LCG Takes a Big Hit When Over 500 (?) LCG Members Defect To Sheldon Monson and Church of God Assembly

 

This is sure to make Gerald Weston happy! His pathetic actions backfired upon him greatly. Estimates of 500+ people have defected from the Living Church of God. This is a pretty significant amount of people and money if you estimate 10% in tithes leaving LCG for Sheldon.

News Delivery: I can't confirm or deny anything, but what I heard from Sheldon Munson on his private live stream today was interesting. From what I heard, it sounds like he took at least, at the bare minimum, 200 or so LCG members. He said several hundred have already signed up for his prospective Feast site in the USA. He also made note of several large groups he already has. He also mentioned people in Kenya watching his live stream. He referred to them as brethren so I'm guessing he now has supporters in Kenya. He said he appreciates them working with his particular group down the road. They probably broke away from LCG too I'm assuming. I know he visited Kenya around 2012 or 13 I believe. So the people who are supporting him more than likely know him personally. So if I were to take an educated guess I think Sheldon and his group he formed took away somewhere around the ballpark of 500 members. More than likely from LCG. What sad days for Charlotte as the truth comes to light.

UCG: An online petition has been started to ask UCG to "withdraw" its mask requirement at Feast sites where local ordinances don't require them

 

It's another day in COGland and the craziness continues. Can there be a more dysfunctional Church of God to ever exist in Sabbatarian history?

United Church of God recently announced that masks were required at all Feast sites this year.

Now there is a group in UCG ticked off about masks. Someone has started a petition to ask UCG to reconsider. Seriously, as if ANY UCG leader or ANY COG leader would EVER consider a  petition! Church members are too stupid to be asking questions or making demands. The boys in Cincinnatti will ignore this as they ignore every other issue UCG members present to the leaders.

Check the site out here before UCG leaders have a hissy-fit and demand the person delete it:

Muffled Joyful Noise

When COG Leaders Wake Up Each Morning

 

Gerald Weston: If You Do Not Support This Work You Do So At Your Own Peril And Risk Your Salvation

Gerald Weston has written a pre-Feast letter to his declining faithful. In it he says the following:

As we know, and as we celebrated earlier this year at the Feast of Pentecost—the last of the annual Festivals so far to have had its historical fulfillment in this age—God is not calling everyone to salvation at this time. I have previously asked the simple question, “If God is not calling everyone, why is He calling anyone?” As a member of God’s Church, you should know the answer. He is calling some—that is, you and me—to do a Work now. If we fail to do that Work, we fail to fulfill the incredible calling we have been given. We dare not do that. Seeking only personal salvation and neglecting the Work for which we’ve been called will end in disaster (Ezekiel 33:1–7; Proverbs 24:11–12).

When Jesus walked the dusty trails in Israel, He worked through the physical body given Him. Now He is at the right hand of the Father, and it is abundantly clear that the Church is now His body (Colossians 1:18, 24; 2:17; Ephesians 1:22–23). This is vital knowledge we must deeply understand. It is part of the big picture that both Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong and Dr. Roderick C. Meredith passed down to us. We lose sight of it at our own peril.

Then he proceeds to ridicule both the men and women in the Living Church of God. LCG members just cannot do anything right in this man's sight! He has to get a dig every letter he writes. While we may all know of vainglorious men who feel the need to be seen in the church (Bob Thiel, for example) they are few in numbers. Most men could not give a rats ass about being an LCG leader considering how abusive they have been and still are. 

God made us with the potential for incredible variety. Some are tall, some are not so tall. Some are slender, some are not. Some are light-skinned and blond, some are darker and have black hair. More than outward appearance, though, we all have varying degrees of abilities. A brilliant computer programmer may know nothing about plumbing or electrical work. A gifted engineer may be lost when it comes to surveying land, running an earth mover, and mixing concrete. It is obvious that we need them all: computer programmers, plumbers, electricians, engineers, and construction workers. It is a beautiful thing when everyone knows his part and plays his part.

