We sure do love to wax poetic on here about how tragically broken the various Churches of God have become, especially their spectacular inability to actually meet together and fellowship like—oh, I don't know—actual brethren in Christ. Recently, UCG (United Church of God) extended a gracious olive branch to COGWA (Church of God, a Worldwide Association) and LCG (Living Church of God). And lo and behold, they all solemnly nodded in agreement: yes, their members really do wish everyone could just be together again; yes, the endless splits have been painful, messy, and frankly exhausting.
They even managed to utter the magic words—we need to have agape love for one another. Touching, isn't it? Heartwarming, even. Yet somehow, despite all this profound recognition and these noble admissions, they willfully persist in keeping themselves neatly separated, each in their own little organizational fortress. Because nothing says "agape love" quite like maintaining doctrinal turf wars and separate Feast sites.
UCG has been kind enough to clarify that these high-level kumbaya sessions are strictly private affairs—leadership chatting behind closed doors, while the poor members (the ones who actually long to reunite) are left on the outside looking in, wondering why their heartfelt desires don't merit an invitation to the grown-ups' table. The pride and arrogance of the leaders continue to act as the world's most effective superglue, holding the divisions firmly in place. Meanwhile, they earnestly preach that everyone else should be filled to overflowing with agape love, mutual respect, and brotherly unity... as they all supposedly labor together for Jesus Christ.
Which brings us to the uncomfortable little question that really ought to be asked: Do they actually all work for Jesus Christ? The last forty years of schisms, power struggles, name changes, lawsuits, and fresh acronyms sprouting like weeds have a way of whispering a very different story—one that's far less flattering and a great deal more... human. But hey, at least the sermons still sound spiritual.
Mr. Elliott said he recently visited Mr. Gerald Weston and his staff at the Living Church of God offices in North Carolina. He has also recently spoken with Mr. Jim Franks at the COGWA offices. He mentioned that most of what we all do is done in triplicate, such as with offices, hall rentals, travel, and Feast sites, etc. Mr. Elliott assured everyone that while there is no desire to combine, it seems most members wish we were together. He then compared what has happened in some cases to a divorce in a family. He said such splits are painful, messy and are typically private interactions among a few leaders without members being fully aware or participating. He also mentioned that currently, the “children” of God wish for the “parents” to get back together. He said that, “it does not seem realistic at this point, so we all need to move forward, repenting and striving with agape love and respect for one another and the work we are performing for Jesus Christ.”
He explained that Jesus desires that God’s children all be one (John 17:20-21), and he explained that while we are not all in a single corporation, at least we all need to be one in God and Jesus Christ by having an agape mindset. Let’s all help each other in striving to do just that, please.
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