here it is exactly...from wikipedia.

The Church of God in Christ, Incorporated is a Christian church in the Pentecostal tradition. The church has congregations in nearly 60 countries around the world.

HISTORY
The Church of God in Christ, commonly referred to by its acronym COGIC, was formed in 1897 by a group of disfellowshipped Baptists, most notably Charles Price Jones (1865-1949) and Charles Harrison Mason (1866-1961).
Charles Mason was a licensed Baptist preacher in Arkansas in the 1890s who was disfellowshiped by the local Baptist association in Arkansas for his biblical teaching and preaching of Holiness. He became associated with a group of like-minded individuals who would become subsequently the early African-American leaders of the Holiness Movement in the late 19th century. Charles Price Jones of Jackson, Mississippi, J. A. Jeter, of Little Rock, Arkansas, and W. S. Pleasant of Hazelhurst, Mississippi were a few of these early Holiness leaders. Many revivals were conducted leading to the establishment in Jackson, MS of a new church, eventually called the Church of God In Christ. The first convocation called by these Holiness individuals was held in 1897.
Simultaneously in 1897, while seeking a name to distinguish this Holiness organization, Charles Mason believed that the name Church of God in Christ was divinely revealed and biblically supported. The Church Of God In Christ would be reorganized with C.P. Jones as General Overseer, Elder C.H. Mason as Overseer of Tennessee, and Elder J.A. Jeter as Overseer of Arkansas.
In 1906, Elder C. H. Mason, Elder Jeter, and Elder D. J. Young were appointed as a committee by General Overseer C. P. Jones to investigate reports of a revival in Los Angeles, conducted by the itinerant preacher, William J. Seymour. Elder C. H. Mason's visit to what was known as the Azusa Street Revival changed the direction of the newly formed Holiness COGIC church. Upon his return to Tennessee from the Azusa Street Revival, C. H. Mason began preaching and teaching the Pentecostal, Holiness message.
In 1907 Elder Jeter and Elder C. P. Jones rejected C. H. Mason's biblical teaching on Baptism with the Holy Spirit, resulting in a mutual separation. Overseer C. P. Jones continued to lead his COGIC adherents as a Holiness church, changing the name in 1915 to the Church of Christ (Holiness) U.S.A.. C. H. Mason, called a conference in Memphis, Tennessee and reorganized the Church of God in Christ as a Holiness, Pentecostal body.
The early pioneers of this newly formed COGIC Pentecostal body in 1907 unanimously chose C.H. Mason as General Overseer and Chief Apostle.
C.H. Mason was given authority to establish doctrine, organize auxiliaries and appoint Overseers or Bishops. It was during these formative years that Bishop Mason credentialed both White and African-Americans who would subsequently become leaders within other Pentecostal denominations such as the Assemblies Of God, the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, and the United Pentecostal Church International.
From November 25 -December 14, Bishop Mason established what is commonly called the COGIC National Holy Convocation of Saints to be held annually in Memphis, TN. The meeting was for worship, preaching, fellowship and to conduct any church business pertaining to the national organization.
The first national COGIC meeting was held at 392 S. Wellington St. in Memphis, TN. The first national tabernacle was built and completed at 958 S. Fifth St. in 1925. This tabernacle was destroyed by fire in 1936. In 1945 Bishop Mason dedicated Mason Temple in Memphis as the church national meeting site. The miracle of this event was that Mason Temple was built for less than $400,000 during World War II. The auditorium hall was the largest church structure owned by any black religious group in America at the time of its completion.

Members of the church profess the following Affirmation of Faith (every Sunday -- i know this by heart):
We Believe the Bible to be the inspired and only infallible written word of God.
We Believe that there is one God eternally existent in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost.
We Believe in the blessed hope, which is the rapture of the church of God which is in Christ at his return.
We Believe that the only means of being cleansed from sin, is through repentance, faith in the precious blood of Jesus Christ, and being baptized in the water.
We Believe that regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential for personal salvation.
We Believe that the redemptive work of Christ on the cross provides healing for the human body in answer to believing prayer.
We Believe that the Baptism of the Holy Ghost according to Acts 2:4 is given to believers who ask for it.
We Believe in the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling, the Christian is enabled to live a holy and separated life in this present world. Amen

The church has experienced phenomenal growth since its inception in 1907 with 10 churches. COGIC began originally in the southern states of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. As African Americans migrated north during the Great Migration, converted members spread the church north and west. At the time of Bishop Mason's death in 1961, COGIC had spread to every state in the Union and many foreign countries with a membership of more than 400,000. In 1973, the church claimed a worldwide membership of nearly three million. Today, COGIC is generally acknowledged to be the largest African-American and Pentecostal body in the United States, with over 6,000,000 members.

Presiding Bishop: Charles Blake, Sr.

Traditional COGIC song:



real hand-clappin, foot-stompin church music.