The Living Church of God Needs 377 Page Manual To Tell Ministers How To Behave

  

LIVING CHURCH OF GOD  

PASTORAL  MANUAL 
AND  ADVANCED LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM 
Church Administration Department 

The Living Church of God has always attempted to portray itself as the most loving and merciful Church of God to exist after the Worldwide Church of God imploded.

That image has never gained footing with the broad majority of Church of God members.  Rod Meredith and his hierarchy had visions that when Meredith left WCG that large numbers would come over with him.  It did not happen.  Given the horrendous track record that Meredith has with his mistreatment of ministers and members, well over 90,000 members turned their backs on him.

It has been well know through countless documented horror stories on how bad Meredith has treated members and ministers over the many decades he has been in power.

Scores of letters from former LCG members are posted on the Exit and Support web site detailing the horrible ways they have been treated by Meredith and LCG ministers.  Many Global Church of God members remember the hell they went through when Meredith apostatized from their group, took all their money and then treated Raymond McNair as subhuman Laodicean garbage leading McNair and his wife to grovel at Meredith's feet on their knees (with trembling lips) in order to preserve their eternal salvation.

Due to his literal interpretation of scriptures, Meredith has used control and power as his operational standards.  Ministers in the LCG and the COG as whole are hand picked by their superiors.   These are usually yes-men who will do everything in their power to impress the Dear Leader at the expense of the membership.

In many Christian denominations people feel they are "called" to serve the church.  This is no short  period of time.  Many churches have lengthy discernment processes where members of the church meet with and discuss the persons call with that person.  This goes on for months and sometimes for well over a year.  Hard questions are asked in order to discern whether the person is really called to the job or not.  Then after the discernment process is over, they meet again with church leadership who then do more counseling.  They then head off to 2-4 years at a seminary where they learn about the book they are supposed to be following, real church history and real ethics.

Nothing like this ever happens in the COG.  No discernment is ever gone through.  A minister sees a man (always a man) who they feel are well rounded individuals. Most of the time it is men who cater to and slap the back of the leadership that are over them.

Since the LCG and the other COG's claim to believe every single word of the Bible, here is what the ministers of the COG should be doing:

1 Timothy 1) Above reproach, 2) Husband of one wife, 3) Temperate, 4) Prudent, 5) Respectable, 6) Hospitable, 7) Able to teach, 8) Not addicted to wine, 9) Not belligerent, 10) Gentle, 11) Uncontentious, 12) Free from love of money, 13) Manages household well, 14) Not a new convert, 15) A good reputation inside and outside the church.

Titus 1) Above reproach, 2) Husband of one wife, 3) Having children who believe, 4) Not self-willed, 5) Not quick tempered, 6) Not addicted to wine, 7) Not belligerent, 8) Not fond of sordid gain, 9) Hospitable, 10) Lover of what is good, 11) Sensible, 12) Just, 13) Devout, 14) Self-controlled, 15) Holding fast the word —both to exhort and refute.

How many COG leaders are above reproach?   Even sinless Meredith cannot meet this first hallmark.

How many are temperate and hospitable?  Most demand strict allegiance to themselves and certainly are NOT temperate individuals! 

How many are really teachable?  The vast majority will not even consider reading a booklet or book by a person outside the CCG who is far more educated than they are.  How many ever read a book that was opposite their viewpoint in order to understands both sides of an issue or teaching?  How many have ever had a real class on the Bible outside the fake 'universities" the COG pretends to be 

pseudo-seminaries?  How many have ever studied doctrine without the lens of Herbert Armstrong's interpretations?

How many COG ministers are not alcoholics?  Alcoholism is rampant in the COG.  The leadership in UCG, LCG, PCG and LCG have some big time alcoholics in power.

How many COG ministers are not belligerent?  All one has to do is look at the horror stories online and you will see belligerent ministers make up most of the COG leadership.  Just look at Dave Pack, Rod Meredith, Cal Culpepper, Gerald Flurry, and others.  These are men without scruples when it comes to making members lives a living hell.

How many COG leaders/ministers are free from the love of money?  Is it even possible to name one person?  Love of money has created cult compounds in Edmond Oklahoma, and Wadsworth, Ohio where mini Ambassador Campus are being built with mini-Ambassador Auditoriums. Being free from money certainly is NOT part of their ministries.  Love of money helped LCG get off the ground after they took all they could from Global Church God leaving them bankrupt.  If they truly did not love the money they would have stepped out on faith.  But we all know that has never been the foundational principle of any modern day COG.

How many COG leaders/ministers have managed their households well?  How many still have children even part of the COG?  Children of many COG leaders and ministers have been the most rebellious in the church.  From drugs to sex, the minister’s kids did/do it. Some of the biggest drug peddlers in Imperial Schools where children of ministers and evangelists.

