In the previous post about Gerald Weston's weekly comments to the faithful, he mentions that the laborers in the ministry are few and the church needs more men...sorry ladies.
Let us make sure that we stay close to our Creator and pray to the Lord of the harvest for more laborers, especially in the ministry.
Then, in the weekly Friday Night SmackDown, Doug Winnail cautions those in LCG to not be clamoring for positions in the church.
It has to take a person who is desirous of being in leadership positions to be able to function in those positions. COG leaders know this to be a fact but try and pull one over on members by claiming this is an organic process by God to reveal the leaders in the church.
God apparently made quite a few mistakes over the decades considering some of the men in LCG/GCG leadership positions, including in their mother church, the Worldwide Church of God. Far too many men in LCG have the intense need to be noticed and they make sure you know that.
What Motivates You?
In today’s world, many are motivated by a desire for a position, power, prestige, pleasure—and a bigger paycheck. Even in the Church, these desires can motivate individuals to seek positions and be noticed. While Jesus saw these attitudes in religious leaders of His day (Matthew 23:1–11), He admonished His disciples, “whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant” (Matthew 20:20–28). Jesus set us an example in that He “did not come to be served, but to serve.” The Apostles Paul and Peter urged Christians to avoid selfish motivations and be examples to others by serving with genuine humility (1 Timothy 6:3–5; 1 Peter 5:1–6). As we strive to come out of this world and its ways, let’s look for ways that we can serve others—so God can use us more effectively as instruments in His hands (Philippians 2:3–12).
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
Isn't it refreshing to know that the servant leaders of the LCG have genuine humility! Now, if only you dumb sheep could be as magnificent as we are then we could ordain you and put you to work too!
The Seventh Day Adventist actually eliect their local elders (who are unpaid). The process is that the congregation elects the board members, who in turn , vote for who are the elders and deacons.
ReplyDeleteYou server for about 2 years, and then you have to be reelected. The idea of "ordained for life" does not exist. You must continually requalify.
The paid pastor also serves at the leisure of the board. If he is not cutting it, he can be dismissed. All of this being a system with some accountability, and with the enfranchisement vote of the lay brethren, who (in effect) are the ulitimate customers. It is amazing how little voice brethren have in the COGS , again in a system designed to "keep them under control". Such little faith that the ministry has that the congregants are guided by any measure of the Holy Spirit.
Most churches allow for people who desire to be ministers to pursue that course of study and employment. This is the way it should be. In the COGS you only get ordained or "become a made man" in the same manner as the mafia does it. You have to please , submit and "kiss the ring" of the Don who is above you.
This type of a system only produces sycophants and mediocre leaders who are submissive cuckolds to the system. No wonder the COGS are floundering and running in circles, with very little impact or growth.
In today’s world, many are motivated by a desire for a position, power, prestige, pleasure—and a bigger paycheck.
ReplyDeleteDid Gerald agree to take a pay cut when he ascended to the Presiding Evangelist position, or was there a pay raise? Same question for Doug Winnail becoming head of CAD. LCG has so many needs, yet apparently these two men chose to take a pay raise rather than to put the needs of LCG first.
And they have the gall to berate ordinary working-class LCG members who want more money to provide better for their families! What hypocrites! What jerks! And what short-sightedness, because if you aren't an LCG employee your bigger paycheck translates into more tithes and offerings for LCG.
Another way of saying this: “Ignore the rampant, organization killing nepotism. You maybe have the chance of being a local elder at best if you play the game right. Go organize chairs, or make coffee.”
ReplyDeleteFor a person to be ordained a person needs to have a selfish attitude.
ReplyDeleteGary, loved the video of the penguin smack down.
ReplyDeleteRest of the needless dig article? Not so much.
Can’t you find something uplifting someday????
Hmmm… just recognized something, you are as repetitious as Weston. Must be the same source of training.
In my experience, LCG ordains those who are the most loyal to the individual above them and GEW, and those that "toe the party line" the best. To me, this example in Matt 20, is the clearest expression of NT church 'government'. Certainly not as GEW has stated that top down government is the clearest and "most easily explained doctrine" in the Bible. To me, these are mutually EXCLUSIVE concepts...we never see a Peter style pope in the Bible, and the only egs of authoritarian leadership are viewed in a negative light (eg Diotrophes who was forcing brothers not to talk to other brothers and to not recognise John).
ReplyDeleteDidn't he skip a little something? Like maybe 1 Tim. 3:1?
