PCG: Flurry Was Worried About Too Much Speculation As The Wall Cried Out…

Screenshot of PCG article

Students at Herbert W Armstrong College, on the cult compound of the Philadelphia Church of God, have been given a foretaste of what the PCG imagines the Kingdom of God will be like with a new mural recently painted in the old John Amos Field House. That building was the center of college and church life for many years till Flurry built his mini-me auditorium patterned after the Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena, CA. 

The JA Field House is still used for basketball, dining, and as a student lounge on the old stage. Sadly the students were subjected to a boring old white wall. But in good COG fashion, someone stepped up to the plate and designed a painting envisioning PCG's imagined world to come.

Evangelist Wayne Turgeon, who oversaw the buildings and grounds department for a number of years before transferring to the United Kingdom-Europe-Africa regional office, said the inspiration for the project came years ago because, with the curtains now open most of the time the stage’s empty white wall seemed to be “crying out for something to fill it up.”

The original concept for the wall was to be a painting of the "New Jerusalem" that the PCG expects soon to descend from on high and plop down at the exact center of the earth. But unfortunately, Gerald Flurry thought that that would involve too much speculation as to what it looked like. 

The original subject of the painting was New Jerusalem, but Pastor General Gerald Flurry said he felt that depicting it would rely too much on speculation.

Imagine that, Gerald Flurry worried about too much speculation! Who would have ever thought that considering the bizarre speculations that come out of his aging mind right now? 

King Flurry then approved a painting of their imagined kingdom to come.

He then approved a scene from the Millennium, the prophesied 1,000-year period of world peace under the government of God.

Gotta get government in there somehow. 

After many discarded ideas had made it into the Kingly dumpster, a design was envisioned and approved.

Artists created several drafts but had a hard time deciding on one. For this and other reasons, the project sat untouched for years. But in early April, Dorning sketched the draft that would become the final version, and the project was underway.

I do appreciate the Temple to Zeus with its Greek phallic columns rising in the background and the father walking the tiger on a leash in the supposedly peaceful kingdom. As one person pointed out on Facebook, "this is a COG where sex and control are always in the background".

Mr. Turgeon expressed his hopes that the mural will “inspire the students, and any other members who see it, to think immediately of the incredible future that lies ahead for all of mankind.”

I also can't help but compare it to the Jehovah's Witness's Kingdom of God paintings that adorn their literature:

 

Simon Magus, The Early Church, and the Church of God

 

Earliest known image of John the Apostle – opponent of Gnostics

The Persistent Mystique of Unorthodoxy

Gnosticism and Christianity at Odds

By NeoDromos

 

One of the great insults to the Christian church is that it came into existence as a subversion of the true church by Simon Magus, a Samaritan Gnostic, and is therefore utterly pagan.  Simon Magus is a topic in the Mystery of the Ages (MOA) written by Herbert W. Armstrong (HWA) where Simon is described as the innovator of what is known in the Christian movement as “cheap grace.”  While Armstrongism devotes little time to the Patristics and other ancient Christian personae, Simon Magus receives much attention in some of the Armstrongist publications.     HWA claims that Satan started his “great false church” through Simon Magus (MOA, p. 51).   This opinion piece reviews the origin of these ideas about the role of Simon Magus and proposes a “learning tool” for evaluating denominational affinities with Gnosticism.  

The Willful Samaritan

In my research on Simon Magus, I have encountered nothing that would make me think that Simon had anything to do with the founding of Christianity as it is now known.   So I went to Armstrongist literature to try to discover why this belief concerning Simon as founder is held.  I discovered that Ernest L. Martin, when he was an Armstrongist, wrote an extensive series in the Good News Magazine about Simon Magus.  I believe this is where HWA got his comments in MOA about Simon.  After some review, I was not impressed with the scholarship shown in Martin’s series.   All historians interpret data but sometimes the interpretation can be gratuitous and forced.  And the forced interpretation is what I found in Martin’s writing.

As an example, I looked for Martin’s explanation in particular as to how Simon usurped the First Century church, leading it off into grave error.   I found Martin’s assertions about this genesis in a section titled “Catholic Church Accepts SIMON MAGUS’ Teaching.”  The idea that Martin presents is that the followers of Simon flooded into the church bringing with them a toxic theology.  And their numbers were such that they completely overran the church.  (Note that the term Catholic Church at this time means the broad or whole church and is not the same as the modern Roman Catholic Church denomination.)  Martin wrote:

“We have the record of history which tells us that Simon's teaching spread like wildfire — especially in Rome where he was honoured as a god. In fact, after going there he made that city his headquarters. But let us recall that the followers of Simon called themselves TRUE Christians.