In the same way, the Apostle Paul explains that the body of Christ is made of many different parts (1 Corinthians 12), and we know it is human nature to desire to be one of the comelier parts of the body (1 Corinthians 12:22–25). How many men have striven to hold an office in Spokesman Club or to be in front of the congregation leading hymns or speaking? And it’s not just the men. We’ve seen ladies get into what we sometimes call “coffee pot wars,” fighting each other over where best to place the pickles on the serving table. This may sound humorous and even preposterous, but those of us who have been around for any length of time know that these things really do happen!

Then he has to get ina veiled dig against Sheldon Monson for failing to grasp the "bigger picture" and stay unified for unity's sake. 

As Paul explained, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling” (Ephesians 4:4). Then, one of the clearest passages of Scripture—yet one of the most difficult for most people to accept—is found just after that. Christ has placed in the body positions of responsibility so we can have unity and, “speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (vv. 15–16).

To those who really get the big picture and faithfully hold on to it until the end, God will give a great reward. The current spirit ruler who directs the course of this world, along with the angels who fell with him when he “got the big head” and thought he knew better than God, will be removed and replaced (Revelation 12:4; 20:1–4). His removal is emphatically shown in the Day of Atonement. And the fact that we will replace him and his minions is stated in numerous scriptures in both the Old and New Testaments (Daniel 7:27; Matthew 19:27–29; Luke 19:16–19; Revelation 20:4, 6).

Unity in the Church of God is a comedy routine any more. The Church of God is more fractured than the Protestants they love to mock in their denominational divisions. Unity is nothing more than a control buzz word to keep the members in line. Any questioning or disagreements is an immediate assault upon unity and therefore leads to expulsion and loss of salvation and your chance to become a god!

Further, we are not to become angels or some kind of super-humans in the resurrection, as so many professing Christians mistakenly believe. You do not need me to remind you that we in God’s Church have been called to become sons and daughters of God, the very children of the living God—brothers, sisters, and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:14–21; Hebrews 2:10–18; 2 Corinthians 6:18). Can there be a more glorious future for such flawed beings as we now truly are?

The question needs to be asked again. Can LCG members EVER do anything right in this guy's sight?

Church of God Assembly Internet Sites

 

The first COG to not use a lion and lamb, a picture of Herbert Armstrong, 

or the Ambassador Auditorium in their logo.

Last week Sheldon Monson announced the new name of his splinter group, Church of God Assembly. 

Sheldon or one of his followers did not do due diligence and research the name. There is already a church named that, based out of Middlesex/London, England, and pastored by Abigal Borquaye.

Church of God Assembly

Soon after Monson mentioned his new church name, two different sites popped up on the internet. If these are actually pages for Sheldon's group then they need to steal some web designers from Living Church of God! Talk about pathetic! 

I took screenshots of each page just in case they disappear soon.

This is the main site screenshot (double click to enlarge) or go to the main site here: Church of God Assembly

We know almost for sure that the site is fake. Imagine a Church of God using a WOMAN on its front page, particularly one holding a Bible! Blasphemy!!!!

The next page includes updates on this most amazing work:

double click to enlarge

Then, the best site of all is the Facebook page. It looks like a QAnon site:

Church of God Assembly Facebook Page

The only comment on the Facebook site, so far, is that the lead graphic "...looks like Sun God."

Why do all of these Church of God groups set themselves up to be mocked so easily?

My hat is off to whoever grabbed the domain names before Sheldon did. This is too funny. 

Thanks, Gerald Weston! This is all your fault!

"Well Whatever the Context is, You Have Definitely Taken That Out of It!"

(Posted by request and originally posted in the 

Ambassador College Pasadena Forum.)

When I worked in Church Administration just prior to graduation, all local churches had to send in a picture to HQ of their choirs.  They were gone over and if a picture showed a handicapped person of any kind, they were sent a "Snowflake From Heaven", my term for HQ Memo, telling the Choir Director to remove that person from the Choir.  In context, it is referring to the priesthood but I don't think ministers with disabilities were disqualified or removed from a local church. 

This was the OT Scripture used to justify such a request. 

