About Bishop C.H. Mason’s Legacy
Bishop Charles Harrison Mason deserves to be remembered. He stands out in history because of the expanse of his phenomenal ministry, which was recognized by all races and classes of people during his lifetime. He hails as the founder and first senior bishop of
the Church of God in Christ, one of the largest Pentecostal denominations in the western world.
Bishop Mason was a leading pioneer within global Pentecostalism, being an alumnus of the Azusa Street Revival, the founding event of the Pentecostal movement. During his fifty-four year tenure as senior bishop, the Church of God in Christ grew from 10 congregations to 4,000 congregations; from approximately 2,000 members to 400,000 members, and from churches within the United States to churches on five continents.
There is so much to be learned from the spectacular life, ministry, and witness of Bishop Mason. His achievements have yet to be fully comprehended. The 150th anniversary of Bishop Mason’s birth should be an occasion in which we rediscover him as the founder of a great denomination, an evangelist of high stature, a supporter of world missions, a friend of education, a champion of pacifism, and an advocate of civil rights.