The Value of Counsel: One of the common pitfalls in life is trusting in our own judgment when we only see part of the picture. When we make decisions or take actions based on how we see a situation, the results can be costly to ourselves and to others. This is why Solomon wrote in Proverbs 3:5, “lean not on your own understanding,” and in Proverbs 3:7, “Do not be wise in your own eyes,” and again, in Proverbs 28:26, “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool.” Solomon also warned in Proverbs 14:12, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” These multiple warnings in Proverbs were recorded to alert us to a dangerous human tendency. To help us avoid making serious mistakes in life, Solomon advised in Proverbs 11:14, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety,” and again in Proverbs 15:22, “Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established.” This is one of the reasons we have a Council of Elders in the Church of God. As individuals, we can obtain wise and valuable advice by prayerfully studying the book of Proverbs and by seeking counsel from parents, the ministry, and from more experienced friends and associates who can be objective and help us see a bigger picture that we perceive on our own.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
25 comments:
Shades of 1984 for the dumb sheeple.
Isn't it strange that Doug Winnail holds to his own counsel as much as possible, instead of submitting fully to Gerald Weston's counsel? If Winnail believed what he wrote, he wouldn't have spent a decade pulling against Rod Meredith's counsel and trying to get as much freedom as possible to go his own way in leading LCG's ministry.
I had unsolicited advice from one of “the council of elders” in LCG. He firmly “advised” me to pivot in my industry to a less profitable part of it. That part of the industry was going to disappear in a couple months anyway due to subsidies being removed due to politics. Which any idiot would know if they where involved in my industry. The man is also confident God speaks through him whenever he gives the same boring sermon every week. An all powerful God wouldn’t be so boringly repetitive.
Ex 23:2 (NLT), “You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice."
Council of Elders . . . Really? Wise counsel? Did HWA get wise counsel from his board(s)? Yes men, all. None of them wanted to give up their homes on Waverly, their offices on the fourth floor and no one wanted to be exiled to Bricket Wood. Wise counsel? Why not bring in some well trained theologians for some real objective advise? Oh, I forgot, they are all deceived by Satan. Never mind.
The title doesn't accurately reflect the text. The text advises people to seek wise counsel from parents, ministry, and well-experienced friends and associates.
Oh, how we love to quote PARTS of scripture!
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD (not your church council) with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes, Fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
Proverbs 28:5 Evil men do not understand justice, But those who seek the LORD understand all things.
Proverbs 28:16 A leader who is an oppressor lacks understanding But he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.
From Proverbs 28 An arrogant man stirs up strife, But he who looks to the LORD shall prosper.
He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but he who walks wisely will be deliverd. He who gives to the poor will never wand, but he who shuts his eyes will have many curses.
THESE SCRIPTURES ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK TO THE LORD FOR COUNCIL... NOT TO MEN!!!!
This is sound wisdom for many areas of our life. Not just church related stuff.
Anyone know if the LCG still holds to HW Armstrong's Anglo-Israel theory?
I've heard their main competitor, the UCG, have quietly dropped the controversial teaching.
The profitable Douglas S. Winnail wrote: "...Proverbs 15:22, “Without counsel, plans go awry, but in the multitude of counselors they are established.” This is one of the reasons we have a Council of Elders in the Church of God..."
******
Well, when the United Ass. was established a multitude of counselors was put together to form a Council. Why? The leaders had no faith that God any longer had the power to work through one man...like Herbert W. Armstrong, or a Joe Tkach senior.
That made no sense. They didn't want any one man calling the shots, even if some God were guiding him.
So, what good is a Council of Elders, whether it be from the United Ass. or from the "Living" group? After all, if God could no longer guide through one man, what was it that inspired these Ass/Group hirelings to have enough faith to work and guide some 10 or 12 men?
Is the Living group (Pick any of the breakaway organizations of men that departed from the WCG) today any better off, really, than when one man led them as was done in the WCG?
