Dear Brothers and Sisters In Christ

Patrick and I have recently run into several of the Charlotte LCG brethren in different places while running errands around town. We were shocked to learn that they consistently believed that we had left the church and didn’t want to come back. I’m not sure if these was assumption on their parts or, if that is what people are being lead to believe from leadership. Nonetheless, we wanted to clear things up so you would have our side of things to put an end to the speculation once and for all. 

We love and miss ALL of our LCG brothers and sisters more than you will ever know. We think of little else. We truly considered all of you to be our family. We love you so much. Patrick and I have mourned the loss of our church and our friends like a death. The last 6 months have been absolutely awful. I cannot count the times I’ve cried or verbalize to you the profound gut wrenching sadness we have experienced over this loss. Our hearts are truly broken. We NEVER WANTED TO LEAVE LCG. We never even knew we were in threat of being dis-fellowshipped.

There have been many rumors as to why we were marked and dis-fellowshipped. At first, they believed we gave Cogwriter information about Mr. Apartian’s negative views of LCG at the end of his life which were posted on his blog. LCG called Bob Thiel and he fully exonerated us of all charges.  Next they believed that we had tried to get Charles Ogwyn to leave Living and to start a new church with us.  Again, there was not a shred of truth in this. Patrick spoke with Mr. Ogwyn and he confirmed that he had absolutely NO RECOLLECTION of any such conversation. He told us that he was going to tell Mr. McNair that his information was inaccurate and he is an honest man so we can only assume that he did exactly that. Next we were accused of causing division in the Charlotte congregation. There is again, no truth in this. I told them that they could interview all 250 Charlotte brethren and not one of them would say that Patrick and I were divisive. We fully agree with church doctrine. These offenses would possibly have been worthy of dis-fellowshipping but we were not guilty of any of them. 

To this day, 6 months later, we have still never been given so much as one truthful reason that warranted receiving the worst, most strict punishment available to LCG leadership; being completely cut off, being robbed of all our friends, having our names and reputations dragged through the mud for THINGS WE NEVER EVEN DID WITHOUT SO MUCH AS EVEN ONE COUNSELING SESSION. 

Initially, we truly believed that LCG had been given mis-information and that as soon as they became knowledgeable of our innocence they would make everything right and we would once again be in the fold of LCG brethren. Sadly, this didn’t happen. They are now fully aware that we had no hand in these things. Many of our friends all over the US have been questioned by church administration about our character, attitudes and loyalty. All have attested that we were not in any way divisive or in opposition to church doctrine.  Again we hoped that coming into that knowledge would soften them and help us return to the fold. Again, it had no effect.

For reasons that we do not understand, Mr. Meredith and Mr. McNair have hardened their hearts toward us and it appears that no amount of truth revealed can change their minds. 

I have written literally DOZENS AND DOZENS OF LETTERS pouring out my heart, begging for forgiveness for whatever offense I committed, pleading for them to at least meet with us to talk. We have called over and over again beseeching them to counsel with us. We even called Mr. Meredith directly one day (he knows the extension from having once worked at headquarters) but he said “I can’t talk” and hung up on him.  How can you mark someone you’ve never even spoken to? One would think that marking would be a last resort after trying repeatedly to work things out! There are even men who have, in fact, left LCG to form their own groups taking with them LCG members; and THEY aren’t marked but we are.

We met with Mr. League and Mr. McNair one time the week we were dis-fellowshipped. It wasn’t a counseling session but more of an interrogation session. There were a lot of things going on at the time and they asked us of our involvement in them (we weren’t).  I fully admitted to having had a negative attitude over things that had happened to me in the past. I explained why we had been attending outlying congregations and why I didn’t like attending in the Masonic Temple but I also explained that I had IN NO WAY BEEN TRYING TO GET OTHERS TO STOP ATTENDING IN CHARLOTTE. There are others, including ministers, who share my discomfort of worshipping the Almighty from a Pagan Temple. Dr. Winnail told me specifically, in writing, that others shared my concerns. They didn’t get dis-fellowshipped. There is an altar filled with ash from offerings right behind the curtain where ministers are standing to preach to us every Sabbath. The hall is a temple. One only has to scratch the surface of research to discover the abominable things that happen there. There are so many scriptures that outline what God thinks about being worshipped from Pagan temples (Deut 12:2 , Exo 23:24, Exo 34:13, Psalm 78:58 , Deut 7:5, 2chron 31:1, 2kings 18: 4, 1corin 10:20 ). I never judged others for attending in that temple.  I never tried to cause division over this issue. I just quietly made the personal decision not to attend in Charlotte after studying my Bible on how God feels when His people worship from Pagan temples. I was told from an evangelist AND a high ranking minister at headquarters that there was NO RULE THAT I HAD TO ATTEND MY LOCAL CONGREGATION and that it was okay if we kept the Sabbath in outlying congregations if it made us feel more comfortable. 

That night, Mr. League and Mr. McNair never alluded to the fact that we were in any trouble; never hinted at dis-fellowshipment or even suspension. In fact, Mr. McNair said that 100% of the people he had talked to corroborated that we were in no way involved with any of the divisions or heresies that were going around at the time. As a side note, the people that were involved ARE STILL SITTING IN THE CONGREGATION. They were willing to write over $20,000 in checks to earn forgiveness and avoid being kicked-out while others guilty of the same beliefs and behaviors that had no money were dis-fellowshipped.  In order for “justice” to appear to be fair, the same crimes have to have the same punishments. Otherwise it looks like favoritism or vendetta.  Proverbs 11:1 says, “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but just weight is His delight”.

