Cartwright’s Journal out: Postponements, Billingsley ad, and Art Mokarow
The latest issue (says #197, print date July 31, 2017) of The Journal: News of the Churches of God was just posted online.
There was information regarding postponements, an advertisement from Don Billingsley, the death of Art Mokarow, and Feast of Tabernacles’ sites.
Here is some of what The Journal reported about postponements:
What are postponements?
Postponements are, well, delays
Postponements are regulations built into the Jewish calendar that can delay for up to two days the beginning of the year.
There was also an old article from the late evangelist Raymond McNair on postponements.
Information on postponements and other calendar issues, including an article from Raymond McNair, follow:
Calculated or observed calendar? Did Jesus use a calculated calendar? This article addresses this issue that many wonder about.
What are Postponements? This is by the late evangelist Raymond McNair and explains a lot about postponements and calculations.
Hebrew Calendar and “Postponements” This late evangelist John Ogywn writing explains why the most faithful in the Church of God use the calendar that we do and answers such questions as “Did Jesus Observe the Postponements?”
Should You Observe God’s Holy Days or Demonic Holidays? This is a free pdf booklet explaining what the Bible and history shows about God’s Holy Days and popular holidays. A related sermon is Which Spring Days should Christians observe?
This edition of The Journal did not have much news. So, here is something from an advertisement in it from CGFF’s Don Billingsley:
I tried UCG for three years, hoping they would come back to the truth as taught to us by Mr. Armstrong. I said as much to Mr. Luker in 1995, but they had a different agenda and continued going farther away from those teachings. I then left. Then I made an- other wrong decision by going with David Hulme. He did the same as UCG so I left him. I will add while I was with them I continued to preach the teachings as taught by Mr. Arm strong as I also did through the years of Mr. Tkach. Mr. Meredith called me three times trying to get me to come with him with glowing promises. Though he was much closer to the fullness of the truth than all of the others I could not go with him for he had for the most part rejected Mr. Armstrong and the offices God had given him along with watering down the truths and rejecting those with which he did not agree.
While he may have had doctrinal reasons as well, Don Billingsley gave me a different reason. His ad seems to be given a reason related to HWA (the “Mr. Armstrong and the offices God” comment was related to “Elijah”) and one of what I have called The Elijah Heresies (two related sermons are available Elijah: Prophecies and Heresies and Elijah, Herbert W. Armstrong, and CCOG).
When he and I discussed him supporting what then seemed to best represent the Philadelphian remnant many years ago (prior to CCOG forming), he told me he was afraid he’d lose his following if he went to a different group. He did not bring up the HWA Elijah matter. Thus, his current ad is not what he personally told me over the telephone. Here is information on various groups alluded to in his ad and end time churches:
Differences between the Living Church of God and United Church of God This article provides quotes information from two of the largest groups which had their origins in WCG as well as commentary.
Church of God, an International Community (COG aic) This is the group led by David Hulme. It seems to minimize parts of biblical prophecy.
What About the Living Church of God? Are there Doctrinal Differences with the Continuing Church of God? This article explains some information and doctrines of the Living Church of God which was led by Roderick C. Meredith and some concerns about them. (En el idioma español: ¿Qué hay acerca de la Iglesia de Dios Viviente? ¿Hay diferencias doctrinales con la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios?)
CCOG.ORG 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 are links to two sermons Continuing Church of God (CCOG) first year anniversary: What has been accomplished? and CCOG: Four Years Revealing Philadelphia? Here is a written link to a version of that first sermon in the Spanish language: Aniversario del primer año de la Continuación de la Iglesia de Dios: ¿Qué se ha cumplido?
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.
The back page of The Journal had information related to the recently deceased Art Mokarow from his widow:
By Claudia Mokarow
CONROE, Texas—It was a very sad day when I realized Art was never coming back home, and then you begin to think of all the things you should have done. We were married almost 67 years. He took his shower every morning and got dressed and walked into our glassed-in porch where he would look at all the roses, crepe myrtles, the hummingbirds and all of the birds who seemed to chirp for him. He would tell me what he wanted for breakfast. He spent five or six hours writing, reading and studying. In the evening he came into the study for dinner.
The Russian connection
But I must start at the beginning. It all started in Russia. Art’s grandmother on his mother’s side (Efimov) had a grandfather who was a high bishop in a part of Russia. “Good works” were part of the grandmother’s character, so, because my mother was poor, Art’s grandmother arranged to bring my mom to America. She was responsible for many of the young-adult children of her friends who wanted to come to America. Later, in 1923 when my mother and father were married without knowing any English (my mother washed floors and my father was a factory worker), they bought real estate and got rich enough to pay cash for everything they want- ed for the rest of their lives.
Meeting by accident
In 1930 my mother wanted to start a family. When I was born my mother wanted Art’s mother to be my god- mother, but the grandmother said “no,” the reason being Art was 3 years old and I was 3 months old and if we ever decided to marry one day in the Russian Orthodox Church we would be considered related (though there was no blood relationship). Nineteen years later Art and I met accidentally, and six months later we were married. Art had been in the Navy for two years, so he still had a semester left of college. He was offered a scholarship in Virginia for football, but, being in Hawaii searching for hurricanes and getting seasick in the Navy, he wanted only to stay in Chicago and be with his family and friends. He became a manager in the world’s largest auto-insurance company. He accomplished in six years what it took 20 years for their most successful managers to accomplish. Art hired and trained 18 successful officers. The company wanted to hire him as one of the executives at headquarters. Art made the decision that he did not want to move 150 miles away, so he declined.
Headquarters, here we come
Then the church we belonged to wanted Art to become a minister. It would be a feather in these ministers’ cap to get a good speaker and a successful businessman, but again we didn’t want to move, so for six months they exerted tremendous pressure on us, telling us by not doing it we didn’t want to do God’s work. So we went to headquarters. Art raised churches in Ohio, Michigan and a small part of Canada. After 10 years he was placed as a trainer of ministers worldwide at the church’s headquarters. Then it came to light that the founder of the church was heavily involved in financial improprieties. The leader spent over $40 million personally.
Wild success in the cards
We gave our resignation that day and never contacted the thousands of church people we knew. Art became a business consultant for nine years. So after nine years we retired and moved to Texas. After a few years Art decided to form another consulting business so family members could have a job. We thought it would be a consulting business, but a whiskey company wanted to be in the credit-card business. So for 15 years Art had a wildly successful credit-card company. The family members were too interested in worldly things , so Art decided to sell the family business. We were bought by a bank that was being bought (along with our company) by another bank. It was over a three-year period, so Art came into the office every day ready to teach the two new managers every- thing they needed to hire and train new salesmen. But they were set in their ways. Their style of sales expected the business to come to them. So Art sat there with nothing to do and he began to write books. His first book was 500 pages, and within 13 years Art wrote 148 books, and we have sent or had downloaded one million books to 90 countries 100 percent free and free postage. No do- nations were, and are ever, accepted. It was a way to give back and be thankful for all the gifts we received for being in this wonderful country.
A man among men
Art was a man among men, honest, never author- itative, a hard worker, a top student in high school and summa cum laude at De- