UCG Council of Elders on removal of Rick Shabi as President:
Dear brethren,
As a follow-up to my video message to you on Friday, I’m writing to share an update from our February meeting of the Council of Elders related to our process for reaffirming a president.
As you know, the president is appointed by the Council to serve the Church for three years and this term is ending. It is now time to determine whether to reaffirm our president or select a new president, a process required by our governing documents.
Some might ask, what goes into the decision to reaffirm the president of the United Church of God, an International Association? To be clear, Jesus Christ is the head of the Church. After seeking God’s direction, past Councils have chosen seven men to serve as president during our 30-year history, each with different approaches and talents.
The process of reaffirmation allows for either planned continuation of current talents or a transition to another set of talents to further God’s Work. Through this model, we benefit from having emeritus presidents who continue to contribute their skills on an ongoing basis in different capacities.
After seeking God’s direction through prayer and fasting, through thoughtful deliberations, and in accordance with processes outlined in our Bylaws, the Council has decided to transition to a new president. With this decision, we now turn our attention to beginning the selection process for the next president. I will share more information about this in the coming weeks.
We are deeply appreciative of Rick Shabi’s service as president. He traveled extensively to international areas, bringing to light important needs outside of the United States. He also brought a fresh approach to preaching the gospel with the Biblical Worldview video program. Having worked with him since May, I know he put in many hours and late nights fulfilling his duties. He previously served in many other ways, including as a pastor and treasurer.
Thank you for your prayers and support of this process and please join me in thanking Mr. Shabi for his service over the past three years. We look forward to his continued service.
In Christ’s service,
Tim Pebworth
23 comments:
Tim Pebworth wrote: "...After seeking God’s direction through prayer and fasting, through thoughtful deliberations, and in accordance with processes outlined in our Bylaws, the Council has decided to transition to a new president...."
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After seeking God’s direction through prayer and fasting, the United Ass. was established, but after seeking God’s direction through prayer and fasting Global was established, and after seeking God’s direction through prayer and fasting, Philadelphia was established...and on and on it went.
Doesn't this sound a lot like confusion? What did that fasting do? God has some advice about fasting:
"Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as [ye do this] day, to make your voice to be heard on high." Isaiah 58:4
What is the track record for the United Ass. since it was established? Factions and fractions all over the place. Can we really believe God had anything to do with any of that confusion? Did God listen to any one of their voices as they strived to imagine their prayers would be heard on high?
Which organization really has God's direction? United? Cogwa? "Living?"....
Think about Moses. Did we ever see a committee around Moses, or even Christ? We remember some independent thinkers like Aaron, Mirian, and others who preferred to vote like Korah and Dathan and Abiram, etc.
God worked through one: Moses.
Well, as Tim said, "...the Council has decided to transition to a new president..."
That is the bottom line. God does not author confusion, factions and fractions. Yes, there will be such a thing as Laodiceans, because God said so, but the United Ass.? Living? cogwAss.?, etc."
I suspect that God has had nothing to do with the man-made organization of the United Ass., cogwAss., Living group...etc. I suspec that God had absolutely nothing to do with choosing the new President of the United Ass., and that God had nothing to do with the rejection of Rick Shabi, because Tim admitted that: "the council has decided."
So many of those hirelings of the former WCG think they will do better than HWA, and strive to do an "identical" or virtually identical "work" as was done through HWA, but they've all fallen short.
What new grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ have any of these hirelings of the former WCG learned since 1986? Most of them still believe in that Mickey Mouse Millennium of another Jesus to "very soon" return to begin a 1,000 year K/G reign on earth, destined to fail after Satan exits the pit, etc. They probably still believe that God lied, that God will not save "all Israel," b/c they think someone, other than themselves, have to go to the lake of fire. Some even think Jesus Christ, actually another Jesus, spoke out the law on Mt. Sinai, rather than the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Acts 3:13), etc.
What might Jesus Christ think about all of those hirelings of the former WCG who set themselves us with their man-made organizations?
John 10:12 "But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep."
Was Jesus right? Have all of them been scattered enough, or may we expect more scattering of the sheep?
Time will tell...
John
''To be clear, Jesus Christ is the head of the Church. After seeking God’s direction,...''>>>>
It's far from clear because why would Jesus want to be associated with a ex Armstrong group that merely repeats the same old lies. It is using God's name in vain.
Still can't figure out the MMM. God's still in charge after loosing Satan.
On UCG members Facebook group posts, various people have expressed their dismay that he is not continuing. Their main sentiments are (a) he is not afraid to point out the faults of the nation and members where needed & appropriate, to boldly proclaim a call to repentance; and (b) he is a popular president among the members.
I don't have a good finger on the pulse for (b), but my own perception is that he is notably authoritarian in his approach to the membership. Eg in his pre-Feast sermon "What Are You Thinking, When You Think of the Feast?"
