Crackpot Bob Continues to Insist on Carrying Stone Tablets into the New Covenant

Crackpot Bob of the improperly named "Continuing" Church of God has once again graced us with his latest missive, solemnly informing the world that the Apostle Paul didn’t do away with the Ten Commandments. As if anyone with a functioning New Testament was under the impression that Paul ran around with a chisel trying to erase the Decalogue. While Crackpot Bob correctly observes that Paul quoted and upheld God’s moral standards, his selective, proof-text-heavy presentation is the theological equivalent of a magician pulling rabbits out of a hat while ignoring the elephant in the room: the entire New Covenant.

Armstrongism’s Strict Law-Keeping Emphasis and Its Gloriously Ineffective Salvation Plan

Herbert W. Armstrong and his devoted followers proudly proclaim that real Christians must meticulously observe all Ten Commandments—especially that sacred Saturday Sabbath—plus Holy Days, clean/unclean meats, multiple tithes, and various other Old Covenant accessories. They treat this spiritual checklist as the indispensable key to salvation, spiritual maturity, and dodging divine wrath. Miss a Sabbath? Apparently, you’re on the fast track to the Great Tribulation and the licking flames of the Lake of Fire.

This heavy-duty legalism is nothing more than a recycled form of the very “yoke” the apostles fought so hard to keep off the necks of Gentile believers (Acts 15). And here’s the delicious irony: Armstrongism’s strict law-keeping cannot save anyone — not even a little bit. It’s spiritually impotent.

As the Bible so inconveniently states: 

For by grace you have been saved through faith… not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). 

A man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ… for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified (Galatians 2:16).

Even if you could keep the law flawlessly (no one in the Churches of God ever has and never will), it still couldn’t save you. The law’s job is to expose sin and drive you to Christ, not to serve as your eternal to-do list for earning brownie points with God. Turning the gospel into “grace plus mandatory Sabbath-keeping plus Holy Days” isn’t just misguided — it’s the very “different gospel” Paul cursed in Galatians 1:6-9. But by all means, keep polishing those stone tablets.

Jesus’ Teachings: Affirmation and Fulfillment (Without the Legalistic Overkill)

Jesus affirmed the moral depth of the Ten Commandments but had the audacity to act like He was Lord over them. He boiled them down to loving God and loving your neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40) and then raised the bar to the heart level in the Sermon on the Mount.

On the Sabbath? Jesus casually healed people and let His disciples snack on grain, declaring, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28). Take that, rigid Sabbath police. Armstrongism’s obsessive elevation of Saturday rules above mercy must have given Jesus a headache.

Paul’s Balanced Teaching: The Law Is Good, But We Are Not Under It (Sorry, Bob)

Paul did call the law “holy, righteous, and good” (Romans 7:12) and used it to expose sin. Thiel loves quoting those parts. What he conveniently downplays are statements like

• Romans 6:14: “You are not under the law, but under grace.”
• Galatians 3:23-25: The law was a temporary guardian. Now that Christ has come… buh-bye.
• 2 Corinthians 3:3-9: The old stone-tablet covenant was a “ministry of death.” Ouch.
• Colossians 2:13-14: When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.

Crackpot Bob desperately tries to claim the “handwriting of requirements nailed to the cross” doesn’t include the Sabbath. Too bad the very next verses (Colossians 2:16-17) explicitly say not to let anyone judge you regarding… a Sabbath day. It’s a shadow. Christ is the reality. The mental gymnastics required to miss this are Olympic-level.

Paul even gave Christians freedom on sacred days (Romans 14:5-6). But sure, let’s pretend Paul’s synagogue visits were a binding command for all time instead of basic missionary work.

James’ Perspective: Moral Obedience Flows from True Faith (Not Checklist Religion)

James reminds us that loving your neighbor is the “royal law” and that faith without works is dead (James 2:8-11, 14-26). Excellent. But he never demands a return to the full Old Covenant package. Heart obedience, not Armstrong-style external scorekeeping.

Addressing Crackpot Bob's Key Errors

Crackpot Bob's article is a masterclass in cherry-picking. He waves around Paul’s moral exhortations while sprinting past the clear declarations of freedom from the law’s condemnation. His use of “all have sinned” actually proves his system’s failure: the law shows our bankruptcy, not the need for more law-keeping. The Jerusalem Council and the book of Hebrews (old covenant = “obsolete,” Hebrews 8:13) bury the Armstrongist position.

The New Testament does not throw out God’s righteous standards. Idolatry, murder, adultery, theft, lying, and coveting are still sins. Christians should live holy lives and practice regular worship and rest.

However, Armstrongism’s obsessive, burdensome demand for strict old-covenant law-keeping — with Saturday Sabbath as the ultimate loyalty test — is a theological disaster. It’s a system that cannot save, burdens consciences, distorts the gospel, and turns the liberating work of Christ into another exhausting religion of “do more, try harder.”

True New Covenant living is gloriously different: saved by grace through faith, empowered by the Holy Spirit to love God and neighbor. This actually fulfills the heart of the Ten Commandments far better than any legalistic checklist ever could. As Paul so elegantly put it, “Love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10).

Believers should reject the heavy yokes that Crackpot Bob and Armstrongist groups so confidently peddle. These systems promise spiritual superiority but deliver only shadows and frustration. The reality is Christ. Walk in the Spirit, enjoy your freedom, and live out the royal law of love.

That’s the gospel. Not the one that requires you to earn what Jesus already accomplished.

“Line Upon Line, precept upon precept” Is Not What You Think — The New Covenant Warning in Isaiah 28:10

UCG Council of Elders is getting ready to present to their followers a doctrinal paper on Isaiah 28:10.

Isaiah 28:10 (in context) does not teach “line upon line, precept upon precept” as a positive Bible-study method under the New Covenant. That is a common modern misapplication. Here is the accurate meaning, including its New Covenant fulfillment.

The Original Text and Context (Old Testament)

Isaiah 28:10 (NIV): “For it is: Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that; a little here, a little there.”

KJV: “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.”

This verse sits in Isaiah 28, a chapter of judgment against the drunken leaders and false prophets of Ephraim (Israel) and Judah. In verses 7–9, the priests and prophets are staggering from wine and strong drink. They mock the true prophet Isaiah, treating his clear messages from God like baby talk or gibberish—repetitive, childish commands (“do and do… rule on rule”). The Hebrew sounds like nonsense syllables (tsav lātsāv, tsav lātsāv, qav lāqāv, qav lāqāv), similar to “blah blah blah” or “da da da.” 

God’s reply (verses 11–13) is that because they rejected His clear word, He will now speak to them through “strange lips” and a “foreign tongue” (the invading Assyrians). To them, God’s word will sound like the very mocking babble they used—leading to their downfall (“they may go and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken”).

