The Global Church of God (aka Church of the Eternal God in the USA and Church of God a Christian Fellowship in Canada) will not be holding a Festival of Tabernacles in the UK for the first time since the church’s inception in 1993.

When Roderick Meredith found himself unable to exert full control over the church, he established the Living Church of God, and then left Global in November 1998, together with over 70% of the ministers and members. The remnant splintered, with some re-grouping, but the UK (plus congregations in Belgium and France) remained intact as Global.

Global has declined steadily, and now comprises only a nominal congregation in Derby, England. The Living Church of God in Europe has been a mirror image of Global, rising from almost nothing to over 200 attending Sabbath services today – albeit the large majority have been transfers from the Global church and David Hulme’s Church of God an International Community.

Today's Kewpie Doll Award Winner

Kewpie Doll:  A small inexpensive and cheaply made doll given as a prize for winning a game at an amusement park or fair or given as a consolation prize. A sarcastic term to denote a figurative prize (not actually given) for either accomplishing or not accomplishing a trivial goal, such as attempting to spell an easy word or guessing the answer to some trivial question.

“While some critics and self-appointed prophets and apostles continue to predict the imminent demise of the Living Church of God, these predictions are simply not connected to reality…”

"Focus on the "spiritual" by focusing on the physical letter of the law, while trying avoiding everything else physical"

• "God uses the physical to teach us spiritual lessons." (That's why we should focus exclusively on the letter of Old Testament laws.)

• "The majority of the churches have been converted into social clubs, fellowship and fun, and have pushed aside the spiritual focus. This even has happened with the observance of the Holy Days of God."

• "[They] are to be filled with "spiritual" feasting*, with physical feasting**, song, music and dancing*** for joy**** in the Lord."

**** Joy: Don't be tricked by Satan into confusing "joy" with "fun"

• "The real issue is around today’s resort non-Feasts which are vacations with the excuse of a biblical Feast."

• "We are commanded to spend our tithe on [minimal] food and drink and sharing with others, not on expensive vacations."

• "Feast sites are NOT to be established in vacation hot spots."

• "Feast sites should be in poorer areas with no outside attractions."

• "They are NOT to be spent in paragliding, car racing, or other activities..." (sermons and bible study ONLY!)

Warning: When James Malm uses the word "joy" he is not using it in any traditional sense. It is more akin to type of "joy" experienced by Jews and Russians who had the opportunity to be made "free" through "work" during WWII.

Zeal!

• "Truly many are all wrapped up in themselves and want to try do an absolute minimum to just get by."

• "Most people are doing what they are told and not because they love pleasing God, or because these festival messages are so inspiring." (And they certainly are inspiring. NOT!)

• "Where is the true passionate love that says, 'How can I please you my Lord?' Where is the going the extra mile to please God?"

• If you're finding it hard to get excited about ancient obsolete laws, then you are a BAD person.

• If the feast doesn't feel like a burden, rest assured, you're doing it wrong!

* "Spiritual" feasting: Give me 9 days straight and I'll give you the letter of the law."

• "At the 2013 Feast I want to study the Ten Commandments. This week’s material, and the covering of the other laws, statutes and judgments in Leviticus and Numbers, completes the whole Commandments and Law study."

• "Please be aware that this will be a Feast somewhat different from the traditional WCG."

• "The Sermons and Bible Studies will be consistent with the teaching on this blog." (Facepalm...)

• "It will be a Feast of much strong "spiritual" meat; not a vacation in some tourist site."

•  "You can be sure that presentations will be full of meat and not long-winded, boring; same old, same old." (Yeah, right.)

• "The Feast will be about making the most of our time for "spiritual" instruction." (24/9 wall-to-wall sermons/bible studies about keeping the physical letter of Old Testament laws.)

• "I am not a trained speaker...the content is most important...The delivery will improve [eventually]..." (Zzz)

• Prepare to be inspired by browbeating harangues for 192 hours nonstop!

• Forget about spirit, intent, practicality, or sensibility. It's all about rote, unthinking, literal, physical, strict pharisaical obedience to more arbitrary and obsolete "commandments" than you could possibly wave a stick at.

• Do NOT expect to hear any messages about mercy, forgiveness, or Jesus, as such topics encourage a lack of "zeal."

