Herbert W. Armstrong and other COG leaders on prophets

Artist portrayal of Elisha receiving mantle
(Gustave Doré, 19th century, Public Domain)

Several hours ago, I noticed the following headline from Gary Leonard at the anti-Church of God, Banned by HWA website:

Herbert Armstrong’s Own Words Make Mincemeat Of Bob Thiel And His Fake Prophet Status

Of course, the criteria for a prophet comes from the word of God, the Bible, and not statements from the late Pastor General of the old Radio/Worldwide Church of God, Herbert W. Armstrong.

That said, let’s look at what he said, some of what the Bible teaches, as well as comments from leaders that Herbert W. Armstrong had ordained, on the matter of prophets.

In a radio broadcast, the late Herbert W. Armstrong taught the following:

True prophet … Watch and see if it {what he says} comes to pass–and you can know that man has been called {by God} to be a prophet. (Armstrong HW. Proof of a True Prophet. World Tomorrow Radio program. HA535B.MP3)

Events confirming what the prophet said by one called of God is part of the proof. And that is consistent with Deuteronomy 18.

Notice something that Herbert W. Armstrong wrote:

Always the true prophets and ministers of God have stood almost alone and opposed by the overwhelming majority in Israel. That is Israel’s history of old. It is true today. (Armstrong HW. Why Russia Will Not Attack the United States, reprint 1980)

But the TRUE prophets of God have always put emphasis on the right CAUSE-on God’s WAY to the desired blessings.

Let me explain that. Let me make that PLAIN! This magazine deals with making truth PLAIN–understandable!

You may search the Bible from beginning to end. You’ll find the true prophets, apostles, ministers of God put first emphasis on the right CAUSE, not the effect. They proclaim THE WAY that leads to peace, happiness, security, and finally, eternal life. In Bible language, this means that God’s Word, and God’s true prophets and ministers put first emphasis on God’s LAW…God sends HIS prophets and ministers to proclaim the RIGHT WAY, to sh ow people that they are going the WRONG WAY, to cause them to turn around and get back on the RIGHT WAY through Jesus Christ by God’s free grace…

God’s true servants are not OF this world nor of its ways. (Armstrong HW. Personal from the Editor. Plain Truth, May 1966, pp. 2, 44-45)

Of course, there are false prophets who claim to teach the commandments, but usually reason around some of them. But true prophets of God most certainly do teach God’s law and way of life (see our free online booklet: The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast).

Before going further, perhaps the following should be included as there has been some confusion regarding HWA and being a prophet. Here is some of what Herbert W. Armstrong wrote about that:

I have definitely NOT been called to be a PROPHET … Emphatically I am NOT a prophet, in the sense of one to whom God speaks specially and directly, revealing personally a future event to happen or new truth, or new and special instruction direct from God — separate from, and apart from what is contained in the Bible. And I never have claimed to be. There is no such human prophet living today! (Armstrong H. Personal from the Editor, The 19 Year Time Cycles. The Good News of Tomorrow’s World. February, 1972, p. 1)

And I agree with Herbert W. Armstrong that he was not a prophet (though he had prophetic understanding in various areas) and no one, recognized of God, was anointed as a prophet back in 1972.

Now, yes, Herbert W. Armstrong at least once declared that there were no prophets in WCG and no doctrinal need for them. Furthermore, here is what he said in a Bible Study on 1 Corinthians on July 18, 1980:

THE CHURCH IS FOUNDED ON THE APOSTLES AND THE PROPHETS

Paul is speaking to the Church. Now the Church of God was raised up primarily for two purposes: that God could call to lead the Church, apostles, the Church is founded on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, the prophets of the Old Testament; because no prophet in the New Testament has anything to do with infusing doctrine into the Church or with an administrative position in the Work of the Church. No prophet had anything to do with any of that; so, the prophets mean, the prophets of the Old Testament. They did not preach to Israel. Israel rejected their writings, ancient Israel. The writings of the prophets, beginning with Isaiah and even other prophets – no you could say with Moses for that matter, and with David in the Psalms. All were for the New Testament Church, believe it or not, and yet today they want to say that we are a New Testament Church; and we don’t want anything to do with that Old Testament.

Let me tell you this is the book of God. Now the Old Testament Church couldn’t proclaim the gospel. The Old Testament Church did not have the Holy Spirit, that’s true; but the prophets did and they were writing for the doctrines of the Church and much of Church doctrine comes from the writings of the prophets; Christ being the chief cornerstone and the Head of the Church. Now just keep that in the background as we begin to read what Paul is writing to one of the Churches.

The bolded portion above is not biblically correct. The Apostle Paul was a prophet and so seemingly was the evangelist Timothy. So those prophets did have administrative as well as doctrinal responsibilities.

Furthermore, I did discuss Herbert W. Armstrong’s “no prophet” position with his long time aide, Aaron Dean (who HWA also ordained). Aaron Dean basically told me that Herbert W. Armstrong was annoyed by various ones who contacted him claiming to be a prophet and he wanted people to stop doing that. However, Aaron Dean also said that Herbert W. Armstrong was not intending to teach that there would be no more prophets or that they would not have a role in the church as we got closer to the end.

Of course, since the Two Witnesses prophesy (Revelation 11:3), it should be clear that Herbert W. Armstrong was not teaching that the people who would be the two witnesses could not have been alive in 1972 (especially since he felt that they would possibly fulfill their calling during his lifetime). Plus, as editor in chief of the publications of the old Radio and Worldwide Church of God, he did have items about prophets in the history of the Church of God published. Items that contradicted a statement he wrote about prophets not having administrative roles as Timothy did as did Melito of Sardis as did those called Paulicians that he had information published about.

Herbert W. Armstrong taught:

So God set HIS GOVERNMENT in His Church. And God’s government is authority from the TOP down. God the Father is in supreme authority over all. Next in authority under Him is Jesus Christ, living Head of the Church. On the human and earthly level, next in authority under Christ is His chosen apostle … (Armstrong HW. Seven Proofs Of The True Church – Proof No. 5-6. Good News, December 4, 1978)

Now after Jonah, and also after Moses, we come on down to the time when the children of Israel were governed through the prophets that God had called. (Armstrong HW. God’s Chosen Prophets. Telecast Date: June 10, 1978)

The Apostle Paul wrote:

28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets … (1 Corinthians 12:28)

In absence of a clear apostle, a prophet, particularly an evangelistic one, would be expected to lead the most faithful in the Church of God.