“Nonetheless the Simonians were very much around — this time with the name of "Christian." And we have the exact testimony of Eusebius himself (325 A.D.) that these people were flocking into the Catholic Church.”

First, the “record of history” he refers to has no citation so I could not check it.   Second, the use of the word “flocking” which suggests a large number of people is not supported.  It is just creative rhetoric.  And, third, we will see shortly that “exact testimony” of Eusebius suffers also. Martin states further:

 “Notice what Eusebius says, after stating that Simon Magus in the days of the Apostles received baptism and feigned Christian belief: "And what is more surprising, the same thing IS DONE EVEN TO THIS DAY by those who follow HIS most impure heresy. For they, after the manner of their forefather, SLIPPING INTO THE CHURCH, like a pestilential and leprous disease GREATLY AFFLICT THOSE [a great number of people] into whom they …“

The words “greatly afflict those” in all capitals are construed by Martin to mean a “great number.”   The words in brackets are not in the original text – they were added by Martin.  This “greatly afflict those” phrase does not require his bracketed interpretation.  Interpreting this as a phrase of intensity seems much more plausible.  In fact, Martin quotes earlier “Justin tells us that some were still going by the parent name in his day (152 A.D.). But by the time of Origen (220 A.D.), he states that there were hardly 30 people in the world which went by the parent name.”  This is a problem for Martin whose essential argument pivots on numbers of people.

And what was the reaction of the church?  Martin describes it in this way:

“Eusebius later maintains that the chief troublemakers were being expelled from the Catholic Church. But how could they expel all of them? Almost the whole church by this time was affected.”

The last two sentences are speculative and based on Martin’s foregoing attempt to make the followers of Simon seem very numerous.   What we really have as data, setting aside Martin’s creative interpretation, is the fact that some trouble-making followers of Simon showed up at church and this started a program of expulsion by church authorities.  Eusebius is supposed to have verified that Simon’s followers were persistent and numerous but we have seen that is Martin’s rendering. This does not sound like the inflection point in theology that Martin was looking for.  

My conclusion is that Martin’s series contains many declarations critical to his thesis that are not underpinned by footnoted sources and this leaves the reader wondering where the ideas came from.   On rebuttal, Martin, were he alive, may have a defense for all of this but what this appeal would be is not apparent from what he has written.   

Homework – Fill in the Blank

 Although the idea that Simon Magus founded Christianity is facetious, Gnosticism was a thorn in the side of the early church.  And it is interesting that some of the prominent Gnostic movements were Judaizing movements.  And the necessity for the Epistle to the Galatians becomes clear.  

Perhaps, your denomination has residual Gnostic tendencies.  This exercise involves reflection on that possibility.   Imagine your denomination occupying the far right column of the table below.  You judge how the attributes of your denomination should be defined for each row. A Christian church will be at great variance with the two middle columns.  And the idea is to respond with principle and not detail.   For instance, there is the attribute “Connection with Circumcision Party.”  No Christian or putatively Christian group believes that now circumcision is required.  But there are some that do not recognize the fact that there is a New Covenant and under the New Covenant some laws were rendered spiritual by Jesus.  For instance, circumcision of the flesh is now circumcision of the heart.  In logical principle, this might be called the Circumcision Error.  This exercise may help answer the question, “Where do we really find similarities to the Gnostic ideas of Simon Magus today?”  I have used the Gnosticism of Cerinthus and the semi-Gnosticism of the Ebionites as good representatives of the Gnostic movement.   Gnosticism contains some really bizarre beliefs.  I have used some beliefs where the comparison with modern-day religions is possible. 

