The COG has a __________ form of government.

• A. Decentralized
• B. Centralized
• C. Federal
• D. Confederate

Answer: (B)

Centralized governance concentrates authority in a single central leadership that makes decisions for the whole church, with local congregations carrying out those directives rather than setting their own policies. In the Church of God, the top governing body or central leadership typically determines doctrine, worship practices, discipline, and the appointment of leaders, and local assemblies implement these decisions. This arrangement helps maintain doctrinal unity and coordinated ministry across the entire church. It differs from a federal system, where power is constitutionally divided between central and regional bodies, from a confederation, where the central authority is weak and member entities retain large sovereignty, and from a decentralized setup, where local churches operate with substantial autonomy.