It’s striking that Doug Winnail speaks about power plays, jockeying for position, and chasing paychecks, yet urges members to cultivate humility and a servant’s heart. Shouldn’t this start at the top? Shouldn’t LCG and other COG leaders exemplify profound humility and servant leadership? Ideally, yes, but in Armstrongism, this has rarely been the case. Jealousy, power struggles, backstabbing, and a craving for prominence have long defined COG leadership. Look at figures like Bob Thiel, Dave Pack, Gerald Weston, Ron Weinland, Vic Kubik, and Gerald Flurry—they set a gold standard for hypocrisy in these traits, often rebelling against the very church government they claim to uphold, engaging in power plays and betrayal. This behavior traces back to Herbert Armstrong, the most egregious example in COG history.
Many church members, however, naturally embody humility and servant leadership. Sadly, these individuals often don’t last long, as jealous elders and fellow members undermine them.
Until COG leaders model integrity and true servant leadership with genuine humility, the church will stagnate, and its witness will fall on deaf ears.
Many church members, however, naturally embody humility and servant leadership. Sadly, these individuals often don’t last long, as jealous elders and fellow members undermine them.
Until COG leaders model integrity and true servant leadership with genuine humility, the church will stagnate, and its witness will fall on deaf ears.
What Motivates You? Many people are motivated by a desire for position, power, pleasure—or a paycheck. However, failure to achieve these goals can lead to frustration and problems—especially when individuals jostle for positions and seek to be noticed. This can happen in the workplace and even in our congregations. Jesus noted this tendency among the religious leaders of His day (Matthew 23:1–12), but He advised His disciples, “Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant… the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:25–28). Christians are advised to avoid self-seeking motives and focus on ways to serve others (1 Timothy 6:3–5; 1 Peter 5:1–4). Let’s strive to develop the attitudes of humility and service that Jesus exhibited so we can be instruments in His hands.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
13 comments:
"Motivated by a paycheck"? A minister earning more than $100,000 per year, with a lavish expense account and ministerial perks for doing very little real work at all, has the nerve to criticize hard-working LCG members who prefer to support their families instead of working for free? Ridiculous! How much work do you think Winnail would do for LCG if he wasn't being paid? I guess Winnail isn't much of a Bible reader, otherwise he would be familiar with the teaching that the laborer is worthy of his wages (Luke 10:7).
In one of these splinter groups I was given service by a few members in times past, but really never by a minister. And over the course of a decade, we are talking about 4 or 5 ministers. They were cold to me, and I mean cold, and it was the LCG. However I will never forget the warmth of a few members that took me in. Sometimes fed me, stayed with them for a few days, etc. Not a minister though, not the ones who have those great positions.
Tank
In a top heavy, authoritarian group, what is missed the most is the basic concept of leading by example. One of the best things I ever did in my recovery from Armstrongism was taking a course in personnel administration at community college. It was taught by one of the top banking executives in the San Gabriel Valley, and boy did it ever open my mind! Years later, as I progressed, I went to work for a company that had been a Xerox subsidiary, and while I was employed there, they still relied upon Xerox training and methodology. It was my first exposure to the professionalism and system of ethics utilized by major corporations. Much was expected in terms of performance, but management certainly did not rely on the fear motivation, which had been a constant theme in my formative years spent in Armstrongism. They were more highly principled than that!
HWA always spoke of the square peg in the round hole, a carpenter or furniture builder's analogy, but then tragically attempted to shoe-horn all his young peoples' aptitudes into the ministry at Ambassador College. Not everybody was "built that way". The brethren suffered greatly at the hands of ministers who had no business being in positions of authority. If you look at all the splinters, the worst case, most bat-shit crazy ACOGs are still run by such people.
Humility is not something which can be effective if practiced on command. It has to do with deeply held core attitudes towards others, and our own sense of self-realization as a factor in all of our relationships.
