A controversial holiness church that known for their unique practices.
Religion: Christianity
Denomination: Holiness
Founder: Joseph B. Lynch
Founded: 1892
Location: United States
Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church, originally known as the Sanctification Band, Sanctified Band, or Lynchites, is a religious group with deep roots in the holiness movement, emphasizing the experience of a “second blessing” or entire sanctification. This movement, primarily situated in the Southeastern United States, was founded on February 14, 1892, by members of the Methodist Episcopal Church on Chincoteague Island, Virginia, led by Joseph B. Lynch. These individuals believed in the necessity of achieving entire sanctification to attain salvation, a conviction that propelled the church’s significant growth throughout the early 20th century as members preached the doctrines of holiness and sanctification across the country.
Joseph B. Lynch, born in 1840 and passing in 1900, was a pivotal figure in this movement. He had been a class leader in the Methodist church but experienced a vision in 1887 that convinced him of the indispensable nature of holiness for salvation. This led to his expulsion from the Methodist church, along with his followers, including Sarah Collins, who was sanctified in 1889. The group, known for its distinctive practices, faced significant opposition and violence, ultimately leading to a migration from their initial location due to their heterodox beliefs.
The church is known for its unique practices and beliefs, including the lack of salaries for ministers, the absence of fundraising activities, and a distinctive approach to worship that involves singing, clapping, and shouting as moved by the Spirit without the use of musical instruments. Their teachings assert that salvation consists of conversion followed by sanctification, the latter cleansing the believer from all sin. The church practices a cappella singing, spontaneous preaching, and prayer, adhering to the Wesleyan-Arminian tradition, and strongly emphasizes voluntary service without monetary compensation for clergy or church workers.
The church also engaged in pacifism, particularly during World War I, advising its members to seek employment in non-combatant roles to avoid conscription, consistent with their beliefs against participating in war. Over the years, the church expanded its reach across several states in the U.S., eventually establishing permanent congregations, particularly in the southeastern part of the country. A notable aspect of their community life includes an annual camp meeting in Perry, Georgia, which began in the summer of 1938 as a gathering point for traveling Sanctified bands and later became a place where older members could retire.
Among the most remarkable and unconventional practices of Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church, particularly in its early years under the leadership of Joseph B. Lynch, was the community’s adaptation to living in houseboats. These floating homes were not merely practical dwellings but also symbolized a radical departure from traditional modes of living, reflecting the group’s broader separation from societal norms. The choice of houseboats was inspired by Biblical narratives, suggesting a form of life that was both itinerant and spiritually symbolic, encapsulating the group’s desire for separation from worldly attachments and a closer adherence to their interpretation of Christian living.
Equally unconventional was the practice known as “watch mates,” a custom rooted in the group’s unique interpretation of sanctification. This practice involved spouses from different married couples spending time alone together, a custom that, to outsiders, appeared to challenge conventional marital norms. This practice, alongside the community’s broader lifestyle choices, was interpreted by their neighbors as indicative of free love and bigamy. However, within the Sanctification Band, these practices were seen as expressions of their liberated state in sanctification, which they believed rendered actions that might traditionally be considered sinful as not sinful for the sanctified. This radical reimagining of social and moral boundaries was part of what set the Lynchites apart in their time, drawing both curiosity and criticism. This practice, along with other beliefs such as the rejection of traditional ordinances like water baptism, Communion, and footwashing, as well as a unique interpretation of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, placed the church at odds with conventional Christian doctrines of the time.
Today, Christ’s Sanctified Holy Church continues to operate, maintaining its distinctive doctrines and practices, with a network of congregations across various states and a commitment to living out the principles of holiness and sanctification.
image via Sanctified Church
