I am sending this email to most of the LCG ministry. Some of you know
my family very well, some probably do not. I am reaching out to any
ministers who remain faithful to the truth, so you will know what is
going on.
Our Background
Ralph & Patricia Scarborough, and their eight children, began
attending Worldwide Church of God in 1968. Four more children were born into the
church over the following years. We were taught all the fundamental teachings of
the Church of God through Herbert W. Armstrong until the time of his death in
1986. After his death the apostasy occurred, which led to the exodus of those
who continued to believe the teachings of Mr. Armstrong were still valid. In
1995 almost all the Scarborough’s, along with several thousand others, left
Worldwide to join the work Mr. Meredith had begun in 1993. My father told his
children he would not be tricked by new truth a second time. We, as a family,
supported Mr. Meredith, and our local minster Mr. Gerald Weston, in service to
the Global Church of God.
When the takeover of GCG took place, Mr. Meredith came to my parents’
house, sat with us over dinner, and discussed the situation. My father told him
to begin again, and most of the people would follow him because we do not follow
an organization. Mr. Meredith went back to San Diego and started the Living
Church of God. The Scarborough family provided Computer Servers, workstations
and a complete network, all at our own expense. Two of our family members
delivered, and installed the equipment at LCG headquarters. The Scarborough
family provided all the internet services for LCG, for free, until a few years
ago. Our lives are committed to the service of God, His people, and His work. We
have never tried to gain any position, or recognition in the church. You may
stop here and say that’s exactly what we are doing by sending this email? Please
read on.
What is
this all about?
About seven years ago some of us began to see changes in the focus of the
Gospel. It is not relevant if you agree with the changes, or not; the following
is the point. It was told to Mr. Meredith that two of the Scarborough brothers
had problems with LCG’s “better understanding” about the Gospel message. That
very week the local minister called my brother David, and I, to a private room
after Sabbath services and asked, as he was instructed by Mr. Meredith, if this
was true. We spent some time explaining the Gospel message as we had been taught
all our lives. As it happened another minister, who was visiting Kansas City,
was asked to attend our meeting. Much to our surprise he agreed with my brother
and myself. We were instructed, by the local minister, to keep our opinions to
ourselves, which we agreed since we had no interest in causing
division.
Over the following years the issue seemed to become less of a focus, but
we noticed after Mr. Bryce left LCG that a new focus on Jesus Christ began to
emerge. One Pentecost we received a fine Passover Sermon for the morning
service, and before the afternoon service the elder giving the message began
with “Maybe we should mention here that it is Pentecost”. Much to our surprise
he went into another sermon about Jesus Christ; not Pentecost. Not long after
that CAD sent out instructions to those giving messages, at the Feast of
Tabernacles, to give sermons on the topic of the Feast. Why should this be
necessary?
About
four years ago we started to hear of further upgrades/changes to the doctrines
of the church, and finally after the death of Mr. Apartian it became clear there
was no turning back. On December 25th 2010 we heard a sermon, by the
local minister, titled “In the Name of Jesus Christ”. The messages following
began to focus on the changes, and ridiculed those who did not understand. In
January 2011 the Scarborough family, with the exception of those in Charlotte,
and a couple of nephews, agreed to discontinue fellowship with the Living Church
of God. Our eldest brother set up a meeting with the local minister and all the
adults of our family. The minister was informed of our decision, and some of the
more serious reasons for our decision. The minister then asked the family to
consider remaining until Mr. Meredith came to town for a Tomorrows World public
event, which was to happen just before the spring Holydays. Mr. Meredith wanted
to meet with us, and discuss the problems. All agreed with the exception of
David and I. Mr. Meredith came to town and said he would meet with my mother,
and eldest brother only, at a restaurant. We declined because there was no real
opportunity to discuss our issues in such an environment. When asked why he
would not meet with us as a family, the response was that he did not want to be
surrounded by a bunch of Scarborough’s. Please remember we are the same family
he sat with when he was being thrown out of GCG, and who served him faithfully.
There was no hostility, or anger, on our part. We just disagreed with the
changes and we were going to stop attending LCG. Over the following months the
family was corrected from the pulpit, not by name, but by the messages. Saying
the changes were what Mr. Armstrong taught, but in private we were told the
changes were not that different. Finally before the fall Holydays my mother, and
one of the elder brothers, had a meeting with the local minister, and the local
elder, on the topic of Idolatry. My mother prepared literature from the days of
Mr. Armstrong, which she tried to present as what we were once taught. The
following Sabbath the minister, in his sermon, said you could have a whole stack
of books and still be wrong. This being taken for what it was; my brother, which
had been in the meeting, quietly got up and left. He even left his children
there asking his oldest daughter to make sure his son got home. My mother got up
and left shortly after. The following week the family did not attend with LCG.