Analyze Your Own Denomination
Attributes	Cerinthian Gnosticism (Jewish sect)	Ebionism (Jewish sect; Strong affinity with Gnosticism)	Put the name of your church here and fill in the blocks below
Characteristics of Creator.  Anthropomorphic?  Immanent and Transcendent?	The Cosmos were created by a Demi-urge who had the characteristics of a created being; Creator was not transcendent. The implication of this is that they believed literally the anthropomorphic language describing God in the Old Testament.	Equated Yahweh of the OT to a Demi-urge. The implication of this is that they believed literally the anthropomorphic language describing God in the Old Testament.
Law of Moses; Salvation by Works	“…strict adherence to both Written and Oral Torah Mosaic Law for the attainment of salvation”	“… the Ebionites insisted on the necessity of following the written Law of Moses alone (without the Oral Law)”
Grace	Misunderstood doctrine of Grace; salvation not by grace but by gnosis or knowledge of God	Misunderstood doctrine of grace; Church Fathers claimed they had an improper fixation on the Law of Moses
Status of Jesus	Jesus categorically subordinate to God. Denied Jesus was co-equal with God.	Jesus categorically subordinate to God. Denied Jesus was co-equal with God.
The Sabbath	Observed the seventh day	Observed the seventh day
Eschatology	Believed in a form of Millenarianism	Believed in the coming Kingdom of God
The Trinity	Rejected the Trinity	Rejected the Trinity
Connection with Circumcision Party	In principle, Cerinthians advocated a literal Torah and rejected the enactment of the New Covenant with the transformations Jesus made; originated in the First Century Judaizing movement; either derived from or related to the Circumcision Party; required that converts be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses	In principle, Ebionites advocated a literal Torah and rejected the enactment of the New Covenant with the transformations Jesus made; required that converts be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses; Ebionites may have originated as dissidents in opposition to the decisions of the Jerusalem Council
Opposition to established Christian authority	Strong opposition to the Apostle John; Some think John wrote his Gospel to counter Cerinthus	Regarded the Apostle Paul to be an apostate
Focus on a human leader	Cerinthus, likely a Jew born in Egypt	Epiphanius recounts that there was an Ebion. Others say there was not.
Elevation of non-canonical literature; Use of parochial writings	Used the Gospel of Cerinthus	Used an unorthodox version of the Gospel of Matthew; it was identical to the Gospel of Cerinthus

 

Conclusion

The idea that modern Christianity is enslaved to the ancient ideas of Simon Magus is ill-conceived.  The study of scripture in modern times has been extensive and involves ancient languages, archaeology, customs, culture, archaeogenetics, hermeneutics, the accumulated wisdom of the Christian movement, and many other disciplines and resources.  Dogma is developed from scripture, not from the arcane writings of a First Century Samaritan Gnostic.  What Simon Magus actually believed can be found in Irenaeus and if you scan through this you will find that it bears no relationship to Christian dogma.   (https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0103123.htm)  So if Simon Magus did try to derail Christianity, he was profoundly unsuccessful.  On the other hand, Gnosticism broadly was a plague on the early church and it yet survives in spirit if not direct historical connection.  With a little homework, as proposed above, you can be the judge of this yourself. 

Sources:

Armstrong, Herbert W.  Mystery of the Ages, pp. 52-53. 

Catholic Encyclopedia, New Advent, online, article on Simon Magus.

Erickson, Millard.  Systematic Theology, p. 765.

Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History, chapter titled Against Heresies (Book I, Chapter 23)

Martin, Ernest L.  Series of articles in Good News Magazine titled “Simon Magus Series,” 1964.

Wikipedia articles on Cerinthus, Ebionites and Gnosticism

Restored Church of God: Former Member/Employee Interviewed by Dawn Blue

 

Are the rumors true?  Join host Dawn Blue as she interviews a former member/employee of The Restored Church of God, headed up by David Pack who calls himself Christ's apostle. With its origins stemming from Herbert Armstrong’s controversial Worldwide Church of God. 

Answering questions posed by the locals & around the globe. 

Part 1 of this interview explores topics from The Restored Church of God's religious beliefs, finances, & history. Get an inside view of the “mysterious church across from Giant Eagle” that locals have been talking about for years. Who've referred to it as cult-like & pilfering members assets for extra tithing collections. 

LCG: Members Too Busy Pursuing Their Own Pleasures Instead of Focusing Upon Church Goals

 

Friday Night Smack Down is back. 

When will LCG members ever do what LCG leaders think is right for them? Always remember Boy's and Girl's, it is always more blessed to give than to receive!

A Transcendent Purpose: God revealed a vital Truth through the Apostle Paul when he wrote, “In the last days... men will be lovers of themselves....lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:1–5). Today, many people have full schedules and empty lives. Focusing on my body, my life, my job, and what makes me happy, eventually fails to be fulfilling. The real key to a meaningful life is to focus on a goal that is bigger than ourselves—which is the message of the Gospel. Jesus taught we should “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). Jesus told His disciples to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel” (Mark 16:15). He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). If we focus on these big goals and prepare to serve others—now and in the coming Kingdom of God—we will focus on a transcendent purpose that will be eternally fulfilling. 

 

Have a profitable Sabbath, Douglas S. Winnail

LCG includes all the missing Mister's on the Council of Elder's names list

 

What's with all of this "Mr." stuff?

