The Living Dead

 

The Living Dead

By

Lonnie Hendrix/Miller Jones

 

Those who leave the Armstrong Churches of God (or are disfellowshipped) are often regarded by those who remain as the living dead. It is like the two hunters who shoot a deer and watch it continue to run for a few more feet. “He’s already dead,” one hunter comments. “Yep, he just doesn’t know it yet,” the other agrees.

A person who was formerly regarded as a friend and brother suddenly becomes persona non grata. Last Sabbath, he was one of God’s saints; and, today, he is the servant of Satan. Oh sure, some of the saints have convinced themselves that it is an act of love to reject the person. They tell themselves that they have rejected this person for their own good, so that they will repent and come back into the fold. Never mind, that that almost never happens.

“I still believe in Jesus Christ,” is not accepted. “I haven’t left God’s Church,” doesn’t work either. “No man has the authority to remove me from God’s Church or rescind my salvation,” falls on deaf ears.

It’s like the farmer who happens up on an overturned car full of used car salesmen and proceeds to dig a hole and bury vehicle and all. “Were any of them still alive?” an incredulous bystander asks him. “Well,” the farmer replies, “a couple of them said they were still alive, but you know you can’t believe a word those people say!”

And it’s especially wrenching when one leaves behind family members – when the person doing the shunning is a parent, spouse, child or sibling. To say that it is hurtful or soul-destroying to come to the realization that you aren’t as important to your loved one as the Church, doesn’t seem to do justice to the emotion that the one who has been abandoned is feeling. On the other side, the thinking is something like this: “I might as well get used to doing without them – After all, they’re NOT going to be in God’s Kingdom!”

If it wasn’t so heartbreaking, one would be tempted to laugh at the twisted reasoning, and the perversion of love. But it is sad - extremely sad. And too many people have experienced this pain.

Vic Kubik: Drawing upon my pain and suffering I am a more empathic leader

What the heck did I just read below?????? 

Why is it that the ministry of the church has to remind us how much they suffer?

Their pain and suffering are always greater than the suffering members have to deal with because of them. 

Never before in church history has one man suffered so much (except maybe than Bob Thiel). Where is our empathy? 

What more can we learn through hardship and setbacks beyond reliance on God and survival? In the midst of a trial, we can easily lament: Why is this happening to me? or I wish I wasn’t going through this! or What’s the point of this pain?

The trial could be related to health, finance, relationships, death of a loved one, marriage and children or persistent failure to overcome personal weaknesses. It could be due to matters involving our spiritual journey in fulfilling God’s will.

The apostle Paul related his horrific hardships to the Corinthian brethren while evangelizing in what is today Turkey. He told his story in such a way that this narrative has become a notable go-to scripture to understand why and how we must live through difficult trials. Note Paul’s story:

“We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us” (2 Corinthians 1:8-10, NLT). Through direct experience, Paul clearly relates how he learned to trust God for deliverance from mortal danger. His key point? God brought him through challenging trials again and again. Today, most of us have not even come close to facing such life and death situations. But we can certainly apply what Paul learned to the rocky road of life that we may be traveling on.

In this same chapter, Paul goes further to explain that life as a disciple of Jesus Christ isn’t just about mere survival. Our trials elevate us to a higher level of thinking and conduct. Our trial is not just about us. Trials give us an opportunity to learn how to reach out to others. God’s rescue is a big part of the story—but not the only part. In the narrative quoted here in 2 Corinthians, the more complete story is revealed by Paul:

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us” (2 Corinthians 1:3-7, The Living Bible).

These passages first came to life in my Epistles of Paul class at Ambassador College. They made a vivid impression on me as a 20-year-old student. Over and over in my pastoral career these words repeatedly demonstrated where true leadership shines.

I have found that to be true leaders, we must step outside of ourselves and show ourselves exposed and humbled. A leader draws on his or her own pain as one sufferer among a common sea of sufferers. A leader uses his or her own experience to empathize with others. In my ministry over the years, my own personal tribulations helped me genuinely empathize with people in great pain.

Jesus Christ left us a sterling example of going through painful ordeals for the purpose of encouraging us: “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15-16).

Low-level prophet asks: Could Tkach, Sr. have consulted with the Bilderbergers about getting an earring before he decorated his Christmas tree and then relaxed with some Sabbath sex? Is there a possibility he did this while chewing tobacco? Prophets gotta ask!

 

Who in their right mind would sit and listen to this trash and think it is godly worship? Once more, Jesus gets dumped on the trash heap out behind the homeopathic pill-pushing low-level prophets' amazing HQ. This shows exactly what a cesspool Armstrongism has turned into.  Does ANYONE in 2020 care about such crap, especially his African followers? These topics are of ZERO concern to his followers or the rest of humanity.

In this sermon, Dr. Thiel answers questions that have been submitted to the Church of God on many topics, such as:

What about making/receiving organ donations?

Should you chew tobacco?

Is there any help to overcome bad habits?

Did Joseph W. Tkach, Sr. have the mantle of succession?

What is ‘servile work’?

Is sexual intercourse prohibited on the Sabbath?

Is a ‘holy kiss’ ever appropriate?

Can you home school your children?

Was it possible for Jesus to be born on December 25th?

Should we fear conspiracy theories involving the Bilderbergers, Trilateralists, Vatican, Council of Foreign Relations, Freemasons, etc.?

Should you force your ‘legal rights’?

Does Daniel 9 help prove Jesus is the Messiah?

Why should the Jews accept Jesus as Messiah?

What about the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon?

Is it acceptable for men to wear earrings?

Dr. Thiel goes through scriptures, facts, COG documents, and historical information to provide answers.

Wes White: A Few Good Men

 

Here is the script from the climactic courtroom scene in “A Few Good Men:”

Kaffee:  Colonel, I just have one more question before I put Airman O'Malley and Airman Rodriguez on the stand. If you gave an order that Santiago wasn't to be touched, and your orders are always followed, then why would Santiago be in danger? Why would it be necessary to transfer him off the base?

Jessup: Santiago was a substandard Marine. He was being transferred...

Kaffee: That's not what you said. You said he was being transferred, because he was in grave danger.

Jessup: That's correct.

Kaffee: You said he was in danger. I said "grave danger"? You said. “Is there any other kind?”

Jessup: I recall what I said.

Kaffee: I could have the court reporter read back to you...

Jessup: I know what I said! I don't have to have it read back to me, like I'm...

Kaffee: Then why the two orders? Colonel?

Jessup: Sometimes men take matters into their own hands.

Kaffee: No, sir. You made it clear just a moment ago that your men never take matters into their own hands. Your men follow orders or people die. So Santiago shouldn't have been in any danger at all, should he have, Colonel?

Jessup: You snotty little bastard.

   

Before HWA died, he instructed the members of the WCG to obey Joe Tkach. And here is the problem with that:

On one hand, if you obey that instruction, you will end up following a religion that is totally at odds with what HWA taught.

On the other hand, if you follow HWA’s religious teachings, you must disobey HWA’s final instruction.

Just as Colonel Jessup’s testimony couldn't be reconciled with itself, neither can the “authority“ of the WCG offshoots be reconciled. If a man or organization claims the mantle of HWA, they are either disobeying his final command or they are going against his doctrines. You can’t do both. If you ask these guys to reconcile this dichotomy, they may not say the following, but they will thinking, “You snotty little bastard.”

That’s how they view us who participate on Banned.

Wes White

Philadelphia Church of God: A Separation Cult

 

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Low Level COG Prophet Claims He Has Integrity And That People Need To Humble Themselves to Follow Him

 

In his endless quest to try and legitimize himself in the eyes of his African followers, our favorite Petulant Prophet of Possiblys and Great White Bwana to Africa, Bob Thiel, claims he has the integrity to be leading a rebellious splinter group of the Living Church of God.

The end time Christians. Notice what Jesus stated and something the Apostle Peter wrote:

19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. (John 15:19, NKJV)

9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10, KJV)

This is a peculiar people. These are people who the world does not desire. These are Philadelphian Christians.

How do we know that Zephaniah 2:1-3 is related to Christians?

Because the decree is for the end time and because of what else God inspired Zephaniah to write:

3 Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, Who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. (Zephaniah 2:3a)

The above is a reference to Christians as they are to be the “meek of the earth” (Matthew 5:5) and to Philadelphians who “have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility.” These are Philadelphian Christians who understand that church leaders need to have integrity and are willing to be humble enough to accept the authority of a church led by a low-level prophet in the absence of a clear apostle (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11-15). They are humble enough to not think that they should remain ‘independent,’ as many who once were part of the old Worldwide Church of God, during this Laodicean time, have done.

Apparently, all true followers of God must humble themselves and kneel at Bwana Bob's feet and acknowledge him as the true leader in the church right now. After all, he is a low-level prophet and that qualifies him. Then to insult COG members who do not feel inclined to follow him and remain independent, he says they are not humble enough to accept his prophethood status.

For they are the only ones who will actually ‘gather together’ as they should. 

Why?

Because it is they who will lead the final phase of the work and it is only to the Philadelphians that Jesus promises to protect from the coming hour of trial, also referred to as the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord:

Once again, our favorite Petulant Prophet of the church says all COG members are too dumb to know when the crap is hitting the fan and will not be allowed to join up with his group in Petra or wherever he next dreams they are all going.

Who is the only Church of God in the 21st century to teach all of this?

The [improperly named] Continuing Church of God.

If you are not in Bwana Bob's personality cult then you will not be able to flee. 

If you are not with the group that is leading the final phase of the workwill you not be able to flee if you wait until the last moment? While that may be remotely possible for some, remember that God inspired Zephaniah to admonish God’s people to ‘gather together…before the decree is issued.’

Dreamy prophets are the way to go now in the Church of God.  No other COG has such a fantastic dreamweaver than the improperly named "continuing" Church of God does. that alone should make every single one of us join his group. But, woe be tot eh scoffers and the doubters!  How dare you!

Most will discount this and many will scoff. Most COGs do not have anyone considered to be a prophet, and in those other than CCOG who claim to have prophets, those prophets have been proven to be false. But the Bible says that there will be prophets in the last days and that God does communicate with them in dreams.

All Church of God groups currently in action today are nothing more than useless bumbling minuscule groups that run to and fro looking for a real prophet to lead them. The COG has never had a man more equipped to be a prophet than the one who is completely without error, which currently is Bwana Bob.  

We in the Continuing Church of God “have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19, KJV).”

Whip out those checkbooks and get on your knees and humbly repent before God for failing to acknowledge the ONE TRUE MAN that God has sent to lead the church to the place of safety. 

 

Wayne Turgeon: Trust the ministry and learn to say "Yes, sir!" and do what your minister instructs

One of the most abusive ministers in the Philadelphia Church of God has been Wayne Turgeon. From kicking teenagers out of homes to breaking up marriages, he has left a path of destruction in his wake through the years.

Turgeon has decided to write an article about "trust". Given the track record of Gerald and Stephen Flurry and many other PCG ministers, trust is NOT a quality that any of these men exemplify.

The only thing members in PCG are allowed to "trust" is the ministry. None of them are ever able to make proper decisions to do what's right.  They aren't even allowed to study the Bible and form their own opinions without PCG ministers telling them what to believe and how to act. It is all about control from birth to the grave. Trust them, they know what is good for you!

“[W]hen Jesus Christ gives a command or instructions to you through His Word or through this very Work of God—as you prove it in the Bible—do you realize that God’s laws and instructions always work out right? That you can and should have total faith in living by them? That God stands behind them and backs them up? That whenever you have realized or proved that any command or instruction comes from God you should learn to automatically say: ‘Yes, sir!’ and do what your Creator instructs?” (Plain Truth, February 1966).

The PCG endlessly reinforces the command to PCG members that whatever ministers say has to be obeyed. They are never wrong. If a minister says it, Christ approves it!

We need to focus our minds on important things, including truth and honesty (Philippians 4:8). Our righteous thoughts need to become our inspiring, encouraging and uplifting words. Those words need to translate into our beneficial and fruitful actions. We must live and breathe truth and honesty, even as both virtues expire in Satan’s society. Imagine the World Tomorrow when such conduct won’t be the exception, but the rule!

Please tell me WHEN has the PCG EVER "practiced truth and honesty?"

What truly matters is how much we are becoming like God. When we are Christ’s Bride for eternity, we will think and act as He does. That means we must make ourselves ready today!

There is no way in hell that the PCG ever acted like or thought like Jesus. It simply has never happened. Telling people to leave their rebellious daughter at the mall so someone else can take care of her is not acting like Jesus or the god they claim to follow.

In the end, God will give this magnificent reward to those to whom He can say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithfulover a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things” (Matthew 25:21, 23). That should highly motivate us to be faithful to God, trustworthy in even the smallest matters!

Think about the many great responsibilities God has given us and is expecting from us even today. That shows that He already trusts us, that we’ll finish His Work—and He is giving us opportunities to grow in this trait even more.

The only "responsibility" PCG members and COG members have ever been entrusted with is tithe paying.  It is always about the money and nothing else. They "need" that money in order to finish their precious "works."

What big projects is He preparing us for after our warning commission is complete? We should be motivated to live up to His expectations of us and be unified as a trustworthy people—the very elect, firstfruits of God, privileged to be at headquarters in Jerusalem! Our profession is striving to overcome, qualifying for the high offices God is preparing for us. We don’t want to let God down!

If these bastardizers of the word ever paid attention to the words of Jesus and that inconvenient new covenant, they would see that the "qualification" work has already been done.  No PCG member, or any other COG member, needs to be constantly beating themselves up wondering if they are doing things right.

We are being prepared to rule with Jesus Christ. Now is the time to prove our trustworthiness. God has done His part. We must do ours—and invest in our God Family trust!