UCG has been around since May of 1995. During this time, they claim they have been proclaiming a gospel, yet most people have no idea who they are and what they are about. After three decades of numerous groups splintering off of them and losing a large percentage of their ministers to COGWA, they now realize they should have been proclaiming a gospel message.
Now that Trump has been elected, they claim they have a small opportunity open before them to successfully get their message out. Of course, that will take money, and they are begging for "resources" once again. In COGspeak, "resources" means money (tithes, offerings, estate donations, and more).
Thirty years and their accomplishments are minimal. Sure, they have had numerous office buildings and that stuffed blue puppet named Jelly representing them, but that is about all that they present to the world. They have no dynamic speakers who can arrest the attention of the public. Repackaging old WCG booklets, articles, and World Tomorrow broadcasts has not accomplished much of anything.
People are turned off and will continue to be turned off, with or without Jelly as their public face. They have an unforgiving battle ahead of them when they think they are going to be preaching a gospel "boldly, directly, and authoritatively to all nations".
Oh, and they will be preaching this to ALL CREATION! Even Jelly laughed at this!
The COG's are always on that final gun lap that has never seen a finish line since 1933.
Here in the United States, the long, hotly contested presidential campaign finally and mercifully came to a close a few days ago. You’ve likely heard of the results of the election, and we are thankful to God for the clarity He has provided.
In Romans 13:1, we are reminded, “there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.” It is God who we worship, trust and follow. He “removes kings and raises up kings” (Daniel 2:21) and we live and carry out His work in the physical environment He provides.
As we look at the physical “landscape” shaped by the direction God has given, we see that now it is time to be earnestly about His “business.” There is a window of time, however long He determines, for us to preach the gospel boldly, directly and authoritatively in all nations to “every creature” (Mark 16:15), which means to all creation. As God continues to open our eyes, there is still a big work to do to fulfill this aspect of His commission to His Church.
It is a daunting commission when we consider how much has to be done, but we know Jesus Christ is the Head of this Church, and only with His guidance and direction by His Spirit will it be accomplished. We are fully committed here to do that work, but we need and ask for your prayers that God lead us and provide the resources needed to accomplish what needs to be done. Many of you have knowledge and expertise in areas that can be of great help as we do God’s work. God will provide those opportunities for all of us to work together, offering the talents and skills that will contribute to this effort (Ephesians 4:16).
22 comments:
The key sentence is one that the poster chose not to highlight:
Many of you have knowledge and expertise in areas that can be of great help as we do God’s work.
The problem facing UCG is that there are indeed eager UCG members who do have knowledge and expertise they are eager to share, but WCG/UCG culture makes it almost impossible for the ordained ministry to submit to the guidance of the laypeople who have the knowledge and expertise required to get the job done. The lay members whose help might be tolerated will be those with the brownest of noses, not the brightest of ideas.
The ‘gospel’ has been around for a few millennia UCG.
It was not dependent on TV, magazines, YT, podcasts, but on men and women guided and moved by the Spirit of God to proclaim a message of hope of salvation in Jesus Christ who was predestined before the foundation of the world to come and give us freely this gift made possible by His atoning sacrifice. It was not dependent on magnificent auditoriums or campuses or tv studios but by word of mouth. It did not and does not include BI. By their own works the Armstrong movement has discredited the gospel message sadly. But God is merciful and untold numbers are coming to Him globally not dependent on who is in the Oval Office or not. In that I rejoice.
“UCG: We Now Have A Small Window Of Opportunity To Get The Gospel Out”
The original founding commission of the UCG in May 1995 was to get paychecks and retirement plans for some of the former WCG ministers who had been terminated when the WCG's income quickly collapsed after the Great Apostasy of January 1995 in the WCG.
After COGWA split off from the UCG in December 2010, all that was left to do was for the UCG to disappear back into the world.
Does UCG now, finally, after 29 years, think that it has a “small window of opportunity” to do some additional little thing?
"Members"? The UCG governing documents make it plain that only the ordained elders are "members" of UCG. Everybody else just attends.
Comment was made saying: "...UCG has been around since May of 1995. During this time, they claim they have been proclaiming a gospel, yet most people have no idea who they are and what they are about..."
******
Most people have no idea b/c the leadership by those hirelings who fled from the former WCG still struggle to figure out who they are and what they are about.
With the ucg man-made group, organization, association it is either God or mammon. Resources? Mammon to financially keep their ministry.
Initially in 1995 United sought to publish the "Good News" magazine to show those who pray/pay may "see" the "work" being done by them. Then, the "Good News" was abandoned.
You could probably pick a dozen members of that organization and ask them to put in writing what the "Good News" is and you would probably get 12 different answers.
Who wrote the following? "...As God continues to open our eyes..."
