Many in UCG have always felt large discomfort with the blurring of the lines of UCG with LifeNets, the pet "ministry" of Vic Kubik. Many question the man running two organizations that are suppose to be separate, but are they really? LifeNets presents itself as a "humanitarian organization" to woo in the public while failing to disclose it is a Church of God related tool to encourage people to come over to the dark side. Is Kubik and UCG too embarrassed to to say UCG is behind it and that it is a recruitment tool for its "god", much like HWA started Ambassador Foundation because he was too embarrassed to say he represented the Worldwide Church of God? While it has undeniably done some good, its motives are questionable.
See more here: LifeNets
Those in Australia need to know (as do those in South Africa and most international locations) that their ‘church’ is not really an extension of the UCG in the USA — instead they are what Cincinnati calls the “LifeNets” churches –they are not funded by UCG any longer, have to be self-sufficient, and Kubik travels to them on LifeNets funds, not UCG money. This is why the moment the “airy” sermon is over, Kubik launches into a 45-minute LifeNets presentation to the congregation. Legally he has to do this because he is on LifeNets money which is being audited. The members are not in a Church, they are just laborers in a commercial LifeNets exercise, even thought they don’t know it. Council members who did not want Kubik as president (took the most re-balloting ever ) finally acquiesced over the information that it would save UCG money since Kubik was the only only one who could travel internationally on another budget (namely his private Corporation Sole LifeNets, which has made him the wealthiest Council member, and which he built in competition with the Good Works program, since that one wasn’t going to earn him anything personally).
And yes, we are all supposed to give up our various ‘cultural backgrounds’ to put on the culture of Christ, but this man Kubik still can’t disconnect himself from a Ukrainian village he has never really lived in, now bending the truth to accommodate a small Pentecostal and trinitarian group there that clearly for over 20 years has shown no interest in joining with UCG. But,like the populism of Brexit and Trump, it’s beginning to all blow up: we have what we call the “parking lot church” in our congregation — it’s about what is said when everyone goes to their cars so the minister can’t hear them, and it’s about 50% of the congregation now that meets this way — outside. The moment someone stands up with some integrity and calls UCG out on all of this, the following is in place and ready to move.
13 comments:
Comment was made that: "...this man Kubik still can’t disconnect himself from a Ukrainian village he has never really lived in, now bending the truth to accommodate a small Pentecostal and trinitarian group there that clearly for over 20 years has shown no interest in joining with UCG..."
Bending the truth? On Victor's 11 June 2016 Pentecost sermon, titled "A Spirit of Remembrance," Victor said that: "...The Father was not the Father of Jesus."
Comment was also made saying: "...Council members who did not want Kubik as president (took the most re-balloting ever ) finally acquiesced over the information that it would save UCG money since Kubik was the only only one who could travel internationally on another budget (namely his private Corporation Sole LifeNets, which has made him the wealthiest Council member, and which he built in competition with the Good Works program, since that one wasn’t going to earn him anything personally)..."
Well, didn't Jesus Christ comment about these 2 masters: "God or mammon?"
Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
"Follow the money!" someone said. Maybe there is something to that phrase after all!
But if Victor Kubik is allowed to follow "another spirit," through "another Jesus," in order to preach "another gospel," then why should anybody really care?
Time will tell...
John
All:
1. Math 25 is a big part of what we will answer for on Judgement Day..
( I was sick and you visited me..hungry and you fed me.!..!)
2. the COG has many times given short shrift to good works and focused on
Law much more...
3. Don't let the "company men" club you over the head with THEIR ideas
Re-Read I John again . . it's Love AND It's Law
HOWEVER
Knowing the sad history of the Church of God, too often there have been plenty of
"Ulterior" motives in the leadership
Brothers and Sisters, look to the Book for your Guidance
Parking lot church?? So, because of Gestapo ministers, members use their own version of the cone of silence. Ha ha ha ha. You can't make this stuff up. The ministers will look like dikc heads in history books.
