LCG claims its ministry is building a culture of counseling

Did you know that the Living Church of God has built a culture of "counseling" through its ministers?

Seriously, dude? 

Oh, and they are making disciples of all nations. Who knew! Bwana Bob Thiel begs to differ. 

110 Ministers and Wives at Final U.S. Regional Ministerial Conference
Charlotte, North Carolina, was the host city for the fourth and final Regional Ministerial Conference held in the U.S. in 2022. The conference began on Sunday, August 28, and concluded on Tuesday, August 30. The 110 ministers and wives who attended came from the Eastern portion of the country. Mr. Gerald Weston and Dr. Douglas Winnail conducted the meetings, focusing on the purpose and mission of the Church, making disciples of all nations, developing leaders, and building a culture of counseling. Mr. Ames gave an update on the Work and covered other topics, and Mr. Rod McNair also gave helpful lectures. Regional Pastors Dan Hall and Lambert Greer spoke on the role of a minister’s wife and the importance of the body of Christ. Many expressed appreciation for the valuable training sessions as well as the opportunity to be together and grow as brothers and sisters—evidenced by the smiles, laughter, and warm embraces between friends old and new.

I wonder how many lectures they had on Jesus Christ and what his life, death, and resurrection meant. How many lectures did they receive on grace? How about going into great detail with the Book of Galatians? Most likely all they had were lectures on some magical kingdom soon to come where everyone would be keeping all of the law while Jesus twiddles his thumbs somewhere in Jerusalem.

Let's get back to that "counseling" bit. How many LCG ministers have legitimate training in counseling? Not the crap that the church has traditionally done, but REAL counseling. Look at the fields that are littered with the bodies of church members who have been subjected to that counseling. Look at what counseling did for Terry Ratzman.

How many LCG members actually counsel with ministry any more? Can you trust them?

Gerald Weston Asks: Would God choose your church? The answer to that is NO, he has already chosen LCG as his own!

    

The "work" marches on forward in power and glory, so much so that there is only ONE COG doing such a work today. Gerald Weston is so sure of this that he dares to ask if God is as pleased with your group as He is with LCG. This is a group so stupendously mindboggling that the gospel continued to go forth to the world even while 110 ministers and their wives were in Charlotte for a conference

Greetings from Charlotte,

The big news for most of us here in Charlotte this week was the last of the four United States Regional Ministerial Conferences (see below for more details). But the preaching of the Gospel to the whole world continued amidst this needed activity. The Work in the French language posted a new voiced-over telecast, “What Does God Want of Me?”; the Spanish El Mundo de Mañana magazine arrived for mailing; Editorial is putting the final edits into the October–November issue of Tomorrow’s World magazine; and I recorded a future telecast, “Would Jesus Choose Your Church?” Our small writing staff here and abroad continues to quietly research and write new articles, our Television Department edits and sends programs to stations, our social media staff prepares ads, and Mail Processing, Internet, Information Technologies, Record Information Services, and a host of other departments tirelessly do their jobs as we work together to fulfill God’s calling for His end-time Work. To a greater or lesser degree, this is also happening in our Regional Offices around the world. And, of course, there are all of you who pray and support this Work. We all have our part and every part is necessary. Thank you, to all of you.—Gerald Weston

Weston also brought up the question of whether or not God would choose your church in his co-worker/member letter in mid-August. Perhaps Weston should be asking himself if God would choose LCG above all other COG's.

The reason I ask that is that in his August letter he writes about how he was in Little Rock Arkansas recently where he had 48 guests (the majority LCG members) show up for his presentation. Weston remarks how shocked "some" of these guests were to find out that there was an actual congregation in Little Rock. Here is a church that claims it is preaching the Gospel in a powerful manner and yet people do not know anything about them. Here in LA, their presence is nonexistent. No one knows who they are.

Although we mention it from time to time, we find that many people do not realize that there is an organized Church behind Tomorrow’s World. I was in Little Rock, Arkansas recently for a Tomorrow’s World Presentation and spoke on “Signs of Christ’s Return.” Several of the 48 guests were surprised to learn that we have a congregation in their city. Our congregations mostly go unnoticed since we choose to give the Truth away rather than spend money to build or buy meeting halls. We instead rent rooms and halls according to the size of each congregation.

LCG and most COG's go unnoticed because they do not care to integrate themselves in their local communities as people so filled with love and grace that they do endless good works. It is like the COG is embarrassed by its message and prefers to hide in the shadows all the time. Seriously, who really wants to attend church in a Masonic Lodge, a school gym, or a dirty movie theatre? None of these places are really that conducive to worshipping God.

Weston continues with this tidbit:

We admit that we don’t fit the mold of most Sunday morning religious programs. Some televangelists represent a single-city megachurch. Other ministries send viewers to “the church of your choice.” Sadly, some are mere charlatans hawking books, DVDs, prayer cloths, hats, and t-shirts. Tomorrow’s World is different. We have nothing to offer except the Truth and we give it away free of charge.

