Bill Watson Declares His Independence!
CGI Pastor Bill Watson chose the Sabbath following Independence Day to declare his semi-separation from the Church of God International (headquartered in Tyler, Texas). Bill announced a new website for the Medina Church (Church of God International, Medina). He went on to say that their former website (CGI Medina) would no longer be updated by them (because it's owned by headquarters).
Watson also announced a new program produced by the Medina Church called Wall Watchers (which corresponds to Medina's new mission statement, which reads in part: "The Church of God International, Medina is committed to advancing the gospel of Jesus Christ on behalf of our Father. Our teachings are underscored by the adherence to the original Apostolic Teachings of the early church. Our “Work,” in Christ’s name is to witness, warn, and make disciples for Him––building His Church by the blessing He provides (Matt. 28:19-20). Utilizing a variety of technologies, we are dedicated to “crying aloud” about the impending calamities coming upon mankind that precede the glorious return of our Lord and Savior; who is destined to establish His world-ruling Kingdom on Earth..." appears prominently on the new homepage.
Although Mr. Watson protested that he was still a minister in good standing of CGI, those of us who have been following developments within that organization have noted a cooling of the relationship between Tyler and Medina over the last several years (which began back in the days of the Covid Pandemic, before my own father's death). Many of my readers may be unaware of the fact that Medina has been keeping its tithe income for itself for many years now (only a small portion is sent to Tyler). In fact, Mr. Watson's announcement is just the latest chapter in the story of that congregation's drift from headquarters.
Tyler had previously taken Bill off of their payroll and reprimanded him for some of the things that he had been saying from the pulpit. They also effectively demoted him from being the voice of their longstanding "Armor of God" program (and introduced new programs led by folks like Mike James). While many of the ministry of CGI have abandoned British-Israelism, Bill continues to fully embrace the teaching and prominently features it in his sermons.
In other words, from this observer's perspective, I only see the gulf widening between Medina and the parent organization and would not be surprised if an official separation was declared in the near future. Mr. Watson has a big ego, and a very high opinion of his own talents and abilities. Moreover, like his favorite president (DJT), Bill enjoys being in control - in the driver's seat, so to speak! He has been uncomfortable in a subordinate role and acting as a servant of Tyler's for many years now. Finally, I will be expecting a number of declarations from both sides that nothing has changed, and all is well. Nevertheless, the evidence is what is happening right before our very eyes (and I choose to believe what I'm seeing over what someone else is trying to sell me)! What do you think?
Miller Jones/Lonnie C Hendrix a
19 comments:
It looks to me that the sootsayers (intentional spelling) of the COgs ("Great Trib" is coming; impending calamities before the Return coming; the woes of Revelation are coming; 3.5 yrs of?; Petra; two witnesses; etc) are overlooking........the spirit world. Elisha's servant got up early and saw a great Syrian host with horses and chariots and said to Elisha what shall we do and Elijah said there are more with us than with them! Wut?! There were - 2Kings 6:17. The 2 witnesses are spirit beings? - fire comes out of their mouths. The woes are directed to the spirit world? described by Paul as principalities, and powers, and rulers of the darkness of this world, and spirit, not flesh and blood, wickedness in high places - Eph 6:12.
But the sootsayers are attempting to physicalize the spirit world? except the great tribulation in Judea of Mat 24:21 which has already occurred in the first century beginning with the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. One woe in Revelation lasts 5 months, and there's that "3.5 years" so just count the time when those times begin and then you'll know the time of the Return. But Jesus said the coming will be as in the days of Noah when the flood came and they "knew not" - Mat 24.
The great Tribulation has not already occurred. Are you calling Jesus Christ a liar ? for he prophesied it would be, a time such has never happened on the earth. The fall of Jerusalem was punishment from God and warned as such, it was a invading army war siege.
The great tribulation will be far more than a invading army siege which is bad enough, as Israel's onslaught of Gaza strip was announced as a siege.
But you are free to believe whatever you want, but not free to preach or teach those personal beliefs in a bible study under the deception of "lets see what other churches believe".
Sorry, Bill but you are attempting to do what the 2 witnesses will do during the GT and Day of the Lord period. Once the 2 witnesses are killed a mighty angel will preach the everlasting Gospel.
And the splits and schism in the ACOG's roll merrily along. IMHO, it's this obsession with end time prophecy, and the ego's of the leaders of these sects that causes these splits.
Although the time snd date stamp has long since expired, it was actually credible that the old WCG had the recognition and power to get out a warning message to the English speaking nations, if those had, in reality, been the two tribes which were Abraham's beneficiariies to the blessings.
Although time and research have brought so many historical and scientific facts to light over the intervening decades since 1975, and these have not been kind to the Armstrong movement, the willfully ignorant persist in believing that some microscopic group will rise up and fulfill HWA's great commission, their patience will be validated, and all of those of us who left the fold will be seen as total fools.
Personally, with what we see going on around us, is a warning necessarily a bad thing? No, quite the contrary! Somebody should be screaming bloody murder about the national debt, what we are doing to our planet's climate, and the destruction of the life-giving oceans around the world. It's just that it is totally bogus (and preposterous) to preach a message that Jesus Christ will soon return to establish Armstrongism as God's government on planet Earth for all eternity! It is incredibly vain as well. That "temple" has already been destroyed, although there are a few isolated clusters of stones still remaining on top of one another. The Jesus described in the Bible will bring perfection, and every single government and religious organization will receive many corrections, especially those who are puffed up, believe they already have ultimate truth, and imagine themselves as being the new gatekeepers and leaders, in spite of the trail of bad karma which resulted from their lack of even rudimentary understanding of the Royal Law of Love, a "missing dimension" from all of their legalism.