As we left the meeting we were all hugging and talking about plans for the Feast which was just a few weeks away. We had no idea that we were going to receive a phone call from Mr. League and Mr. McNair the next morning saying that we were dis-fellowshipped per Mr. Meredith. We were caught completely off-guard and totally devastated. There was no mention of being marked. But then, two days later we were marked from the pulpit by Mr. McNair without ever being told. We found out from a shocked member of the congregation who immediately sent us a text message notifying us of the marking. We subsequently received a Fed Ex’d letter a few days later notifying us of the marking. By this time we had already begun to call and write feverishly begging for counselling; begging to work this out as Christians, as brothers and sisters. None of our letters were replied to. None of our phone calls returned. However, they hand wrote this at the bottom of our marking letter so at least we know they were aware of the fact that we wanted to counsel.

We didn’t let the letter discourage us. We continued to believe that this was all just a big mis-understanding and that eventually we would be called in to talk. I continued to write them on a nearly weekly basis; always begging for forgiveness; always pleading for mercy, love and grace; always expressing how much we love LCG and want to be a part of it; never getting a reply. Everything in us wanted to be back in our church; back with our brothers and sisters. We told them that we were “willing to do anything to clear our names”. They jumped to the conclusion that that meant we were going to sue them and so they started to spread that rumor throughout the church. To clarify, WE ARE NOT SUING THE CHURCH. 

As the 6 months drew closer, we were excited and hopeful to finally begin to work toward reconciliation. I wrote Mr. McNair again telling him how hopeful we were that we could work things out in time to keep the spring holy days with LCG. Again I poured out my heart in apology for my negative attitude and outlined many of the lessons this trial has shown me in my pre-Passover examination. My last letter got a reply, but not the one for which I had been praying for months. Rod McNair writes, “We are recommending another six months for you to examine yourselves, pray, fast, and ask God to grant you repentance”. ANOTHER 6 MONTHS?!? It was like being punched in the stomach.  How do you tell someone, we understand you want to counsel toward reconciliation but we’ve decided that we won’t even speak to you for AN ENTIRE YEAR??? Actions speak louder than words – their actions say “we don’t want you, stop begging to be back in the church”! The act of making us wait an entire year before even having a conversation with us is not love. It’s not shepherding. It doesn’t show mercy, kindness, forgiveness or any other attribute of Christian character. It’s hard and it’s mean spirited. God tells us in in John 13:34 that we are commanded to love one another and in that love He will know we are His disciples. Do LCGs actionstoward us show this love John speaks of?

God says that He doesn’t even want to lose one! The job of a shepherd is to go after lost sheep, help them and counsel them so that they can remain with the flock. Not push them off the edge of a cliff, never looking back. Ezekiel 34:4 is about irresponsible shepherds and it says, “The weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with force and cruelty you have ruled them”. I feel that this scripture perfectly describes what happened to us.

Even if the church truly believed that they had a genuine grievance with us they are incumbent in the spirit of Matthew 18 to at least TRY to work things out as brethren. Simply refusing to talk to us or return our emails is not a demonstration of following Christ. We should know the accusation and be given the opportunity to face our accusers, if for no other reason, than to be able to apologize to them.

God says in Romans 12 that Christians are not to repay evil for evil. Verse 18 says “if it possible live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay” says the Lord. Therefore if your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”.  If the Living Church of God really thought we were in trouble or slipping in anyway, the Bible instructs that they should have helped us. Matthew 5:43 admonishes us to do good to those against us. If LCG felt we were enemies worthy of marking, they should have showed us the love, mercy and “goodness” that Christ is speaking of AND THEN GONE THE EXTRA MILE. They should have showed us the fruits of the Spirit in kindness; NOT throw us out to the world to die. Again I tell you, WE NEVER WANTED TO BE OUT OF THE CHURCH. 

Forgiveness opens the door to reconciliation. An unforgiving spirit blocks the flow of God’s Spirit in our own lives. An unforgiving heart is paramount to the unpardonable sin. Mercy acknowledges that mistakes have been made BUT FORGIVES ANYWAY. True leadership is character in action. 1 John 4:20 says that if someone says ‘I love God’ but hates his brother, he is a liar. Mr. Meredith and Mr. McNair may say they love us, but their actions show otherwise. Friends who have dropped us like lepers may say they love us, but their actions say otherwise. 

Matt 5:23 says not to make an offering to God if you remember that your brother has something against you. First we are to make peace with our brother and then return to the alter to make the offering. This is God’s instruction, not our opinion. Not working to make peace is a direct violation to obedience to God.  Matt 22:9 says that the greatest commandment is love. The entire law and commandments are based on love. It’s legalistic to strictly keep the Sabbath and Holy days but to completely neglect the weightier matter of the law. THAT IS WHAT THE PHARISEES DID.

The God we worship cannot be pleased. The Christ I know prayed “Father, forgive them, for theydonotknowwhatthey are doing”. In His love and mercy He found forgiveness for the very men that were calling for His death!  His disciples betrayed Him, denied Him AND YET HE FORGAVE THEM. He is our perfect example. Yet LCG can’t find forgiveness for Patrick and me AFTER 6 month of shameless groveling, begging, pleading, praying for the trite crime of having a negative attitude???

Mr. Meredith used to always say, “follow me as I follow Christ”. I tell you brothers and sisters, Biblical principles HAVE IN NO WAY BEEN FOLLOWED in this situation.  Matthew 18 was not adhered to. As I mentioned, we still don’t even know what the accusation worthy of marking/dis-fellowshipping is. We were never given the opportunity to face our accusers or the opportunity to try to work things out as brothers in Christ through counselling or conversation.

