"The COG at its core is not motivated to preach to the world out of compassion for the world, but only to be a witness against the world."

 

Doug Winnail's weekly "Happy Sabbath" comment:

The Church of God Today: Jesus said, “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Jesus’ statement indicates that His Church would continue to exist down through the ages. The New Testament Church began on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) and is referred to numerous times in the New Testament as the “Church of God” (1 Corinthians 1:2; 10:32; 11:22; 15:9; Galatians 1:13). Some think the “work” of the Church of God ended with the death of Mr. Herbert Armstrong. However, Jesus commissioned His disciples to “go into all the world and preach the gospel” (Mark 16:15), and He promised, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). The “work” of God’s Church continues today, preaching the Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God, warning the Israelite nations and the nations of the world about the consequences of turning away from God, and preparing people to rule with Jesus Christ in the coming Kingdom. That message is delivered powerfully using the modern means of television, Internet, print media, and Tomorrow’s World presentations. The commission that Jesus gave to His disciples continues through ever more powerful doors that God is opening to His Church today—and you are part of that effort!

Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail

 

Comments from an LCG source:

Doug Winnail states the typical, "The “work” of God’s Church continues today, preaching the Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God, warning the Israelite nations and the nations of the world about the consequences of turning away from God..."

To what end is this preaching to the world done, according to LCG? In a member letter from Dec. 16, 2020 Gerald Weston states, "At the same time, prophecy shows that the Gospel of the Kingdom of God will be preached in all the world, not to convert the world, but as a witness. Notice this passage in what is called the Olivet Prophecy as found in Matthew 24."

Never did Jesus say that his followers are not to be motivated to convert the world. Weston added that. I submit that of the core tenants of the COG movement is a callous view of one's neighbor. The COG at its core is not motivated to preach to the world out of compassion for the world, but only to be a witness against the world. When Winnail says that the church's job is to preach for the purpose of warning, what he means is that the purpose is not to convert, just as Weston confirms. This is the reason why people in the world sense that the COG preachers are cold and condescending. People sense that there is no real Christian compassion.

Gerald Weston's Member/Coworker Letter, December 16, 2020

Comments here are blog owners, not the LCG source

Dear Brethren and Co-workers with Christ,

A neighbor of mine is planning to light up his fire pit and invite the neighbors to come over and burn their 2020 calendars on New Year’s Eve. My wife and I do not celebrate this occasion, as God has a very different calendar with different days of celebration. But, most of you are no doubt happy this Roman calendar year is rapidly coming to an end. The question now is, What are we to expect in the year to come? Will it be a reprieve or another year with similar drama? Bible prophecy indicates that the world will experience a crisis at the end of the age, and there are multiple signs that we are entering just such a time. Going forward we can expect many things will go wrong. There are going to be some major shocks and surprises in our very near future.

Notice that Weston starts right off spouting a callous comment about his neighbor. Is it any wonder COG members also act the same way? 

At the same time, prophecy shows that the Gospel of the Kingdom of God will be preached in all the world, not to convert the world, but as a witness. Notice this passage in what is called the Olivet Prophecy as found in Matthew 24.

COG leaders love to add "not convert the world" as their easy out in not truly believing the message they claim to be proclaiming. It's not their responsibility if no one responds as long as they pound the airwaves and mailboxes with COG propaganda, then they have done their job, at least in their callous eyes. 

Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come (Matthew 24:11-14).  

Every word of this passage needs to be considered. Notice that there will be many false prophets at the end. Today, we have an abundance of “fake news” found on all sides of the political and social spectrums, followed by hordes of devotees to self-proclaimed social media gurus. Of course, false leaders of professing Christianity are clearly warned against in verses 4 and 5 of this same chapter.

Weston fails to mention the abundance of fake news in the COG movement in this day and age. Never has the church been filled with so many false prophets uttering the most asinine things imaginable. Never has the "love" of COG groups and members been at such a low. Groups despise other groups. They call each other Laodicean. They seek to actively steal members from other groups along with tier money. On and on the list can go.

Notice too that lawlessness will abound. We see more than enough of that, but dear friends, hold onto your hats as anarchy will no doubt be on our plate for the coming year and a second American civil war is not out of the question. Jesus also shows us in this passage that His servants must endure to the end. The year 2020 required endurance, but we must expect even more difficult times to come. But the focal point of the passage is that “this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (verse 14).

Never one to let a good tragedy or public disturbance go to waste, Weston breathlessly hints at "second civil war" hitting the land. Keep people scared and in fear, that is the COG way.  Of course, any difficult time that is present is always a sure sign of the end and will lead to persecution of the church.

