About Us
The sole basis of our beliefs is the Bible, God’s infallible written Word, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments. We believe that it was uniquely, verbally and fully inspired by the Holy Spirit and that it was written without error (inerrant) in the original manuscripts. It is the supreme and final authority in all matters on which it speaks.
We accept those areas of doctrinal teaching on which, historically, there has been general agreement among all true Christians. Because of the specialized calling of our movement, we desire to allow for freedom of conviction on other doctrinal matters, provided that any interpretation is based upon the Bible alone, and that no such interpretation shall become an issue which hinders the ministry to which God has called us.
1. There is one true God, eternally existing in three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – each of whom possesses equally all the attributes of Deity and the characteristics of personality.
2. Jesus Christ is God, the living Word, who became flesh through His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit and His virgin birth. Hence, He is perfect Deity and true humanity united in one person forever.
3. He lived a sinless life and voluntarily atoned for the sins of men by dying on the cross as their substitute, thus satisfying divine justice and accomplishing salvation for all who trust in Him alone.
4. He rose from the dead in the same body, though glorified, in which He lived and died.
5. He ascended bodily into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God the Father, where He, the only mediator between God and man, continually makes intercession for His own.
6. Man was originally created in the image of God. He sinned by disobeying God; thus, he was alienated from his Creator. That historic fall brought all mankind under divine condemnation.
7. Man’s nature is corrupted, and he is thus totally unable to please God. Every man is in need of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
8. The salvation of man is wholly a work of God’s free grace and is not the work, in whole or in part, of human works or goodness or religious ceremony. God imputes His righteousness to those who put their faith in Christ alone for their salvation, and thereby justified them in His sight.
9. It is the privilege of all who are born again of the Spirit to be assured of their salvation from the very moment in which they trust Christ as their Savior. This assurance is not based upon any kind of human merit but is produced by the witness of the Holy Spirit, who confirms in the believer the testimony of God in His written word.
10. The Holy Spirit has come into the world to reveal and glorify Christ and to apply the saving work of Christ to men. He convicts and draws sinners to Christ, imparts new life to them, continually indwells them from the moment of spiritual birth and seals them until the day of redemption. His fullness, power and control are appropriated in the believer’s life by faith.
11. Every believer is called to live so in the power of the indwelling Spirit that he will not fulfill the lust of the flesh but will bear fruit to the glory of God.
12. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church, His Body, which is composed of all men, living and dead, who have been joined to Him through saving faith.
13. God admonishes His people to assemble together regularly for worship, for participation in ordinances, for edification through the Scriptures and for mutual encouragement.
14. At physical death the believer enters immediately into eternal, conscious fellowship with the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his body to everlasting glory and blessing.
15. At physical death the unbeliever enters immediately into eternal, conscious separation from the Lord and awaits the resurrection of his body to everlasting judgment and condemnation.
16. Jesus Christ will come again to the earth – personally, visibly and bodily – to consummate history and the eternal plan of God.
17. The Lord Jesus Christ commanded all believers to proclaim the Gospel throughout the world and to disciple men of every nation. The fulfillment of that Great Commission requires that all worldly and personal ambitions be eradicated.
Tenants of Faith
Meet the Executive Board
Introducing the Executive Board
of the
Clergy Koinonia of Greater Chattanooga
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President
Dr. M. Hilton Sandilands, B.A., M.Min., D.Min.C.C.
Bishop Mark Sandilands has extensive experience in church leadership as the Founder and Presiding Bishop of Mission Consortium of Churches, International Inc. His studies include an earned Bachelor of Arts Degree from American Baptist College Nashville, TN, he pursuit a master’s degree in Psychology and Guidance Counseling from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and a Master of Divinity from Tennessee Temple University. Bishop Mark Hilton Sandilands received his Master's in Pastoral Counseling in 1995 and when on to complete an earned Doctoral Degree in Christian Counseling 1999 both from Covington Theological Seminary, Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. He is married to his lovely wife Carolyn T. Sandilands, and together they have seven children.
1st Vice President
Bishop William Simpson
Bishop William Christopher Simpson, III, is a graduate of Ashford University receiving a Master’s degree in Organization Management and Biblical Studies from Brewster Theological Clinic; School of Religion.
Bishop Simpson has been in ministry Fifty (50) years and has forty (41) years of pastoral experience covering the states of Ohio, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Georgia. God has truly blessed him to have the opportunity to travel across the states teaching and preaching the “good news” of Jesus
Christ.
