I Told Rod Meredith to NOT Write His Autobiography, but He Refused to Listen to Me, as Usual!

The other day when the COG News and this blog posted about Rod Meredith announcing that he has published the first three chapters of his new autobiography, it sent those that know his legacy into instant mocking.  One person however did one of his typical self-aggrandizing meltdown's.   It won't take too much guessing to know that the person pontificating was our very own Almost Arrested, Elisha, Elijah, Joshua, Amos, Joel, Second Witness, Self-appointed Mayan authority and certified False Prophet, lashed out at Rod Meredith for DARING to write his autobiography.

Theil wrote one of his holier-than-thou posts declaring that he personally told Rod Meredith many years to NOT write an autobiography until he corrected doctrinal problems in the Living Church of God.  Daddy Rod refused to listen to his wayward egotistical "son" and started the book anyway.  The non-ordained leader of the falsely called "continuing" Church of God was NOT happy!  How DARE Rod Meredith IGNORE his "words of wisdom!"

Gerald Weston wrote, December 8th: “We have all encouraged Dr. Meredith to write an autobiography to fill in some of the history of the Church, since he played such a major part in the Work of God under Mr. Herbert Armstrong. This week he distributed the first of a planned three-part series, titled ‘The Early Years’. The importance of this project cannot be understated, as he is the last man to fill in many details in the early years of Ambassador College and the Radio Church of God during its existence and afterward ...

Well, that may be the case now that "We have all encouraged Dr. Meredith to write an autobiography," but five years ago when I was an appointed advisor to Dr. Meredith, I discouraged him from writing his autobiography as I explained to him that it was much more important for him to correct errors in doctrine, literature, church history, and prophecy that he and the other Charlotte-based evangelists admitted LCG had. Well, it looks like Dr. Meredith ultimately decided to write his autobiography instead of correcting those errors. It was sending out known errors, breaking promises, and making it clear that he did not need to keep his promises that led me to leave LCG

Why does this little man think that Rod Meredith should be listening to him?  Since he is not ordained, is not a real COG minister or leader, has never been appointed by God for any purpose, and  does not have a real theological education, why does he assume anyone wants to listen to him?

Thiel should have realized that people would have a field day with his published comments, but no.  After making a complete fool of himself with his disgusting tirade against Gavin, Thiel must have known he would catch some shade for being such an in considerate fool.  Poor thing, he just CANNOT do anything right any more.

And NO Bob, Gavin did not commit any Unpardonable Sin

"I have prayed for Gavin Rumney over the years and hope he did not commit the unpardonable sin "

Bob Thiel

Mark 3:29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”

Matthew 12; 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.

Luke 12:10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven

In 26 years of ministry I never thought or met anyone I personally could label as having "committed the unpardonable sin."  All "sin" (and this may have reflected my less judgmental Presbyterian upbringing) was forgivable and pretty understandable. There are things people can't come to believe and there are things , with time, good folk no longer believe.

 No one I knew would think to deliberately speak against Jesus or blaspheme intentionally just for sport or being foolishly filled with carnal bravado.  In my previous life, leaving the church or not going along with this or that decree of the Magisterium might be construed as "unpardonable" since it was God's True Church one was defying, but I even doubted that because all the scandal, flip flops, questionable proof texting, theories, ideas  and goofy personalities didn't seem unpardonable for getting tired of.  This would be true of all organized churches.

Just as I never ever ever met anyone who boldly claim to be in the false church or knowing they were deceived by Satan or some other organization, I never met anyone who thought anything they did was unpardonable if they ever changed their minds on what was real and true.  No one goes to the false church.  NO ONE.  Just ask them.  

I'm sure Dave Pack and his ilk, such as Bob Thiel believe we all have committed unpardonable sin because we notice problems of thought and teaching and problem personalities in the leadership of the splits, splinters and slivers .  I have been accused of that and thrown into the future Lake of Fire for coming to see , for me, the truth of evolution and embracing errancy and origin issues found in the scriptures as well as some historical realities .  I have never lost any sleep over personal concerns for my theological future.  Beliefs are not the same as what is actually true.

So.... Rather than post someone's theological view on this topic , of which there are many,  Just What Do You Mean Unpardonable Sin?  Who do you know committed it?  What did they do to commit it?   Are the Gospels playing control and fear games with the audience?  

Why can't such things, whatever they are just be forgiven and come under the New Testament formula of :

Matthew 11:28-30 “… Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Ephesians 1:7-10 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Colossians 1:13-14 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Talk to me...

Gavin Rumney RIP. December 16, 2016

Gavin Rumney passed away December 16, 2016 after a diagnosis of cancer.

On November 10, 2016 Gavin sent me the following:

I'm closing AW in a few days. Have had a diagnosis of terminal cancer that leaves me maybe 18 months. Will compose a final post in a day or so. In the unlikely event that I have anything worthwhile to say after that, and you're happy to do so, I'd be keen to submit it as a guest post on your blog, Let me know if that's okay. 

Best regards  

Gavin 

Gavin was a major force in the Church of God related news sites that have been online for a couple decades now.

When the church stated making its changes, Gavin started documenting people reactions to them.  While he any many, many others agreed they were sorely needed, he disagreed about how they were implemented.  That lack of proper pastoral implementation lead to huge disagreements, accusations and splinter groups forming.  Gavin kept pace with all of those changes through various individuals in the different groups.  This included informants high-up in the leadership of the church and individuals who knew the people starting the splinter groups.

Gavin's site kept church leaders on the edge for quite some time as more and more dirt was spilled.  It quickly became apparent that the church was not unified and that the corruption of the old Worldwide Church of God continued on with rampant abuse by its splinter leaders.  Gavin quickly pointed out the major flaws in Bob Thiel and other self-appointed upstarts who have been trying to enslave members with legalism, false prophecies, and manipulation.

Gavin helped thousand over the years to wake up and see how corrupt and un-Christ like the church really was, and still is to this day!  Thousands have freed themselves of that abuse and now are no longer a part of the Armstrongite movement.

Gavin had this on his blog on the day he started it:

The name Ambassador Watch is a nod to Ambassador College, a now defunct institution associated with a now defunct sect, the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) - now morphed into Grace Communion International. My name is Gavin Rumney, I'm a teacher by profession (now largely retired) and currently reside a little south of Auckland - enough to be safely over the border into the Waikato. My extremely modest academic qualification for pretensions as a commentator on the various Churches of God (COGs) is the aforementioned B.Theol with a major in biblical studies (2010). My real-life credentials are a few 'interesting' years as a member in the far off and long ago (1975 through to the early 1980s).

Other than the WCG, my previous ecclesial communities are the Lutheran Church of New Zealand (as a youngster) and a Baptist church. Several of my blog posts have appeared in print in The Journal: News of the Churches of God.

Gavin's work is done and well done it was!




Read back issues of Ambassador Watch here and read OTAGOSH here.