ReplyDeleteJust imagine what's happening at Bible Study this evening in Wadsworth as Aquaman unveils his latest false prophecy for those who somehow just can't get enough bubble bursting. Folks, it's just like the old joke, "Pete and Repeat were in a boat! Pete fell overboard and drowned! Who was left?" Meanwhile back at the ranch, we find Dave beating off all the nonbelievers with just one hand!
ReplyDeleteI'm confident that the leaders that LCG needs are not due to church growth, but rather because of the aging of current leaders. If there was any growth, LCG would be trumpeting the numbers of new converts and new congregations that have been added. Of course, any numbers reported would be subject to the LCG historical exaggeration - but in the absence of any numbers related to growth, decline is assured.
ReplyDeleteThe propaganda used to hint at growth is a dishonest sham and employed to energize the flock to keep sending in the money because they are part of a dynamic "work" (instead of the reality of being on a sinking ship).
I'm hoping LCG members who read this blog and comment on growth or decline they've seen in congregations they are familiar with.
Just words from Winnail which have no meaning. He has opened the door to many hirlings and wolves to feed on and spiritually kill the people. How about you address Deuteronomy 24:1-4 and the abomination and sin you've brought upon the church.
ReplyDeleteAny mega church in any given greater metropolitan area experiences more growth in a month than do any of the ACOGs internationallyin a year. While the meaning of this should be perfectly obvious, the ACOG leaders and their members will chalk it up to these churches being "Satan's Sunday-keeping" churches, even though the members of such churches are very serious about their Christianity, base it on a little different interpretation of the Bible, and often exhibit much better fruits than found in any of the Armstrong-based churches. How willfully ignorant can people possibly be?
ReplyDeleteDoug wrote, in part, and no one so far has verified this is a repeat writing:
ReplyDelete"In today’s world, many are motivated by a desire for a position, power, prestige, pleasure—and a bigger paycheck. Even in the Church, these desires can motivate individuals to seek positions and be noticed. While Jesus saw these attitudes in religious leaders of His day...The Apostles Paul and Peter urged Christians to avoid selfish motivations and be examples to others by serving with genuine humility...As we strive to come out of this world and its ways, let’s look for ways that we can serve others—so God can use us more effectively as instruments in His hands..."
Doug, is it possible that you, former WCG hireling with ministerial credentials left behind in Pasadena, are very similar to what the Old Testament refers to as "the prophets of Baal?"
Not as in the same way as Bob Thiel, prophet falsely so-called, or a Flurry, Weinland, Pack, etc., but Bob Thiel thinks he is a real prophet.
Those OT prophets were inspired by another spirit other than God. Could that sound familiar: as in another spirit, another Jesus, another gospel, which the "living" group, like other xcog groups, appear to express in their writings?
You apparently believe that God is not using those of the "living" group as effectively as you would desire the organization's people to be. Why not? What would those effectively used by God be like? Do you have any examples in mind? Tell us.
Here is a hint from the Bible as to what those God effectively uses might be like:
1 John 2:13 "I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father."
Doug, did you read anything there about humility, desire for a position, power, prestige, pleasure—and a bigger paycheck? And those who left WCG know how important that paycheck is, and it was a top priority when United formed in 1995.
I John is speaking about real Christians who know the Father, and He is the real God of the OT (although you were taught Jesus Christ was/is the God of the OT), and also notice that young Christians, with their whole lives ahead of them: "...have overcome the wicked one!"
Why aren't you encouraging those of the "living" group with those words? Oh, you don't believe John there? You like repeating your own personal writings with minor word changes: it does keep that paycheck coming; doesn't it?
Well, maybe you picked up on John's style of repeating something already said! Huh? Sure, read these words that follow:
"I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him [that is] from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one."
Doug, do those words sound familiar? That is 1 John 2:14
Oh, and the Father has no beginning or ending, but those Christian young men were strong, and the Word of God abided in them. And yes, they did also "...overcome the wicked one!"
Do any in your "living" group fit that description? If they do, tell them so! John wasn't ashamed to say it, b/c what he said was true.
But Doug, before you "see" any of this you are going to get away from trying to get salvation by works, and get into substance and not superficiality and/or go seek out those Christians the Apostle was referring to. Learn about grace too, while you are at it.
But, is it possible that Christians such as is mentioned in I John 2:13-14 already exist within the "living" group, but Doug has not identified them, b/c he is "blind," and perhaps a modern-day version of the OT prophets of Baal?
Time will tell...
John
Well, the way I recall WCG, there were always one or two sycophants in every congregation trying to get the coveted ordination.