On Atonement Mr. Meredith marked the entire family with the exception of those
sitting in service. His excuse was that we did not believe Jesus Christ was a
vital part of the Gospel. We had made it clear, in every discussion we had with
the ministry, we believed what Mr. Armstrong taught about the Gospel of the
Kingdom. So it must be that Mr. Armstrong did not agree with Mr. Meredith. Why
would an entire family be marked, on a solemn day like Atonement, for holding on
to the truth? There was no evidence we were causing division, with the exception
of 2 people in the family postings about what we were once taught as the truth.
That is 2 people out of more than 60. At no time did anyone try to present any
new truth. A year later we were informed others were beginning to question new
teachings, other than the Gospel. We were also told they were being intimidated
worse than the Scarborough family had been. It was at that time some of us
decided to put the truth out about what we know about the Gospel, and since
people were saying we were not marked. We put out the audio of the local
minister reading the marking from Mr. Meredith on http://www.genuine-truth.com. This
site has been updated periodically.
This last summer Mr. Winnail offered to come to Kansas City to talk to
the family, but there was no interest, with the exception of my brother David
and I. We had a cordial discussion for over three hours about what we saw as
changes. Nothing was resolved, but that was not a surprise. The last item we
discussed was the marking of the Scarborough family. There was no reason given
other than it was the way we left. My brother David, and I, left many months
before the rest of the family, and the rest did nothing but stop attending. Many
more are currently being disfellowshipped and marked over disagreements about
the changes. This sounds very similar to the first century church. How many
today have said I would not do what they did? Or were those making the changes,
who would not even receive the Apostle John, right because they had the
authority? They were disfellowshipping anyone who disagreed because they did not
want anyone hearing the truth!
My sister Glenda was fired by LCG the day before Atonement last year just
because she was sending out sermons, which was her job. LCG did not like that
some of the sermons were given by Mr. Carl McNair, and Mr. John Ogwyn, and the
fact some messages disagreed with LCG’s new teaching. This may not concern some,
but the fact she was in the middle of cancer treatment should be of concern to
any human being, not to mention us as Christians! She was called into Mr.
Meredith’s office yesterday, and told to stop defending those who have been
wrongfully marked. Even though she knows the truth. You see, her friend Thomas
Boca II, who had recently quit attending LCG because things he saw going on at
headquarters, had just been deemed “An enemy of the Church” just because he had
posted some of his views on the web, and Glenda stood by her friend. Mr.
Meredith also told her in this meeting that she, and her entire Scarborough
family, are liars. Imagine this was you. How would you feel? I guess when you
don’t need someone’s support; character assassination is justified. Didn’t Cain
murder Abel because he was angry? We can prove all we are saying to anyone who
cares. Bearing false witness against your neighbor is one of the 10
commandments; we do not take it lightly. We have not attacked anyone. We have
only disagreed with the changes. How can this be the Philadelphian Church? How
can this be any Church of God? How can you blindly follow men who walk and talk
piously, while devouring the sheep? Maybe there is a line in the sand you are
waiting for them to cross. Mr. Meredith says LCG will not do away with the
fundamentals. Well how about the 10 commandments. I was told that if you had a
heart, or cross, or statues of angels in your possession that it was not a sin,
we just cannot bow down, or worship them. Mr. Meredith gave a sermon here in
Kansas City where he said “nowhere in the Bible does it say the cross is pagan,
or you can’t do anything with the cross”. I know he uses the picket fences
comparison, but that is being used to make anyone who hates idolatry look
ridiculous. A member, after the sermon, happily stated Mr. Meredith said the
cross was okay. Divorce & Remarriage is out of control, and this is from the
ministry. Trust me, if you don’t already know what is going on, you don’t want
to. And then there is the 9th commandment. This one only applies to
the members. The ministry can say anything they want to protect THEIR
church.
We are meeting as God’s people here in Kansas City; with others who have
seen the problems and left LCG over the past few weeks. Many more are joining us
online. We are God’s people. We know the voice of our Shepherd; Jesus Christ. We
do not have a ministry attending to us, which is so sad that the sheep have to
step out before the ministry, but we will put God first, and love our neighbor
as ourselves. We will wait until God sends His faithful servants, but we will
not give up the faith once delivered. We are NOT starting a church; we are
members of the Church of God no matter what lies are
conjured.
If
you think you are in the Church of God just because you don’t see a “better”
place to go, then you are failing at your responsibilities. We have been down
this path recently. I have seen the other groups, and there is no place doing
what God instructed, but you can discern that LCG is no better than the least of
them. This may make some angry, but you are known by your fruits. If you say LCG
is doing more of a work than anyone else. Well that is shifting toward David
Pack. Would you really go with RCG just because they start doing more of a work
than LCG? Most would probably go with CoGWA if LCG fails. I would just say this.
I have attended with CoGWA, and see they are clearly God’s people. They also fit
the description, as an organization, of Laodicea, which even though they have
desires to do more; their form of government will not permit what is required.
Even some in their ministry understand this truth. I know what God says will
happen to them, and I want to be a Philadelphian with all that God says to, and
instructs, the Philadelphian era. Remember the definition of Philadelphia. Does
God see it in us?
James Scarborough