In short: Verse 10 is mockery and judgment, not a recommended way to study Scripture.

New Covenant Meaning (New Testament Fulfillment)

The New Covenant (established by Jesus’ blood—see Hebrews 8:6–13, Luke 22:20) does not change the original meaning of Isaiah 28:10. Instead, the Apostle Paul directly applies the surrounding verses (especially Isaiah 28:11–12) to the New Testament church in 1 Corinthians 14:21–22.Paul writes: 

In the Law it is written: ‘With other tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me,’ says the Lord. (1 Corinthians 14:21, quoting Isaiah 28:11–12)

Then Paul explains: 

Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. (1 Corinthians 14:22)

What this means under the New Covenant:

The “strange lips / foreign tongue” of Isaiah 28 becomes the gift of speaking in tongues in the early church.

Just as the Assyrians’ foreign language was a sign of judgment to rebellious Israel (who refused to hear God’s clear prophets), tongues serve as a sign of judgment to unbelievers—especially unbelieving Jews in the first century who rejected Jesus.

If unbelievers hear tongues without interpretation, it sounds like chaotic babble (echoing Isaiah 28:10’s “precept upon precept” mockery). It confirms their hardness of heart, just as the foreign invaders confirmed Israel’s rebellion. Paul is correcting the Corinthian church: Tongues are real and from the Holy Spirit, but they are not primarily for showing off or for believers’ personal edification in public (without interpretation). They point back to this Old Testament pattern of judgment on those who refuse God’s clear message.

This is the direct New Covenant application—not a method for gradual Bible study, but a warning about how God can use unintelligible speech as a sign to the hard-hearted.

Why the Popular “Line Upon Line” Teaching Is a Misunderstanding

Many preachers today quote Isaiah 28:10 positively (“we study the Bible line upon line, precept upon precept”). While the principle of progressive, careful learning is biblical elsewhere (e.g., Hebrews 5:12–14; 2 Timothy 2:15), Isaiah 28:10 itself is not teaching that. It is the drunk mockers’ words (or God’s ironic judgment using their own phrase against them). 

The New Testament never uses it that way. Paul’s quotation in 1 Corinthians 14 confirms the context is about unintelligible speech and judgment. Under the New Covenant, we have the completed revelation in Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit. We grow “from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18), but the specific verse you asked about points us to the proper, orderly use of spiritual gifts rather than a study technique.

The True New Covenant Meaning of Isaiah 28:10

Isaiah 28:10 is not a divine blueprint for “line upon line, precept upon precept” Bible study, as it is so often misquoted today. In its original context, it is the mocking, drunken ridicule of rebellious religious leaders who treated God’s clear prophetic word like childish gibberish—“Do this, do that… rule on rule… a little here, a little there.” Their contempt invited divine judgment: God would now speak to them through the “strange lips and foreign tongue” of invading armies, turning their own scornful phrase back on them as the sound of impending doom (Isaiah 28:11-13).

Under the New Covenant, this passage receives its definitive interpretation through the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:21-22. Paul quotes Isaiah directly and declares that the “foreign tongue” has become the New Testament spiritual gift of tongues. Far from being a personal prayer language or a sign of spiritual maturity for believers, tongues function as a sign of judgment—exactly as the Assyrian invasion was a sign to hard-hearted Israel. When unbelievers hear uninterpreted tongues in the assembly, it sounds like the very babble the drunkards once hurled at Isaiah. It confirms their refusal to hear God’s plain message in Christ, just as the foreign invaders confirmed ancient Israel’s rebellion.

This is the heartbeat of the New Covenant application: God’s Word is no longer veiled or piecemeal. In Jesus, the full revelation has come (Hebrews 1:1-2). The Holy Spirit now indwells every believer, making the Scriptures clear and accessible. Progressive learning is certainly biblical (Hebrews 5:12-14; 2 Timothy 2:15), but Isaiah 28:10 was never the proof-text for it. Instead, the verse stands as a sobering warning against treating sacred things lightly—whether through mockery, drunkenness, or charismatic showmanship without order.

The enduring New Covenant lesson is this:

When people reject the simple, Spirit-illuminated gospel of Christ, God can sovereignly allow their own confusion to become the instrument of their judgment. Yet for those who humble themselves, the same God who once spoke through “strange lips” now speaks with unmistakable clarity through His completed Word and the indwelling Spirit. The call remains: hear clearly, repent fully, and walk in the freedom of the New Covenant—where the veil is removed and the truth sets us free (2 Corinthians 3:16-18; John 8:32).

Silent Pilgrim 

RCG Newsflash: The Cleveland Scene Exposes David C. Pack & The Restored Church of God

Newsflash: The Cleveland Scene Exposes
David C. Pack & The Restored Church of God

The Cleveland Scene news site is shining a light on the shady religious practices of Pastor General David C. Pack of The Restored Church of God. Released online on June 3, 2026, the expose is titled, “Former Members of the Restored Church of God in Wadsworth Say They Were Left Financially and Spiritually Bamboozled.”

Reporter Mark Oprea called me about this time last year to ask questions about the exrcg.org website and my motivations behind exposing an obscure church operating out of Wadsworth, Ohio. We have since spent hours on the phone and in person discussing the theological nightmare that is The Restored Church of God. He had access to sermons and videos posted on the YouTube channel to confirm what is reported about David C. Pack is accurate.

I proved to him that the best way to discredit David C. Pack is to listen to David C. Pack.

Mark interviewed dozens of former RCG members on the record, including Kevin Denee, Elizabeth O’Leary, and Peter Baerg. The article covers a variety of topics, including the financial fleecing of the brethren via Common, failed dates for the arrival of God’s Kingdom, the self-proclaimed divine authority of David C. Pack, and the cancerous religious roots planted by Herbert W. Armstrong and the Worldwide Church of God.

The story about how RCG offloaded $3.1 million in corporate debt onto the members, including some widows, was oddly absent from the final article. Overall, those close to RCG who have read it acknowledge it is well-written and are pleased with how the Cleveland Scene covered the story.

Mark reached out to RCG directly to interview them with prepared questions. They hid behind the front gate and issued a generic, authorless response. It is too risky these days for a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization to attach a real name to a public statement.

Their laughably faceless “Communications Team” is really just Edward L. Winkfield cowering behind his desk with Bradford G. Schleifer hovering over his shoulder.

 

This is RCG’s official non-statement:

Hello Mark,

Thank you for your questions.

Information regarding The Restored Church of God, including its beliefs, history, sermons, publications, and teachings, is available at rcg.org for those interested in learning more.

With respect to your questions concerning the Church’s teachings, we teach biblical tithing and voluntary giving principles based on scripture, consistent with longstanding Christian teachings regarding supporting the Word of the Church. We also teach the gospel of the soon-coming Kingdom of God as preached by Jesus Christ (Mark 1:15)—a future world-ruling government that will bring peace, restoration, and righteous leadership to the Earth, in which faithful Christians will ultimately rule and reign with God and Christ (Romans 8:16-17).

RCG’s focus remains on preaching the gospel, providing free educational resources, and helping individuals and families live more stable and successful lives.

As a general practice, we do not comment on private member matters or internal administrative affairs.

Public tour dates are announced periodically on social media or at rcg.org. At this time, we are not participating in interviews.

Regards,
RCG Communications Team

The highlights noted are mistruths and flat lies.

“is available at rcg.org”

A few select sermons are, but mysteriously absent is “The Greatest Untold Story!” Series that just recorded Part 636 this past weekend. There is also a long list of discontinued literature that is not available on their website, including Is "That Prophet" Alive Today? The Rise of False Prophets, The Bible’s Greatest Prophecies Unlocked!, How God’s Kingdom Will Come—The Untold Story!, The Bible’s Difficult Scriptures Explained!, I Will Send Elijah to Restore All Things, and Herbert W. Armstrong: His Life in Proper Perspective.

Try to find any literature that nails down exactly how God's Kingdom will come. You cannot because it changes week by week, and they know that.

The coercive cash cow financial perversion known as Common is such a vital truth of God that there is not a single mention on rcg.org. Only after people commit to attending are they privileged enough to learn about that financial blessing and test of faithfulness.

“consistent with longstanding Christian teachings”

They meant to type out “longstanding Worldwide Church of God teachings.” But that is no longer true, either. David C. Pack has dismantled so much of HWA’s doctrines that RCG no longer even resembles the Splinters they so desperately separate themselves from.

They recently discontinued The Government of God—Understanding Offices and Duties because David C. Pack blew all that up. Everyone in RCG is an elder now and is only ordained once. Being an evangelist and a prophet just means you have a gift. I wonder if Brad had to sweat through a pay cut. Dave also confessed that Local Elder, Preaching Elder, and Pastor-ranked ministers were made-up positions invented by HWA. He also sheepishly admitted that the United Church of God was actually right with their governmental structure all along.

I never did see the draft of Dave’s apology letter to them after he accused them of being the Synagogue of Satan. Water under the bridge, I suppose.

But apostles are still apostles, wink-wink.

“We also teach the gospel”

But not loudly. After eliminating their $3.1 million in corporate debt one year ago, they have still done nothing to elevate their standing on the world stage. They may exploit the gospel for their own internal purposes, but it cannot be argued that it is their focus.

I challenge RCG's Chief Coward, Ryan Denee, to explain to anyone about the great marketing efforts they have made in the past year, paid for with all that sweet widow’s cash. No new World to Come videos. No new literature. No social media campaign. No public Bible studies.

Just more gardens, more trees, and a reduced groundskeeping staff. You know, just like the idyllic city on a hill.

The “gospel” RCG now teaches is Dave’s bastardized version dipped in his imaginary malarkey.

“RCG’s focus remains on preaching the gospel”

No. RCG's true focus is keeping the campus lights on and the grass sprinklers pumping. David C. Pack is a permanently-sitting prophetic bloviator larping through every Sabbath, befuddling his brain-dead audience with a remixed remix of his malarkey remixed. “The Greatest Untold Story!” is the focus of The Restored Church of God because that IS their gospel. Anyone in that biblically corrupt organization who thinks otherwise is lying to themselves.

Those 144 false dates for the coming Kingdom to Israel, Kingdom of God, Jesus Christ, or Daniel’s 1335 did not math themselves into existence. That is all on false prophet, false apostle, false teacher, blaspheming hypocritical liar David C. Pack, despite his desperate efforts to convince everyone to the contrary.

The focus in RCG is on David C. Pack. Dave knows this. Brad knows this. Carl knows this. Ed knows this. Jaco knows this. Salasi knows this. Frank knows this. Jim and Andy know this. Mike knows this. Even “the littlest Denee” Ryan knows this.

“live more stable and successful lives”

Those who live the most stable and successful lives in The Restored Church of God are those who leave The Restored Church of God. That entire organization is a toxic pit of spiritual corruption. David C. Pack does not teach what he does by the inspiration of God or the Holy Spirit.

The Cleveland Scene article exposes the doctrines and practices of Pastor General David C. Pack and The Restored Church of God. I am grateful for Mark Oprea’s interest in this story. The more publicity RCG receives, the more people who can be warned about what kind of spiritually bankrupt organization they really are.

Just shine a light on them and watch them scurry.

Marc Cebrian
See: Newsflash: The Cleveland Scene Exposes David C. Pack & The Restored Church of God

Crackpot Bob Thiel Discovers Family Values — Right After Ignoring Adultery for Four Years

It is a sunny day in California, but trouble is brewing in Grover Beach. Just when you thought Crackpot Bob and his supposedly ever-expanding African empire couldn’t possibly deliver more comedy gold, along comes this gem. When it comes to Crackpot Bob and his loyal overseas flock, is there anything left that can still shock us? Apparently the answer is a resounding “hold my herbal tea.”

Picture this: Crackpot Bob, in all his prophetic glory, personally texting and then voicemailing the ex-wife of one of his top ministers, earnestly pleading with her to go back and be a good little wife again. How touching. How spiritual. The only minor detail? Her ex-husband, Radson Mulozowa, has been cozily settled with a new wife (Patricia Sambani) for years — a fact this blog and others have been shouting about since roughly the dawn of the current decade. But why let pesky little things like open adultery and public scandal get in the way of a good reconciliation story?

Adultery Scandal of Continuing Church of God Pastor In Malawi - ExWife Shares

CCOG Pastor Tells Village Chief and Family "he can marry anyone he chooses"

Crackpot Prophet Gaslights Us Again. Adultery Is Bad, Unless It Happens In Africa (Radson's own chidlren condemn him in this blog entry)

Why, after four long years of radio silence, did Bob suddenly develop a burning concern for this marriage? Could it be the growing number of raised eyebrows from his remaining Caucasian supporters who actually read the internet? Perish the thought! Clearly Bob was just waiting for the perfect prophetic moment — or, more likely, until the excuses from Radson and his partner-in-spin Evans Ochieng finally started smelling too ripe even for him.

Bob’s approach is pure comedy: he flatly informs Priscilla that Radson is not married to Patricia (just “kissing cousins,” apparently — how wholesome!), completely ignoring the adultery, abuse, and dramatic 2022 exit that multiple witnesses, videos, and the children themselves have detailed. Of course he ignores it. Acknowledging reality might require admitting his hand-picked African leaders have been playing him like a cheap fiddle for years. And we can’t have that.