"For whatsoever man he be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, Or a man that is broken footed, or brokenhanded, Or crookbacked, or a dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken. No man that hath a blemish of the seed of Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of the Lord made by fire: he hath a blemish; he shall not come nigh to offer the bread of his God." (Leviticus 21:18-21)

I also had an experience or two with fellow Pastor types who struggled as to what to do with both children born out of wedlock and the girls, usually teens, that gave birth to them.  One member called me and said her daughter was dead. A shocker as I had just buried a teen hit by a car recently. (Oh not again!)  But he meant she got pregnant and she was now dead to him. We had a long talk about "love never fails".  I 

""A bitched shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the Lord." (Deuteronomy 23:2)

A bitched is someone who was born outside of wedlock, which means you were born before your parents were married. Being born out of wedlock makes you filthy, apparently; so filthy in fact that it takes ten genetic steps down the line to wash how filthy it makes you.

So even if your family's 100% awesome you can't come to church in like a century or two if you're a bitched, which I guess is only fair. After all, "God is love". 

I always found a heavy dose of compassion, kindness, and understanding went much further in the long run of life with teens in trying times than banishment and scorn. I have had many a teen, now adult, who had such experiences call me to update me on their very beautiful children's success in life. 

Four separate then teens now adults have called me to tell me they were gay. Interesting. "Does that surprise you?" they all asked me.  I said, "No, it seemed rather apparent from the start when I knew you."  I asked why they called to tell me and each said, "Because I knew you'd understand.".  That's a much better answer than "Because you ruined my life."  

One mother called me in a rage and panic as her daughter was pregnant, by her father.  What to do?  I told her, for her long term mental health of her daughter and the dangers this situation posed,  to go to the ER, explain it all, and do what they suggest. It was already what she wanted to do but felt she needed "permission".  No permission needed.  You can speculate on the conclusion all you wish. 

It got crazy out there as a pastor at times. (not even counting bi-annual corporate church scandals and drama) I don't recall any classes on the reality of ministry. By nature, I probably would have disagreed anyway as my "send the pastor a note telling the Choir Director to remove the handicapped person"  experience was something I was not about to do back then either. (My older and only brother is blind, deaf and cannot speak from birth trauma as a "premie" so I was a bit sensitive to the concept in the OT. Fortunately, he can't sing and was never called into the one True Church. 

Lots of pastor experience tales I suppose. They ran the gamut from interesting to insane.  and often endeavoring to explain the concept of "CONTEXT" seemed to escape most in the Churches of God ministry and member. 

Church of God Leadership And What They Think Of Members When Making Decisions

 

King Gerald Flurry Melts Down After PCG Members Refuse To Swallow His "New Throne" Malarkay

 

The New Throne of David

It is always fun to watch various COG leaders go into meltdown mode when their teachings are questioned by members.  In their mind, when their god reveals something to them then the membership needs to swallow it as absolute truth. 99.99% of the time these revelations are figments of severely disturbed minds instead of God speaking.

For a couple years now, ever since Flurry went to Oregon and dug up the dirty old rock that Herbert is supposed to have knelt at to pray, he has been on a quest to legitimize the absurd idolatry of the rock that has taken place since then. From originally being placed in a garden so people could sit and meditate in front of it, it is now displayed in a glass case so that the devoted can gaze upon it in awe and wonder knowing that the sacred butt of the so-called "christ" they follow will come and sit upon it. The absurdities of the myths that Armstrongite leaders dream up is beyond measure

Flurry has written a new article (Psalm 89: Jeremiah Speaks to the PCG) for his grumbling and questioning members who are refusing to swallow his lie. He has to keep his few remaining members under control and living in fear so that his money keeps coming in. Pretty much how ALL the COG's operate these days.

Like all good COG leaders, Flurry has to claim that certain scriptures are written for a specific church in the end times. According to Flurry, Psalm 89 was written by Jeremiah SPECIFICALLY for the Philadelphia Church of God. Of course, he cherry-picks one Psalm in particular to support the worship fo the rock he has elevated to status of sacred.

I believe the Prophet Jeremiah authored Psalms 89 and 119. The Worldwide Church of God taught this for many years under Herbert W. Armstrong, and I agree. These psalms are also written in poetry, which Jeremiah was skilled at doing (perhaps with Baruch’s help), especially considering the poetic book of Lamentations.

God commissioned Jeremiah to save David’s throne from Israel and reestablish it in Ireland, so Jeremiah had a passion to understand David and how and why he was a man after God’s own heart. He wrote in the spirit of David as a means of becoming more of a man after God’s heart. One lesson these psalms teach is that we must be people after God’s own heart.