We have been shocked at the number of very close friends who have completely severed ties with us to follow Mr. Meredith’s instruction even though they know we are good people, totally converted and not guilty of any crime worthy of the punishment we have received. I ask you, is that Godly character? Is it better to follow a man or to follow the instructions that our Savior left us with in His short time on earth? Christ preached that love was more important than even faith and hope. Christ preached that love covers a multitude of sins. Christ preached that we are to forgive our brother 7 times in a day if he repents and asks forgiveness.  We have felt completely abandoned by so many that we believed were true friends. It’s been devastating.

I understand and respect government but if what they are telling you to do is un-Christian and un-Biblical should you blindly follow? They are trying to put government over God’s written instruction. God is grace, mercy and abounding love and fairness. What is more important, man’s government which is tainted with ego, pride and self-will, or the Word of God? If a fallible man tells you to shun us but you know that it’s wrong, will you do it anyway? If they tell you we are bad but you have never seen evil in us, will you believe what they say or what you know based on personal experience? Sometimes God puts us through trials not just to see ourreactions but to see if others will do the right thing. Will you stand for what is right or condone questionable behavior in blind submission? If you know the truth but don’t act on it God says you are just as guilty as the one telling the lie. 

Many of you will say, “I want to be faithful to the church, that’s why I’m choosing to shun you”. Faithfulness means to God, not to an organization of men. To confuse that can cost you your salvation! They do not speak for Christ. There is but one mediator between God and men and it’s not LCG. It’s Jesus Christ (1 Tim 2:5).

As individuals we ask you to remember what you know of our character, review what God says about forgiveness and then decide if you are going to believe that we are enemies of Israel, dangerous and to be avoided; or, if we are begotten children of God, your brother, your sister; worthy of your love and your friendships. We love you all so much and pray you will choose the latter. 

We have come to the sad realization that LCG does not want us based on their actions and refusal to speak to us for a minimum of one year. We have done everything we know to do to try to get back into the church. I can’t force them to meet with us or forgive us any more than I can change the orbit of the earth. We have prayed our hearts out. Many friends have also prayed their hearts out. For reasons we may never understand, it is now clear that we won’t be allowed back into LCG.

Many have advised us that we should not attend with other groups as it will prove our loyalty to LCG. We have 2 children at impressionable ages so we must attend church. We have attended with COGWA and UCG and had excellent sermons across the board. It is clear that they too are God’s people. There are good and bad in every group but the good by far outweighs the bad. We can’t tell our kids that we have to obey God by keeping the Sabbath and the holy days and then stay home alone. We want them to love God and keep His ways so we need to set the example. Again, expecting us to stay home from church for AN ENTIRE YEAR would be suggesting that we put the word of man above the word of God. That is something that we are not willing to do. Besides, we will all be judged as individuals, not a group or corporate organization.

We love and miss all of you so very much. We realize that you cannot openly be our friends out of fear of retaliation from the authority. Ruling by fear instead of leading by example is a scary precedence.  People have literally told us that they want to see us and that they love us but that THEY ARE SCARED THAT THEY WILL GET IN TROUBLE if Mr. McNair or Mr. Meredith find out.  I don’t think they realize how crazy that statement sounds. We are each responsible for our decisions and our friendships. They do not have the authority to scare you into staying away from converted brothers and sisters for unfounded reasons. There are multiple members of the council of elders who know our character and know that we are not guilty of any offense worthy of dis-fellowshipping but they too are scared to openly defend us.  It leaves us wishing that people had more courage but that is beyond our control. Will no one stand up when they see blatant injustice?

Hearing those types of words definitely throws up red flags. Telling members that they can’t fellowship with us even after they know we are not guilty of causing division is very much like the obedience demanded by people like Gerald Flurry. Members being “scared” of the ministry is cause for question. Anytime friendship is contingent on membership in the same group, it’s cause for alarm. Shepherds are to teach you right from wrong ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD and then trust that you are mature intelligent adults capable of discerning good from bad, right from wrong. You should all be free to make your own decisions. It is a shepherd’s responsibility to seek out the truth; to be slow to act; to avoid false accusations of the brethren. Only pride, arrogance, inability to admit they have made a mistake and plain out-right meanness is to blame for the refusal to show Philadelphian love; the refusal to be peacemakers.

Over the years we have been completely dedicated to the Living Church of God. I used to spend hours baking so that I could fill each hotel room with snacks and bottled waters when there was a ministerial conference. Patrick worked at headquarters at his own expense for nearly 5 years. He provided computers, paid for all his own business expenses for trips to set up Feast sites and to attend  the Religious Conference Meeting Association conference each year to network for better deals for the church and its brethren. We used our personal vehicles as a church taxi service for years at all hours of the day or night, rain, sleet, ice or snow anytime anyone was in need. I would make snack packs for ministers to enjoy as they arrived to their 2^nd or 3^rd Feast site completely worn out from travel and work. I hosted cocktail parties and dinner parties, not for myself, but so that visiting members would have a place to fellowship instead of being stuck in a hotel room with nothing to do as was often the case. We opened our home like a bed & breakfast FOR YEARS to visiting ministry. We single-handedly paid for the Tomorrow’s World television program to air on Kansas City channel 29 for a long time. We helped brethren be able to attend the Feast of Tabernacles when they otherwise would not have been able to afford to attend. Patrick paid to hire a software programmer to develop what you know as the Festival Registration Program when the church was stuck in the dark ages using paper registration forms that had to be manually entered to figure out how to plan on the correct numbers of brethren at each Feast site. Patrick has always been there when ANYONE needed him. He took care of widows, installed fireplaces, laid carpet, graded backyards with a Bobcat, cleaned houses, poured yards and yards of concrete to build patios, towed cars, fixed cars, picked up brethren the side of the highway after they totaled cars, etc, etc. The list goes on and on. We have always tried to be there for our brothers and sisters in need. We did these things NOT because we are enemies of the church trying to cause division but rather because we loved the church, believed they were doing the Work and loved our brothers and sisters. 