Bonus Layer of Farce: For years Bob was happily texting and chatting with a fake Priscilla account conveniently supplied by Radson himself. Because why believe actual critics or public evidence when you can get your information straight from the witchdoctor’s PR department? Gullible doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Make sure to listen to the audio recording at the end of this article 

from Crackpot Bob to Priscilla

I deleted the text here that had Bob Thiel's 

personal phone number on it.....

Meanwhile, fresh orders have gone out: Evans Ochieng is being dispatched to Malawi yet again (in the next 2–3 days, sources say) armed with the usual toolkit of incentives to bribe, lure, and photoshop enough “Hope of Israel” leaders and fake congregations into Radson’s column. Because nothing says “God’s true work” like scrambling to manufacture visible numbers after your star minister’s greed and behavior allegedly torched whatever real presence CCOG had in Malawi.

Bob still can’t accept the truth even when it comes straight from Priscilla’s mouth. Instead, the old narcissist doubles down, guilt-trips, and spins. His followers are expected to believe that this is all just more vicious persecution against the one true prophet™ — never mind the voice recordings, text messages, and trail of contradictions.

At this point the whole saga isn’t even tragic anymore. It’s performance art. Crackpot Bob, the man who claims divine revelation others can only dream of, reduced to begging an abused ex-wife to reconcile with her adulterous minister while simultaneously pretending none of the adultery happened. Truly, a masterclass in leadership. 

Pass the popcorn. This circus still has rings left.

When Spaghetti Hits the Wall: Crackpot Bob's Vague Guesses, Post-Hoc Victory Laps, and Zero Accountability Since 2007

Crackpot Bob is a prolific reader of Banned and, as a result, is big mad that the meanie folks here on Banned who dared to point out the century-long Armstrongite prophetic clown car has never, ever delivered. How dare they notice the endless parade of "less than five years left!" reruns that somehow stretch into "any minute now... for the 87th time."

Let's take his sacred laundry list of "not coincidences, Divine Intervention" and give it the sarcastic roast it so richly deserves. These aren't prophecies—they're the prophetic equivalent of throwing spaghetti at the wall, claiming victory on anything that sticks, and then writing a book about your "fruits." As usual, this is all about HIM and HIM alone.

The Greatest Hits of "I Told You So... Sort Of"

• Iran "neutralized" (2007 post → 2026 Netanyahu headline): Wow, Bob called it in 2007 that Iran might get slapped around someday. Groundbreaking. In a region that's been a powder keg for decades, predicting "Iran will face trouble" is like predicting "California will have earthquakes." By 2026, after actual wars and strikes, someone declares capabilities hit—Bob's victory lap. Never mind all the times Iran wasn't neutralized in between. Classic vague geopolitical guess + post-hoc high-five.

• Meredith ministroke and death timeline prayers: You "warned" a top leader might get struck unless things changed... and then prayed for him to live 7-15 more years. He had a ministroke and died after ~8. This is "prophecy"? It's called being in a church with aging leaders and basic medical statistics. "I prayed for X and then X happened-ish" isn't divine—it's normal life plus confirmation bias. If prayers counted as prophecy, every grandma lighting candles would be Elijah. The fact that Crackpot Bob brags about this should show how morally depraved the man really is.

• 2012 book with "32 predictions fulfilled": Ah yes, the book that said the world wouldn't end in 2012 (safe bet) and then retrofitted a bunch of vague "rise of secret sect/EU/whatever" stuff. By December 2012, Bob declares victory. This is the same playbook as every end-times huckster: predict enough fuzzy trends, ignore the flops, and sell books.

• Beginning of sorrows, Australia troops, Guttenberg, etc.: "I speculated China might get mad about US troops in Australia!" Wow. Geopolitical tensions in the Pacific—truly a miracle. Guttenberg predictions: a German politician does politician things. Speculative fanfic elevated to "divine."

• The Anointing Drama (Bonjour double-portion prayer): This is peak cult theater. Ministers say you don't need special hands-laid prophet status → you pray real hard on a trip → one guy anoints you and says "oops, mantle!" → you declare yourself validated and start the fastest-growing (tiny) splinter. Fruits? Sure, if "splinter group with a website" counts as Acts 2:17-18. Jesus talked about fruits like character and truth, not "my blog traffic grew."

• Coronavirus warnings (2013+): "Novel diseases could be a threat!" and "coronaviruses are risky!" in the age of SARS, MERS, bird flu scares, etc. This is called reading the news, Bob. Then tying it to horsemen after the fact. Every epidemiologist warned about pandemics. You didn't predict the specific COVID-19 origin or timeline—you just said "viruses bad."

• Crypto regulation, Ukraine to Russia, Crimea, Donetsk: Governments regulating money? Russia wanting Ukraine bits? In 2013-2022? These are obvious trends to anyone following news, not supernatural insight. Sanctions didn't stop Russia—shocker. Bob's "predictions" read like a slightly informed geopolitical newsletter with Bible verses sprinkled on top.

• GMO mosquitoes stronger? Scientists release modified bugs, unintended consequences happen. Science does that. Not prophecy.

• Trump books, Biden books, gold records, Mercosur, Chagos Islands: Endless books predicting administrations will do administration things (trade deals, economic moves, Europe reacting to Trump). Gold hits records during inflation/uncertainty—astounding. UK giving up islands—colonial wind-down continues. These are "fulfilled" by stretching "at least partially" so wide you could drive a truck through it.

Crackpot Bob's entire method: Rifle through headlines, find anything that vaguely matches a prior vague post, declare "confirmed sign!" while the mountain of Armstrong originals (failed dates for the Great Tribulation, Europe uniting as the Beast any day, etc.) gets memory-holed.

Deuteronomy 18 test for prophets: If it doesn't come to pass, they spoke presumptuously. Not "mostly sorta aligned if you squint." The Bible also warns against those who love to claim special dreams, private interpretations, and "I alone understand the signs" while the church splits into 400+ feuding COG fragments, each claiming to be the One True.

Thiel's list is what happens when you turn "watching world news and praying" into a prophetic brand. It's not divine intervention—it's the same retrofitting every failed end-times group does. The "laundry list" is just confirmation bias in chart form.

If Bob's the real deal, where are the unambiguous, specific, falsifiable prophecies that actually shocked the world instead of "I said tensions might rise and they did"? The Armstrong tradition has been recycling "five years left" since before most of us were born. At some point, the roadside wreckage of failed dates isn't "persecution"—it's a track record.

Truth hurts, Bob. Especially when it's been on public display for decades.

