Why Are LCG Members Always Being Reminded To Be Team Players?

 The Church of God's power structure

It's another day in our vibrant, beautiful world, yet Living Church of God members are being criticized for not being team players. Can they ever get it right? 

Unfortunately, Armstrongism has ingrained in its members the belief that they are the lowest of society, unworthy to stand before God. Despite this, they face constant reminders of their perceived worthlessness. As members, they’re placed several levels below the revered, enlightened leaders. Remember, boys and girls, God calls the dogs of the world, and you are right there under the table with the rest of them. You can't be a team player if you are fighting for the crumbs under the table.

Apparently, if they aren't team players working toward a common goal, they may not even be considered Christians. Weston lists several other issues, but his points seem to highlight problems with the church's ministry rather than the members themselves.

Are You a Team Player? Just as Jesus chose His disciples to help preach the Gospel, God has called us to be part of a team. Effective team players have skills and perspectives that can be identified and learned. Christian team players must be focused on the same goal—the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33)—and work together to preach the Gospel to the world (Mark 16:15). They avoid saying or doing things that offend others (1 Corinthians 10:32). They are forgiving (Matthew 6:14–15). They focus on the positive (Philippians 4:4) and look for ways to serve others and contribute to the mission of the team (Matthew 20:26–28). Effective team players learn to be peacemakers (Matthew 5:9) and are able to defuse tense situations with calm words (Proverbs 15:1). They don’t make negative comments about or sit in judgment of other members of the team (James 4:11), but they are teachable, willing to listen and make adjustments to achieve the goal (Matthew 7:1–5). They appreciate that a team is made up of individuals with different talents and abilities, just like the body has different parts with important functions (1 Corinthians 12). Good team players learn to love their neighbors (Matthew 5:43–48). Jesus’ disciples had to develop these vital qualities—and so must we. Let’s all strive to be more effective team players!
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail

Did LCG Ramp Up Number Of Ministers At Summer Camp Because Of Reported Demon Possession Or Another Reason?

A member of the Living Church of God  sent me the latest weekly update from Gerald Weston addressed to LCG members. In it, Weston boasts about the presence of 12 ministers at this year's summer camp. Interestingly, this camp was held at the same Seventh-day Adventist facility where, the previous week, an attendee at Selden Monson's summer camp reportedly experienced possession by Legion himself, along with several lesser demons. Monson had reached out to LCG for help in casting out these demons, but Weston declined.

The LCG member comments:

Mr. Weston has written about the need for 12 ministers at this year's summer camp, claiming they were there to instill good values and traditions in the church's youth. However, many of us have heard that the real concern stemmed from the recent demonic possession of a minister's son at the Church of God Assembly summer camp, prompting LCG to ensure the safety of our children.

The excuse that Weston claims seems really shallow and a crafty diversion away from the fact that they were actually scared that the demons still might be active. 

Weston claims that these ministers were also present to set an example for our youth to demonstrate that they can actually do some physical work—setting up chairs, sweeping floors, washing dishes—for the teens to observe. This type of performative "good works" might impress the youth temporarily, but it’s a form of gaslighting that could backfire when these teens return home and some ministers resume their abusive behavior. Such visible acts won’t retain our youth in the church. Until the heavy-handed and outright abusive conduct of many in the ministry is addressed, we will continue to see our young people leave the church.

Weston's comments: 

I mention in this week’s video update that we had about ten ministers at our Texas Teen Camp, which ended earlier this week. To be more precise, we had an even dozen—some employed by the Work and others serving as unpaid elders. You may wonder why we have so many, and I think it will be helpful to explain. 

 

Having ministers at our camps gives us the opportunity to pass along values and traditions that we have built into these programs. Some people think of camp as a time for young people to have fun, and if they have fun, they are more likely to stay in the Church. This is wrong thinking. Parents strive on a daily basis to teach their children a godly way of life, and camps are helpful in reinforcing these values of courtesy, of thinking of the welfare of others, of treating others with respect, of the golden rule—the way of give as opposed to the way of get. Aunts, uncles, grandparents, and ministers have a part in supporting parents in teaching these biblical values. Camp is also an opportunity for the ministry to get to know and work with member volunteers and to instill in their minds the mission of our camps. Not everyone understands why we do things the way we do. At the Feast this year, we will take all of you into our thinking during the Behind the Work video. 

 

Another benefit of camp is that members and teens see the ministry outside of services—setting up chairs, washing dishes, sweeping floors, and doing custodial work, in addition to teaching classes. Our camps provide real-life workshops to engage with members and children. Please remember to pray for our camps—and for all the other programs the Church provides in its mission to preach the Gospel, warn the world, and feed the flock. We are more than the “Camp Church of God.”
—Gerald E. Weston

Dave Pack: Jesus Now Returning On October 6, 2025

 

Just when you think the Church of Godland can't get any more absurd, along comes Dave Pack to remove all doubt! He now claims Jesus will return on October 6, during the Feast, asserting this date marks exactly 10 years of his prophetic nonsense. Even more baffling are the employees and church members who sit there listening to his claims and believing every word.
Dave's followers have been so exploited that they can no longer recognize deception. Their cognitive dissonance has overwhelmed them, leading them to rationalize all of Dave's inconsistencies to avoid discomfort. Their lives have already been upended by giving everything to the church, so the fear of questioning Dave risks isolating them from the group's identity. They are all in this together now, until the end. Thankfully, on rare occasions, a lightbulb moment occurs, and people wake up and leave, breaking free from the controlling group dynamics.
While we may view Dave as an isolated case, he mirrors figures like Bob Thiel, Ron Weinland, and Gerald Flurry. These leaders have mastered deception by manipulating information and trust, telling their small flocks they are special and called out. This enchants believers who struggle to find a place in the world, feeding their need to feel significant and distinct from the fallen society around them. They create an "us vs. them" narrative, positioning their group as uniquely enlightened or chosen, boosting members' self-esteem and loyalty. This exclusivity is reinforced through supposed doctrinal purity, Holy day and Sabbath keeping, special insider knowledge, and specific promises of salvation—such as becoming kings, priests, and rulers of worlds at Jesus' right hand. This makes followers feel superior to outsiders, the worldly heathens, and backsliding Laodiceans. By fulfilling this psychological need, these leaders maintain control as members grow dependent on the group for their identity and purpose.

So, when October 6 arrives and Jesus chooses a different date, Dave's followers will sit there like wind-up toy monkeys, clapping their hands in delight at the announcement of a new date.