Here are the guidelines that ministers in the Living Church of God should be following when they dish out punishments on rebellious LCG members..
Guidelines for Exercising Church Discipline and Authority (Handout 3.4) pg. 3-12
To exercise ecclesiastical authority properly and effectively, a minister:
- Must BE MOTIVATED BY LOVE.
- Must be ABOVE REPROACH in his personal conduct.
- Must have INSPIRED the flock to follow the RIGHT WAY by means of his personal EXAMPLE and PREACHING.
- Must be FAIR in judgment and in NO way a RESPECTER of persons.
- Must be CONSISTENT in the use of authority and BALANCED in frequency of its use.
- Must ensure that the degree of severity is suited to the seriousness of the infraction of God’s Laws (1 Corinthians 5:1-4).
Notice #2 above. Is there really such a thing for a minister in the Church of God to be ABOVE REPROACH? Especially when you read things like this:
Why was there such an epidemic of adultery at LCG headquarters in Charlotte in the first place? I can count 6 people that I have sat in church with for years, ALL OF WHOM WORKED FOR THE HEADQUARTERS CHURCH who are now known adulterers.
Four were disfellowshipped, one was marked, one still has her job and is in good standing with the church solely because of her husband's position (friendship with Meredith does have its kickbacks)
Doesn't it seem like a disproportionate number when so few work in that building? I have worked in many "worldly" offices and none of them have had such rampant sexual escapades!
I'm just curios to see if there are any theories out there as to why it happened.