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ReplyDeleteI nearly fell out of my chair laughing at the penguins. I think one has malice in his heart.
LCG is known as the geriatric Church. Has been for years.
ReplyDeleteWhen Doug tells us that it is important to serve others, we should remember this cautionary tale told by Rod Serling.
ReplyDeleteTo Serve Man
The fox is eager to serve the chickens... but not in the way they expect.
DUH!! This is NOT talking about in the church!! It is what you do when NO ONE IS WATCHING that counts!! It is a matter of the HEART!! And TRUE love does NOT come from ourselves!! Only God knows our hearts and true intentions!! What Doug Winnail thinks means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!
ReplyDeleteThis afternoon presented stellar radio as I ran my errands. Being a compulsive dial surfer, I usually switch amongst our ten local FM rock stations, and today I seemed to catch one fave tune after the other, back to back. As I sip a Heineken now back at home, I got to wondering about how this power-mongering amongst the adults in the ACOGs plays out these days with the kids. Setting the tone, my parents were moving up the WCG ladder as I was completing my high school years. One assumption of the higher ups was that aspiring deacons and local elders would definitely have their families under control. This means that their children had to be exemplary, which often led to duplicitousness, that is, hiding certain behaviors from the parental figures. Separate wardrobe for school in the ol' locker, one lingo at school and more formal linguistics at home, classical music overtly at home and falling asleep each night secretly listening to a clear channel AM rock station through the earplug on your transistor radio. And, then, there were nicotine fits over the weekend. Beer and wine hidden in the attic were helpful in getting through the weekend, but it was tough being a teenager in HWA's WCG cult. Honestly, I couldn't shake these same behavioral patterns during my two year tenure at AC, which ultimately led to some decisions being made for me. No worries, as I was already out from under the parents, and able to live my own life and make my own decisions. AC had been an excellent escape.
ReplyDeleteHow do teenagers of today cope with their cultically-intoxicated parents? Someone recently stated that most of the church kids of today are home-schooled. That kills the escape valve that we had back in the day, because we realized that for a goodly portion of each week day, at school, we got to be normal. I had my transistor radio taken away for listening to the Ventures or the Young Rascals. What if a PCG, RCG, or LCG parent catches his daughter listening to Megan Thee Stallion on her cellphone? Or son listening to Ghost Face Killah? Does their cell phone get taken away? If so, how do the parents use the cell phones to spy on and control their kids? Home Schooling cuts off the escape in several ways, one of which is that the church's college will probably recognize that education as being sufficient to attend, let's say, HWA College. City College, State College, Oxford or Harvard? Not so much.
My Mom just about blew a fuse when I told her that my ride home from athletic practice lost his car privileges due to "parental problems". She was shocked and appalled that I could possibly even come up with such a label! Cultie parents are so out of touch with reality! Imagine having to tell peers today that you are into Irish dancing! Or that you will be gone for Christmas Week for a winter retreat with your church that had notning to do with Christmas! I'd just bet that it still royally sucks being a kid in an Armstrong splinter!
If the church is to "go into all the world" I once suggested to the letter answering department, "Why not have people in the church attend a Bible study at their local mainstream churches? Isn't the church down the street part of "all the world"? Shouldn't they have the benefit of the WCG scholarship as they study the Bible? They needn't attend the worship service, just the Bible study or Sunday school class? If these people needed to be reached to hear the Gospel wouldn't members of the WCG be concerned enough for their eternal fate to attend a Bible study and offer what they can?
ReplyDeleteAnon, Saturday, December 4, 2021 at 10:07:00 AM PST, said:
ReplyDelete"...I nearly fell out of my chair laughing at the penguins. I think one has malice in his heart."
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Interesting, if one thought it was a picture representing Weston and Winnail, which one would be the "humble" one? The Slapper or the Slapee? Can anyone really tell? Is the humble one the penguin that slapped, or the one slapped down?
Or, could it be that both penquins are humble, but one is more humble than the other?
Time will t.................no, it won't!
But the time does tell that the visual is awesome to look at when considering humility from the viewpoint/writings of both W & W: Weston and Winnail...
John
the visual is awesome to look at when considering humility from the viewpoint/writings of both W & W: Weston and Winnail...
ReplyDeleteBut which penguin is Weston, and which is Winnail? Which is the slapper, and which is getting slapped?
Doug, You mean like waiting until 2020 to FINALY ordain someone like minister Mario Hernandez, because he’s not a white Anglo Saxon. Or shall I say not a physical Israelite. . It should have happened 20 something years ago. Those people have an internal problem.
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