Laodicean Jones: No sense at all

Victor Kubik: UCG's Empathetic and Humble Leader

“We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us” (2 Corinthians 1:8-10, NLT).

Through direct experience, Paul clearly relates how he learned to trust God for deliverance from mortal danger. His key point? God brought him through challenging trials again and again. Today, most of us have not even come close to facing such life and death situations. But we can certainly apply what Paul learned to the rocky road of life that we may be traveling on.

In this same chapter, Paul goes further to explain that life as a disciple of Jesus Christ isn’t just about mere survival. Our trials elevate us to a higher level of thinking and conduct. Our trial is not just about us. Trials give us an opportunity to learn how to reach out to others. God’s rescue is a big part of the story—but not the only part. In the narrative quoted here in 2 Corinthians, the more complete story is revealed by Paul:

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us” (2 Corinthians 1:3- 7, The Living Bible).

These passages first came to life in my Epistles of Paul class at Ambassador College. They made a vivid impression on me as a 20-year-old student. Over and over in my pastoral career these words repeatedly demonstrated where true leadership shines.

I have found that to be true leaders, we must step outside of ourselves and show ourselves exposed and humbled. A leader draws on his or her own pain as one sufferer among a common sea of sufferers. A leader uses his or her own experience to empathize with others. In my ministry over the years, my own personal tribulations helped me genuinely empathize with people in great pain.

Where was that empathy when he was still on Worldwide Church of God payroll as he was disfellowshipping people left and right because they disagreed with Tkach's new teachings, even though he himself did not agree with them and was privately working behind the scenes while on WCG payroll, to fragment the church and form a new one W.hen has Kubik ever suffered through tribulation in the church?

Jesus Christ left us a sterling example of going through painful ordeals for the purpose of encouraging us: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempt- ed as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15-16). UN

Jesus Christ certainly left us a sterling example of what a spiritual leader should be like.  Sadly, most COG leaders have never even tried to follow the guy. They are too busy trying to maintain the status quo they have assumed they deserve.

Gerald Flurry Stirring Up Hatred

For years now we have heard stories about Gerald Flurry working tirelessly to break up families of members that have spouses who no longer attend church with the member. Spouses turned against spouses, families against grandparents, parents against children, grandparents against grandchildren, and parents against their own children and their children. It is disgusting the depths of depravity that the Flurry's have sunk into.

The following letter was sent Exit and Support that details how a husband gets stirred up at church by Flurry's sermons and then come home and mistreats his wife.

Gerald Flurry Says Satan Stirs up Hatred:

June 26, 2020

In the June 23 Trumpet there is an article that declares “Satan is behind the hatred for Jews (2 Corinthians 4:4).” The article goes on to say, “Satan can stir up vicious hatred,” Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry explains in his book The Key of David. “Most people who hate the Jews don’t even know why they do. Can we see Satan behind such lies and hatred?”

Well, Gerald Flurry can stir up “vicious hatred” towards those not of his cult. My ex-husband told me once that he “hates being married to a Laodicean,” referring to me as being one, as I was still attending WCG. Even after I eventually stopped going to the WCG, I was still criticized by him for not going at least to the WCG!

For several years, it was nearly every week after he had attended Flurry’s PCG services that he would return home to me and verbally blast me with almost a hatred, after being whipped up into a rage against me and all “Laodiceans” after hearing a tape from Gerald Flurry being played at services. This was in the 1990s. I dreaded being there when he got home and would often go out for the evening elsewhere.

Is it any wonder that when I looked at the “fruit” of that cult with him, I would know that it was not of God. “You shall know them by their fruits” I would tell him. –Australia