Some will say that this very letter is divisive. That is not the message we hope you take away. We feel we have a right to say our side of events without being accused of causing division. After all, they proclaimed their side when they stood in front of 250+ members and read our names as enemies of the church. Justice is blind. One should have both sides prior to making a determination. Shining the light on how wrongly this situation has been handled will likely upset them.  They don’t want you to know how hard we have fought to be back in the church because it makes them look bad. We have not attempted in any way to cause division. Separating best friends, brothers and sisters... that’s divisive. Not following Matthew 18 and not showing mercy and love to fellow begotten children of God… that’s divisive. If anything, THEY are causing division by acting unfairly and unequally with the brethren.

We didn’t leave LCG and we never committed any crime worthy of being dis-fellowshipped or marked. We pray you will remember who we are, truly are, instead of believing the false narrative that is being portrayed. We treasure our friends and understand the fear that many have expressed regarding openly being our friends. We would love nothing more than to continue positive brotherly private relationships with our LCG family members; summer BBQ’s, boat rides and family fun. We love you all!

Patrick & Elizabeth Scarborough

One person got fired and disfellowshipped because he took two of the others into his home. One had absolutely nothing, no money, no car, no home,no food, because his wife had thrown him out and everything was in her name. So he did the christian thing and took him in.

League and McNair came to him and told him he had to put them out on the street. To make them grovel and repent to them. He could not do it. It just seemed so unchristian. So they fired him and disfellowshipped him. And to make matters worse his wife was undergoing cancer treatment.

I heard that Meredith is so pissed off about this letter that he is going to mark them AGAIN next Sabbath. How funny! How many times can he do the same thing before he realizes it makes him look like an even bigger idiot?!

Meredith, "How dare you tell your side of things? I double super mark you! When I'm a spirit being I will zap you with a bolt of lightening!"

The behavior of McNair and Meredith is frightfully demonic.

I hope the light being shinned on the ungodly actions of LCG leadership will wake people up.

Meredith want them to think that he has the power but it is the members who have all the power. If they stand up against this type of blatant abuse instead of doing nothing maybe things could change.

I believe everything in this letter. Not because I know the victims but because I know how Meredith has ALWAYS operated and because of his worldwide reputation as a big fat LIAR.

My heart goes out to these people. I can't imagine writing "dozens of letters" and wanting to be with the people you perceive to be your "family and friends" but being left out in the cold "to die". I'm sure that they will look back on this in a year and be glad they are no longer subject to this type of unchristian rule.

Fly free little birds...

Well it’s official. I received a letter, e-mail and text from my congregational Pastor on Friday, March 29th, 2015 informing me that I’ve been “suspended” from attending Sabbath services with the Living Church of God because I believe that the ordained ministers of the Living Church of God believe, practice and teach as doctrines some ideas that are clearly the commandments and traditions of men (Mark 7:6-9 ESV) or as the letter states, “You have made it obvious in your writings to Charlotte that you consider us to be following a false prophet and heretic, Mr. Armstrong, who was inspired to restore most all of our fundamental doctrines. Accordingly you write that we, ministers who preach and teach these inspired doctrines, are preaching prophetic heresy. You also accuse us of not preaching the broadly accepted Nicene family’s trinity fable. You are therefore being suspended from attendance with a church that you feel is heretical.”

Never mind that the Pastor who wrote the letter would consistently avoid answering questions and provide any evidence at all that would support the claims that he made against information that I shared with the LCG ministry, and would use all sorts of fallacious argument tactics to try to prove that LCG’s claims and ideas were correct and my view points were false.

Types of fallacious argument tactics used:

Attacking an Individuals Age: You’ve only been alive for “X amount” of years and you think you know better than those who have been alive longer than you and have lived this way of life for “Y amount” of years or more?

Attacking Years of Experience: Our organization has been around for “X amount” of years and you think that in your “Y amount” of years as a member of this church organization that you know more?

Position of Authority:If you are in disagreement with the Ordained Church Leaders of this church organization, then you are in disagreement with God!

It was clear that things had to go this pastors way or the highway. He has also done this to others in our congregation.

Leo

1 Timothy 1) Above reproach, 2) Husband of one wife, 3) Temperate, 4) Prudent, 5) Respectable, 6) Hospitable, 7) Able to teach, 8) Not addicted to wine, 9) Not belligerent, 10) Gentle, 11) Uncontentious, 12) Free from love of money, 13) Manages household well, 14) Not a new convert, 15) A good reputation inside and outside the church.

Titus 1) Above reproach, 2) Husband of one wife, 3) Having children who believe, 4) Not self-willed, 5) Not quick tempered, 6) Not addicted to wine, 7) Not belligerent, 8) Not fond of sordid gain, 9) Hospitable, 10) Lover of what is good, 11) Sensible, 12) Just, 13) Devout, 14) Self-controlled, 15) Holding fast the word —both to exhort and refute.

The main objective of this manual is to assist Pastors in their support of that mission, which is: 

• Preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and the true name of Jesus Christ.

• Preach the END-time prophecies and the Ezekiel warning to the Israelitish peoples.

• Feed the flock and build all our members to the stature of Jesus Christ, as best we can.

• Be EXAMPLES to the Church at large and to the world of Christ’s way of life.