BB
GOG theology is devoid of grace and that problem wreaks the most havoc in the ministry. Those who have an experience with grace are motivated to be gracious.
While Winnail gets some credit for the rare mention of Jesus in this message, COGs only view Jesus as a good example, instead of experiencing Jesus as Savior.
While being hung up on the letter of the obsolete Ten Commandments, the COGs miss experiencing how Jesus magnified each of the ten. This is why Winnail constantly recycles his elementary teachings to his people he assumes are not progressing.
Has Winnail ever posted a message on Grace? If per chance he has done so, does he speak on Grace as much as the biblical apostles did, and the fathers of early Christianity did?
Amazing response BB, you should be a professor or something. Humility comes from the bottom up (or within and spreads outward). You can't just read a bunch of verses and then automatically you have it.
I am also always reminded when reading scriptures about humility of Christ, that Paul mentions (Philippians 2:7-8). He had to humble himself and be a bondservant as a man serving others with love.
I too took courses for my degree in an area in which many of these ACOG ministers and editors are devoid of understanding in the particular field that they write about and speak about. It's really sad of the lack of humanity that they actually have. For instance they will write about prophecy (the pope, united states of Europe, red heifer), but they write or speak nothing about the brutality of what's going on in Gaza. They don't care about "other" people, as long as our "prophecy going along."
Tank
Yea 4:32, they still haven't figured it out, that it's about attitude. I am always reminded of this passage.
Luke 18:12-14 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Like you said they like this first man are hung up the letter of the law (v. 11-12), but he didn't have the humility as the other man. The tax collector recognized Christ first the Savior. Then you progress from there. But their attitude is one of "WE ARE GOD"S TRUE CHURCH AND THERE IS NO OTHER." I used to be like that, and that's not humility.
Tank
they like this first man are hung up the letter of the law (v. 11-12)
Anon 7:50:42 is sadly mistaken. Doug Winnail is not hung up on the letter of the law. In fact, Doug is living in open rebellion against the very plain law God set down for marriage. Doug thinks he can violate the letters of the law that inconvenience him, but that you had better keep all the letters of the law that let him keep you in bondage.
9:39, yea, you misted the main point. The topic is humility of the thread. What I did was tie their lack of humility with that parable of those two men, which uses the word humbled in the parable. I was just agreeing with anon 4:34 who said "they are hung up on the letter of the obsolete Ten Commandments," Now D. Winnail is in violation of God's law in relation to marriage, as it could be geared towards adultery. But either way just like the pharisees, being "hung up in the law" doesn't necessarily mean they keep the letter of the law. The ACOGs claim to love God's law or observe Gods letter of the law, but they are so hung up on it , that they do neither the letter or the spirit just like a pharisee. It's like when Christ drew those names in the sand, and they walked away. The letter or the spirit, they are hung up on it just like D. Winnail.
At least the religious leaders in John chapter 8 were affected somehow when Jesus wrote in the sand. The ministers in our LCG including Doug Winnail are not in the slightest pricked to the conscience. Never. they will lash out and accuse a member of rebelling against the government of God and try to frighten them into submission, or they will expel them from God's only true church. I suspect that if John the Apostle were to attend services disguised as in 1 Kings 20, or John The Baptist, or possibly even Jesus himself, that these three great men would end up being disfellowshipped from the Living Church Of God. Like what diotrephes did to John the Apostle in 3 John.
1:40 I totally agree with you
Tank
The "authority" that ACOGs exercise doesn't appear in the bible. Ministers are not even supposed to approach members unless first rebuked by other members. But this is laughable in these churches. The ministers are meddling pests who treat members lives as their personal property. Behaving like masters rather than counsellors is an ongoing legitimate complaint.
Wouldn't it be nice if teaching Armstrongism made people smell? Consider the lowly skunk. As you watch it back up towards you and elevate its tail, it's nature's way of warning you that something's wrong!.
The twist and take advantage of the verse, "obey those who rule over you."
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