Continuing Church of God...Things are not as rosey as Bob Thiel wants us to believe

 

Things aren't pretty in paradise

Its no longer rainbows, unicorns, and lollipops

 

From a reader and one of his members:

As for the Continuing Church Of god and its leaders' credibility and counseling abilities, as a longtime COG member and a believer (in general terms), I did attend with them. I saw their people and their increasingly fixated and marginal work such as it really is. What of one of their foremost leaders, Richard Close? Years ago Richard was ordered to divorce his wife because his church minister--forcing some church policy--said he had to divorce her if he wanted to be a baptized church member. So, snap like that, he divorced his wife. Richard Close, now a leader in CCOG, chose to put his corporate minister's orders above the Bible's command in Matthew 19:6 which says: "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must never separate." He put a minister's word above God's holy Word. some years later when the church's policy on d&r changed, Richard Close's minister gave him his permission to remarry his ex-wife. So, he did. This is not simplistically just a case of love having won out. It is an avoidable, tragic example of a man caving into ministerial hegemony--spiritual bullying-- as the so-called "government of God" having been placed above God himself and God's holy Words. If Richard Close had not been given ministerial permission to remarry his ex-wife, he would not have remarried her. what kind of a COG leader is this? ( Like the plodding, dutiful, and obedient Boxer from Animal Farm.) this is not railing and nastily throwing someone's mistakes at them in a mean-spirited way. For, nothing, in essence, has changed. Consider the implications of such men in church "over" God's laypeople. LCG and other churches are really no different.

What of yet another of CCOG's top leaders, Steve Dupuie?

 

Steve comes across as being not unfriendly, but he is insecure and therefore pretentious and hollow about his church intellect and his knowledge. Therefore, he has been so desperate to prove himself intellectually and in the field of knowledge that he completely minimizes and excoriates the very best and the nicest and most gentle of people who raise points, even by way of friendly discussion.

 

In one case, Warren from Ontario--a good and gentleman in whom is no guile--merely raised a friendly possibility of an idea being extrapolated and not directly stated in the Bible. Immediately, in public and on CCOG's e-mail group, Steve Dupuie accused Warren of being a force of dissension and discord among the brethren. Steve does this regularly to anyone who can out-do him in church writings, knowledge, and Bible studying, which could include everyone. He can't get his way and be the foremost, so he slights and belittles others who are far better than he, and of whom the world is not worthy. the good news is that neither Steve nor anyone has to be seen as being superlative in knowledge and church intellect. Insecurity. Consider the implications of such a man in the church "over" God's laypeople.

I could write of more ... for instance of the CCOG leader I know well who petulantly hacked another COG member's e-mail account and put a trace on it, and taunted him, because he was sore at the member.

Aside from their superficial, fizzling claim to continue the teachings shown by god through Mr. Armstrong and doing "the Philadelphia work", how do these CCOG leaders show Jesus to others? If some read this, perhaps they can explain and help us to understand.

 

 

Why Do Self-Appointed COG Leaders Have So Many Requirements To Belong To Their Groups When Jesus Only Requires One Thing?

Any student of the Bible, regardless of one's theological training, understanding, or lack of, immediately sees that Jesus only required one thing in order to be his follower. Everything else was secondary. Yet, in COGland, various upstarts and self-appointed messiahs and prophets publish long lists of requirements in order to gain followers to be a money cash machine for their organization.

This brings us today to our favorite prophet that is God's most highly favored in 6,000 years of church history.  No other human even compares. No, we are not talking about Super Dave, but once again our very own Bawana Bob, the Great Savior of Africa, or as he is known here in the United States, He who is named Bobus.

The great one recently sent out a missive to his few followers letting them know exactly what they need to do to be followers of his way. The list is long and laborious, as everything he writes and says. He even admits it is long.

A couple of weeks ago, while doing research, I noticed that a Sabbatarian group had a link about how to be part of their church. While the article had some serious errors, it did trigger the thought that we should have an article on that topic.

So, we now do. The article is about ten times as long as the one the other group had, but it better reflects scripture and has more information that potential members should know. Here is a link to that article with its long list of silly steps that need ot be taken: How Do I Become a Member of the Continuing Church of God?

