Mike Swagerty Thesis On Decline In Church Attendance

This may interest some here.  I have not read through most of it.  Mainstream Christianity has been going through a gradual decline over the last several years.  Evangelicals are the latest taking a hit.  People are tired of the hypocrisy, bigotry, legalism and other things they see wrong and are jumping ship.

While Swagerty claims to have written this geared towards all churches who are suffering from this decline, I have to wonder if the main reason for this paper was the continuing decline of the GCI/WCG membership.

It was thought for many years that the church would grow dramatically after the dust had settled after the changes.  People would be in awe of us and want to join.  It hasn't happened.  A few years ago GCI/WCG was closing down a church a week.  What membership it has now, is made up of current and former members who may be returning.  New ones, with no connection to Armstrongism, are few in number.

I don't care to weed through his thesis, but some may.

Mike Swagerty: Church Growth in America: Whose Responsibility Is It?

Theological House of Cards

Check out this story of a woman who went through the WCG changes, left the church came back, spent ten years in GCI and then left again.

Sandy Blank went through the big doctrinal changes in the Worldwide Church of God, became thoroughly disillusioned, and walked out. After having a powerful conversion experience she went back to Worldwide (now Grace Communion International) to try to make a difference, but left again after 10 years. In “My Theological House” she describes her experience using a punchy metaphor that captures the feeling of desolation that comes from leaving a Bible-based cult.

Her entry is here:  My Theological House

But Judge, We Were Only Following "The Plain Truth About Child Rearing" Booklet

	The other day I published an entry about a Church of God couple who are now in prison for 20+ years each for child abuse.  Here is an entry that I posted on another newsgroup just prior to the sentencing.  It quotes from The Plain Truth About Child Rearing, one of Armstrognism's most vile booklets. The millennial couple - followers of God's truth restored after 1,900 years through Herbert Armstrong took to heart the teachings promoted in  "The Plain Truth About Child Rearing" Here is how they will justify their degenerate child abuse practices. They will use Armstrongism writings and proof text parts of them to justify their actions. Everything has to come straight from the Old Testament. And as usual they pick and choose those 'laws' they think are still required while ignoring those laws that they don't like. This is straight from one of the loony splinter cult sites: Physical Punishment: God's Way of Rearing Young Children Proverbs 3:11-12, "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." Hebrews 12:7-11, "If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby." Proverbs 13:24, "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes [early]." Proverbs 19:18, "Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying." Proverbs 22:15, "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him." Proverbs 23:13-14, "Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell." Proverbs 29:15, 17, "The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame . . . . Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul." II Timothy 3:16-17, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

Van Robison on ""Saint" Herbert W. Armstrong"

"Saint" Herbert W. Armstrong

Looking back after many years, it is really quite amazing how so many of us were deluded and deceived by "Saint" Herbert W. Armstrong.  At least some people come to their senses and take an exit from the "temple"
of Herbert W. Armstrong.  Herbert created his own "temple" and many worshiped at his feet.  Splinter group leaders learned well from Herbert and they imitate his success at fleecing the flock.  It is astonishing that
so many allow themselves to be sheared right down to the bare skin by the Herbert clones who stand in pulpits promoting themselves as the "anointed" of God.  It is hard to understand but I suppose when people are called "brethren", it means they are "special" and in the "inner circle" of those who are closest to the throne of God.

"Saint" Herbert was a master deceiver.  He deceived multitudes about "tithing", about divorce and remarriage, about building fund donations and about the "need" for the "work of God."  Herbert was not alone because the world is overrun with bedfellows of the same ilk.  There is something odd about the common sheeple who are persuaded that they "must" follow these human seducers.  The Worldwide Church of God is only one among many of the worlds most successful religious cults.  When men place themselves in the position of being "important", "special", "elite", "on the phone with God at all times", "a prophet or prophetess", "in tune with God Almighty", "the understander of all truth", "anointed by God", "ordained by God", "wiser than all others on earth", "an apostle of Jesus Christ" and so forth, if we really had any sense we would all run as fast as we could in the opposition direction.