Herbert W. Armstrong, specifically, wrote:

“And He [Christ] gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, TILL we all come in the UNITY of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13). The true Church of God has these offices, as the living Christ put them in His Church. (Armstrong HW. Seven Proofs Of The True Church – Proof No. 5-6. Good News, December 4, 1978)

Furthermore, notice a conversation Herbert W. Armstrong had with a WCG minister in late 1984 or 1985.

“Mr. Armstrong went on to say, ‘I have come to realize there will be an even greater work to follow—to go again, to “prophesy again” to all nations tongues and peoples (Rev. 10:11) before the work of the two witnesses—but with more power and with a stronger warning message. But that will be for others to do.’ He continued, ‘It will be a short work (Rom. 9:27-29), compared with the longer time to complete the work I was given, and it will be cut short. That’s when the Great Tribulation will begin, as will the work of the two witnesses. These will last for three and one-half years, at the end of which Christ will return in glory.’” (Schurter D. “The Greatest Work Lies JUST Ahead…” conversation with Herbert W. Armstrong 1984/1985 as stated in RCG letter of May 31, 2013)

So, Herbert W. Armstrong felt that there would be prophecy BEFORE the two witnesses were given power, hence the need for one or more prophets.

The New Testament (e.g. Acts 2, 1 Corinthians 14, Revelation 11) makes it clear that there would be prophets in the latter days.

Notice something else from the late Herbert W. Armstrong:

PERSECUTORS HAVE CALLED me a “false prophet.” Now how would you KNOW whether the accusation IS true- or false?…

Actually, it probably is not very important to you to know whether my persecutors are right or wrong, when they call me dirty names, hurl epithets, resort to innuendo, impute sinister motives, strive to discredit, attempt character assassination. What is important to YOU is whether what you read in The PLAIN TRUTH really is the truth – whether what you hear over The WORLD TOMORROW broadcast is true- not whether I , as an individual, am true or false.

I think our readers know by now that we always say: ” DON’ T believe what we say because you believe in us.” We say ” Listen with open mind, without prejudice, then CHECK UP in your own Bible-prove whether it is true, and BELIEVE what you find proved!” I don’t seek to induce people to believe in ME- I seek to lead them to believe in JESUS CHRIST! (Armstrong HW. Personal from the Editor. Plain Truth, May 1966, pp. 2)

I have never been a false prophet and urge all to check out what I have taught with the Bible.

Because I am an imperfect human being and one may not agree with all of my views does NOT make me a false prophet.

Notice further that Herbert W. Armstrong also stated:

Joel 2:28-29 And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: (29) And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

So there is a time coming when God will start pouring out His spirit on human beings. … Day of Pentecost, 3000 were baptized. Peter preached a sermon. They were pricked in their hearts. God began to draw them. God was now… Remember He said, “I will pour out of my spirit on all flesh.” All right, there’s a duality of that. (Armstrong HW. Building The Temple. Sermon, February 14, 1981)

Yes, there was a duality to what Peter preached in Acts 2–and that duality is for our current time.

While Herbert W. Armstrong was alive, the Personal Correspondence Department in the old WCG sent out a letter on dreams and stated the Bible showed that future dreams from God to His people were expected.

It then had a date change added to it and here is a quote from that one:

Thank you for your question concerning visions or dreams. The Bible reveals that in times past servants of God were given visions and dreams for specific reasons and/or to convey special messages. … God has used this means of communication in the past and will do so again (Acts 2:17; Joel 2:28) (L052 Worldwide Church of God, 1989)

As the WCG did not publicly acknowledge any such dreams after that letter was sent, the interpretation must be that God would later use dreams (it should be mentioned that the original date of L052 was prior to 1986–hence it was not a change by the Tkach Administration).

That said, Herbert W. Armstrong wrote a lot–some of it contradictory–so looking at the overall intent of his writings and teaching is more important than taking one statement as his total view. Plus, of course, the most important criteria is the Bible–and the Bible clearly teaches that there will be prophets in the last days–and not just the two witnesses per Acts 2.

As far as the witnesses go, notice some items he had published:

But who — or what — are the two witnesses? Verse 4 of Revelation 11 reveals, “These ARE the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.” These are symbols. The prophet Zechariah had a vision of these two mysterious olive trees. But he was confused — perplexed. He asked, “What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?” The angel answered, “Knowest thou not what these be? These are the TWO ANOINTED ONES, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth” (Zech. 4:11-14). Now let’s put these explanations together. First, these two witnesses prophesy or preach (Rev. 11:3, 6 and 10). Their prophesying lasts for three and one-half years. They are “anointed ones” — that is, they have been anointed by the Holy Spirit of God (II Cor. 1:21-22; I John 2:20, 27). Therefore, they are God’s PROPHETS — two prophets to arise and to prophesy in the streets of Jerusalem! (Plain Truth, August 1965)

WHAT LIES AHEAD, vital to us in God’s Church, in the next very few years? Bible prophecy does not pinpoint precise dates—or even the precise year—of forecasted events. … But there is an important prophecy in Revelation 10. The apostle John saw, in a vision, an angel come with his hand lifted to heaven, saying, “There should be delay no longer” (verse 6). Then a voice from heaven told John to take and open a very small book in the hand of the angel, and eat it. In his mouth it was sweet as honey, but in his stomach very bitter. Then the voice said to John, “Thou must prophesy [preach or announce] again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, AND KINGS” (verse 11, Authorized Version). Now what is the TIME setting of this prophecy? It is sometime PRIOR to the sounding of the seventh trumpet, at which time Christ shall come. That is clear in verse 7. Also it is followed immediately by the 3 1/2-year mission of the two witnesses. Their 3 1/2 years BEGIN with the Great Tribulation. So the TIME of this prophecy is just shortly before the work of the Philadelphia church is finished. (Armstrong HW. What Lies Ahead? Good News, January 1984)

So, Herbert W. Armstrong felt that the two witnesses, who will be prophets, were alive in 1984, and presumably, one or more was an adult by then.

Getting back to Herbert W. Armstrong, he also wrote:

The Hebrew word for prophet, navi, means “one who announces or brings a message from God.” The word “prophet” in the English language means essentially the same thing — “one who speaks by divine inspiration as the interpreter or spokesman of God,” whether it be a message of duty and warning, or a prediction of future events.

A prophet is one who speaks for God; hence, the prefix pro (from the Greek language — from which our word prophet is derived) which means “for” and “before.”…

The prophets were not a special hierarchy, a guild, or a certain “class” of men! Many of them were chosen from various of the twelve tribes of Israel, and, unlike those of the tribe of Levi, were not born into their office. They were princes, sheepherders, farmers, fishermen, and priests. They came from many different tribes, and God called them at many different times…

Amos 3:7: “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth His secret unto his servants the prophets.”

