LCG: Apparently, giving away literature for free is fulfilling "loving thy neighbor" command

 

Now we know where Bob Thiel got his belief that sending out literature in as many languages as he can is a fulfillment of the gospel. The Living Church of God believes the same thing. 

Nothing spreads a gospel message more than dry, boring handouts. 

Forget about being living examples of your faith in your daily lives by practicing what you preach, with a desire to bring the Kingdom to earth at this time. Nope, just hand them some printed literature, and you have accomplished everything needed.

Does the extent of LCG's gospel message, or any COG for that matter, extend only as far as free literature? Is that really bringing the kingdom into fruition? Is it really "biblical economics"? Sure, some COG groups do "good works" which they toot their own horns about, but what do most of them do behind the scenes for the world around them? They will not even take care of their own members at times, let alone spend money on the unwashed and unconverted masses around them. Yet, they imagine themselves so great that they will be kings, priests, and literal gods standing next to Christ when their magical Disneyesque kingdom arrives.

Notice the last two paragraphs. 

News and Prophecy
European Youth Lose Faith in Democracy: Democracy is hailed by many as the best form of government that mankind has ever invented. Yet, surprising to some, democracy is not the longest lived or the most stable form of government. Advocates of democracy claim it empowers the people and makes possible greater freedoms, but what happens when democracy fails to bring about its promises? 

 

A new study reflects the disillusionment many European youth feel about democracy. “Only half of young people in France and Spain believe democracy is the best form of government, with support even lower among their Polish counterparts” (The Guardian, July 4, 2025). Soberingly, 21 percent admitted that they would prefer authoritarian rule to democracy under some circumstances. Among those who identify as being disadvantaged and “politically to the right of centre,” only a third support democracy. As a political scientist at Berlin’s Free University observed, “Democracy is under pressure, from within and without.” 

 

While the perspectives highlighted by this recent study are not surprising given the political uncertainty in democracies today, they are particularly sobering from a prophetic perspective. When people become disillusioned with their governments, they become more receptive to something different. And when a powerful leader comes on the scene with promises of a better way, such individuals will be more willing to follow. This is exactly what the Bible prophesies will take place at the end of the age—an extremely influential political leader will arise in Europe, allied with a religious leader who will perform signs and wonders (see Revelation 13). You can discover God’s take on democracy by reading “In Democracy We Trust?” and learn more about the coming end-time despot by watching “The Beast is Rising.” 

 

The Rich vs. the Poor: In both Africa and the United States, the chasm between the super-rich and everyone else represents an economic imbalance that reveals spiritual problems under the surface. A new Oxfam report shows that Africa’s elite control trillions in wealth, while its underclass endures hunger and lack of education and opportunities to prosper slowly vanish (July 9, 2025). This mirrors the American landscape, where the top ten percent hold approximately two-thirds of the nation’s wealth (Statista, October 29, 2024), while tens of millions face challenging barriers to economic mobility. The prophet Isaiah denounced such imbalances arising from greed and a lack of concern for our fellow man, crying, “Woe to those who join house to house… till there is no place” (Isaiah 5:8). Solomon also described how corrupt governance promotes suffering and unrest (Proverbs 29:2). But this is too often how this world operates—the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. 

 

In contrast, Jesus taught a different frame of mind: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). The Scriptures teach us that we should love our neighbors as ourselves (Leviticus 19:18) and ancient Israel was commanded, “You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty.” (Leviticus 19:15). Promoting fairness and impartiality is adhering to divine order. When nations fail to rule justly, people suffer and society crumbles. 

 

The Living Church of God has long made the truth of God available to all who desire it, rich or poor, by making all our literature available free of charge. You can learn more about biblical economics by reading our free study guide God’s People Tithe! —Scott Winnail, VG Lardé, and Richard Franz

CGI Tyler Leadership And It's Cracker Barrel Blunder

AI has a hard time with words, but you get the gist...

