LCG Members Suffering Trials

Things must be rough in LCGland, as it seems they are suffering many trials right now. If things are rough now, imagine what's going to be like when the Germans arrive to put everyone in concentration camps and send their children to Europe to be their slaves.

God’s Perspective on Trials: Sometimes, when we encounter trials and difficulties, we wonder if God has forsaken us. In such times, we need to remember several fundamental scriptures. Jesus told His disciples, “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). God has also promised to never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). The Apostle Paul reminds us that “all things work together for good to those who love God” (Roman 8:28), and that even in trials, God will make a “way of escape” if we look to Him (1 Corinthians 10:13). James wrote that trials are opportunities to build patience and exercise faith in God and His promises—while we do our part to work through the challenges we face (James 1:1–12). When we encounter trials, let’s strive to remember this godly perspective and pray earnestly for one another.

Have a profitable Sabbath,

Douglas S. Winnail

Herbert Armstrong's teaching on Racism. Gets investigated in a Deep Dive from Ai-COG

This podcast episode examines the troubling racial teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong, founder of Armstrongism, using a 1963 Plain Truth magazine article as its primary source. Armstrong's writings, while acknowledging racial discrimination, present God as the alleged author of racial segregation, justifying it through distorted interpretations of biblical passages like Genesis 6 and Acts 17:26. He enforced segregation within his own church, discouraging interracial dating and marriage. The episode critiques Armstrong's use of fear-mongering and confirmation bias to support his prejudiced views and discusses the lasting impact of his teachings. The hosts emphasize critical thinking when evaluating religious teachings and the importance of aligning faith with justice and compassion.

Ai COG

Living Church of God German Church: Putting All Other COG Groups To Shame!

 

One thing the various splinter groups have NEVER been able to capture is the "glory days" of the old mother church, the Worldwide Church of God. With no dynamic leader leading any of the COG's, they languish and stagnate, pretending they are doing a mighty work. 

Check out LCG's German church situation. They send out German-language publications to 95 nations, and in Germany, a nation of 84.5 million people, they have 6 church members. Yes, you read that right—6 church members who may show up each week.

Maybe they are sick of being the scapegoat for Armstrongite mythology, or in Bob Thiel's case, the creepily weird bromance with Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg

I want to update you this week on the Work of God in Germany. Mr. Adrian Käfer, our minister there, is a one-man machine. When I first met him in 2015, he had translated most of our booklets into German and was printing them on a copy machine where he had to individually assemble, staple, trim, and mail them—all while holding down a full-time job. Now our literature is printed in Canada and forwarded to him, and he has others helping with translations, but he is still the driving force in serving this great nation. The outreach focus this past year was on Bible Study Course lessons, with 3,160 new students, a 222-percent increase over 2023’s number. There were some decreases in some categories of literature distributed and in Internet responses, but the reasons were somewhat strategic, and the picture is positive with an overall increase of 36 percent in literature distribution. Mr. Käfer writes, “Despite the slight decrease in online reach, the quality of visitors seems to have significantly increased. It is also noteworthy that we are reaching into 95 nations in the German language. However, the Church is small, with an average attendance of just under 7 people per Sabbath. I ask all of you to pray for our efforts to preach the Gospel, to give a warning message, and for growth in the nation that God calls ‘the work of My hands’ (Isaiah 19:25).”—Gerald Weston