Church of God International Turmoil: Civil War Over Its Messaging Continues

CGI’s Civil War Over Its Messaging Continues

The Church of God International’s Tony Buchert delivered a defiant message today to Bill Watson’s Medina, Ohio congregation about the right of that church’s conservatives to continue to preach a message centered on current events prophecy (as seen through the filter of British Israelism). Buchert openly chafed at attempts by Tyler, Texas (headquarters) to curtail messaging related to politics, conspiracy theories, and public health measures related to Covid-19. Buchert said that he and his fellow ministers had a moral obligation to warn their congregants and the nation about the consequences of current events and trends in the secular arena, and he rejected any suggestion that those topics should not be regarded as a part of Christ’s commission to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. He also offered a full-throated denial that Bill and his allies have been operating outside of the church’s Statement of Beliefs or Systematic Theology Project.

Although he went on to acknowledge that as much as fifty percent of that organization’s ministry currently rejects the old Worldwide teaching on Anglo-Israelism, he insisted that he and his allies should not be silenced on the topic. Indeed, he went on to state a number of times that ministers should NOT be concerned about offending others – implying that they should be bold and in the face of those who oppose such messaging! Moreover, although Anglo-Israelism is not part of CGI’s Statement of Beliefs, he correctly pointed out that it is a part of that church’s Systematic Theology Project (which underscores that the church has always been of two minds on their messaging).

To support his claim, Buchert referenced the fourteenth page of the STP – where we read: “The modern identification of the ‘House of Israel’ as the United States and British Commonwealth is an important part of the Church’s prophetic understanding. While the United States is understood to be specifically represented as ‘Manasseh’ and the British Commonwealth as ‘Ephraim,’ the identity of the remainder of the original Israelite tribes is uncertain (though some evaluations have been made, such as equating France with Reuben.) The identification of the United States and British Commonwealth as the House of Israel leads to serious and momentous prophetic implications for the future. The time of the end is also called ‘the time of Jacob’s trouble’ (Jer. 30:7), because the modern descendants of the House of Israel shall be taken captive by ‘strangers’ and severely oppressed. It will take the return of Jesus Christ to rescue and free the modern descendants of the patriarch Jacob from national humiliation and restore them to the knowledge of God. This event shall be of such enormous magnitude that Israel’s original exodus from Egypt shall be forgotten by comparison (Jeremiah 16:14-15, 23:7-8, Isa. 11:16, 27:12-13).”

Of course, those within that church who have rejected the doctrine of Anglo-Israelism realize that any prophetic interpretation which is premised on that teaching MUST also be wrong! Likewise, many of the folks who have reached the conclusion that this teaching has no basis in Scripture, history, archaeology, or genealogy also understand that this teaching appears as racist and highly offensive to the wider world.

What prompted this diatribe by Mr. Buchert? Well, it is clear that Bill Watson, Adrian Davis, and their allies in the ministry have felt for some time that they have been treated unfairly by the folks at headquarters. In short, they see absolutely NOTHING wrong with their messaging related to headline theology, conspiracy theories, and Covid-19. Indeed, they see themselves as God’s true servants – the faithful ones who are carrying God’s message of truth to their brethren and the world! They have bristled at the criticism of their messaging, and anything which they have perceived to be an attempt by others to censor God’s message! For Bill and his allies, they believe that their freedom of speech is under attack. They see the folks at headquarters as having fallen prey to the influences of this world and its political correctness. And, finally, I have it on good authority, that there are elements within CGI that would like to see Bill Watson and Adrian Davis fired! Moreover, Bill and his allies would have to be blind and deaf to be unaware of the fact that there is an element within that church which is relentlessly opposed to them and their messaging (people within his own congregation have complained about his partisanship and messaging).

What is the conclusion of the matter? Will the Church of God International continue to limp along with very divided messaging? Will one side triumph over the other? Will CGI split yet again, and one or two new ACOG splinters emerge from the trainwreck? Stay tuned!



Lonnie Hendrix

Philadelphia Church of God, Edstone England, Financial Statements - "Where is the money actually going?"

 

From a Philadelphia Church of God source:

In the UK all charitable organizations must file a public document reporting their accounts for each year with the Charity Commission for England and Wales.  

PHILADELPHIA CHURCH OF GOD. Charity number: 1044860 

This report only itemizes the income and accounts for the PCG UK (Registration #05314410]. The most current report is for the year ending Dec 31 2020 but it also lists all the financial information for the previous year 2019. While the entire 24 page report is intriguing and definitely worth a read, a few items jumped right off the page.

