Saturday, January 8, 2022

Sheldon Monson Disfellowships and Mark's Own Family Member

 



Trouble is already brewing in the Church of God Assembly with Sheldon Monson disfellowshipping his own family member.

The biggest blessing a COG member could ever receive is to be disfellowshipped from the COG. The day that happens you are free from the madness that is the COG.


Church of God Assembly 

Sheldon C. Monson, Pastor, announced 8th of January 2022: 
 
We are saddened to announce that Daryl Monson has been marked for cause. We pray he will repent and change soon so that he can be restored to fellowship and membership in the Church.
According to Scripture an individual must be “marked” for causing strife or division among members because not doing so will destroy the faith of others. 
 
Romans 16:17 states: “Now I beseech you brethren, Mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which you have learned and avoid them.” COGNews

UCG New Three Year Plan Is To Speak Truth In Love...

 


Those fun boys in Cincinnati are on a roll!

Presentation of 3-year Strategic Plan Review—John Miller & Brian Shaw 
 
In August 2021, the COE tasked the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee (SPFC) to develop Paul’s appeal to the Ephesians to “speak the truth in love” and incorporate that concept into the major update of the Strategic Plan that was due for the 2022–2023 fiscal year. The SPFC has been working on the updated Strategic Plan for the past two months. The Council presented this updated Strategic Plan to the administration for about three hours. 
 
We value our responsibility to preach the gospel, make disciples and prepare a people. To accomplish that responsibility, we must plumb the depths of the Word of God and live it out in the Spirit of God. In summary—Truth in Love. 

Wut? A COG speaking truth in love? 

Truth in Love is, in essence, who we are and how we do what we do. It is about much more than just “speaking the truth in love.” Ephesians maps out a path that leads to becoming like Him. It provides a framework to organize and focus “The Work” of the Church. 
 
The SPFC took up the challenge, with the approval of the COE, to incorporate these elements into the update of the 2022-2023 Strategic and Operation Plan. This Strategic Plan builds on the work of those who have gone before, but we believe it brings a new level of clarity, detail and focus to outcomes-based planning and makes it Scripture Centric. 
 
We all desire to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much” (Matthew:25:23, ESV). The Strategic and Operation Plan does not ignore the “small things” (Zechariah:4:10), but keeps the overall Vision and Mission in focus. 
 
We acknowledge that not everything in a work that is both human and divine can be planned, documented and measured. However, we can and should implement, measure, evaluate and continuously improve everything we can with the resources God has so generously supplied. This plan is intended to be a living document that can, and will, be updated each year. 
 
The Council unanimously approved, by consent without resolution, to continue with this Strategic Plan and for the administration to use the framework provided to prepare the Operating Plan and Budget that will be presented to the Council at the February meetings.

As for preaching "truth in love" and how much of an impact thay are making after 25 years of existence, there's this:

Peter Eddington went through some of the following statistics as of November 30 this year: 
 
United News circulation is currently at 18,449, which is 2.8% more than this time last year and just below our all-time high of 18,475 reached for the September 2021 issue. 
 
Our coworker count is now at 8,799 (16% higher than the same time last year) and just below our all-time high from October 2021 of 8,809.

Our donor list now includes 10,599 people—12.9% higher than this time last year. (Our all-time high was 10,834 in June of 2021.)

Donors combined with our coworkers is now 19,398 (14% more than same time last year).

Total Beyond Today magazine circulation worldwide is at 327,229 for the Nov.-Dec. 2021 issue—which is 9.2% more than the same time last year and the highest since 2008.
U.S. magazine subscribers are at 279,406 for the Nov.-Dec. 2021 issue. This is 12.3% more than the same time last year and the highest since 2008.

Those people on our U.S. file associated with the Church (teens, members, associated) as of November 30 is 12,112.


Thursday, January 6, 2022

LCG: Members need to get their focus off themselves and onto the kingdom

 



Are you too busy enjoying life, having fun with your family, traveling, visiting with friends? If you are then you are not 100% focused upon Living Church of God's commission. After all, LCG has been warning the world about their commission for 25 years now, and if you are here in LA, no one even knows what that commission is.

