Apparently, we are supposed to believe that Aaron Dean was to have been the true successor to the HWA's throne.
How can we honestly take Dean's word for it considering how he worked behind the scenes to help undermine the church in order to deceive members into leaving and then to join the United Church of God?
Has the church ever had an ethical man in a top leadership position who has ever told the truth?
Now upon HWA's death in 1986, we find that Satan seized control of the corporation housed in California, using men who had crept in unawares into the ministry. The Bible warns of this.
Now this psuedo ministry published a story that Tkach was chosen and picked by HWA. This is not true!
According to Aaron Dean, Tkach became Pastor General by default! All of the men on the advisory council of elders had been put into the role of "deputy pastor general" for an evaluation period. Mr. Armstrong was examining each man, and letting God show him who HE wanted to succeed him. Like the prophet Samuel evaluating the sons of Jesse, he went one by one through the men gathered together.
God showed HWA how each man was not His pick. Now Aaron Dean was the man evaluated before Tkach Sr. He said HWA wanted HIM! Now if HWA was casting lots, as done through Samuel the prophet, looking for God's pick, why would he want Aaron Dean unless Aaron Dean was God's pick?
Now Aaron Dean claimed he "talked Mr. Armstrong out of making him pastor general".
Now during Mr. Dean's evaluation period, HWA had a stroke that was kept private. This is from Aaron Dean himself. But HWA recovered.Now after Mr. Dean, HWA put Tkach Sr into the evaluation period! Therefore he was put into the role of deputy pastor general, which upon the death of the Pastor General, HWA, the deputy pastor general (Tkach)would by DEFAULT become Pastor General.
Now according to Mr. Dean, HWA commissioned him to ASSIST the next leader of the Church.
Now according to legal corporation papers, the advisory Council of Elders held legal power over the WORK (the California corporations) until 1991. In 1991 they signed full power over to Tkach sr. According to state records, and confirmed by Aaron Dean's testimony.
In 1991, Rod Meridith and the ministers loyal to him (men of the Advisory Council of Elders) left and were fired from the WCG corporation.
The created another corporation, to pay themselves a paycheck, and to lead a separate work.
They started Global Church of God INC. That splintered into other groups including the LCG and RCG. Raymond McNair had incorporated a separate organization as well, but he shut it down, repented, saying that he was sinning against God by incorporating a new organization. He died shortly after, and i fully believe with his crown secured!Now other men from the ministry which was joined to Tkach, later rebelled and started a separate organization as well, and this was done to preserve payments to the ministry. This was admitted. The men who started UCG, waited until they received a bigger retirement check to fund their new UCG corporation, so they could pay their ministry.
These ministers FIRST ensured their financial secuirty by creating a separate corporation! Then they drew members of the WCG congregations, into other congregations which supported a new organization.
What happened to the WCG. Samuel Kitchen
23 comments:
Aaron Dean's book is the one which has yet to be written about the WCG changes - and it should be the most revealing. (He's written several articles, I suppose, but not a complete book to my knowledge.)
He was the John Bolton of his time in the WCG: the other man in the room. He knows what Herbert Armstrong said and did in 1984-86 better than anyone. And considering how things turned out for him - with no top leadership position in WCG or UCG, besides being on the Council of Elders - I don't think he'll have any axes to grind.
Dean has claimed several points over the years:
- HWA told several members of the Elders that both GTA and RCM were never to be the PG.
- HWA worried too much about who the Council would pick as the new PG and decided to select the next PG himself.
- HWA changed his mind several times about who that would be.
- At one point HWA suggested Dean himself. (IIRC, Dean says that he protested that he didnt want it.)
- Once Tkach was selected, HWA met with the Elders to show them that Tkach had his approval.
- HWA died (probably one of the few points anyone can confirm to be true).
Herbert Armstrong double crossed himself. For several years he had proclaimed that after his death, that God would make apparent to the Advisory Council of Elders , who would be the one to lead the Church. At the very end of his life, he contradicted his previous position and inserted himself into the equation.
However, Armstrong could not resist trying to control the WCG from beyond the grave, and ended up appointing the very one who ended up destroying it.
A wise stewart of the WCG would have decentralized and empowered people many years or even decades before, and would have become more of an "elder statesman". This was the crux of many issues in the 1970s, and HWA (and his sycophants) were not wiling to transition, for many reasons. GTA saw the future, and wanted to codify the churches doctrines, with the STP, and to open up the Church to be more user friendly and progressive. He also planned to transition HWA , (who now was in his mid 80s) to a more appropriate "Chairman Emeritus" role.
HWAs power and ego needs were not going to allow for it. The idea of the WCG Kingdom , without him at the center of it was not going to happen while he was alive.
