Restored Church of God on Delay Syndrome

With the ongoing epic failure of Dave Pack's prophecies failing to happen and the failure of his creature he calls "christ" to show up on The Last Great Day, Restored Church of God members must be on guard to not get into "delay syndrome".

Of course, this is not unique just to Restored Church of God but every single splinter group out there that has to deal with the lies and false prophecies of their leaders. From Ron Weinland to Bob Thiel, Dave Pack, and Gerald Flurry, these ministers of vainglorious pig slop have tainted the minds of members for decades with one lie after another. Is it any wonder why church members are wary of the next buffoon that pops up with a prophecy?

In the RCG and the rest of the COG's, it is all about control. 

Samuel Baxter and Larry McElroy have this to say:

One of the most sobering passages in the Bible can be found in Matthew 24: “But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delays His coming…[God] shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (vs. 48-51).

No Christian wants to fall into this condition!

Over the years, some have wondered if they have individually done what is stated here, that they may be worthy of being cut asunder.

Yet notice that the evil servant here is far down a terrible trail. In verse 49 it states that this person “shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken.” Then verse 50 states that he is no longer watching for Christ’s Return.

Understand. Anyone worried about falling into this condition and receiving the horrible punishment detailed here has not fully committed to “my Lord delays His coming” thinking. In fact, most are far from it.

Despite this, Jesus Christ’s warning stands. We are to diligently guard ourselves from this mindset, which can seem incredibly difficult at first.

Why is this? Because this phrase is not something people say out loud. No one comes to Sabbath services and bellows out, “My Lord delays His coming!” Rather, this sentiment is said in one’s heart (vs. 48). It is not immediately visible from the outside.

While this Delay Syndrome, as it could be called, is an internal, spiritual condition, it does have outward symptoms. There are early warning signs we can each look out for to ensure we stay right with God. 

 

To “eat and drink with the drunken” means to have jumped headlong back into the world. The apostle John warned against this attitude: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (I John 2:15).

Take this verse at face value. If we love the world, God’s love is not in us. We must avoid worldliness at all costs!

John continued: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of God abides for ever” (vs. 16-17).

Worldliness is this: “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.”

Thayer’s defines lust as “craving,” “longing” and “desire for what is forbidden.”

This passage mirrors perfectly what Eve did in the Garden of Eden millennia ago. She desired the forbidden fruit on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil: “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat” (Gen. 3:6).

While Eve made her own decision, Satan’s tactics to get her to eat is the same then as it is now. She was told: “You shall not surely die…” (vs. 4).

Those alive today can feel the same. If they allow a little worldliness to creep in, the consequences are usually not immediate. Then, they let more and more in.

King Solomon wrote about this tragic tendency: “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil” (Ecc. 8:11).

Realize how human nature works! When people do what is wrong—seemingly without consequence—they will keep doing it until it “is fully set in them to do evil.”

Christians are not immune to this process.

To combat this, we must keep the right perspective: “Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before Him: but it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he fears not before God (vs. 12-13).

We must see beyond the here and now to all that God has promised for us: eternal life as a member of the God Family.

The early warning signs for Delay Syndrome are those places where worldliness has begun to creep in. It always starts small.

Ask yourself: “Have I begun to crave what is forbidden by God’s Law? Is there anywhere in my life that I have believed Satan’s lie of ‘you shall not surely die’? Am I starting to do such things?”

If we find the world creeping into our lives, we must root it out immediately!

Carnal versus Spiritual

Paul puts worldliness another way. He labels it as following after “the flesh” and being “carnally minded.” In modern language, this is being overly focused on what is physical rather than spiritual.

Romans 8 states: “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit” (vs. 5).

The end result for those who “mind the things of the flesh”? “For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (vs. 6).

Paul continues to drive the point home: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God”—physical minds are the enemy of God!—“for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God” (vs. 7-8).

Thankfully, God has pulled us out of this world. His Spirit dwells in us. This means that we can please Him—if we keep ourselves focused on spiritual over physical matters.

Keep reading: “But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His…For if you live after the flesh, you shall die: but if you through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (vs. 9, 13-14).

Again, if we find the world starting to creep in, we must root it out. Paul says to mortify—to kill—anything that is pulling our focus away from spiritual things.

Second Symptom

Another early warning sign for Delay Syndrome involves our relationships with brethren. Recall that the evil servant began “to smite his fellowservants.”