The Man Who Stole the Spotlight from Christ: Herbert Armstrong’s Lasting Deception

Decades after Herbert W. Armstrong’s death in 1986, a stubborn faction of his followers still clings to the notion that he was God’s indispensable end-time apostle, the restorer of “lost truths,” and the virtual gatekeeper to authentic Christianity. They portray loyalty to his teachings and the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) legacy as synonymous with loyalty to Christ Himself. This is not mere admiration. It is bad theology—and it is idolatry, plain and simple.

The Two Trees Obsession: A Distorted Master Key

Armstrong could never stop talking about the Two Trees in Eden. The Tree of Life supposedly pictured God as the Source of all knowledge through the Holy Spirit; the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil represented rebellious mankind choosing self as the source of truth. He hammered this motif for decades, framing all human history as six thousand years of eating from the wrong tree.

There is a kernel of truth in the contrast between trusting God and trusting self. But turning this single illustration into the central organizing principle of the entire Bible is exegetical overreach bordering on obsession. The New Testament does not revolve around “two sources of knowledge.” It revolves around one Person: “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). By making the Two Trees his theological North Star, Armstrong steered people into a rigid system of law-keeping, mandatory Holy Days, Sabbath policing, and distinctive Armstrongist doctrines. The result? A gospel perverted into another form of legalism—the very error the apostle Paul thundered against in Galatians. When you filter everything through Armstrong’s interpretive grid, Christ’s finished work gets pushed aside in favor of “correct” rule-keeping. That is not restoration. It is regression. 

Blatant Idolatry: The Man Who Stood in Christ’s Place

The most troubling aspect is how Armstrong’s defenders treat the man himself. They insist that because he “feared God,” kept commandments, and restored “the truth,” he must have truly known Jesus. In practice, this means knowing Jesus only through Armstrong’s lens—his writings, his ordinations, his definitions of the Church, and his self-appointed apostolic authority.

This is idolatry with a thin biblical veneer. Scripture will not tolerate it:

There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). 

Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). 

Paul shredded the personality cults of his day: “Let no one boast in men” (1 Corinthians 3:21).

Armstrong positioned himself as the essential apostle for the last days. Followers who demand a return to “the original teachings” equate leaving WCG's distinctives with leaving the Body of Christ, or treat his literature as practically infallible, and have done exactly what Scripture forbids—they have inserted a human mediator between believers and the living Christ. Loyalty to Armstrong has replaced simple faith in Jesus. That is not “holding fast”; it is spiritual adultery.

The Church Myth: Spiritual Organism or Armstrong Brand?

Armstrong correctly taught that the Church is a spiritual organism, not a corporation. Yet in the same breath, many of his devotees treat the “Worldwide Church of God” name and doctrinal package as the exclusive franchise of true Christianity. If you leave the Armstrong system, you are told you have left Christ.

This sectarian arrogance collapses under New Testament reality. The true Church consists of all who are united to Christ by faith—across every denomination and label (Ephesians 4:4-6). After Armstrong died, his own successor, Joseph W. Tkach Sr., and later leadership did the honest and courageous thing: they opened the Bible and discovered that core Armstrong teachings—the denial of the Trinity, British Israelism, mandatory Old Covenant holy days for Christians, and the bizarre idea that believers become “God beings”—could not stand up to Scripture. 

The resulting reforms were not apostasy. They were a long-overdue repentance. The splinter groups that rejected these corrections simply proved the point: their security rested in Armstrong, not in Christ.

Bitter Fruits: Legalism, Failed Prophecies, and Division

The legacy speaks for itself. Armstrong’s system produced zealous followers and a powerful media presence, but it also bred authoritarian control, family divisions over birthdays and Christmas trees, shunning of dissenters, and a steady stream of failed prophecies. When the man at the center died, the movement fractured into dozens of competing “true churches,” each claiming to be the faithful remnant. That is not the unity of the Spirit; it is the chaos of following a man.

Time to Dethrone the Idol

There is nothing wrong with acknowledging whatever good Armstrong may have done in people’s lives. But it is time to stop the idolatry. The real Tree of Life is not a doctrinal system restored in the 20th century—it is Jesus Christ Himself (Revelation 22:2; John 15). 

Test everything by Scripture, not by Armstrong’s corpus. Repent of misplaced loyalties. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith (Hebrews 12:2), and leave all lesser “apostles” in the dust where they belong. Christ alone is worthy. Anything less is bad theology—and outright idolatry.

Silent Pilgrim

---------------------------------------------------------------

Excerpts from Samuel Kitchen's latest Facebook post:

Why did Mr Armstrong always go back to the TWO TREES?

1• The Tree of Life

2• The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

Because they are TWO SOURCES of knowledge.

A lot of people have questions about the Worldwide Church of God. They want to know if it was of God, or was it of men.
Some say Mr Armstrong didn’t have a good understanding, received through the Holy Spirit of God, but went on “bad information”. They say, the Worldwide Church of God was merely an organization formed in California.
Making it an object that can be passed around, and if needed…destroyed and thrown away.
“First of all, the true Church of God is a spiritual organism. It is NOT a human organization. This spiritual organism is the "Body of Christ" existing for the PURPOSE of carrying on THE WORK OF GOD.” (Just What Is The Church? By Herbert W Armstrong, 1970)
The WORK is different from the CHURCH.
The various corporations, including WCG Inc, were support services IN THE WORK, but was NOT THE CHURCH. It supported the Church.
So when an organization is set up for a Church, it represents the Church, but it is NOT THE CHURCH.
So the entity of the Worldwide Church of God is a SPIRITUAL ORGANISM. The WORK simply mirrored and supported the Church.
Two areas. The Church, which is spiritual. The Work, the physical support services.
“Actually the Worldwide Church of God is a spiritual organism, created by GOD — not a legal corporate organization created by this world's laws.
But, in order to function IN the world in an organizational manner, the Church of God has needed to be incorporated according to state laws. The members of the Church are NOT members of the "Worldwide Church of God, Inc.," a California corporation, nor of "Herbert W. Armstrong, a corporation sole," under which our financial operations currently are functioning (since the massive lawsuit by the state of California).”(Advisory Council of Elders Formed by Herbert W Armstrong, March 16, 1981 Worldwide News) 

 

And being a spiritual organism, the Worldwide Church of God remains, and only has the membership of those who have the Holy Spirit of God.
Now if you are not IN the Worldwide Church of God, but have left it, you are just fooling yourself. You need to repent and return.
If you have been recently called by God, and are just now coming into the knowledge of knowing the Worldwide Church of God exists, you have been led here by Jesus Christ. r

The Damning Legacy of COG Prophecy Addicts. God Called Them False Prophets — Why Are You Still Sending Them Tithes?