Remember, ONLY God’s true servants have come to properly understand prophecy. Others try — by the thousands of hours of preaching and by the tons of printed material. But all for nothing.

God’s true disciples in this age will be shown “the things to come” by God’s Holy Spirit (John 16:13) — given to them because they believe in, preach and obey God (Acts 5:32). These individuals have a “good understanding” because they keep God’s Commandments to DO them (Psalm 111:10; Rev. 22:7,14). Wherever you can find a “Work of God” that fulfills these conditions — which keeps God’s Commandments — there you will also find God revealing His secrets — which means opening up Bible prophecies for the practical understanding of future events. (Armstrong HW. How to Understand Prophecy. Ambassador College, 1973, pp. 3,4,25)

It also needs to be understood that prophets do not have to perform public miracles to be genuine. John the Baptist was a prophet according to Jesus (Matthew 11:7-10), but he is not recorded as performing any public miracles. Actually, the Bible records, “John did no miracle” (John 10:41, KJV). Jesus told the Pharisees that an adulterous generation sought signs, beyond prophetic accuracy (Matthew 12:38-40) and obedience to God (cf. Deuteronomy 13:1-4).

Let me add that both the Bible and writings published by the old Radio Church of God show that prophets can also have administrative roles (e.g. see previous quote from Meredith RC. How Church Government Really WORKS. Good News, March 1964, pp. 4-5).

While the Book of Acts mentions various prophets (e.g. Acts 21:10) and even prophetesses (Acts 21:8-9), can we find in church history if there were any prophets after the New Testament was finished?

Yes.

In a document believed to be put together by Church of God leaders in Smyrna in around 158 A.D., called the The Martyrdom of Polycarp, is the following:

16:2 In the number of these was this man, the glorious martyr Polycarp, who was found an apostolic and prophetic teacher in our own time, a bishop of the holy Church which is in Smyrna. For every word which he uttered from his mouth was accomplished and will be accomplished. (The Martyrdom of Polycarp. In: Holmes M. The Apostolic Fathers–Greek Text and English Translations, 3rd printing 2004, pp 222-249)

It appears that “prophet” was one of Polycarp’s roles. The fact that he was a traveling prophetic teacher (he visited Rome as well as parts of Asia Minor) indicates he was a prophetic evangelist–Polycarp was both a prophet and overseer. And he looks to be the “one man” God had lead the true Church for many years.

Herbert W. Armstrong endorsed Polycarp as a Church of God leader:

It is significant that after his release John trained Polycarp elder of Smyrna, a city near Ephesus in the province of Asia. … At neighboring Smyrna, Polycarp presided over the Church of God for half a century after John’s death. Polycarp stood up boldly for the truth while many fell away and began having fellowship with the Catholic bishops of Rome. History relates that following the example of Peter, Paul and John, Polycarp wrote many letters to congregations and individuals, though all these have perished, save one in an edited version. (Armstrong HW. The Church They Couldn’t Destroy. Good News, December 1981)

The letter titled The Martyrdom of Polycarp is basically all about the killing of Polycarp, but also states:

The church of God which sojourns at Smyrna to the Church of God which sojourns in Philomelium and to all the congregations of the Holy and Catholic Church in every place … the elect, of whom this most admirable Polycarp was one, having in our own times been an apostolic and prophetic teacher, and bishop of the Catholic Church which is in Smyrna. (The Smyrnaeans. The Encyclical Epistle of the Church at Smyrna Concerning the Martyrdom of the Holy Polycarp, 0:1, 16.2. In Ante-Nicene Fathers by Roberts and Donaldson, Volume 4, 1885. Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody (MA), printing 1999, p. 42)

Since the old WCG acknowledged Polycarp and the validity of the The Martyrdom of Polycarp , that church acknowledged he was a prophetic teacher.

The Roman Catholic saint Jerome reported that Tertullian reported that in the second century, Christians considered Church of God leader Melito of Sardis as a prophet. Tertullian, related to Melito from Jerome, wrote:

Melito of Asia, bishop of Sardis … he was considered a prophet by many of us. (Jerome. De Viris Illustribus (On Illustrious Men), Chapter 24. Translated by Ernest Cushing Richardson. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 3. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1892.)

Herbert W. Armstrong wrote that Melito, along with, Polycarp, was one of the “of the true Christians observing Passover on the 14th of Nisan, first month of the Sacred Calendar” (Armstrong HW. The Plain Truth About Easter. WCG booklet, 1973).

Melito was the “one man” who was leading the Church of God for a time and he was an overseer (bishop) and prophet.

Did you know that he wrote about prophets?

Back in 2006/2007, I translated Melito’s Greek text from H. Paulsen Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1.5. Und Die, commonly referred to as Melito’s On the Prophets. I submitted the following as to support a koine Greek class I took as a rough translation of the first part of it:

You give the gift of prophecy through your spirit in your way … (Melito, On the Prophets. Translated by Bob Thiel from the Greek from the H. Paulsen Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1.5. Und Die)

Melito was a second century Church of God leader who Christians considered to be a prophet. Since Melito was considered as a prophet, he may have written that first line to remind his critics and supporters that God decides how to give the gift of prophecy, not humans. By the way, note that I translated and submitted this well before Dr. Meredith told me in October of 2008 that God may consider me to be a prophet as well as years before I had the double-portion anointing. As COG leader Melito wrote, God gives the gift of prophecy HIS way which often involves dreams per Numbers 12:5-6 (see also Dreams, the Bible, the Radio Church of God, and the Continuing Church of God).

Sadly, many people think God needs to give the gift of prophecy according to THEIR (Laos) Way/Judgement (Dike) (Laodicea).

It is reported that the ‘Nazarenes’ of the fifth century had at least one prophet:

In his Commentary on Isaiah Jerome quotes some fragments from an exegetical work by an unknown Nazoraean author which he did not, however, take directly from one of their writings, but probably from Apollinaris’s commentary on the same prophet. (Skarsaune O, Hvalvik R, editors. Jewish Believers in Jesus: The Early Centuries. © 2007 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., p. 473)

The old Radio/Worldwide Church of God taught that these Nazarenes were COG Christians (Hoeh H. A True History of the True Church. RCG, 1959).

Notice something else from the old Radio Church of God:

Paulician Church Government

The Paulicians claimed to be THE “holy universal and apostolic church” founded by Jesus Christ and his apostles. Of the false churches, they would say: “We do not belong to these, for they have long ago broken connection with the church.”