Complete Listing of Council of Elders Members 

 

The Council of Elders meetings concluded this week, as Mr. Weston noted in his introductory comments. Our apologies that last week’s listing of the Council of Elders did not include Council members Mr. Dan Hall and Mr. Adam West. Also, two new members, Mr. Stephen Elliott and Mr. Paul Shumway, will fill two rotating seats on the Council. We are running the full list of Council members for your information. Thank you for your prayers for these men and all those who serve in God’s ministry: 

 

THE MISSION
“My food is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to finish His work.” -- John 4:34 Greetings from Charlotte, 

 

Mr. Gerald Weston 

Mr. Richard Ames 

Mr. Mario Hernandez 

Mr. Stuart Wachowicz 

Dr. Douglas Winnail 

Mr. Steve Elliott

Dr. Jeffrey Fall

Mr. Lambert Greer 

Mr. Daniel Hall

Mr. Jonathan McNair 

Mr. Rod McNair

Mr. Rand Millich 

Mr. Peter Nathan

Mr. Paul Shumway

Mr. Wallace Smith 

Mr. Rick Stafford 

Mr. John Strain 

Mr. Rob Tyler

Mr. Dexter Wakefield 

Mr. Adam West

LCG: Due To Baby Boom In Church It Is Trying To Figure Out How To Manage Its Burgeoning Young Population!

 

Burgeoning? I can see the issue with their aging population, but burgeoning? Notice they do not define what burgeoning is in regards to their youth. In a typical LCG church one or two kids may add 10-20% to their count. But burgeoning?

This week we held online Council of Elders meetings. Several Council members had recently contracted the COVID virus, but all the men (and their wives) had either recovered or were well on their way to full recovery, and the men were able to participate in the two days of meetings. Mr. Rob Tyler attended all the meetings even though it was late night/early morning in Australia. Mr. Ames missed the last meeting due to some surgery needed on his left hand. 

 

One interesting dichotomy that came up during our meetings was how to meet the needs of both an aging population and a burgeoning young population in the Church. Some congregations are experiencing a baby boom as the result of a good number of marriages over the last several years. The Church and ministry need to meet the challenges of serving both young and old. 

 

Mr. Peter Nathan was in town this week and did some recording for this year’s Feast of Tabernacles Behind the Work video. A list of Tomorrow’s World presentations can be found on TomorrowsWorld.org. Your prayers for their success will be appreciated.—Gerald Weston

David C Pack: Gaslighting the Brethren

 

The following is combined from two Restored Church of God sources:

"At the start of his own splinter group called the Restored Church, David Pack talked about restoring all of Herbert W. Armstrong's old teachings from the time of HWA's death in 1986. David Pack talked about bringing responsible understanding rather than reckless speculation. David Pack said that he wanted his RCG members to be the most informed people on the planet. This sounded so good.

Over the years, things changed for the worse.

Now, Dave Pack is busy making unbelievably huge changes to HWA's teachings. Dave Pack brings nothing but reckless speculation on a weekly basis, and no responsible understanding at all. The RCG cult members now look like some of the biggest suckers around. This has gone so badly.

People who went to the RCG cult ended up getting mentally, physically, spiritually, financially, financially, and financially brutalized.

One of the problems with these characters like Dave Pack who come in God's name is that one never really knows for sure how crazy they will become after one has worse-than-wasted so much time, effort, money, money, and money on supporting them that it becomes psychologically very difficult to admit that it was all simply a really, really, really, BIG mistake to trust a religious con-artist." From Anonymous  

======================================================================

Understanding David C Pack's teaching style:

• Kicking the can down the road
• Moving the goal post
• Carrot on a stick
• Lucy and the football
• The emperor is naked
• Chicken Little: The sky is falling
• Riding the prophetic merry-go-round
• Biblical Groundhog Day
• Cracked the DaVinci Code
• Sees himself all throughout the scriptures
• Delaying the inevitable
• Finds a way to be right about something that was wrong
• Gaslighting the brethren
• Biblical sleight of hand
• Playing a shell game with the scriptures
• Bait and switch
• Present Truth excuses falsehood
• Change the meaning of words to fit the current understanding
• Rewriting the Bible as he reads it to you
• The man cannot stop talking
• Arrogance has never been so insecure (Needs accolades from his acolytes immediately after the message. They stand in a semi-circle and parrot, "powerful, powerful" "so very clear")
• "The man of sin has been revealed" (Again and again)
• "Now I understand"
• "What else could it mean?" "Impossible. No other way to read it." (If you don't have another theory, then there cannot be one. Except when there is later)
• "It fits perfectly" (Until it doesn't)
• "Daniel is finally unsealed"
• "Revelation is finally unsealed"
• "The series is over"
• "Did you think the series could be over before we learned THIS?"
• "The Mystery of God is ended"
• "Would God let me get this wrong?"
• "I tell you on God's authority..."
• "God didn't want XYZ"
• "God gave us more time"
• "I knew it wasn't going to happen..." (Regarding his own teaching just before the deadline)
• "I discovered" but "we got it wrong"
• "Some people left right before the very end. They answered the matter before they heard it" (Part 366 was yesterday)
• "If you don't believe this prophecy, then you don't believe your Bible"
• Reads a passage of scripture that supports his theory, but stops before the next verse that counters it
• XYZ number of "proofs" that are rock solid until they fail
• The antecedent is so very important in understanding a verse...but only when he says so
• Calling any point of logic or opinion a "proof" that actually proves nothing
• A calculator and calendar proves his theories (Harold Camping would agree)
• Obsession with "something" in the moment (ie eagles, rainbows, fog, wind, Elul, Adar, Abib, almond trees, fig trees, oak trees, land sabbath, Seven Days of Passover, nighttime, winter, Ester's fast...)
• "All the ministers agree" (Except they do not. Especially the ones that leave soon after. Some former ministers told me that for YEARS they knew DCP was full of baloney.)
• "None of the other ministers saw it"
• "I've never heard of XYZ" means nobody on the face of the earth ever saw, noticed, or understood a passage and its meaning before
• "If you think I'm arrogant, pray for me"
• None of the brethren can explain what they just heard
• None of the ministers can explain what they just heard
• Don't bother to "prove all things" since this teaching will change in hours/days/weeks anyhow
• "We're right on track. Everything is fine"

