Happy 5th Birthday To One Of The Biggest Excuse Making COG's in 80 Some Years.

Today is the 5th birthday anniversary of the truest Church of God to exist in human history.  No other COG has ever been like this one.  No other COG has had to make as many excuses for its existence as this one. No other COG has had a leader that has suffered as much butthurt as this one. No other COG has so few American/Canadian/European members as this one. No other COG leader has ever been such a HUGE disappointment to Rod Meredith as this one. No other COG has been mocked as much as this one.

It is birthday time for the Continuing Church of God, the one true holy catholic church that God is only using in the 21st century.

Even on this joyous occasion, Not Arrested, but almost arrested Bob Thiel is letting his bitterness shine through yet again.  That ornery Living Church of God had to go and ignore his demands and then turned their backs on him, FORCING him to start a new church.

Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:

Greetings again from the Five Cities region of California.

Today, on the Roman calendar, marks the fifth anniversary of the official start of the ContinuingChurch of God as a separate entity.

Without going into all the details, suffice it to say that my prior Church of God organization made it clear on December 28, 2012 that it would not keep promises to correct errors, while then putting out more false information about me personally (see also Why Bob Thiel Left the Living Church of God). After concluding that their words and actions demonstrated further attempts towards reconciliation were futile, I informed that group I would not be part of them. Later that day, my wife, I, and some witnesses then notarized paperwork for the start of the Continuing Church of God.

Delicate Bob had a tummy ache and made sure to let his African followers how ill he was feeling, which I am sure was a major disappointment that the Apostle could actually get sick!

The sermon recommended for this Sabbath goes over some of what has been happening in the Continuing Church of God over the past five years. Perhaps I should mention that I got ill and was not feeling well when giving the sermon (and am not quite back to normal yet). It is not an excuse, but when mentioning areas with financial supporters, I forgot to mention that we get financial support from a couple of supporters in Australia and one from Trinidad & Tobago. Anyway, the sermon was still made, despite how I physically felt.

The great deluded one still believes his personality cult is the fastest growing COG ever to exist in the 21st century. No other human leader has been as successful in drawing in members as he has, even though most are money mooching Africans looking for a quick handout from another rich American "evangelist."

The Continuing Church of God started out actually smaller than what became the old Radio Church of God–but became much larger than it did after five years. The Continuing Church of God has averaged more than the 30% growth per year that Herbert Armstrong thought reflected God’s blessings. This has been unmatched by any Church of God group this century.

No other COG in human history has never compromised its church governance as has this one. Every single other COG has failed in church governance and are apostates. Only Elijah Thiel is the one true human.  Jesus Christ Thiel!

The self-appointed apostate apostle then makes the claim that his group is supported not only by some nightmares and double blessings but also by the entire Bible, Peter, Paul, John, Polycarp, good old Herbert and dismissive daddy Rod Meredith.  What a list of names to toss out in support for starting a COG!

We also have not compromised on church governance as other Church of God groups have (see also The Bible, Peter, Paul, John, Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, Roderick C. Meredith, and Bob Thiel on Church Government), taught the truth, and strove to have the priorities that Philadelphian Christians should have. The fruits of the work have confirmed this.

You can read the rest of the most astounding letter ever written to COG members here:

Letter to the Brethren: December 28, 2017

What if what Ron Weinland says does not come to pass?

Is it possible to have a true friendship with another in the Church of God?

Everyone longs for true friendship with another.  A close friend you can confide in with your deepest thoughts and concerns.  A friend who will stand by you and support you in the best of times and when struggling through the worst of times.

Those in the Church of God claim to have the truest friendships that the word can ever exemplify.  Friendships in the COG are deeply true because friends are united in a single core of belief.  The "truth" binds hearts to one another. But, does it really?

Friendships in the COG tend to be more "acquaintances" than ever being deep and loyal.  Acquaintances will slap you on the back and have a beer with you, but will in the next moment vilify you if you ever dare to question doctrine or the church.  Just look at what happened to the Scarborough family in Living Church of God.  They were publicly vilified, lied about and smeared with one accusation after another.  When church leadership lowers the boom, friends scatter like cockroaches when the kitchen light is turned on.

