Living Church of God members are reeling at the announcement that Gerald Weston has been named as Rod Meredith's successor. Weston has a horrible reputation that has carried over from his days in the Worldwide Church of God. Whether in WCG or LCG he has had a horrible reputation in regards to his mistreatment of members.
With the rapidly advanced deterioration of Rod Meredith's health, the idea of Weston taking over has upset a lot of LCG members. When Weston official takes on that mantle will be the start of an exodus of LCG members. Bitter Bob Amos Elijah Elisha Thiel should not get his hopes up that LCG members will flock to him. LCG members think Bitter Bob Amos is a complete moron.
Interesting days are ahead for LCG members. The trail of bodies from his days in the WCG will now be littered with LCG members.
Rod Meredith sites the following in a letter to only this baptized in LCG.
April 6, 2016
One of the main reasons I wanted to write all of you members directly is that I want all of you to be fully aware and “on board” about the coming transfer of Mr. Gerald Weston here to Headquarters to become President and COO of this Work. I will remain as the Presiding Evangelist and human “head” of the Church as long as God gives me strength. But Mr. Weston will be in charge of running the physical day to day operations. Many of you know of Mr. Weston’s 47 years of service in God’s Church. He is not an “unknown quantity” as was a man who took over the Worldwide Church a number of years ago when thousands of brethren were asking us older ministers: “Who is this man?” Mr. Weston has pastored churches all over the United States, pastored and served as Regional Pastor of the Kansas City area for 13 years, pastored the churches and directed the whole Work in Canada for 13 years, and is now effectively running the churches and Work in Britain, Europe and the Middle East. Also, as most of you know, Mr. Weston was ordained as an Evangelist of Jesus Christ several years ago. He has served faithfully as an Evangelist and key leader of the Church in this office alongside of Mr. Bruce Tyler, Dr. Douglas Winnail, Mr. Richard Ames and me.
In all these years, he has been tried and tested and has been constantly loyal to the Truth, to God’s leadership in this Work and to all the things that matter. I have talked to literally scores of ministers and brethren from all over and not one has ever raised a big “issue” with Mr. Weston! I want to share this with all of you—in case some of you feel that you do not know him as well as you would like. Thousands of you in the Midwestern areas have seen him over and over as he was your Regional Pastor coming out from Kansas City to visit churches in Joplin, Springfield, Wichita, Des Moines, etc. Many others of you from various parts of Louisiana, Texas, Michigan, North Carolina and certainly up in Canada will remember him as your own pastor who served faithfully—along with his faithful wife—for so many decades. He has always been a faithful and dedicated minister of Jesus Christ.
Also, Mr. Weston has very capably run our Youth Camps for about eleven years! He has a very good reputation among the young people—who deeply respect him. In addition, as you know, he has now made a number of very effective telecasts and is turning into one of our capable television presenters for the whole Work. Also, he authored the recent booklet we just sent out on “Easter.” So he is an extremely effective individual, overall. Most especially regarding my selection of him as the next President and COO of this Work, he has proved himself as a capable administrator. He is able to “get all the facts”—see through peoples “situations” and problems—and make a fair and just decision. He confronts problems and solves these problems in an equitable manner. His “fruits” along these lines have been outstanding—as many of his fellow ministers have seen and agree. For I have counseled with them about this over the last few years.Lest any of you think about not accepting Weston as your new leader, you had better think again. Meredith has brought Jesus Christ into the equation. In the name of Jeeeesuuuus, he has been appointed!
So it is after much prayer and Bible study and “multitude of counsel” that I have decided to select him and appoint him—in the name of Jesus Christ—as the next administrative leader over the Work here. I hope all of you will join me in being totally loyal to Mr. Weston in helping him, in supporting him and praying for him that God will guide and use him in every way. Please also pray fervently for Mrs. Weston in her responsibilities of helping him, encouraging him and giving him genuinely good advice as she has done over the years. Often, a woman is almost “half” of her husband’s ministry—as Mr. Armstrong explained to us so many times!
12 comments:
If there is a God, that god has caused THE SENILE APOSTLE MEREDITH to make such a decision, the LCG will go to ruin as the WCG meet its end under Tkach. Its a given!
When GW first came to Kansas City in WCG, his first sermon was a fire breathing, "there's a new sheriff in town who will not take any gruff from any of you", tirade. Even though he and his wife never had any children, he seem all too willing to step on all of the toes of parents with all his child rearing expertise, even banning parents from attending YOU sports practices and social gatherings until there was a severe uprising by concerned parents.
His first command was that all YOU sports participants would wear all white (shirts, shorts, socks and shoes....no exceptions). The first such event was a volleyball practice, where he ran it with a boot camp approach, demanding that the kids run from one place to another, being given specific and demanding instructions, at each stop.
His inability to read or understand people, especially the true trouble makers, was always a major failing of his. Whomever got to him first, and had some semblance of his vaulted approval, was always the one who was perceived as being right, even if they were the true culprits in the equation.