"Chairman Malm:  100% Agreement ONLY! Dissent “WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!""

• "This site is reserved for those who have proved the doctrine at this site to [James Malm's] personal satisfaction and are solidly on board."

• "Sacred Names people and others who want to attend only to push heresies will NOT BE TOLERATED." (Malm's ex-wife is NOT welcome.)

• "Larry has taken a stand on the calendar, however he does not agree on the meanings of the Festivals etc, and has said that he will not attend our Feast site because I will not allow dissent." (Larry is NOT welcome.)

• "One Strike and You're Out" policy. (You will become instantly NOT welcome.)

• No fake 'love love' unity will be permitted, or Satanic unity through pagan hand holding.

• If you don't feel like you're walking on eggshells or navigating a minefield, rest assured, you're doing it wrong!

** Physical" feasting: Eating, drinking, and other pleasurable indulgences during the feast

• "Church people even purchase goods and services on Sabbath and Holy Days, especially in restaurants...FOR SHAME!" (If I could choose a second word, it would be “shame.”)

• "Seek a room with a kitchenette." (You will NOT be eating out during the feast!)

• "If that is not possible a small cooler to keep a few perishables overnight."

• "A simple mid day meal of a salad, a pear, and some Edam cheese." (It’s very important that the cheese be Edam…)

• "All grocers have very convenient ready to eat choices from veggies and dip plates, to readymade salads, fruit, sandwiches, cookies and sweets, cheeses, bread, etc."

• "This will not be...a feast of booze; it will be a [purely figurative] feast at the table of the Lord."

• Curtail wasting too much time indulging in physical pleasures such as eating and sleeping, or nonessentials such as bathing and tooth brushing, because these are needless distractions that take time away from focusing on god and his word during the feast.

• The less time you waste eating, the less time you will waste in the bathroom, as it is not proper to read the bible while pooping.

• Other pleasurable indulgences, such as having sex with one's wife or with a prostitute, are frowned upon even during non-holy time.

Traveling to the feast

• "Staying in a motel is not a problem as we pay and get settled BEFORE any Sabbath or High Day."

• "Arrive early enough to take care of all necessaries before the first High Day or Sabbath."

• "Inform them that no service will be needed on Sabbaths or High Days; which usually delights them."

• "People claiming to be converted Godly people have paid bills, packed belongings, cleaned their temporary dwellings and traveled on this High Holy Day...This is a DISGRACE and a blot on your garments."

• Always remember the 3 most important words in Malmism: Preparation, preparation, preparation!

Accommodations

• "If we all camped on a local farm and met in the barn and truly kept the Feast rejoicing together; what would it matter if we stayed a day beyond what we calculated?"

• "If funds are a major problem [you] might consider camping out on [your] farms or in [your] back yards."

• While on the farm, one should probably be careful not to accidentally feed or milk the animals or accidentally spread physical manure on the sabbath (but spreading spiritual manure is okay).

• "Those who have nowhere to go, might chose to go to a place where they can study intensely without the distractions of the many carnal activities usually associated with the modern feast observance."

• "Apartment dwellers might, as a last resort only; set up a tent indoors to [physically] act out the analogy of being travelers in a strange land." (???Why???)

• Whatever you do, ignore the biblical commandment to build a booth!

Proper attire

Men:

• "Tzitzit fringes have been superseded by the holy spirit which it represents. However the fringe is certainly lawful and desirable. It is highly likely that this will be required like circumcision, in the coming Kingdom of God and  I would never object to anyone who chooses to wear one."

• "The uncovering of a man’s head, and that does not mean the shaving of his head, but the removal of the hat or covering; was a sign of courteous respect for God."

• "We are not to cut our hair or beard in the fashion of making our face look deliberately circular as a sun symbol."

• "we are not to shave round circles on our hair as sun symbols and we are not to shave our heads and beards in mourning."

• To be clean shaven is okay (drapes, not carpet).

• No word from James about whether a suit and tie is required, or if some ancient robe or tunic is more proper for appearing in before god. Somehow, I doubt James owns any nice looking clothes.

• Do not wear a phylactery, tefillin or frontlet. (Please leave these at home.)

