What an absolute thrill it must be to slog through life as an LCG member, getting your nose rubbed in the fact that you're the church's crowning achievement in epic failures—like, congratulations, you've out-screwed-up everyone who's ever darkened their doorstep! Those hapless LCG folk can't catch a break, perpetually hauled over the scorching coals for daring to breathe wrong, all while their oh-so-merciful God simmers in eternal rage mode, because nothing says "divine love" like non-stop fury.
And let's not forget, true-blue team players would never stoop to criticizing the sacred church or its infallible ministry—oh no, perish the thought!—or that brain-meltingly tedious sermon from last week that could cure insomnia worldwide!
But gosh, imagine the sheer genius of actually shifting their gaze to Jesus Christ, you know, like they're supposedly meant to? Poof! No more drowning in that glorious swamp of rebellion, petty bickering, and seething envy. Revolutionary stuff, folks—who could've thunk it?
Are You a Team Player? God has called us to be part of a team—with a mission. Effective team players have skills and perspectives that can be identified and learned. Christian team players must be focused on the same goal—the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33)—and work together to preach the Gospel to the world (Mark 16:15). They strive to avoid saying or doing things that offend others (1 Corinthians 10:32; Matthew 18:6–7). They are forgiving and able to overlook slights and insults (Proverbs 10:12; 17:9). Team players don’t criticize or sit in judgment of others on the team; instead, they make sure their own lives are in order (Matthew 7:1–5; James 4:11). Effective team players have learned to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9), and they treat others gently and respectfully, willing to listen (James 1:19). They appreciate that the team is made up of individuals with different talents, and they let other team members know that they are appreciated. In short, good team members have learned to love their neighbors. Let’s strive to develop these vital qualities.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
26 comments:
"They are forgiving and able to overlook slights and insults...and they (need to) treat others gently and respectfully."
As usual, this is the wolf talking to the lambs. Where is the condemnation of slights and insults? Be gentle and respectful? Where's being forceful if need be in order to defend one's rights? This is giving in to the bullies, and grooming their victims to be door mats and punching bags. This is the same phenomenon in present day England where Brits are being arrested for posts on the web while sexual assaults are ignored. They're even forbidden to display their national flag least they offend certain immigrants.
Are You a Shepherd or a Hired Servant?
God has called His servants to care for His flock—not to control it. True shepherds lead by example, not by domination (1 Peter 5:2–3). They encourage growth and maturity in others, not dependence upon themselves. Christ warned that the hired servant flees when he sees the wolf coming, but the true shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11–13).
Faithful leaders understand that the flock belongs to God, not to men (Acts 20:28). They speak truth in love, not fear (Ephesians 4:15), and they remember that the authority they hold is meant to build up, not tear down (2 Corinthians 10:8). When leadership becomes heavy-handed, or when brethren are burdened with guilt rather than strengthened by grace, something precious is lost—the very spirit of liberty Christ came to give (Galatians 5:1).
A wise servant examines himself daily to ensure that he is not lording it over God’s heritage, but serving humbly as an example (Luke 22:26–27). The true work of God is not merely to warn the world, but to love it—just as God so loved the world that He gave His Son (John 3:16).
Let us, then, be diligent to remember that the Church is a body, not a hierarchy of fear (1 Corinthians 12:12–27). Each member is precious in God’s sight, and no part should despise another. May we all learn to serve one another in humility and sincerity, uplifting instead of controlling, encouraging instead of condemning.
Let us strive to develop these vital qualities.
Have a peaceful Sabbath,
ACM
IMHO
As with sports, LCG and WCG before them, practice promoting the leadership of who they considered the "super stars". The one-man who knows and his friends who know a little less that seems to rise above all others. Ignoring the average but common sense driven member or pastor is just not in the picture or invited in to be.
Non-team "team leaders" don't listen to anything but the sound of their own voices. They don't take advice from the average practical on the ground member or employee who sees what they see but so what. We're not asking or including you. . Who you are is more important than what you know or can accurately observe and present. No one is going to ask you to present anything. The team leaders already know everything. It is the team's responsibility to make it work and not to suggest it won't.
Herbert Armstrong did not have a team. He had salesmen. I was not an educated theologian or pastor. I was a salesman for the Armstrongs. The first century Church did not have a team. It had competing superstars. Modern sports teams focus on superstars and ignore the power of the average player, who merely passes the ball, by comparison who makes the Superstar, well, a superstar.
The only way such "teams" understand their problems is with the average member or employee voting with wallet or their feet. WCG learned that the hard way but why would any team leader not understand that was going to happen in the first place? "Jesus worked a miracle in the Church" became cover story for "We don't listen and we didn't ask you. We f...cked up".
"In the council of many there is safety" or wisdom, you pick, never crossed the "team's" mind.
LCG, Dave Pack's RCG and Flurry's PCG aren't teams. They are one man shows that are doomed to fail. Presiding Evangelists, Apostles and Elijah's to come are simply Superstar nonsense.
Dave Pack often refers to his "team" as being in total agreement with him on Dave's knowledge of what is "impossible, impossible, impossible" to deny, disprove or question. We know how that goes. The man is a fool. Whoever the counselors to Dave Pack are, they mere salesmen in waiting, perhaps, for Dave to fail so they can step in and keep "the team" going under themselves.
The concept of "We few, at the top are the leaders here and you are nothing" comes to mind. That actually makes the Leaders the Leaders of nothing.
