The Church of God (Full Gospel) in India is the registered name of the branch in India of the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee, USA), a Pentecostal church that has over 36,000 churches and 7 million members in 178 countries. The Church of God in India currently has thousands of churches and ministers spread across the various states of India and is organised into different regions. Beginnings The work of the Church of God was started in India by the American missionary Robert F. Cook. Cook worked in India from the 1920s through the 1940s. After some attempts to begin a Pentecostal work in northern parts of India, Cook realized that there were ancient Christian communities in southern India, especially in Kerala. After arriving in Kerala, he fell in love with the land and the people. He crossed paths with a man named Kalloor Chacko, of Thrikkannamangal, Kottarakara. While a prominent figure in the Brethren Church in India, Chacko accepted the teachings of Cook regarding the work of the Holy Spirit. The two joined hands to establish the first registered Pentecostal church in India. It was named the Church of God. The two built the first church building on land set aside by Chacko. A number of early leaders, including Rev. K. E. Abraham, worked hand in hand with Cook to establish numerous works in various parts of Kerala. As time went by, disagreements over doctrine and organizational structure led to many of these early leaders parting ways. Disagreement with Chacko also resulted in Cook relocating the headquarters to Mulakuzha. Cook and his fellow believers realised the need to be affiliated to a well-established denomination. They decided to join the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee). The founder of the Ceylon Pentecostal Mission Rev. Ramankutty, later known as Pastor Paul, also worked with Cook for some time before starting off on his own path. Early leaders that worked with Cook in building up the Church of God in its early days in Mulakuzha include Rev. T.M. Varghese and Rev. U. Thomas. When laws were passed that forbade foreign missionaries in India, it was T.M. Varghese that served as the Field Secretary. When the Church had developed to the point that it was granted its own leadership, Rev. U. Thomas served as the first Overseer. Current organisation The Church was divided into three districts. These included Kerala State, Tamil Nadu and Central