If God is calling you, and you will learn, continue, and seriously do the other items mentioned in this article and what is taught in the Bible, you can be a member of the Continuing Church of God.

In summary, if you are not already a properly baptized part of the Church of God, in order to be considered a real member of the Continuing Church of God, you must:

1. Be called of God.
2. Be willing to seek first the kingdom of God.
3. Repent of your sins.
4. Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior.
5. Strive to live as a loving Christian.
6. Be persuaded that our beliefs are biblical.
7. Contact a CCOG leader for counseling.
8. Be properly baptized and have hands laid upon you.
9. Support the work of Matthew 24:14, Matthew 28:19-20, and other aspects of the Philadelphian work.
10. Continue to live as a Christian and endure to the end.

The truth of the matter is if Christ is calling you it most certainly is NOT into the improperly named "continuing" Church of "god." Run the opposite way as fast as you can. Your sanity and salvation depends on it

LCG marches ahead with its Superspreader annual Christmas weekend celebrations in Kansas City and Charlotte

 

Kansas City Family Weekend—December 25 to 27

The Kansas City Family Weekend is back! We are offering an extended weekend of fellowship, fun, and food—spiritual and physical—to our regional brethren and any beyond who would like to come. In cooperation with Headquarters, we will share the same dates as the Charlotte Family Weekend: Friday, December 25 through Sunday, December 27. So pick one and come spend time with brethren!

We can’t hide it: it’s mostly cold in December in Missouri. But we’re embracing the cold and are excited to offer a new activity this year: snow-tubing at the nearby Snow Creek Ski Area (just northwest of Kansas City). Snow Creek offers skiing and snowboarding options as well. Other activities will be held near the KCI Airport, including Sabbath services, seminar, Bible study, Bible trivia mystery game, two catered dinners, and our unique brand of evening entertainment.

Housing details are available at our website, https://kclcg.org/kcweekend, with two hotel options: the Embassy Suites near KCI starting at $109 +tax per night, and the Holiday Inn near KCI starting at $69–$79 +tax per night.

So pack your winter layers—your face is already covered anyway—and head to Kansas City for a warm family welcome at the 2020 Kansas City Family Weekend.

(sign in info deleted) 

Schedule of Activities

Friday, December 25, 2020:

 1:00 p.m. – Seminar

November 25, 2020 2

     3:00 p.m. – Bible trivia mystery game

 4:00 p.m. – Hotel check-in

 5:30 p.m. – Catered pasta dinner

 7:00 p.m. – Bible Study

Sabbath, December 26:

 Breakfast on your own

 2:00 p.m. – Services (replaying earlier HQ livestream)

 6:00 p.m. – Catered brisket dinner

 7:00 p.m. – Entertainment

 8:00 p.m. – Fellowship

Sunday, December 27:

 10 a.m. or 12 p.m. – Snow Creek tubing —Michael Keesee

Reminder: Charlotte Family Weekend 2020—Additional Information

Hello, Brethren,

The Charlotte, North Carolina, congregation will again be hosting its annual Charlotte Family Weekend this year! The dates for the event will be arrival on Thursday evening, December 24, with departure on Sunday morning, December 27. See the tentative schedule below. Because of state regulations, this year will present a unique version of the weekend that we believe you will still thoroughly enjoy. Unfortunately, due to governmental coronavirus regulations, please note that we will only be able to accommodate an attendance of up to 400 brethren. We are still awaiting the completion of the contract for the event, and we expect to have a firm registration form available next week for those who can commit to attending the Family Weekend.Anyone considering attending the Family Weekend should review their local/county/statewide ordinances concerning quarantine when traveling out of state and/or traveling to North Carolina.

Rooms at the Embassy Suites Concord will cost $109 (plus tax) per night, and that includes two plated breakfasts. Additional details will be provided with the firm registration form.

We hope to see you here in about four weeks at the Charlotte Family Weekend 2020!