The author of Psalm 89 learned a lesson from psalms like Psalm 22, which David wrote. The author of Psalm 119 patterned it after Psalm 19, which David wrote. If Jeremiah wrote these chapters, then the connection of his thinking to building David’s throne is clearer.

The message from God in these psalms is especially for the Philadelphia Church of God. God’s Church now has David’s throne. God has made us responsible for building up that throne, a great responsibility—greater than we tend to realize! God is educating us so we know how to build it up.

As usual, it is a COG responsibility to help usher in some kind of "kingdom" they think their god is in the process of using them to prepare.

Jeremiah was speaking of what he would do, and now God is speaking: “I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant, Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations” (verses 3-4). God promised to build up David’s throne to all generations!

God keeps His promises, which means He has been building up that throne in our lifetimes, in these last two eras of the Church! Herbert W. Armstrong restored all things (Matthew 17:10-11) and laid the foundation for our understanding of this truth. And this last era is especially unique because we have David’s throne—the throne of God! (This is fully explained in my book The New Throne of David. Request a free copy.) God is going to build up that throne in this last era because it is now within His Church. He has fulfilled that promise and is building up that throne within the pcg today. 

According to Flurry, his members and the COG membership as a whole do NOT understand this amazing thing. Even Bob Thiel, who knows everything about everything, cannot comprehend this great news! Of course in Flurry's eyes, his group is specifically set apart to be the select group to usher in this creature "christ" he claims that will sit upon his rock. Yet, many of his follower's are not on the sacred rock bandwagon

What is our part in this? We have specific responsibilities that Mr. Armstrong did not have. God’s ministers and Church members must build up His throne! God is concerned about how we execute this royal duty. He is focusing us on the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, who will rule from this very throne!

Genesis 49 is a prophecy of what would happen “in the last days” (verse 1). In verse 10 God states, “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.” The scepter and the lawgiver would descend from Judah, David’s tribe—even “in the last days,” right up “until Shiloh come,” until Jesus Christ returns! And this is a specific prophecy that those two roles—the scepter (civil government) and the lawgiver—would be combined into a single office. In the past, the scepter and the law were separate—one individual holding the scepter on David’s throne in a civil government and another teaching God’s law in His true Church. But now they are combined in the Philadelphia Church of God.

You cannot combine these responsibilities and build up the throne of David without putting in some work. We must have a level of understanding to be able to tie these two entities together. Now everything is ruled by the royal law of God until Shiloh comes. That law rules the very throne of David! It is stunning to think on what God has given us and the kind of example He expects us to be.

Did you know that 95% of the COG refuses to follow this nonsense! It is Flurry's duty to draw us all back into the true chruch. We are not joining his work or giving him money.

The sun and moon give light, and so does this godly promise!The world lies in darkness; it doesn’t see this light. Nevertheless the truth about this throne is real—it is a bright lamp God gives His Church! God’s people must shine that light both to the world and to the 95 percent of God’s people who have grown lukewarm and turned away from God. Their failure shows how difficult this job is.

God expects a lot from His people. He certainly required a lot of Jeremiah. This prophet was persecuted, thrust into a dungeon neck-deep in mud, and left for dead. Surely his nerves were stretched to the breaking point!

When PCG members and others dare to question Flurry's dedication to this holy rock and the teaching it will be the thone his creature "jesus" returns to they are directly attacking the royal line of David, which essentially means that you are attacking Gerald Flurry, since he is of that "royal line."

Now, in Psalm 89, comes one of the strangest turns anywhere in the Bible. After those many powerful statements about God’s promise to David, this follows: “But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed. Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant[David]: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground. Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin. All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours. Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice. Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle. Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground. The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. … Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?” (verses 38-45, 49).

These are strong words! I do believe they are Jeremiah’s. Maybe Jeremiah is one of the few who would talk to God this way because he had such a close relationship with Him. Yes, this psalm concludes, “Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen” (verse 52). But does that mean everything was OK?

The attack on David’s royal line deeply dismayed Jeremiah. Clearly he thought God had broken His promise!

