Church of God News

Barack Obama

COGwriter

In the latest issue of Tomorrow’s World magazine, LCG’s Roderick C. Meredith wrote the following:

In the very thick of the United States’ election season, many Americans have lost sight of the Big Picture! Where is the U.S. really headed? Are any of the current presidential candidates even remotely capable of solving the truly massive problems that will certainly confront the next U.S. President?

Furthermore, those few Americans who are genuinely willing to believe and trust the God of the Bible may ask: is our vaunted “democratic process” really the best way to run a nation?

Few realize that—partly because of democracy—the U.S. is headed for a financial catastrophe unless major changes occur! As Election Day approaches, will either the Democratic or Republican nominee have the boldness to tell citizens just how serious the problem really is—and how it must affect each of them in the pocketbook?

Four years ago, neither major candidate had such nerve. As USA Today pointed out in a front page article shortly before the 2004 election: “American taxpayers have a hidden debt of at least $53 trillion [Emphasis ours] in government obligations, mostly from Medicare, Social Security and the federal debt. This debt equals $473,456 per household, dwarfing the $84,454 in personal debt per household owed for mortgages, car loans and other borrowing. The federal government would have to double taxation or cut benefits in half immediately to make good on its promises of providing health care and pension benefits for retirees in the coming decades. Both major political parties and the presidential candidates have avoided confronting the problem for fear of angering voters” (October 4, 2004).

Has anything really changed? Of course, the actual debt has grown larger—USA Today not long ago reported that the debt figure had increased to $516,348 per household. A colossal financial “iceberg” is about to hit “Battleship America,” and possibly even sink it, but the “fear of angering voters” will likely keep this issue out of public view again this election year!

Why?

Because, in our modern “democracies” (whether pure democracies or representative republics), politicians must be very selective about which facts they tell the voters. Generally, they must tell people only what they want to hear—whether it is true or not. When politicians confront the public with too much reality, it usually amounts to committing political suicide! The most successful politicians are usually the ones who promise the most: “I’ll cut your taxes and still give you greater benefits.” That is “democracy at work.”

In this morning’s news, the campaign of Barack Obama is reported as stating:

“A clear majority of elected delegates will send an unmistakable message — the people have spoken, and they are ready for change,” Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said in an e-mail message to supporters. http://news.aol.com/elections/story/_a/obama-to-reach-delegate-milestone/20080519210609990001?icid=1616058736×1202742061x1200306149

And it is extremely likely that Barack Obama will receive the Democratic nomination for the US presidency.

There seems to be an unusual Kenyan “prophecy” that indicates that a Kenyan will be responsible for enough change to result in the destruction of the United States (please see Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States). Whether or not that is true, it is certainly possible that the Great Tribulation will begin within the next 8 years (before the end of the next two USA presidential terms).

While I believe that both Barack Obama and John McCain (the Republican presumptive nominee) are well intentioned, I do not believe either has a real clue on how to properly change the direction of the United States. And I believe that without massive repentance, the destruction of the United States will likely occur next decade.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Should a Christian Vote? This article gives some of the Biblical rationale on this subject. This is a subject Christians need to understand.
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? When does the six thousand years of human rule end?
End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? There is a Mayan calendar prediction for change in 2012. 2012 changes were also centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans and the Hindu Indians (who were not even on the same continent). Do these Mayan/Hindu/Hopi prophecies have any value? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Does the Dresden codex show destruction of the earth by flood? Can the great tribulation start before 2012?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin?

Has Winter Hit UCG in the Spring?

COGwriter

Late this morning, the following was on UCG’s official members’ website:

The annual General Conference of Elders meeting included a special Sabbath service May 17. President Clyde Kilough gave a sermon on spiritual maturity that was heard by an estimated 5,400 members. There were 196 elders and 146 elders’ wives registered for the conference, and 90 congregations were on phone hookups. There were also 401 video Web connections, 53 English audio connections and nine Spanish connections…

Mr. Dick introduced the 14 elders of United Church of God ordained or credentialed since last year: Bill and Joanna Bradford, David Campbell, Grant and Kim Chick, Fred and Sandy Davidson, Ed and RaeAnn Dowd, Michael and Angelene Erickson, Kossi and Delali Fiaboé, Charles and Kaye Haughee, Ralph and Ingrid Helge, Bill and Ronnie Kubon, Tony and Brenda Levy, Antonio and Christine Ndung’u, Jerrison and Nice Shachoongo and Terry and Linda Swagerty…

Keynote Address

After the balloting, Mr. Dick gave the keynote address. He asked, “Is the theme ‘Going on to Perfection’ a platitude or a precept”—a set of marching orders? “What have I done that is worth something to God?” He gave James 1:27, Psalm 15 and Job 29:12-17 as examples of the priorities that really matter.