• Learn and practice Servant Leadership in all our dealings with others.

• Build an atmosphere of radiant FAITH within God’s Church.

• Restore Apostolic Christianity and all that this implies. (pg 0-1)

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal. 3:28

Management Principles of the Ministry 

 

Love 

The guiding principle governing operational relationships within Church Administration is the principle of love as defined by Jesus Christ (Mark 12:31).  This is the guiding principle that must be applied by all Pastors and administrative personnel.  

Teamwork 

As brothers in Christ, we must strive to meet basic human needs in the process of performing the Work of God.  Personal needs of Pastors must be balanced with the needs of the Church.  We will work as a team to perform the objectives of the Church under Jesus Christ’s leadership. 

Hierarchical Government 

God’s government is hierarchical (Ephesians 4:11; Hebrews 13:17).  God established organizational structure so that all things may be done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40).  

Servant Leadership 

While hierarchical, God’s government is based on servant leadership (1 Kings 12:7).  Pastors must be concerned for and sensitive to the needs of God’s people (Matthew 20:25-27).  There must be mutual respect for each other as co-workers and as brothers in Christ, as well as respect for the office held by each person.  All Pastors and administrative personnel should recognize that personal equality does not negate the existence of a hierarchy of offices or responsibilities within the ministry.  We will respect these offices for the Work’s sake, but at no time does the authority of office negate the duty to show Christ’s love, respect, and concern for others.  

Fairness and Equity 

The Apostle Paul’s charge to Timothy supports Christ’s teaching to the Apostles concerning “doing the Work.”  “I charge you before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and the elect angels that you observe these things without prejudice, doing nothing with partiality” (1 Timothy 5:21).  Church Administration and Pastors must strive to operate with fairness and equity, without partiality or favoritism in regard to management.  Work assignments are based on experience, ability, training, and needs of the Work.  

Open Communication

We expect Pastors and administrative personnel to encourage constructive communication and participation in the decision-making process as is reasonable and consistent with prudent management of the Work. 

Freedom for Personal Management Style 

Each Pastor and administrator has freedom of management style within the parameters of wisdom and discernment in the framework of God’s law, and within the policies of the Living Church of God.

It is easy to see that the above “standards” that LCG claims to follow are continually broken and certainly are not adhered to by many ministers and church leaders.

I always had this gut feeling, this unnerving inkling somewhere way in the back of my mind all throughout the entire time I had been a part of Living Church of God that something wasn't right. Of course I learned quickly to dismiss it as a thought from Satan, encouraged to pray harder and fast more and "draw closer to God" to resist the devil. That in itself doesn't prove anything, but I had studied gut feelings as a part of my University certificate (prior to LCG) and it is absolutely true that gut feelings are more than just vague paranoia or imagined fear.

"Your sub-conscious which operates ten times faster than your conscious mind has picked up on signals of danger that your conscious mind has not yet processed."1

"Controlling my information was something I experienced first hand being at Living University, and beforehand. One particularly memorable moment was when I found a book in the LU library titled The Armstrong Empire.(A Look at the Worldwide Church of God) by Joseph Hopkins.4 It was later removed upon realising what it was about when I brought it to two of the ministers to check out and read. I could have just taken it, but it was a simple experiment. Along with my being instructed not to read Exit Support Network™, Cult Awareness and Information Centre, or similar ones, because it was either "dissident material" or just plain "doctrines of demons" or "it will drag you away from the truth." This is not exclusive to the LCG, it is a common practise among Bible-based cult groups who insist they are the "one true church." However, when you are being subjected to it you don't realise that is what's happening. You are told to pray more, fast more, draw closer to God and made to feel incredibly guilty and like you're not measuring up.

It began to concern me when I was told to do just that. Don't read anything that contradicts or challenges the group theology. If you want to prove anything you have to refer to the group literature/authority because everyone else is "blinded." It is a ridiculous mentality to have but when you are indoctrinated in it you genuinely believe what you are told, and I did. But it didn't stop those gut feelings of "something is not right."

I began to become more and more concerned with the way I was being treated and the way in which my girlfriend [in LCG] was expected to act and react and interact. I was told to ignore her completely, told not to talk to her, to avoid sitting next to her. We both thought we were doing the right thing but it doesn't change how miserable I made her feel. It doesn't change that people in the future will still be subjected to such abuse quite frankly under the guise of a minister telling you "God" wills it and that He is testing you. I am sorry for the way I let people manipulate me into treating her that way. I was always told "wrong time," it's "not God's will." In reality the idea was that I needed to be indoctrinated properly, to dedicate my life to the group (through baptism) then be "a useful tool in God's hands" so that they would have assurance I would pledge total allegiance, lifelong loyalty and service to their group and place it before anything else. Although, of course, that's not what is said. You're told it's "the one true God" you're worshipping. My girlfriend became a threat to my potential "to be used", because if I came to Living University, fell in love with her, left and got married (even if we remained in the group) what an awful waste that would be of a perfectly good potential minister. We're always told there's a shortage of young men."

A Pastor Must Be Self-Controlled—Not Quick To Get Angry 

“…A bishop then must be… not violent…but gentle, not quarrelsome…” (1 Timothy 3:2-3) 
Pastors sometimes have to deal with frustrating and exasperating situations.  A Pastor must have the character—and LOVE for others—to control his own spirit, even in the midst of difficult situations, and even with people who are irrational or belligerent.  In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he said: 
2 Timothy 2:24-26 “And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.”
 