The brilliance of God will prove DCP to be a fraud to the core. Whenever Jesus Christ returns, be assured DCP will be completely wrong about the how/when/where. (Marc Cebrian)

Dave Pack: After all this time he now knows the date of Christ's return!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woo Hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Now Pack says Christ IS coming in the month of Iyar (THIS May)

from an RCG source

LCG: Dont “jump the gun,” as it will likely take several years for everything to come together, but the time of our redemption is drawing closer.

 

Gerald Weston's latest missive is out to his co-workers and members and it is the typical COG doom and gloom scenario that you can imagine.

Weston writes:

Thank you for your fervent prayers and your loyal support. Some of you have been with us a long time, reminiscent of those hired at the beginning of the day in the Laborers in the Vineyard parable (Matthew 20:1-16). Others have entered our labors for shorter lengths of time, and more will join us as we move nearer to the return of Jesus Christ. I hope we all pray daily for that Kingdom to come. We learn from this parable that those who fully respond to God’s invitation will receive the reward of eternal life, no matter the length of their service. Yes, we must respond in humble obedience, but eternal life is a gift that comes through the sacrifice and life of Jesus Christ. However, our position of responsibility after we receive that free gift will be based on our works during this physical lifetime (Matthew 16:27; Revelation 2:23; John 4:36).

How can a "free gift" be free when LCG members have to work for it? According to LCG, the more work you do the bigger your position as a god or goddess in the Millenium will be and the higher up the chain of command you will be.

Then he quickly moves on to his traditional doom-and-gloom:

The outline of Bible prophecy indicates, despite what we see happening in Ukraine, that the end is not yet. Revelation 17 shows that the Roman Empire will once more rear its head, “resurrected” as a global economic and military powerhouse. While the European Union may be a precursor, in its present form it is not the Beast power described in Revelation. That Beast could come together with startling speed at any time, but to become the military powerhouse that is prophesied—unless there is some surprise—will take several years. Germany’s military for example is in poor shape right now, but that will change. 

 

The last two years have shown us just how fast our world can change. COVID transformed our world nearly overnight. America’s disastrous pullout from Afghanistan stunned friends and foes. The invasion of Ukraine shocked European nations and sent them on a spending spree for new military hardware. This had to happen, according to Bible prophecy, but which one of us saw an invasion by Russia as the catalyst to set the wheels in motion? At the pace we are moving toward the climax of the age, we must expect the unexpected, but not follow unfounded theories that do not fit within the context of Bible prophecy.

Since when has the Church of God ever NOT followed unfounded theories and speculation about prophecy that in no way possible fits the context of Biblical prophecy? Just look at Bob Thiel, Ron Weinland, Dave Pack, and Gerald Flurry and you will see the biggest pile of false prophetic pig slop imaginable. 

Brethren and co-workers, I think we can all see how rapidly our world is moving toward the end of mankind’s misrule and the return of Jesus Christ. Something has changed in the last two years, and it is not just disruptions due to the pandemic. America’s prestige has dropped dramatically, and its southern border with Mexico is a laughingstock as millions flood across its borders. The nation’s resolve is questioned, and morality is reaching new lows. Homeless encampments are popping up in a way not seen since the Great Depression, even though job openings are plentiful. There is a new mood, a new spirit in the world, and it is not a good spirit. 

 

We do not know how much time we have left, but we know that Jesus’ admonition is applicable today: “Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28). We must not “jump the gun,” as it will likely take several years for everything to come together, but the time of our redemption is drawing closer. And although we know from Bible prophecy the broad outline of what to expect, we should expect a few surprises along the way to bring to pass the predicted events.