Remember, this is more of the end result of this condition. It describes someone who harbors bitterness to the point of exhibiting extreme hatred and spite toward those with the Holy Spirit.

How does someone get to this horrible point?

One of the first signs is pulling back from fellowship with brethren. Spending time with fellow Christians is a crucial way to exercise and build God’s Spirit. Arriving just before Sabbath services and leaving just after, skipping socials, and closing oneself off emotionally to others are all early symptoms of “my Lord delays” thinking.

We all will have low points in our conversion. There will be times where we fall into wrong attitudes. The Bible has many examples of God’s servants being depressed, frustrated or angry without cause. Yet these same men and women will receive eternal life.

One of the biggest tactics of cults is to keep its followers busy. Show up early for church, stay late afterward. Set up, clean up. Go to endless activities whether they be sporting events, dances, socials, singles events, Bible Studies, bake sales, garage sales, mail packing work parties, volunteering to clean ministers homes and yards, maintaining the Dear Leader's home and property, spending your free time cleaning surrounding woodlands, come in early to work and stay after hours, don't take vacations but send that money in, volunteer planting trees and flowers, selling fruit, and much more.

If we have begun to drift away from our brethren, we must recognize it and make a change. Double down on godly fellowship. Make sure conversations on the Sabbath focus more on spiritual things rather than physical. During the week, reach out to like-minded brethren to help combat being surrounded by unconverted family members or co-workers.

For those of us who are more emotionally closed off, ask God to help you open up. Develop deep relationships with others. Share your triumphs and struggles. Counsel with your minister when needed. These will all steer you clear of Delay Syndrome.

Defining “Delays”

Let’s take a closer look at the phrase “my Lord delays His coming.” Delay implies more time—a lack of urgency.

Instead of working on himself, such a person lets down his guard.

This often presents itself in an “I’m fine the way I am” attitude. Instead of overcoming sin and striving to be perfect like the Father, such a person rests on his laurels. He relaxes.

Think of Christianity as swimming upstream. You have to keep moving in order to make progress. If you stop, you will flow down river with everyone else. Those who stop growing will fall into habitual sins, which is a dangerous place to be.

This is a load of bullshit. Christianity is not about swimming upstream and endlessly struggling to please that eternally pissed off God of Armstrongism. It can never be pleased, it's bloodlust can never be satiated. 

There is a reason Jesus said what he did in Matthew 11:28-30:

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

King David prayed: “Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression” (Psa. 19:13).

We should ask God to show us the places we need to change. All of us must root out and avoid any deliberate sins that have become part of our lives. If we do this, we can be found “innocent from the great transgression”—we will receive salvation!

It's THAT Time of Year! Winter Family Weekend

 

It is that time of year as people look forward to Christmas and all of its pleasures. From beautiful music to amazing Christmas light decorations. From delightful and delicious seasonal food and drink to Christmas services where the amazing birth of a child that COG groups like to push to the side is celebrated. Since the day after Halloween, various COG are belching and squawking about how pagan everything is and do their utmost to make everyone around them miserable. But since COG groups are more enlightened than the heathens in the world around them, they look forward to Winter Family Weekends at Christmas time.

Nothing irritates some of these Churches of God more than Christmas does. As they are imploding with schisms and losing disgusted members who are sick of being spiritually abused, they find fault in all the world around them while never keeping their own houses in order.

As the shrinking Church of God movement moves into 2021 and as their congregations are getting older and older some are trying to do what they can to attract the younger crowd and look cool. Having these winter family weekends is more about looking cool to the world around them than it is about ignoring Christmas.  Almost all of them have picked hotels and resorts that are decked out to the nines with Christmas decorations, food and music. Apparently, they assume that all of the COG members attending these locations put on blinders and wear earplugs to drown out any sight and sound of Christmas. They pack turkey ham sandwiches on whole wheat bread and eat carob brownies so as not to look like they are participating in the pagan food around them. God forbid if they took a  sideways glance or ate some Christmas cookies or drank some eggnog or, ghastly days, hummed a Christmas tune.

For all of the years these groups have been doing this it has looked hypocritical but this year with the COVID hysteria it is even more shocking that some still plan on letting family groups gather playing sports and games where the spittle will be flying. One would think that of all years to take the time off and just let families rest at home with loved ones it would be this year. During these COVID times, it surely does not set a good example for the world around them which they seek to impress with their coolness. this is especially true after quire a few COG members caught COVID at COG Feast sites this year. These groups should have learned their lessons but they did not. So far UCG and COGWA have canceled their WFW.