As far as the young people "loving" him, it would be a fair statement that more left church under his time in KC than stayed. The kids that sucked up to he and his wife Carol, were the ones who were deemed good upstanding future leaders, while kids who were simply kids being kids, were usually seen as suspect and needed constant oversight. One specific kid was another minister's kid, who could do nothing right in GW's eyes, which caused a great deal of consternation for this minister's family, much less for those who were his friends.
As far as always being on the leading edge, it was only when the above mentioned minister stated he was leaving WCG, did GW finally make a move, but only after he had a meeting with RCM, mentioning he was bringing 200 + people with him, giving him favored status from day one, even though no one in KC knew it until he came back and declared the group as a Global group. Like so many other's, he was looking at United, along with a lot of other ministers, until the opportunity came to go into Global, with no time on the sidelines, something that Carl McNair had stated in the previous 6 months in a sermon, would apply to all ministers coming from WWCG, to see if they were truly coming for the "right reasons", which must have been $$$$$. Suffice it to say, this didn't set well with many, where most of the deacons and elders did not follow him to Global.
So, if what they are looking for is an autocratic, dictatorial, I'm in charge type they have certainly found their man......
on April 8, 2016 at 6:16 PM
James wrote:
"If there is a God, that god has caused THE SENILE APOSTLE MEREDITH to make such a decision etc...."
and I find that comment somewhat laughable! Firstly James says "If there is a God,...." as if he doesn't believe that there is, then goes on to say "that god has caused THE SENILE APOSTLE MEREDITH to make such a decision...." as if he believes that there is 'that god'. Just where do you stand James? LOL
cheers
ralph.f
With all due respect, and nothing against Gerald Weston personally, does anyone seriously expect him to recapture all of the ground which has been lost by the Armstrong movement since the death of HWA? That is what would seem to be necessary to get the Armstrong "work" done and their "gospel" preached, but with the passage of time, seems to be less and less within the realm of possibility.
BB
It is with curiosity that I have always wondered why the COG ministry has been afraid of doing things the way they were done in the Bible in the NT. I see that names were nominated by everyone, and those names were basically "drawn out of the hat" after prayer and beseeching of God. I guess that would require the real faith that God is in charge after all and does not consider the politics, nepotism , or evaluations of the imaginings of men.
Weston will lead LCG more in a Pack/ Flury direction. Many LCG members are already tired of that type if tyrannical leadership and over-bearing control. The change will likely drive them to UCG and cogwa in droves in their search for an ACOG church with fewer bullies and a more loving atmosphere.
Weston will never agree to joining LCG to cogwa. He doesn't even think cogwa should be classified as a COG. He thinks LCG is the one and only Church of God and LCG members are the only people who will be kings and priests in God's kingdom. He is firm in his beliefs and not a man known to change his mind once it's decided.
People in LCG are so brainwashed that they actually believe that they 'aren't following a man' while in truth, they are all following a man. It would shock a lot of readers here to know exactly how many in LCG actually believe that Rod Meredith is Jesus Christ's mouth piece on earth and that if Rod says it, it's as good as if Christ Himself spoke it.
Even if Rod is wrong or obviously involved in unchristian behavior, these members still follow him. Their confidence in Rod is unwavering. They tell themselves that they 'just don't understand' why Rod does what he does but that they must follow him in blind obedience to demonstrate their willingness to 'obey God's government' so they can be pillars in the Kingdom.
All the while, their participation and support of this corrupt man is precisely what has huge potential to keep them OUT of the Kingdom. Standing up for what's right and brotherly love are key and sorely lacking in LCG. Rod isn't going to get you there people. Your own behavior and actions will. Obedience to a man won't amount to a hill of beans. The leaders in LCG are lying to you. It's not too late to wake up!
If it matters so much to folks posting here, who do you think would be a better choice? Do you have enough first hand up-t- date info to judge?
How much benefit comes from reading and posting here? Consider putting your energy into your present spiritual practices and focus on your friends and family with whom you interact every day; rather than focusing on a few small organizations which you don't feel you agree with and that don't appear to make you very happy to think about.
I wonder how Weston feels about Meredith refusing to meet with the Scarborough's (free) but rather opting to be stiff necked and hateful resulting in a lawsuit (expensive)
Weston just finished a visit with the Fench brethren. Ten bucks says he went to try to talk them out if following Mr Lacoch to COGWA. I wonder how that went. Weston has precisely the domineering, hard-nosed personality that the French hate. Leaving LCG would send a big message. I hope they have the courage. Time will tell!
Meredith upped Weston's start date in Charlotte from August to July. Likely a combination of RCM's failing health and the multiple fires that need tending thanks to poor decisions on the part of LCG leadership. It will be fun to see how Westin gets along with people like Lil Jimmy, McNair and Ceiselka. I predict a clash of the Titans.
It is my hope that all who were or still are associated with the Living Church of God pray for God's people. These events will certainly be a shock to them and a trial of their faith. May God have mercy and guide direct and comfort them at this time.
Post a Comment