Man
We believe that man was created holy by God, composed of body and soul. We believe that man, by nature, is sinful and unholy. Being born in sin, he needs to be born again, sanctified, and cleansed from all sins by the blood of Jesus.
We believe that man is saved by confessing and forsaking his sins, and believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, and that having become a child of God, by being born again and adopted into the family of God, he may, and should, claim the inheritance of the sons of God, namely the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Sin
Sin
Sin, the Bible teaches, began in the angelic world (Ezekiel 28:11-19; Isaiah 14:12-20), and is transmitted into the blood of the human race through disobedience and deception motivated by unbelief (I Timothy 2:14).
Adam's sin, committed by eating of the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, carried with it permanent pollution or depraved human nature to all his descendants.
This is called “original sin.” Sin can now be defined as a volitional transgression against God and a lack of conformity to the will of God. We, therefore, conclude that man by nature, is sinful, and that he has fallen from a glorious and righteous state from which he was created, and has become unrighteous and unholy. Man, therefore, must be restored to his state of holiness from which he has fallen by being born again (St. John 3:7).
Salvation
Salvation
Salvation deals with the application of the work of redemption to the sinner with his restoration to divine favor and communion with God. This redemptive operation of the Holy Ghost upon sinners is brought about by repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ which brings conversion, faith, justification regeneration, sanctification, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
Repentance is the work of God, which results in a change of mind in respect to man's relationship to God. (St. Matthew 3:1-2, 4:17; Acts 20:21).
Faith is a certain conviction wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit, as to the truth of the Gospel and a heart trust in the promises of God in Christ (Romans 1:17, 3:28; St. Matthew 9:22; Acts 26:18). Conversion is an act of God, whereby, He causes the regenerated sinner, in his conscious life, to turn to Him in repentance and faith (II Kings 5:15; II Chronicles 33:12-13; St. Luke 19:8, 9; Acts 8:30).
Regeneration is that act of God by which the principle of the new life is implanted in man, and the governing disposition of the soul is made holy and the first holy exercise of this new disposition is secured.
Sanctification is that gracious and continuous operation of the Holy Ghost, by which He delivers the justified sinner from the pollution of sin, renewing his whole nature in the image of God and enabling him to perform good works (Romans 6:4;5:6; Colossians 2:12; 3:1).
Angels
Angels
The Bible uses the term “angel” (a heavenly body) clearly and primarily to denote messengers or ambassadors of God with such scripture references as Revelations 4:5, which indicates their duty in heaven to praise God (Psalm 103:20), to do God's will (St. Matthew 18:10), and to behold his face.
But since heaven must come down to earth, they also have a mission to earth. The Bible indicates that they accompanied God in the Creation, and they will accompany Christ in His return in Glory.
Demons
Demons
Demons denote unclean or evil spirits; they are sometimes called devils or demonic beings. They are evil spirits belonging to the unseen or spiritual realm, embodied in human beings. The Old Testament refers to the prince of demons, sometimes called Satan (Adversary) or Devil, as having power and wisdom, taking the habitation of other forms such as the serpent (Genesis 3:1).
The New Testament speaks of the Devil as tempter (St. Matthew 4:3), and it goes on to tell the works of Satan, The Devil, and Demons as combating righteousness and good in any form, proving to be an adversary to the saints.
Their chief power is exercised to destroy the mission of Jesus Christ. It can well be said that the Christian Church believes in Demons, Satan, and Devils. We believe in their power and purpose. We believe they can be subdued and conquered as in the commandment to the believer by Jesus. “In my name, they shall cast out Satan and the work of the Devil and to resist him and then he will flee (WITHDRAW) from you.” (St. Mark 16:17).
The Church
The Church
The Church forms a spiritual unity of which Christ is the divine head. It is animated by one Spirit, the Spirit of Christ. It professes one faith, shares one hope, and serves one King. It is the citadel of the truth, and God's agency for communicating to believers all spiritual blessings.
The Church then is the object of our faith rather than of knowledge. The name of our Church, “CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST” is supported by I Thessalonians 2:14 and other passages in the Pauline Epistles.
The word “CHURCH” or “EKKLESIA” was first applied to the Christian society by Jesus Christ in St. Matthew 16:18, the occasion being that of His benediction of Peter at Caesarea Philippi.