What is that magnetic pull that draws so many into the spiders web of religious deception that devours humans like the graveyard?  It would seem that so many are really just simple minded humans, and I confess that as a young man, I was in that group.  Herbert was not a "saint" in the sense of being an angel from heaven and far from it.  The human mind is most definitely mysterious and it is subject to being deceived even when otherwise it is very intelligent.  Why do humans have that obvious weakness?  Having experienced "Saint" Herbert W. and "Saint" Garner Ted Armstrong, I did learn long ago that humans who stand in pulpits should be viewed with grave doubt and suspicion, because they are very capable of not only deceiving others, but even of self-deception.

There is something very disturbing about the human mind and the fact that it can be persuaded to believe what "Saint Pastors" in the pulpits say or speak.  Why should humans believe "pastors" just because they are
persuasive or charismatic public speakers?    All "Bible correspondence courses" and "literature" from the various splinter groups of the Worldwide Church of God are designed to indoctrinate those who are gullible enough to believe this INK on PAPER is what "truth" is.  The same can be said for all Bible colleges and schools.  Each group teaches what they think "truth" is.  There are no exceptions.  Allegiance to "pastors", churches, religious organizations or even human governments has NOTHING to do with following Jesus Christ.

"Saint" Herbert W. Armstrong was NOT God and not even close, nor was the infamous Garner Ted.  The same applies to ALL the leaders of ALL the splinter groups of the Worldwide Church of God, who promote their particular beliefs as being the absolute "truth" of God Almighty.  NOT SO!  Exposure to alternative thinking will set the captives free from the ridiculous claims of self-appointed "spiritual" rulers of cult religious groups.  Anyone who has the courage to exit the nonsense of man-made churchianity, in time will see that the church world is in reality a man-made farce.  Millions the world over have taken an exit from the world of churches of all flavors. The reason is because there is great disappointment with the pied pipers who stand in pulpits and who promote themselves as "religious kings" over the foolish who bow to their nonsense.


Van Robison

Van Robison on "Judgmental "Christians""

Judgmental "Christians"

There is none so blind as those who cannot see.  Jesus Christ said that it is not the outer man, but the heart that counts.  There are many in the world of churches who look down upon those who do not conform to the
standard they think all people should conform to.  The original Worldwide Church of God had the perception that they were the "only true church of God upon the face of the earth."  That is typical of a pharisee mind.
The WWCG was not the only church that believes that is so.  I suspect that God Almighty is not so narrow minded as to think that some human group is the only source of what "truth" really is.  Almighty God is no doubt so beyond (millenniums) the thinking of human beings that human beings are nothing more than a speck of sand upon the seashore of human thought.    In the Old Testament we even read that the nations of men are nothing more than a drop in a bucket to God.

God is monumental and far beyond the scope of human beings and their very limited thinking.  God IS NOT confined to INK on PAPER called "the Bible."  In fact no matter what human beings think, God is exponential beyond human thinking.  God does NOT stand in a pulpit on Saturday or Sunday.  God is awesome far beyond anything human beings even have the capacity or ability to comprehend.    Almighty God cannot be fathomed by natural human comprehension.  He can only be understood in all His Glory and Holiness when He Himself willing makes Himself known.  INK on PAPER is not capable of conveying who God is.    The Bible is extremely limited in capacity to convey God, simply because God is not really understood by reading words.

Most human beings are very limited in their understanding about life and the universe, simply because their world revolves around the walls and confinement of their particular circle in which they live.  Natives who may live in the jungles of the world, may run naked for thousands of years and their world revolves around that environment into which they are born.  It is really no different with human beings who are born into the various cultures of the world, such as the United States, India, China, Russia, South America or name your environment.  No matter what situation any human being is born into, no human being is responsible for the origin of their birth.  Is God so narrow minded that He only acknowledges those who "go to church on Saturday or Sunday?"

I would suggest that God the Creator of the universe is so beyond the thinking of human beings, that He is light-years and trillions of years beyond the thought life of humans.  The so called "Bible" in no way can possibly define God or give comprehension of who God Almighty really is.  If there is really any understanding of the Creator of the vast universe, then it is Jesus Christ and Christ alone.  The Worldwide Church of God under the direction of Hebert W. Armstrong was nothing more than a FART.

Van Robison

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Apostle Malm: 70% Chance Tribulation Will Start By End of 2012

Apostle Malm is bloviating today about his important track record of confirmed prophecies.  He is predicting that war is eminent in the middle east within the total defeat of the Muslim nations.  When that occurs then there is a 70% chance that the tribulation will start late 2012.  Of course the Pope is added to the mix too.  If the present one dies the chances increase, then if the new pope starts performing miracles then it increases even more to 100%.

