Why can't COG's ever find "The Simplicity in Christ"?

 

When it comes to a Church of God, nothing is ever simple. Simple basic doctrines that have been foundational to Christianity for millennia do not apply to COG's. The church has to create its own language and speak in coded words to the point no one really knows what any of them really think or believe.

When the mother church attempted to do the Systematic Theology Project (STP) it was the first time that the official COG teachings were gathered in one book. Even though all of the papers crossed Herbert Armstrong's desk and he gave final approval, the crap soon hit the fan when uber-conservative ministers complained that it was too liberal for them. Part of that problem is that they now had official teachings restricting their own interpretations and that was offensive. It was soon required that all ministers send in their copies to Pasadena to be shredded.

Thanks to all of that mess, no COG today has a definitive belief statement that combines the teachings and doctrines of the church in one single volume that ministers and lay members can refer to. Instead, various governing bodies in the COG's create their own documents filled with dualistic words, off-the-wall definitions, and oftentimes contradictory statements that do not match current teachings.

This brings me to the United Church of God's latest little blurb from the January 10 Council of Elders report. 

They believe that their message is so powerful that they're presenting "truth" with love. 

They are reinterpreting Ephesians, again, because it has to fit their definition of grace and law. 

And, then there is the "metron of Christ". Most members and apparently most ministers have no idea what this even means. It is already apparent even their own council can't agree on things. I am sure the definition of "metron" will be something entirely different than what traditional Christianity believes. We know that this is most likely the case because the COG's think they are more educated and enlightened than regular "worldly" Christians.

Mr. Miller continued by presenting a digital version of the document to demonstrate what was changed in the “Truth in Love” section. At the conclusion of Mr. Miller’s presentation, Darris McNeely, Brian Shaw and Dan Dowd took turns discussing the changes and updates made to the remaining sections.

Mr. McNeely covered the updates and changes that were made to the “Ephesians Framework” section of the proposed 2023-2024 Strategic Plan.

Mr. Shaw then lead a discussion on the “Strategic Directives” section, explaining there was no change in content, just in font size and ease of reading.

Mr. Dowd then discussed the changes to the “Mapping the Way with the Metron of Christ” section. He discussed the reasons behind the major changes, the removing of the numbers from the graph, the simplifying of the font, and the added appendixes in the back for further explanation. He also explained why the term Metron is used to title this section and its use throughout the document.

Commercial Break: Dedicated to "Apostle", but is not and found wanting, David C Pack

 

Dual-minded Prophet Releases Another Dream to Prove His Legtimacy

 

The dual-minded self-appointed Great Bwana to Africa released another dream today that he believes PROVES he is the one true legitimate leader of the COG movement.

Have you ever noticed that none of Bob's dreams or the dreams of a few of his crazy followers are ever focused upon Jesus? Instead, they are all focused on Bob, the greatest narcissist the Church of God has ever had. The focus is always entirely upon himself, never Jesus, but himself.

Christians since the first century understood their focus is to be upon Christ, not hundreds and hundreds of useless topics that are used by Bob to distract members away from their true focus. This constant barrage of doom and gloom and conspiracy theories quickly takes its toll on his followers and any who listens to him.

With Bob, the focus is always on himself or worldly things and never on Christ. When you listen to him you can quickly become overwhelmed with doubt due to all the fear he keeps his followers constantly living in. 

Here is the latest dream that is so over the top it's ridiculous:

01/14/23 a.m. Received the following in two emails from James Martenet related to dreams:

About month after FoT 2020 ... would be the first ... I was in a field of wheat that stretched to all horizons. It was a sunny day during harvest, and the wheat was golden, beautifully golden. There was a master of the harvest on a wagon, and there were reapers, the man on the wagon had a very black beard, was fit and had perfect teeth, and smiled broadly.

The reapers were also similar to him, and they all sang a song in the dream I understood, it was so beautiful. The reapers and the master of the harvest seemed superhuman, they were perfect of form. There were other normal folks, many whom I  recognize from CCOG, and all of us had bags to carry the wheat the reapers were cutting, to the wagon. Some had large bags, others small, and some had holes in their bags. Some had bags that were empty, and they were not helping, just being busybodies, getting in the way of the ones who were working, but they could not stop the workers who were working from accomplishing the work of carrying the bags, even if they tried to…those working just kept right on being productive.

Bob Thiel had a tremendous load, it was ridiculous in size, so large that I wondered, how could he really get anything done with that tremendous load. But he was. Meanwhile some others also had large burdens, Shirley Gestro was one of them. The Master of the harvest asked why are not all the workers working? Why do some have empty bags? And he kept reminding us of the time.

