LCG: Rebellious Church Members Who Are Rebelling Against Church Government And Pursue Their Own Selfish Ambitions

This is what happens when LCG members

rebel against respecting church government...

It's that time of year when leavening products make their way into the trash bin and members examine themselves as to why they refuse to follow church government due to all of their lusting, coveting, and hatred going on. I can't figure out if he is talking about church members or Charlotte HQ employees!

What exactly are "selfish ambitions" that church members are being accused of pursuing? Is it doing something fun in their lives that costs money that LCG thinks should be sent to them? Or, is it taking the kids to the zoo on Saturday instead of subjecting them to another mind-numbing sermon that you have heard 50 times over the years? Is getting a good education or being successful in your work a selfish ambition?

Let's see how "forgiving" LCG leadership is over the next year towards members. So far the track record is not good.

Eliminating Spiritual Leaven: The Scriptures clearly indicate that leaven is to be removed from our homes and not to be eaten during the Days of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:15). However, we need to remember, this is a physical exercise to help us understand the importance of identifying and eliminating spiritual leaven that tends to creep into our lives from this world. Spiritual leaven includes breaking the commandments of God by lusting, coveting, and hating as well as compromising or rebelling against God’s laws and instructions and His government. Spiritual leaven also includes the works of the flesh that Paul mentions in Galatians 5:19–21— adultery, fornication, outbursts of wrath, sowing seeds of contention and division, promoting personal doctrinal heresies, pursuing selfish ambitions, etc. As we take the Passover and go through the Days of Unleavened Bread, let’s ask God to show us any spiritual leaven that we need to eliminate from our lives. Let’s also be forgiving of others and be thankful for the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us so we can be forgiven. 

 

Have a profitable Sabbath, 

Douglas S. Winnail

LCG: Keeping track of the trouble makers?

 

Apparently, the boys in Charlotte are not doing too well with maintaining their membership data or this is a slick way to keep track of your members to see who is causing trouble.

Church Survey—Repeat Announcement
Earlier this year, all Church pastors were sent membership listings of their congregations for conducting the periodic Church Survey. This Church Survey is needed from time to time to keep our files up to date. For example, the survey is vital to make sure all members receive their Church literature in the mail. We also need this information for Festival registration, to begin this year on May 2. Thank you to all members for helping your pastor collect your updated contact information!

CGI: “Why must your son be so disrespectful of you and your religion?”

An Open Letter To My Father’s Tormenters

Every time I post something about Armstrongism, the Church of God International, or Bill Watson my poor father is subjected to numerous incredulous phone calls and/or e-mails from his “friends” in the Church. “How can your son disparage Bill or the Church in this manner?” they demand. “Why must your son be so disrespectful of you and your religion?”

For the record, I stopped sharing most of my posts and other writings with my father long ago, because I know how vehemently he disagrees with me regarding most religious and political topics. In other words, I discerned long ago that there wasn’t any value in underscoring my profound differences with a man I love and respect – why rub his nose in it? Moreover, I am very much aware of the fact that my father is devoted to his church and best friend, Bill Watson (and I have no desire to disparage, disrupt or disrespect any of that). Finally, as his son, I have been very cognizant of the fact that my father is suffering from debilitating health issues and have no interest in placing any additional burdens or stresses on him on account of that fact.

However, feeling this way, I have often asked myself: “Why would my father’s Church friends insist on bringing these things to his attention?” “Are they trying to rub his nose in this stuff?” “Are they trying to hurt him or my relationship with him?” “Do they think that he actually agrees with my positions on these issues (despite the large body of sermons and writings which clearly suggest that he doesn’t)?” In short, what could possibly motivate folks to bring these things to my father’s attention and cause him such distress/upset/misery?

The only answer that makes any sense to me is that they are somehow hoping to use my father to bring pressure to bear upon me to stop criticizing the teachings of CGI and Bill Watson. In fact, I can think of no other logic that would motivate an otherwise decent person to resort to such cruel and discordant means to achieve some end – the belief that they were defending/protecting their faith and minister(s).

To be clear, however, it is deceitful and manipulative to use an innocent person in this fashion to exert pressure on the one whom they perceive to be the guilty party. In other words, if anyone has a problem with anything that I write, they should directly confront me with their issues – NOT my father! And, for the record, I will NEVER be dissuaded/deterred from expressing opinions about teachings which I consider to be erroneous or harmful to others by such despicable methods! If anyone has a beef with me (or anything I’ve written), bring it to me (I’ve been an independent adult now for many years). As Scripture plainly teaches, the father shall NOT be held responsible for the deeds of the son, and the son shall NOT be held responsible for the deeds of the father (see Ezekiel 18:20). In other words, leave my father alone!

Miller Jones