But, hey Bill! Good luck with that, as you assist the little balls of mercury in becoming smaller and smaller, fading into insignificance! It is indeed ironic that Mercury, in the ancient Roman pantheon, was the messenger of the gods. Booyah!
BB
The warning message which Bill will be preaching is about LGBTQ folks, abortion, Democrats, the Deep State, immigration, communists, etc. In other words, the issues which you raised will not even be on Bill's radar!
Guess I was a little naive, Lonnie! Sounds as if he's in lockstep with, uh, someone or other. These guys all seem to think that in terms of importance, the issues you itemized trump the existential threats that I listed. Would that they would wake up before it's too late!
BB
Miller/Lonnie, that warning message will be same in the LCG, warning about the alphabet community, abortions, socialists, communist (they can't tell the difference), immigration. Nothing new, just that America turned aside when it went liberal in the late 1960's. Now God has to punish his Israelite nation because we turned aside.
They should just preaching christian living, its embarrassing with all this "end time prophecy." They want the end to come during their lifetime, it's very selfish. As the years go by Bill, what happens to plan B?
And making disciples has nothing to with generating more false prophets in their orgs. It has to do with helping people with their walk with God. It's the same Armstrongist model.
Byker,
Bill believes Donald Trump is postponing our punishment (He still believes that we are Manasseh). He has also swallowed the narrative of the so-called "Christian" Nationalists hook, line, and sinker. Liberals are satanic, and George Soros is conspiring with them to destroy the U.S.! Bill also believes that the U.S. used to be righteous, the 50's were the golden age of America which preceded those nasty 60's, and that vaccines are money-making ventures by pharma designed to destroy our health and kill Americans!
".............will receive many corrections.............."
********
Or, preferably, .....break in pieces and put to an end.....Hebrew Daniel 2:44
Armstrongists do NOT understand the 24th chapter of Matthew - never have. They completely missed that Christ was answering two questions - When the Temple and Jerusalem would be destroyed? and What signs would precede Christ's return? Their error is too ingrained in their minds to ever see this in the proper light. The first question was answered in 70 CE almost two thousand years ago. We're still awaiting Christ's return (and it probably is not going to happen anytime soon)!
Never met the guy, Lonnie, but he sounds kind of like a lost cause, and unfortunately he's got a lot of company there in his bubble, down there at the end of the rabbit hole. How do people even find blinders that are that effective?
BB
This is the exact same problem with Bob Thiel. Look at all of the incredibly useless crap he posts about on a daily basis. One useless conspiracy theory or subject he chooses to back his premise that the world is ending. He doesn't preach about daily Christian living, loving the neighbor, and helping the less fortunate. All of these morons can't stop flapping their gluttonous mouths with uselessness that not even God cares about.
I used to wonder about some people over the years. Current members or those who recently left Armstrongism would sometimes post to me, "So, who's your guru now?" On occasion, I'd quote one of my sources whose material I'd recently read,, properly crediting him, or her, and someone would jump in with, "Oh, so that's your guru!" and then would gleefully begin attacking that individual as if I had gifted them with a prime strawman! Somehow they had missed out on the whole concept behind the library! You learn by checking out a variety of reference materials, reading widely, gleaning a nugget here, or a nugget there. Evaluating and comparing in your quest as a seeker of the truth. You know? Multitude of counsel?
It finally dawned on me that these people had been indoctrinated over years or decades that you must single source all of your incoming knowledge to your guru (aka "Apostle"), and the approved sources whom he occasionally quotes. And, that is how you arrive at "the truth"! By allowing a third party to do your thinking for you! I was not surprised in the least when I learned that former WCG members were part of the House of Yahweh, or that some had joined some of the militias in Montana or Texas, just as I am not terribly shocked to learn that ACOG members and ministers of the splinters have bought into the whole "White Christian Nationalist" movement. Again, their programming is that you need a guru, and that you prove all things by reading and agreeing with all of the materials he has cherrypicked to support his premises and paradigms. You don't troubleshoot, and you don't ask questions! This programming is apparently life long for some people, and it has become their glass celiling.
Now, here's the thing! Behavioral scientists tell us that there is a certain fixed percentage of the adult gen pop who simply cannot take care of themselves, and are totally unable to conduct any sort of life without an abundance of help and support from "the system". Some estimate this at 15%. For those people, a guru might actually be helpful in adding the necessary structure to their lives. Keeps them out of jail, perhaps off welfare, and properly housed.
Why would anyone who is really not in that category voluntarily submit to being treated as a subserviant, as if they were a 15%er by some exploitative guru? I really think HWA knew what he was doing to his followers when he referred to us as his "Dumb Sheep". In many cases, the damage he inflicted was permanent.
BB
"Armstrongites" as you call 7th day Sabbath Christians are NOT the only ones who believe the Great Tribulation is still to happen. Many, many Christians from many different denominations believe in the Great Tribulation to be a future event.
Many Bible scholars believe also in GT as a future event.
You are the only ones i've ever encountered who think this.
There are many false prophets from the first century CE to now after the "great tribulation" - Mat 24:23.
Yep, and Armstrongism is filled with more than any other group. We are morally and doctrinally sick!
This could make a great post of itself. Judge the poor and fatherless, and other things are written like this in the scriptures. The imminent downfall and hypocrisy and leaven, is to religiously profess to be preparing to judge tomorrow but incompetent in the same today, when the scriptures command it.
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