Women:

• "Feminine hair...should be covered in a gesture of modesty and respect for her husband, when she prays or discusses the word of God." (24/9 during the feast.)

• "[A married woman] removing or refusing to wear a covering veil represented an unfaithful wife, a fallen woman, an adulteress...For a woman to go uncovered was to be seen as a rebellious or adulterous wife...a lewd woman is to have her veil removed..."

• "[Women] are simply not to cut our hair into anything resembling a 'masculine' style."

• No unclean furs such as mink, but unclean furs such as badger may be okay since they were used in making the OT tabernacle. Furs and makeup are probably signs of feminism.

• "I am amazed at the number of strapless dresses, mini-hemlines, plunging necklines, and sprayed-on applicator dresses that are worn for purposes of worship."

• Wearing a burkah might be interpreted as a sign of a bad attitude. (Please leave these at home.)

The blowing of shofars

• "There is no excuse not to obey the commandments and observe this Feast as God has commanded! With Shofar, Shoutings and Rejoicings!"

• If you are one of the rare individuals in modern society who does not already own a shofar, you'd better order one now, because a shofar and an offering are the two items you are definitely not going to want to show up without.

The waving of branches

• "Here we have a direct command to take branches and to rejoice with them for seven days."

• "Boughs or branches of goodly trees are to be cut on the very first day, the High Holy day of this Feast."

• "The palm and willow are specifically mentioned, however we are NOT told that these branches are limited to the palm and willow."

• "The branches [people] represent the main harvest of humanity being brought into the Temple [family] of God."

• "We are to rejoice with our branches; to represent the great rejoicing as the main harvest of humanity is brought into the family of God!"

• "if [you don't do this] you are losing out on a valuable lesson and much understanding of the meaning of this Feast."

• It isn't clear exactly what "valuable lesson" one might learn from stick waving, but perhaps James will clue in the elect to this esoteric knowledge during the feast.

• Just to be safe, you might want to go online to the Jewish websites and order your citron, or etrog, now. The good ones go first. Any observant Jew knows that your branches are meaningless without your citron.

*** "Davidic" dancing vs. "carnal" dancing

• "Biblical dancing was never this touchy feely embracing dancing...not the ballroom dancing style...and not the usual COG big band carnal dance at the Feasts."

• "Dancing before the Lord as David involved songs of praise and dancing for joy in the Eternal."

• "It was always dancing as an expression of joy closer to the Jewish dancing or a kind of leaping for joy and rejoicing before God. We should be doing that at the Feasts."

• "This is too energetic for Sabbath but excellent for the middle Feast days."

No word from James about whether it is proper or improper to "shamelessly uncover" oneself as David did.

Prayer

• "Prayer is degraded into an emotional experience; indeed much such prayer is not to seek God, but to impress those present by voluminous flowery and impressive language."

• "Hand holding is a definite emotional bonding between people; instead of a personal contact with Almighty God...The pagan concept behind this tradition is to demonstrate UNITY by holding hands together."

• "Hand holding is most definitely wrong and has its roots in witchcraft."

The Church for generations taught the “evils of Christmas” to the Church, condemning it with fervor and blasting out about how “Satanic” the day was,, it’s origins, “Saturnalia”, and of course, teaching how it was lying to their children about Santa Clause.

Truth is, they really needed to shut up about it – they were involved in their own lying. Even Herbert Armstrong said they got “carried away”. And the subject to bring that point home is 1975.

1975 is one of Armstrongism’s biggest embarrassments. And biggest fears. With members fearing losing 1/3 of “their friends” that they knew at that time (which was stated with certainty in the book) to world disasters on Armageddon proportions,  they were scared. Scared stiff. Some to the point where they had everything packed and ready to go. Children were told that they would have to leave “at any time”. Some children were so scared of this, they were literally traumatized at that time – mostly by the fearfulness and panic of some very zealous parents who listened – and believed wholeheartedly – to the patently false speculations of Herbert Armstrong, who, according to an article in “Tomorrow’s World” magazine published by the Church, “regretted it deeply”, regarding the church’s – as he called it “appearance” or “coming close to” setting dates.