They taught that the Church is not a building, not just an organization, but an organism — the body of truly converted baptized persons, which has continued unbroken with the apostolic traditions from its beginning. Jesus Christ was and is the HEAD of that Church.

Paulicians also taught that the Scripture is for the layman as much as for the minister. They continually urged the people to check the Scriptures for themselves, and accused the priests of hiding the Scriptures in order to deprive the people of the truth and of making monetary profit in addition by dispensing a SUPPOSED word of God in its place. …

Four of their greatest leaders, the Paulicians called APOSTLES and PROPHETS. …

Any greatness is not of the man, but of the OFFICE. No man is qualified for it but through the Holy Spirit.

Though you might not respect the MAN, YOU had BETTER respect that OFFICE!

THAT office is of God. (Lesson 50 – I Will Build My Church, Part 2. 58 Lesson: Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course, 1965)

The New Testament endorsed prophets, and the old Radio Church of God taught that they existed beyond New Testament times.

The ‘Paulicians’ were part of the Smyrna Church Era and the Pergamos Church Era.

And, it should be pointed out that a Worldwide Church of God evangelist taught that the Thyatira Church Era had a “school of the prophets” in a paper that was approved by the college of that church (Blackwell D. A HANDBOOK OF CHURCH HISTORY. A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Ambassador College Graduate School of Theology, April 1973, pp. 28, 155).

Notice also:

Prophet Inspired by God

From the Catholic Encyclopedia, article Arnold of Brescia:

They looked on him as a prophet inspired by God.

Why would they do that if he were a politician, trying certainly to establish democratic government in pagan Rome? That disagrees with what else they were trying to get across. They [these people in this country who followed him] looked on him as a prophet inspired of God. …

Henry of Lausanne, a monk of Cluny … when he came into contact with Peter De Bruy, he quit using a cross. …They said he was endowed with a spirit of prophecy. …
The church of the Waldenses has inscribed the name of Arnold as in her spiritual genealogy. (Blackwell D. A HANDBOOK OF CHURCH HISTORY. A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Ambassador College Graduate School of Theology, April 1973, pp. 87,103)

What about the Sardis Church era? Notice something written by a then WCG evangelist:

German Anabaptists … Carlstadt, a Sabbath keeper, said. Another prevailing feature of their system was a belief in immediate or prophetic inspiration, which if it did not supercede the written word, assimilated them to its author. Notice even there, the test of a prophet was the written word! (Blackwell D. A HANDBOOK OF CHURCH HISTORY. A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Ambassador College Graduate School of Theology, April 1973, pp. 166, 167)

The old Radio Church of God taught:

I Corinthians 12: … prophets … Christ is not placing many in this office. (Meredith RC. How Church Government Really WORKS. Good News, March 1964, pp. 4-5)

Not MANY does not and cannot mean NONE in the 21st century!

Furthermore, the old WCG/RCG taught about a coming Elijah in accordance with the following:

5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. (Malachi 4:5)

It can thus be concluded, that the Philadelphia Church Era also taught about at least one coming prophet.

So, we see that the old Radio/Worldwide Church of God taught that there were prophets throughout the church eras (including people like the Apostle John in the Ephesus Church Era).

Back in 1986, then WCG evangelist that Herbert W. Armstrong ordained, L. Leroy Neff (now deceased), wrote a lot about how to identify a true prophet as well as what is not required:

“How can you tell the impostor from the true servant of God? The answer will probably be quite surprising to many people because they are using an unscriptural basis for evaluation” …

What are the credentials?

Some people would look to a prophet’s or minister’s credentials. He would be accepted if he were educated at a recognized theological institution. Others would look for a minister’s popularity, his charisma, his personality or his speaking ability.

But the Scriptures show that God’s servants have sometimes not had these qualities or credentials. They were not graduates of the recognized theological institutions of their day. Moses had trouble speaking in public (Exodus 4: 10). Jeremiah was “too young” (Jeremiah 1:6). Paul lacked certain speech abilities (I Corinthians 2: 1, II Corinthians 10:10). Even Jesus Himself had no outstanding personal characteristics that set Him apart from others, as the religious leaders had to pay Judas to point Him (Matthew 26:47-49).

Some would expect to find a true minister or prophet in a large and beautiful church building. Yet, during the history of the early Church, there is no mention of church buildings. Instead we read that the Church was not a building at all, but the people who were called out of this world to become the Church. The people (the Church) met in various buildings, sometimes in Church members’ homes (Romans 16:5, I Corinthians 16:19, Philemon 2). Paul preached for two years while under house arrest in rented facilities. He probably had both living quarters and a meeting hall of some kind (Acts 28:30-31).

Jesus said His followers would not be many in number, but would be comparatively few: “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). (Neff LL. Imposter–or–True Prophet — Which? Good News, December 1986, pp. 10-11)

A true prophet would not need to be from a major theological institution, have the most magnanimous personality, or have a large or impressive Church, but would be the type willing to meet in members’ homes. He also does not have to have had a ministerial background. Or does the prophet even, like apparently the Apostle Paul per 2 Corinthians 10:10 and 11:6 or Moses per Exodus 4:10 or Jeremiah per Jeremiah 1:6, need to be a great speaker. God chooses who His prophets are.

Leroy Neff wrote not to disqualify a prophet if some predictions take a long time to happen:

Then there is the prophet or minister who says something will come to pass and it apparently does not. Such a one would certainly be labeled false by most observers. This is one reason, but not the only reason, why almost all of God’s prophets throughout history have been labeled by many as false!

Consider such men as Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel. They sometimes prophesied for many years, and yet what they said would happen did not come to pass immediately. Why didn’t these prophecies come to pass?

The answer was that it was not yet God’s time for their predictions to come to pass. At the proper time, sometimes years or decades later, the prophecies were fulfilled. And in some cases, what they prophesied has not yet come to pass even in our day, but will be fulfilled in God’s time. There is a time, after ample warning, when God will finally say, “None of My words will be postponed any more” (Ezekiel 12:28).

There are other examples where God’s true servants expected certain events to occur in their lifetimes. During his earlier ministry, the apostle Paul apparently expected Christ to return during his life (I Thessalonians 4:17, I Corinthians 15:51). Later, he realized that it would not occur until later (II Timothy 4:6- 8) . Paul was criticized and labeled “false” by accusers, but the members of God’s Church knew he was a true servant of God. (Imposter–or–True Prophet — Which? Good News, December 1986, p. 11)

It also should be noted that while the Apostle Paul considered himself to be a prophet, not all of his speculative predictions were accurate. He once claimed:

10 I perceive that this voyage will end with disaster and much loss, not only of the cargo and ship, but also our lives (Acts 27:10).

