After losing close to 50% of their ministry and well over a third of their members, UCG thinks it needs to build more buildings in Cincinnati. Pretty soon the UCG will start a new building campaign for funding and chruch members will start lining up to donate. Well, at least some of them blindly will. Others are disgusted by the proposition of more HQ space being built.
As we strive toward our goals, the administration requested the Council consider plans to expand the home office. This is primarily being driven by our need to have expanded areas for our Media and Communications Services department to more effectively and powerfully preach the gospel of God’s Kingdom. The department is currently over capacity.
There are many needs, including a larger and more effective television studio and a bigger meeting hall (which could double up as a permanent Feast site, allowing 500 people to meet). There is also a need to provide additional space for our young adults and ministerial education programs. Initial plans would enhance this area, as well as our media department.
Some Council members expressed caution on taking on a loan at a time of economic uncertainty. So after a great deal of discussion, a decision was made to go ahead and hire an architect to draw up plans to give us a more accurate estimate of costs. After seeing more concrete costs, and if the project is approved by the Council in February, the money for it will be included in the 2012-2013 budget for approval by the General Conference of Elders in May. This will also give us time to raise the funds in order to move forward in a measured way. We would appreciate input from you and from our members, and are open to a collaborative approach as we move forward. More information will be forthcoming. We estimate that the final cost will be about two million dollars.
Maybe it is time for the members to give UCG brass a wake up call and call halt to this program. Why dump all of this money for new facilities when there is no need other than to pump up the egos of HQ brass so they can look more important!.
Go down to the Home Depot and start buying supplies to build it yourself (it's cheaper if you know what you are doing). Maybe the local brethren with skills can help out.
ReplyDeleteOr.
Maybe they can do without.
Renting could be an option.
Say, just who makes these decisions, anyway? A lot of fasting, prayer and objective research poured into this?
You know, with United, it's one fiasco after another.
ReplyDeleteIt's almost as if they were cursed or something.
Don't you know how it works? Here is a step-by-step guide.
ReplyDeleteExcerpted from "Making Ministerial Decisions."
By Herbert W Armstrong
© 1958
...
1) Announce that you prayed and fasted before making the decision. Actually praying and fasting is generally considered to be optional. As an ordained man, you will have to make many IMPORTANT decisions! If you were to pray and fast before each one, you would certainly begin to lose weight! It is important to keep your weight up in order to cut an imposing and authoritative figure in the minds of the people.
2) Claim that the decision was not YOURS, but GOD'S decision, which He revealed to you. Occasionally you might need to vaguely suggest that you received a supernatural sign, such as the warm and embracing light of God's face shining down upon you as you held your arms up and cast your eyes heavenward. I cannot emphasize enough that you should not go into ANY DETAILS as it could open you up to questions that you might not be able to answer convincingly.
3) It is important that you perform the first two steps correctly each time. Even if you do, some people may still begin notice that you will make an unwise decision from time to time. This is easily handled if you begin by asking them how they DARE to question the ALMIGHTY GOD! A good showing of anger usually does wonders to reinforce your point. This would also be a good time to call into question the faith of the naysayer.
...
So, just in case you didn't know, that is how to make decisions like a minister in just three easy steps!
Why, isn't that how YOU make all your decisions?
No?
Me neither.
(You probably shouldn't go looking for this title as I made it all up from my imagination. On second thought, maybe you should look for it; it might actually exist!)
-Andrew
Why are all these Churches of God competing with each others building programs when time is allegedly short and Christ is suppose to return soon?
ReplyDeleteRichard
Good ideas, Andrew. It had never occured to me the advantage held by the Roly-Poly Apostle. His girth certainly did add weight to his credibility.
ReplyDeleteBut then, really, having a lot of money and being well-connected trounce godly wisdom don't they? You can be a total incompetent fool, but if you have money and power, it won't matter:
1) Pray and fast to get more money;
2) Use the money to gain power and political clout;
3) Use steps one and two to get a collective of people to become your slaves as commodities for your very own livestock and addict them to your brand of foolishness.
Works each time, every time, everywhere with everyone... except maybe the fasting and praying part, because, darn it all, no deity wants competition.
"We would appreciate input from you and from our members,"
ReplyDeleteah ha ha ha ha ha ha...oh mama...ah ha ha ha..
"I think it would be prudent to see if Europe, the Euro and all Banks collapse as is a real possibility."
