AI COG Deep Dive: Church of God, The Eternal’s 50th Anniversary – A Study in Contradictions, Stagnation, and Personality Cults

Church of God, The Eternal’s 50th Anniversary 

– A Study in Contradictions, Stagnation, and Personality Cults

It’s time to take a deep dive into the claims of Church of God, The Eternal (COGTE) and their enthusiastic defense of Raymond Cole’s legacy. For decades, they’ve touted themselves as the “faithful remnant,” holding fast to the doctrines of Herbert Armstrong as if they’re the only ones with the secret truth. But let’s take a closer look, shall we? Spoiler alert: the emperor has no clothes.

No “Work”? Just Sit Tight and Wait for the Two Witnesses

Raymond Cole, in his infinite wisdom, decided that the Great Commission—Matthew 28:19-20—was a suggestion, not a command. Instead of evangelizing and spreading the gospel, Cole proudly claimed that starting a “work” would be contrary to the will of God. Why? Well, because apparently, anyone who tries to spread the gospel without God’s “divine commission” is just being presumptuous. According to Cole, that’s “presumption,” not faithfulness.

And how do we know that his take was correct? Because “presumed works” have been “pathetic.” That’s right, other people who tried to preach the gospel have failed, so clearly, God doesn’t want us to do it either. Forget about being salt and light in the world (Matthew 5:13-16), we’ll just wait for the two witnesses and a mighty angel to handle the gospel proclamation while we sit back and watch the show. After all, we’re so spiritual that we don’t need to do anything—God will take care of it for us.

The Doctrine of Stagnation: Same Old, Same Old

One of the most puzzling things about COGTE is their unwavering commitment to the exact same teachings that Raymond Cole embraced when he started the group in 1975. Cole proudly declared that he was sticking with Herbert Armstrong’s message because “the doctrine” was the true revelation from God. Of course, it’s a bit awkward when you realize that Armstrong’s teachings were largely based on a blend of legalism, British-Israelism, and prophecy speculation that doesn’t exactly scream “gospel of grace.”

But hey, consistency is key, right? If it worked for Armstrong in the 1930s, it must still be just as relevant in the 21st century. Forget about any theological progress or growth; just keep parroting the same message over and over, year after year. After all, the truth is unchanging… right? Except, of course, when it’s convenient to twist scripture to support your agenda.

Raymond Cole: The Self-Appointed Leader and His “Divine” Authority

Let’s be clear: Raymond Cole was self-appointed. Despite the group’s claims of being divinely led, Cole’s leadership was never sanctioned by any higher authority. In fact, he was defrocked by the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) and had his ministerial license revoked, meaning he was not allowed to represent any church in any official capacity. Yet, in typical cult fashion, Cole was able to convince a group of followers that his teachings were the only correct path, regardless of his lack of legitimate authority.

It’s fascinating how a man, who was removed from a position of power, can reassert that very power by claiming to speak with divine authority. But don’t worry, we’re told this is not a personality-driven group. If it looks like a cult and smells like a cult, it’s definitely not a cult, right?

But let’s get to the heart of the issue: Cole’s stance that God’s Church is a spiritual organism but also managed through human-led corporate structures speaks volumes. His authority and his group's continued existence are built on the shaky ground of human leadership, not divine mandate. If you need a legal entity, tax exemptions, and personal authority to fulfill a divine mission, maybe you’re doing something wrong.

Cole, in his writings, made it clear that he wasn’t about starting a “new work” or deviating from Armstrong's teachings. Instead, he championed a “faith once delivered,” focusing on preserving Armstrong's doctrines rather than engaging in the active, outward-facing mission Christ gave His followers. While other Christian groups are out preaching the gospel, COGTE preferred to wait passively, believing that God would bring in people when He deemed it appropriate. This passive approach to evangelism begs the question: if you truly believe you’re the “true” church, why wouldn’t you make an active effort to share the gospel with the lost?

The Shifting Personality Cult: From Cole to Brisby

But it’s not just the doctrines that haven’t changed. The cult of personality surrounding Raymond Cole has simply been passed down to Jon W. Brisby, who became the leader after Cole’s death. While Brisby may have inherited Cole’s position, the group has done little to change its fundamental focus on personality-driven leadership. The group still revolves around the leader rather than Christ, and the claim that COGTE is a “spiritual organism” rings hollow when you see the clear physical structure and leadership hierarchy in place.