This Gospel of the Kingdom is not just a message about the person of Christ, but the message Christ Himself proclaimed for three-and-a-half years prior to His crucifixion. We emphasize this often, but I wonder how many “get it”? Yes, it includes the way into the Kingdom by Christ’s shed blood, but even that is not always fully understood. As the Apostle Paul shows us, “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life” (Romans 5:10). Yes, we are saved from death by His life, not His death! We have been at variance with God, not subject to His law (Romans 8:7-8), and need the blood of Christ to cleanse us of our past sins and to reconcile us, to bring us into a right relationship with God. But we also need Christ living in us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Traditional Christianity rarely makes this distinction, but the Scriptures are clear about it. Our former Presiding Evangelist, the late Dr. Roderick C. Meredith, often quoted Galatians 2:20 as the best one-verse definition of Christianity: “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (KJV). We are crucified with Christ at baptism, but Christ must then form His character and way of life in us.

Meredith and Weston (and other COG leaders) love to proclaim, "But we also need Christ living in us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Traditional Christianity rarely makes this distinction, but the Scriptures are clear about it." Statements like this prove how much these guys do not know about Christians around them. This is a traditional belief in Christianity. It is not something unique to Herbert and crew, nor is it anything they have restored, redeemed, or corrected.

While watching my recent Tomorrow’s World telecast, “Hope in Tough Times,” I realized that I spent a lot of time on that program discussing the bad things and not enough time on the good things found in the Holy Days that Jesus, His apostles, and first-century Christianity kept. More details were needed. The Gospel (good news) of the Kingdom of God means Jesus Christ will come back to rule this troubled planet and He will appoint His servants to be the rulers under Him in His millennial reign (Zechariah 14:9; Ezekiel 37:24-25; Luke 19:16-19; Revelation 20:4). These are those who have shown in this life total loyalty to Him. They are those who have developed His character of genuine care for the well-being of others. It means an end to warfare and to rampant crime where the criminal is let off and the victim suffers. It means the end of rape, murder, and robbery. And, thank God, it means the end of political campaigns filled with lies, hypocrisy, and broken promises.

Most of the COG groups today could not exist without emphasizing the bad things in the world around them. They need misery, pain, and trauma around them to make themselves look prophetic and champions of a kingdom to come. Instead of acting like a real follower of Christ and caring for those around them in the world and sharing a foretaste of that love they claim the Kingdom of God will have, they isolate themselves and cower in their office headquarters and their pill-pushing storefronts.

The long tradition of COG member/co-worker letters is one of profound horror at how evil the world is and a desperate plea for money. God cannot do anything without some cash on hand. 

Weston carries on that tradition:

Dear Brethren and Co-workers, these letters are sent to encourage you, to update you on the Work of Tomorrow’s World and the Living Church of God, and to thank you for the support you have given. Your part in this Work of the living Jesus Christ, whether through your prayers or your financial generosity, is immensely appreciated. Most of the financial support we receive might be classified as modest or average, but that is not the whole picture. Jesus gives us an important perspective:

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood” (Mark 12:41-44).

COG leaders have never, NEVER, had any concern about widows and the small amount of money they could give. They gleefully took it and most of the time demanded it by claiming tithing is a requirement for salvation. Heck, Rod Meredith cared so much for them that he took 3rd tithe and remodeled his home in Pasadena with it! Look at Pack and Flurry and how they demand money from their followers. It is disgusting what they all do.

It is human to thank those who give large gifts, as it takes many small donations to equal a large one. However, we must learn to see as God sees and not overlook the widow’s mites. That is why I do not send a special “thank you” letter to individuals for exceptionally large donations. They are, of course, greatly appreciated, and if this applies to you, thank you! But God, it appears, is equally pleased, if not more, with the widow’s mite.

LCG leaders have always slobbered over large money donors. That is a well-established fact in the Living Church of God. However, it is not unique to them. They learned it from the mother church and the actions of leaders in Pasadena.

I hope this honesty will not offend anyone, but it is something I feel very deeply. I want to express appreciation to all of you equally and let God evaluate gifts and the hearts that give them. We must not be respecters of persons. So whether you gave a lot this past year, or gave a small amount out of your poverty, thank you, thank you, thank you! May the God of creation who sees all bless each one of you richly!

No matter what comes our way in 2021, we look to the encouraging prophecies of what is beyond the difficult times. We look to the time when nations “shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4), and when they “shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9). Dear Brethren and Co-workers, please be encouraged by reading all of Isaiah 35, which beautifully describes how God will heal the earth and the lives of those suffering physical challenges such as blindness and deafness.