He was asking me. I said I do not know what they are doing. He asked why are not more helping ... Bob Thiel..., then directly, why am I not helping more? I had a bag with a hole in it,  I asked what can I do, and he told me to use my talents, and to get to work, while there is still daylight. Then my bag was fixed and full, and it kept getting fuller as those of us who had full bags placed them on the wagon, where the master of the harvest smiled at us and said “good job”. The Sun was in the afternoon, it was before sunset, but it was definably setting. The Man said, “work while you still can”, and I woke up. ...

The last time {I had the harvest dream} was in the spring of this year {2022}. Each of the dreams was slightly different: the sun was moving closer to sunset. In the last one the sun had moved closer to sunset, and in ... them {both} there was a sense of urgency.

Basically, James Martenet took that repeated dream to mean that he should support what God is doing in the CCOG. He has been assisting in video and radio spots since 2022. And yes, we are getting closer to the end.

Jesus said:

2 The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest. (Luke 10:2)

Do your part to support the work and also pray for more laborers for the harvest.

If Bob really was a true minister of God he would stop talking about himself and how magnificent his work is and focus entirely on following Christ. The problem is he cannot. It has always been about himself from the very first day when he started his rebellion. Even Rod Meredith understand that when he said the following about Bob:

"I have seen that you have had great difficulty in learning the lessons of deep humility that God wants all of us to learn. With very few exceptions, nearly everyone who knows you has clearly seen that—although you have a quick mind and great energy—you have nearly always thought very highly of yourself and of your own opinions. You have offended or at least “bugged” dozens of Church members with this very self-important, pushy and “know-it-all” attitude and approach."

"Bob, your own remarkable vanity and “dreams of greatness” have greatly affected your ability to think clearly many times. Over the last few years, many of us have noted that you have begun to think of yourself in terms that are not realistic."

"...others express concern about your egotistical ideas that you believe you are a prophet or one of the two witnesses." 

 

"Then you go to January 2009 where you say I told you that if I was raised to the office of apostle, I was “considering ordaining Bob Thiel as a prophet.” That, Bob, is simply not true! For I have never, at any time—considered ordaining you as a prophet. This is not because I don’t “like” you, but rather because I have understood for years your tendency to bring in “odd” or “Catholic prophesies” or put unusual twists on scripture in such a way that no true prophet of God would ever do." 

 

"Mr. Apartian did not think of you as a prophet. You can easily ascertain that by talking to Mrs. Apartian, Mr. Ames, Dr. Winnail and all of us. Bob, since you have this powerful feeling of “greatness” you often “read into” what anyone says. This kind of idea of you being a prophet that is pounding away in the back of your mind is once again causing you to twist your own memory of what is said by others." 

 

"Mr. Bonjour has confirmed he in no way was intending to ask God to make you a prophet! Yet, because of your vivid imagination and fervent desire to exalt yourself to that role, you “took it” that way—as you do so with many other things."

"By “reading into” things that others tell you the idea that you might be a prophet, you have deceived yourself—willingly of course—so that your mind is now virtually “fixated” on the idea that you, are a “prophet” of God."  Exceprts from "Rod Meredith's Letter To The Ministry Denouncing Bob Thiel" December 28th, 2012

 

PCG Hiding Gerald Flurry's Heath Issues From Members…He Can No Longer Stand

 

King Gerald Flurry is going to have a hard time anointing Jesus Christ when He returns to Petra to sit upon Gerry's coronation stone so He can be anointed King of Kings when Gerry can't stand to anoint him.

Why is it that the church is filled with so many raving lunatics as it is in 2023? Dave Pack, Bob Thiel, Ron Weinland, and Gerald Flurry. Can the church get any crazier?

Exit and Support Network states:

Gerald Flurry’s Bad Health Is Being Hid From Members:

January 11, 2023 

 

The PCG inner circle know how bad Gerald Flurry’s health is, but are hiding it from the “church.”
His recent falls and inability to stand, or even give messages, are what some are saying may be the result of a suspected stroke. There have been other health incidents which have been occurring during the second part of 2022 that paint a bad picture. He also is no longer flying on the PCG’s private plane–a massive expense supposedly to allow Flurry to reach the world (even though the jet has been used for the kids to attend their dancing competitions). 

 

Flurry’s real health problems being known will be a huge upset as he has built himself up as “king over kings,” destined to personally anoint Christ with the HWA stone at the “place of safety.” (Yeah, it’s as crazy as it sounds). 

 

The whole thrust of the HWA stone, king of kings, royal lineage, failed Trump prophecy, is causing the PCG to crumble. Hiding the truth of his health is treating members like mushrooms. –[name withheld]