Mr. Dick mentioned the problem identified early in United’s history, “We have not always treated one another in a godly manner.” He commented on some of United’s successes, including creating appeals processes, the peaceful transitions of power in UCG offices, teen summer camp program, the long-range planning for retiree care and the relations with those of other churches…

Mr. Kilough thanked Tom Kirkpatrick for his years of service as treasurer. He then introduced the new treasurer, Jason Lovelady…

Mr. Franks also gave the following statistics: There has been a 1.5 percent increase in U.S. church attendance for the year (about 200 more people). Average attendance is 11,430. High attendance was 13,374 for the First Day of Unleavened Bread. There’s been a decrease of two pastors (89 to 87), and the number will likely drop to 85 soon because of retirements. At the high, United had 125 pastors.

Mr. Franks also reported on education programs such as Ambassador Bible Center, which is expanding to a nine-month program and will be featured in a video in the next few weeks. He mentioned that Ministerial Services is doing ABC, World News and Prophecy, focused education and marriage seminars. Sabbath youth instruction and Festival youth instruction lessons are being rewritten. Mr. Franks also discussed the United Youth Corps and the ministerial development programs.

Mr. Franks concluded that we are seeing real growth, even if not large, and that we face an aging ministry. Christ said to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send more laborers. Pray for the zeal and passion to do the work…

Mr. Salyer quoted from Herbert W. Armstrong’s editorial policy and said it is even more relevant today…

Ballot Results

An outside auditing firm oversaw the ballot counting, and Mr. Dick read the preliminary ballot results at the end of the day.

The General Conference of Elders selected Paul Kieffer (international) and Aaron Dean, Darris McNeely and Robin Webber to the Council of Elders.

The Strategic Plan was ratified with 287 yes and 72 no.

The Operation Plan was ratified with 280 yes and 79 no.

The budget was ratified with 270 yes and 91 no.

The Amendment to Bylaws 12.2.2.11 and 12.2.2.12 (allowing statements of support for amendments to be included with the call and notice packet) was approved. The other four proposed amendments were not approved.

The resolution to rescind the 2007 GCE vote to relocate the home office to Texas was approved with 186 yes and 176 no.

However, no comments were included to what this vote to rescind the move to Texas will mean. It may simply be that UCG will have to set up a committee to look into what to do.

Perhaps it can sell or somehow stop itself from acquiring the Texas property or perhaps it will hold on to it until it can make a stronger case to its General Council of Elders (GCE–its local elders).

I did find it a bit odd that UCG’s Chairman Robert Dick mentioned UCG’s successes as “creating appeals processes, the peaceful transitions of power in UCG offices, teen summer camp program, the long-range planning for retiree care and the relations with those of other churches” as opposed to baptisms, public pronouncements, or other fruits of having a biblical work.

An article of possibly related interest may be:

Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from evangelists?

Has Winter Hit UCG in the Spring?

COGwriter

This morning, the following was on UCG Council member Victor Kubik’s website:

BALLOT RESULTS FOR THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OF ELDERS:

Elected to the Council of Elders:

International: Paul Kieffer
US: Aaron Dean, Darris McNeely, Robin Webber

Motion to rescind the 2007 GCE resolution to relocate in Texas: For: 186
Against: 176

What is strange is that UCG itself did not have anything posted yet on its web page for COE updates when I checked around the same time this morning. I presume that they will do so relatively soon.

UCG’s Council had attempted, in my opinion, to put Aaron Dean in a negative light and some apparently hoped that he would not be re-elected (please see United Church of God Council Censures Elder Aaron Dean).

The Gavin Rumney’s site reported that the following lost their seats on UCG’s Council:

Gone: Leon Walker, Jim Franks and Larry Salyer. A power shift perhaps from the hardliners to the “progressives”?

Although I would not characterize Larry Salyer as a hard-liner (and I believe that Leon Walker was probably intending to leave the Council based upon earlier statements from him), the changes may certainly change the future direction of UCG.