LCG members need to have their focus upon a kingdom to come where they will be kings and priests and rule over the masses with power and glory as they are coequal with Jesus since they will then be gods, just like Jesus.


Redeeming the Time: The Apostle Paul urged brethren in Ephesus to consider God’s will, live with a purpose, and make the most of every opportunity to become more like Jesus Christ—“because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15–16). Ephesus was a bustling port city, home of the great pagan temple of Diana, and filled with temptations for Christians. Jesus also warned believers against being sidetracked from spiritual goals by the “cares of this world”—the pursuit of money, material things, and fame (Matthew 13:22). As Christians living in the latter days, we have a commission to warn the world of a coming judgment, to preach the Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God (Matthew 24), and to prepare for future roles in that Kingdom (Revelation 5:10; Isaiah 30:20–21). Let’s put our hearts into this mission and come out of this world—and take advantage of the opportunity we have been given to grow to become more like Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).
Have a profitable Sabbath, Douglas S. Winnail

Gerald Weston: Is It Wrong To Have Ex Members As Friends?

 

Imagine being a friend of an LCG member after having left the church or having a friend who left the church and have to read this kind of tripe. Apparently leaving the one true faith is a sign of rebellion and witchcraft. Now we know why Bob Thiel is such a problem! His rebellion and lying tongue are a sign of witchcraft. Who knew!

Prioritize Your Loyalty

In the case of Romans, Paul’s address is to the brethren—believers as a body. The New King James Version carries the sense of taking note. Paul mentions no one in particular—just to take note of anyone causing division and avoid them. Certainly, it is best for the Church to make that determination and make members aware when they might not fully understand something. But, as in Corinth, there is also personal responsibility placed on the membership. When you see someone who claims to be a brother or sister in Christ causing division or living an openly immoral life, avoid that person. God’s mind regarding divisive people is not obscure:

These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: a proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren(Proverbs 6:16–19).

And remember what God tells us about rebellion and stubbornness: “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Samuel 15:23). If we understand these instructions, we realize that there are limits to friendship.

Jesus taught His disciples, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (John 15:14). “A friend is a friend for life” is a sentiment that does not square with the Bible. The truth is that most friendships in this life are temporary. Circumstances and people change over time. Many close friends in the past are no longer close today, because they ceased sharing the interests and values that brought them together in the first place. Do we still remember them and care for them? Of course—but in the Church, we also recognize that basic question asked by the prophet Amos: “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” (Amos 3:3).

We should value friendship, but let us not allow our human reasoning and emotions to override important instructions from God. It is not a sin to have friends who have left our fellowship and see them at appropriate times—such as weddings, funerals, and other such events. But it can become a sin when we reject the biblical admonition to avoid those who live immoral lives or cause division. If you are a friend of God, you cannot be a friend of the world (James 4:4). Our loyalties must first and foremost be to our ultimate friend, Jesus Christ.


So, Jesus is LCG's "friend" now? They rarely speak of the guy and anything he accomplished or the New Covenant, but Jesus is their friend. Next, we will hear LCG adding new hymns to their song-book about Jesus being their boyfriend in five repeat stanzas.

Wednesday, January 5, 2022

Crackpot COG Prophet Claims He Did Not Start A New Church

 


It's another sunny day in California and the craziness out of Grover Beach continues unabated. One never knows what fantastical utterance with come from the lips of the most important Church of God leader in human history and the Great White Bwana to Africa and 305 Caucasians.

After getting called out for quoting too much from Herbert Armstrong, and making endless excuses as to why he does so, the Great Bwana said this:

We strive not to teach error and do not teach that what Herbert Armstrong wrote is not subject to correction. The Bible, not Herbert Armstrong, is the standard that we go by. 

The improperly named "continuing" Church of "god" is filled with so many erroneous errors that even Satan himself can't keep up with them!  Starting with his utter rebellion and hissy fit with Rod Meredith and the Living Church of God to his self-appointment due to a bunch of nightmares he had, there is nothing legitimate about this guy. 