When a problem arises, imagine that you are arriving at the scene of a fire.  The fire is the problem you are facing.  Imagine that you have two buckets in your hands—one is filled with water, and the other is filled with gasoline.  Which one you use upon arriving at the scene has a lot to do with the outcome of the situation.  Can you defuse the situation by using a calm but firm hand?  Or do you react with anger in kind, further exacerbating an already bad situation? 

A Pastor must exhibit emotional control to successfully function in his capacity.  He must be able to bear insult without retaliation.  Jesus set that example.  He did not lash out or take revenge on those who ridiculed Him.  As Peter wrote: 

1 Peter 2:21-25  “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth’;  who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed.  For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 

This does not mean that a Pastor must not defend the members or the office of the ministry or must not occasionally act with decisive action.  But he must keep his own personal feelings out of it, as much as possible, with God’s help.  He must not fall into a “siege mentality” where he begins to see everyone as either for him or against him.  He must strive to minimize controversy and polarization wherever possible.  He must deal squarely and decisively on the facts, based on sound biblical principles, with all due patience and long-suffering and without personal antagonism or anger. 

This takes careful self-examination of motives and intentions.  It takes deep reflection to examine one’s own personal motives—and the humility to admit to oneself when one is acting on pride  Proverbs 16:32 “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”  Proverbs 14:29 “He who is slow to wrath has great understanding, but he who is impulsive exalts folly.”   Proverbs 15:1 “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” pg 1-4, 1-5

It is so sad...Meredith just loves to wash other peoples sins in public. So how does it feel Meredith? Remember what you did to Tod Crockett? How about the Robinsons? Or even better how about Mr. Bryce? How about Josh and Tom and Ray and Ro and Theo and Lani Shall I go on? There are many many others. YOU lied about Mr. Bryce and everything that happened when you fired him. YOU lied about all of them.

Darryl I read your full original letter, and I think you are exactly correct in your assessment and how you are responding now.

As for "2 to 3 years left", I heard Roderick Meredith himself speak with no less dogmatism and certainty of "maybe 4 to 8 years left" in the early 1970s(!).

As for the suppression of critical thinking that you describe at "Living University", you are absolutely right that any real university teaches weighing of evidence and reading multiple sides of informed discussions of issues. Where is Dr. Germano in all this? I knew Dr. Germano long ago as a sound and intelligent critical thinker, and now he is mixed up with this? Finally, let me tell you, Roderick Meredith is one not-very-admirable person to look up to as a religious leader. Never mind that he seems not to have developed a single original thought or idea in his entire life's history of preaching. If his message was a good one that would be forgivable. I personally heard him, along with several thousand others, on the opening night of the Feast of Tabernacles 1969 in Mount Pocono, say how if he were president he could end the war in Vietnam in one-half hour. He repeated it a couple of times, sort of smiling and relishing the point. Although he did not directly say so, it sounded like he was talking about simply nuking North Vietnam off the map, thus ending the war in one-half hour. Meredith never apologized, clarified, or retracted that statement, which is utterly horrifying--making serious statements of intent about genocide, about mass annihilation. To the contrary Meredith seemed proud of it, as if showing what a man he was that he could give the word to exterminate hundreds of thousands of people just like that. And all this on the opening night of a religious festival. Of course Meredith then was also not thinking an original thought--he was channeling, albeit in extreme form, the climate and the culture of the one doing his thinking for him, HWA (Meredith was at that time #3 in the WCG, superintendent of the US ministry under HWA and GTA).

These are violent, violent, people in their hearts--as the heart thinks, the mouth speaks--even if they are externally law-abiding and restrict their malevolence to ideas and speech and manipulation of human minds.

They preach British-Israelism which is other language for thinking white people have divine entitlement to the world's best natural resources and to take and keep such by military conquest and force--simple imperial ideology with dehumanizing of any native peoples who happen to be in the way.

If Meredith showed signs of self-reflection, growth, remorse--genuine repentance--over these past blatant advocacies and relishing of thoughts of mass murder, that would be one thing. But that is not the case from anything that I have seen reported. You did well to think analytically and run, not walk, out of there to the productive and meaningful life you have possible ahead now. I sincerely hope you can talk with your girlfriend and work through this with her, and that she can recognize again the good soul that you are as you have shown by your growth in this experience. God bless you. (p.s. you might find reading books by Frank Schaeffer of interest and helpful.) gld

I attended lcg church for aproximately eight years. I am a black man who attended sabbath services faithfully. I would always follow along through the scriptures with whom ever the speaker would be, and in doing so, I would only study what had been taught by way of lituriture that he would refer you to. Mr. Roderick Meredith would sometimes start fist pounding saying things like: “check up on me, check out what we say in the pages of your own bible”; or things like “brethren, we must warn our peoples”. Sometimes shouting and fist pounding. And we (blacks) heard this so much that we started talking among ourselves saying; “now wait a minute! Where are we in the scriptures? Surely whites are not the only ones in the bible! But thats all they’d stress”. So after so much talking over time, I started praying and asking our Lord; “why are we as a people looked down upon as we are, and even in the church, why are we persecuted more than any other people in this world”? Once, a time while taveling home from a feast site; I had two passengers riding who were of Phillipian desent. Somehow the races became the topic of conversation, I was blown away when the back seat passenger said: “you see Kennie, you people are from Ham, and this is why you all are under the curse!” I was almost angry enough to pull off the highway and put her out of my vehicle, but Jesus would not have done so. But this is what was and is still taught at lcg, that white people are the true Israelite people; as HWA has stated that his grandmother is on the lineage of King David; the throne of David even now sits in Wales! I was wow’d when I heard all this jiberish from Doug Winnail. But, when I heard him at our congregation speak about marriage, I just really was done. To say things like, people should stay with their own kind is not God like. I fill that he was sent there just to relay that message to blacks, to stay with your own.