Sheldon Monson's group is doing winter family weekend this year in Murfreesboro, TN at the Embassy Suites while the Living Church of God plans on being in Charlotte where they will restrict their "fun" weekend to members only. God forbid if they were a light to the world around them!

Also joining this COG trend is the Common Faith Network, a loose conglomeration of Churches of God who have made a concerted effort to cooperate and associate with one another. Church of God Cincinnatti and the Common Faith Network is looking to take their WFW to Tanglewood resort in Texas, though they are only currently asking for member's input.  The one advantage of this site is that it could be relatively free from Christmas decorations. This site is also the site this same group used for the Feast this year. Of the many COG sites, this one was apparently run rather well as there are no reported cases of COVID arising from meeting together for the week.

Common Faith Network

COGWA and UCG have canceled their Winter Family Weekends

COGWA

UCG

Doug Winnail on the dangers of rebellion and not following wise decisions of LCG ministers

 

Below is the letter Doug Winnail sent to the ministry of LCG in the wake of Sheldon Monson and Jason Fritts's departure. It is pretty hypocritical of Doug Winnail to be condemning Monson and Fritts on their recent departure considering the fact that he and Rod Meredith did the exact same things when they left the mother church and started Global Church of God and then in a rebellious fit of rage started Living Church of God.

One thing for sure about the current state of affairs in the Church of God movement is that it is the best soap opera ever created.

Received from an LCG source this morning.

To: All Ministers
Greetings Fellow Elders,

The recent departure of two ministers here in the USA with several other elders and those who have followed them has generated numerous posts on social media that contain inaccurate assertions and some wildly distorted accounts of what led to this departure. Some posts claim that these two men were treated unfairly, and even harshly, that they were yelled at in an attempt to intimidate and humiliate them and then summarily fired after this rigorous ordeal by their unfeeling superiors. I want to provide you with some firsthand background information so that you can address any questions that you may encounter. While this departure may not be affecting your congregation (it is mainly affecting a few small pockets around the United States where these men have pastored or had friends or people they worked with at camp—including young people, there are important lessons for all of us to learn from this situation. 

LCG has never "learned" any important lessons over the last 25+ years. They keep repeating the same mistakes and claiming martyrdom when caught. 

The seeds of this departure are exactly like the seeds Meredith and others planted months before they apostatized from the Worldwide Church of God in a fit of self-righteous rage because they had a better way of doing things. 

The seeds of this departure go back some time, as many can attest, but began to emerge openly in comments made by these ministers in sermons, Bible Studies and personal comments at the Teen Camp in Texas this summer. Several ministers and other adults sensed these men were divisive and critical of the leadership of the Church. One of these ministers also mentioned in some of his congregations that he might be fired for his actions. 

 

After camp, we asked these two ministers to come to Charlotte to discuss their ideas (that we are dishonoring God by wearing a mask at services and that we are sinning if we don’t sing at services). Several of us here then spent about 4 ½ hours with these men, talking to them and listening to their ideas. At one point, one person here did raise his voice for 5-10 seconds and then apologized. He did not appreciate these men openly disagreeing with Church decisions and using the forum of a youth summer camp to do so where his children were in attendance. He was not the only incensed parent who felt this was totally inappropriate and did not appreciate it. He was also concerned about how these ideas were affecting some people in congregations that he has pastored. As we listened, we also let these men know that we did not agree with their ideas. They were informed that we would bring their ideas before the Council of Elders. It was not our intention to fire them when we invited them to Charlotte to talk. 

It is interesting to read how they were concerned about how members of congregations were affected by Monson and Fritts's stances. They were not concerned when they were actively seeking to steal members and money from the Worldwide Church of God as they plotted and schemed with Don Davis to set up the Global Church of God. They were not concerned when they stabbed Raymond McNair in the back and took all of Global's money and most of its members to start the Living Church of God. They left a trail of broken lives in the wake of each of these decisions and now they are concerned about how people have been affected? 

Later that week, one of the ministers joined a special online meeting of the Council of Elders that lasted for more than four hours. We also asked him to submit a paper providing the scriptural basis for his ideas. This was the first time the Council had seen this information. Our standard approach has been for new ideas to be submitted to and discussed by the Council before these ideas were preached to congregations. However, this had not occurred, even though these men had been promoting these ideas for some time. No one on the Council agreed with their ideas. There was no yelling or screaming. There was no intimidation. However, a number of men spoke frankly, yet respectfully, indicating they did not agree with what they were hearing from this minister. We later sent out papers countering these ideas.