But it is this motion to rescind the move to Texas may, in the short-term, really hurt UCG. Notice what UCG reported in its United Church News in January 2008:

On Jan. 4, 2008, the United Church of God signed the closing documents on the new property in Texas.

This purchase is an important step in relocating the home office, a decision that was first discussed during the Council of Elders meeting in December 2006, brought forward as a proposal and approved by the Council in February 2007 and ratified by the General Conference of Elders in May 2007…

At 81.5 acres, we now have more acreage than is presently needed on which to build a home office complex. This assures that the Church will have the capacity into the distant future to expand its facilities to accommodate future growth God may give even beyond ways we can envision at this time.

The development currently on the planning table includes a building for administrative offices, an educational center for ministerial training and Ambassador Bible Center, an outreach support building (warehouse, mailing and shipping) and limited housing for those using the training center. Any future development would come in separate stages as needed.

Clyde Killough, UCG’s President, also wrote about this decision in December (see United Church of God Buys Texas Property).

Will UCG listen to its elders now or stand by what its Council did based upon what the elders approved last year?

Whatever happens, the ramifications may be severe.

As I have written for years, UCG’s governance is not Philadelphian, and we will see what the latest voting will do to UCG as it has the potential to split UCG.

I expect that there will be several unusual developments because of UCG’s latest voting. Check back here for details.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Differences between the Living Church of God and United Church of God This article provides quotes information from the two largest groups which had their origins in WCG as well as commentary.
The Laodicean Church Era was predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. Non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG.
There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God? This is an article for those who wish to easily sort out the different COGs. It really should be a MUST READ for current and former WCG members or any interested in supporting the faithful church. It also explains a lot of what the COGs are all about.

COGwriter

Yesterday, my wife and I watched the Ben Stein docu-movie Expelled; No Intelligence Allowed. We would have seen Expelled earlier but it was not playing in any theaters within 100 miles of here until the a day or two before we went to Turkey. I have long found Ben Stein intriguing years ago as I occasionally watched his old game-show titled Win Ben Stein’s Money.

Here is some of what one Protestant minister named Bryan Griem wrote about Expelled :

Intelligence Allowed” has made Ben Stein the new hero of believers in God everywhere, and has landed a smart right cross to the protruding jaw of evolution’s elite…

Humorous film clips punctuate the movie, making what many might think a dry academic topic for theater-going into a smart romp and most enjoyable experience. Audiences are applauding as credits roll, and people are leaving theaters empowered as they perceive a mighty chink has now been made in the armor surrounding our culture’s impenetrable, atheistic, Darwinian monopoly.

There is little doubt that evolutionary belief and atheism go had in hand, as one after another of its intellectual proponents admit this to Stein. When Darwinism is embraced, atheism is sure to follow as death follows decapitation, and this fact appears born out as the elite interviewees confess the sequence in their own lives and careers.

One Cornell University professor in the movie positively conceded that the end result of accepting evolution was, for him, the realization that there is no free will and no after-life. This seems a peculiar and irrationally happy reaction to the prospect, and thinking people everywhere would find this a rather undesirable state of affairs if true. So much is at stake, and the conclusion of the godless mindset is neither certain nor very scientific.

In addition, Stein noted that “evolution’s top apologists have switched from defending Darwinism to attacking religion,” and this is really the thing upon which the movie most concentrates. Is the United States a freedom loving, free-thinking, intellectually inquisitive nation of cordial academic pursuit, or is it a politically correct, closed-minded arena of thought controlling, in-crowd Neanderthals? The latter seems to be the conclusion of internationals, and the audience will draw the same conclusion as professors and educators present their tales of discrimination, blacklisting, and defamation at the hands of the American evolutionary juggernaut and its related tentacles.

The evidence is clear that a glass ceiling exists for scientific professionals who would dare countenance the notion of God as an explanation for what they readily observe in their various disciplines, and one notable scientist (who actually discovered a planet) immediately lost tenure for merely suggesting other than the Darwinian status quo…

The Berlin wall is also included as something of an illustration for what our own culture is doing with regard to scientific dissent. The East Germans walled out the western ideas that might get across and upset its prevailing communistic philosophies, and so our own culture has erected non-material walls against one informed dissenting hypothesis, namely, Intelligent Design (ID).

http://christiananswers.net/spotlight/movies/2008/expelled2008.html

Although I think it would have been more effective with several changes, I thought that Ben Stein’s film did a good job of pointing out how many are so afraid of the truth that they will often conspire against those who advocate it and use ridicule to try to prevent others from understanding views that differ from the mainstream.