Not stated here as an endorsement of the "satyr on steroids" GTA, but the WCG story would have had a far different eventuality for sure.
Interestingly, Aaron Dean has not been seen as "called" or elected by the UCG elders to be either President or Chairman of the organization, in spite of his public statements that he was the supposed intended heir of the WCG.
Let me preface my remarks by first stating that I know that there are some readers/bloggers with deficient thinking processes who will try to insinuate that because of the compassion with which Dennis and I viewed Sam's previously quoted remarks, we are now responsible for everything the man says. That is not so.
How old was Aaron Dean when HWA died, and what was his rank in the church, if any? I'm thinking he might have been 35? Why would we be just now learning of what amounts to yet another conspiracy theory all of these decades after the fact? Why are we hearing it from Sam rather than from Aaron? Obviously HWA's Rod Meredith cat fur letter is a matter of documented history, since it has been reproduced on various sites and common knowledge for about 15 years that I know of. So, we can know that RCM was not intended as HWA's successor. Meredith would have had a vested interest in remaining silent had there indeed been a trial period and failure marks for all of the original evangelists. Surely, a secret such as this alleged test would have been too big to keep. Tkach himself might have actually cited it, had it ever happened, but he never did.
If HWA had simply been a tool in God's hands, as some believe and profess, and if the WCG were God's Church, then ultimately, an all powerful God was responsible for Joseph W. Tkach Sr. and Jr. and the condition of that church today. Why would God do that, if indeed it was God who was guiding HWA in his critical end of life decisions? People have been asking this from day 1, and there have been numerous theories. Logically, either WCG was not God's Church in the first place, or God intended Joseph Tkach Sr. to be HWA's successor, and intended his leadership to be a course correction, with all the changes. Considering the mission statement, commission of the church, and the important work that was alleged to be necessary, God would not have made or allowed a mistake that has put the church in the position in which it finds itself today. This was another grand failure event, not at all unlike the disappointment of 1975, and as with 1975, the failure remains uncorrected. The stalwarts can do nothing but attempt to explain both away. There has been no plan B runaway, hyper-blessed splinter or other group to assume the mantle. This is like the Jews still waiting for their Messiah!
BB
With all the info available about HWA, I really wonder if he believed in an afterlife.
If he was an atheist, then why would he care what happened after he died?
Would a person who truly believed in the Bible do the things he is reported to have done?
This why for a long time I believed all these reports were lies - they are incompatible with a man of God.
Not sure of the size or scope of it because its not something I would pay rapt attention to, but Dean has been giving his reminisces from UCG pulpits foe years, I believe. He also told the same stories to Lil Stevie Flurry for his book. I think he was also interviewed by In Transition at one point.
Earliest point I can recall of the "Dean as Pastor General" story is waaaay back in maybe 1997, when Bruce Renehan put out his essay on the WCG.
OK RSK, I stand corrected. The Dean boys were probably 4-5 years younger than I, and they were Imperial students when I was at AC. I had spoken with their Dad, Jim, offering to buy his BSA Lightening Rocket motorcycle that had been setting disassembled for several years, but he had plans to reassemble it and didn't want to take a loss selling it as a basket case. And, I respected that. It's what I would have done.
Any successor to HWA would of necessity have had a bigger than life personality similar to HWA's. Once GTA blew it, that ship had sailed, because HWA had domineered over all of his subservients to the extent that they were not allowed to develop or experience such a personality. I mean, where would that have suddenly come from? (The members would have thought that God would pour it out, because HWA had convinced them that that's the way he got his.) In the years I listened to his sermons, and spoke with him on several occasions, Joe Tkach did not have that sort of personality. And, the Joe Jr. whom I once knew was a worse juvenile delinquent than I. In fact, I actually worried about him! Shit, I had an outright race with him through the mountain passes one year on the way to Squaw Valley, me in my Torino, and him in his Dad's Chrysler, both of which had "Mafia Staff Car" bumper stickers.
So, it is very difficult to envision Aaron Dean making any sort of difference. If that were in the cards,, he would have ascended to lead UCG, and UCG would have risen to that breakaway, super-blessed stature amongst the ACOGs. My parents had initially remained in the WCG and participated in the new doctrines, but went back to the originals perhaps a year later when UCG began.
Seems obvious, considering all that has happened, that rather than bragging and ordaining themselves as apostles and prophets, these ACOG groups should have been crying out "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" Because if He had ever been with them in the first place, that's exactly what had happened!
BB
I think it is more than logical that Dean had been considered by HWA. Dean had both served "the Foundation" and HWA at huge personal cost. Although the gain was a "pseudo father." Moreover he had not been part of the usual POLITICS at HQ (simply because of absence) .........which probably never made him a possible choice UNTIL this day.