“Therefore God also gave them over to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts (which becomes magnified by hormones) to dishonor their own bodies between themselves. Who changed the truth of God into a lie…” (Rom. 1:24-25).

"The more that people turn to sin (any kind of sin), the more unsound and distorted their thinking, choices, and behavior becomes toward the subject of sex. Sin distorts and perverts all thinking, but it is more manifest in the area of sexual thought, emotion, and conduct. The product of this “wrong thinking” regarding sex then leads to distorted judgment, feelings (emotion), and communications in relationships. Through Paul, God reveals part of this process and correlation in thinking and behavior.

"This process begins by people moving farther away from living in agreement to the awesomely beautiful enhancement to the marriage relationship that God created mankind to be able to experience together as husband and wife. Marriage between a man and a woman was created to be the closest and most important relationship that mankind is able to experience in all human relationships. The sexual part of that relationship is an important part of the overall relationship and reveals much about each individual separately and also the ability of both (as a couple) becoming “one” as family. The sexual relationship between one man and one woman in marriage was created to be natural, healthy, beautiful, endearing, binding, and exciting in producing one of the most giving and receiving experiences that two people can share together in life."

"Finally, however, what has changed over the past century due to a world cursed with greed and misuse of scientific knowledge, the world today is plagued with an over abundance of dangerous chemicals that can and do alter the proper healthy functioning of the human body that God so perfectly created to exist in a physical world. Large quantities of chemicals are added to foods we eat, ingested or injected as medications or used in other medically evasive practices, as well as the excessive use of chemicals in every imaginable area of agriculture. Animals are given medications, steroids (growth hormones), and other growth altering drugs, which then enter the food chain as meat, milk, eggs, etc. The genetics of plants (for produce, grains, etc.) have been altered (unnatural) which humans then consume. Although everyone is assured that these are “safe,” these were not what God created the human body to consume or be exposed to.

"This cycle goes on and on, but it has produced changes in the children being born and changes in children as their bodies are growing and many of these very things actually work to alter the chemical makeup in a person (hormone production as an example, and other chemical regulators of the human body and mind) which can produce a different sex mindset than what one has been born with physically. Such things are also the cause of many diseases and illnesses. Many know as young children that they are different and think differently than much of society around them. Today, we are all the product of a cursed and sick world (physically, mentally, and spiritually), which is the product of 6,000 years of mankind’s rejection of God.

"As the subject of homosexuality has just been addressed, it also needs to be stated that having such feelings, emotions and pulls are not sins, but the practice and lust of it is sin. This is just as true for those who are naturally drawn to those of the opposite sex. Such is not sin, but the practice of sexual relations outside of marriage is sin, as is lust and the fantasizing that is so often associated with it."

ANNOUNCEMENTS:   The new tax exempt fund raising organization in the United States, named   ”Gospel Outreach International”  has been approved.  More information will be announced as soon as a mailing address and bank account have been set up.

The laying on of hands sanctifies the sacrifice; and from this we have the doctrine of the laying on of hands.  I will; cover this doctrine another time, but I will say that men can and often do wrongfully lay hands on others; and that God does call people to jobs personally without the laying on of hands by men.

The burning of the fat or kidneys in the Peace Offering indicates that the fat and kidneys belong to God.  The eating of fat or blood is expressly forbidden for the people of God.

3:17It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood.

We need not work to remove every speck of marbling, however we should trim off obvious fat from meat and buy extra lean ground meat.  The extra lean ground meat can be improved by adding an egg and bread crumbs, or a dash of olive oil and our favorite spice.  It would also be proper to avoid deliberately high animal fat products like sausages.

WE should wash our meat and remove all possible blood.

Some Final Thoughts on August 2013 From a Restored State of Mind



 

I would like to take a moment to refine David C. Pack's view on "Why would God command the rebuilding of the House (i.e. The Temple of the 500's BCE) and not mean NOW?" which to him means during the month of August 2013 and culminating the last Sabbath of that month.



3) Also related, if God waited 2,500 years to reveal the prophecy’s meaning (3,000 years when various related much older Psalms are considered), is not His waiting done? Does His revealing it not signal that He has reached the time to fulfill it rather than having reached a point one, two or three years out?

