The Pirating Churches of God: Growing a Church of God and the Ministry in the Age of "Who Cares?"

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LCG Wants Members To Set Goals This Year

It always seems like the Living Church of God members are the ones getting talked down to with these weekly messages. It is always LCG members who need to be doing something in order to impress God. There never seems to be any accountability on what the leadership of the church should be doing

Will we see Gerald Weston and the ministry setting goals on how to be better leaders in the church who minister graciously and love unconditionally? Will they become followers of Jesus or still be pillars of the law? What changes to the ministers and leaders need to make to improve their relationship with God and membership? What will they do to improve their spiritual health? 

Let the leadership of the LCG set the example and set goals as an example for the brethren. Be the example, for once.

Goals for the Coming Year: Solomon advised in the book of Proverbs, “Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; remove your foot from evil” (Proverbs 4:26–27). As we return from the Feast, inspired by the sermons and fellowship, it is a good time to think about setting goals for the coming year. What changes would you like to make, or do you need to make, to improve your relationship with God or your family or other individuals? What can you do to improve your physical or spiritual health? What can you do to serve God and others more effectively? How can you prepare now for the Kingdom of God? The Apostle Paul urged Christians to “walk circumspectly [carefully, diligently]” and make the most of the time at your disposal (Ephesians 5:15–16). The Apostle Peter exhorted his audience to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). What books can you read, what classes can you take, what topics can you study in the Bible, and what experiences can you arrange that will help you and your family grow and prepare for the Kingdom of God? Set some worthwhile goals for the coming year so that you can grow to be a truly profitable servant of God.

Have a profitable Sabbath,

Douglas S. Winnail

Is Bob Thiel The Biggest Waffle Maker The Church Has Ever Seen?

 

The other day we reported some things that came to us by a person that had information about Thiel's African evangelist who apparently is converting half of the continent into the amazing "continuing" Church of God. This whipped the doubly blessed Elijah Amos Habbakuk Thiel into a prophetic frenzy. How dare we criticize his ministry or any of the things he does. How dare we! Oh wait, I know...we are tools of Satan himself who are deliberately trying to destroy the one true church which is doing the biggest worldwide work the Church of God has seen in human history.

The great Bwana and savior of Africa starts his waffling off immediately be claiming he is NOT the only COG doing a work. It doesn't take much of a rocket scientist to know that. Many COG groups are actually doing good things for people around this world. The problem comes from Thiel's waffling language. 

First, before going further, let it be pointed out that I have NEVER said, written, nor posted that CCOG is the only church doing a work. I have written that we of the CCOG are the only Philadelphian organization, other COGs do various types of works, there are Philadelphians in other COGs, and just being in CCOG does not, of itself, make one a Philadelphian. Yet, Banned cannot seem to even get that right.

Notice his "Philadelphia" keyword that sets him apart as the one true church doing the one true work. He is Philadelphian and all of the others are either Sardis or Laodicean groups who don't know the true timeline of prophecy so that they will know when to flee. Never has the COG had a name player like Thiel. Duplicity and waffling are his favorite methods of play-acting as the greatest leader the church has ever seen.

Bwana then goes on to take great umbrage at the fact his African followers do not consider him a prophet. Notice how he waffles his answer and never denies that they do not think he is a prophet. It's all about how he is so much better than the Living Church of God and how many magazines he is publishing in different languages.

That is another lie–it is not that no one may have told Banned that lie, but the statement just is not true. Consider that groups such as LCG spend more money in Kenya than CCOG does. Yet, we have probably over 10 x the number of congregants in Africa Kenya than they do. If people wanted money there are other groups who spend more money in Africa than CCOG does. One thing that CCOG does that most other COG groups have not done is produce literature in local languages, such as Luo, Kiswahili, and Ekegusii. People in places like Kenya appreciate having the truth available in languages other than English–yes it is helpful for the the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to be preached throughout the world (Matthew 24:14) in numerous languages. But the idea that people in Kenya could have interest in the truths that the CCOG teaches is something that then anti-COG types do not wish to accept–instead they prefer to promote lies.

The Great Bwana then quotes Jesus as if he actually follows the guy:

Jesus prophesied:

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:10-12)

And here we go again...PERSECUTION! 

Brethren, we are being persecuted! 

It is a sign of the end times. 

Satan is angry and Christ warned us this would be happening to us.

It's not only those of us here at Banned and its readers who are persecuting the Great Bwana, but The Painful Truth website is doing Satan's work too! Ghastly days!

Those at Banned, the Painful Truth, and various other places have regularly been fulfilling that prophecy and saying all kinds of things falsely against me and CCOG.

What people at Banned and the other anti-COG sites cannot stand is the idea that the true ministry is having success and is not in it for the money. The fact that my wife and I do not take a salary from CCOG grates on them as it is opposed to the lying narrative they wish to believe. While commandment keepers are to be rewarded, scripture warns about those who believe and love lies:

14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. (Revelation 22:14-15)

True ministry? True ministry? What the hell? Again, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know the improperly named "continuing" Church of God is NOT a true ministry.  From the tall tales of dreamweavers, double blessings, and all kinds of nefarious proclamations that no follower of Jesus would ever make. The flowers of Christ never went around proclaiming their mighty deeds. They did their work humbly. Is there even a humble bone in Thiel's self-aggrandizing personality?