False prophet Bob Thiel will probably wet his homeopathic knickers over Weston's comments here. According to him, no one on earth today has any idea of when the final end times will arrive and when the precise moment will be when COG members are to flee, only he does. Weston, not so much.

Never fear though brethren! There is enough time left for you to continue to give your money to the church! Even though times may be rough, we still expect your money! God commands it!

Brethren and co-workers, we know that those of you on low or fixed incomes are being hit the hardest. Obey God and do what you can to help this Work, but we understand that those on fixed incomes may have to cut back in order to put food on the table. And please never sell short the power of prayer. Remember James’ admonition: “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit” (James 5:16-18). God hears the sincere heartfelt prayers of the newest among us, the widows among us, the elderly and the young. He heard our prayers at the beginning of the pandemic, and He will hear our prayers today. 

 

Thank you for your heartfelt prayers and for your financial gifts. You are very much a part of our team. We pray for you, believing God will reward you in ways you cannot imagine. April 11, 2022

Peace out brethren! It won't be long now till we all meet in Petra! Not immediately or even soon, but sooner than you think. Possibly a little longer than we want, but still soon. At least we hope so.

"The Little Flock" The Poorest Excuse For Ineffectual Ministry

Now, more so than ever, in the COG universe, the various splinters make steady use of the term "little flock" to make excuses as to why their membership is so low. Is it really because "true" believers are so few or the fact that today's crop of church leaders and ministry are some of the saddest excuses we have ever seen for being representatives of Jesus Christ, that dude most fail to acknowledge 90% of the time?

When a person looks at the stories in Christian scriptures about Jesus feeding the 5,000 and other stories, you can't help but be struck by the deep fascination people had for Jesus and how he was able to draw them in. Whether it was mass groups of people or a few in a room, his dynamic magnetism drew people into a cause that ended up being the largest belief system on earth today. People have been willing to die for that cause.

And yet, here is the Church of God today, struggling to stay alive and relevant in the 21st century.

LCG's Davey Crocket writes:

The Little Flock 

 

The bare trees make a silhouette on the horizon in the winter morning light, beautiful to behold in the cold, clear, crisp air. Not much traffic on a Saturday morning, a far cry from the crowded roadways on weekday commutes for most workers. 

 

The radio news is relatively quiet, except for analysis of the still-ongoing political issues and talk about the big games scheduled for the weekend. 

 

Being out early is a regular routine for traveling ministers, who often make trips to visit the small congregations of the Church of God that are sprinkled around the country and the world. There aren’t enough ministers for each little congregation to have its own pastor, so most of them are served by ministers who make a circuit to visit these small groups. A Sabbath visit from a visiting minister will involve a sermon based on a biblical topic, such as Christian living, prophecy, or the Holy Days—useful, practical messages that are helpful to those who are striving to live by every word of God. 

 

Some will have questions that the minister will try to answer. Some attendees will request prayer and anointing for healing, a practice found in James 5. Fellowshipping goes on until folks must leave for their homes, sometimes quite a distance from where services are held. As they head home, most are already looking forward to the next Sabbath when they can be together again.

Why make these journeys to speak to and serve these people? There are precedents found in the Bible. Down through time, the people dedicated to following God’s way of life have often been few and scattered, as they are today. 

 

In ancient times, the prophet Samuel regularly made a circuit to serve the people. “He went from year to year on a circuit to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah, and judged Israel in all those places” (1 Samuel 7:16). 

 

Jesus also used this method: “Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching” (Mark 6:6). Later, the Apostle Paul was known for his journeys as he raised up churches and spread the Good News of the Kingdom of God. In 2 Corinthians 11:26, he spoke about being “in journeys often.”
Why do this? Why go to the trouble? Jesus made it plain in His instruction to the Apostle Peter before He ascended into heaven: “So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter… ‘Feed My lambs…. Tend My sheep…. Feed My sheep’” (John 21:15–17). 

 

So, all around the nation, as in many other parts of the world, there are dedicated ministers who are on the go, making regular visits to small congregations, striving to follow the instructions of Jesus Christ by feeding the flock that God has called. You won’t find these little flocks in large church buildings or in sumptuous surroundings. Mostly, they meet in rented halls, realizing that a church is not a building but the people in the building. 

 

At the end of the day, the bare trees make a beautiful silhouette on the evening winter sky as the circuit-traveling preacher makes his way home, tired, but happy to have been of service to a little flock that was eager to hear what he had to bring them on the Sabbath day.