First we had the "Lobby Church of God" or more affectionately known as the "Grumpy" Church of God (The Grumps) made up of whiny grumps who would congregate in the auditorium lobby after church complaining about the sermon/changes. These were some of the most miserable people you could ever be around. They now make up many of the people in the West Valley GCI that cling to all of Herb's teachings including still meeting on Saturday and keeping the feast.
If these grumpy people hate things so much why don't they just leave instead of making themselves miserable and all of those they come in touch with?
Thanks for bringing this up. Many of us in UCG, particularly here in Cincinnati, see this as a huge conflict of interest issue that the church refuses to acknowledge. Members are tired of being told to give money to Kubik's pet project. He needs to step down from UCG leadership and concentrate solely on his own money-making adventure instead of using the church as his cover.
When you have a bogus church movement founded on heresies mixed with extrabiblical theories, and "spiked" with false prophecies, it only follows that when that church breaks up, you are going to be left with bogus components. It is a shame, because it has left so many people desperate for just one shred of truth to which they could cling, and around which they could pattern their lives. And, yes, they would be miserable because HWA left them without a solution, and yes, they have to hold court in the lobby and out in the parking lot. That has to have left them feeling abandoned by the hirelings.
This is an example as to why false teachers are so damaging.
BB
I agree that "I was sick and you visited me...hungry and you fed me..." is something that has been given short shrift. I think if Herbology was dedicated to that, instead of the apocalyptical "why bother, unless of course it's good PR" approach to good works, far fewer of us would be so dead-set against Herb. So that being said, I don't want to rush to judgment on LifeNets.
However, if LifeNets is really just the Kubik Six-Figure Salary Trust Fund, and he only does enough for others to provide sufficient cover for it's true purpose, to do good works for it's founder, then Kubik wouldn't be any different from ol' Herb and his "church." Because I think many of us here know that Herb's "church" was just a front, in fact operating as Herb's personal piggy bank.
In my estimation, Kubik shouldn't be drawing a regular salary from LifeNets at all. If he is, then under no circumstances is he doing any good works but at best, he's just doing a job, like anyone else. After all, it doesn't say, "...for I was sick and you drew a six-figure income for visiting me, hungry and you drew a six-figure income for feeding me..."
All charities are notoriously inefficient. Perhaps 10 cents in the dollar getting to the stated recipients of a relief fund, is not uncommon. These charities having lavish grounds and buildings is also common, since the donors rarely monitor the charity, and donations from deceased estates can't be monitored at all.
It is my understanding that Victor Kubik draws no salary whatsoever from Lifenets. United has its own program called (I believe) Good Works.
For those interested in the facts, you can go to lifenets.org, click on "contacts/info" and navigate to the IRS Form 990 filings for the organization. You'll see that Beverly Kubik takes an annual salary of $4,800 from LIfeNets, Victor takes nothing, and annual travel expenses are about $17,000 per year. There is very little spent on overhead costs. My quick back-of-the-envelope calculation is that about 80% of annual expenses go to grants to groups and individuals.
I attended UCG when LifeNets began. It was also the beginning of my seeing the dishonesty of the leadership. Kubik was visiting various congregations to sell LifeNets to the membership. One Sabbath, instead of a sermon, we were given an infomercial for LifeNets. Promised time and time again that tithes would not be used and were actually not needed, it was just a few months later when the financial report was published and yes, tithes were used to fund LifeNets. If they believed it was so worthwhile and needed tithe money to get it started, just say so, I doubt many would have objected. I learned quickly that they don't like questions concerning their financial statements and doctrinal papers. It was an eye opener for me and I'm glad I left. It has gotten much worse since then!
In the interest of journalistic integrity, you ought to cite the source of this post. You have mentioned recently how he is prone to copying things from your blog without credit; for you to do the same would reflect poorly on you. Better to leave no room for him to accuse.
"Parking Lot Church", REALLY?? Why waste your time even attending a CORPORATE church is in the first place? Is this keeping the sabbath as God intended? I think NOT!! God HATES the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. Perhaps a review of Revelation chapter 2 would do you some good. If you can't trust the Ministry and or don't have the balls to stand up for the truth, you are wasting your time anyway.
Post a Comment