Why wait for some future moment that is always beyond reach when you have the opportunity TODAY to make a difference in the lives of those suffering physical challenges, blindness, and deafness? Imagine how good it would feel to let these people experience a foretaste of that kingdom you so desperately long for. Imagine how much better the world would be around you and it would help take the focus off all the negative things.

Alas, how I forget, the good news of things to come is ONLY for good COG members who are the ONLY people of God in the world today.

Thank you again for your loyal support with your prayers, tithes, and offerings this past year. There is good news in the future for the people of God. Let us not faint in this day of adversity (Proverbs 24:10) and let us do what we are able while we have time.

Sincerely, in Christ’s service, 

Gerald E. Weston

Soon for me, but not for thee.

 

 

 

Gerald Flurry, the COG's most accurate prophet?

The Church of God has so many crackpot self-appointed prophets right now that no one knows who to follow.

Dave Pack and Ron Weinland have had one epic failure after another. Bwana Bob Thiel is so wimpy that he will not ever take a stand on anything and throws out so many could-be's and may-be's that he has no credibility.

That brings us to Gerald Flurry. The Phialdpha Church of God, in their latest Trumpet Brief, claims that Flurry is a real prophet.

Dear Subscriber,

If you’ve seen anything from the Trumpet website over the past few months, you’ll know that editor in chief Gerald Flurry has written a lot about prophecies from the book of Amos as pertaining to the presidency of Donald Trump.

For this article, I want to relate some statements Mr. Flurry made about Amos—not three months ago, but from three decades ago. What took place in the lead-up to a certain fateful day in 1994 is vividly applicable to today.

On Dec. 21, 1991, based on certain end-time prophecies in the book of Amos, Mr. Flurry made the following statement to our members (emphasis added throughout):

I wouldn’t even be surprised if within the next two years you … see a massive earthquake in this world, perhaps even in Pasadena, California.

In an October 1993 message, he went further, stating:

Is it possible that God could strike with an earthquake … maybe even on January the 16th, 1994? Is it possible something like that could happen? Well yes, I would say it’s possible, especially in the state of California.

He doubled down on his warning in a December 1993 article for the Trumpet magazine:

God also says He will punish Israel with the earthquake. Will an earthquake be the next California disaster?

A massive earthquake, on or around Jan. 16, 1994, in or around Pasadena, California—warned about up to two years in advance. Ludicrous.

On Jan. 17, 1994, at 4:31 a.m., a massive 6.7-magnitude earthquake rocked Los Angeles County, California—the same county in which Pasadena is located, with the epicenter only 20 miles away. Known as the Northridge earthquake, the event remains, to this day, the costliest earthquake disaster in United States history and the ninth-costliest natural disaster.

So there you have it. Flurry is a better prophet than Bob Thiel or Dave Pack!

Poor Bob Thiel. You know things are bad when Gerald Flurry can show up Bob.  Bob is always the bridesmaid jumping for the bouquet and never the bride. Poor little fella. 

You can read the full article here: Gerald Flurry, Amos and the Earthquake

Is there really a Church of God "fellowship"?

 

I was sent this by a person today inquiring if the Churches of God were actually a "fellowship"?

This is in response to a newsletter that Craig White sends out:

Notice that Vic Kubik uses the term “Church of God fellowship” in the 8th paragraph. This is similar to the term “Church of God community” that some use (including me).

What it means is that many of the Church of God groups are recognised as part of the Body of Christ and it is well and truly fine for us to visit and network with the other groups. It is against UCG policy to work against that or prevent it. We are not a cult nor do we believe we are the only true Church.

The other day Victor Kubik posted a letter where he talked about fake news and how UCG was the source of real truth since they have the Logos as their ultimate source and he referred to

This is in response to this comment by Kubik.

For the first time since the research has been conducted, the quantitative results from the report
showed that media was viewed as both “incompetent” and “unethical.” A majority (59 percent)
believe that journalists are “purposely trying to mislead people by saying things they know are
false.” 

 

The outcome? “This is the era of information bankruptcy,” declares the report. “The global
infodemic has driven trust in all news sources to record lows.” 

 

It’s important to note that these numbers represent journalists and media on both ends of the
spectrum—liberal and conservative. And government doesn’t fare any better. 

 

What is disturbing about this for us in the Church of God fellowship? Follow-up research
conducted a few weeks ago found that a majority (57 percent) of Americans interviewed noted
that divisiveness is so extreme that they believe the United States “is in the midst of a cold civil
war.” 