 

From a reader:

I used to call it the Joe Tkach Blunder. Now the world calls it the Cracker Barrel Blunder. Here is a quote from the link below about the Cracker Barrel rebranding:

They created an update that was somewhat ill-conceived, and it felt like a betrayal to their core customers," O'Keefe said, adding that the rebrand violated what he considers to be the most important rule of rebranding: to understand the internal culture driven by a brand's most loyal fans. O'Keefe added: "Not the ones you're trying to win that you don't have, but the ones that you already have that care about you, because you betray them at your own risk.

I think CGI may understand the quandary they are in. I wonder if they comprehend that they are spiritually obligated to jettison erroneous doctrines such as British Israelism and headline theology, but can't because they know they will suffer the same fate as Cracker Barrel and WCG under Tkach. Both Cracker Barrel and WCG thought they could attract new fans with their changes while retaining their current base. Both failed miserably.   

The Tyler leadership is indeed between a rock and a hard place. I think they might actually understand the predicament they are in and are cognizant of how Bill Watson is chomping at the bit to take advantage of it at every opportunity.

Cracker Barrel tried to look forward while everyone else looked back — and it bombed

Gerald Weston Lectures LCG Members to Never Hold A Grudge

 

No more retaliatory grudges for LCG members! 

This is pretty rich coming from Weston, who, like Meredith, NEVER forgot a thing that someone else did in the past and always held it over them when the time allowed. The file cabinet was always unlocked and ready to release the file of members' wrongs.

Has Weston or someone in the ministry said or done something wrong towards a member, and things are about ready to blow up? 

Notice this excerpt from Weston's message:

We all must learn to deal with hurt feelings and anger, lest we be destroyed. I hope each of us will consider this and not allow Satan to destroy us through these emotions. And furthermore, I hope all of us can feel the burden lifted and the feeling of joy over letting go of the hurts that come upon us.

All-powerful Satan is still hard at work in the LCG through the emotions of the members, ready to make members rebel against the ministry. What about the emotions of the ministers who never forgot the things members did?

Greetings from Charlotte, 

 

One of the most destructive behaviors we as humans exhibit is failing to forgive. Whether in marriage, among neighbors, at work, or in the Church, a lack of forgiveness hurts not only the person who has wronged us, but also—and even more so—ourselves. Jesus leaves no doubt that if we hold grudges, if we fail to forgive, our own sins will not be forgiven. Do we realize what that will lead to when Christ returns and separates the sheep from the goats? Perhaps someone has said something hurtful to you, perhaps someone has figuratively stabbed you in the back at work, perhaps you were abused as a child—what is the correct response? It is not to deny the problem, but to learn to put it in perspective and recognize that if Jesus died for your sins, you must put to death retaliatory grudges. None of us can change the past. We cannot control the actions of another, but we can control how we choose to react to those actions. 

 

As Paul asked regarding disputes between brethren, “Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated?” (1 Corinthians 6:7). Inherent in this passage is the reality that when one person is happy with a settled dispute, the other may not be. Further, judges and ministers are human and don’t always make perfect judgments. We must accept that reality. Hurts turn to anger, anger turns to grudges, grudges turn to roots of bitterness, these roots turn to hatred, and hatred blinds the mind. “He who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes” (1 John 2:11). We all must learn to deal with hurt feelings and anger, lest we be destroyed. I hope each of us will consider this and not allow Satan to destroy us through these emotions. And furthermore, I hope all of us can feel the burden lifted and the feeling of joy over letting go of the hurts that come upon us.
—Gerald E. Weston

Dave Pack Tells Another Whopper: RCG Young People Of Baptism Age Have No Chance Whatsoever Unless They Get Baptized Before The Feast!

Dave just gets worse by the day!

If we thought Bob Thiel was a liar with false biblical interpretations, 

Dave is working himself right up there next to him.

 

The Gridiron is the Devil’s Playground

 

“The Gridiron is the Devil’s Playground”

Brothers and sisters, I come before you today with a heavy heart and a clear conscience: watching American football is a SIN. Yes, I said it! Do not be deceived by the helmets, the cheerleaders, and the nacho cheese fountain—this is Satan’s circus, and the clowns are wearing shoulder pads.

Consider the evidence:

The game is played on a field 100 yards long—and what else is 100? The number of sheep the shepherd had before that one wandered off! Coincidence? I think not.

They call it the red zone. Well, friends, who else loves red? The Devil himself.

And don’t even get me started on the halftime show—that’s not entertainment, that’s basically a pagan ritual with better lighting.

And what of the fans? Whole congregations leaving Sunday service early to worship at the altar of ESPN. They wave their foam fingers high in the air—modern-day golden calves made of polyurethane.

Brothers and sisters, when Jesus said, “Turn the other cheek,” He did NOT mean “face mask penalty.”

So next Sunday, instead of gathering around the big screen, gather around your Bible. 

Instead of a touchdown, seek a kneel down. Instead of chips and dip, try bread and living water. Because the only true Super Bowl worth attending is the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

Amen and pass the celery sticks.

Tonto

Crackpot Prophet: Podcasts and Radio Interviews - His End Times Con Game

 

From a reader:

Bobby says podcasts and radio interviews are a free open door for him to preach his way to heaven. But the truth is, his members, mostly women, are out there begging interviewers to interview Bobby. Many times slipping the interviewer $300.+ as a bribe. 

 

Revealed by Australian, Canadian, USA, and South Pacific women. 

 

Our great Bwana Bob, the only true Church of God leader doing an actual Philadelphian "work"—at least in his own eyes, though no one anywhere else cares about it—has long bragged about how he has various women searching long and hard to find gullible interviewers on religious stations.

The con game his women pull is that when they contact these stations and podcasters, they pawn Bwana Bob off as a legitimate Christian who is supposedly well-versed in theology and end-times malarkey. The people buy the con and bring him on as a legitimate Christian theologian, not knowing he is from a splinter of a splinter of a splinter of a verified legalistic cult that has been anathema to the larger Christian community for decades.

These podcasters and radio interviewers have no idea that he gets his theology and eschatology from Herbert Armstrong, Herman Hoeh, Dibar Apartian, Rod Meredith, the Mayans, and other dubious sources. He also uses Catholic mystics and traditions to bolster his stances while at the same time badmouthing them. With no real theological degree from a well-grounded seminary with legitimate professors, he passes off to his gullible interviewers that he took classes at Fuller, from a diploma mill in India, and other places, as if this is where he has his degree from. His PhD degree has to do with holistic medicine and not theology, as he tries to pass off to the unsuspecting public.

These podcasters and radio personalities have no idea that Bwana Bob calls them fake Christians or so-called Christians. If they really knew that, how many would have him on?

Bwana Bob can't afford to buy Steubin crystal for his hosts as Herbert Armstrong used to buy his way into world leaders' offices, so lining the pockets of the podcasters and radio stations with money bribes is the next best thing. Armstrongism at its finest!

Bwana Bob practices deception in everything that he does, and he wonders why no one in the Church of God movement has joined him in his amazing ministry. LCG members know better than anyone else what a fraud he is. That is why LCG leadership and the ministry refused to kowtow to his demands. It is no wonder Rod Meredith kicked him to the curb as fast as he did with that public rebuke.

Crackpot Prophet Warns: Anyone Who Watches American Football WILL Go Through The Tribulation!

Want to read something really stupid?

We're not just talking typical Bob Thiel-stupid, because we see that every day. Heck, we see that every minute of every hour of every day. In fact, for something to be stupid enough to stand out, it must be ASTRONOMICALLY stupid.

The latest from Bwana Bob fits the bill. 

You will go through the tribulation because you watch football games!

He starts off with his usual schtick: 

The National Football League (NFL) season is upon us as the 2025 NFL season is set to kick off on Thursday, September 4th. 

 

This violent and destructive activity is among the most popular ‘sports’ in the United States of America. 

 

Should Christians support this? 

 

It is a historical fact that early Christians would not have watched sports like it. 

 

What kind of sport is NFL football? 

 

A violent and damaging one. One that will hurt people this season.

Then it rapidly goes downhill:

Many non-Philadelphian Christians do not wish to seriously consider that American tackle football is harmful, despite the facts, and would prefer that I not post about it. 

 

The Bible suggests otherwise:

1 Cry aloud, spare not;

Lift up your voice like a trumpet;

Tell My people their transgression,

And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1)

The "sin" Bwana Bob should be concerned about is his constant lies and myths surrounding his cult and the deviant spiritual deception he has used against his African followers.

The Great Bwana continues:

The reality is that American tackle football is evil–the players get harmed. This really is not debatable as it is an established fact.

Clearly with any who have eyes to see, the fruits of this ‘sport’ are evil. 

 

Over the years, I have seemingly stood alone among Church of God leaders in the 21st century warning against American tackle football. I first spoke against it at the old Spokesman’s Club in the Worldwide Church of God last century. And, when I brought the subject up in the Living Church of God, it made many uncomfortable enough to take steps leading to my departure from that group. 

 

There is no doubt that American tackle football is dangerous to health. While some in the world consider watching it to be an ‘ethical uncertainty,’ true Philadelphia Christians (as well as many who are not) realize that something about this sport is physically harmful and should not be encouraged.

He claims it is a SIN to watch American football:

Let me state that there is a human tendency to try to justify sin. Many think if something feels right to them, it must be. According to the Bible, that is a wrong attitude:

9 “The heart is deceitful above all things,

And desperately wicked;

Who can know it?

10 I, the Lord, search the heart,

I test the mind,

Even to give every man according to his ways,

According to the fruit of his doings. (Jeremiah 17:9-10)

And then there are those cheerleaders! What's the poor guy going to do?

From the violence on the field, to the under-clothed cheerleaders, to some of the half-time antics, there is a lot wrong with American football. 

 

Jesus taught not to intentionally hurt others:

39… ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:39, NKJV)

If the Great Bwana had his way, all of the cheerleaders would dress like this:

He then adds this:

Is not taking a stand against encouraging sports violence consistent with the gospel of peace and love? Or should ministers tell people that violent sports like American tackle football are not “inherently evil” as at least one minister from LCG has done?

While “love does no harm to a neighbor” (Romans 13:9), what do sports like American football and boxing do? Should Bible believers encourage this? 

 

Unlike stories of violence in books or movies, American football involves actual violence and often physical injury–including brain damaging ones that are often not obvious for years. 

 

The Bible forbids harming others or encouraging sin. Early professors of Christ would not watch violent games, as they felt that watching was encouraging and participating in sin. 

 

While we do not seem to have many direct references from those in the Church of God, we do have some written records of those who were at least somewhat familiar with the teachings of Jesus and the practices of the earliest Christians. 

 

Now, here is something from Theophilus of Antioch (who likely was part of the Church of God) perhaps written about 180 A.D.:

Consider, therefore, whether those who teach such things can possibly live indifferently, and be commingled in unlawful intercourse, or, most impious of all, eat human flesh, especially when we are forbidden so much as to witness shows of gladiators, lest we become partakers and abettors of murders. But neither may we see the other spectacles, lest our eyes and ears be defiled, participating in the utterances there sung. (Theophilus of Antioch. To Autolycus, Book III, Chapter XV. Translated by Marcus Dods, A.M. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 2. Edited by Alexander Roberts & James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885. Online Edition) 

 

So, true Christians did not believe that they were to watch the violent sports so popular in the second century.

The Holy Trinity is ready for game day!

Then, the Great Bwana gets down to the fun stuff! All of you sinful Laodiceans who do NOT heed his words are doomed to go through the tribulation because you watched football!

I do not watch American football. I consider that it is evil (also, no Christian can really defend how professional football cheerleading females are often publicly dressed and displayed). Others want to falsely act like there is nothing wrong with watching it.

Some may not wish to hear about any of the evils of violent sports, and instead prefer smooth things, but hopefully I have tried to follow the Apostle Paul who declared:

26 Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. (Acts 20:26-27) 

 

The bodies and blood of those who engage in violent sports is important. It does not show Philadelphia love. 

 

Regarding American football, do you believe that Jesus or the Apostle Paul would endorse it? This is something that Christians, and those that claim to be, should think and pray about. 

 

Those Laodicean Christians who are fans of American tackle football are NOT Philadelphians and will be subject to violence themselves as they will have to go through the Great Tribulation if they do not repent (Revelation 3:14-22). 

 

Encouraging violence in sports does not show brotherly/Philadelphian love. 

 

Philadelphian Christians do not watch American tackle football–whether the USA or Canadian version of it.