The Second Coming of Christ
The Second Coming of Christ
We believe in the second coming of Christ; that He shall come from heaven to earth, personally, bodily, visibly (Acts 1:11; Titus 2:11-13; St. Matthew 16:27; 24:30; 25:30; Luke 21:27; John 1:14, 17; Titus 2:11) and that the Church, the bride, will be caught up to meet Him in the air (I Thessalonians, 4:16-17). We admonish all who have this hope to purify themselves as He is pure.
Divine Healing
Divine Healing
The Church of God in Christ believes in and practices Divine Healing. It is a commandment of Jesus to the Apostles (St. Mark 16:18). Jesus affirms His teachings on healing by explaining to His disciples, who were to be Apostles, that healing the afflicted is by faith (St. Luke 9:40-41).
Therefore, we believe that healing by faith in God has scriptural support and ordained authority. St. James' writings in his epistle encourage Elders to pray for the sick, lay hands upon them and to anoint them with oil, and that prayers with faith shall heal the sick and the Lord shall raise them up. Healing is still practiced widely and frequently in the Church of God in Christ, and testimonies of healing in our Church testify to this fact.
Miracles
The Church of God in Christ believes that miracles occur to convince men that the Bible is God's Word. A miracle can be defined as an extraordinary visible act of Divine power wrought by the efficient agency of the will of God, which has as its final cause, the vindication of the righteousness of God's word.
We believe that the works of God, which were performed during the beginnings of Christianity, do and will occur even today where God is preached, faith in Christ is exercised, The Holy Ghost is active, and the Gospel is promulgated in the truth (Acts 5:15; 6:8; 9:40; Luke 4:36, 7:14-15; 5:5-6; St. Mark 14:15).
The Ordinances of the Church
It is generally admitted that for an ordinance to be valid, it must have been instituted by Christ. When we speak of ordinances of the church, we are speaking of those instituted by Christ, in which by sensible signs, the grace of God in Christ and the benefits of the covenant of grace are represented, sealed, and applied to believers, and these, in turn, give expression to their faith and allegiance to God.
The Church Of God In Christ recognizes three ordinances as having been instituted by Christ himself and, therefore, binding upon the church practice.
A. The Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion)
A. The Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion)
The Lord's Supper symbolizes the Lord's death and suffering for the benefit and in the place of His people. It also symbolizes the believer's participation in the crucified Christ.
It represents not only the death of Christ as the object of faith, which unites the believers to Christ, but also the effect of this act as the giving of life, strength, and joy to the soul. The communicant by faith enters into a special spiritual union of his soul with the glorified Christ.
B. Feet Washing
B. Feet Washing
Feet Washing is practiced and recognized as an ordinance in our Church because Christ, by His example, showed that humility characterized greatness in the Kingdom of God, and that service, rendered to others gave evidence that humility, motivated by love, exists. These services are held subsequent to the Lord's Supper; however, its regularity is left to the discretion of the pastor in charge.
C. Water Baptism
C. Water Baptism
We believe that water baptism is necessary as instructed by Christ in St. John 3:5: “Unless man be born again of water and of the spirit.”
However, we do not believe that water baptism alone is a means of salvation. It is an outward demonstration that one has already had a conversion experience and has accepted Christ as his personal Savior. As Pentecostals, we practice immersion in preference to “SPRINKLING”, because immersion corresponds more closely to the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord (Colossians 2:12).
It also symbolizes regeneration and purification more than any other mode. Therefore, we practice immersion as our mode of Baptism. We believe that we should use the Baptismal Formula given us by Christ for all “…in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy ghost.” (St. Matthew 28:19)
Meet Our Founders
Meet Our Founders
Pastor Superintendent Victor Jones
Superintendent Victor Jones is the youngest son of the late Administrative Assistant Samuel L. Jones, Sr., founder of the Greater Philadelphia Tabernacle COGIC and the Philadelphia District. Supt. Victor Jones began his walk with God at an early age of 5 years old, taking the offering at his uncle's church Superintendent Charlie Jones (also known as “Amen Jones”).
At the age of 10 years old on a Sunday Night service, he received his foundational teaching from his father. Supt. Victor Jones was sleeping in the back of the church and woke up and testified that God told him that he was called to pastor the church after his father.