17) Recall Haggai 1:13: “Then spoke Haggai the Lord’s messenger in the Lord’s message unto the people…” Haggai is the messenger to God’s people, with what is an all-important message from God. Would not God make clear in such a unique message He describes as “the Lord’s message unto His people” the correct date for action? What kind of message would it be if people did not know WHEN TO CARRY IT OUT?"

Haggai 1:

This is what the Lord Almighty says:“These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.’”

³ Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai:⁴ “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”
⁵ Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways...
^12... Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the Lord.
¹³ Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lordto the people:“I am with you,” declares the Lord.¹⁴ So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God,¹⁵ on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.

Haggai 2:

⁶ “This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.⁷ I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ says the Lord Almighty.⁸ ‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty.⁹ ‘The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”



We held a retreat session for a day before the formal meetings to earnestly pray and talk to one another as to how to “grow in grace and knowledge” in conveying the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God in a compelling, loving, relevant and hope-filled manner. With today’s fractured and distracted audience, how do we best grab their attention, address their personal needs, and make them consider the great questions of life. Who and what is God? Who and what is man? Why was I born? Why would God even care? What does it mean to believe in Jesus Christ? Does it mean simply to acknowledge Him and experience a casual acquaintance, or does it mean to follow Him by surrendering every fiber of our being into His service? Those big questions of life must be matched by the ultimate Life-giver’s big answers that come directly from the Scriptures.

It’s our collective prayer and continuing desire to effectively preach the gospel in such a manner that will move people to change their lives and echo the apostle Paul’s words: 

“What things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering, being conformed to His death, if, by an means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:7-11).

Allow me to be clear. We are not out to “grow a church” by some worldly methodology, but first and foremost always desirous of growing in understanding the depth of God’s spiritual purposes as defined by His grace, love, law and judgments. When we understand that this is an ongoing activity till the day we die, then things begin to change in our lives, our families, our local congregations and our potential impact expands upon our fellow coworkers and neighbors. As we do our part, God will do His part in what only He can do—call others to understand His truth (John 6:44, 65)! The book of Acts informs us that at times He “adds” (Acts 2:41), and sometimes He “multiplies” (Acts 6:7). We must leave that to Him and “be about our Father’s business” in making ourselves ready as the Bride of Christ.

Since my article Why Not the Restored Church of God? shows up on the first page when people do a Google search of the improperly named Restored Church of God, it would seem that there would be a massive increase in views if indeed, massive numbers were going over to RCG. But alas, that is not the case.

1) Availability of information on the Internet.
2) Lack of novelty.
3) Lack of charisma in leadership.
4) Sheer number of COG groups to choose from.

Some minor supporting points include:
- In-fighting between splinters.
- Aging membership.
- Failure to reach out in today's methods.

Armstrong was an advertising man. He knew the value of product differentiation. He knew what it meant to stand out in a crowd, and he knew what death awaited for any product that was just more of the same. He saw the appeal of British Israelism and the annual holy days. When he failed to really sell these and certain other notions to his branch of the COG7, he set out to sell them to the public. He had a niche and he had the know-how to capitalize on it.

Herbert Armstrong used his advertising experience to take his message to the radio waves. From the 1930's to the 1970's, most of the people who heard of the Radio Church of God, which eventually changed its name to the Worldwide Church of God, did so from radio programs.

What was that niche?

In short, J. H. Allen's British Israelism compounded with a few additional legal requirements created an attractive elitism. Toss on Alexander Hislop's concocted historical narratives to create a secretive conspiracy, and voila! It wasn't just about Protestant versus Catholic, nor was it just about the Sabbath versus Sunday. Now it was about being one of an elite group of people who were chosen by God to be given secret knowledge of a conspiracy stretching back 3,000 years, kept secret until this final hour before the return of Christ. Members of this elect group were called and chosen to fulfill prophecy by spreading the warning that doom and death awaited anyone not vetted into this "one true end-time church". This church superseded all previous churches; none of them would do. This was the final offer and it was only available while supplies last.

What a potent combination! Doomsday and Conspiracy. Fear and Pride.

Eat your heart out, Little Orphan Annie with your secret decoder ring. We have the keys to understand prophecy!

The problem with today's group of post-Armstrong leaders is that they have not learned the lesson of effective advertising.

