UCG on the weighty responsibility to shepherd, oversee and lead God’s people

Those busy boys from Cincinnati recently held a Southwest Region Pastoral Conference in Phoenix, AZ where many topics were discussed.

One that may be of particular interest is how United Church of God ministers and elders are held accountable by their members and the church. Though I imagine in their minds they think they are only accountable to God and no one else. We have seen how well that has worked out over the decades.

Emphasizing the instructions found in 1 Peter 5 and the weighty responsibility to shepherd, oversee and lead God’s people by example, Steve Myers presented the topic of “Accountable Elders.” He emphasized a minister’s God-given duties and that ministers are “those who must give account” (Hebrews 13:17).

Many UCG members are asking, "just WHO are these guys giving account to?" 

The other thing they all do is, speak the same thing...seriously?

“Speak the same thing,” taken from 1 Corinthians 1:10, was the overall theme of the conference. The conference began with a presentation from our president, Rick Shabi. He focused on the ministry’s first responsibility to be a disciple of Christ and the importance of speaking, teaching and living by God’s Truth

They are also pastors of vision! Woo Hoo! However, they just admitted last month that after 29 years they "Now we must get to work." Talk about a lack of vision!

In COGspeak, when these topics start coming up there is bound to be a church split somewhere down the line.

LCG Expects Its Members To Be Peacemakers, But What About The Ministry And Its Leaders?

 

The Living Church of God is encouraging its members to be peacemakers and to go to their brother or sister to work out any problems.

"Peacemakers go to their brother or sister in a spirit of meekness to resolve issues ..."

Seriously? LCG and Winnail can say that with a straight face? 

Rod Meredith, when he was in the Radio/Worldwide Church of God never went to the brethren as a peacemaker or even talked to people when things arose. Instead, his pen was swift in writing disfellowshipment letters and marking people from the pulpit. That nastiness carried over into the Global Church of God and later into the Living Church of God when he left Global in a fit of rebellion as he smeared and maligned people at every turn.

This is not something Meredith was guilty of but the majority of COG leadership and ministry are also guilty of. Reconciliation has never been a focus of any COG. Rather, it has been busy grinding people up and spitting them out.

Peacemakers also do not post prayer requests on public bulletin boards in the HQ office builing so they can be mocked.

Are You a Peacemaker? We are living in an angry age where hate and violence and the talk of war are everywhere. Yet, we have been called out of this world to reign with Jesus Christ when He returns to bring peace to this planet (Isaiah 9:6–7). As Christians, we must strive to “live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:17–21). We can become peacemakers by not reacting angrily in situations, not seeking to get even, by treating others like we would like to be treated, and by overcoming evil with good. Solomon observed, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1). Solomon also stated, “He who covers [overlooks and forgives] a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats [or keeps talking about or won’t let go of] a matter separates friends” (Proverbs 17:9). Peacemakers go to their brother or sister in a spirit of meekness to resolve issues (Matthew 18:15; James 3:13–18). King David wrote that peace is the result of learning to love and follow the laws of God (Psalm 119:165). Let’s make that our goal.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail

New Book Series: About three children trapped in and growing up in the Radio Church of God

Official book site here: The Threefold Chord

Despite an indifferent father and a mother who develops a serious mood disorder, young twins Kevin and Robert, and their younger brother Jonah, experience an idyllic early life in rural Manitoba during the 1950s while in the loving care of their grandparents. However, that life comes to an abrupt end after their father converts to the esoteric beliefs of the Radio Church of God, a radical fundamentalist sect that preaches strict discipline in preparation for an anticipated end time worldwide cataclysm. Forced to move back home to live with their parents, the boys are victimized by their father’s extreme religious fanaticism, which for the twins, includes indoctrination sessions, beatings, and confinement in a basement coal cellar.

​Rather than giving in to their father’s brutality and brainwashing efforts, the twins remain strong and find clever ways to survive their circumstances and even thrive within them. Determined to be their younger brother’s keeper, the twins and Jonah form an unbreakable bond – a proverbial threefold cord. It is a bond of mutual support for one another that enables them to better cope with their father’s abusive and controlling behaviour. 

 

Although fictional, The Threefold Cord explores many of the real-life beliefs and practices of the Radio Church of God and deftly examines the grey area between a cult and a religion, between discipline and abuse, and asks what it takes for a person to decide where those lines should be drawn.

About the Author

 

JAMES ANDERSON is a retired professional engineer, who was involved in tele-communications for over thirty years. He and his wife, Julie, live in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They have three adult children and three grandchildren. An avid amateur radio operator and electronics hobbyist, Anderson turned to writing later in life. He credits this, in part, to his experience as a former member of the Worldwide Church of God (previously known as the Radio Church of God, which is featured in The Threefold Cord).

Anderson says, "I turned to writing to express my frustrations as to how my family and I had been exploited and lied to by that church organization, as well as how the church victimized, abused, and impoverished so many others. Although I am an ardent fan of non-fiction, writing fiction has been where my writing activities have been the most prolific."The Threefold Cord is Anderson's first book and also the first instalment of a story series that explores how children are adversely affected by parents who are willing to follow extreme fundamentalist doctrines.