And while his speculation was mostly accurate, it was not completely accurate, as there was no loss of lives. His position became completely accurate when he claimed to speak as God led him as opposed to his perceptions:

21 Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss. 22 And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. 23 For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve, 24 saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’ 25 Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me. (Acts 27:21-25)

So, delays and speculations do not make one a false prophet. Stumbling does not make a leader false either, as according to the Apostle James:

1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. (James 3:1-2)

There is a difference between stumbling and being a false leader.

A leader is biblically and clearly a false prophet when one claims to speak on God’s behalf and gives a prophecy that does not happen:

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)

(The above suggests that if God’s prophets make statements that they do not claim to be from the Lord, and are in error, perhaps like what they think someone will do, that God is saying that personal comments from prophets are not inspired and not the same as false statements from those while claiming to speak in the name of the Lord.)

Getting back to Leroy Neff, he continued by asking and providing insight into an interesting question:

Would Christians reject Christ?

If Jesus Christ were to come again in our day, live the same way and teach the same message He did almost 2,000 years ago, many of His “followers” of today would reject Him as false.

Why? Because He would not live the same kind of life they live. He would not observe the same religious days they observe. He would · not eat many of the foods they eat. His teachings about and from the Old Testament would be considered Jewish and unchristian by some who reject that part of Holy Scripture. He would not fit the mold of what many consider to be a true Christian.

In short, they would reject Him as a heretic and the leader of a new sect, just as some labeled his servant Paul “a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5) . Undoubtedly some would call His religion a cult, as some label His true religion today. (Imposter–or–True Prophet — Which? Good News, December 1986, pp. 11-12)

Truly, most people, even in the COGs, will not listen to a true prophet of God in this age. And, even when God grants power to His two witnesses, most in the world will not only not listen to them, they will be deceived enough to support an army that will fight against the returning Jesus Christ (Revelation 16:13-14; 19:11-19)!

How would one recognize a true prophet? Leroy Neff continued with:

So far we have mostly seen how not to recognize a true prophet. How, then, can you tell a true prophet from a false one? That is the important question we must now answer from the Scriptures, and not from human reason…

Paul warned the Corinthians: “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you may well put up with it” (II Corinthians 11:3-4).

The New International Version translates the last phrase, “You put up with it easily enough.”

We read elsewhere that. Jesus Christ is God. This passage should make it plain that a minister or prophet can preach Christ, but it can be a different Christ – a different God than the one of the Bible.

How can this be? If the message is different from that of the Jesus Christ of Scripture, and different from that of the original apostles, then the minister or prophet is preaching how to “go after other gods which you have not known.” It is therefore vitally necessary that we prove which ministers preach Christ’s same Gospel and which preach a different gospel and a different message.

Isaiah makes it clear

“To the law and to the testimony!” proclaims Isaiah 8:20. “If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”

This expands on what we saw previously. If a prophet or minister does not speak according to God’s Word, according to His law and His testimony, there is no light in him, or, in other words, no truth in him. His message is false. Many claiming to represent God try to “do away” with God’s laws and commandments. They only accept a part of God’s Word and reject the rest…

A true prophet or servant of God will speak according to God’s law. He will speak according to God’s commandments. His way of life will be that of a commandment keeper, not a commandment breaker. He will not just be preaching a gospel about Christ, but he will be preaching the same Gospel that Christ and the original apostles preached – the good news of the coming Kingdom of God on earth.

That is the way to determine who are impostors and who are God’s true prophets, ministers and teachers. (Imposter–or–True Prophet — Which? Good News, December 1986, p. 12)

A true prophet is one called of God, teaches the same gospel that Jesus taught, keeps the commandments of God, AND has predictions that come to pass. Jesus (Mark 1:14) and Paul (Acts 28:30-31) taught the gospel of the kingdom of God (see also The Gospel of the Kingdom of God). Even if one appears to be “an angel from heaven,” unless the true gospel is being taught, Paul says that such a one should be “accursed” (Galatians 1:9) (see also Mary, the Mother of Jesus and the Apparitions).

Here is in a Plain Truth question and answer article that had no listed author, when L. Leroy Neff was listed as a contributing editor of that edition on page 2:

In the Bible I read where the prophet whose prophecies come true is a prophet of God_ How else can we know if a person is a prophet of God?-A reader from North Carolina...

Just what is the test of a prophet of God? How does one know the difference between one who speaks with divine authority and someone who utters prognostications out of his, or her, own mind?

People assume-as has our reader from North Carolina-that anyone whose predictions come true must be a messenger of God. That is not what your Bible says! Open your Bible and see what it does say:

“If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass” does that prove the person is sent by God? Suppose the person whose predictions came true also says to disobey the plain statements of your Bible–or to believe what the Bible does not teach-what should you do? Read God’s answer–out of your own Bible: “Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deut. 13:1-3).

Here is the true test of a servant of God-he tells the people to obey the Word of God. God’s servant will tell them to believe exactly what the Bible says. The Bible commands us to LOVE GOD. . . . How do you love God? By keeping His commandments! “If ye love me, keep my commandments,” so says John 14:15 in your Bible. Further: “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2 :4).

If one is against the commandments of God, he is not of God. It is as simple as that.

God’s servants may foretell the future. But that is not the proof that they are God’s servants. Sometimes even Satan’s servants predict the future-as much as Almighty God allows. The witch of Endor predicted the fate of King Saul. This witch communicated with a demon spirit-a fallen angel which already knew that Saul was to die in the coming battle with the Philistines. (I Sam. 28:7-20.)

In the New Testament Book of Acts, we read of a woman who had a familiar spirit, and who revealed secrets and foretold the future. The Apostle Paul ordered the demon out of the woman (Acts 16:16-18). Here, then, is an example of where “occult power” comes from. Demons-fallen angels are responsible for many of the visions, prognostications, and revelations of crystal-ball gazers and mediums. Those people need not wonder where they get such revelations. The Bible tells them. (The Bible Answers Short Questions from our Readers. Plain Truth. September 1965, pp. 41,48)

The above confirms much of what the Bible and others in the Churches of God have said.