Doug Winnail is back with another heartfelt plea about how crucial Bible prophecy is to “the Church” and their earth-shattering message to the world. How touching. The only teensy problem? Not one single prophecy from Rod Meredith, Gerald Weston, Herbert Armstrong, or their endless parade of spiritual heirs has ever come true. Not. One.

They rifle through Scripture like it’s a prophetic buffet, cherry-picking verses backward to retrofit whatever crisis is trending this week. The golden oldie “Brethren, we have less than five years left!” has been recycled longer than some of these “leaders” have been alive. Five years became ten, twenty, thirty… and now we’re approaching a full century of Herbert W. Armstrong’s prophetic dumpster fire. His predictions didn’t just fail—they failed spectacularly, publicly, and repeatedly, littering church history like embarrassing roadside wreckage.

And the current crop of COG prophecy addicts? They’re carrying the torch with pride:

• Bob Thiel, whose “dreams” apparently carry more weight than actual Scripture. 
• Gerald Flurry, still waiting for his magical rock to pulverize the nations while he plays king in his Edmond compound. 
• Ron Weinland, who set multiple return-of-Christ dates, missed every one. He just shrugged and bought his wife some more diamonds. 
• Dave Pack, the undisputed champion of “Any Day Now… Again!”—a man who’s declared the end so often he makes doomsday preppers look patient.

And dozens more just like them, each with their own “special understanding,” urgent timeline, and loyal followers who apparently skipped Bible class.

Because here’s what Deuteronomy 18:20-22 actually says (you know, that pesky part they always forget):

But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak… if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

One strike and you’re out. No mulligans. No, “we were mostly right on the general idea.” No, “just wait a little longer, brethren.” God doesn’t grade on a curve for false prophets—He calls them liars. Yet these men have built entire organizations, bank accounts, and egos on a mountain of failed dates while daring to call themselves God’s true servants.

Jesus warned about exactly this in Matthew 24:11 — “Many false prophets will arise and mislead many.” And in Matthew 7:15-20, He said you’d know them by their fruits. Spoiler: endless broken prophecies aren’t exactly “good fruit.”But sure, Doug. Tell us again how Satan is deceiving people into discounting prophecy. The far bigger joke is how he’s got an army of self-appointed watchmen (Ezekiel 3 and 33 get thrown around a lot) who are themselves the very false prophets the Bible repeatedly condemns (see also Jeremiah 23:16-32 and Ezekiel 13).

And so the tragic farce rolls on.

Decade after decade, these self-proclaimed prophets have peddled their doomsday dreams like carnival barkers, only to watch their bold predictions collapse in humiliating silence. Families have been torn apart, savings drained, lives put on perpetual hold—all for the sake of a fantasy that never arrives. Yet instead of repentance, we get fresh revisions, new “urgent” updates, and ever-more-desperate pleas for more money, while there’s still time.”The trail of wreckage stretches back nearly a century: from Armstrong’s Germany-will-rule-Europe-and-invade-America fiascoes to the modern circus of Thiel-Flurry-Weinland-Pack and company. Each one a walking, talking violation of Deuteronomy 18, each one still collecting tithes and issuing edicts as if God Himself had not already exposed them.

How much longer will people keep following these spiritual frauds? When will they finally open their Bibles, read the clear warnings, and walk away from the con?

The real Jesus never built His ministry on a never-ending countdown clock. He called people to repentance, faith, and genuine fruit—not to a lifetime of chasing vindication through failed headlines. Maybe, just maybe, it’s time to stop obsessing over the next rewritten prophecy and start following the One these men claim to represent… before another generation wastes its life on lies dressed up as “God’s Work.”

Have a truly profitable Sabbath, brethren. Spend it on actual Scripture instead of the latest prophetic fever dream. Your future self—and your bank account—will thank you.

The Importance of Prophecy: Jesus told His disciples to stay alert and watch for the fulfillment of Bible prophecies that will mark the approaching end of this age (Matthew 24:42–44; Mark 13:32–37; Luke 21:34–36). Jesus also warned, in the parable of the foolish virgins, that many will be caught unprepared by the sudden surge of events that will precede His return (Matthew 25:1–13). God has given His Church “a more sure word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:19, King James Version) so we can warn the Israelite nations and the world of the prophetic significance of world events. It is an awesome responsibility to be commissioned as a watchman (Ezekiel 3:16–21; 33:1–11). It is also sobering to see that Satan has deceived the world and many in the Church to discount the importance of prophecy. We must never take Bible prophecy and our commission lightly.

Have a profitable Sabbath,

Douglas S. Winnail

Church of God Assembly Spectacular “We’re Different This Time” Meltdown - Ministers Leave Along With Monson's Son

Hat tip to a reader here for this information:

What a glorious time to be in the Church of God Assembly! Just when you thought the latest Armstrongist splinter group had finally found its groove after splintering off in 2020, the whole operation decides to treat itself to a good old-fashioned ministerial bloodbath in May 2026. It’s almost like the Holy Spirit looked at the org chart and said, “Yeah… no.”

Co-founder and big-name minister Jason Fritts? Gone. Terminated. Shown the door. Sheldon Monson graciously accepted what he called Fritts’ “resignation” after receiving an ultimatum about preaching the gospel. Translation: Get in line or get out. Fritts has now been scrubbed from the official ministers' list faster than you can say “doctrinal disagreement.”

But wait — there’s more! Like a biblical plague of departing elders, the following ministers have also waved goodbye:

Mike Loper

Randy Wayne

Larry Alverio

Danny Baisley

Todd Lawrence

That’s a solid chunk of the preaching roster deciding the grass is apparently greener somewhere else. Meanwhile, Monson’s own son has reportedly left the fold. Yes, one of his own kids. Family business is thriving, folks.

Left standing in the “loyalty bunker” are the remaining stalwarts — lovingly referred to by observers as the Yes Men:

Jack Lowe

Mike Kreyer

Greg Kaidannek

Eric Case

And of course, fearless leader Sheldon Monson himself

Truly a murderer’s row of independent thought.

The Board? What Board?

This latest meltdown didn’t come out of nowhere. Back in 2025, Sheldon Monson pulled a classic one-man-rule move and dismissed the entire Board of CGA. Why? Because he didn’t want to risk getting voted out, of course. Heaven forbid a little accountability get in the way of having total control over those sweet, sweet tithes. Nothing says “servant leadership” like firing the people who might ask pesky questions about the budget. Financial Improprieties? Perish the Thought!

Adding extra spice to the exodus are the whispers (and not-so-subtle sermon jabs) about financial goings-on. Members noticed shiny new Cadillac Escalades for Sheldon and his wife Joette. Then came reports of a lavish Disney trip that raised more than a few eyebrows about whose money was funding the Mouse House memories. An ex-employee’s sermon on Judas stealing from the money bag was widely interpreted as shade thrown directly at leadership. Coincidence? In COG world, these things are never coincidences — they’re just “the work.” 