Oh Prophecy is not coming that alive!....or failing
"I think it would be prudent to see if Israel might attack Iran by using US Soldiers,"
Oh give us a break!
"I believe we can do just fine with what we have."
We must move forward.
"I believe the monies could be better used or just saved for now"
Who asked you?
"I think we should step out in faith and let God's leading ministers make God's decision as they wish."
Hey, we may just have to ordain this guy! Enter into our kingdom!
(Never build or buy something for a once a year use such as the FOT. That's a ruse and excuse to build)
I can't imagine who would go to UCG's "Bible School" to study to be a minister. You will end up minister over nothing but drama and dwindling numbers
M.T.Hall
"We would appreciate input from you and from our members,"
ReplyDeleteah ha ha ha ha ha ha...oh mama...ah ha ha ha..
"I think it would be prudent to see if Europe, the Euro and all Banks collapse as is a real possibility."
Oh Prophecy is not coming that alive!....or failing
"I think it would be prudent to see if Israel might attack Iran by using US Soldiers,"
Oh give us a break!
"I believe we can do just fine with what we have."
We must move forward.
"I believe the monies could be better used or just saved for now"
Who asked you?
"I think we should step out in faith and let God's leading ministers make God's decision as they wish."
Hey, we may just have to ordain this guy! Enter into our kingdom!
(Never build or buy something for a once a year use such as the FOT. That's a ruse and excuse to build)
I can't imagine who would go to UCG's "Bible School" to study to be a minister. You will end up minister over nothing but drama and dwindling numbers
M.T.Hall
You will end up minister over nothing but drama and dwindling numbers
ReplyDeleteAt a time in a venue where the leadership wants an all volunteer ministry (except the very top).
Good luck with that.
New International Version
ReplyDeleteIf we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?
New Living Translation
Since we have planted spiritual seed among you, aren't we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink?
While a big topic, there is nothing wrong or unbiblical about a minister of the Gospel being paid or given a reasonable living so he may go about his business in sincerity and without undue distraction.
The problem lies in the abuses and in our culture having to deal with thousands of kinds of ministries from the ones you never hear about to the ones you get sick of hearing about.
On top of that, we need to be speaking of highly trained ministers, male and female who have done the hard work of theology, philosophy, history and origins.
None of this can be said of most fundamentalists and certainly of the WCG etc. For some reason, Bible readers become the loud mouths, college starters, jet owners and jerks of theology while knowledgeable Bible students write the books that drive them nuts.
Bible speculators, prophecy loons, one man shows, those who see themselves in scripture, those who give themselves titles no one else gives them are simply actors on the stage of theology.
Unfortunately, it is the educated, well read, open minded and critical thinkers that leave the field leaving the silly, educationally challenged, mentally unstable and arrogant bastards to run the public show.
WCG ministers, myself included, and ALL splinter ministers have not had a good education in anything more than good Bible reading and knowing where to find the stories. If you know more now than you did then, it was your own doing and dedication to looking for truth about the Book no matter where it took you.
Pious conviction with marginal information is NOT your friend when it comes to religion and life purpose.
New International Version
ReplyDeleteIf we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?
New Living Translation
Since we have planted spiritual seed among you, aren't we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink?
While a big topic, there is nothing wrong or unbiblical about a minister of the Gospel being paid or given a reasonable living so he may go about his business in sincerity and without undue distraction.
The problem lies in the abuses and in our culture having to deal with thousands of kinds of ministries from the ones you never hear about to the ones you get sick of hearing about.
On top of that, we need to be speaking of highly trained ministers, male and female who have done the hard work of theology, philosophy, history and origins.
None of this can be said of most fundamentalists and certainly of the WCG etc. For some reason, Bible readers become the loud mouths, college starters, jet owners and jerks of theology while knowledgeable Bible students write the books that drive them nuts.
Bible speculators, prophecy loons, one man shows, those who see themselves in scripture, those who give themselves titles no one else gives them are simply actors on the stage of theology.
Unfortunately, it is the educated, well read, open minded and critical thinkers that leave the field leaving the silly, educationally challenged, mentally unstable and arrogant bastards to run the public show.
WCG ministers, myself included, and ALL splinter ministers have not had a good education in anything more than good Bible reading and knowing where to find the stories. If you know more now than you did then, it was your own doing and dedication to looking for truth about the Book no matter where it took you.
Pious conviction with marginal information is NOT your friend when it comes to religion and life purpose.