Notice one other trait of a true New Testament prophet from the 1965 Good News magazine:

Whenever a man is ordained to an office of greater service in God’s Work hands are laid on him. In the ordination ceremony God’s ministers lay their hands on those being ordained, and ask Almighty God-the Head of this Church-to continue to work in their lives…

The laying on of hands serves the purpose of setting apart anyone or anything in God’s sight, for a SPECIAL USE OR PURPOSE…

God gives special gifts-special powers of His Spirit-to those who are set apart by the laying on of hands. Remember that it was by the laying on of hands that Timothy received the added ability, called “prophecy” by the King James translators…(I Tim. 4:14 and II Tim. 1:6)…

This spiritual gift of inspired preaching was conferred to Timothy by the laying on of hands…

This proof-in-action of your willingness to submit to God’s human representative-God’s minister -for anointing and the laying on of hands is “acting out” your willingness to accept the spiritual Government of Almighty God Himself over your physical life (Ellis, William H. Why We Have the Laying on of Hands Ceremony. Good News. April-May 1965, pp. 11, 14,15)

A true prophet is under God’s authority. A true New Testament prophet has had hands laid upon him/her and received special anointing under God’s inspiration. You can not anoint yourself nor come up with doctrine that contradicts the Bible (cf. Revelation 22:18-19) like at least three self-declared, supposed, COG “prophets” (Gerald Flurry, William Dankenbring, and Ronald Weinland) and false predictors (like Harold Camping) have falsely done. God’s prophets are true to the Bible–“Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35).

It should be understood that although some of the prophets in the Hebrew scriptures did miracles, and some of the apostles in the Greek scriptures were also prophets, not all ever did (e.g. John 10:41).

But God sometimes does things more quietly.

For example, although Elijah was looking for some dramatic sign (1 Kings 19:11-13), instead God used ”a still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12). Although Elijah accepted that God worked that way (1 Kings 19:13-18), most of the Laodiceans do not. Dreams would be consistent with a “still small voice.”

Dr. R.C. Meredith, who was ordained an evangelist by Herbert W. Armstrong, during the old Radio Church of God days wrote (bolding mine):

The true Church of God is the ONLY Church which directly follows not only the form of government but employs the very titles which God Himself inspired as the designations for His ministers of various ranks and functions. These titles are partially included in the various spiritual gifts mentioned in I Corinthians 12: “And GOD hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues” (Verse 28) … Those mentioned first are apostles…

Next are mentioned “prophets.” These can be either men or women and were used to foretell future events by special and personal revelation from God (Acts 11:27-30; 21:9-10). There is no example of them having any administrative authority over other ministers in the Church unless they were also apostles or evangelists. Also, from the later chapters of Acts and the following centuries of true Church history, it would seem that their function has diminished and that Christ is not placing many in this office since the basic revelation of the Bible is now complete.

Next in authority under the apostles were the evangelists. Originally, they included such men as Timothy, Titus, Epaphroditus, Silas and others who assisted the apostles in directing the work of the ministry. (Meredith RC. How Church Government Really WORKS. Good News, March 1964, pp. 4-5)

So according to the writings of Dr. Meredith, prophets who also do the work of an evangelist, “prophetic evangelists” or “evangelistic prophets,” can have administrative authority. And that is so (other prophets in New Testament and later times probably also had some type of administrative authority as well). And not placing MANY in that role does not mean that CHRIST is not placing any.

Dr. Meredith also mentioned a group that he called local prophets (cf. 1 Corinthians 14:29-32):

As God’s Church in this age has GROWN over the past thirty years in this era, Christ has filled ALL of the ministerial ranks outlined in Ephesians 4 except that of the local “prophets”- who were not much in evidence toward the latter part of the Biblical history and after the Bible was written. (Meredith RC. How Church Government Really WORKS. Good News, March 1964, pp. 6,24)

And, that combined with those like the Apostle John, show that there were apparently at least three kinds. Yet, many today in the COG do not seem to realize this. They may wish to be like the Bereans and “searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).

Prophets clearly are an office of the COG. Is it not possible that God has raised up at least one now in the 21st century?

Interestingly, Roderick Meredith once wrote:

In II Kings 2:8-15, we find the account where the great prophet Elijah was taken up into heaven — turning his office and mantle over to Elisha. Read this account carefully. Notice that Elisha expected to carryon in the power of God as had Elijah. For he asked for a “double portion” of Elijah’s spirit to be upon him. As Elijah ascended up to heaven, his mantle fell on Elisha. …

Today, you should personally awake to the fact that the mantle and power of Elijah will be manifested among God’s true servants in this age.

For as John the Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17), so God says of our day: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and. dreadful day of the Lord: and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (Malachi 4:5-6).

This basic but little understood prophecy obviously refers to a man or work preparing the way for Christ’s Second Coming … a crusade to restore the knowledge of God’s TRUTH to man before he blows himself off this planet!(Meredith RC. Tapping Your INNER POWERS Is Not Enough. Plain Truth, October-November 1979)

Unlike Herbert W. Armstrong who restored truths to the Philadelphia era, and Bob Thiel who added more details to those truths, etc. Dr. Meredith did not do that. Nor did he fulfill the prophetic office. Nor has anyone currently in LCG done so. Yet, Dr. Meredith wrote that someone had to.

On October 3, 2008, Dr. Meredith (then Presiding Evangelist of the Living Church of God) called me and said to me, “God may consider you to be a prophet.” It was Dr. Meredith who first brought up the topic about Bob Thiel being a prophet.
Dr. Meredith must have brought it up again as an email I sent him on November 16, 2008 stated, “Now, you have mentioned to me a couple of times that God may regard me as a prophet. And, of course, it was you and not I that first brought that subject up.”
In late January/early February 2009, Dr. Meredith told me over the telephone that if he (Dr. Meredith) raised his title to the office of apostle, he was considering ordaining me (Bob Thiel) as a prophet. He apparently was unwilling to do the ordination without him being above me. But, of course, his position should not have been relevant–but it was to him.
On February 4, 2009, Dr. Meredith told me over the telephone, “You have an in-depth understanding of prophecy and details of church history. You could be a prophet–that may be what God will have you do.” He also asked me to pray then that he would live another 7-15 years then–I prayed and he did (he died on May 18, 2017–just a little over 8 years later).
In the Summer of 2009, Dibar Apartian told me that Dr. Meredith had been stating in top level meetings that Bob Thiel may be a prophet. Around this time, I had a prophetic dream related to Dr. Meredith (see also Dreams, the Bible, the Radio Church of God, and the Continuing Church of God).

As far as Dibar Apartian goes, on October 14, 2008, at the Feast of Tabernacles in Evian, France in 2008, evangeslist Dibar Apartian discussed the Dr. Meredith’s comments about me possibly being a prophet. On the morning of October 16, 2008, Dibar Apartian specifically told me that he suspected that I “was the one,” meaning the one to lead the work and possess the Philadelphian mantle in the end. Now, that came from Dibar Apartian, not me–he provided further confirmation of that in conversations in 2009 and 2010. Dibar Apartian also had major problems with LCG and started to be more vocal about them before his death in 2010.