The Great Bwana then takes offense that no one believes he received a double blessing. That double blessing is vitally important to Thiel's legitimacy. He loves to quote various Living Church of Go ministers making outlandish statements about him and prophetic duties...as if any of them are legitimate ministers of truth either. Gaylon Bonjour certainly never believed he was anointing Bob so he could start a new splinter group or completion for LCG.

Here is a short version for what happened: In November 2011, both LCG minister Dr. Jeff Fall and LCG minister Gary Ehman told me that I did NOT need to have hands laid upon me in order to be a true prophet of God. Yet, I told them that something like that needed to happen for me to accept it. And in November/December 2011, I prayed that if I truly had a prophetic role from God that He would have something happen during a planned mid-December 2011 trip to Charlotte, North Carolina to confirm it or deny it if that were His will. As it turned out, on 12/15/2011 hands were laid upon me in Charlotte by LCG minister Gaylyn Bonjour, who I had not even intended to see then (I had asked to see Gary Ehman, but as it turned out, he was not in the Charlotte office due to an unexpected illness). After seeing Gaylyn Bonjour mentioning some health issues and wisdom, he laid hands on me, and specifically prayed that I would be granted a “double-portion” of God’s Holy Spirit, and he anointed me with oil. Afterwards, Gaylyn told me that he had not ever requested a “double portion’ of God’s Spirit before on anyone, but he felt that it was reminiscent of the time that the prophetic and ecclesiastical leadership mantle passed from the Prophet Elijah to Elisha (2 Kings 2:9-13). Gaylyn Bonjour had been unaware that I had prayed that God would have me anointed or somehow identified for a prophetic role on that mid-December 2011 trip if that were His plan for me and I had never discussed my possible prophetic role with him prior to this anointing. On 12/18/12, I asked Gaylyn Bonjour if he knew what he may have unintentionally done and he said yes. This 12/15/11 anointing appears to be the first biblically-appropriate prophetic anointing in the Church of God in many decades, if not many, many multiple centuries. And the legitimacy of this anointing has been proven by subsequent events–though many do not seem to understand how God works at times.

He then goes on to state that his place as a prophet in the church came about because he had visions about Rod Meredith's wife and how this is proof he is a prophet.

As it also turned out, I tried to meet with Dr. Meredith on December 19, 2011 to tell him that it seemed God was telling me that his wife was about to be struck with something serious. A few weeks later (per Dr. Meredith’s letter dated 1/12/12), Dr. Meredith reported that his wife (who was much younger than he) was stricken with stage four cancer (she later died on November 29, 2013). That prediction was not the result of analytical skills on my behalf, but I believe were insights from God’s Spirit.

In my view, the unexpected ‘double-portion anointing, Gaylyn Bonjour’s comments about the mantle passing, and my feeling led to tell of something about to hit Sheryl Meredith, were the result of God answering my prayers in November/December 2011 that the prophet matter would be confirmed or denied in Charlotte with my December 2011 trip. Essentially, this was THREE confirmations.

Let this be clear, I was absolutely anointed, had hands laid over me, and the LCG minister who did so prayed that I would receive a ‘double-portion’ of God’s Holy Spirit, and afterwards that same minister (Gaylyn Bonjour) stated that this was reminiscent of the mantle passing from Elijah to Elisha (Gaylyn Bonjour also brought up the passing of the mantle related to this when we spoke on March 23, 2012). The fact that he did not originally intend to pray that I receive a ‘double-portion’ of God’s Holy Spirit is of no consequence, as the Bible shows that although Isaac had not intended to provide certain blessings to Jacob, once Isaac laid hands upon Jacob and gave the prayer, the anointed blessing would remain according to the Bible (Genesis 27)–and Gaylyn Bonjour concurs with this. Let it be noted that unlike Jacob, I did not employ any deceit in the anointing.

Furthermore, understand that I believe that I do have the appropriate prophetic fruits that Jesus discussed (Matthew 7:15-20) and that those truly interested in the truth can see this if they truly wish to prayfully look into this. Perhaps it should be mentioned that while some question my ordination, others have also had concerns about God’s anointing and ordinations (2 Kings 9:1-11; Jeremiah 43:2; Genesis 27:26-37). God does not always do things the way humans think He does (cf. Isaiah 55:8-9). 

The Bwana Bob finally makes a truthful statement: 

Gary Leonard does not want to accept that I have the fruits of a prophet and meet the biblical and COG criteria for that.

Absolutely! There is no way on God's green earth that Theil is a prophet of God. That I can state as a fact.  Pigs will be flying and rats dancing when I ever believe that nonsense. Plus, the so-called COG criteria for prophet is as pathetic as Bob's claims.  The Church of God has never produced a real prophet in the last 80 some years of the church and Thiel is NOT one for the end times. That I can state as a fact again. 

I can also stare as a fact that no real Christian needs Theil, his prophetic utterances, or his end-times timeline in order to be saved from tribulation. No COG member needs Thiel's crap in order to know when to flee to Petra. That is a lie of epic proportions.

If you are interested you can read the rest of Thiel's sad little response here...and even see a video he has produced about the big bad meanie people on the blogs who are picking on him.  Banned promotes lies about evangelist Evans Ochieng and CCOG