A Tale of Two Churches - Headline News Preaching

 

A Tale of Two Churches

By

Darrell’s Chickens

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…” –from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

The current situation within the Church of God International evokes some of the characteristics of the classic novel that inspired the title of this piece. Indeed, two pastors of that church have put forth two very different visions of what their message to the world should look like. Pastor Bill Watson’s latest offering in The International News is a textbook example of “Headline Theology,” and Pastor Jeff Reed’s latest blog post condemns that kind of messaging. And while the irreconcilable gulf between the two views is apparent to almost everyone else, the leadership within that organization seems oblivious to the fact.

In The Dangers of Headline Theology, Pastor Reed observed that Headline Theology “can be defined as searching out sensational headlines in the news upon which to base one’s biblical theology. Many supposed modern-day prophets find joy in connecting world events to their prophetic scenarios even though they continually are proven wrong and continue to move the goalposts of their predictions.” He went on to note that “We in the Church of God International may occasionally look at world events and examine them through the lens of God’s law or prophecy. Still, we carefully avoid making dogmatic statements and identify our observations as speculation.” Pastor Reed also pointed out that setting dates or implying that “the end” is just around the corner can lead to all kinds of problems for any church which engages in such behavior. According to him, Christians can succumb to anxiety and paranoia about the future, “that it may cause some to lose their faith” (because their expectations are never satisfied) and that it can divert a Christian’s attention away from the fundamentals of his or her faith.

Ironically, in the current edition of The International News, Pastor Bill Watson’s China: The Emerging Red Dragon stands in stark contrast to his friend’s blog post. In the piece, he relates how China’s activities mesh with those of the Marxist/Globalist leaders whom he claims are currently running things in the United States. Pastor Watson goes on to suggest that the “mark of the beast” may somehow be related to vaccine mandates. In fact, he makes clear that he sees the pandemic as a tool in the hands of China and these Marxist/Globalist leaders to take down the United States. Pastor Watson underscores China’s current bad behavior in seeking to undermine the U.S. (cyber-attacks, stealing technology, the “Wuhan” virus). He continues: “Further, evidence appears to be growing that seems to indicate China—in combination with hundreds of non-profit Foundations and USA corporations, politicians, and a multitude of government operatives—helped hijack and rig the 2020 USA Presidential election, for their own self-serving gains and additional infiltration and control of the United States government. IF—and I emphasize IF—this is true, we may very well be seeing the beginning of the end of the world’s balance of power and the taking down of the last powerful birthright nation of God’s promise to Abraham! If that happens, the world without the United States will be a very different place!”

After going on to underscore that he believes American freedoms are under assault, Mr. Watson asks “So What Can We Do?” His answer: “The United States is under attack from within and without. There are people, private interest groups, non-profit foundations, politicians, entertainers, and athletes that would like nothing else but to see the United States collapse, or be destroyed. This is a time to make a stand, ‘pick a lane,’ and be brave, courageous, and bold in your faith for our families, our country, and of course, the work of our God!” The pastor continued: “Keep in mind, there is nothing sacrilegious about being patriotic. It is okay, as a Christian, to express your disapproval when it becomes apparent our freedoms are being jeopardized and our families endangered. Remember, it is never too late to appeal in prayer to God for mercy upon our land. Even Abraham attempted to beseech God, hoping to rescue Sodom and Gomorrah, as evil and corrupt as they were.”

For Mr. Watson, these circumstances clearly warrant immediate action on the part of the saints. He concludes: “So brethren, in today’s environment, God’s Church needs to step up and be courageous, brave, and bold—a prayerful and an outspoken people! This is not a time to be fearful, timid, or tacit about the things you know are not in the best interests of you, your family, communities, and religious freedoms.” In other words, CGI needs more of Pastor Watson’s messaging, and God and country needs their help!

Is anyone experiencing a little cognitive dissonance and whiplash at present? Pastor Reed warns of the dangers of “Headline Theology,” and Pastor Watson turns around and offers a full serving of it! Yes, CGI is truly simultaneously experiencing a “spring of hope” and a “winter of despair.” Will they continue to be of two minds? Are they metaphorically headed for heaven or the other place?    

LCG's POWERFUL Witness to the World and the Response

 

Imagine Herbert Armstrong ever being impressed with this:

87 Guests at Tomorrow’s World Presentations in Des Moines, Iowa, and Plainview, New York
So far this year, the Living Church of God has conducted 44 Tomorrow’s World Presentations (including follow-up presentations) with about 553 guests attending in person or online. We are grateful to see the good responses these events are generating, with 28 new people now either attending Church services or showing strong interest in attending. Last weekend, TWPs in Des Moines, Iowa, and Plainview, New York, resulted in 53 guests and 34 guests, respectively. This weekend, TWPs are planned for La Porte, Indiana, and Dothan, Alabama, as well as follow-up events in several other locations. Your continued prayers for this dynamic program are appreciated!

Des Moines, Iowa - population:  215,636 (2019)  53 attendees 3/4 or more LCG members, very few public.

Plainview, NY - population:  26,453 (2019). 34 guests, 3/4 or more LCG members, very few public.

44 Tomorrow's World Presentations that feature Living Church of God ministers, lots of money spent.

553 guests, 3/4 or more of which are LCG members expected to show up and fill up the rooms so that worldly guests feel impressed.

From this number of "553" guests, 23 people are either attending or showing interest. The chances are, 1-2 people may now be attending while the rest ticked off the box on the card that they wanted more information on attending.

Yes, brethren! We need your prayers for this mindboggling preaching because the fields are white for harvest! 

Never has there been a COG like us doing such a great proclamation of the gospel message! (Bob Thiel was seen whimpering in his storefront world headquarters office after hearing this!)