They were told for so long that they had the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth that now they are in a predicament. No one boards a plane intending to be locked into a holding-pattern. How do you differentiate your product when you are more or less forbidden to change it and make it distinctive, and there are nearly a thousand other people selling the same thing?

Most of the current COG leadership try to solve the problem of brand differentiation by heaping upon themselves titles and honors. "I am this or that prophetic messenger!" "I am going to train this or that prophetic messenger!" "I have the most pure and unadulterated continuation of the original."

Unfortunately this approach is almost entirely dependent on the charisma of the glorious leader. If you don't have a glorious leader with charisma, as Garner Ted Armstrong had in abundance, then you simply cannot win with this approach.

Herbert Armstrong's personal charisma was high, far higher than any of his remaining followers, but Garner Ted's was higher. It was Garner Ted that was personally responsible for the greatest increases in membership from the 1950's through the 1970's.

There was nothing in the entire organization or any of its competitors who could match him. He was handsome, intelligent, well spoken, had a baritone voice soft as butter, was educated in the areas that mattered, and you couldn't ask for better rhetoric. The women loved him. And through it all, he still seemed down-to-earth and approachable. He was a leader for the people. I tell you the truth if he hadn't been caught up in the church he would have been somebody.

Compare that to the current leader of the Intercontinental Church of God.

"Who?" you ask. Exactly!

Certain ones in the current crop of splinter group leaders have a portion of charisma, but they simply don't have enough. Their charisma is a flash in the pan. It may keep established believers, but gaining new believers is much more difficult. Cult of Personality can only take you so far. As with the Intercontinental Church of God, when the leader is struck, the sheep will scatter.

The universal method to overcome lack of charisma is to spend money. You have to have members to get money, then you have to spend money to get members. It's a catch-22. Not only that but you have to keep spending more and more money, which means you have to keep asking for more and more. There's only so long you can squeeze blood from that turnip. It never, ever lasts. It never truly can replace charisma.

Armstrongist COGs these days are stagnating and declining in attendance because their leadership lacks the charisma of old.

Why The Church Of God Movement Is Doomed To Irrelevancy
(Written in 1997 on WCGnet))

What is the future of the WCG and its offshoots? Can good fruit come from a bad tree? The history of the Armstrongist movement shows that the answer is no. The current state of the church of God groups tends to confirm this. Fewer and fewer people are attending the WCG as dissatisfied former members stay away. As it turns out, the United Church of God isn't so united after all. Every few months we hear one congregation or another splitting, with one group establishing their own fellowship. The Global church continues to struggle along with its financial difficulties. And the Philadelphia church will not grow as the policy of its ministry seems to be to disfellowship one old member for every new member that joins.

In the future, the churches of God will continue to experience further decline and
fragmentation. Eventually, the large groups will shrink into insignificance, and most church of God members will belong to small, independent congregations. Armstrongism is a heresy built on a foundation of lies. It will not survive close scrutiny. Those whose critical thinking faculties have been dulled from years of mind control will remain. Those who are able to think for themselves will eventually move on as they discover that their belief system is a hoax.

When I say the membership will shrink, I am speaking of the lay members. The ministry is a different story. In society at large, when a group of people receives its support from transfer payments, the recipients are called welfare cases. When you have the same situation in the churches of God, the recipient group is called "the ministry." The church of God ministers are in no hurry to go anywhere. Heavens to Betsy, can you imagine one of them actually working for a living?

The United Church of God, An International Association is a case in point. Scores of WCG ministers left when the New Covenant doctrines were promulgated. What did they do? They formed an organization to collect tithes and redistribute the funds among themselves. Lay members were excluded from the governing body. The "ministers" distribute the funds as theysee fit. This doesn't sit well with some of the members (incredibly, some fully support the UCG governing body and feel the rest of the membership should be submissive. Some people never learn.), as the recent defections show.