 Thursday evening, December 24 – Arrival

 Friday, December 25 – Morning seminars / Afternoon activities / Friday night Bible Study

 Saturday, December 26 – Afternoon Sabbath Services / Evening plated dinner ($25 or

$30/adult depending on the meal selection), child’s dinner for $16 / Saturday night

Talent Show

 Sunday Morning, December 27 – Departure

UPDATED: LCG: Claims again that they have the "sure word of prophecy" They are able to understand world events, unlike other COG's.

 

The world is still spiraling out of control for those boys in Charlotte, as it has been for many of them for the last 6 -7 decades. Everywhere around them, there is moral decay.  But not in their church. Trump is out, sex, COVID reigns, sex, women rule over nations, sex, there are constant threats of war, sex, famine, sex, disease, sex, pestilence, sex, pot smokers in Colorado and Oregon, sex, and of course there are those necessary but pesky gays (which if they weren't around we would have nothing to talk about).

Oh, and Bobus Thiel would disagree with Winnail's claim that LCG has the "sure word of prophecy". There is no other man on earth that has the "sure word" than Bobus himself. Bobus claims that NONE of the COG's will know when it is time to flee as they have their prophecy predictions all wrong. 

Only the Great One, he who is named Bobus, knows the "sure word".

Watch World News! 

Jesus told His disciples to watch for the fulfillment of Bible prophecies indicating that the end of the age and His second coming are near (Matthew 24:42–44; 25:13). However, these same prophecies reveal that many will be surprised by dramatic events that erupt to mark the arrival of the last days, because most people do not understand the prophetic significance of world events that are making news today. This is why God has given His Church a “more sure word of prophecy” so it can function as a watchman to proclaim the real significance of events we see in the news today (2 Peter 1:19–20, KJV). The moral decay and declining influence of the Israelite nations (Leviticus 26:14–19; Deuteronomy 32:29), the growing fears of war, and the eruption of pandemics and the spread of natural disasters (Matthew 24:1–8), an alliance of nations in the Middle East and North Africa (Daniel 11:40), and the emergence of a military power in Europe with links to the Roman Empire promoted by an ecumenical-minded papacy (Revelation 17:1–5, 12–13; Isaiah 47:8)—all point to end-time events outlined in Bible prophecies. As we see these prophecies coming alive today, we need to draw closer to God and continue to watch world events so we are not caught by surprise when Jesus Christ returns to this earth (1 Thessalonians 5:1–6).

Have a profitable Sabbath, 

Douglas S. Winnail

Bobus Thiel still is totally ticked off that the Living Church of God (i.e. Rod Meredith) refused to listen to his demands that they change their beliefs to suit his deluded thinking. How dare they ignore God's doubly blessed and self-annointed How dare they!

On the blog Bobus runs he has this comment about the Living Church of God and its refusal to follow his demands.

LCG continues to cling to a position its top evangelist told me was wrong--and that has to do with the European Beast power who rises up and destroys the USA in Daniel 11:39. Instead, the above, consistent with LCG's flawed official statement of beliefs which Dr. Meredith promised me with Richard Ames and Douglas Winnail as witnesses, in December 2011 would be corrected by the end of January 2012, still has the start of the Beast-led war and the Great Tribulation with Daniel 11:40. Unless LCG changes, it will not know when the Great Tribulation will begin until it is too late.

Considering every single COG leader out there has failed in their prophetic utterances, why should we believe another self-appointed false prophet? 

 

UCG tells a whopper of a tale on why their ministers are guardians of the "truth"

 

Various Churches of God regularly have members who question the "authority" of some of their leaders and ministers take upon themselves. These churches continually lash out at those people. How DARE they QUESTION God's anointed!

The United Church of God, who claims to be a better, more sanitized version of Armstorngims, still seeks to control members in every manner possible. They are not COGlite any more.