PCG members do not trust Flurry in this matter and that has irritated him. PCG members MUST trust him in ALL matters. To do so is to "cast the crown" to the ground denying his "christ."

Now, in Psalm 89, comes one of the strangest turns anywhere in the Bible. After those many powerful statements about God’s promise to David, this follows: “But thou hast cast off and abhorred, thou hast been wroth with thine anointed. Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant[David]: thou hast profaned his crown by casting it to the ground. Thou hast broken down all his hedges; thou hast brought his strong holds to ruin. All that pass by the way spoil him: he is a reproach to his neighbours. Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries; thou hast made all his enemies to rejoice. Thou hast also turned the edge of his sword, and hast not made him to stand in the battle. Thou hast made his glory to cease, and cast his throne down to the ground. The days of his youth hast thou shortened: thou hast covered him with shame. … Lord, where are thy former lovingkindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?” (verses 38-45, 49).

These are strong words! I do believe they are Jeremiah’s. Maybe Jeremiah is one of the few who would talk to God this way because he had such a close relationship with Him. Yes, this psalm concludes, “Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen” (verse 52). But does that mean everything was OK?

The attack on David’s royal line deeply dismayed Jeremiah. Clearly he thought God had broken His promise!

You MUST trust Flurry, unconditionally! To not trust him means you do not support the great commission.

God is saying to Jeremiah and to all of us who have God’s throne in this Church now, You must totally trust me—or you cannot fulfill this commission!

It sounds easy to totally trust God and “live … by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). But it is tough to actually do it—not 99 percent, but 100 percent! This is what God expects from people who are working with David’s throne!

You know Jeremiah had faith—but at this point, he did not totally trust God. He had to grow to where he absolutely knew God would fulfill His word, regardless of appearances to the contrary.

Even having a 1% distrust factor means you are totally removed from God's sight. 100% trust and loyalty to Gerald Flurry is required. Only then will you be a true "son of Zadok". 

Trusting God 99 percent or less is really a deadly spiritual disease! God’s people must remove this disease. God’s message is, Don’t challenge me. Don’t accuse me of losing my lovingkindness! Just know 100 percent that if I say it, it will be done! 

Only those who totally trust God are “sons of Zadok,” named after the priest who remained loyal to David’s throne to the end. That means totally trusting every single word of God, including the scepter promise and the covenant with David.

How dare PCG members "murmur" against Flurry! To do so is to go against church government which has set Flurry up as the one true leader in this end times.

What do you do if there is murmuring against God’s leader? Somehow you have to convince them they are wrong, or they are going to be put in the outer court. Here, God performed a wonderful miracle: “and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds” (verse 8). This was so spectacular, even the carnal Israelites could not deny God’s presence!

The principle is, compare the rods and see where God is working. None of them will miraculously bud and produce fruit except for the one God is using.

Revelation 10:11 contains our commission to “prophesy again.” Revelation 11:1 says God’s leader is given “a reed like unto a rod,” a symbol of authority to do the Work. In the end time, God’s people were divided and confused, and 95 percent of them turned away from God, and they are murmuring, and they are in the outer court, and they don’t understand what God is doing—a tremendous failure! They need to prove who has the rod that is blossoming, budding and bearing fruit!

Murmer's will DIE! 50% of the COG will die FOREVER because they have rejected Flurry! 

In Moses’s day, God warned that those who didn’t stop murmuring and rebelling would die (Numbers 17:10). That is what God says to us spiritually. At some point you must stop the murmuring and rebelling, or you’re going to die! That is the opposite of the total trust God is building in His people. This is about eternal life and eternal death. Amos 8:14 speaks of people who “shall fall, and never rise up again.” Fifty percent of God’s people who turn away from Him are going to die forever!

If you are a loyal COG member and stop murmuring then you too can be there when Flurry hands over the sacred rock so his creature "christ" can sit its royal behind upon it. Only the true follows of Flurry will be heirs of this magnificent time!

Some of God’s people will soon present that throne to Jesus Christ at His Second Coming! How can someone do that if he doesn’t really understand these things? We must believe what God is doing! We are sons of Zadok, and we are going to share the throne with Jesus Christ. So God expects the very highest standard. To fulfill that role, we must have demonstrated total trust in God!