 

No wonder that President Joe Biden delivered an inaugural message on Jan. 20 that called for
calmness, unity and a lowering of political temperatures. Sadly, in the weeks that have followed,
fresh rancor and divisiveness have reared up again on both sides.
How should we in the Church of God respond?

Most people I have spoken to said this is not the case that COG groups form a fellowship. While there may be a few that do let ministers from other groups speak on occasion, they are not bound in bonds of fellowship in belief or governance.

There particularly are no bonds of fellowship with personality cults led by men such as Dave Pack, Gerald Flurry, Bob Thiel, or Ron Weinland. These charlatans are at enmity with other COG's due to their narcissistic arrogance, their dreams, outlandish visions, absurd prophecies, and perverted visions of governance. None of these men allow their ministers to speak in other groups and most certainly will NOT allow any minister from another COG's speak. Can you imagine crackpot Bob Thiel allowing Gerald Weston to speak in his group? 

Even those that share ministers on occasion are NOT in bonds of fellowship. They all have different doctrines and beliefs that prevent true unity and true bonds of fellowship. 

Certain Churches of God love to mock other Christians and make fun of how many groups there are, but they are just as broken and fractured as the ones they mock. 

UCG: Don't Go To The Radicalized News Sources But Come To Us Because We Have The Real Truth. We Have The Logos!

Those fun boys in Cincinnati are back letting us know that they are the best source for unbiased news that there could possibly be! With their claim that 57% of Americans distrust the news, they want you to know that they are the best source of news you could ever possibly need. 

It’s important to note that these numbers represent journalists and media on both ends of the spectrum—liberal and conservative. And government doesn’t fare any better. 

 

What is disturbing about this for us in the Church of God fellowship? Follow-up research conducted a few weeks ago found that a majority (57 percent) of Americans interviewed noted that divisiveness is so extreme that they believe the United States “is in the midst of a cold civil war.”

Then the boys say this:

Consider these parallels: even before he was president, Abraham Lincoln saw similar issues. Back in 1858, he declared: “If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it” (Lincoln’s emphasis). When he spoke this, the United States was bitterly divided. He famously then paraphrased the words of Jesus Christ in Matthew 12:25: “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” 

 

Today, this is more important than ever. In this current crisis of mistrust, we need to recognize that people on both sides have become radicalized. 

 

As Lincoln stated, “what to do and how to do it” are critical. In this world where credible, reliable and trustworthy information is all but lost, where can people turn for real truth?

Hmm...let me guess...just where are people to turn to for real truth? Hmmm...I wonder where that could possibly be? 

The biblical answer is found in John 17:17: “your word is truth” (English Standard Version, emphasis added throughout).

Imagine that, the "truth" found in a Church of God, particularly the United Church of God. Who knew! 

Remember, these are the same guys who plotted and schemed, behind the scenes, while still employed as ministers of the Worldwide Church of God. This went on for many months with them meeting in the SOG apartments and off-campus to figure out how they could start a new church, take as many people as possible to fund a new organization that would keep them all employed as ministers. And while they did this they were actively kicking out WCG members left and right who disagreed with the changes. Depending on how well they liked you and if they thought you had a lot of money, they would then pass on to these people to wait and a new church would be formed and they could join it. 

Yes, these are the men now asking you to trust them with the "truth".

Never mind that though, the boys want you to imagine that they answer to a higher power. 

But consider this. There is a certain Greek word that refers to vocabulary. The phrase for vocabulary that is simply translated “word” in English is lexi (from which we get lexicon). 

 

But lexi is not the Greek word that is in the inspired prayer from Jesus to God in John 17:17. This is a critical point: Jesus uses the Greek word logos—the verse actually reads: “your logos [Word] is truth.” 

 

Why is that Greek word logos important? Beginning a few hundred years before the coming of Jesus as the Messiah, many philosophers claimed and used the Greek logos to refer to the ability to think, as a means to persuade, as reasoned discourse, as the difference between humans and beasts. Logos was the center of many teachings.

I guess Logos is as good a word as Jesus, or getter actually. UCG, like most COG's do not mention Jesus that much. Its law, law, law. Or, law, tithe, government, hoy days, and a little Jesus. 

If we now revisit the entire prayer of Jesus in John 17:17, we then see Jesus praying for us today! “Sanctify them [set apart for holy service] in the truth; your word [logos] is truth” (ESV). This Logos—Jesus Christ as the Word—must be living within us (Ephesians 3:17). 

How can Jesus be living in the COG when the church has basically ignored the dude for decades? These are the same men who were embarrassed to even say the name Jesus for many years. Today it is cool for the more liberal COG's to say the name Jesus more as it makes them think they are appealing to real Christians in the world.