“Expenditures on Charitable Activities”  

On page 21 of this report is a list totaling the expenditures for the year. One line item dwarfs all the rest. One might assume it has something to do with giving or some charitable activity. But one would be WRONG!!! A whopping £473,520 ($565,735) in 2020 and £525,287 ($631,893) in 2019, this massive line item is titled Ministerial Travel!  They must have a large ministry to send all over Europe…… Nope, just 3 ministers! To boot there are approximately 7 tiny congregations one being Edstone! Wait it gets better…… How do 3 ministers spend £473,520 ($565,735)  on “traveling” when travel was completely restricted for most of 2020 due to COVID-19? This is a ludicrous amount even when they can travel!  Most European airfare, round trip can be purchased for £100. What type of ultra luxury accommodations are these “servants of Christ” staying in? Where and what are they dining on? 

While the PCG will probably claim that these exorbitant costs are associated with the “Flurry Jet” that simply doesn’t make sense.  Why would you infuse cash into the UK to balance the books to turn around and pay the PCG USA for a Jet that might have been used once in the UK for all of 2020?  

Publishing, advertising campaigns, and distribution of literature in ten languages. 

 

True to cult form The PCG tries to exaggerate their impact by using percentages instead of actual numbers. For instance under this section (see attached document) they boast “Literature requests in French were 9.5 times higher” “German literature request were four times as high and downloads increased by 25%” why, if they are having such an amazing growth and impact wouldn’t you produce actual numbers? One might ask 9.5 times higher then what? Four times more then??? 25% increase from what? If the PCG was having such an impact and reaching vast numbers of people through downloads and literature, the actual numbers would be published. Just as they did in the next sentence for the amount of propaganda articles they published FYI 983. This is because their people sit in their seats and are trained not to think or ask these questions, just blindly trust and believe the “government”

“Rendering of Charitable Works under  the Benevolence Program” 

 

This subsection is laughable! Here is where the cult can’t hide behinds words: Let’s just see how much benevolence is flowing out of the PCG! Under the financial review section the PCG UK claims to have a total income of £986,353 with a “charitable” expenditures of £897,517 leaving a surplus of £88,835. This is only possible with a infusion of cash from the PCG USA and PCG AUS of £333,425. With that background, now let’s go back to the “love” the PCG claims to show.

 

Page 21 and 22 have line items showing how much 3T Assistance AND FOT assistance was distributed (no where does it show how much was collected which is another interesting omission) the total for 2020 drumroll please ……. £2,845 and in 2019 it was £ 1,114!  I double checked, I didn’t for get a zero or two!  That’s it!  So now let’s use the percentages this cult loves to throw around, to determine the total amount of love that flowed out of the PCG to its membership .0028% in 2020 yep less the 3 hundred thousandth of a percent of the PCG UK income that flowed back to its people in true love! So they demand their people pay their 3T and they claim that it all goes to help those in the church in need. But when they have to open the books it shows a completely different picture. To summarise Ministerial travel (in a time of no travel) was £473,520 and total love distributed to help it’s membership  £ 2,845.   Where is the money actually going?

Littlest Prophet Buys New Set Decorations And Then Asks Us If He Is The 21st Century Elijah

 

The Church of God's littlest prophet, the Great Bwana to Africa and 150 Caucasians and the first Native American Germanic Gentile, has apparently taken the hints offered here and bought himself a new set decoration. No expense was spared! 

Let's just say the new decoration isn't much better than his faded-out curtains and crooked bookcases. The Great Bwana needs to ask the local high school theatre department and have them design him a halfway decent set. Buy a stretcher frame and stretch the banner on it so no one sees all the wrinkles and folds. Also, close the damn curtains so the sunlight doesn't bleed in highlighting the edge of the curtains that aren't draped properly.

A bigger chair would also work so that the little prophet would look bigger than he is. Seriously dude, when your shoulders and head are just a few inches above the window sill frame there is an issue! Would a real Elijah ever do such a thing? I do like the blue halo effect over your head, it gives the impression you are electrifying when you are not.

Anyway, the Great Bwana to Africa and the only Native American Germanic Gentile ever to lead the true church in human history, has a question for us to answer. Is he, the Bob, the 21st Century Elijah, and/or one of the two witless witnesses? I know it is a struggle to answer that, but could someone please help him! Bob won't listen to me.

21st Century Elijah
Was John the Baptist the prophesied Elijah or at least a type of Elijah? Is there an Elijah to come? Have Sabbatarians been teaching this a long time? What were 18 truths that Herbert W. Armstrong said God had him restore? Was anything to be restored in the last days, consistent with Daniel 12:4 and Matthew 17:11? Was God supposed to restore dreams and prophets in the last days? Did the Worldwide Church of God teach such would happen again? Have we seen signs of Acts 2:17-18 in the Continuing Church of God? Is Bob Thiel the final Elijah or one of the two witnesses? Why or why not? Has there been the restoration of important truths in the CCOG? Is the CCOG at least setting the foundation for the 21st century Elijah? Dr. Thiel gives information relating to all of that in this sermon.