Related also to the Living Church of God,

On August 26, 2012, LCG evangelist Dr. D. Winnail told Bob Thiel, “We all think that you might be a prophet.”
In order in order to determine who “We all” was, on September 7, 2012, I asked if this was a reference to all three of the LCG Charlotte-based evangelists and Dr. Winnail concurred.
On January 7, 2013, which is AFTER I left LCG, Dr. Douglas Winnail sent me an email, which included the statement, “we made comments to you that “you may be a prophet.””
On February 20, 2013 emailed me hoping I would come back. The next day, after I saw that email, I declined and stated: “As far as me and the Living Church of God, there would have to be major specific changes for me to be able to come back. At this stage, without changes, I do not believe that LCG can possibly be the group that God will use to complete the final phase of the work. I have totally committed myself to support the Philadelphian end time work of God, which is why, to a great degree because of steps you did and did not take, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) had to be formed. You may be interested to know that I did not want to be in the position that I am now in. … My attempts in 2012 to prevent the current situation were not properly reciprocated by you. Anyway, I continue to pray for you, your wife, and others in LCG pretty much daily. “

Anyway, no, HWA’s word do not make mincemeat of my prophetic role. Herbert W. Armstrong believed that there would be future prophets, Aaron Dean confirmed that, Roderick C. Meredith said that I might be one, and that had the concurrence of Richard Ames (who HWA ordained) and Dr. Douglas Winnail (who had some type of ordination when HWA was alive).

Despite improper accusations from various ones on the internet that I am some type of a false prophet, to the best of my knowledge I have never once posted a false prediction (and I do try to indicate when something is speculation), nor do those critics actually post any “false” predictions that I supposedly made and provide proof that even one was false. Thus, those who love the truth will not listen to their false dismissals.

Who determines who will be a prophet?

Notice what the the COG leader known as the Apostle Paul wrote:

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the benefit of all. 8 For to one, a word of wisdom is given by the Spirit; and to another, a word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 And to a different one, faith by the same Spirit; and to another, gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10. And to another, the working of miracles; and to another, prophecy; and to another, discerning of spirits; and to a different one, various languages; and to another, the interpretation of languages. 11 But the one and the same Spirit is operating in all these things, dividing separately to each one as God Himself desires. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11, AFV)

28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? (1 Corinthians 12:28-29)

As the above show, one becomes a prophet by God’s appointing.

Yet, it seems that often those in the Church of God (as well as those out of it) believe that God has to do things their way, as opposed to His, when certain leaders are chosen.

Note: All readers with some type of a Worldwide Church of God (WCG) connection should consider that although the late Joseph Tkach was specifically and publicly chosen to lead the old WCG, that he obviously was NOT God’s choice for a faithful leader–God used other methods then and has also used a method different than most would have expected for identifying one He has chosen.

Normally a Christian becomes more formally recognized as a prophet from the laying on of hands by one or more who has been properly ordained into Christ’s ministry who have been inspired by God (2 Timothy 1:6; Hebrews 6:2).

This is also consistent with the following from the Apostle Paul:

14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. (1 Timothy 4:14, NKJV)

14 Do not be careless about the gifts with which you are endowed, which were conferred on you through a divine revelation when the hands of the elders were placed upon you. (1 Timothy 4:14, Weymouth)

14 Make use of that grace in you, which was given to you by the word of the prophets, when the rulers of the church put their hands on you. (1 Timothy 4:14, BBE)

6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. (2 Timothy 1:6, NKJV)

The Radio Church of God reported:

God gives special gifts — special powers of His Spirit — to those who are set apart by the laying on of hands. Remember that it was by the laying on of hands that Timothy received the added ability, called “prophecy” by the King James translators. (Ellis WH. Why We Have the Laying on of Hands Ceremony. Good News Magazine April-May 1965)

The Strong’s Concordance number 4394 for the Greek word transliterated in English as ‘profeetias’ is used 19 times in the New Testament, and while it includes ‘inspired speaking’ it really is a reference to prophecy. Timothy was an evangelist and prophet.

Furthermore, I did not anoint myself– LCG minister Gaylyn Bonjour anointed me with oil and prayed I would receive a double-portion of God’s Spirit (which he said was reminiscent of the passing of the mantle)–hence I am not self-ordained, but am God-ordained. Yet sadly, some so misunderstand the role of prophets in the New Testament that they would rather believe the lies about me than face the truth that the actual facts reveal. Elisha then received a “double-portion” (“two-portion” literally) of the gift that God had given Elijah (2 Kings 2:9-13). Elisha picked up the mantle of Elijah (2 Kings 2:13) which Elijah dropped and God wanted him to have (1 Kings 19:16-19), as he replaced Elijah as God’s top ecclesiastical authority on earth (cf. 1 Kings 19:16). Yet, for several years after picked Elisha up the mantle that Elijah dropped, Elijah was still alive. While many outside of the genuine Church of God seem to doubt this, this is verified by 2 Chronicles 21:5, 12-15 (see also Elijah: Past and Prophesied).

First Kings shows a series of dramatic things occurring, but that God was not speaking thru them, instead the Bible shows something else:

11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. (1 Kings 19:11-12)

But many have false persuaded themselves that they need a massive miracle or to be moved emotionally by a charismatic speaker. But that is not normally how God works.

If you go to the Old Testament, and read about the prophets, very few actually displayed any dramatic miracles. Most simply wrote and preached a few things.

Have you considered whether you have have heeded any without dramatic miracles back in Old Testament times?

Jesus pointed to religious leaders who THOUGHT they would have heeded, but He knew that they would not have (Matthew 23:29-32).

If YOU think you are different than them, can you accept what the word of God says about how God appoints prophets:

5 Then the Lord came down in the pillar of cloud and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam. And they both went forward. 6 Then He said,

“Hear now My words:
If there is a prophet among you,
I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision;
I speak to him in a dream. (Numbers 12:5-6)

Notice that the above says that God’s plan is that He will speak to His prophets in a dream. That is a major way that God appoints prophets. God does not say to rely on an organization to declare one.

Interestingly, the old Radio and Worldwide Church of God taught that God used dreams and would in the last days (see Dreams, the Bible, the Radio Church of God, and the Continuing Church of God), yet most in the COGs today seem not to accept that.