How many COG leaders have ever "held fast to the word?"  Every time they get their panties in a wad they leave and form a new group with "newly revealed" teachings.  All one has to do is claim that "God has revealed new understanding" and they are off and running with clap happy seals slobbering all over them.

All of this really boils down to two major points that all COG ministers should be doing.  Love God and their neighbor/members.  Love should always trump over the rules, but in the COG rules always trump love.

Rules are so important that the ministry of the Living Church of God needs a 377 page manual telling them how to behave!  377 pages!

Apparently loving God and loving their neighbor is not plain enough!

The LCG Ministerial Manual (2008) states:

The main objective of this manual is to assist Pastors in their support of that mission, which is: 

• Preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and the true name of Jesus Christ.

• Preach the END-time prophecies and the Ezekiel warning to the Israelitish peoples.

• Feed the flock and build all our members to the stature of Jesus Christ, as best we can.

• Be EXAMPLES to the Church at large and to the world of Christ’s way of life.

• Learn and practice Servant Leadership in all our dealings with others.

• Build an atmosphere of radiant FAITH within God’s Church.

• Restore Apostolic Christianity and all that this implies. (pg 0-1)

Anyone with any COG knowledge at all knows that they have failed miserably on ALL the principles above.

Jesus is not a figure that is widely preached in the COG.  The law is, but Jesus is not. Racial superiority is preached, but love of the Gentile is not.  British Israelism has been thoroughly debunked for many decades now for its racist tenants.  BI is more important than the following verse:

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal. 3:28

BI is a necessary teaching in the COG because without it every single doctrine they hold dear comes crashing to the ground. Prophecy is shattered and made useless.

The manual also states the following Management Principles that LCG claims to follow:

Management Principles of the Ministry 

 

Love 

The guiding principle governing operational relationships within Church Administration is the principle of love as defined by Jesus Christ (Mark 12:31).  This is the guiding principle that must be applied by all Pastors and administrative personnel.  

Teamwork 

As brothers in Christ, we must strive to meet basic human needs in the process of performing the Work of God.  Personal needs of Pastors must be balanced with the needs of the Church.  We will work as a team to perform the objectives of the Church under Jesus Christ’s leadership. 

Hierarchical Government 

God’s government is hierarchical (Ephesians 4:11; Hebrews 13:17).  God established organizational structure so that all things may be done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40).  

Servant Leadership 

While hierarchical, God’s government is based on servant leadership (1 Kings 12:7).  Pastors must be concerned for and sensitive to the needs of God’s people (Matthew 20:25-27).  There must be mutual respect for each other as co-workers and as brothers in Christ, as well as respect for the office held by each person.  All Pastors and administrative personnel should recognize that personal equality does not negate the existence of a hierarchy of offices or responsibilities within the ministry.  We will respect these offices for the Work’s sake, but at no time does the authority of office negate the duty to show Christ’s love, respect, and concern for others.  

Fairness and Equity 

The Apostle Paul’s charge to Timothy supports Christ’s teaching to the Apostles concerning “doing the Work.”  “I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality” (1 Timothy 5:21).  Church Administration and Pastors must strive to operate with fairness and equity, without partiality or favoritism in regard to management.  Work assignments are based on experience, ability, training, and needs of the Work.  

Open Communication

We expect Pastors and administrative personnel to encourage constructive communication and participation in the decision-making process as is reasonable and consistent with prudent management of the Work. 

Freedom for Personal Management Style 

Each Pastor and administrator has freedom of management style within the parameters of wisdom and discernment in the framework of God’s law, and within the policies of the Living Church of God.

It is easy to see that the above “standards” that LCG claims to follow are continually broken and certainly are not adhered to by many ministers and church leaders.

Love is NOT a factor in maintaining order in the LCG.  Just read the horrendous stories about that love on the various COG sites.

Servant leadership is also sorely lacking.  Members tend to be the servants to the leadership instead of the leadership serving them.

Hierarchical government is LCG's top priority.  Without it  it would not exist.  All knowledge and revelation comes from on high and not from the membership up.  Only the educated are at the top and the uneducated are at the bottom.  LCG has blatantly said this publicly to its members. 

Is there any leader or minister in the LCG that leads "without prejudice?"  When the leadership portrays itself as more informed and educated than the cretins below them, how are they not showing prejudice?  Even in the sphere of the ordained ranks of LCG there is lack of "without prejudice."  Just like the rest of the COG's, it all depends on who you know on how fast you move up in the ranks.  Just look at unqualified Lil'Jimmy Meredith.  With zero qualifications and zero theological training he is being groomed to take over the LCG at some point in the future.  The only thing he is really good at is spending money.

Fairness and equality in the ministerial ranks?  Too funny.  Fairness and equality towards the membership? No existent.

When will Rod Meredith and crew ever wake up?  More importantly when will the membership ever wake up?

Who Changed The Sabbath?

The book can be downloaded here.