Here is part of a letter sent to UCG members in Australia a few months ago: 

Those ordained to preach the gospel are ‘sent’ – therefore, those who ‘send’ these ‘teachers’ must have ‘authority’ to do so. Where does that authority originate? From the Head of the Church, Jesus Christ, as He has appointed these ecclesiastical roles and responsibilities within the Body of the Church, (I Cor. 12:27-28; Eph. 4:8, 11) so that the Body would be edified by the “truth” being preached “in love” (Eph. 4:12-16). Within this environment the members of the Body ‘learn Christ’ (V20), in a structured way, that is they learn how to think and live like Jesus Christ, as they are ‘taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus’ (V21). The truth is ‘in’ the Body which Jesus Christ leads and directs (Col 1:18). Paul’s SPS statement in I Timothy 3:15 captures one of the great purposes of the Church of God: “…I write so that you may know how to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”

COG leaders and ministers are guardians of the truth, allegedly. Given the diverse track record of beliefs that the various COG's teach, none of them are unified in any core doctrines and teachings. It's every leader for himself. They also assume that since they are COG ministers they have a divine right to a special truth that the rest of Christianity is apparently too stupid to understand. Given the lies we have seen out of Thiel, Pack, Flurry, Weinland, and others and the complete mishmash of idiocy they promote, how can anyone believe they preach the truth? None of them are certainly guardians of truth or even of 1st century Christianity.

The boast that UCG makes in that the church has a "special" exegesis demonstrates the arrogance and bullying nature of the leadership.  Go against them in any way and you are insulting Jesus Christ! they are all special and called out! Never forget that!

Consider our connection with ‘the Truth’ this age. Where did you and I learn the truth - about God, about God’s plan of salvation? We learned it from the Church. No other church denomination – nor indeed any other belief system in the world – other than the Church of God - understands, upholds, and preaches the truth of God, as it is revealed in, by, and through, Jesus Christ! Outside of the ‘Church of God’, no other church denomination preaches with clear Biblical exegesis, that the Holy Days and Festivals of God reveal precious hope-giving insights into the Plan of God! We all found out about that hope right here – in the Church of God. 

Then UCG does what all other COG's do in order to discourage members from studying on their own. God reveals nothing to an individual but does so only through the church. Bollocks!

It is also important to remember ’how’ God revealed that truth to us - God did not reveal it to all of us ‘individually’, and then we somehow ‘found’ each other. No! We learned it from the Church – when God opened our minds to understand the truths taught by the Church and drew us into that structured Body.

In order to control members and not let them think on their own, the church has always produced hundreds of books, booklets, and reprint articles that cover every imaginable topic a person wants to know. God forbid if you happen to study something and reach another conclusion, which most of the time will be right! 

Over many years, information on various Biblical topics was presented in ‘Booklets’. It is quite interesting then that this same information is now called a ‘Study Aid’ or a ‘Study Guide’. This extensive range of material is intended to be an aid and a guide to our study of the Bible – to give us guidance and insights into understanding the truths of the Bible for that is one of the great purposes of the Church. In the spirit of Paul’s instruction in Romans 10:14 (quoted above), this ‘preaching’ is ‘sent’ in the form of ‘Study Aids’ and ‘Study Guides’ – and various other mediums including sermons and bible studies from the ministry of the Church. All of this comes from and through the Church of God.

The COG has always had its own special versions of "exegesis" that it uses to claim doctrinal truth. All of that stems directly back to a man who had no theological training other than reading some books in a public library for 6 months while not taking care of his family by working.

It is also worth noting that the Church promotes – and itself practices – certain rules of exegesis – rules by which to study God’s word faithfully – to ensure we all “rightly divide the Word of truth”.

Following these rules – and recognising the central role the Holy Spirit plays in revealing truth (John 14:17, 26) – the Church of God has produced clear and sound “Study Aids” for more than 80 years on a range of Biblical doctrines that only the Church of God understands and has consistently taught in the modern era.

It is our way or the highway. Truth only resides with us. Do no even presume to understand things on your own, through diligent Bible study and a good examination of scriotures.  Only WE the church can tell you what to believe and how to believe it.

Did you or I come to this depth and breadth of Biblical truth and understanding apart from the Church? No – and we didn’t, because that is not how God works. These ‘study guides’ enhance and provide direction for our study of God’s inspired Word – helping to bring us to completion – helpful to understanding salvation through Christ (II Tim. 3:14-17). They are not ‘God’s Word’ – but they are important in helping us understand God’s Word more fully.