If this war concludes with the defeat of Radical Islam, the chances that the tribulation will begin at the end of this year will be about 70%.   If this pope dies the chances will increase to 80%.  If a new Pope begins to do miracles,  assists to set up a New Europe and is scheduled to visit Jerusalem: The chances that the tribulation will begin within 75 days of his selection as pope and setting up in Rome; and during the period of his visit to Jerusalem will be 100%.

The Apostle though is having problems with too much unbelief in his acolytes.  He claims to have over a thousand people - including elders-waiting to see if his prophecies come to pass before they jump ship into his cult.

Right now I know that there are hundreds of people [over a thousand]  including elders who are thinking:  I agree with a lot he says on doctrine and the problems, but I have a problem with his prophecy.   His positions are completely new and are the exact opposite of what we have believed.   They are waiting to see the fruits of my effort, whether it is of God or not.  That is  a good and proper thing and I commend them!

Apostle Malm is just one more in a long line of liars that have spread their propaganda to scared and deceived chruch members that are looking to save their asses by any means possible. It's all about what more extra things can we do. Observing new moons, women and men wearing hats in worship, not having fun on Saturdays, and other irrelevant things have absolute no influence in ones salvation.

UCG Reject Larry McElroy: "We had been wandering in a toxic spiritual wilderness full of deadly vipers for five years."

United Church of God reject, Larry McElroy gives another spiel about having his eyes "anointed" so that he could see clearly that God was only working with Davie Pack.  Apostate McElroy abandoned his responsibilities in UCG in 1999 and then went splinter surfing for several years till he visited the worlds largest and most miraculous ministry that God had ever placed on earth. 

McElroy writes:

Upon leaving UCG (after four years there), we sought out, bumped into, observed, visited, and in some cases tried to participate in a wide variety of groups in our quest to find where God was working. We could categorize the groups in the following manner:

• Fellowships—loosely organized groups in which there were continual doctrinal conflicts and friction
• Prophecy groups—false prophetic nonsense was their main focus
• “One-issue” groups—such as calendar and sacred names groups
• Intellectual groups—leaders who didn’t want to serve people, but had a following
• Internet ministries—800 number call-ins for Sabbath services
• Groups playing Mr. Armstrong’s tapes—living in the past and doing nothing to give others the Truth today
• Isolation groups—taught members to leave the big city, strive to make themselves ready by living together, and not worry about warning the world

It's interesting that not one of then would have him.  He was looking for a place that would let him minister and they would not.

He then leaves all the splinter surfing behind and starts holding own home church.  He writes:

In 2004, we were on our own, meeting in our home with our family and several friends. Again, we asked, “Where is the Work of God?” Was the Work destined to just die out? The “churches of God” were contaminated, bickering, tepid, a confused consortium of individuals thinking they were “just fine” (Rev. 3:17)! Each group believing they were the answer! Blindness caused so many to depart from the “old paths” (Jer. 18:15).

Is McElroy too blind to see that he has just described the Restored Church of God? Only I would call it a cesspool.


Then low and behold, a message from God caused McElroy to see and ad for Davie's group.  He sent off for a reprogramming packaged of Davie's books.  Then a month and half later his eyes were anointed and he could see clearly.  Then he set up an appointment to go and visit the headquarters of Davie's group.  From meetings with King Davie and with back slapping Department heads, he went to members homes (hand selected so that no crazy RCG's members could influence McElroy into taking his money elsewhere).  It was one big lovey-dovey love fest.  Smiles and hugs all around.  Even the Care Bears could not get this sentimental.

He concludes his love fest with this:

Back to the beginning: Truth is the rarest and most important commodity on Earth, and it is few that find it. How far will we go to qualify for eternal life? How much effort will we exert to obtain salvation? How much will we give up to serve those who need a powerful message of hope in these desperate times?

Truth cannot be found in Packism, that is a plain and simple fact!  You cannot qualify for salvation.  All the law keeping and government following will never lead anyone to salvation.

Then he concludes with a final sentence that explains what Davie is doing with his posting by these apostate ministers.  He is wanting them to all come to his cult.  The more ministers that come to him, the more people he thinks will be drawn over with them.  More people equals more money.

His entire ad little letter is here:  A Most Important Trip