From that day forward, Administrative Assistant Samuel L. Jones began teaching and training Supt. Victor Jones to be the pastor of Greater Philadelphia Tabernacle COGIC. He has worked in the local church in many positions such as Junior Deacon, Senior Deacon, Minister, Elder, Co-Pastor, and Pastor.
Supt. Victor Jones is also the pastor of Greater Liberty Tabernacle COGIC in Detroit, Michigan and the Greater Works Tabernacle COGIC in Lansing, Michigan.
Retired LTC Victor Jones began his military career in February 1986 as an enlisted soldier. He was commissioned from the Reserve Officer Training Corps from the University of Detroit in May 1990. After receiving his commission and completing the military police officer basic course and Airborne School, LTC Victor Jones was assigned to the 1776th Military Police Company, Michigan Army National Guard. There, he served as a platoon leader.
In January 1991, LTC Jones was mobilized and deployed in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, as the Detachment Commander, HHD 210th Military Police Battalion.
In December 1991, the 210th Military Police Battalion demobilized back to the United States, but LTC Victor Jones was ordered to Camp Doha in Kuwait (SWA) and assigned to the 1st Military Police Detachment as Platoon Leader, guarding an Ammunition Point on the Kuwait/Iraq border.
From November of 1994 to January 1998, LTC Victor Jones assumed command of the 1775th Military Police Company, Michigan Army National Guard. In November 2000 thru February 2002, LTC Jones assumed command of the 46th Military Police Company and was deployed to Germany and the Balkans in support of Operations Joint Endeavor and Joint Guard, providing law and order and force protection in Germany, Hungary, Croatia, and Bosnia.
After returning from the Balkans in February 2003, LTC Victor Jones transferred to the United States Army Reserve and was assigned to the 415th Civil Affairs Battalion (direct support) as a team chief. In December 2003, LTC Victor Jones was mobilized for Operation Iraqi Freedom I/II, assigned to the 1st Infantry Division Task Force 1-26 in Samarra, Iraq.
After returning from Iraq in March 2005, LTC Victor Jones transferred to the 424th Military Police Detachment in January 2008. There, he worked as an executive officer and was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 08/09 and conducted Detainee Operations.
In 2010, LTC Victor Jones was deployed again for his 5th combat tour to the Balkans as the Provost Marshal and his 6th Combat Zone Korea 2013 as the Law Enforcement Physical Security Chief.
Awards and Achievements
- Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2nd Award) Army Commendation Medal (6th Award), Army Achievement Medal
- Meritorious Unit Commendation, Valorous Unit Commendation, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (5th Award), National Defense Service Medal (2nd Award) with Bronze Service Stars
- Southwest Asia Service Medal with One Bronze Service Star
- Armed Forces Reserve Medal With ”M” Device (4) 30 year Gold Hourglass, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
- Global, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal With Campaign Star (2nd Award), Army Service Ribbon
- Overseas Service Ribbon (4th Award)
- Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon
- Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait)
- Overseas Service Bars (5th Award)
- NATO Medal
- Kosovo Combat Medal With Bronze Star
- Combat Action Badge
- Parachutist Badge
- Driver and Mechanic Badge
- German Armed Forces Military Proficiency Badge/Bronze.
Education
- Associate Degree in Theology, Midwest College of Theology
- Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice, Wayne State University
- Master’s Degree in General Administration, Central Michigan University
- Master’s Degree in Strategic Leadership, United States Army War College
Detroit Police Department
Retired Detective Sergeant has been with the Detroit Police Department for more than 21 years. He received a Medal of Valor for Police Actions.
First Lady Jeanette Jones
First Lady Jeanette Jones
Missionary Jeanette Jones is the First Lady of Greater LibertyTabernacle C.O.G.I.C. & the Philadelphia District.
She is the wife of Superintendent Victor Jones. She is the mother of three children, Charvelle, Brittany and Derek.
Missionary Jones is the President of Jeanette Jones Ministries and has a passion for serving and helping others seeking God for ways to be a help to all of God’s children. She holds free gospel aerobics & nutrition classes to help educate participants to be conditioned mentally as well as spiritually. She is dedicated to loving and serving ministering to domestic violence victims, the homeless, nursing home patients, sick and shut in and all of God’s children. First Lady Jones is determined to uphold God’s Commandments and live a holy and separated life of love, joy and peace; serving the Lord with all of her heart. Placing the will of God first in all that she does and giving glory to God!