So I then refused to invite my eldest son and his family to the church because his wife is white. But after alot of talking and praying about these things, I started to search the scriptures for myself, and low and behold, the Lord directed me to places in the bible that I had never been before! Scriptures that Mr Meredith, Doug Winnail, Richard Ames, and a host other ministers constantly danced around or quickly skimmed over picking and choosing always in certain areas of the Bible to get their point across, but never, never, not even once out of eight long years did they even remotely touch on certain scriptures.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal. 3:28

In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him Acts 10:34-35

• today: 4.3 in Guthrie, Oklahoma, United States
• this week: 4.3 in Guthrie, Oklahoma, United States
• this month 4.3 in Guthrie, Oklahoma, United States

Guthrie is just north of Edmond, OK

Oklahoma, United States has had  (M1.5 or greater)

• 56 earthquakes in the past 7 days
• 218 earthquakes in the past month
• 1,752 earthquakes in the past year

Darryl, you have witnessed and experienced life in an organization that has degenerated into cultic institutionalism, spawned by typical bureaucratic dysfunction mated with the peculiar COG aristocracy of the ministry. Many here will argue that it always has exhibited this characteristic, which may be true, but you can at least see that LCG has suffered increasing corruption since the Global Church of God days when Roderick C. Meredith wrote the booklet WhenShould You Follow Church Government?

Consider the following from Gene Getz in his book, Sharpening The Focus Of The Church (p. 252), which gives the following "symptoms" of institutionalism, (and in the case of LCG it is "cultic institutionalism" when combined with the pervasive theology of supreme apostolic authority held by the ministry):

1-- The organization (the form and structure) becomes more important than the people who make up the organization.

2-- Individuals begin to function in the organization more like cogs in a machine.

3-- Individuality and creativity are lost in the structural mass.

4-- The atmosphere in the organization becomes threatening rather than open and free; people are often afraid to ask uncomfortable questions.

5-- The structural arrangements in the organization have become rigid and inflexible.

6-- People are serving the organization more than the objectives for which the organization was brought into existence. In other words, means have become ends.

7-- Communication often breaks down, particularly because of a repressive atmosphere and lots of red tape.

8-- People become prisoners of their procedures. The "policy manual" and the "rule book" get bigger, and fresh ideas are few and far between.

9-- In order to survive in a cold structure, people develop their own special interests within the organization, creating competitive departments and divisions. The corporate objective gives way to a multitude of unrelated objectives which, inevitably, results in lack of unity in the organization as a whole.

10-- Morale degenerates and people lose their initiative; they become discouraged and often critical of the organization and of others in the organization--particularly its leaders.

11-- As the organization gets bigger and as time passes, the process of institutionalization often speeds up. A hierarchy of leadership develops, increasing the problems of communication from the top to the bottom and the bottom to the top. People toward the bottom, or even in the middle of the organizational structure, feel more and more as if they "really don't count" in the organization.7

When these symptoms are present cultic institutionalism has already "progressed" into its advanced stages.

Drought and weather issues: Any relationship to the homosexual agenda?

 “Should the court require the states and the people to ‘ritualize’ sodomite behavior by government issuance of a state marriage license, it could bring God’s judgment on the nation,” the brief warns. “Holy Scripture attests that homosexual behavior and other sexual perversions violate the law of the land, and when the land is ‘defiled,’ the people have been cast out of their homes.” WND

The homosexual agenda has a cost.  I believe that the USA is experiencing part of that cost now. That is why I put the California weather item and the homosexual warning article next to each other.
Does that mean it is not possible for the drought to end?

No, but I do believe that the acceptance of the homosexual agenda affects weather as that is taught in the Bible.

Partially because of events leading up to ‘the time of Jacob’s trouble’ (Jeremiah 30:7), many events will hit the USA and its Anglo-Saxon descended allies harder than they have.  The odd weather patterns we have seen may well be part of the ‘beginning of sorrows’ and ‘troubles’ Jesus spoke of in Mark 13:8.

Our God is going to be kicking ass and taking names!

"Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle...And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth." --Zechariah 14:3, 12

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war...And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh." --Revelation 19:11, 21

"What a DIVINE RETRIBUTION against armies that will fight against Christ! What a demonstration of the Divine Power with which the glorified Christ will rule all nations! REBELLION against God's LAW and God's RULE must, and speedily will be put down!" --The Wonderful World Tomorrow: What It Will Be Like by Herbert W. and Garner Ted Armstrong (1973)

"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works...And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." --Revelation 20:12, 15

Those who are familiar with the Armstrong Church of God culture can probably remember a sermon or two where the speaker would work himself up almost to the point of orgasm describing just how horrible God's wrath was going to be when Christ returned to this earth. There was a gleam in their eyes as they described God's justice, and how wicked mankind will finally get his just deserts. I remember Herbert Armstrong thundering from his desk: "This world is rotten, it's corrupt, it's damnable; and it's going to go!" Wiped out by Divine retribution. Of course, all of this was based on a very literal interpretation of the prophecies being quoted. There could be no doubt that God intended a real blood bath, and it was absolutely certain that it was going to happen in the near future.

For the sake of argument, let's say they were right about that literal interpretation of these passages. They were still wrong! It is now clear to me that they made the same mistake that the prophet Jonah made (along with many others). They had their own notions about fairness - about what was just and what was not just. However, unlike Jonah, they projected their own anger and thirst for vengeance onto God. Jonah ran away from his assignment to prophesy against Nineveh; because he knew that God was gracious, merciful, slow to anger and prone to great kindness. (Jonah 4:2) In other words, he knew that God wouldn't do all of the horrible things which he had prophesied against the citizens of Nineveh if they repented of their sins. In modern language, "God doesn't have enough backbone - He's too soft on these sinners - He's too quick to forgive - Kill them God! Give those miserable b-st-rds what they deserve!"