The churches of God are doomed to shrink into insignificance. This is a good thing.
Armstrongism will always have a following as lazy individuals will choose not to exercise their minds and fully examine their belief system. But also, the decline of Armstrongism is means fewer will have their lives wrecked by following this pernicious ideology. Here, then, are the reasons why Armstrongism will wither away:

 For Worldwide Church of God (WCG) offshoots that still subscribe to Armstrongism:

1. The theology itself. 

For years the Armstrongist theology was shielded by an official embargo. Members were strongly discouraged from studying religious issues independently. They were to be dependent on the official pronouncements of headquarters, especially from Armstrong himself, and on the teachings of the local ministry. However, Armstrong's theology is so full of holes that it cannot survive close scrutiny.  Because of the fragmentation of the churches in recent years, the embargo on outside religious information has weakened considerably. More and more members will study the Bible independently and, if they are open minded, they will inevitably conclude that Armstrongism is nonsense. They will leave the Armstrongist strongholds, hopefully for theologically sound Christian fellowships.

2. The incompetence of the ministry. 

From the lamentations we've been hearing since the closing of Ambassador College/University, you would think that we were losing one of the world's great institutions of learning. Actually, Ambassador College would be a laughing stock if not for the harm inflicted on the WCG membership by AC graduates. Ambassador was a catastrophe, and the trail of the church of God movement is littered with the human wreckage left behind by Ambassador College graduates. The world is better off for its passing. Most WCG and ex-WCG ministers are nothing more than little autocratic know-it-alls whose knowledge of the Bible is limited to what they learned from Armstrong himself or one of his stooges. In other words, they don't know very much, and most of what they do know is wrong. WCG ministers were taught to fudge answers to the difficult questions they would be asked about the inconsistencies in WCG theology. A really effective minister had to think on his feet and come up with convincing answers in a hurry. Having known many such ministers, I can assure you that they were very, very good at it. Another thing they are good at is turning the tables on you. If you have painted them into a theological corner, they are so skilled in debating techniques that they will have you on the defensive in no time, and will soon have you apologizing for questioning them. Finally, they had to be able to isolate those who were incorrigibly anti-Armstrong. If the malcontent couldn't be defeated by debating techniques, the minister had to isolate him from the membership, lest he poison them with dissident ideas. All this was necessary to keep the tithes and offerings flowing freely through the money pipeline, lest Herbert Armstrong be forced to sell his jet and fly business class like everybody else. While all of this is helpful in ensuring a subservient, unquestioningly loyal laity in Armstrongist groups, these "skills" are of no use in genuine Christianity. They are mind control techniques, not ministering techniques. Which brings us to our next point.

3. Today's WCG and ex-WCG ministers are not as adept at mind control as Herbert W. Armstrong was. 

Nothing is more disturbing to an autocratic minister than a member who thinks for himself. Love him or hate him, if there is one thing Joe Tkach, Sr. did for church members, it's that he made them think for themselves. He forced them to take a stand for or against Armstrongism. For the first time in years (possibly for the first time in their lives if they were born into the church) church members had to make a decision on their own. They had to decide whether to stay with the WCG or leave. Unfortunately, some made their decision and stopped thinking, submitting to whatever organization with which they allied themselves. But some continued to think independently. All WCG and ex-WCG members have been lied to, and there is not nearly as much trust for the ministry as there once was. Today, you'll rarely hear anyone say "If Mr. [fill in the blank: Hulme, Tkach, Meredith] tells me to jump, I ask how high." (Some may say that in Flurry's church, but they'll probably get disfellowshipped anyway.) In the past, the ministers would answer questions like "Is it OK to cook on the Sabbath;" or "What is the proper hair length for men?" Now they have to answer questions such as "Is it true that ministers only paid one tithe instead of three, and they got most of that back as an allowance to keep the Feast;" or "Did Herbert Armstrong really commit incest?" Failure to answer those questions satisfactorily is usually a signal to the member that it is time to move on. The various churches of God may be able to lure church members (or will they? See point 4.), but they will not be able to hold them because they are deficient in the art of mind control.

4. Today's churches of God don't sell their product as well as Herbert Armstrong did. 

The followers of Armstrongism are an aging group, and there are few coming into the churches to replace them. True, some of the church of God splinters report growth in membership. But they will admit that the vast majority of their new members are defectors from other church of God groups. There isn't very much new blood coming into the church of God movement. Basically, the various churches of God are simply passing members back and forth between themselves. Time will reduce their numbers. As the older members die off, and as dissatisfied members leave, the churches will shrink. Once again, this is not a bad thing. The various churches of God embrace one version or another of Armstrongism, a harmful heresy. The fewer Armstrongists there are in the world, the better.