When the Worldwide Church of God spoke with Meredith and many other ministers that were joining Meredith in his rebellion they were asked if they would support the decisions and teachings of the church, none of them agreed to and felt they should separate themselves and go their own way. They saw nothing wrong with this and yet they see Monson and Fritts as being in a state of rebellion. 

Meredith and the other ministers that followed him never grasped the fact that their decision and rebellion was going to have a negative impact upon the WCG. And if they did, they certainly did not care! 

The next day, Mr. Weston and I spoke with each of these men on the telephone. When they were asked if they could support the decisions and teaching of the Church, they both indicated they could not. In fact, one of the ministers commented that since we appeared to be on separate pages, we should just go our separate ways. As a result, they were relieved from their roles as ministers in the LCG. That decision was made when they each stated that they could not support the decisions and teachings of the Church. The decision was also based on the verified fact that for some time these men were making numerous negative and divisive comments about leaders of the Church, and they had been in open disagreement with decisions made by church leaders. One man was offered time to think it over, but he said his mind was made up and would not be changed by postponing a decision. Neither man appeared to grasp the seriousness of the negative comments they had been making or the impact of those comments on others and how their ideas were dividing the Church. Since these conversations, they have departed and started their own organization. One minister has been marked for causing division (Romans 16:17-18) since he has been the leader, the other minister has been made a former member. Both men and their followers should be avoided. In our view, this has been a very sad situation. 

Church government has always been used as a weapon to keep members and ministers under control. Of course, that government goes out the window when men set themselves up as saviors of the truth once delivered and do what they want to do. Once they set up their fiefdoms, woe be to anyone who dares to cross their self-righteous paths and question them!  Those rebellious people are in direct rebellion against the very government of God! They are Korah's! They were just like Ananias and Sapphira!

There are a number of lessons that we can learn from all of this. The Scriptures reveal that God has placed authority in His Church. Moses was instructed to appoint leaders in Israel to judge the people (Exodus 18:24-26). Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:18 that God places us in the body as it pleases Him and that Jesus Christ established different roles and offices in the Church for doing His work (Ephesians 4:11-12). The Bible also records that there are serious consequences if those offices and that authority are not respected (see the example of Korah and his rebellion along with 250 leaders in Numbers 16 and Aaron’s and Miriam’s mistake in speaking against Moses in Numbers 12). While Moses was not perfect, the consequences of speaking against the authority of his office were serious and dramatic—as a lesson to others. We see a similar situation in the actions of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11). The men leading this current departure (and now some of their followers ) have been making negative comments about church decisions and leaders for some time—in spite of these biblical examples. 

Winnail admits that people who are in rebellion against the government of God (i.s church leadership) are not pleasing God when they do so. Yet, it was pleasing to their god when they rebelled against the mother church and formed TWO separate COG splinter groups. No rebellion there! No sirree!  

While these departing ministers are emphasizing the importance of having faith and trust in God’s promises for protection from disease (Exodus 15:25) and healing from sickness (James 5:14-16), we also need to put our faith and trust in other very clear instructions we find in the Scriptures. The biblical instructions for resolving controversies in the Church are found in Deuteronomy 17:8-11. When controversies arise, the issue is to be taken to the priests and Levites to be judged, and when a decision is made, it is to be followed. However, if a person acts presumptuously and ignores the decision made by the elders, there were serious consequences that were witnessed by the entire nation—as a lesson that this was not pleasing to God. 

Rod Meredith and the men who followed him into two different groups caused confusion when they rejected counsel.  

We see this biblical process for resolving controversies in action in Acts 15 when the question of circumcision of Gentiles was addressed. The issue was brought to the elders in Jerusalem, and a decision was made and promulgated to other congregations so there would be a unified policy. However, it appears that not everyone agreed with this decision as other individuals continued to create dissension by pointing back to the OT command for circumcision (Genesis 17:9-14; Galatians 1:6-7; 5:1-6). Yet, we read in Matthew 16:18-19 that God has given His Church and its leaders the authority to make decisions about the application of scriptures for the unity and benefit of the body (2 Chronicles 30:22-23; Ephesians 4:12-13). The Bible also warns that when everyone does their own thing, the result is chaos and confusion (Judges 21:25) and that also leads to serious consequences (Proverbs 14:12).

