Children of the Great Tribulations

Children born into or who started attending church at a young age had no hope. From infancy to adulthood, we were threatened with death and torture. We were born in the end times. Children of the Great Tribulation. A whole generations hope was stolen from them. We had no future.

Our only possibility we had given to us was strict obedience to our parents and the church. Then we might be worthy to board a plane for the middle-east. If we were disobedient or had the wrong attitude we would get left behind and die some horrible death during the Tribulations or in the death camps.

From my childhood, I was told the world would soon end. We were told we'd never finish high school or in some cases grade school. We would never marry, have children, go to college or work normal jobs. Marriage would happen on the other side of Petra.

I remember my mom bursting out in tears over something I had done. She said; "Michael, you must learn to obey. It breaks my heart to think of you getting left behind." Time was always short. We don't have much time left and etc.

I was so far behind in life than the "worldly" kids. Had no destiny except to go to Petra. Most of them were planning to go to college and had parents who planned it. At our house, we planned for a once in a lifetime trip to visit God's HQ in Pasadena. I'm so happy to be free.

Used by permission from Facebook, MB

The One Thing All Church of God Ministers Fear

This pretty much sums up how all of the splinter groups formed and still are forming.  The thought of losing a paycheck scares all of these men.  God forbid if any of them ever had to actually work!

Rod Meredith, like Vik Kubik, Jim Franks, Clyde Kilough and many, many others, all waited in the Worldwide Church of God while they schemed in the background how they would form their new organizations in order to have the perpetual paycheck waiting for them.  In the meantime, they disfellowshipped people left and right for not agreeing with the changes.  Rod Meredith hung around as long as the Worldwide Church of God was paying his attorney fees and then slammed the screen door behind him as he left. Most of the COG ministry was like Pavlov's dog, flash the dollar sign and they will come, salivating!

From a previous thread on Herbert Armstrong:

HWA admits that his great fear was the fear of losing his job. 

That's the WCG/splinter experience in a nutshell. Men claimed to fear God, but when put into a crisis they feared for the loss of a visible paycheck, rather than the loss of relationship with an invisible God.   

Even Rod Meredith stayed on with the Tkaches for three years after he knew they were apostates... because he needed WCG's protection in the Leona McNair lawsuit. Within a month of the lawsuit being settled (and RCM didn't have to pay a dime of the hundreds of thousands of dollars that went to Leona McNair and hw lawyers in the settlement), he formed the Global Church of God. The men who formed UCG were even worse, disfellowshipping brethren in March 1995 for holding the same beliefs these ministers would claim to uphold in July 1995.   

Yes, the vast majority of men in the ACOG ministry followed HWA's example, living in fear of losing their jobs, and putting those jobs ahead of the brethren they were supposed to serve.

Richard Plaché Death

Richard Plaché has been mentioned several times here recently.  He died on May 7th.

Richard Freeman PlachéAge 83 

Richard was living at Fredricka Manor Retirement Community in Chula Vista.He had a fall on April 29th that lead to unexpected complications. 

Surrounded by family holding his hands in person, via phone and on Skype, he passed peacefully on May 7th. 

His transition was filled with love as we sang some of his favorite songs. 

As many of you know Richard loved to be close to his family and friends always. 

He was expressing love and gratitude for his life and relationships up until the very end. 

He is survived by his wife - Ruth E. Hanson PlachéOldest son and family in England - Jonathan Plaché, wife Roanne, grandson Nicolas Plaché in Shanghai (wife Tiffany), granddaughter Sasha Plaché Devilliers in England (husband Leroux).Daughter in San Diego, CA - Sharon Plaché, husband David Drexler.Son and family in Manhattan Beach, CA - Stephen Plaché, wife Cindi, 2 grand daughters Estelle and Ellis Plaché.Son in San Diego, CA - Benjamin Plaché.