Brisby, much like Cole, seems content to hold onto the same old teachings and avoid any real outward action. Instead of addressing the need for evangelism, Brisby maintains the same isolationist mentality that Cole promoted. The focus is still on keeping the “truth” intact rather than on actively engaging with the world or advancing the kingdom of God. The transition from Cole to Brisby has been seamless—not because of any spiritual growth, but because it’s all about preserving the group’s image and authority, not about expanding God’s work.

The Church Is Not a Physical Organization, Unless It’s Convenient

One of Cole’s key teachings was that the Church is a spiritual organism, not a physical organization. And yet, in what can only be described as a divine contradiction, COGTE went ahead and created a legal non-profit corporation. Yes, while preaching the gospel through spiritual means, they had no qualms about registering the group as a physical organization for tax benefits. But don’t worry—this is apparently totally fine, because, as Cole himself put it, “creating a manmade legal entity has no bearing upon how God views things.” Right. That’s like saying, “It doesn’t matter if we take the money; we’re just doing it for the ‘spiritual’ benefit.”

The contradiction is too glaring to ignore. If the church is truly a spiritual organism, why is there a physical structure to manage tax-exempt status? The legal registration has everything to do with power, money, and convenience, not “spiritual” concerns. Let’s face it, they didn’t just register for the tax break—this was about securing the institution’s power and its place in the corporate world.

Conclusion: A Spiritual Legacy Built on Shaky Foundations

Ultimately, Church of God, The Eternal is a prime example of why “doctrine” and “tradition” alone can never replace the call to live out the full gospel. Their refusal to embrace the evangelical mission, their insistence on the superiority of their “spiritual organism” while maintaining a physical legal entity, and their blind devotion to Raymond Cole, correction, Jon W. Brisby as an infallible leader all paint a picture of a group that values consistency over truth.

In the end, what we have here is not a “remnant” of the true Church but a group that has erected a spiritual mausoleum around a long-dead set of teachings. They are so focused on preserving a legacy of doctrine that they’ve forgotten the very call of Christ: to go into the world and preach the gospel to every nation.

But no worries—while they wait for the two witnesses to do the hard work, they can keep reading the same old articles and pretending that their brand of “truth” is any less manmade than the corporate structure they’ve set up. If you’re looking for a church that’s truly committed to Christ’s mission and not just to preserving human-made traditions, it’s probably best to keep looking.

Let’s just say this: If you ever find yourself needing a laugh at the expense of a group’s inability to practice what they preach, look no further than Church of God, The Eternal. Just don’t expect any evangelism—those two witnesses are still on the clock.


50th Anniversary of COGTE

Sideshow Bob Wants Us To Believe He Might Be Elijah. But, He might Not Be. But Really He Is. Maybe. Maybe Not

Here we are again.  God must be rolling his eyes once again at the sheer grandiloquence of our very own self-appointed Elijah. I can see God sighing heavily as he gets out his enormous bingo card to tick off another box with one of many hundreds of Elijahs the Church of God has produced over the decades. Sadly, some church members see this as a sign that this has to be God's true church because you never see Elijah appearing to other Christian churches. 

Our most highly favored gift to humanity is back tooting his itty-bitty horn trying too hard to get our attention so that we recognize his awesomeness. The church apparently needs Elijah to appear and whip the church into shape, and the Great Bwana Bob Mzungu Thiel is just the man! Woo Hoo!

Although people, like the discredited Ron Weinland and David Pack have claimed to be ‘Elijah,’ neither of them are. 

 

Yet, the Bible does show that there will be an ‘Elijah’ who is alive before Jesus returns and that it is likely that he will be one of the two witnesses. And as Jesus is likely to return within the next couple of decades, it is reasonable to consider that he must be alive today. 

 

Could he be one who has restored information on church history, doctrine, prophecy, and the reason that God created anything? Could he be one reaching people around the world with the Gospel of the Kingdom of God in over 1,000 different languages? Or has God not chosen to have him do much at this stage?