Where is the proof that the eyes of United's leadership, even its membership, has eyes needing to be opened? Weren't those eyes opened in 1995? Weren't they opened when those of cogwAss. broke off to form their own man-made association? Did those of cogwAss form b/c of so many "blind" eyes, unopened, in the United Ass.?
Time will tell...
John
I'm turned off by the attitude that God gave the church "the truth", and the church is doctrinally complete, and so the job of the church is to preserve and defend the "faith which was once for all delivered", rather than "grow in grace and knowledge". I guess the idea is that the church itself has already reached peak doctrinal truth, and there's nothing more to be added. Individuals should grow in grace and knowledge, by digesting the collection of booklets and materials provided.
I grew up in WCG and then UCG. I reckon I reached "peak UCG" years ago (except for prophetic interpretations). I have questions and doubts but there's nothing I can do with my questions — they are treated as evidence that I'm not well-established in true doctrine, and a threat to unity.
Is UCG pleased to have an incoming president similar to emperor Nero, under whom the early New Testament church had a window of opportunity to accomplish so much?
“It is a daunting commission when we consider how much has to be done, but we know Jesus Christ is the Head of this Church.”
Yes, Christ is the head of His Church, but that BI is not a part of His Great Commission. Just make disciples among all nations. As long as WCG/UCG boast about the British throne, birthright blessings, along with Germany and their prophecy gospel than you can forget it.
Those apostles went out and spread His gospel message and they mentioned nothing about British Israel. That’s Armstrong’s gospel and his commission.
Romans 9:8 This means that children born by natural descent ⌞from Abraham⌟ are not necessarily God’s children. Instead, children born by the promise are considered Abraham’s descendants. (GW)
Tank
This frame of mind is totally predictable. It's what HWA always said in the aftermath of Republican victory. The only thing that would make it funnier would be if Doug Winnail added it to his reruns.
But, it's also totally inappropriate this time around. The real Republicans have been hijacked. The MAGA party is taking control and nobody really knows what will happen as a result. There sure are some rad ideas being circulated!
One thing is certain. There will
be no revival for Armstrongism. These churches are a spent force, doing an exhausted, slowly collapsing run towards the finish line. They'll fall as they cross it if they make it at all!
Be careful what you wish for, COGlodytes!
The prophesies of the book of Revelation are a certainty. They're not going to remain unfulfilled for ever. In the Old Testament, God always warned before allowing disaster, so any informed group needs to make this part of their message.
Then the answer always rests in looking to Jesus Christ, either in his character, his teachings or what he did during his ministry on earth.
He called young fishermen and tax collectors as his disciples whilst the bigheaded religious leaders strutted their stuff in the Temple oblivious to what was happening outside.
So many continue to equate "numbers" with "success". It is God who draws people into The Church. All The Church is to do is preach the gospel, even if no one responds. Those God is working with will hear and respond at the proper time, and we don't know who that is, or when they will respond.
The problem with that, 8:34, is that the collective group known as "Armstrongism" has totally burned its credibility as people whom God has chosen to deliver the message. They've been "Chicken Littleing" the end, the tribulation, and the return of Jesus Christ for many decades now. They had the visibility and the power to be heard up into the '90s, but had already gotten it wrong in 1975, and with their "in 3-5 years" numerous times thereafter.
If this is the time period described in Revelation, another group untainted by past prophetic error will need to emerge and be used by God. Another thing. The messenger can't be someone with secret sins, such as incest. "The world" cannot have an excuse such as that to dismiss the messenger.
In past years, UCG might have been pleased to see Mr. Trump taking office. Many members are.
But President Shabi talked against both Trump and Biden during the campaign. He may be more realistic than some members: https://www.ucg.org/watch/beyond-today/beyond-today-daily/biblical-worldview-would-you-vote-jesus
Be sure, UCG, to incorporate the truth of Eze 45:21 into your "gospel message".
T.H.E.Y. W.O.N.'T.
Leave. Read your Bible with God. The Holy Spirit is in fact God. He will lead you and teach you. Then be led to what’s next.
Another thing 8:34 the one thing is certain with the prophets and the apostles received the message directly from either an angel or the Lord Himself. Whether from Daniel, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Paul, John etc. So the two witnesses in Revelation will also have the same correspondence. All that private interpretation within Armstrongism gotta stop.
Tank
Wrong.
''It is a daunting commission when we consider how much has to be done,..''
Armstrong said he had carried the gospel to the world essentially completing the 'work'. So why is it others say there is still much to be done ?
You’ve likely heard of the results of the election, and we are thankful to God for the clarity He has provided.
In Romans 13:1, we are reminded, “there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.”
===================
LOL, that's all I got.
As usual, a pitch for money. Boorringgg!
5.50, do you really think that God doesn't consider how a person will be treated if He draws them into the Church? Why should he draw people into an organization if they are going to be fed spiritual milk and persecuted if they show signs of Christian growth?
Post a Comment