-----Anonymous

Where are we in world events and Bible prophecy? Call the offices of Garner Ted Armstrong and The World Tomorrow! Dial 1-(903) 561-xxxx OR 1-(865) 774-xxxx right NOW!   Live reps available 24/7/365 to take your orders for FREE DVD's, CD's, Books, etc. absolutely FREE of charge, no cost, never any obligation!

For 7 decades Herbert W. Armstrong and his son Garner Ted Armstrong told the world THE PLAIN TRUTH and The Good News true biblical prophecies Christ HIMSELF taught concerning His return to EARTH and establishment of God's GOVERNMENT - the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth, in The WORLD TOMORROW!

www.cogwwm.org

www.garnertedarmstrong.com

www.davidantion.com

Call now for your FREE Christian materials, and feel free to ask to speak personally with Mark Armstrong, eldest grandson of Herbert W. Armstrong and son of Garner Ted! And thank you for your thoughtful time, comments and remembrance of HWA, GTA and the work God used them to accomplish! God Bless!

Blatant False Prophecies:

August 5, 2013
I was wondering if you still have Herbert Armstrong's Tangled Web book by David Robinson available in PDF form? I think it would be helpful.
We have stopped attending with United Church of God after reading some articles on the history of the WCG and HWA's failed prophecies. I had to really stop and think, "How could God endorse such doctrine proposed by a man who made blatant false prophecies?" UCG never talks of it's relationship with Armstrong. --No longer attending UCG

On August 19th, in a phone conversation with James Russell, of the Church of God in Truth, “Prove All Things”;  it was discovered that their Nyandiwa Scout Camp [Feast Site]arrangements had fallen through, but they weren’t aware of it in time to withdraw the announcement from being published in their magazine.  

In another unrelated search, it was discovered that a George Otieno was listed as a deacon in the “Continuing Church of God”, led by Bob Thiel.  Otieno is named as a ‘deacon’ in his organization, and is a representative for Thiel (and apparently Russell’s the Church of God in Truth, “Prove All Things”.) simultaneously. 
 
Otieno had contacted Thiel for the first time in about February of 2012 (claiming to have been a long-time member of the WCG / UCG / LCG over time).   Bob Thiel, until August 20th, was not aware of these other affiliations.  

He today (8/21) indicated that he’d found that George Otieno was nephew of Lukas Ogada.  We have long known that Polycal Ormondi Ogalo is also nephew of brother Lukas.  Just this morning (8/21/13) Simon Muthama, rep. for the Living Church of God in Kenya, wrote indicating that Polycap Ogalo and George Otieno are brothers.  

Thiel indicates that his sponsored Feast site was not Nyandiwa.  But, that George Otieno was the contact person for his site at Homa Bay!  The Continuing CoG website lists the location as the Prudence Hotel in Homa Bay.

We are at present drawn to conclude that these men were colluding to draw support from our two organizations, the CCoG-GJ and CoGit (and perhaps others).  When CCoG-GJ balked at sending $17,800+, the deal fell apart. 

CONTRIBUTION INFORMATION
Some folks in Oregon have completed the formation of a tax exempt fund raising organization, which will be used to fund the preaching of the Gospel.   These folks are long time visitors to our sites and long time supporters.
All contributions to   Gospel Outreach International  will be tax deductible in the United States.  These funds will then be provided to me for the preaching of the Gospel as I see fit.

All contributions from OUTSIDE the US may be made using Paypal on the sidebar, or through the mailing address in Canada.   LINK  See the FAQ’s page.

Residents in the United States should send checks made out to   Gospel Outreach International for taxation purposes.
Donations through Paypal at this site, are NOT tax deductible in the United States.

The mailing address is as follows:

Gospel Outreach International
560-A NE F Street, PMB 212
Grants Pass, OR 97526
Please remember that I had asked people to wait for this for their own tax benefit, and I have received almost no funds for some time.  With Feast and other expenses, funds are urgently needed.
It has been my experience that US Priority Mail is no faster than regular mail, so don’t waste money on that.