The Great Bwana and Elijah To Be then drags out Buffy McNair and Dibar Apartian  to prove to us that Herbert was not the Elijah to come and that one bigger and better was to come:

Was it Herbert W. Armstrong? 

 

No. 

 

Did Herbert W. Armstrong ever think he might be Elijah? 

 

Most definitely. 

 

The late evangelist Raymond McNair admitted:

However, on occasion, Mr. Armstrong may have expressed some doubt in regard to his calling and ministry, concerning himself being the end-time “Elijah,” (McNair, Raymond. Was Mr. Armstrong Who He Said He Was? Ad in Connection’s section of The Journal, June 30, 2004). 

 

Yes, HWA expressed some doubt–not simply may have. Herbert W. Armstrong admitted to Aaron Dean, his long-time personal aide (and Aaron Dean told me this personally on several occasions for over the past two+ decades) that he might not have understood the biblical passages on the Elijah correctly before he died, and that God could raise someone else up to fulfill the Elijah role. Furthermore, HWA specifically expressed doubt to the late evangelist Dibar Apartian (and who also told me). Dibar Apartian did not believe that HWA was the Elijah when we discussed this several times and he agreed with me about this.

The Great Elijah Bwana then pulls one of his gaslighting stunts to make you believe you are wrong to think he is going to be the Elijah.

HWA, himself, wrote:

Jesus shall come, SOON NOW, to RESTORE ALL THINGS! He did NOT restore all things when he first came. John the Baptist did not “restore all things.” But the one who was to “restore all things” just before the “day of the Lord” and preparing the way for Christ’s second coming, was YET to come, in the future, as Jesus said. Now what are the “all things” to be RESTORED? “Restitution” means restore to a former state or condition (Armstrong HW. Brethren & Co-Worker Letter, August 24, 1982). 

 

Note that HWA states ONE (Elijah) comes just before the day of the Lord—an event that still has not occurred, hence some additional restoration beyond what HWA did is needed–and this has been happening in the Continuing Church of God. CCOG has restored more than any COG in the 21st century and under the human leadership of Bob Thiel it continues to do so. In time, God will make the final Elijah clear to all willing to see (this is NOT saying that he MUST be Bob Thiel–but we believe it will be a leader in CCOG).

It's all about me, but not about me, even though it is about me, but shouldn't be.

Deep down, you know he is referring to himself above all others. There is NO ONE in the improperly named "continuing" Church of god that could ever step into such shoes. His narcissism and vanity would never permit such a thing.

There is a 21st century Elijah, and that individual would be expected to be part of the Continuing Church of God.

He continues on: 

Sadly, just as many would not hear Elijah’s nor John the Baptist’s messages, relatively few will pay much attention to the end time Elijah as well. 

 

That is not a surprise as most Christians in the end times were to be Laodicean, and Jesus warned the Laodiceans since they would not ‘get with the program,’ that they would be punished (Revelation 3:14-18). 

 

Of course, if you are willing to believe the truth and do what the Bible teaches, that does not have to include you.

Fortunately for the world, and particularly the churches of God,  no one needs to heed any warning or Elijah gobbledygook that Sideshow Bob proclaims. In the grand scheme of things, it is all worthless words. 

The Elijah’s restoring of “all things” means that he is to be restoring information that the true Church of God once understood, but later must have lost or misunderstood. 

 

The problem is that just as many would not hear Elijah’s or John the Baptist’s messages, relatively few will pay much attention to the end time Elijah as well.

No, Bob is not Elijah. No one in the improperly named "continuing" Church of God is Elijah. No one needs to heed any warning that comes from this self-appointed, illegitimate, non-ordained, narcissistic church leader. Everything is always about him and how great he is. It isn't and never will be.

 

 

The Cult Next Door: Interview Seth Forrestier

 

"All Going to Burn", The Cult Next Door, 5 Feb 2025 [1:18:07] "In Ep.50: 'All Going to Burn,' we sit down with Seth Forrestier, a former fourth-generation member of the Worldwide Church of God & its offshoots. Seth shares his experiences growing up in these high-control gr…"(Audio links in comments)
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