Spiritual Israel Church and Its Army

The Spiritual Israel Church and Its Army (SICIA) is a spiritual church that emerged from the Church of God in David, a type of spirituality that was started in the 1920s in Alabama (and later moved to Michigan) by Bishop Derks Field. Upon Field's death, W. D. Dickson led the congregation and changed its name to the current title, against the wishes of Field's brother.

With a largely African-American congregation, it promotes the belief that as Christians are children of God and are children of Israel, The God Of Israel, and to find God in oneself is to find Heaven in oneself. Members refer to themselves as Israelites, not to be confused with Israelis. Though not separatist, the church is somewhat political, believing that Adam, Noah, Moses, and Jesus were all black men. Through its fellowship, this black church seeks to free themselves from dependence on man and seeks to depend on God.

The Church believes that because God must be taught, every generation a great teacher is sent to Earth to lead God's people. The church's current head is Bishop Bobby J. Davis, whose title within the church is King of Israel.

The church's headquarters is currently based in Detroit, but has over twenty-five temples in the United States, mostly in urban areas. Its emblem is the Star of David, though the retains few, if any, traditional Jewish customs.

References

• Baer, Hans A, Yvonne Jones. African Americans in the South: issues of race, class, and gender. University of Georgia Press, 1992. pp. 132–33
• National Register of Historic Places, Amity Lodge No. 335 Temple/Spiritual Israel Church and its Army Temple, Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan [unpublished; in review].