Flurry warns then all the unfaithful PCG members who dare to question him. Every word he speaks and every single word his ministers speak is specifically from the god of the PCG! That word can NEVER be questioned!

No matter how hard the trial gets or how fierce it is, just look in the Bible. See what God says. And when the temptation to question or challenge God arises, refrain! Don’t even go there! That is total trust in God.

God’s ministers have the responsibility to teach God’s Word—not what they would like it to say or what they think it should say, but exactly what God tells them to say! That is total trust!

Flurry ends with justifying the deluded visions his mind has made up. His god has revealed the truth about the sacred rock and his creature "christ" returning to it. That can never be questioned!

When I heard a voice announcing the new throne of David, it was absolutely like no experience I have ever had. But hearing it made me realize all the more that God is right here! He is not in some far-off place. The angels, too, are all around wherever God’s people are. That experience helped me see this even more deeply.

God wants to build in us total trust! If you are a loving father, you will not forsake your child. Yet God and His love exceed that commitment by many miles! God is perfect! Jesus Christ is perfect! Even amid the agony of torture and crucifixion, He totally trusted God.

I am a descendant of David, and God has given me the title of a king. I probably want to use this office even less than I should because I don’t feel worthy to be anything for God. Nevertheless, it means a certain responsibility for me and for all of us. We have a duty to raise and build up David’s throne.

In the back of Flurry's mind, there is a bit of logic that tells him that he is crazy as hell, but he is so blinded by his own narcissism that he cannot see it and ultimately sees the rejections as persecution.  

Many prophecies warn that God’s Church will receive real pressure in the future. Enemies will castigate our people in unmerciful ways. They will probably say people who hear a voice belong in insane asylums, and it is crazy to follow someone to a place of safety who says he is a king. They will compare us to cults like Jim Jones, which committed mass suicide. That will be hard to take! It will take strong courage to resist that. And that will only come from knowing and totally trusting this revelation.

100% loyal is demanded! 

God doesn’t want one speck of distrust! We are human, and we all sin. We are not perfect like Christ and the Father. But we are striving to be like them as much as we possibly can. We are striving to totally trust our Father! That is the primary lesson we need to learn from Psalm 89.

If Jeremiah can have a breakdown of his faith, so can all of us. He had a breakdown, but I think he quickly recognized it. And remember, he was one of the great men of the Bible.

If we are to do great things for God, we have to believe God! We have to trust God totally! If we do that, then no matter the opposition and obstacles, we will do a great work for Him! 

That false trust in the god of Flurryism really means one thing. You cannot trust Flurry's god unless you trust HIM (Furry) 100%. 

100% obedience of the true leader is required for salvation to happen. That is the mantra for EVERY single COG leader from Flurry down to Thiel. 

 

 

 

 

"Now Bobby...... You and your brothers, Dave, Ron and Gerald, as well as all your cousins, need to remember...."

Sheldon Monson Needs To Repent, Join the One True Philadelphia Church and Follow Proper Church Government

 

God's one true prophet is speaking out against Sheldon Monson starting a new Church of God. Apparently, like all other COG upstarts, he did not start his group with "Philadlephia reasons." Only the true doubly-anointed prophet of the one true God did such a thing. This makes Herbert Armstrong and Bob Thiel as the ONLY true "Philadelphian" leaders in Church of God history.

09/06/20 a.m Banned by HWA, an anti-COG site, posted the following related to Sheldon Munson and LCG::

During the live streaming of services, September 5th at 2:00pm EDT, for the "COG Broadcast YouTube Channel." Sheldon Monson officially announced the formation of the newest Church of God group to hit the world scene. After some time of discussion and because of their origin, they decided the best title for their new group should be "Church of God Assembly." This was quite predictable considering the hint dropping every week during Sheldon's personal services on YouTube. ... NDA

There was no website for Sheldon Munson's group when I just checked, but presumably there will be. This group does not seem to have formed for Philadelphian reasons, as neither it nor LCG properly accept what the Bible teaches on church government. However, perhaps one or both of them will change.

Did you know that Herbert Armstrong and Rod Meredith both referred to a ONE TRUE leader to come in the future and BOTH of them were referring to Bob Thiel? 