Jesus, the ultimate Church of God leader, taught that fruits will identify the true from the false:

15 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (Matthew 7:15-20)

So, fruits are the criteria Matthew recorded that Jesus set.

Good trees produce a lot of fruit.

The CCOG has the signs/fruits and fruits of God’s Spirit in the last days as prophesied in Acts 2:17-18 (see also Does the CCOG have the confirmed signs of Acts 2:17-18?).

Deuteronomy 7:13 refers to people as the fruit of the womb.

If fruits can also be defined as people in the Church of God, then CCOG has those.

Since CCOG formed, it has produced the most fruit that way.

Fruits of a prophet include fulfilled prophecies. You can see some of them listed in the article: Church of God Leaders on Prophets.

But it is not just enough that the prophet be right not to be false. Notice also the following:

1″If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’ — which you have not known — ‘and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. (Deuteronomy 13:1-4)

So, if the prophet does not keep and advocate keeping God’s commandments, he is also false.

Thus, another fruit of a true prophet is that he advocates that people keep God’s commandments.

We have a book that I wrote on that titled: The Ten Commandments: The Decalogue, Christianity, and the Beast.

The Bible reported that Elijah was a prophet (1 Kings 18:22). Jesus said in the last days, a coming Elijah would “restore all things” (Matthew 17:11). More things have been restored in the CCOG than other other church in the 21st century. For a list, check out the article: Continuing Church of God, Elijah, and Restoring All Things.

If fruits include restored doctrinal and prophetic truths (see Continuing Church of God, Elijah, and Restoring All Things), since CCOG formed, it has produced the most fruit that way.

While size is not an indicator of truth, the truth is that the CCOG has been the fastest growing COG in the 21st century.

The New Testament (e.g. Acts 2, 1 Corinthians 14, Revelation 11) makes it clear that there would be prophets in the latter days.

Specifically, Acts 2:17-18 which has already had fulfillments in the Continuing Church of God (for details, see Does the CCOG have the confirmed signs of Acts 2:17-18?).

Anyway, an even more detailed article about prophets in the Church of God is How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God. That article not only has scriptures, it also has historical COG writings that should help people who will believe the truth to be able to see the truth.

Do not be deceived by grumblers or accusers of the brethren like Gary Leonard.

Do not let pride or preconceived ideas get in the way of you accepting biblical truth. That, according to Jesus, is actually the biggest problem for most Christians in the end time per Revelation 3:14-22–most Christians refuse to fully “hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 3:22).

Will you truly hear and take the proper steps related to matters such as prophets?

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Herbert W. Armstrong, the Philadelphia Church, & the Mantle Herbert Armstrong claims God had him raise the Philadelphia up. Are there reasons to believe that the Philadelphia mantle in now within the CCOG? Here is a link to a related sermon: Herbert W. Armstrong and the Philadelphia Mantle.
21st Century Church of God Prophets Are there any true prophets in the 21st century? What about false prophets? What are scriptures and fruits to identify the true from the false? You you prove all things and test the spirits?
Church of God Leaders on Prophets Have there been prophets throughout the church age? Are any supposed to be around in the last days? What have COG leaders stated or written about prophets? Here is a link to a related sermon: Church of God Leaders on Prophets.
Herbert W. Armstrong, the Philadelphia Church, & the Mantle Herbert Armstrong claims God had him raise the Philadelphia up. Are there reasons to believe that the Philadelphia mantle in now within the CCOG? Here is a link to a related sermon: Herbert W. Armstrong and the Philadelphia Mantle.
Does the CCOG have the confirmed signs of Acts 2:17-18? Does any church have the confirmed dream and prophetic signs of Acts 2:17-18? Should one? Here is a link in the Spanish language: ¿Tiene la CCOG confirmadas las señales de Hechos 2: 17-18? Here is a link in the French language: Est-ce que l’Église Continue de Dieu confirme les signes d’Actes 2:17-18? A related sermon in the English language is also available: 17 Last Days’ Signs of the Holy Spirit.
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets, yet many overlook what the Bible teaches about how to recognize a true one. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? This article contains a scripture-based checklist to assist with this determination. How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God This is a sermon on YouTube addressing a subject that most in the Church of God do not seem to have looked into very much. It discusses scriptures and dispels some improper assertions that some associated with the COG have made about prophets in this time.
Do You Hold to Any of These Laodicean Prophetic Errors? Most real Christians in the last days are Laodicean and hold to prophetic errors which, unless they repent, will prevent them from being protected from the coming Great Tribulation.
Dreams, the Bible, the Radio Church of God, and the Continuing Church of God How has God used dreams in the past? Does God still use dreams? Did He use any involving those in the Continuing Church of God? Here is a link in Spanish: Sueños, la Biblia, la Iglesia de Dios de la Radio, y la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios. A related sermon is also available: Dreams, COGs, and One Man Rule.
Elijah: Past and Prophesied Information about the original Elijah and some information about the Elijah-related prophecies.
The Elijah Heresies Does the Bible teach that there will be a future Elijah? Must it be Herbert W. Armstrong?
Why Be Concerned About False and Heretical Leaders? There have been many false leaders–here is some of why you should be concerned about them.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses some early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, CG7-Salem, Jerusalem 7DCG, and COG-7th Day-Denver. Here are two historical sermons: Sardis Church Era: Beginnings, Doctrines, and Leaders and Sardis: SDBs, SDAs, & CG7s.
The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now the remnant of that era is basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. The Laodiceans are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG or its offshoots. They do not properly understand the work or biblical prophecies and will face the Great Tribulation if they do not repent. One video of related interest is 17 Laodicean Errors in Prophecy. See also Do You Hold to Any of These Laodicean Prophetic Errors?
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?
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here is a related YouTube video titled The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.
The Bible, Peter, Paul, John, Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, Roderick C. Meredith, and Bob Thiel on Church Government What form of governance did the early church have? Was it hierarchical? Which form of governance would one expect to have in the Philadelphia remnant? The people decide and/or committee forms, odd dictatorships, or the same type that the Philadelphia era itself had? What are some of the scriptural limits on ecclesiastical authority? Do some commit organizational idolatry? Here is a Spanish language version La Biblia, Policarpo, Herbert W. Armstrong, y Roderick C. Meredith sobre el gobierno de la Iglesia. Here is a link to a sermon titled Church Governance.
Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God. To see how CCOG has done so far, here is a sermon Continuing Church of God (CCOG) first year anniversary: What has been accomplished? Here is a written link to a version of that sermon in the Spanish language: Aniversario del primer año de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios: ¿Qué se ha cumplido?
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God.