I do not for a moment believe the bylaws had changed to divert power to the Council (perhaps the last week or so).
It is true that the "telecaster" were warming up to replace hwa on tv (about 5 or 6 of them were practicing 3 were ultimately chosen.
The only facts are that Stanley Rader in 1980 wrote in the Ministerial Bulletin that he did not believe HWA would have a successor.
We also know that Stanley Rader was a payed consultant to the Church until 2001 for a sum of at least 200.000 dollars per year.
We also know that little Joey presided over his funeral.
We also know that Rader "owned" the Foundation and had power make or break the church because of his inside knowledge and intelligence.
We also know that he decided to not do that.
We know Rader and Tkach were linked during the receivership period.
We know it would be appropriate that the head of ministerial services would in theory be the best prepared to take over leadership and Tkach had served in that capacity for several years during the "back on the track period."
I am willing to accept that a HWA confronted with his own mortality did indeed direct Tkach senior....... "to prepare the bride as the math Comission to preach to world leaders had been fulfilled." I could accept that as a rational last command by HWA.
The moment the attention would be taken off prophecy and toward "the bride" the window to have the protestant Jesus enter would have been opened.
Given the absolute power handed to a mediocre person and hwa.s last command the church took its natural course until 1994 when even more foolish persons then Tkach Sr decided to change the reason of existence of WCG in its niche. This finalized the deal.
I personally believe that wcg mission ended at the end of the cold war and was decommissioned. However for those believing it was a church I provided the facts as can be understood from that point of view.
One more fact. It turned out that Tkach sr allowed lies to be printed and preached about himself and his career from the moment he was in power. I do not believe the Council had had any power to change that. Show me the changed bylaws that gave absolute power to the PG? Not the changes that were made....in case hwa would be incapacitated....... HWA was never incapacitated enough to not personally sign of the church to a man who was (probably) comissioned to "prepare the bride as preaching to kings was fulfilled." Logical............ for a consultant like Rader................
Nck
Woops.......I meant show me "the bylaws that diverted power from the PG".
I believe the person commenting is not skilled in law an know when such bylaws would take effect and when they would cease to have effect.
Since 1969 the PG wielded absolute unchecked power. The only persons whose power was checked was HWA because of what Rader possibly might have known.
Although it is disputed IF he knew anything truly damaging. It doesn't seem so since HWA only spoke against "power coveting men" that is the one debilitating sin he was focused on. And Dean did not seek power.
Nck
People are trying to explain the breakup of the church on HWAs death in terms of personality or who did or said what. While this is interesting soap opera material, I don't believe this offers a true explanation. The church was Pharisaic. I know this from my many years of church attendance. When a house built on sand collapses, it's the immoral forces within that destroys it.
In the OT, cities and towns were repeated turned to rubble when they forsook God. The same happened to HWAs church.
Never a truer word said Anon 11:15.
Still could be false. After all, if Tkachs claim to deathbed conversations with HWA is suspicious, no reason not to at least have some of the same suspicions towards Dean.
I have suspicions regarding any and all of the explanations I've ever heard over the years, although it is interesting to speculate. To me, the best explanation came from the words of Gamaliel, written over 2,000 years ago, recorded in Acts 5:34-40. HWA and his WCG were not what he claimed, had no real insights into prophecy, and could not provide members with any sort of enlightenment or transformation. It was always an organization "of men" and came to naught.
BB
Sounds like Dr. Keith Slough from Christian Fellowship Ministries, is correct by saying the wcg was preaching the wrong Gospel and was cursed because of that.
Since we are sharing rumors, I'll share that it was rumored (I believe by Aaron in a sermon but I don't remember for sure) that HWA picked Tkach because he wasn't skilled in theology and therefore wouldn't change WCG's theology.
If this is true, HWA got it backwards because Tkach's ignorance of theology meant that he was easily led to other theological pastures by his son and Mike Feazell.
Never mind the past of thirty years ago. Aaron Dean should be doing something about all the UCG elite who blog on here under whacko names, telling all sorts of lies. They think their unstopable.
Neglect of duty must be going on because their never off this site.
The past is the past,no one can change that, but what about the future.
Keith, your 10:18 AM post implies that the Roman Catholic Church must be preaching the right gospel, as they are the most blessed and least cursed of all the groups that call themselves Christian. If this is the level of intellectual rigor that we can expect from Christian Fellowship Ministries, it is no better than Bitter Bwana Bob's storefront church operation. Maybe we need to give you your own nickname?
Lowbrow Slough?