Here is that proof:

Laodicea Means "People Decide"

The Bible tells that there will be an overlapping succession of seven churches, often called Church eras. If the Philadelphia era was predominant until the time that Herbert W. Armstrong was alive, this would mean that the last of the seven churches, Laodicea, would be predominant now.

During this Laodicean time, there have been several approaches taken by groups that had their origins in the old WCG.

Many people decided to become independent. And many of those independents seem to feel that they are the most faithful to the teachings of the old WCG. Most have a few points they believe disqualifies others as they decide what is important. Herbert W. Armstrong, who many of them claim to be faithfully following, did not approve of the concept of "independent Christians" in that sense.

Some feel that the apostasy that occurred after the death of Herbert Armstrong was because of the type of governance he had in place. Some of those people have become independent or formed committee ran churches. Another type of governance that Herbert Armstrong condemned (Mystery of the Ages, Dodd & Mead, 1985, p. 247, quoted earlier above).

However, from the very beginning within the Church of God people left and would not listen to God's leaders. As the Apostle John wrote in 3 John 9-11 (which was quoted earlier in this article).

And if people thought that they were Christians when they ignored the Apostle John, how much more do many do so today?

The Apostle John penned the Book of Revelation. And in Revelation 3:14 he used the term "Laodikeus." This differs from how he normally started the letters to the other six churches (Revelation 2 & 3), because he used a plural term--he called them Laodiceans. This plurality, contrasted with the lack of it in the introductions to the other six churches, indicates that Laodicea is composed of divided groups.

Furthermore, according to Strong's Greek concordance, Laodicea is a combination of two words, laos which it defines as "people" and dike, which is defined by Strong's as "right," "judgment," "punish," and "vengeance." And also according to Strong's Greek concordance, Laodiceans is the plural of that.

Smith's Bible Dictionary defines Laodicea to mean "justice of the people". Might the term Laodiceans convey that the predominant characteristic of this Church is that peoples rule, peoples judge, or, in fact that the peoples change the Church's direction? 

I personally have long felt that the term Laodicea conveys a difference in governance and direction. Since the Philadelphians are admonished to "Hold fast what you have" (Revelation 3:11) and the Laodiceans say, "I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing" (vs. 17) it would seem that most Laodiceans have rejected other biblical truths as well (even when they explain there positions on governance they seem to misunderstand the Bible).

Now what about some of those few "hierarchical" groups calling themselves some type of Church of God which claim to have a hierarchical form of governance? Well, in nearly all of these cases, it seems that the "leaders decided" to appoint themselves to positions that they were never ordained/appointed to (perhaps, I should add here that I am NOT a self-appointed church writer--for some information on that, please see Who is COGwriter?).

I bet you did not know that Bob Thiel is of a HIGHER AUTHORITY than the fake self-appointed COG prophets like Flurry and Pack, did you? 

For example, PCG's Gerald Flurry declared himself a prophet, RCG's David Pack declared himself an apostle, CGPFK's Ronald Weinland declared himself a prophet and one of the two witnesses, and there are some lessor known individuals who have done something similar--none of which, as far as I have been able to tell, had hands laid upon them for those roles. Not only will none of these people accept the authority of any who were anointed by others to a higher role than they have, they seem to have a variety of practices suggesting a harsher and non-biblically correct form of governance.  

And if there is a non-self anointed apostle or prophet in the genuine COG (which are levels above evangelists), all should follow him--and there is one who heads the Continuing Church of God.

The O N E  M A N at this time that Herbert Armstrong and Dr. Meredith referred to is Dr. Bob Thiel. God used Herbert W. Armstrong to establish the Philadelphian phase, an evangelist to lead the transitional phase, and a Bob Thiel to lead the  final phase of the work. Dr. Thiel is proclaiming Christ's Gospel of the Kingdom by radio, via YouTube "television," via internet articles, in person, and in print as he leads the Continuing Church of God.

It is time for all of you backsliding Laodicean COG members to get on your knees and repent from following all the liars presently leading Churches of God and turn to the One Holy Apostolic Doubly Blessed Church of God that was prophesied by Herbert Armstrong and Rod Meredith to arise in the end times.

Aren't we blessed to be living in such amazing prophetic times!!!!!!

