Living Church of God: Robber's of Joy

Here is a comment from a reader that explains exactly why Living Church of God and most other Churches of God are having issues right now.  Dave pack's cult is rupturing at the seams as numerous splinter groups have stolen members an resources, United has huge credibility issues, Gerald Flurry is losing members, David Hulme's group is almost nonexistent now, Living is on the verge of a huge rupture when Meredith dies...on and on the list can go.

From the posting about LCG complaining members are marking LCG emails as SPAM.

It IS spam. And some of us are tired of the pleas for money and money and then of course, money. We are sick of the "times are getting worse and worse"; and talk about the headlines and etc. We are sick of fear porn religion that fails to ever speak of the mighty things done by Christ and the glorious return. They focus on the tribulation and will you "Make it" into the kingdom, as if you can get there under your own steam. This is soul killer stuff. It robs you of any assurance and fills you with dread and self doubt because you can never measure up. Sermons are not about how to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ but about tragedy and doom and esoteric nonsense that does not lift up but drags down. Where are these men helpers of our joy? They are robbers of joy. Scriptures used are only those that bolster the party line and things that do not line up are scraped. We are sick of a self appointed royal priesthood ministry that has no connection to the levitical 

Did Your Children Turn Into Zombies After They Ate Some Bacon?

Did you know that your chidilren will turn into zombies if you let them eat any kind of food they want?  Did they have a ham sandwich today?  They will now be confused and start to have mental issues.  They will start shooting and stabbing people.  They will then become drug users, kill people and set off bombs before they become zombies and die.  So says a splinter cult leader that broke off from Armstrongism and started the House of Yahweh.  Yisrayl Hawkins says:

When Yahweh’s health Laws are not taught to the children, their minds are shown to become confused. The older they live, the more confused they become. Some become like zombies until they succumb to death. Others are declared to be mentally-ill after they commit a foolish shooting, stabbing, or bomb- ing. Many take their own lives. Many others turn to drug-use trying to find what the Inspired Scriptures would give them, had they been taught by the parents, teachers, judges, ‘Supreme Court’ or religions.  The Roman Catholic Church, Vatican and Muslims.

The Dutiful Church of God or Gestapo Church of God...You Decide

There never seems to be an end to the endless supply of Church of God splinter groups started by men who feel they have a special calling to preserve the "truth once restored." We are now blessed to have joining the over 600 different splinter groups...the Dutiful Church of God.

Of course no new Church of God can be started without praising Herbert Armstrong. Notice the description of their new splinter personality cult.  What is missing in the introduction?  Loads of praise and devotion to Herbert Armstrong and commitment to follow his ways, but no Jesus Christ.

About Dutiful Church of God? 

Dutiful means -showing proper regard to a person with higher status. It also means devoted, obedient, compliant, dedicated, attentive, and motivated. 

The Dutiful Church of God is dutiful to show proper regard to the teachings expounded by the late Herbert W. Armstrong. We are devoted to his teachings. We are obedient in follow his ways. As called by God under the late Herbert W. Armstrong, we are dedicate to continue on and hold fast to his original teachings.

Later they have this:

We are compliant to preach the truths to God’s flock splintered by grandiose leaders in the Church of God who believed they are greater than their teacher HWA.

We remember the teachings of the late HWA. We do not idolize and worship him. Instead we pay him high regard as a great teacher.

God starts small as in the time of the patriarchs in OT, in the time of Christ in NT, and in the time of HWA in the Philadelphian era of the Church of God. The Dutiful Church of God starts small. Do not despise the day of small beginnings. We will try to serve God’s flock who believe that we should not change but continue the original teachings of HWA.

We are small but motivated in standing fast, holding the traditions, contending earnestly for the faith, and no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about by trickery and cunning of men.

Once more we have little men, who like Bob Elijah Elisa Amos Thiel, who have self appointed themselves as the true  preservers of God's Herbert's words.  Though they may be little, they will be mighty.  Yeah right.

I can almost guarantee you this is a case of more men who cannot hold down real jobs and are looking for handouts from gullible church members.  The religion gravy train is a profitable one.

If you plan on joining this personality cult then you need to beware that you will NOT be able to criticize your minister about ANYTHING!  They say so, right up front.

Listen To The Counsel Of Your Minister.

PROVERBS 19:20 “Listen to counsel and accept discipline, That you may be wise the rest of your days.”

Even Christ obeyed the counsel of His Father.  God did not send Jesus to the Jews to be an arbiter of dispute.  When two Jews went to him to solve their argument, Christ said to them: “Who told you I am your judge?”  Be like Christ who listened to the instructions of his Father.

Here is a counsel from your minister.

Do not give advice to Minister but you must  listen to His advice. His counsel.  And you will become wise in your spiritual life in the rest of your days. Wise in the ways of God. Wise how to get eternal life. Not wise in your own eyes and wise in the ways of the world.

Accept Admonition And Discipline From Your Minister.

Admonition is an authoritative counsel.  An example is counsel coming from your Minister.

Discipline is an act of training to obey rules. As soldiers of Christ we can not perfect our TRAINING without ADMONITION and DISCIPLINE.

PROV. 3: 11-12 “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, Nor detest His correction; For whom the Lord loves He corrects, Just as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.”

I would love to see you all in the World Tomorrow. It would be a great reunion.

Here is a counsel, a good wisdom.

You must overcome your trials. You have problems with tithing, overcome it. You are often absent from services, overcome it. How many times are you absent in a year? Five times? Six times? Not good. You have problems with submission to authority, overcome it. You have problems with humility, overcome. Only overcomer will be in the WORLD TOMORROW.

Avoid Strife By Not Arguing With Your Minister.

One of the sources of strife in the CHURCH is insolence. Insolence- means rude and disrespectful.

Strife is conflict, friction, discord, disagreement, dissension, dispute, argument, quarreling, wrangling, bickering, controversy, bad feeling, falling-out, bad blood, hostility and animosity.

BRiC Dancing in Charlotte with the Living Church of God

Living Church of God claims that they will be discussing Jesus Christ in an upcoming singles weekend.  I can almost guarantee you that Jesus Christ will only be discussed as long as everything points back to the law.  Salvation is not found in Jesus Christ alone, but in the law plus a little bit of Jesus Christ.

The singles will be taught on how to build relationships in Jesus Christ though servant leadership.  Say what??????  As usual, LCG members have to "do" something in order to have a relationship.  That "do" is keeping the selective law of LCG.  LCG does not keep the entire law but selects only those things they prefer to do.

Charlotte BRiC Weekend (an opportunity for singles)—Memorial Day Weekend—Repeat Announcement 

Are you interested in insightful, spiritual discussions on Building Relationships in Christ? Do you desire to strengthen the relationships you already have with those around you? Do you also want to dance, relax, and enjoy a little fresh air? If you’re single and interested in the above, then be sure to attend this year’s BRiC Weekend, May 27–30. 

Our theme for this year’s BRiC Weekend is Building Relationships in Christ through a culture of servant leadership. You can register for the weekend, as well as find the details for the weekend, at charlottelcg.org/BRiC.

When though, have those fun folks in Charlotte EVER practiced "servant leadership?"  When has Rod Meredith ever stooped down to help the poor in his church or the world around him.  When has Rod Meredith or the leadership of the LCG ever lowered themselves down to the level they have placed the membership at?

Better yet LCG singles, go and volunteer for Habitat for Humanity or the local soup kitchen that weekend and you will actually be "doing" Christ-like work.   You will build relationships that actually work.