Spanky's Living Church of God has declared a church wide fast for January 29th so members can pray for brethren affected by the of UCG split. There are reports that a letter from Spanky will be sent out this weekend detailing the reason for the fast and also opening the arms of Living Church of God for any dissatisfied ministers to jump ship yet again and join the ONLY true church remaining on earth today preaching the gospel.
The question needs to be asked by UCG ministers - Why leave the fairly relaxed church that UCG is and jump back into the legalistic BS of Meredithism? Even the COGaWA ministers who will remain unemployed should really take into consideration about how legalistic LCG is. COGaWA has made it know they plan on being far more conservative than UCG. Jumping ship into the graceless, Jesus absent, LCG would be mind numbingly stupid for anyone!
Even Chiropractor Bob is getting into the debacle and asking UCG/COGaWA ministers to jump back into a failed governmental structure that is riff with abuse and legalistic terror.
In all that I have read about WHY the 150 or so ministers/elders left UCG in the past year, none whose resignation letters I recall reading have seemed to give lack of focus on proclaiming the gospel as the main reason for leaving UCG (United Church of God).If you are or were part of UCG and are confused about what to do, please pray, fast, and study the Bible about this. Decide if you wish to follow the lukewarm or those that Jesus Christ has truly been using to do the work–those who have had the same basic governing principles for over 40 years.
I realize that neither I, Dr. Meredith, nor others in LCG are perfect. But hopefully we are trying to do the work that the Bible indicates that the church most faithful to the words of Jesus would do.
Those affected by this crisis who wish to support a more effective gospel-proclaiming organization should, despite our flaws, consider checking out LCG, as it has stood for proper church governance and the work since its foundation (which preceded its formation).
It’s decision time for those who have been affiliated with UCG. Most of those part of the COGWA and UCG leadership have already demonstrated, to me at least, that neither group intends to be Philadelphian. But that the choice of LCG still remains.
6 comments:
Bob Thiel notes;
"If you are or were part of UCG and are confused about what to do, please pray, fast, and study the Bible about this..."
I have prayed my guts and heart out over the years on many topics and have yet to discern an answer from the Deity that is clear and direct. Somewhere along the line, the Deity choose to be silent and one has to divine an answer somehow.
I have fasted my guts and heart out over the years on many topics and ended up hungry and not seeing one benefit from doing so or positive answer from the Deity. I also have come to wonder what it is about fasting that forces the hand of the Deity to pay attention. With the Hubble Telescope, humans don't need to humble themselves any lower with not eating.
I have studied my guts and heart out and have come to see the Book is full of contradictions, bad advice and Apostles acting with just as much rancour and confusing beliefs, few agreeing with the other as today.
Bob continues: :Decide if you wish to follow the lukewarm or those that Jesus Christ has truly been using to do the work–those who have had the same basic governing principles for over 40 years."
And you KNOW this. Everyone but yourself and your church is lukewarm? You just know that JESUS CHRIST is really the one behind all the doing and lives in Charlotte, NC?
If the post resurrected Jesus found it good to appear to "over 500" "Peter", "all the Apostles" and "The 12", then we know he is able to do so for personal encouragement and proof. How about He does it now and end all discussion? I know..."God's ways are not my ways," and "The wisdom of man of foolishness with God." Not to mention, "The wisdom of man is foolishness with God." You can't win.
"I realize that neither I, Dr. Meredith, nor others in LCG are perfect."
Ya think? Very humble admission. Almost sounds like "It is God, Christ, Mr. Armstrong, Garner Ted, MYSELF (RCM) and a few other (never named) leading Evangelists."
I spent years pastoring out of a sincere desire to be and do the right thing, whatever that was. But with WCG and others, Church pure stress and "what's going to happen next"? They never disappointed.
Def of the True Church: "One Damn Thing After Another...."
All the splinters and slivers hurt people. They distract them with drama and make a mockery of "all one body we, one in hope and doctrine, one in charity."
RCM will die as will every last magnificiently inspired leader and minister in the COG before any Second Coming.
You haven't even figured out the First one yet....or the contradictions among the early faithful over the message.
I apologize for the tone here. It is my experience and also will have to live with having fallen for it all for the rest of my life. Good sincere people have and will continue to pay too high a price emotionally and spiritually for associating with the one man shows and personality cults.
Thank you, Dennis.
I always felt that the fasting concept was a waste of time, too. Never accomplished anything. But that wasn't something you ever dared to admit to other members.
The other thing that these ministers really need to take into consideration is that LCG certainly is NOT going to let them remain paid ministers. THey are going to have to prove themselves all over again.
LCG will not put men whom they see as coming from a "lukewarm" church into positions in the world's most dynamic and mind boggling important church ever to exist.
When Chiropractor Bob says they are coming from 'lukewarm' churches these men should realize immediately that while they will be welcomed as returning to the 'one and only true 'fold', their ministerial duties will cease immediately.
I don't think most people could stomach Meredith's oddity and Richard Ames seems rather cold and disapproving of everyone.
Meredith came around to lecture at AC (Big Sandy) and students tended to treat him as something of a joke. He was always a little manaical in his speech and behavior.
So as personalities they don't have a lot of appeal. They may pick up a few but I doubt they'll get a wholesale lot.
That's the problem with Multilevel Marketing: When you start losing your customers, some other MLM will try to pick them up.
Interesting technique, though: Fasting?
I guess if you "prove" your humility to your potential customers, you can get more of them to sign up with you to pay for the benefit of being abused.
Just remember though, when you prove your humility, you need to give three examples.
Thiel says: "Most of those part of the COGWA and UCG leadership have already demonstrated, to me at least, that neither group intends to be Philadelphian. But that the choice of LCG still remains."
"to me at least.." Yes Bob, keep that in mind. It is only this way in your small, judgmental mind. Typical LCG blather about how they can divine the mind of God on all things not them.
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