The "We Practice 1st Century Christianity" Claim And Why It Doesn't Work Today

 

I had this quote saved in my notes on my iPhone and I don't remember if it was a comment on this blog or elsewhere.

Here is why no one believes those who claim they follow 1st Century Christianity:

One of the reasons believers want to get back to the First Century practices of believers in the Christian church is that these manifestations were commonplace back then. 

 

Christians crave something that was present back in that era, something which, giving the benefit of doubt, is not as prolific today if indeed it exists at all. 

 

People even attempt to fake them in various ways to prove that they have the witness of God supporting them, but the fakery is easily seen for what it is, and as such does not provide incontrovertible proof which would rope in a non-believer as it often did in Apostolic times. 

 

Fakery, once discovered, results in reproach and ridicule.

Church of God Assembly - Trouble In Paradise - Monson Sacks Board

 

Every time the Churches of God have a major split, everyone thinks that the latest configuration will be filled with the most god-fearing men, and things will finally be done correctly. Sadly, this has not happened, especially in the last 30-some years. Each new and improved group ends up being just as corrupt and morally bankrupt as the church they broke off from. They have been so tainted by the abuses they grew up in and participated in that change never has a chance to take a foothold, so the churches start having major problems.

Several sources have contributed to what is below about the current problems going on within the Church of God Assembly, with Sheldon Monson, and others.

Trouble has been brewing for some time in CGA, leading Sheldon Monson to recently dismiss the Board of CGA because he did not want to get voted out and wanted more control over where and how the church's tithe money was spent.

Adding to this upheaval, an ex-employee recently gave a sermon about Judas stealing from the money bag. His sermon was seen by a lot of people as a direct jab at Monson's wife Joette. Sources say that she recently lost her high-paying job in the world and decided to work for the church, though the church did not officially notify members that she was doing so.

Church members had caught on to the fact that both Sheldon and Joette had their own Cadillac Escalade (the current cost of an Escalade is anywhere from $88,000 - $105,000 and higher, depending on what you add).

Then, kids being kids, word got out that the Monson's recently spent several days at a Disney Park (a minimum of at least $1,500+ a day for tickets and nightly stay in a Disney hotel, excluding the cost of food, which will add another $300-500 minimum a day, plus travel and the bill final bill is enormous).

Knowing how certain church leaders and ministers through the decades had the church pay for all of their travel, many in CGA believe that the church paid for this entire trip with the church's money. Being the Grand PooBah does have its perks!

Many are also connecting the sermon about Judas stealing coins out of the moneybag to blatant misuse of church funds for things other than preaching a gospel message. This should come as no surprise, considering how rampant the financial abuse was in the old Worldwide Church of God and in the ranks of its predecessors.

No one should be the least bit surprised that this, considering this is the legacy that ALL COG groups currently deal with. They all know better and know they should do things right, but that money is sooooo appealing and so easy to use. Some things in the Church of God never change.

PCG Terminating Employees While Elite Party

We live in an amazing time to witness firsthand the implosion of so many COG groups. All imploding because of their own mistakes and excesses. None of them are suffering because of the world persecuting them for what they preach, but at the hands of their own leaders and elite. They have used and abused members for so many decades that people are leaving. Yet, in spite of their self-made worlds collapsing around them, the elite leadership continues to wallow in excesses and wasteful spending instead of really preaching some kind of a gospel.

Today, we have the Philadelphia Church of God experiencing this. While the children of the elite leaders in Edmond, OK are traipsing around the country with their "Dance of David" road show, Celtic Throne II. After all, when David danced naked, he was doing Irish dance! Although the PCG takes the Bible literally, they don't take it that literally. Like everywhere in the COG movement, the elite get to pick and choose what they want to follow.

Exit and Support Network has this up:

PCG Announces Layoffs:
May 9, 2025
While the PCG is gearing up to send Amy Flurry’s dance crew around the world on tithe payers’ dimes, the PCG had to announce some layoffs. To what extent, I’m not sure yet, but in all my 30 years in the PCG I have never heard them have to make such an announcement. Normally negative news such as that would be kept on the down low. Sounds like they are having a tough time growing! –[name withheld]