I also liked the fact that the film pointed out how Adolf Hitler used extermination techniques consistent with Darwin’s views, and the fact that the acceptance of Darwinism is a major factor in both atheism (which I believe can be dis-proven, please see Is God’s Existence Logical?) and support of abortion (information on abortion can be found in the article Abortion, the Bible, and a Woman’s Right to Choose).

One of the prominent atheists in the film was Richard Dawkins, author of The God Delusion. Toward the end of the movie, Ben Stein asked Richard Dawkins what he would say to God if after death he met him. Dr. Dawkins responded to the effect:

I would ask Him why he made Himself so hard to find.

Ben Stein (as well as the Protestant reviewers I have read) let that answer pass, but I will not. The fact is that most people do not realize that God is only calling a relative few now and will call everyone else later. That is why many feel He is hard to find.

The fact that some few are called now and the rest will have their opportunity later is one of the most important teachings of the Bible, yet Catholics and Protestants simply do not get it (some of the Orthodox, however, do).

Some articles of related interest may include:

Universal Offer of Salvation: There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis Do you believe what the Bible actually teaches on this? Will all good things be restored? Does God’s plan of salvation take rebellion and spiritual blindness into account?
Hope of Salvation: How the Living Church of God differ from most Protestants How the Living Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background.
Is God’s Existence Logical? Some say it is not logical to believe in God. Is that true?
Is Evolution Probable or Impossible or Is God’s Existence Logical? Part II This short article clearly answers what ‘pseudo-scientists’ refuse to acknowledge.
Where Did God Come From? Any ideas? And how has God been able to exist? Who is God?
How is God Omnipotent, Omnipresent, and Omniscient? Here is a biblical article by Wallace Smith which answers what many really wonder about it.
What is the Meaning of Life? Who does God say is happy? What is your ultimate destiny? Do you really know? Does God actually have a plan for YOU personally?
The Bible: Fact or Fiction? This is a booklet written by Douglas Winnail that answers if the Bible is just a collection of myths and legends or the inspired word of God.

Cyclone Nargis May 1, 2008

COGwriter

In its latest update, LCG reported the following related to Cyclone Nargis:

Myanmar Update

News has reached us indirectly that our brethren in Sakhangyi were protected from Cyclone Nargis, as were members of other Church of God groups in the Yangon area. We are very thankful to God for His protection on His people. Mr. Bruce Tyler reports, “We have received a second-hand or third-hand report from one of our members in the Delta region of Myanmar indicating that all our members were basically unaffected by the initial devastation caused from tropical cyclone Nargis. The following is a newspaper article sent by Mr. Rajan Moses, our elder in Malaysia, indicating how the region where our brethren live was spared. However, with more rains on the way and the lack of humanitarian aid, more difficulties seem to be on the horizon. The article mentions Myaung Mya, the town near where our brethren live. Sakhan Gyi is basically an outer suburb of Myaung Mya:

‘The shops are shutting early in the town of Myaung Mya and people are talking of being mugged after dark as more and hungrier and desperate cyclone refugees pour in from the devastated Irrawaddy delta. Everyday small groups of bedraggled survivors of cyclone Nargis drift in by lorry and boat, stretching this bustling town of 100,000 people to its limits. “How many more days are we going to be able to feed them?” one businessman said yesterday in the town about 70km north of the coastline and out of the storm’s direct path when it hit. People here can barely afford to feed themselves. It is more than a week now since the cyclone’s 190kph winds ripped into the southwestern delta of the military-ruled and impoverished nation, churning up 3.5-metre wall of water that swept through coastal villages. As many as 100,000 people were feared killed and 1.5 million people in need of shelter and water and food, according to the United Nations.

‘Myaung Mya was largely unscathed. Wooden shutters rattled and timbers creaked but none of its buildings lost their roofs and walls, as happened in the worst hit villages and towns. Now, its school, monasteries and public halls are crammed with thousands of survivors, the refugees of the storm. Residents of the town fear the refugees will turn to looting if conditions do not improve (New Sunday Times, May 11, 2008).’

“I pray for the Sakhangyi brethren and hope they are safe. It appears our brethren survived the cyclone, but what may now follow as a result of the lack of food, water and hygiene may be just as devastating. We will keep you posted as we are able. Mr. Moses is applying for a visa to visit Burma in June. We hope that by then the Burmese government will lift its tight visa restrictions. We may have to evaluate the health and disease situation as we get closer to the proposed travel time, if indeed a visa is even granted.”