We have all heard the stories in various blogs, newsgroups, and websites on how when a person decides to leave the church because they have proven it wrong that their friends immediately turn their backs on them. They will see their friend at the store, or in the park, or walking down the sidewalk and the so-called friend will ignore them and look away.  Facebook is filled with numerous secret or hidden groups where hundreds, if not thousands of former church members share horror stories on how they were treated, with some of the vilest things coming from the ministry, who are supposed to know better.

Is it truly possible to have a Proverbs 17:17 friendship in the Church of God?

The Dynamics of Friendship:  

God has given us vital keys in the Bible to help us meet our most important needs as human beings—including how to cultivate friendships. The Scriptures reveal that if we want to have friends, we must learn how to be friendly and remember that true friends are supportive during difficult times (Proverbs 17:17; 18:24). A friend is someone we can confide in and share important thoughts and concerns with (John 15:15). Real friends may not always agree with us, and sometimes they will tell us things about ourselves and our plans and actions that we may need to hear, but might not want to hear (Proverbs 27:6, 17). The Bible also cautions that we should choose our friends carefully because we will be influenced by the company we keep (Proverbs 12:26). Abraham chose to be a friend of God by obeying His instructions to leave a former way of life (Genesis 12:1-4; James 2:23) instead of being a “friend” of this world and its ways (James 4:4). Jesus told His disciples, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (John 15:14). Let’s seek to be a “friend” of God by following His instructions, and a true friend to those who will not influence us in the wrong direction.

Have a profitable Sabbath,

Douglas S. Winnail

Gerald Weston: How Dare People Give Presents! They Should Give That Money To Us!

Gerald Weston dares to criticize Christians who keep Christmas claiming they all "give presents  to everyone except the One they think they are honoring." Well if that is not calling the kettle black I don't know what is!

Here is a church that ignores almost everything about Christ and yet dares to question others. Here is a church that worships the law more than the Christ they have forgotten.

Weston makes it clear where the money being spent on presents should be going...into LCG's pockets.

Is it not interesting that at this time of year, people will give​ presents to just about everyone except the One they​ think they are honoring? Christ is forgotten! We should not give to Christ for the purpose of​ celebrating Christmas, but neither should we neglect Him. Because many are deceived and still observe Christmas customs, their donations drop off at this time of year.

Dear Brethren and Co-workers, we still have a great Work to do. God​ is not calling everyone today (John 6:44; Matthew 13:10-17),​ and I often ask the question, “If God is not calling everyone, why is He calling anyone?”​ The clear answer is He has called us to do a Work! We must preach the good news of the Kingdom of God and warn our peoples of the consequence for rejecting God and His commandments. We must do what we can do, but in the end, it will be God doing it through us. As our predecessor Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong used to tell us, “We must work as though it all depended on us, but pray as though it all depends on God.” In the end, God will do through us far more than we can ever imagine, and He will reward us far more than we can imagine.

Thank you again for your faithfulness. May God truly bless you! Sincerely, in Christ’s service, Gerald E. Weston

P.S. Please remember that any contributions dated in December that are postmarked on​ or before 12/31/2017 will be counted as 2017 donations,​ and may be tax-deductible in 2017, even if we receive them in January 2018. So be sure​ any December donation is dated and postmarked no later than December 31. If you prefer to use our online donation system found at www.lcg.org/donations.shtml, the cutoff for 2017 donations will be 11:59 p.m., December 31.