* Criticised people for inadequate Feast attendance.
* Criticised people for not attending opening night service — failing to do so dishonours God.
* Criticised people for not saving 2nd tithe (he says that everybody who saves 2nd tithe is blessed for it by God; this is a health & wealth concept).
* Criticised people for never going to their home site.
* Criticised people for not serving.
* Criticised people for going to their home site and staying in their own home.
Come on now, 5:25PM, don't you remember the words of your Savior? "Come to me, you who are heavy-laden, and I will give you more and more arbitrary burdens invented by men who've never held a real job in their whole lives!"
6:16 So true! Armstrongism is more about the arbitrary rules than they are about following Jesus.
Moses had 70 elders waiting for him on a plateu of the mountain. He had at least 70 elders from all the tribes to help him run the day to day leadership command in the wilderness.
So it begins......why doesn't your own point b apply to you? Because you are not a member? But know about Shabis sermons? And are trawling the UCG Facebook members sites....
The sermon you mention was not the sermon preached by Shabi during the 2024 Feast of Tabernacles but given weeks/months before Tabernacles.
Rick Shabi was popular because he took notice of the UCG member survey results and achieved alot for members behind the scenes. He is a highly skilled Pastor in looking after his Congregations and brought a great deal of discernment, honesty and trust to the role of President.
The way this whole situation has been handled so far is a disgrace and makes the Council of Elders and the ones on here, look like bitter, uncharitable Tkatchites panicking for change. The years are ticking by and it's mist probably now or never....
So who's it to be Predident Tim? A man who's French speaking sermons are not on the UCG Website so cannot be discerned....
For that big salary he has got to hit the growth numbers (same as in the business world)
If UCG was truly transparent, it would explain in more detail why Mr. Shabi was not "reaffirmed."
But this likely will be called a "personnel matter" and kept private. Leaving members to guess what the meaning and personal takeaways are.
Ouch!!!
Do you think they'll keep paying him that big executive salary when membership is shrinking? No, they need someone who can turn this thing around!
Shabi is an outsider. I don't think he went to Ambassador. He graduated from a real university (Indiana University), went to work at E&Y which doesn't exactly extend job offers on a whim, came up through the ranks of decent-sized corporations in the healthcare sector, then operated his own consulting firm for a while before entering the ministry. Someone with that kind of background can see through the smoke and mirrors in an organization like UCG. Perceptive individuals like that are not going to last very long in a leadership role because they pose too much of a threat to the status quo.
Knowing what you just described, 6:31, it sounds as if Rick acquired exactly the type of useful background that members and ministers would not be allowed by the system to attain. For years, we've discussed the fact that the church and ACOGs and Ambassador College had not produced a Herbert Armstrong type, or Garner Ted Armstrong type who could move the "work" to the next level. Even the best public speakers have been lackluster. Would it be fair to say that Rick was "almost there", or further along than the aging Ambassador types?
I believe your assessment is correct in that the system, ie the very people who lack the man's talents, would eat him alive. No way would he be allowed to rise above them! But, not to worry! Knowing what we all know now, it's good that Armstrongism is sooooo, well, uh, doomed is the word I was looking for!
BB
What about Dennis Luker then a President who lost thousands upon thousands of members ?
In today's highly competitive Christianity they need to turn around the USS UCG; they need to jettison many of hyperactive-herbert's more burdensome dogmas like Anglo-Israelism, legalism...
Anon, Sunday, March 2, 2025 at 3:59:42 PM PST, commented about the MMM:
"Still can't figure out the MMM. God's still in charge after loosing Satan."
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God is running His Plan of Salvation to save all Israel, all humanity, and subsequently take/destroy Satan and his angels (Ezekiel 28:19; 2 Peter 2:12, etc.) and has been, is, and will always be in charge; however, God is allowing Satan to be the god of this present evil world: just part of the plan.
Most, if not all, of the hirelings, who left their ministerial credentials behind in Pasadena to go "do their own thing," of the former WCG still believe in their Mickey Mouse Millennium (MMM) of another Jesus to "very soon" return to begin a 1,000 year K/G reign on earth, destined to fail after Satan exits the pit.
When God's EVERLASTING Kingdom is established on earth it will have certain characteristics such as follows:
Daniel 7:14 "And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom [that] which shall not be destroyed."
Daniel 7:27 "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom [is] an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him."
Isaiah 2:4 "And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
Micah 4:3 "And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."
When Satan exits the pit after 1,000 years will there have been an EVERLASTING Kingdom of God still established on earth and war no longer learned, or will the following control by Satan (2 Tim 2:26; I John 3:8; James 4:5, etc.) be the reality?
Revelation 20:7 "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,"
:8 "And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom [is] as the sand of the sea."
Jesus and the establishment of God's Kingdom on earth is planned for sometime after Satan exits the pit, and not before.