Commercial Break: A Most Awful Presentation on "Let's Talk About the Bible"

"Let's Talk About The Bible"

...badly and in the most shallow of ways

Bob Thiel notes:

"In II Corinthians  3:14 -16  unconverted experts who claim to have knowledge tend to have a veil of blindness so there are just areas they just can't see.  Always learning and never able to come to knowledge of the truth...."

Dr Bob refers to but fails to actually quote...

2 Corinthians 3:12-16

"Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. 14But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16But whenever anyone turns to the LORD, the veil is taken away."

Before continuing, and just for fun, I'd like to point out how Paul and now Bob Thiel in his simplistic "Because the Bible say so" preaching, turned the story of Moses and the Veil on it's head, making it mean what it never meant. 

The actual story referred to is...

"As Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the commandments in his hands, he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiant while he conversed with the LORD….the children of Israel…were afraid to come near him….He put a veil over his face. Whenever Moses entered the presence of the LORD to converse with him, he removed the veil until he came out again. On coming out, he would tell the children of Israel all that had been commanded. Then the children of Israel would see that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant; so he would again put the veil over his face until he went in to converse with the LORD (Exodus 34)."

Paul says the veil, now a blindfold,  was so the Israelites could not see the end of the law coming. They were blindfolded by the veil.  To this day they remain ignorant of the meaning of their own scriptures. Jesus took away the veil of this ignorance. Even to this day, the veil is a blindfold to the Jews , to their eyes and now to their hearts. But it's all good. Jesus can take away the blindfold.

Of course, this is not what the ACTUAL story in Exodus says or means. It actually says the opposite. The people saw and understood the Law of God very well when Moses explained it to them.  Giving the Law as presented to him by God made his face shine! The veil had NOTHING to do with being a blindfold on Moses or the people.  Paul, as is his custom, is overreaching here for a way to weave his tale in the New Testament. 

The reality of the story...

Moses is given the Law on Mt Sinai by God. Coming down the mountain to deliver the Law to the Children of Israel he did not realize his face shone having been in God's presence and it frightened the people to see it so. Moses puts on a veil to cover the glory of God's brightness, in his own face,  when he is NOT SPEAKING with God. He would not wear the veil in God's presence. 

So here, God is giving Moses and Israel the Law and the veil is not worn when Moses is with God. A veil is worn to shield the people from the "afterglow", so to speak, as it frightens them, when Moses comes down the mountain after being with God. 

The giving of the Law of God to Moses causes Moses face to shine. It does not blind him to the law. It does not foreshadow the passing away of the Law in the New Testament. The glory of the Law being given by God shines through him.  

The veil is NOT a BLINDFOLD as Paul makes it out to be in the NT.  The veil is NOT a symbol of the glory of the law passing such that it is now a blindfold on the Jews. 

 Paul turns the meaning of the story on its head to fit his Gospel tale. Paul often does this and is the master of making the OT mean what it never meant. How he was a Pharisee of the Pharisees, "above his fellows, concerning the law, blameless" etc is beyond most theologians. 

Bob, claims himself to be a Bible scholar in this presentation.  Most Church of God Apostles, Prophets and Pastors, would have claimed a similar training,  at least of some sort, if they wish to be considered credible. However,  you'd never know it from this presentation.  

Sheldon Monson, no doubt, would have to claim the same thing. After all, he is starting his own True Church. But Sheldon too is just another Bible reader needing a following after being rejected by Mom. 

Both these men are not Bible Scholars but just Bible readers and Biblical Hobbyists, wearing a blindfold to that reality.... to this day.

(Note:  I also am not a Bible Scholar. My WCG training did not qualify as actual Biblical studies. It did not actually prepare me or anyone I know for ministry. One simply got thrown into the Lion's Den of ministry and learned the hard way if they learned at all.   In WCG and now in all the splinters, Pastors are simply teaching what the leadership believes and expects to be taught. There is no discussion, no challenges to interpretation, and no wiggle room to see anything differently than taught and not be dis-membered. There is certainly no accountability or checks and balances on stupidity, egocentric beliefs, or cornball ideas.   "Come let us reason TOGETHER" is never how it worked. It can't in such a "because I say so" culture.)  

And now we return to your normally scheduled programming