Hmmm, maybe it's a very good thing that "His" thoughts are not our thoughts, and "His" ways are not our ways. (Isaiah 55:8) What do you think?God Cannot Be Contained blog 

As Meredith becomes more and more flaccid because of the weakened state of his mind, the sharp minded Doug Winnail is more easily able to manipulate him into condoning his agenda to advance Living University. It has always been a dream of the COGs to re-create Ambassador College although most question why.

Many LCG members and a large number of ministers do not support this expansion. Before his death, Dibar Apartian openly and strongly spoke out against spending so much time and money for LU. It has been an area of contention discussed for years and it is a contributing factor to the growing feeling of discontent within LCG.

Last year the church reported that $800,000  tithe-payer dollars (1/20th of the income) went to support Living University. What insiders know is that there are MANY hidden costs that are sheltered elsewhere so as not to alarm members and ministers alike. It's a clam shell game. Shave a little here, hide it over there, etc. Most  members have little business experience and are not aware of these commonly practiced tricks of the trade. LCG has mastered the practice of manipulating numbers to tell the story they want instead of reflecting reality. It's Worldwide all over again.

The vast majority of tithe payers would rather put all that cash into "preaching the gospel" as commissioned by Christ. Up and coming ministers could continue to be trained by more experienced ministers in the currently established, practically free, ministerial training program. But alas, that would make too much sense and wouldn't really feed any egos.

It is not widely known that LCG is currently planning to pour potentially millions of dollars of hard-earned tithe money into the purchase of housing/ dorms for Living University students AND for the purchase of yet another office building (they already have one for the headquarters staff and one for the media department) to house university staff and classrooms. They are actively working on finding suitable properties right now.

Once the members come into this knowledge, it will likely form an even deeper crack in the LCG foundation further dividing the members from the executors.

It has been speculated that Winnail, who is now the Director of Church Administration and a member of the Council of Elders, sees himself as taking over LCG once Meredith dies. In this scenario, Doug would appoint his minister son, Scott, to become the University's dean as soon as Germano retires (or sooner). He is already being groomed for that office.

Although Meredith has already named Richard Ames as his successor, he is old and has major health issues of his own so it is unlikely that he will ever really be top dog. Members whisper that the most likely split after RCM's imminent death will be Winnail vs. Jim Meredith. A few will also throw in the possibility of the ultra-conservative Gerald Weston who is currently the head of LCG in Canada. One thing is for sure, it will be like an episode of Clash of the Titans.

Which will bankrupt LCG first? Living University or Jim Meredith? Only time will tell....

 

Ronald Weinland, an author whose books have gone into over 170 countries in 7 languages, is first and foremost an apostle to the One Almighty Eternal God. Preceded by Herbert W. Armstrong who led the Worldwide Church of God, Ronald Weinland is an apostle in a long lineage of God’s apostles, beginning with the original 12 who began their work in 31 AD, long before others emerged falsely calling themselves Christian.

Ronald Weinland is the last apostle in this final age of man’s self-rule. That self-rule will end with the second coming of Jesus Christ who returns to put an end to WW III and bring peace to this earth – peace which mankind has been unable to achieve for 6,000 years. He came the first time, nearly 2,000 years ago, as God’s Passover Lamb who made possible the forgiveness of sins for mankind. This time, he is coming as a “Lion” with great supernatural power to chasten, battle, and conquer those who are destroying the earth. Jesus Christ will then establish a one-world government under his reign – in peace – for the next 1,000 years.

 Historical accounts have some variance, but it is believed that most all of the original apostles, including Paul who was the apostle to the gentiles, were imprisoned and eventually killed. The last apostle to write scripture was John, who was also a prophet, and while imprisoned by the government of his time on the Isle of Patmos, he had revealed to him the Book of Revelation, which he then wrote. Ronald Weinland is the only other apostle who has also been made a prophet by God and Jesus Christ.

Since the days of John, nearly 1,900 years ago, God’s true Church has not been accustomed to having a prophet, but God made Ronald Weinland a prophet in 1997. 

Ronald Weinland is the last apostle to be sent to this world, and as such, God has established through him a final testimony (witness) of mankind’s true attitude and spirit toward God Himself. This has been made manifest (revealed) through “the many” who have turned in bitterness, hatred, disgust, mockery, ridicule, and slander toward the one whom God has sent.

Much of mankind’s true attitude has also been revealed through Ronald Weinland’s trial and imprisonment by the government of the United States. He began serving his sentence in February of 2013, with a release date in February of 2016. God has established the true spirit of mankind through the ages by how his prophets and apostles have been treated, with so many of them being imprisoned and even many killed.

The Internet team at the United Church of God is always looking for ways to improve our visitor's experience. Over the past several months we've been very busy building something that we think you'll love! We're very happy to say we're almost ready to unveil the new UCG.org website!

The Internet has changed really quickly! For years the strategy was to put as much content on your homepage as possible so search engines could find your site and make sure that visitors could find the information they were looking for. With advances from search engines, this isn't the case anymore. We're planning to move all gospel-preaching content off of the "United Church of God" section of the website, and really focus in on who we are as a Church.

We're going to give visitors a much clearer way to find a congregation near them and a really good idea of what they can find when they get to services. We'll show them our outreach efforts, sermons, and even invite them in to watch a webcast Sabbath service so they can answer God's calling.