Playing Church: The Namby-Pamby Ineffectiveness of Today's COG Pastors. What happened?

There are not many articles in the PGR that I have nodded in agreement with. But while researching through the Pastor General Report of November 22, 1978, I find myself in complete agreement with C. Wayne Cole on an issue that was a horrible stain and stench in the Church - the Drill Sergeant approach of the pastors of the Church. 

C. Wayne Cole asked a very important question that I often wondered myself. He asked,in the context of one being a strong leader:

"Is it really necessary to be militant, abrupt, aloof, autocratic, authoritative or opinionated?" 

"Is it always necessary to convey by words or actions very clearly 'Who's in Charge'?" 

"Is it necessary to look on the negative side, search first for all the trouble, the problems because it is certain, in the person's mind, that they are indeed there. Why should anyone feel that such behavior is STRENGTH?"

I can remember as a young person in the Church of God hearing the driving power and authority of Herbert Armstrong during live satellite transmissions, in taped recordings, and even in person, that Herbert Armstrong scared the living crap out of children because of his intensity. What these pastors were doing was emulating the attitude, and the demeanor, and the delivery style of Herbert Armstrong. Many of them DID want to be "In charge" as a driving motivator of their pastorate - either then, or in 'the World Tomorrow'. Their efforts caused them to be viewed and seen as a drill sergeant to the adults - and as a VERY mean monster to the children - someone to be feared - the very embodiment of a child's nightmare in living color. 

This was bad enough, as noted in the first clip - that an Ambassador College Student literally had the piss scared right out of him in the middle of a student lecture. This was never unacceptable for that student - and the embarrassment caused - or for the thousands of children that had to be changed in services because of the exact same thing. 

C. Wayne Cole said:

"If I felt I had to rely on authority - "do you know whose in charge around here" inferences, firm, incisive, and rigid control - to be a manager than I would be an abject failure in my Biblical and Christian responsibility as given by Jesus Christ." 

This observation was spot-on. Unfortunately, such practices never took hold within the Church. In a few months, C. Wayne Cole would be disfellowshipped from the Church from the pulpit on direct order of Herbert Armstrong by Rod Meredith during the Receivership crisis. Such a direction would fall on deaf ears, as the dictatorial, oppressive, rageful way of actions and thought of Herbert Armstrong was strictly and strongly reinforced during the "Back on Track" period of intense correction and house-cleaning during the late 1970s and early 1980s of the Church, just prior to the death of HWA. 

How does this have to do with the way the Churches of God are today? I believe everything. If you reverse-engineer the way things are to the driving forces of how things got to be the way they are. And this drives a burning question:

When you look at the Churches of God - what do you see? Do you see "lords"? "Drivers"? "Taskmasters"? Do you see dictators and tyrants - who revel in their positions of "authority and power"? Even worse - do you see people who are trying to be such, but fail miserably at it to the point of abject and utter failure and abject embarrassment? I think we all do. But what is it now that is different? Why, for all of their displays of tyranny, dictatorship, tantrums, and authority - are their efforts so powerless? What has changed between 1978 and 2018? Why are all of these little mewing kitty-cats who are declawed and seem neutered so absolutely ineffective trying to be a roaring, testosterone-filled lion?

submitted by SHT