Is “Mother Nature” Going Haywire? Two weeks ago a terrible cyclone hit southern Myanmar. It has killed between 69,000-128,000 people so far and is impacting the lives of two million people. The military government, in an effort to maintain total control, has almost completely prevented rescue efforts by other nations. Sources within Myanmar say that food aid is not reaching the people or, when it does, it is rotten because government troops take all the best food. Another cyclone may be forming in the Indian Ocean as this piece is being written (Yahoonews.com, May 14, 2008; Associated Press, May 12, 2008). Meanwhile, China experienced a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake on Monday, centered in Sichuan Province. As of Wednesday night, the death toll was almost 15,000. Although the epicenter was nearly 29 miles underground, the powerful quake wreaked destruction hundreds of miles away. The earthquake even rattled buildings in Beijing, almost 1,000 miles to the north (ChinaDaily.com, May 12 and 14, 2008; Associated Press, May 12, 2008). God prophesied that these horrible “natural disasters” would increase as we approach the end of the age. “And there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven” (Luke 21:11). The Greek word for “earthquake” can mean either a storm of the air or of the ground, so it can include great storms (cyclones) as well.

Weather problems are prophesied to increase towards the time of the end.  I mentioned this cyclone just before leaving for Turkey and it has turned out to be much worse than the early reports (see Myanmar, USA, & Severe Weather).

Which Book Do You Think Christians Should Rely On?

VS.

Ronald Weinland Says His Books and His Interpretations of the Bible Are What He Wants Potential Supporters to Study. The COGwriter Site Instead Urges Those Interested in Him and End-Time Prophecies to Spend More Time Checking His Writings with the Bible and Actual Events.

The self-appointed prophet Ronald Weinland wrote the following:

Laura and I are going to resume making Sabbath visits for as long as we are able to do so. Before the Passover season, it was not yet clear whether we would be able to continue this program, but now it is evident we will have some more time to make such visits. Generally we are not going to make such plans very far in advance for the U.S., and from time to time we may have to make last minute changes.

Today, according to his schedule, he is to be in Los Angeles.

Why any continue to follow him is a mystery as none of the events he “prophesied” have come to pass.  Furthermore, in a sermon two weeks ago, one of the anti-COG sites reported that Ronald Weinland actually stated:

Much of what we’re going through at this time is not easy for the church, I know, because it hasn’t been real easy for me, so I know it has to be some times that it hasn’t been easy for all of you as well…

Today’s sermon is simply entitled, “April 17th”. April 17th. It’s good we go back and revisit some of that and think about some of those things.

Brethren, whether we understand it or not, that will prove to be a most important day in history. It truly is…

So as we go forward, again, I can only give to you what God gives to me. I am not a fortune teller, and I’m not a future teller.

Well, in all due respect, Ronald Weinland has for the past couple of years portrayed himself as the one God has chosen (along lately with his wife) to specify what would happen in the future.  And April 17th will mainly be an important day to Ronald Weinland because its stigma will remain with him the rest of his life–April 17th was NOT the start of the 1260 days like Ronald Weinland still falsely teaches.

The scriptural passage that I would like to close with would be the following:

21 “And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’– 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him (Deuteronomy 18:21-22).

As I have been writing for years, Ronald Weinland is a false prophet and is NOT one of God’s two witnesses.

Several articles of possibly related interest may include:

Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples ofthe United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin?
Who Are The Two Witnesses? What is their job? What does the Bible reveal? What has the Church of God taught on this subject? Might even Roman Catholic prophecies give some clues here?
Concerns About Ronald Weinland’s Church of God-Preparing for the Kingdom of God Ronald Weinland falsely claims to be one of the two witnesses God is raising up and that the end will come in 2008. Is he a false prophet? He has at least one other view that suggests that he is not part of the COG.
End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? There is a Mayan calendar prediction for change in 2012. 2012 changes were also centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans and the Hindu Indians (who were not even on the same continent). Do these Mayan/Hindu/Hopi prophecies have any value? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Can the great tribulation start before 2012?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? When does the six thousand years of human rule end?

COGwriter

A few days ago the electronic version of the March 31, 2008 edition of The Journal came out (the print version should be in the mail by now, though I have not received my copy yet).