The Bible also provides numerous guidelines to help us avoid making serious mistakes. Proverbs 11:14 tells us “where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in a multitude of counselors there is safety.” These ministers felt they had to follow their conscience in these matters. However, our conscience is guided by our beliefs, which are based on our understanding of the Scriptures. If our understanding of the Scriptures is not correct, our conscience will be misinformed. These men chose to promote and follow their own ideas and ignore the advice of the Council of Elders regarding their understanding of the Scriptures. Proverbs 14:12 warns there is a way that seems right to a person, but that way leads to death. The Apostle Peter admonishes younger elders to be humble, respectful, and submissive to their elders (1 Peter 5:1-6), however, these ministers chose to reject the counsel they were given by senior ministers who were old enough to be their fathers. We need to remember these instructions. 

The track record of rebellion in the COG movement is a sure indication that the senior ministers of the church have been the most rebellious over the decades and are the ones who have caused the most damage to members' lives. Is it any better reason that people do NOT follow their advice?

Winnail goes on to write that the fruits of these departures have not been good (Global members can testify to that!) and admits that their own history proves this fact.

Another important lesson is from our own history as an organization. During the last 25 years, we have seen more than a dozen ministers and self-appointed leaders depart from the Global/Living Church of God. In nearly every case, these individuals found some point of doctrine they disagreed with or encountered situations they did not like or people they could not get along with or who did not accept their ideas. Yet, in nearly every case, the organizations they started either jumped the tracks doctrinally (with leaders claiming to be apostles or prophets) or their organization dwindled away to little or nothing. The fruits of these departures have not been good—and the evidence is there for anyone with eyes to see. This is why Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:1-11 that the historical examples in the Old Testament were recorded for our admonition today! Our own history as an organization should also be instructive. 

Winnail goes on to blame the internet for causing confusion in the church in spite of the fact LCG has caused so much confusion over the last 25+ years that no one knows exactly what they stand for anymore.  

But never fear though, it is NOT his role or LCG's role to pass judgment upon these rebellious men. the only role that LCG leadership has is to lovingly help you see the bigger picture than what you see on the internet and God forbid allow any ones personal feelings enter into the play.

In dealing with the fallout of this current departure, you will encounter people who are genuinely confused by what they see on the internet or because they have a personal relationship with some who are leaving. It is not our role as ministers (or as members) to pass judgment on the fate of people who are confused or have left. It is not our role, or the role of our members to determine who will be in the Place of Safety or in the Kingdom. That is God’s decision. However, you can encourage those who are confused to watch what happens as this situation plays out—and make their own decision based on the fruits they see. In Acts 5:33-39, Gamaliel advised those who were upset by the ministry of the apostles, “if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it.” Every person must make their own decisions about who they are going to follow. Our role is to try to help them see a bigger picture than what they see on the internet or what their personal feelings might tell them 

Rough times are ahead for the LCG organization as more men will split off and go their own ways and take members (money machines) with them. Income will drop and Satan will be the cause. 

Rebellious ministers and members will take to the internet and share their concerns and hurts and will be labeled as instruments of Satan that Paul warned about. Satan is like a roaring lion running around the world seeking to devour the LCG church and lead all of its members astray. LCG does not need to worry about big bad meanie Satan destroying the LCG, its very own leadership is doing a great job of that already.

Just remember boys and girls, if you see something on the internet that seems way out in left field, don't' worry, because it probably is! COG history proves this to be true! In the COG where there is smoke there is ALWAYS a fire burning and it is not always Satan who is behind it.

Fellow ministers, this departure will probably not be the last, because the times ahead will be challenging. We should not be surprised by this because Paul warned us this type of thing would happen (Acts 20:29-31). We all have to be alert because Satan is like a roaring lion seeking who he can deceive and devour (1 Peter 5:8). Satan knows our individual vulnerabilities, and he will try to exploit those weak points. Don’t let that happen to you. If you see or hear something on the internet that sounds way out, it probably is! However, if it sounds reasonable and you have questions, please call us to get our input. We need to work together because we have a work yet to do, that Satan will try to disrupt in any way that he can. Let’s pray for each other and for our members and for those who are caught up in this current departure. God does not want any of His sheep to be lost, and that is part of our job as shepherds 

 

Warm Regards,
Douglas S. Winnail