Bishop Simpson currently is the Senior Pastor of Bridging the Gap Ministries- Dalton, GA and Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church-Chattanooga, TN. Other ministry activities include: CEO/Founder of William C. Simpson Ministeries, member of the Dalton/Whitfield County Concern Clergy, 1 st Vice-President of Clergy Koinia of Chattanooga, TN, and Vice-president of Save our Seed Youth Development Center, LLC just to name a few.
2nd Vice President
Reverend Melvin Tibbs
Pastor Tibbs is a native of Chattanooga
where he accepted his calling to preach the gospel in 1991 and was ordained to pastor in 1992.
He is a catalyst for positive change through his dedication of teaching the scriptures. He loves people and shows it with his outgoing personality and wit.
Pastor Tibbs received his Master of Divinity degree from Covington Theological Seminary. He is the pastor of Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church where has been blessed to pastor for 10 years.
He is married to the lovely Maronica "Sister M" Tibbs in which they have two sons; Mateo and Manuel.
Secretary
Reverend Wilhemina Hogg
Rev. Wilhemenia Hogg a native of Chattanooga, TN. The seventh child of the Late Mr. Ernest & Mrs. Mattie C. Hogg. She is a graduate of Howard High School Class of 1967, A 1971 graduate of Alabama A & M University. She is an Associate Minister at the New Monumental Baptist Church, under the leadership of Rev. Dr. R. Gregory Odom. She holds a Master of Education from Trevecca Nazarene Collège, A Master of Divinity from Covington Theological Seminary. She was license and ordained by Dr. Roderick L. Ware. She is the CEO and founder of "Yes, Jesus Loves Me Radio Ministry" that airs every Saturday on WNOO Radio Station 1260 AM and 107.3 FM also of "Now Is The Time Radio Ministry" that airs every Second Saturday on WPTP Radio Station, 100.1 FM. She has held several positions in the Tennessee Baptist Missionary & Education Convention, INC. She loves serving God's people and spreading the Word of God. You can reach her at ladyhogg65@gmail.com
Treasurer
Reverend Josclyn Shabazz
Rev. Josclyn Shabazz is a native Chattanoogan, born to the Parents of Leonard Edward Smith and Thelma (Lewis) Smith, September 20, 1951.
She has three children, Renita Pollard, Bilal M. Shabzz and Clifford M. Eberhardt. She is a graduate of Howard High School in the class of 1969. She holds a B.A. degree in Mass Communications and a B. S. in Multidisciplinary Education from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and attended Covington Theological Seminary.
Ms. Shabazz is a retired educator and now serves as an Associate Minister at New Monumental Baptist Church for the pass 16 years. She was ordained into the Gospel Ministry of Jesus Christ under the leadership of the late Rev. Dr. Virgil Caldwell, August 20, 2006. She has served as secretary and now treasurer of the Clergy Koinonia of Greater Chattanooga and Vicinity for more than eight years.
Parliamentarian
Reverend Dr. Richard Ervin
Rev. Dr. Richard Jackson Ervin was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee to the late George Ervin
and to Brittie Ervin. He was educated in the Chattanooga public school system. He served in
the United States Army and is a Vietnam War veteran.
Rev. Ervin received an Associate of Science Degree from Chattanooga State Technical Community College, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Work from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and a Master and Doctorate Degree in Ministry from Covington Theological Seminary.
He is retired from the State of Tennessee after 30 years of service. Rev. Ervin is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, and a recipient of the Omega Man of the Year Award in 2002. He has served in various organizations: NAACP, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Unity Group, C.H.R.I.S.T., and the Clergy Koinonia.
President Emeritus
Pastor Charles E. Moore
Pastor Charles E. Moore was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee. To the late Charles A. and Elizabeth Moore and he has one son. He accepted Christ as his Savior at an early age and was baptized by the late Reverend, Robert C. Walton. Pastor Moore graduated from Kirman High School in 1978. He enrolled in the Chattanooga Bible Institute where he studied God's Holy Word for approximately three years. Which prepared him for the Pastoral position in which he served today. God called Pastor Moore to the Gospel
Ministry November 1988 and anointed his mind and heart with the ability to feed the people of God.
Pastor Moore accepted the Pastoral called as pastor of Rose of Sharon Baptist Church in 2002. Pastor Charles Moore was elected to the Office of President of the Clergy Koinonia of Greater Chattanooga in January 2014 where he began to move the Clergy Koinonia into a New Direction with the intent to unite the ministries of the City of Chattanooga until 2022. He currently serves as President Emeritus of the Clergy Koinonia of Greater Chattanooga.