Its main articles were about a new group in Big Sandy, Living God Ministries, UCG’s rebuttal of Aaron Dean (on that subject, for more details, please see United Church of God Council Censures Elder Aaron Dean), UCG’s Eric Snow had an article about when to split a church (for two articles of related interest, please see Unity: Which COG for You? and Beware, Doctrinal Compromise is in the Air!), Alan Knight discussed some aspects of early Christianity (for more, please see the The History of Early Christianity), and two deaths (for one covered earlier here, please see The Journal Reports the Death and Funeral of Jim Ussery).

Here is some of what was published about the new Big Sandy group:

BIG SANDY, Texas—Wes and Nancy White recently announced the creation of a new ministry, Dynamic Christian Ministries (DCM), to serve the Sabbathkeeping Churches of God. The following is an interview with Mr. and Mrs. White about DCM.

Q: There are already a lot of ministries within the Churches of God. Why create another one?

Wes: One of the biggest problems in the independent Church of God community today has to do with demographics. Our congregations are getting old and we are not bringing in new people to replace all of us oldtimers as we die out. DCM would like to assist in that area if possible. Every year at the Feast I hear people ask, “Why can’t we evangelize better so we can bring more people to the real Jesus of the Bible?”

To the best of my knowledge, DCM a very small group.  To answer the last question, I would simply state that modern history has shown that the small independent groups are always ineffective in public proclamation and that those truly interested in the Philadelphia work of the Church should unify and support the largest group that has that as its focus, which is the Living Church of God (please see the three articles There are Many COGs: Why Support the Living Church of God?, Independent Members of the COG: Herbert W. Armstrong Comments, Plus Questions and Answers, and Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work?).

I should add that the Living Church of God should NOT be confused with Living God Ministries which is a very small operation ran by Bill Glover and his son Stephen.  However, both groups have members in Kenya and The Journal article was about LGM’s visit there.

Here is also a death report from The Journal:

Roy McCarthy dies
SOMERSET WEST, South Africa—Roy McCarthy, 83, a member of the Worldwide Church of God and former director of the WCG’s efforts in the Netherlands and South Africa, died March 23, 2008, apparently of pneumonia.

I do not recall if I met Roy McCarthy when my wife and I were there for the Feast of Tabernacles in 1985.  Apparently he did not oppose the changes in WCG.

The pdf front and back page of The Journal can be accessed from www.thejournal.org/issues/issue126/ja033108.pdf

The current Greek 2 Euro coin shows a woman (Europa) riding a beast (allegedly Zeus, but biblically something a little different).

COGwriter

While flying back from Turkey yesterday, the following headline from the 5/16/08 edition of the International Herald Tribune caught my attention:

Economy of Europe defies U.S. slowdown

This was of interest because the world is now beginning to see that the U.S. is not the only major economy that the rest of the world depends upon. In a relatively short time, the world will all marvel at the Beast power that is now forming in Europe and that will bring great prosperity to the merchants of the world.

And soon, probably before the end of the next decade, the U.S.A. will be no more.

Articles of possibly related interest may include:

Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin?

While the Living Church of God rarely owns church buildings, Jehovah’s Witnesses normally do.

COGwriter

Did you know that the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that the United States is the prophesied King of the South in Daniel 11?

Well, the JWs have a variety of misunderstandings in that area of prophecy.

Amazingly, they teach about the USA & Britain are the King of the South, even though they should realize that there own writings suggest it is impossible. Notice in their booklet titled Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy! the Jehovah’s Witnesses correctly teach,

The designations “the king of the north and “the king of the south” refer to kings north and south of Daniel’s people, who were freed from Babylonian captivity and restored to the land of Judah (p. 218).

But, of course, the USA is almost entirely NORTH of Judah.

Notice what else the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach in Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy!:

When World War I broke out in 1914, Egypt belonged to Turkey…Britain…declared Turkey a British protectorate. Gradually forming close ties, Britain and the United States of America became the Anglo-American World Power. Together, they came into position of the king of the south (p.247).

This causes the Jehovah’s Witnesses several problems as they indicate with the image of Daniel 2 that the Anglo-American World Power formed over 100 years prior to WWI, plus the fact that since Britain and the USA no longer control Egypt that they are not south of Judah (actually, all of Britain and the USA, with the exception of the Falkland Islands and some minor territories, are north of Judah).

A chart that the book Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy! has on page 284 shows that the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that “Anglo-American World Power” became the “king of the south” around WWI, were also the king of the south in WWII, were also the king of the south during the time of the “cold war”, and will be at the final end.