Here is a Quick Way To Earn $10,000 By Proving The Sabbath Is A Weekly Command

We will give $10,000 dollars to anyone who can:

1. Give us a single Bible verse where the weekly Sabbath commandment is quoted in the New Testament. (Almost all the 10 commandments are listed in the New Testament, find the 4th commandment quoted in the New Testament.)
2. Give us a single Bible verse after the resurrection of Christ, that says Christians should keep the Sabbath day. (Heb 4:9 is not the weekly Sabbath, but the eternal Sabbath rest in heaven. Looking carefully at the text, you will see four rests in Hebrews 4: 1. Eternal rest in heaven. 2. The creation rest of God in Gen 2:2. 3. Canaan rest in the promised land for the Jews that Joshua gave: Deut. 12:9-10. 4. 7th day Sabbath rest. Hebrews 4 shows that the weekly Sabbath was merely one of three anti-types of our eternal Sabbath rest in heaven! It certainly cannot be a command to keep the weekly Sabbath!)
3. Give us a single Bible verse where exclusively Christians came together on the Sabbath day as a church or prayer meeting after the resurrection of Christ. (We have an example of a church meeting with exclusively Christians were in the audience who came together for the purpose of partaking of the Lord's supper and preaching on the first day of the week, Sunday, in Acts 20:7. Paul preaching to Jews on the Sabbath to convert them, is not an example of the church meeting on the Sabbath day, but is an example of Paul going into a Jewish worship service.) 
4. Give us a single Bible verse where the Hebrew word for the weekly Sabbath found in the ten commandments, is found in the book of Genesis. (Sabbatarian preachers always say that Adam and Abraham kept the Sabbath, yet offer no proof! Sabbatarians will find the common word for "rest" in Genesis, but never the special word for the weekly Sabbath!)

Collect your money here. Imagine how great your next Feast vacation will be with this!

Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is...

Delicate, But Not Bitter, COG Leader Continues His Crybaby Matinee Series

And the show continues!

A former follower of Not Almost-arrested and Not Bitter Bob Theil sent me Thiel's list of "proofs" he is a martyr because this blog, Ambassador Watch, The Painful Truth and other blogs and websites have been picking on him.

It is actually quit funny reading his list while realizing that REAL prophets, apostles, church leaders, etc., could care less what people thought about them, nor have they ever found the need to publish detailed lists defending themselves from vicious attacks by perceived persecutors.

Here is the detailed list of "profs" that Improperly Named But Actually True Almost-arrested Not Bitter Bob Thiel writes about himself:

1. I am not now, nor have I ever been, a chiropractor.
2. I did not attend, nor graduate from, the old Ambassador College.
3. As far as being repeatedly called 'almost arrested Thiel' by a critic online who seemingly wants to imply I was some type of criminal, it is true I faced possible arrest for keeping the Day of Atonement when I was still part of the US military. I was told by the military leaders that I had no legal ground to stand on, and I knew would be arrested after I failed to show up at on the Day of Atonement. However, after I prayed, got an answer to prayer, and gave that answer (cf. Luke 21:14-15; Nehemiah 2:1-6) the military backed down, and I was not arrested, but was able to properly keep the Day of Atonement that year (1979). I also left the military with an honorable discharge when my enlistment ended 6 months later (I was not part of the COG when I initially enlisted).
4. My Ph.D. degree is real and the Union Institute and University is not a diploma mill. (FWIW, former UCG, and now COGWA minister, Dr. Ralph Levy attended Union Institute & University when I did and that is also where he got his doctorate.)
5. My M.S. degree is real and I really did attend, and graduate from, the University of Southern California.
6. The fact that I have pursued other education beyond my M.S. and Ph.D. degrees should not be considered a negative as some of my critics imply. As I already had an accredited doctorate, an international school that would allow me to study aspects of church history was later chosen for cost, convenience, and the fact that I would not be forced to accept doctrines I disagreed with, but instead could rebut them was a logical choice, irrespective of what others may think of it. The fact that a foreign school I studied theology from changed its name (and some people online have tended to make a big deal about this), does not change the fact that I wrote a 589 page, single-spaced, doctoral dissertation with 1302 end-note references plus hundreds and hundreds of scriptures for my Th.D. which may or may not have 'accreditation.' The work done there and in my doctoral dissertation helped restore much that many have lost related to the true history of the Church of God. Information from that work is included in the booklet. Perhaps I should mention that when I was in the Living Church of God, after reviewing my degree, I was told I would be given the title of 'Adjunct Professor for Theology' at Living University--shortly before I left that church.
7. I have never knowingly posted incorrect information about anyone in any of my articles, etc. And I do correct factual errors that are properly brought to my attention. Those who claim I am a liar and do not fix factual errors are bearing false witness as I have always corrected factual errors and do so after such errors are learned.
8. Most of my articles are documented with references to news articles, books, and the Bible. Yet, for some reason, many critics seem to overlook the facts when they make a variety of odd (and sometimes false) statements about me and/or my writings.
9. The overall cost of production, distribution, and promotion of theological books that I have written exceeds the revenues and royalties that they generate, hence I have no overall net profit from the sale of theological books--so no, I am not making a living off of them.
10. I have made no false prophecies about Karl-Theodor Guttenberg nor anyone else. Actually, seven-nine of my speculative predictions about Baron Guttenberg have been confirmed (Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North?) and world events have confirmed at least thirty-three predictions in my book about 2012 (see End of Mayan Calendar 2012--Might 2012 Mean Something?).
11. I have never personally claimed to be an apostle.
12. In order to try to separate aspects of my life from my COGwriter site, as well as to minimize certain potential criticisms, I do not list every possible piece of information about myself, my education, or my job. I suspect that if I did, I would also receive additional false criticism that I do COGwriter/CCOG to make money for a business I own, etc. I believe that there is enough factual information here and at COGwriter.com and CCOG.org that those interested in the truth should be able to recognize it.
13. I took no salary from the Living Church of God despite the articles and work I did for it for over a decade (and turned down two offers from its then presiding evangelist to pay me). I am not, no ever have been, a 'hireling' like some liars have posted. A 'hireling' is a minister who is in the ministry for a paycheck, and I have never taken a paycheck from the Global, Living, or Continuing Church of God.
14. I still take no salary from the Continuing Church of God nor does my wife. Nor was the Continuing Church of God began as some type of personal revenue generator like several have falsely indicated on the internet.
15. I am not a religious 'profit.' Critics who falsely call me a 'profit' to imply that I run CCOG and/or am working on the final phase of the work as some type of a personal fund raiser are extremely wrong. Doing the work I have done associated with COGwriter/LCG/CCOG these past two decades has cost my business and family more money than they would believe. This fact alone should get any who see this false accusation to realize that I am serious about doing the work that I believe God wants done.
16. Despite insults and other names, I am not bitter, but am disappointed that certain COG leaders I worked with for years broke their words and espouse improper doctrines. It seems mainly to be bitter people who falsely ascribe that 'bitter' word to me. And yes, I do regularly, "pray for those who spitefully use ... and persecute" (Matthew 5:44) me.
17. Although mainly because of lighting, the late Herbert W. Armstrong did wear makeup when being filmed, I do not. Nor have I ever had a spray-on tan like some critics have alleged online. The fact that I have worked in the hot sun doing church videos/research in some parts of the world, and have gotten tanned sometimes through the process, is not a negative.
18. As a Church of God leader I have never 'destroyed peoples lives' nor attempted to profit from their tithes & offerings as some who libel/slander me on the internet have asserted without proof. I have repeatedly worked to keep marriages and families intact.
19. Hands were laid upon me as I was privately anointed with oil and prayed over to receive a 'double-portion of God's Spirit' on December 15, 2011. Since King David ended up getting anointed in private and in public, I, too, was also publicly anointed--that was on February 9, 2017 by Evangelist Evans Ochieng (formerly of GCG) and Overseer/Pastor Samuel Ofosu Gyeabour (formerly of CG7). I am not a self-anointed nor false prophet, but do meet the New Testament criteria (see also How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God). Sadly, most people have their own prejudices and will not believe what the Bible teaches on that subject (see, for example, Bob Thiel addresses some false statements from ‘accusers of the brethren’). The Apostle Paul warned to not to "despise prophecies" (1 Thessalonians 5:20) and explained that there would be prophets in the church (Ephesians 4:11), yet people do not accept the criteria he was inspired to lay out (e.g. 1 Corinthians 14:29-32).
20. Despite the FACT that God says He speaks to prophets through dreams per Numbers 12:6, some scoff and make fun of how God has said He reveals Himself to prophets. I did have two dreams that were confirmed, and others had dreams related to the CCOG that were also confirmed (see Dreams, the Bible, the Radio Church of God, and the Continuing Church of God).

