Does God want the UCG to flourish?

The United Church of God just finished its annual Council of Elders conference. As usual, there has never been a more unified group of men to meet together in the annals of human history.  The problem when leaders of UCG make such claims, trouble is always on the horizon.

The UCG propaganda publicity department had this to say:

Mr. Kubik expressed his appreciation for the spirit of fellowship among the elders of the general conference. He also welcomed those elders watching the webcast from home who were not able to make it to the meeting this year. He said that he was asked again what the purpose was for the recent church-wide fast we had. The Church hasn’t fasted together in anticipation of the meeting of the general conference for some time. In Isaiah 58 the prophet seems to be answering questions about fasting at that time. He then lays out the spiritual purpose of fasting: to humble ourselves before God and draw closer to Him and to make His purpose our purpose. Fasting is not to get our way; it is to orient ourselves to God’s way. Through this fast he has come to understand who and what we are. He sees how small we are but how much potential there is for growth, both spiritual and in numbers. God wants the Church to flourish.

Why is it that COG leaders seem to be constantly "finding out" who they are as a church?   It has been over 22 years since UCG apostatized from their mother church and decided they knew how to do things better.  At that time they claimed to know who they were and what they were doing.  In the proceeding years, we saw one issue after another hit the church as they were constantly "finding" themselves.  The church imploded with huge numbers of ministers and members jumping ship to form yet another splinter group who in turn claimed that they had found themselves in order to justify their existence.  As all of the COG's shrink smaller and smaller, just how are they to "flourish?"

Though we’re small we’re at a place where we can be united like Gideon’s army in performing God’s purpose for His Church. We’re working on a video to show the Church’s work in fostering and developing relationships across the generations that make up the Church. It’s important that we develop strong relationships among all God’s people. The younger generation coming up is very engaged in the Church and its work. We need to be ready to “hand the keys” off to those who will be the next to do that work.

United has never been united and they most certainly will NEVER be a "Gideon's army" into performing some mighty purpose.  Just HOW can the United Church of God be "fostering and developing relationships" when the leadership of the church has split families and destroyed marriages over it ongoing in-fighting.  This has been the sad legacy of the entire Church of God movement for 80 some years.

Just how can the "younger generation" ever be engaged in the church when the old guard continue to be elected to the Council of Elders?  Four spots were open on the Council and look who is back, yet again:

Council of Elders Seats

Rainer Salomaa (international)

Aaron Dean

Don Ward

Mr. Seelig announced that the last Council spot on the ballot was too close to call. Auditors are reviewing to confirm the General Conference of Elders’ choice, which should be announced tomorrow, May 8.

UCG goes on to say this:

He said there have also been questions about the structure and function of Ministerial and Member Services. He says it’s functional very well, and what he would like to do is put together a chart for the ministry to express how the department works and functions. Mr. Kubik is the acting director of MMS, and Chris Rowland is the administrator, and this situation has worked well. He has a lot of respect and appreciation for the work Mr. Rowland has done in that role. Kathe Myers was also hired to help Mr. Rowland administer the department, and she’s been a big help in the day-to-day function of MMS.

The bandages they continue to put on everything only cover the rot underneath.  After 22 years ministerial services now needs a chart for the ministry to understand what it does. After suffering huge hemorrhaging of members, the church has never recovered to be anything truly outstanding, as hard as they try.

Be Ye Not Of This World

For anyone who has ever been a part of the Church of God longer than 3 months will have heard the following phrase thrown about,

"be not conformed to this world, just as Christ is not of this world."  

When you step back and look at the COG leadership and a lot if its ministry, one quickly sees that the church leadership is highly immersed in the world and felt the intense desire to be "seen."  If that were not so, there would be no need for campuses in Edmond, Oklahoma or Wadsworth, Ohio. There would be no need for jets and auditoriums.

Being "not of this world" never applied to church leaders, it was for the lowly masses that composed the membership of the church. Church members were prohibited for all kinds of things and were constantly berated from the pulpit as to what they would NOT be doing.

Church members were told to not worry about things in this world because God was going to fix it all in the future. Church members had no need to feed the homeless, care for the disadvantaged and work to make the lives of people more manageable. Church members were taught this for a far more selfish reason; money that would be used to feed the homeless and care for others would not be sent into the true church, thus the church would suffer financially.

Gerald Bronkar had this post on the Ambassador Alumni page regarding church members "being not of this world" and is posted here with his permission.

One of the many problems I have with Armstrongism and most of Fundamentalism is the concept that "God's Chosen People" are Not Of This World, so in whatever situation we (they) find ourselves, it is His will. YIKES! 

Therefore, we should not vote or support any candidate, not join any type of military or defense organization, not join a union (or probably ask for a raise or better working conditions), not protest, not own a weapon for self protection, not stand up for ourselves and never participate in any "worldly" activity.  The "Chosen" are to shut-up and submit, because whoever is in charge is in their position because it is God's will.  YIKES again!

Be quiet and patient and trust God to fix any problem when He sees fit.. Talk about putting your life and that of your family in someone else's hands!    This is the height of the "victim mentality" so prevalent in our country today. 

Can we just ignore the many despots throughout the world (and even in the business world) who wreak havoc on their citizens, employees and neighbors? 

Pure lunacy!  This mind-set places the general population at the mercy of the tyrants.  If our founding fathers had this attitude, there would be no United States of America.  Are we supposed to be patient and wait for some supernatural intervention, and if so, how long?  It has been over fifty generations since Christians first began waiting on the return of a Savior.  Is there an expiration date?  How long do we wait to get involved and become responsible for our future?

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It's all good. Clearing the air.

Dennis, I am David Rickman. I HATE the WCG and all the splinter groups!  I HATE ________ for the unhappiness he and that god dammed church has caused me. I once was a happy person growing up attending a pentecostal Church until I began reading that Armstrong Bull shit and began attending the Tupelo Congregation Of the worldwide church.  I am sorry for the attack that I imposed on you on this website.  I was taking my anger out on you and you did no wrong to me. For that I apologize.  I hope you can forgive my stupidity. 

Response:

Hi David,

 I completely understand. I have my own issues but have chosen consciously to get on with my life in the present and not the past for my own good.  It was easy to fall into as it seemed to explain a lot and they used the Bible much more than most.  I was a naive kid in the 60's and I did mean well as a minister until it just got to be too much.  All is forgiven if that needs to be.  I do understand the emotions that these kinds of things raise.