These little flocks in the COG today are aging members who think they have nowhere else to go and must remain true to what they had originally learned. Very few, if any outside the COG movement are drawn into full membership in the church. Some or many may be fascinated by telecasts and magazine articles but not enough to join them. COG leaders write this off by conveniently claiming "they are not being called at this time." 

Are people not being called or is it really a result of ineffectual leaders and ministry spread across the Church of God who have placed their faith in the law while ignoring the one they claim to follow? Christians see through that theological mess and that is why so many of the splinter groups have turned into such failures. They have nothing to offer that sparks the desire for Christ in people's hearts like those that were drawn to him during his lifetime.

Crackpot prophet wants into your bedroom to make sure you are having PROPER sex that can produce mini-god's and goddesses to be.

It has always been amazing to me how much the ministry and church leaders tried to weasel their way into members' bedrooms by dictating what should and should not be happening. Yet, while they berated members many of them were busy themselves bed-hopping. Even worse were their own children who many times were so promiscuous that they embarrassed rabbits by their endless bed-hopping behavior. At least when they weren't busy selling drugs.

Given how hypocritical the ministry has always been with this topic it should give many of them a reason to keep their fly traps shut on the topic, but no, they continue to flap their traps laying down the law.

Our Great Bwana and Savior of Africa, the Chief Overseer of his submissive Black African flock, Our doubly blessed Joshua who was set apart before the foundations of the world to lead the most magnificent Church of God to ever exist in human history, is back once again wagging his naturopathic fingers in the faces of church members lecturing them on what they can and can not do in the bedroom. 

Would you seriously trust this guy lecturing your kids on dating and sex????

The Great Bwana Bob writes:

Many have questions about dating, sex, and marriage.

That's not true at all! Not one single African member has ever asked him about this. They don't care.  They don't care what some deranged white dude from America, with sex hang-up, has to say about their traditions.

Like any good COG minister, his mind immediately goes to sex and fornication. Rod Meredith and Gerald Weston trained him well!

First Date: Worldly vs. Christian

Should a first date be between two experienced pickup artists interested in fornication? Or should it be between a man and a woman who would like to actually know each other better? Does the Bible give any guidelines that Christians who date should pay attention to? If so, what are some? This brief animation shows a worldly pickup date at a bar, and an inelegant, but appropriate request for a date in a more open environment. Dating should be fun and involve communication, and not regrets. So, check out our animation on worldly vs. Christian dating. A free online book with more information on dating is available and titled: Dating: A Key to Success in Marriage, a practical guide for Christians.

The Art of Christian Dating 

Dating is a key to success in marriage. Should Christians have different dating standards than those who are not real Christians? How are men and women different? Can people fall in love? What should people do on a date? What about getting physical? Who should pay for the date? What should a man expect from a date? What should a woman expect from a date? What should be the authority for morals? What should a date be like? Dr. Thiel addresses these issues and more. This is part one of a two-part series.

No One to Date? Teen Q&A? Engagement? 2nd Marriage? 

This is the second part of a two-part sermon on dating for Christians. In it, Dr. Thiel covers subjects such as what do you do if there is no one to date, if Christians can date or marry someone not part of the Continuing Church of God, dating for marriage, and pre-engagement counseling. He also provides answers to questions that teens have had about dating. He goes into the use of ‘social media’, avoidance of trolling, sexting, and some other matters somewhat unique to the 21st century. Dr. Thiel goes over factors such as cultural, racial, financial, age, mental, education, family, and other factors Christians should consider. He also discusses dating for those who have been married before, as well as if married couples should still date.

Then the great Bwana gets down to the fun stuff. He lets us know what to do about oral and anal sex as Jesus is watching over the bedroom. Is your lovemaking going to be proper and pure enough to make mini-god's and goddesses?

Sex and Marriage 

Why is there sex and why is there marriage? Parental discretion is advised as to whether or not everything in this sermon is now appropriate for their children. Dr. Thiel goes over scriptures, “The Missing Dimension in Sex,” and provides answers to questions, such as: 

 

What did Jesus say about marriage?
Are married couples biblically supposed to have sex?
Is sex one way to express love?
Does God have a purpose for sex?
What are the reasons for sex in marriage?
What are the purposes for marriage?
How do humans differ from animals?
Was sex really necessary?
What are the divine purposes of sex?
Why not fornication or adultery?
Is marriage supposed to be a God-plane relationship?
Are families intended as a God-plane relationship?
How does reproduction picture spiritual salvation?
What are the different types of love?
What type of love should Christians have?
Is oral sex allowed?
Is anal sex prohibited by scripture?
Should intercourse be avoided during a woman’s menstrual cycle?
Is it appropriate to enjoy your five senses?
Are Christian couples supposed to produce godly offspring?

What about building character and God’s deification plan?

If you wouldn't trust this guy to give your teenager sex advice why would you let him into your bedroom? 

COG Leaders and Prophecy - Why You Cannot Trust Them

 

The Kitchen Family Wants You To Know The Worldwide Church of God Still Exists!

We have been watching for a long time the Kitchen family as they attempt to resurrect the Worldwide Church of God and build their altar to Herbert Armstrong where they worship on an hourly basis. 

They have spent many years posting as many articles as they could on Facebook from Herbert Armstrong and pretending to hold church on Saturdays. A few people (far less than the 305 Caucasians Bob Thiel is only able to draw) slapped them on the back and congratulated them. This inspired them to develop a website to make everything they could find from HWA and his LOYAL ministers available. GTA is anathema to them, even the things he spoke prior to his daddy kicking him out of the church multiple times. Of course, anything post-1986 is anathema too.

With the new website up they have essentially stolen all of the works of Herbert Armstrong and reposted them, without permission. They also have made the asinine claim that THEY and THEY ALONE are the original Worldwide Church of God where it apparently exists in their minds.

The Kitchen family has long been infuriated that Mark Scarborough had set up a website years before them where he had been able to gather loads of church materials and post them. The Kitchens were incensed that he did this, preempting their attempts. Their Facebook page has been filled with numerous rants and fits of rage against Scarborough. It has been hilarious to watch.

The Kitchens write about their supreme site:

Welcome to the Worldwide Church of God Archives!

The publications archived here on wwcg-archives.com are made possible through the generous tithes, offerings and donations of members of the Worldwide Church of God and other supporters. There are over 50 years of archived videos, audio and written publications available and we are searching to add more to this archive.

The Worldwide Church of God, or the Philadelphia era of the Church of God(Revelation 3:7-13) was raised up through the efforts of Herbert W. Armstrong, and was the backing and support which funded his proclamation of the soon coming Kingdom of God. Ambassador College was started by Mr. Armstrong to properly train and teach the ministry the true doctrines and values of Jesus Christ, as He set and gave them through His chosen apostle.

The ministry was commissioned to relay what was given to them by Christ’s apostle, to their congregations faithfully. The Work and Church grew, and the combined efforts of the Church’s membership produced what you see on wwcg-archives.com.

There have been some ministers and members who have “departed from the way”(Malachi 2:8). The Worldwide Church of God membership may be unincorporated and scattered, but this website is proof that the Worldwide Church of God membership still exists, and they still are holding fast, still supporting God’s true apostle Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong and the truth and values he taught from the Word of God.

Allow wwcg-archives.com to REFRESH your memory of what Christ has taught His Church through His chosen apostle and end-time Elijah messenger, and to call upon you to choose now this day who you serve.

Is it Christ or is it some other BAAL/Idol?

Idol is right! LOL!!!!!! It would not surprise me if they had HWA's picture embroidered on their t-shirts so they can wear him close to their heart. 

The Kitchens get around using the name the Worldwide Church of God because it is a "spiritual organism" and not a corporation. If there is one phrase that the COG has driven into the ground it is the "spiritual organism" crap when they want to justify their disobedience and rebellion. The spiritual organism is above the laws that regulate the physical WCG, apparently.

The Worldwide Church of God(an unincorporated, spiritual organism) today holds to the SAME FAITH, same doctrines, same customs and practices, as the original Church of A.D. 31, under the original apostles.

The Worldwide Church of God is a spiritual organism, created by GOD – not a legal corporate organization created by this world’s laws.

The members of the Church are NOT( nor ever was ) members of the now dissolved “Worldwide Church of God, Inc.,” a California corporation.

Some are teaching their disciples and congregants, that the members of the Church were the above California corporation. This gesture and teaching is only used by these ministers or individuals to gain membership for their organization. It is used mainly against the true membership of the Worldwide Church of God.

We have here the Church, an organized spiritual organism but unincorporated. Now this is not a corporation. This is just the Church as God has organized it.

Herbert W. Armstrong has been used by Jesus Christ to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God in all nations as a witness, meeting with Kings, Queens, Presidents, Emperors, Prime Ministers and other Heads of State, fulfilling the Matthew 24:14prophecy. The job of the Worldwide Church of God has been always to back and support the apostles of Christ in that mission with, support, prayers, tithes and generous offerings! And that message is still going out today, through the support and backing of the Worldwide Church of God membership. 

 

We, the Worldwide Church of God, NEVER stopped our USE of the materials. The Worldwide Church of God membership are striving to preserving the “products and materials” that have been produced by the Worldwide Church of God under Herbert W. Armstrong(1934-1986) through this website, although we have been plagued by many who want to steal them and illegally use them for their churches for monetary gain.

Talk about fraud at its highest proportions!