Not almost-arrested, but really almost arrested,  but not bitter Bob also writes:

Notice something that Jesus said:

11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)

And many have reviled me and said all kinds of evil against me falsely (to see some false accusations and responses, check out the article Banned by HWA and Ambassador Watch.).

In 2009 I Removed The Curse On Women That Has Existed Since The Beginning

Ron Weinland says:

So when you read (I think it's Act 10) when finally Peter had this vision that he had of this cloth descending three different times with everything that was unclean and so forth and there are those in the world that try to say, "Well, see, God was showing him that everything is clean to eat." You think, "You moron! Just read a little bit farther. It doesn't say that at all. It tells you exactly what it was all about.” But they don't want to read farther. They don't want to read the rest. It was about the gentiles – incredible – not about clean and unclean foods. 

They already have an attitude. You know, sometimes people just have an attitude about what they believe and what they think and certain things they don't agree with anyway and so they use something like that as an "opportunity," if you want to call it that, for them to twist and distort something into something that isn't there. Going on: 

These few simply did not agree and chose to believe instead that “their” God would not require such a thing, and thereby concluded that this must not be of God. 

All I can do is shake my head at that through time. So quickly they forgot how they learned the truth in the first place, through whom they learned it, different ones who had battles here within the Church. Going on: 

This is also like some in the Church after 2009 who rejected the truth of God’s removal of the “curse” from women that has existed since the beginning, or not believing that a woman should ever be ordained into the ministry.

That tried and tested people. It was progressive revelation that God was giving, and had no intention of revealing this or giving any indication of this until the very end of an age before His Son was going to return. Incredible to understand the timing that God chose to reveal certain things as He has. So it puts people to the test. It reveals attitudes. It reveals thinking that's hidden deep down inside of us sometimes. God uses trials and tests to bring things to the surface, like the gold or the silver that's heated up and the dross rises to the surface. It does in our minds so often when God reveals something, and it will reveal things that aren't in agreement with God. That's the dross. That's what has to be removed because it's not in agreement with God! 

The COG minister who touched many lives

It is interesting to see the various news articles and comments by the public in regard to Ian Boyne's untimely death.   Ian touched far more lives that just the COGI culture.  The Jamaican public and other leaders of faith have had many words of praise for Ian's willingness to talk across the many divides in Christianity and society in general. Two things that you will not see in any other Church of God leader, especially the self-appointed ones.

Oh Noes!!!!!!!! God has sent fires to punish California

It was only a matter of time before the self-anointed One made a declaration about God being really pissed at the citizens of California, so much so he sent the fires that have destroyed homes and claimed lives. After all, God is a pyromaniac that takes great pleasure in seeing people suffer.  That is the God of Armstrongism and he likes that kind of stuff.

God has never had a human instrument on earth in 6,000 years who is as knowledgeable on how God speaks and acts as our own illustrious Almost-arrested, self-ordained, doubly-cursed, Elijah, Elisha, Amos, Joshua, Habbakuk, bitter Bob Theil, the marked and disfellowshipped and highly disappointing "son" of Roderick C Meredith.

Elijah Thiel writes:

Fires and the Wrath of God 

Fires have hit many places, Significant wildfires have hit California. Shortly after the start of the Thomas Fire, California Governor Jerry Brown warned that US President did not have “the fear of the wrath of God.” Does God use fire to encourage people to change? What are some of the scriptures associated with fire in the Bible? What is sin? What are some of the scriptures associated with the wrath of God in the New Testament? Is Governor Brown being hypocritical here? What happened to Sodom and Gomorrah? Is this relevant now? What did Jesus teach about the time of Sodom and the coming time of troubles? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more.

You too can watch this astounding God-breathed message from the anointed One here: