This is a reposting of a letter that was sent to us a long time ago. It is still as pertinent today considering the current debacle unfolding in the Restored Church of God.
An
Open Letter to All COG Churches, Leaders and Ministers
Twenty –two years have
passed since 1990 when the first of the splits occurred with with WCG by PCG
leaving. Subsequent splits occurred year after year. I
beg to ask the question, where has this gotten any of us? In recent
letters from a prominent minister who has joined RCG, he stated that when UCG
was formed, “The idea was to keep
our eyes open --- to watch for fruits of a work that might emerge in or from
one of the “Church of God” organizations. It would reflect the Government of
God at work, and have fruits similar to the WCG when it was on track and being
so obviously blessed by God. THIS would be the signal for all the groups to
reunite as one”! Well then, why even form United under the
guise of a voting democratic state if all you wanted to do was look for another
organization that was exactly the same as WCG was under Mr. Armstrong?
Why not start United, right off the bat as that organization that was exactly
the same as WCG? If the majority of
ministers would have stood up in 1993, you could have ousted Joe Jr. a long
time ago and got control of things. Now you have the “big fish in a
little pond” syndrome. Why didn’t all the ministers go with Flurry
when he split, he holds HWA in high esteem. Or, with
Meredith. They tried to keep things close to HWA too.
There were several opportunities to join forces before further
fracturing the church.
But no, split after
split occurred dragging brethren and their spiritual lives through the mud of
each “leader” thinking that they would restore the “true church” just as Mr.
Armstrong had the church on the track. Who’s to say Mr. Armstrong
had everything correct in his day. There are many examples of failed
prophecies, abuse of brethren and sheer avarice on his part. Does that
show a church that Jesus Christ founded? Did the Lord not criticize
a church that was rich and increased with goods? Did he not criticize
people who hoard up earthly treasures unto themselves? Many members
are tired of all this silliness perpetrated by the leadership. Many
are opting to stay home. Many of them discuss amongst themselves
how sick and tired they are that the ministry cannot work together, and think
that a churches fruits are how many buildings and riches it has.
As you may remember,
HWA taught that the age would end in 1975. An observation that a
few of us have made is why was he building a college and auditorium prior to
1975, if we were just going to flee and leave it? The Pasadena
Campus was built on the blood, sweat and tears of the brethren sacrificing
their financial future. For what? The present owners
are beginning demolition of part of the campus. If this was God’s
campus, wouldn’t He have done something about it? Hence I cite the Temple
in Jerusalem, a place where God’s presence dwelt. Did He spare
that? He saw that it became a monument to a religious organization and
men, not to God. If we are now in the “last years of the last days”
then why is RCG building a new building, new college? Why can’t he
buy a commercial property and refurb it? Why another monument to
nothing paid for again by the sweat and tears of the brethren. PCG
and Gerald Flurry have just built a $5million debacle (in debt and ready to go
bankrupt) all in the name of preserving God’s government. Is God
going to dwell in any of these places or are they going to become defunct
wrecks of human ambition?
Who among any of the
leaders and ministers can say that they are fulfilling the roll of an apostle
when Jesus Christ Himself said that “whoever of you would be great must be a
servant”? That those who exalt themselves will be
abased? That the greatest will be the least in the Kingdom.
What constitutes the office of Apostle? One who is sent
forth. Not one who sits in their edifices of glorification to
themselves and their organizations. Or, by merchandising the
brethren to pay for trips abroad and not preaching the name of Jesus Christ
does not equate with being sent forth. The apostle John sat in a
cave on an island in the middle of nowhere. The glory he received
was the Revelation of the coming of the Lord and also a vision of
heaven. John’s writings are in every Bible that has circled the
world. Are the writings of any of these groups as popular as the
Bible? The example of all the apostles were not that of setting
themselves up on pillars, but of poverty, rejection and sometimes dying as martyrs
for their faith. So what constitutes David Pack claiming
to be an apostle? Is he healing people by the
hundreds? Is he performing miracles? The way he
departed from Global was less then honorable. The membership is not
blind, they are aware of what happened when Global split. The same with
Gerald Flurry. He is not “that Prophet”. Even
Jews know that that title is reserved for the Messiah himself.
I’m not saying that
any leader, organization, or person has to be perfect. But seriously
there is one small word that has been forgotten over the years. Its
HUMILITY. Hey, I’m not claiming to be perfect. I’m a poor,
broke person who is a sinner just like everyone else.
I’m not putting my 2 cents in here because I think I’m better than anyone
else. The reason for this letter is too many people have been hurt
for too long in the name of “the Church of God”. Taking God’s
name in vain isn’t just cursing. It’s usurping God’s name and God’s word
to fulfill your own ambitions, no matter how many scriptures you use to support
your position. If you hurt people by lying, cheating, stealing, in
God’s name you are breaking the commandment of loving your
neighbor. Taking titles that you don’t deserve is receiving your
reward now.
In conclusion, I just
ask any minister or member who reads this to ask themselves what are the fruits
God is looking for? Buildings, magazines, booklets, or are they,
love, peace, mercy, kindness, justice?
Reread the New
Testament and for once, listen to what it really says.
Sincerely,
A Lowly Nobody