Do those who think God's Kingdom will be established before that 1,000 years, in lieu of after that 1,000 years, believe in the MMM? Do these scriptures aid you in figuring out the MMM?
Time will tell...
John
Byker Bob, your assessment of Shabi's background is correct. But Shabi is not, was not, and never will be "almost there" because he lacks the charisma and also the bravado possessed by Herbie. Shabi is an excellent manager. As a leader or figurehead he is at most modestly successful. But in all fairness it is rare to find someone who is both an excellent manager and an excellent leader. Those are two mostly opposite sets of characteristics.
Anon, Sunday, March 2, 2025 at 11:06:21 PM PST, wrote:
"Moses had 70 elders waiting for him on a plateu of the mountain. He had at least 70 elders from all the tribes to help him run the day to day leadership command in the wilderness."
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Yes, Anon, but Moses was still the one God placed in charge. The 70 elders were "little helpers" (almost sounds like Santa's little helpers???) to the one God placed in charge over the nation of Israel as part of God's Government. Those 70 elders supported Moses in the work that God gave Moses to do.
If God can't work and speak through one, then could you expect God to work/speak through 70? That's confusion.
Once upon a time, people thought and believed that God worked through one man, HWA. The hirelings composing the ministry were HWA's "little helpers" to assist him in the work God supposedly gave HWA to do. How much of the Ambassador (some may say: Embarrassing) College education received by these hirelings did they pass on to members of the WCG? How many were just doing their own thing, when they were allowed to do so, and preaching thoughts out of their own minds?
Satan is a waster; God is not. Was there racism back in the days of Moses? Aaron and Miriam knew that Moses had married someone who was not the same color as they were, and so they were "ticked" and thought that disqualified Moses some...in their view, but God has eyes and ears, and we all know how God backed up His sole servant. Leprosy for 7 days was not a fun thing, but that was followed by a wonderful Eighth Day (ring a bell?) for both Aaron and Miriam (Numbers 12). And there was no racism in God's view. Satan, the god of this present evil world, fosters/authors his evils, his counterfeits, his deceptions as easily in Moses' day as in our day, today.
Were there independent thinkers, with lots of opinions, in Moses' day? Like some who might like to vote people in/out of office, rather than have faith in God's choice. Korah (like Aaron and Miriam) and his "little helpers" thought God made another mistake putting Moses in charge. What happened to all of those independent thinkers? It's in Numbers 16.
If God worked through HWA, and we know he was followed not by a Rod Meredith, Flurry, Weinland, Kubik, Weston, Winnail, Franks, Pack...none of them hirelings of the former WCG were chosen. It was Joe Tkach Sr., and many of the "little helper" hirelings of the former WCG did not like that.
How many of them thought they could have done a better job? Could God have done something to all of these independent thinkers as was done with Korah and his followers? Might there have been some mercy involved? It's not over yet, and time will tell before all is said and done.
God's Church is described in Revelation 2-3; Laodiceans are part of God's Church. Might Joe Tkach Sr. have been the Laodiceans' first, and last, only servant used by God to accomplish God's will. Many have noticed evils, and wrongs, within the WCG ministry over the years. Of course, Satan, that god of this world, was involved within God's Church; God said so (Rev 2-3; 2 Thess 2; 2 Cor 11:13-15).
Overall, approximately 15,000 people died as a result of coming against God's servant.
God told His servant, Moses, to speak to the Israelites and chose out those 70 elders and gather them. Then, God poured out His Spirit upon them so they could properly, like "little helpers," support God's servant in the work God commissioned Moses to do. God, that God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, Jesus' God/Father is so smart, isn't He?
These examples have been preserved for all of us, but will all of those witnesses (including all of those who didn't like Moses being God's servant) live again, as God's witnesses to benefit to all that God grants eternal life to for all eternity?
Time will tell...
John
Stalking people online says more about you than the person you stalk. Stalk away sado.
Being an outsider is not a bad thing ,as Joseph and many others from scripture could be called 'outsiders'. Jesus himself was an outsider to the entire Temple religious leaders structure.
But Shabi gained respect from many UCG members as it became apparent he was a believer as well as an religious leader. He is 'what he says he is on the tin' as opposed to the rise of the unbelieving religious leaders who are only there for the money and power and walk amongst UCG and most probably all Christian churches.
11:17 said: “The sermon you mention was not the sermon preached by Shabi during the 2024 Feast of Tabernacles but given weeks/months before Tabernacles.”
Irrespective of when the sermon was given did Shabi give it?
And irrespective of who did the key points by 5:25 that the sermon giver’s criticisms of those who failed to adequately attend the Feast or its opening night service; or to save 2nd tithe; etc remain valid especially in light of God’s Law-Word that proves the Armstrongist traditions of observing the FOT and tithing on money is not and never was biblical.
What was UCG's starting membership, and what is it today? Surely they's be struggling to make the 1000 mark right now!
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