In addition, unlike the LCG, the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach:

Similarly, the king of the south is not destroyed by the king of the north (p. 285).

But the New World Translation of the Bible (the version that the JWs use) shows:

And in the time of [the] end the king of the south will engage with him in a pushing, and against him the king of the north will storm with chariots and with horsemen and with many ships; and he will certainly enter into the lands and flood over and pass through (Daniel 11:40).

Sadly, the misunderstanding of prophecy that many groups (like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and even many who are affiliated with some of the COGs) will deceive them about end-time events.

They, and others, need to read their Bibles and realize that that the USA and Britain are not the King of the South and that the Bible DOES SHOW that the King of the South will be destroyed by the King of the North.

Articles of related interest may include:

Similarities and Differences Between the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Living Church of God Both groups claim to represent the original Christian faith. Do you know much about them? Both groups have some interesting similarities, but many major differences. Would you like information on how to deal with Jehovah’s Witnesses?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin?
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? What does the Bible say?

COGwriter

Although people like Ronald Weinland believe that the Great Tribulation began in 2008, the truth is that for reasons that I have given here previously (no King of the North, no King of the South, no deal for Daniel 9:26-27, etc.), the end cannot be now.

However, the end apparently is very soon.

Throughout history some of those professing the Jewish or Christian religions taught and believed that God has a 7000 year plan. The first six thousand years for humans to rule themselves, followed by a one thousand year reign of Jesus Christ–the Great Tribulation will begin before the 6000 years are up.

There is an old tradition that the prophet Elijah taught that there would be six thousand years for humans to rule under Satan’s kingdom, followed by one thousand years of abundance in the kingdom of God.

Edward Gibbon from the 1776 work “THE DECLINE AND FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE”, where he documented the facts regarding the first century Christians…

“The ancient and popular doctrine of the Millennium was intimately connected with the second coming of Christ. As the works of the creation had been finished in six days, their duration in their present state, according to a tradition which was attributed to the prophet Elijah, was fixed to six thousand years. By the same analogy it was inferred that this long period of labor and contention, which was now almost elapsed, would be succeeded by a joyful Sabbath of a thousand years; and that Christ, with the triumphant band of the saints and the elect who had escaped death, or who had been miraculously revived, would reign upon earth till the time appointed for the last and general resurrection”. - Vol I, p.403

While traditions should never supersede scripture, the above is certainly an interesting and ancient tradition as it shows that the idea of a 6,000 year plan followed by Christ establishing His kingdom on the earth was a common teaching among the early ones who professed Judaism, as well as Christianity.

Here is are specific traditions related to the millennium from the Jewish Talmud:

R. Kattina said: Six thousand years shall the world exist, and one [thousand, the seventh], it shall be desolate, as it is written, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day {Isaiah 2:11}.

Abaye said: it will be desolate two [thousand], as it is said, After two days will he revive us: in the third day, he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight {Hosea 6:2}.

It has been taught in accordance with R. Kattina: Just as the seventh year is one year of release in seven, so is the world: one thousand years out of seven shall be fallow, as it is written, And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day,’ and it is further said, A Psalm and song for the Sabbath day {Psalm 92:1}, meaning the day that is altogether Sabbath — and it is also said, For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past {Psalm 90:4}.

The Tanna debe Eliyyahu teaches: The world is to exist six thousand years. In the first two thousand there was desolation; two thousand years the Torah flourished; and the next two thousand years is the Messianic era (Babylonian Talmud: Tractate Sanhedrin Folio 97a).

And while there are some errors in the above, it is true that there is an apparent six/seven thousand year plan, that the current two thousand years essentially represents the Church/Messianic era, and that a one thousand year period remains.

Essentially, it was believed that since God a day is like a thousand years to God (Psalm 90:4; 2 Peter 3:8), God recreated the earth in six days (Genesis 1:3-31), and rested on the seventh (Genesis 2:1-2), that God had a 7,000 year plan.

Many who keep the seventh-day Sabbath are aware of this. Most who do not, simply do not realize this.

Some articles of related interest may include:

Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? When does the six thousand years of human rule end?
Did The Early Church Teach Millenarianism? Was the millennium (sometimes called chiliasm) taught by early Christians? Who condemned it. Will Jesus literally reign for 1000 years on the earth? Is this time near?
The Sabbath in the Early Church and Abroad Was the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath observed by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church?