The bullshit is really deep with this one...

LCG hawks its booklets, its telecasts, magazines, and magical anointed cloth to true beleivers. The same magical voodoo that many other churches do. LCG booklets, telecasts, and magazines give you a direct conduit to God who will then convict your heart to say out loud that Herbert Armstrong and the Living Church of God is the correct true church... just like the Mormons do with their myths.

Sure they may give away things free of charge, but little do people know that once they commit to following Weston that their pocketbooks and wallets will soon be empty as they are made to tithe and give endless offerings and other money to the church. There is a LOT of baggage to that "free of charge".

Weston admits that their magazines are essentially useless tools in converting members into the one true church:

The overwhelming majority of our nearly 600,000 Tomorrow’s World subscribers benefit from the spiritual content of our magazine, telecast, and other resources, but never become members or co-workers. And that is perfectly fine with us. Only a few like you—and how precious you are—have voluntarily chosen to contribute so that hundreds of thousands can receive these free resources.

So let's ask ourselves, would God choose the Living Church of God as his own? 

UCG is asking its members if…"Is what we are writing, publishing and presenting beneficial to our members, coworkers and others?"

United Church of God's Rick Shabi is asking his followers to be honest and truthful when they respond to a questionnaire asking how well the UCG doing with its operations and care of members. 

Many times over the decades the church has asked similar questions and never once in the entire time did they ever take to heart the concerns of members. If it did the church as a whole would not be having the deep issues it is having today.

We will soon read a glowing report on how superfantabulous the church is and how its ministery and care of the membership is the best it has ever been in 2,000 years.

The real question is:  "Is what we are writing, publishing, and presenting beneficial to our members, coworkers, and others?"

Let UCG know!

At the August Council of Elders meeting, I began my presentation with Proverbs 27:23, which states: “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds.” 

 

For the last few months that’s exactly what we have been doing. 

 

Taking stock of what we do takes time. It’s something we should be doing continually in our personal lives, comparing our actions and behaviors to the standard set for us by Christ. Paul admonishes us in 2 Corinthians 13:5: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves” (emphasis added throughout). 

 

In order to remain viable and focused on their mission, vision and purpose, organizations, families and God’s Church need to take the time to examine themselves as well. Otherwise they can get off track, leading to dire consequences. 

 

Poignantly, Judah took the time to assess their actions and behavior after their defeat and captivity by the Babylonians: “Let us search out and examine our ways, and turn back to the LORD” (Lamentations 3:40). 

 

And who can forget God’s warning given in Haggai 1:5 and 7: “Consider your ways!” 

 

Individually—and as God’s Church—we must examine ourselves regularly. We are to be growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, and we are to be doing His will His way, using all the resources He gives us wisely. 

 

As we at the home office examine our operations and our methods, and as we assess the state of the resources God has provided us spiritually, technologically, financially and personally, we ask for and need your help. 

 

God gave His Church the commission to preach the gospel to “every creature,” to make disciples of all nations, to baptize them, and to teach them to observe all things that Christ commanded. So, we are asking ourselves and seeking God’s input as we consider our ways. Are our congregations being cared for and taught the truth in the manner and with the zeal God expects? Are God’s sheep being fed a spiritually rich and edifying diet? Is the body of Christ growing in the “one-ness” and agape love that we must develop? How can we, as His servants, do better? 

 

As we preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God to a world that so desperately needs that message of truth and hope, are we using the tools available to us effectively? Is what we are writing, 

publishing and presenting beneficial to our members, coworkers and others? Are there better ways, better methods, other “doors” we should be trying? Are there things we have historically done that are no longer effective in this 21st century world? Are we using the financial resources He provides in the way He wants them to be used? 

 

We don’t have all the answers to those questions, but we are looking to Jesus Christ who does have the answers. He knows where He wants His Church headed, and how to get there. So, we seek His way through prayer, studying His Word, in reflection and in asking questions. 

 

As we go through this assessment and examination process, we ask for and would appreciate your help. 

 

Beginning this Sunday, Sept. 4, we are launching an online member survey at this link: surveymonkey.com/r/UCGSurvey2022. The survey is intended for people of all ages who are associated with the United Church of God. We plan to close the survey right before the Feast of Trumpets, on Sunday, Sept. 25. 

 

Please, as part of your service to God and His Church, make the time to take the survey and answer the questions truthfully and completely. Feel free to record your comments in the spaces provided. We welcome your honest, heartfelt input as fellow workers in this building of God’s spiritual temple. 

Ha, Ha 

The apostle Paul explains our role in the growth of the Body of Christ: “From whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:16). 

 

We all have our part to do in that “working” as members of His body. Taking the time to complete the survey is just one of the ways you can help and participate. 

 

Thank you, pastors and elders, for announcing and encouraging your congregations to participate in this important survey, and thank you, members and others, for taking the time to help us assess “the state of our flocks.” 

 

Have a wonderful day of preparation and an inspiring and uplifting Sabbath.

Rick Shabi