Mark Armstrong Melts Down Again And Finally Brings God Into It All

 

If you thought Bob Thiel ran the official Debbie-Downer COG, then think again. Mark Armstrong is giving him a run for the money.

Notice where Mark Armstrong mentions God in this trainwreck to his few followers. I have highlighted all the times that the director of the church, which supposedly represents God, mentions the sacred dude.

Mark needs to turn in his church leader mantle and go be a reporter for NewsMax, the official go-to source for news that COG prophets and apostles use to frighten their followers.

Greetings from Tyler,

The global humiliation is underway.  It was intended as one of those off the cuff, wild exaggerations for humor's sake when this Update suggested we were headed for another escape from Saigon. It's worse.  You can access whatever news you will, but it's not good anywhere.  It's a disaster we can't and won't imagine.  It's off the charts.  Pride and honor are a big deal in Middle Eastern culture.  We're fresh out.  One very worn out top official, (sometimes known as the big guy) who not a month ago adamantly assured the world this wouldn't happen, couldn't be reached for comment.  Until he gave a canned speech and explained the situation before darting away.  No questions.  The ever defensive mainstream press is starting to turn.  The events of recent days, and perhaps future days constitute a black eye the U. S. will wear for all eternity.  Those in charge have only excuses.

Some images stick with you, and you can no doubt remember some that were so disturbing you can never get them out of your head.  We've been treated to several of those this week, things we'd never seen before and couldn't imagine actually happening.  One is the military cargo plane completely jammed with Afghans that had scrambled on board.  Where are the women and children?  They're not anywhere to be seen.  We'd also never seen people climbing all over each other up ramps at a departure gate, or the hundreds trying to hitch a ride as the jet taxied to take off.  Turns out that flesh and bone are no match for the C-17's hydraulics.

So the fall back position is “it's Trump's fault,” this situation was inherited.  That's already the retort, even though the Donald is seething with anger at the way this has been handled.  It seems like ISIS got humiliated and wiped off the face of the earth during… Let's see, which president was it?  The caliphate was dismantled, remember?  Now that the “adults” are back in charge the goat thumpers have made a comeback.  Who'd have guessed?

Glenn Beck has to be credited with this.  He opened his radio program on Wednesday proclaiming a great triumph for inclusion and diversity.  Never in recorded human history has a debacle of this magnitude been pulled off by such a diverse group of people.  From the agency heads to the intelligence apparatus and all down the line, the highest priority has been racial equality and multi-gender inclusion.  Even the generals have been preaching it.  They'd just finished gay pride month at  U. S. embassies around the world.  They were particularly PROUD that a rainbow flag was flying at the U. S. Embassy at the Vatican, as if they don't have enough trouble in Rome.  But in Kabul the U. S. obviously wasn't planning for what would come next.  Now thousands are marked for death.  Was that part of some deal?

It's been pointed out that the big guy was on the phone congratulating Ft. Worth school board members for standing up against Governor Abbot's ban on mask mandates as Afghanistan fell.  We're over here deciding whether we want to re-inhale carbon dioxide while people who cooperated with the United States are hunted down and killed.  Mind you, the Taliban are the nicest of terrorists even when chanting death to America according to CNN.  You probably saw the scene of the Taliban press conference, delivered from within the presidential palace in Kabul.  There were about a dozen head wrapped geniuses with automatic weapons and the combined IQ of a third grader.  The organizers?  They were in Guantanamo Bay until they were traded along with 5 billion dollars, for traitor Bo Bergdahl.  You probably remember who did that.  Gay pride parade?  Anybody?

Now U. S. allies including those in NATO have important questions about the reliability of the United States.  It appears that things are not buttoned up in the way you'd expect of the American military or State Department, which is reportedly in charge of the “evacuation.” Promises have been broken.  The world is watching, realizing that the U. S. is inept under current leadership.  Whoever planned and carried out the withdrawal of the advisory forces still in Afghanistan needs their heads examined.  Whose idea was it to leave all manner of valuable equipment and munitions behind?  Word is that the volume of weaponry and vehicles now in the hands of the Taliban is “immense.”  When asked what ‘was the plan?’ to keep American weapons from falling into the hands of the Taliban, General Hank Taylor said in a nationally televised press conference that he had no answer to that question.   Let's just say we're impressed.

The answer is to give the Taliban a taste of U. S. military capabilities.  It's not like we don't have bases all over the Middle East, not counting the eleven that were turned over to the Taliban.  But alas, we have the big guy and he's not even writing the script.  Biden is taking a beating that more properly belongs to Obama and crew.  Never in the annals of history has the American presidency come in for the kind of rebuke delivered on the floor of the House of Commons.  America's institutions have been shamed, and deservedly so.  It turns out that the British Prime Minister was trying desperately to talk to the big guy, it was urgent.  The Brits have people in harm's way, now that the whole of Afghanistan and an unbelievable cache of American weapons have been kindly handed to the terrorists.  It would be nice if we could coordinate.  Sorry, he can't come to the phone.

If you've not seen the absolute disgust displayed toward the White House on the floor of Britain's House of Commons, you might consider looking it up.   Anger arose over helplessness amid the chaos. The fact that allies can't even communicate during an emergency with countless lives in the balance is “shameful,”  “dishonourable.”  The White House was castigated for taking unilateral (“catastrophic”) action, “throwing us (the British) and everybody else to the fire.”  This is not just some diplomatic faux pas, innocent lives are being snuffed out by these inbred bozos and nobody better intervene.  Meanwhile we continue to be battered with COVID news and the coming orders.  It's like they've been learning from the Taliban, but they can't just shoot us.   God sees it all.

Mark

Well, there he is!!!!!!!!!