One sharp-eyed reader put it perfectly: “If the whole congregation knew the whole truth as to why so many have left, there would be even more to leave.” But don’t worry — if God wants it revealed, it will be! 

For those keeping score, CGA was born in 2020 when Monson and Fritts dramatically exited the Living Church of God over masks, singing, and the sheer audacity of having church during a pandemic. They were going to be the bold ones. The faithful ones. The ones who wouldn’t bow to tyranny or compromise.

Fast-forward a few years and we’re watching the classic COG cycle repeat like a broken record: board dissolved for easier control, questions about finances and luxury purchases, family members on the payroll, and sermons that somehow always circle back to “support the work.” Shocking, we know.

Now the gospel-preaching ultimatum has apparently become the hill too many were willing to die on — or at least resign from.The Future Looks… Smaller

At this rate, CGA’s next Feast of Tabernacles might be held in Sheldon Monson’s living room with the remaining five ministers taking turns nodding enthusiastically. The website and podcast will surely keep soldiering on with fresh sermons from the Approved Roster™.

This is, of course, exactly how God’s one true remnant church is supposed to operate in the end times: shrinking, splintering, firing boards, dodging financial questions, and loudly insisting everything is fine while half the leadership walks out the door.

Truly inspiring.If you’re still attending, congratulations on being part of this exciting new “faithful remnant of the faithful remnant.” Just don’t ask too many questions about the board, the Escalades, or the Disney trips — that seems to be the fastest way to join the growing club of former CGA ministers enjoying their newfound freedom.

Stay tuned. If God really does want the full truth revealed… well, the way things are going, He might not have to lift a finger. The exits (and the empty board seats) are doing the talking.

When Even Satan Needs AI to Make Bob Thiel Sound Reasonable

Bless your perpetually persecuted heart, you magnificent tinfoil prophet of the improperly named "continuing" Church of "god". You’ve done it again. You’ve taken your trademark “everyone is out to get me” energy and cranked it straight into the stratosphere, this time with the help of that big bad Artificial Intelligence that’s clearly been sent by Satan himself just to own you personally.

Now, and I have warned about this before…

Of course you have, Crackpot Bob. You warn about everything. The sky, the moon, the calendar, the Germans, the Catholics, the Protestants, and now—checks notes—the large language models of AI. Truly, no stone shall be left unturned in the Great Persecution of Crackpot Bob Thiel.

You see, dear readers, Crackpot Bob isn’t just worried that some rando might disagree with him online. No, no. Crackpot Bob has reached the final boss level of Armstrongist victimhood: soon AI will be deepfaking him so convincingly that it will make him say things he never said. Which, let’s be honest, is a brilliant plan by the Devil because who wouldn’t want to hear a robot version of Crackpot Bob droning on about how everything is a conspiracy against his tiny splinter group? The AI will probably even get the smug, self-important tone exactly right.

Imagine it: Deepfake Crackpot Bob will go on record declaring that British Israelism was a mistake, that he’s not an apostle, and that maybe—just maybe—Herbert W. Armstrong wasn’t the final Elijah. The horror! The humanity! Crackpot Bob’s fragile ego would fracture like a broken matzo. And you just know he’s lying awake at night refreshing his own YouTube comments, muttering, “They’re already doing it… the wolves… the AI wolves…”

He even tries to prop it up with Acts 20, because of course he does. Paul warned about savage wolves, and Crackpot Bob has graciously volunteered to play the role of the trembling sheep who somehow also claims to be the one true shepherd. The humility is stunning.

And yes, Crackpot Bob, we all remember those devastating incidents where “fraudsters online pretended to be you.” Truly the greatest trial since the martyrdom of the apostles. The horror of someone making a fake Facebook account in your name must keep you up at night right next to the coming Great Tribulation.

But don’t worry, folks! Even as the AI Satanic cabal plots to puppet his digital corpse into saying the wrong thing about church history or protein bars or whatever he’s obsessed with this week, Crackpot Bob has bravely scheduled a podcast interview. Quick everyone, form a prayer chain! We need the Holy Spirit to help him open his mouth boldly so he can once again explain how he alone understands prophecy while the rest of humanity (and all those other Armstrongist groups) are doomed.

Truly, Crackpot Bob is the most persecuted man in Armstrongism since… well, since the last time he posted something. Maybe even more than Gerald Flurry, and that’s saying something. At least Flurry has a fancy rock, a dance troupe and a college. Crackpot Bob just has a little store front and shelves full of snake oil herbs and a persecution complex so massive it has its own zip code and a YouTube channel.

Armstrongist deepfake paranoia is a niche but perfectly on-brand manifestation of the movement’s signature persecution complex, turbocharged by modern tech anxiety. In the splintered world of Herbert W. Armstrong’s ideological descendants—tiny churches claiming to be the one true continuation of the “Philadelphia era”—leaders like Crackpot Bob have elevated fears of AI manipulation from “possible concern” to “Satanic end-time assault on me personally.” 

This is peak self-absorption: a man with a congregation that’s mostly African and notoriously fluid in its loyalties fears that the devil himself will use AI to make robot-Bob say something heretical, causing his followers to jump ship to a better seed-and-computer supplier. The mockery writes itself: “Deepfaking an already fake prophet? Why bother?” 

This fits Thiel’s broader pattern. He positions himself as the doubly-blessed successor to Armstrong, constantly under attack by Satan, other COG splinters, bitter ex-members, and now large language models. His warnings blend legitimate general concerns about misinformation with an intensely personal “they’re coming for my utterances” angle.

Sadly, in Armstrongism, the persecution complex as core doctrine: 

Armstrongism teaches that the “true church” is always a tiny, persecuted remnant. HWA himself railed against a vast conspiracy of counterfeit Christianity. Modern leaders inherit and amplify this: every criticism is spiritual warfare. Deepfakes provide a shiny new external enemy. 

 

By preemptively discrediting any future video or audio that contradicts the leader, they create a perfect epistemic shield. 

That clip of me admitting British Israelism is nonsense? Deepfake! It’s the religious equivalent of “fake news” on steroids.

Armstrongists love mapping current events onto prophecy. AI fits neatly as a tool of the Beast, the false prophet, or general end-time deception. Satan’s minions (or just bored trolls) will use it to draw away disciples.