Despite organization changes, successively and doctrinally we are NOT a new church. We teach Laying on of Hands succession from the apostles. We clearly trace our history from the Book of Acts to present. 

Herbert Armstrong would have kicked Bob's delicate ass to the curb so fast his flailing hands would never have caught him. Thiel is right up there with Pack and Flurry joining with them in direct rebellion against everything Herbert Armstrong taught. 

Therefore, we often quote Church of God leaders, not just from the New Testament, but also those from the second century A.D. to present. We do this to demonstrate the consistency of the doctrines of the true church as well as to show what “the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3) was in the period immediately after the death of the last of the apostles.

When Bob Thiel says he follows the teachings of the things HWA supposedly restored, he is a liar. 

“Don’t simply believe me – Believe what the Bible really Teaches – Believe the Truth – Prove all things –Believe God!”

And I will take it one step further. Irrespective of how any may view the role that God has for me, unless I am directly quoting the Bible, or preface a statement to something of the effect of “thus saith the Lord,” I am NOT necessarily stating anything that is not subject to later correction. We who are truly part of the Church of God only accept as inspired the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament and no other document. Therefore, although other current and historical documents/articles/books/booklet/posts by various Church of God leaders throughout history often have value, as they generally also tend to contain personal opinion, we do not consider that any of them are on the same level as sacred scripture, and hence believe that they can contain error.

Never has the COG had such a snake in the grass prophet in its midst. Impotent to make a true prophecy, he weasels his way around everything making one excuse after another so that he cannot be pinned down.

Unable to come up with any real doctrines of his own he has to plagiarize everything HWA said, and more.

That being said, Herbert Armstrong’s writing style often conveys many points in an understandable manner. A manner that we do not feel that we must re-word. A manner which provides variety. Hence, he is quoted.

The Almost Arrested Bwana thinks that because he quotes HWA he is continuing those teachings. What balderdash, as HWA would say!

As mentioned before, he and/or the old Radio/Worldwide Church of God literature are quoted here is to show that certain points covered at COGwriter.com are consistent with the them. Hence, we truly are continuing those teachings. Teachings that groups outside the CCOG sometimes have forgotten or neglected to teach.

Remember Bob's main excuse when he apostatized from the Living Church of God and claimed that Meredith and the church failed to heed his correction and correct doctrines and teachings that he claimed were wrong? That's when he had his little fit and left resulting in Rod Meredith publicly rebuking him.

He is also pulling the same hissyfit with GotQuestions.com in its article about Armstrongism...which is spot on its description of Amrstrongism. The Great Bwana and end time Elijah tried to set them straight and they ignored him. The poor little guy just gets NO RESPECT!

Related to one, GotQuestions.com (who still has not corrected something I brought up about a year ago), we put together the following:

What is Armstrongism? Are Some Dismissive of Original Christianity?

The physical head of the old Radio/Worldwide Church of God was the late Herbert W. Armstrong. What he taught has been derided as “Armstrongism.” What were some of those teachings? Was the old Worldwide Church of God some type of weird cult or did it strive to contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints? Is “Armstrongism” improperly maligned and falsely described at GotQuestions.com? Are concepts such as the tribes of Israel, ‘soul sleep,’ and three resurrections unique to Herbert W. Armstrong or were they long part of original Nazarene Christianity? What about various holidays and Christianity? In this video, Dr. Thiel goes over his early experiences with “Armstrongism” as well as gives scriptures about persecutions that would affect Christians.

But, as a continuation of the true apostolic Church of God, we in the Continuing Church of God believe it is helpful to quote recent as well as ancient COG writers for their perspective and insight, as well as to show continuity. 
 
All who profess Christ should, “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). 
 
The reason that we quote the Bible and other COG leaders is to help show that we do.

There is nothing about Bob Thiel's little cult that "contend's earnestly for the faith which was once delivered" It is so far from 1st Century Christianity that the apostles would have rebuked him and cast him out of the church and then would have written an entire book about his heresy and rebellion. 

So when Bob says he did not start a new church he is lying to you.