Sheep-Stealer Slough?
Reverend Doctor Pastor General Chancellor Mr. Keith Slough?
Keith the Klown?
Yes, that was Dean as well. Supposedly HWA thought that would mean Tkach would be frequently checking with the Advisory Council on doctrinal stuff and they would keep him straight.
Anon, February 9, 2020 at 10:48 AM, said:
"...Since we are sharing rumors, I'll share that it was rumored (I believe by Aaron in a sermon but I don't remember for sure) that HWA picked Tkach because he wasn't skilled in theology and therefore wouldn't change WCG's theology.
If this is true, HWA got it backwards because Tkach's ignorance of theology meant that he was easily led to other theological pastures by his son and Mike Feazell…"
Anon, your comments reminded me of similar thoughts about Joe Tkach senior spoken by a Pastor about November 1997 and following is a partial transcript of the sermon given:
******
"...So, what about Joe Tkach, Senior? How do you all feel about him?
Now we're coming to a rough subject, because the majority of the Church, that all left, hates, Mr. Tkach and despises him, and blames him for all the evil. Do you know that when Mr. Armstrong was coming to the end of his life, there was only a few men that he could pick. And we knew about a year in advance, because of our close ties, that he was choosing Mr. Tkach.
But did you know that Mr. Armstrong said, “I don't want to choose Mr. Tkach. I don't think he's the right man for the job. I don't think he's going to carry on the way we have been carrying on.”
Did you know this, Brethren?
But Mr. Armstrong said, “I have to choose him. He's the only one God is making me choose. He's not bringing forth anyone else. He wants me to choose him, and I wouldn't choose him.”
And all of us who knew this, we're going, “Don't choose Joe. Don't you know we love him? You know, I'm known him for all these years, but he's not the right man for the job. He's not going to carry on the way Mr. Armstrong was carrying on. If the work was supposed to carry on, Mr. Tkach, Senior was not the one to choose. And Mr. Armstrong knew it.
But yet, God inspired him to choose him. He told Mr. Tkach, “Close the college's; sell the jet. Start to pare this thing down, and prepare the people to leave.”
Because he knew he was not going to carry on. He knew that wasn't going to be part of Joe's or Mr. Tkach’s thing. I call him Joe, ‘cause I know him and loved him for so many years. But I don't want to show any disrespect for him.
And Mr. Tkach was chosen. He came in, and as we can see through history, the Laodicean era began. We didn't know the Laodicean era should begin, but it did...Now that seventh angel or that seventh spirit. It moved Mr. Tkach to be blind, to be naked, and all the other things it says about the Laodicean era. He caused it. He caused him to be that way. Why? To fulfill God's Plan? No Laodicean church? I'm sorry, Christ isn't returning. No Laodicean church and the scattering of the brethren. Christ can't return. You're going to end up in the grave forever.
Mr. Tkach did not “ruin” the Work. Mr. Tkach carried on the work the way God wanted it to be carried on..."
******
And we still haven't seen the end of the matter, but time will tell...
John
Do you know who gave the sermon, John?
Samuel,
Yes, I do; however, he is now deceased.
FWIIW, one other comment made about those who left and faith of the former WCG ministry and the $paycheck$ was this:
******
"...You know, and when all of this was taking place, when all the dismantling of this church was taking place out in Pasadena, where were all the little helpers? Where were all Mr. Armstrong's little ordained helpers? What were they doing?
You know, what's interesting: every one of them could have come to Mr. Tkach and said, “Mr. Tkach, I don't agree with what is being preached. But I believe this is God's Church, and I've been in it for many years. So, I'm going to have to step back from preaching. And if I can still help in the ministry that way, fine. If not, then I'll have to resign from the ministry. But I want to stay in Church because I want to serve God. But I can't go along with this.”
We didn't see too much of that, did we? Boy, that paycheck starts to loom high, doesn't it? What about all the times, Brethren, when those same men told you, “Well, you have to have faith! One has faith!”
“Oh, you're going to lose your job because of, you can't work on Friday night. Well, have faith brethren! Go ahead and lose a job. God will provide. God’ll watch over you.”
But suddenly, it was all of the minister’s turns. And look: they didn't come out too good, did they? They didn't come out too good.
They had to go out there and form their own thing so they could get their paycheck again. Not under the instruction of God, but of their own. We’ll get to that.
Well, let's see: what happened to all these little helpers here? Let's see what hap – we can read about them right in the Bible. You know, God wrote this 2000 years before it happened.
Let's turn over to John 10. Oh, they don't like to hear this. But yes, this is what it is..."
******
How are all of the "little helpers" doing so far? Time is telling...
John
John,
What is the ministers name?
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