Which individual was a significant layman in the early Church of God?

• A. A.J. Tomlinson
• B. J.C. Murphy
• C. W.F. Bryant
• D. Richard Spurling

Answer: (C)

In the early Church of God, a significant layman is someone who helped build the movement from the pews—leading, organizing, and sustaining local congregations without formal ordination. W.F. Bryant stands out because his influence came through practical, hands-on leadership among believers, arranging meetings, encouraging new converts, and supporting the ministry in communities where ordained ministers were scarce. This kind of ground-level, non-ordained leadership was crucial to the church’s early growth and stability, which is why Bryant is recognized as a notable lay figure.

A.J. Tomlinson is widely known for his role as an ordained minister who became a central leader of the church, not as a layperson. J.C. Murphy likewise is associated with ministerial leadership. Richard Spurling, while a key early promoter and preacher connected with the movement, is typically viewed in the context of his ministry rather than as a defining lay leader.