Think on this: if we indeed are to fulfill our personal individual mission of being lights to this darkened world (Matthew 5:14), a world darkened by mistrust, we must fully know, understand and be living the precious truths that we hold. We must be anchored in faith and active in trust! People in the world should see that Word of truth openly living in us. 

 

As we approach the Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread, I call upon each one of us to revisit the spiritual trunk of the tree and hold it fast. A most crucial part of this trunk of the tree is the precious plan of God, highlighted by the knowledge and application of the Holy Days.

Jesus, plus the holy days. That's how it works. In the COG it is always a "+" god that needs to be affirmed. Something always needs to be done to placate the angry god they actually follow.

Do we consider that this Word, this Logos spoken of by John, who is today our Elder Brother who stands ready to help us, is the One who both gave the Holy Days we observe and also lives in their meaning? Does the understanding of these Holy Days live and manifest itself in our daily lives?

It is always important to do something to make the angry god happy. Do a lot of works and God will be pleased and then it may drop a few spoonfuls of grace upon you. The Jewish holiday s were vital to the identity and growth of the Children of Isreal to gain their identity. These laws were to them alone and not for anyone around them. Contrast that with what most Christians understand, that with Jesus, grace overwhelms everyone and everything, not just a certain group of people.

But then again, this is a COG and the law must reign supreme. The Cincinnati boys want their members to pray about their message during the upcoming holiday instead of placing their focus upon that dude that embarrassed them. the dude who can give them rest, comfort, and distress them from the rigamarole of everyday life.

Allow me to address one more issue: as we approach the upcoming Holy Days, I would also ask you to consider and pray about the fact that the message of the Church must endure and prevail in this turbulent environment of mistrust. We don’t speak for the Left or Right—we openly declare the reality of the coming Kingdom of God! We contrast the truth of the Bible with the events of the day, “crying aloud” (Isaiah 58:1) and proclaiming a warning message to repent of national and personal sins. 

One of the COG's biggest fear tacts was to constantly whine about a "famine of the word". For two millennia there have been Christians who have fought and died to preserve the word they claim as too important to keep let die.  These martyrs who died knowing the truth they found never once believed that it was going to disappear at some point in time. Their God was more powerful than that. Not the god of the COG's though. It was so impotent that it let its message disappear for 1,800 years till Herbert Armstrong discovered it in a public library. 

We should solemnly consider that the Bible warns of a coming time of spiritual famine, “of hearing the words of the LORD” (Amos 8:11). That time is not yet, but in a time when research confirms that media and government leaders are “purposely trying to mislead people by saying things they know are false,” we must double down in prayerful vigilance, holding fast to the spiritual trunk of the tree.

For decades the COG has misled people with what they call the "truth". A truth that many of them don't even actually believe because that truth needs to focus upon Jesus and that just pisses them off. The COG in 2021 places more emphasis upon sacred rocks, double blessings, dreams, and visions of apocalypse as the god they look to than it does at any time upon Jesus and what Christianity knows and understands.  Some day the COG might catch up to that understanding.

From Personal from the President Victor Kubik

Restored Church of God Update: We have kept the patience and now are blessed! Everything is now lining up for the Sabbath

 

Prophetic Update

As stated in the announcement posted Saturday night, if time passed, God would reveal more. This was the case—and in the most wonderful way possible! While it may seem impossible on its face, everything still holds!

“Math and science” made clear Sebat 24 was the only date that truly worked to start the 1,335 and integrated with all the other dates in prophecy.

Everything lining up for the Sabbath is in fact even more significant than we understood!

Recall that in Dan 12:12, the 1,335 is explained as something we “wait” and “come to,” at which time brethren are “blessed.” With the date passing, God has revealed that being “blessed” meant something better than any of us could have imagined.

God has made clear that those of us who waited to the 1,335 are now in a “blessed”—settled—condition! Many verses support this. Here are just three:

Rev. 1:3 says we are blessed when the time is still “at hand”—before Christ arrives. How would this be possible without this amplified understanding of the 1,335?

Rev. 22:7 says much the same—that we are blessed before Christ comes “quickly.”

This explains how the little flock in Luke 12:32 are scheduled to receive the Kingdom!

This understanding also makes clear we are right on track regarding timing. The wait to the 1,335 is over. This means we have kept the patience in Heb. 10:36—we have “done the will of God”—and now only have a “mikron” to go (vs. 37). We don’t know exactly how long this is, but it must be short!

As Mr. Pack said in his last message, there is no time or need for another message. Although “blessed,” let us all continue watching together—remaining spiritually strong right up to the very end. Stay alert!