It is no wonder that Doug Winnail only hung around with the newly established United Aaa, but to leave United and go to ...well, it was called Global, then, but later imploded with the establishment of another faction called Living? Was that move a step-up or a step-down from the guidance provided by that one-man servant, HWA?
Time will tell...
John
In the NT church, weren't the churches led by a plurality of elders, not a single leader? HWA would cite the OT saying that God always worked through one person (Moses, Joshua, etc.). Always referring to an example that supports his argument. Ignoring instructions given to the church when convenient. Mixing Old with the New. RCC does the same. Justifying what they do by looking to the OT priesthood. HWA used the Bible like a drunk uses a lamp post. For support, rather than for illumination.
There are times when trusting your own judgement is best, in spite of what others are telling you.
Anonymous of August 12, 2020 at 4:25 PM beat me to the line of thought I always use after reading something Winnail wrote - which is: You always have to fact check and scripture check everything Winnail writes. He butchered these verses to mislead people to the conclusion that they need to counsel of the LCG in their lives.
Just remember how the LCG's wisdom was able to keep Living University afloat and guide their efforts preach their gospel to the world. If you examine the facts, the LCG gospel has not made it far, despite all the money wasted on their failed attempts. All groups of people will have their interpersonal troubles but, LCG's Council of Elders is far more dysfunctional and problematic than most church
Winnail should have referred to this verse when speaking of the LCG 's wise counsel:
Matthew 12:34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.
August 12, 2020 at 6:46 PM - that was funny! "HWA used the Bible like a drunk uses a lamp post. For support, rather than for illumination."
Winnail does the same!
Anon August 12, 2020 at 5:56 PM
Based on their weekly news in prophecy, it looks like it is still part of their core beliefs.
The misapplication and part quoting of scriptures is pure murder. It's purpose is to cripple members minds so that they can be lorded over by their minister. All for the "common good" of course. Satan doesn't have a monopoly on murder.
Living independently means making choices. So yes, this means "leaning on our understanding." It means "being wise in our own eyes" if one has the understanding and knowledge relevant to the problem. It does mean "trusting" the decision one has made. It does mean "doing what seems right to a man" for the given situation.
True, sometimes one can seek counsel, but in the church "counsel" from a minister only has the veneer of counsel. Ministers use the occasion to define a lording relationship. All sanctioned by the church culture. As Dennis once posted on this blog, going to a minister is the worst thing one can do. That was certainly my experience while attending church.
Murder against the mind saturates churchianity.
I would like to partake of the wise counsel of Doug.
Hoping he could help me select the correct hair color and comb-over technique.
Doug would know what would be approved by HWA and RCM.
I'd like to follow Doug, just like he has followed the heads of the church.
Ronald Reagan quote that is universally true in all governments , even church:
"The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help. "
More bullshit from Doug Winnail!
100% still breach BI
You'd have to first be wise to effectively offer "wise counsel"
If a member went to the LCG Council of Elders for wisdom and advice - they could never be sure if they were being told the truth. According to Walrus Smith's sermonette on August 7, the LCG officially supports lying if it is in support of government. Everyone knows that the LCG leadership believes they are God's government on earth; therefore, they feel free to lie liberally. In fact, LCG Council of Elders is more widely known for their lying than their wisdom.
Doug Winnail's hairstyle is vanity. Until he starts grooming his hair the way God has let it grow (and not grow), he has no business teaching others about seeking wise counsel.
LCG.org posted a sermon by Mr. Winnail, titled Remember God's Restored Truths. Around the 13:06 minute mark, Mr. Winnail was talking about HWA and said: "He got some details wrong but he got the big picture right."
I would like the wise counsel of Mr. Winnail and the Council of Elders to tell this church how much getting of details wrong while preaching the Gospel is acceptable by God's standards. I would also like them to delineate which of HWA's teachings and predictions were wrong and right. I want to make sure that this church knows what the errors are and are not continuing them.
Winnail really has significant difficulties navigating scriptures. How did he get to be a leading minister in God's church?
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