Deepfake scams targeting churches do exist—scammers impersonate pastors to solicit money or “blessings.” But in Armstrongism, this general risk gets hyper-personalized to the leader’s fragile authority. Gerald Flurry and others have massive persecution narratives too—Flurry’s focus is more on physical “man of sin” figures, Trump prophecies, and the “stone of destiny”—but Crackpot Bob seems to own the AI/deepfake lane. His is the most explicit, repeated tying of emerging tech to personal satanic targeting. 

The delicious irony? Armstrongist leaders have spent decades “deepfaking” Herbert W. Armstrong himself—cherry-picking, reinterpreting, and repackaging his failed prophecies while claiming unbroken continuity. Now they fear technology doing to them what they’ve done theologically to their founder.

Crackpot Bob's warnings say more about his ego than any real threat. If an AI ever does perfectly imitate him, it will probably just output endless videos about protein bars, witchdoctors, German dominance, Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, and how everyone is persecuting the greatest prophet since HWA. The robot version might even be more watchable.

In the end, Armstrongist deepfake paranoia isn’t really about AI. It’s about maintaining ironclad control in an era when information (and mockery) flows freely. When your entire identity rests on being the sole guardian of “the truth” against a hostile world, every new technology becomes another demon at the door—especially one that could make you say the quiet part out loud. Crackpot Bob will keep warning. The blogs will keep laughing. 

Stay strong, Bob. The AI is coming for you. And when it finally does make that perfect deepfake, I have one request: make sure the robot version admits that constantly warning everyone about how persecuted you are is, in fact, extremely weird. 

Even the AI will get tired of it eventually.

==================================================

Now, and I have warned about this before, please understand that the time will come when AI and other software will make more “deep fakes” of me and likely other leaders in the Continuing Church of God. Such fakes will pretend I/we have said things we have not said as well as done things that we have not done (we have had incidents where fraudsters, online, have already pretended to be me).

Remember that the Apostle Paul warned:

29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. 31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. (Acts 20:29-31)

And I am warning all who can hear that Satan and his minions will continue to take steps against us and I expect that AI will allow for more and more of that.

That said, let me add that next Monday I am scheduled for an interview for what may be a significant podcast. Please pray that I will speak wisely and “that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:19).

Armstrongism: 100 Years of "Soon Coming", Still No Kingdom, But Give Us Your Money Anyway

 

Armstrongist splinter groups follow highly predictable, repetitive patterns rooted in the post-1986 (and especially post-1994/95) fragmentation of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG). These groups preserve core Herbert W. Armstrong (HWA) teachings while endlessly dividing. Here's a breakdown of the recurring dynamics. 1. The Core Trigger: "They've Compromised the Truth"Every major split follows the same script:

• The parent group (WCG under Tkach, or later a big splinter) makes real or perceived changes to doctrine, governance, prophecy emphasis, or "the Work."
• Dissidents accuse leadership of Laodicean lukewarmness, abandoning "the faith once delivered," or watering down HWA's restored truths.
• The new group forms to "hold fast" or "restore" pure Armstrongism. 

This happened with:

• Philadelphia Church of God (PCG) — Gerald Flurry (1989) — "Philadelphia era" remnant.
• United Church of God (UCG) — 1995 mass exodus, council governance.
• Living Church of God (LCG) — Roderick Meredith.
• Restored Church of God (RCG) — David Pack (claims Elijah role).
• Continuing Church of God (CCOG) — Bob Thiel 
• Church of God Assembly (COGA) —  Sheldon Monson 
• Church of God Preaching the Kingdom (COGPK) — Ron Weinland
• and dozens more micro-groups.

Second-generation splits are common: UCG → COGWA (2010), LCG → CCOG, etc.2. Leadership Patterns: The "New Apostle/Elijah/Mantle" Figure

• Strongman founder (often ex-WCG minister or insider): Claims special insight, divine mantle, or prophetic role that the old group rejected.
• Humble beginnings narrative followed by authoritarian control.
• Personal grievances fuel the exit: "They wouldn't correct errors I pointed out" (classic Thiel move).
• Many leaders position themselves as HWA's true spiritual successor. Flurry, Pack, Thiel, and others all play this game. 

The result? Hierarchical, top-down governance with heavy emphasis on loyalty to the leader and "the government of God."3. Doctrinal and Rhetorical ConsistencyAll groups share the HWA package:

• British Israelism (Anglo-Saxons as lost tribes).
• Mandatory Holy Days, clean/unclean meats, Sabbath.
• Rejection (or heavy qualification) of the Trinity.
• Two-class salvation (church + physical Israel in Millennium).
• Strong prophetic focus on current events as end-time signs.

Variations create division:

• How rigid on "the Work" (media, prophecy preaching)?
• Governance: One-man rule vs. council of elders?
• Exact prophetic timeline/place of safety/Great Tribulation sequence?
• How much HWA himself can be critiqued? 

Each group insists it alone is the true "Philadelphia" remnant while labeling others (and the world) as compromised.4. Growth and Sustainability Patterns

• Initial surge from dissatisfied members, then stagnation or decline.
• Heavy reliance on literature, websites, and (failing) media outreach.
• Some groups now have significant African membership for numbers.
• Repeated failed or vague prophecies erode credibility over time.
• High turnover: Burnout from legalism, failed predictions, and authoritarianism drives ex-members out entirely. 

5. The Endless Schism CycleThis is the most defining pattern. Why do they keep splitting?

• Proof-texting + "love of the truth" absolutism: Any disagreement becomes a salvation issue.
• No central authority after HWA → every strong personality becomes a potential new headquarters.
• Ego + doctrinal nitpicking: "They ignored my corrections on page 47 of the booklet!"
• Restorationist mindset: Each new group believes it's restoring pure truth against compromise. 

The movement has produced hundreds of groups and micro-groups since the 1990s. Unity talks fail because each claims exclusive legitimacy.6. Psychological and Sociological hallmarks

• Persecution complex: The world (and other COGs) hates us because we're right.
• Us vs. Them: "True Church" vs. "so-called Christians," other splinters, and Laodiceans.
• Inherited trauma patterns in members: Authoritarianism, fear-based obedience, family divisions. 
• Cognitive dissonance management: When prophecies fail, it's "God is giving more time" or "the timing was slightly off."

Bottom LineArmstrongist splinters operate like a fractal of division: the same HWA-derived DNA keeps replicating smaller, more zealous (or eccentric) versions of itself. Each claims to be the faithful remnant preserving truth against compromise — yet the pattern itself (endless fragmentation, leader personality cults, unfulfilled prophecy) is one of the strongest empirical arguments against the whole system being "the one true church."
It's not random chaos. It's a highly consistent sociological and theological loop: charismatic founder → institutionalization → perceived compromise → righteous split → repeat. Bob Thiel's silly grievances fit the template perfectly — he's just the latest verse in a very old song that remains out of tune.
Silent Pilgrim