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?