“The team has gotta do this. The team has gotta do that.” Blah blah blah. The coaches (ministers) are self serving and unaccountable other than needing to kiss the butt of their boss. Hollow words.
Does Doug even realize that his silly little repeated message is a strong indictment against Herbert W. Armstrong, who by Doug's stated criteria was absolutely NOT the team player that Doug tells us a Christian ought to be?
There are nurturing churches which administer to members' spiritual and emotional needs. Armstrongism has always been contrarian, an agitating church, keeping members always on edge. The latter causes most humans to be dysfunctional. It's a method of control and is just plain wrong. Christian churches have a history of existing as sanctuaries, providing respite and shelter from the forces of this world which tend to beat one up.
BB
Best resutls come from concensus leadership. Armstrongism has always been "My way or the highway."
Did Winnail just use Mark 9:42? When verse is referring to leadership and when the leadership offends the spiritual babes in Christ.
I like the Message Bible translation:
Mark 9:42 “On the other hand, if you give one of these simple, childlike believers a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you’ll soon wish you hadn’t. You’d be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck.
Take a look at the leadership of the team Doug,
Cowboy
The ACOGs are Pharisaic. Team player, unity, and similar are only code words for mindlessly believing and doing whatever the minister says. The narrow gate of rights is foreign to them.
I estimate the LCG membership is now down to less than 800 - a furious race to the bottom against the other Daughter churches of the great scarlet mother WCG
An apt description given the long history of tedious lies and deceptions and selfish materialistic lifestyles - Babylon like - all the while holding itself out as the one true church of this time lead by claimed apostles who are very deceptive like a wolf
1) It'd be nice if someone were able to provide an updated census for the main ACOGs and the GTACOGs. It occurred to me as I read 1:25's "less than 800" LCG comment, that some of the "big guys" are no longer the big guys. Someone else had guessed 1,200 for Pack, and we'd seen low estimates for PCG as well. Anybody tracking the numbers?
2) It seems to me that the main ethic that the leaders of these "teams" (if you will) really support is the necessity of members constantly "taking one for the team". Whatever the case, the equation seems lopsided, with benefits mostly accruing to the leaders, unless there is even the remotest possibility that steadfast membership results in eternal salvation. Isn't that what these leaders keep harping on, and use to rationalize their existence and privilege?
BB
Anon @ 1:25:38 PM PST
Well that is an amazing estimate of the membership figures. Not sure of the correct figures, but certainly cannot see any increase anywhere within the Armstrong movement. Yes, it is a race to the bottom. Who will get there first? Place ya bets folks. The other day I saw a ‘booth’ of JW material available to the public, with its attendant ‘disciples’ there. Wish they would disappear also.
Herbert and Loma worked as a team. With Loma more dominating than Herbert. This blog repeatedly again and again ignores Loma's existence. She had a forceful personality and was no shrinking violet.
It is very revealing this blog of AC alleged experts.. has zero AC knowledge of Loma.....
You blatantly underestimate the members "BB". For whom God is for who can destroy? & no weapon formed against you (members not you) will stand.
According to a recent YT video, the JWs have lost 2 million members in last few years. The Internet has stripped away their Pharisaic mask, especially their cover up of the sexual assault of minors.
ALL forms of human leadership 7:26 is flawed, especially in the religious world.
One man at the top leadership flaw is it creates a culture of dictatorship, 'my way monach rule' who cultuvate 'yes men and yes women'. Then others standing in church would depend on the ruling Monach opinion of them. Eventually the 'yes people would toxify the ruling monach and end up completely out of touch with church members.
A concensus leadership culture flaw creates church politics. Nothing worse than that. Where does accountability come from in consensus leaderdhip?
I left lcg, because there was no love and ministers were not team players. If they had love, they would not be mentally running down the members!
Same yesterday, tomorrow and today.
I was surfing GCI.org and see, shockingly, that the Milwaukee church - once 1000 strong - has disappeared from the face of the earth. It had limped along for decades with just a handful of stragglers, but the millionaire executives in Charlotte must have been compelled to finally pull the plug! That leaves only two micro congregations in Wisc for GCI: one in Appleton 80 mi north, and one in Kenosha 40 mi south.
And just because you left that loveless organization doesn't mean you are not a Christian. It just means you have a different path on your journey.
Yeah. That was always the false facade, 10:04. That God had anything to do with Armstrongism, let alone it being His "true church"!
It was just another man-made cult!
BB
Easy to see this happening. Once people are on the correct doctrinal path, they realize that there are churches much more experienced in those doctrines, and for their further growth and edification, turn to those churches instead. Who wouldn't want to take it to the experts and transition to the next level?
The problem with GCI was that management had a serious hangover. Former authoritarians found themselves presiding over a grace-based system, and it just didn't work. It seemed unnatural to those who had graduated from the Herbert W. Armstrong school of management! I'm sure they tried, but some things you pick up in life (I call them "Herbie's Time Bombs") once they become deeply engrained, cause you to just stumble along, as opposed to seeing a clear path and joyously embracing it. We've all had to confront those, whether ministers or lay people.
So GCI only has a dozen or so members left in Wisc yet they claim their denomination has "30,000" members to which I say Buuuullshiiiit!
LCG, 800? No, we have more like 10,000 or 11,000.
That's what I thought! No mischievousness intended, but 800 is simply too good to be true!
Yeah, I’ve seen the 10,000 number claimed recently. It’s down a fair bit from their almost 13,000 claim of a few years ago.
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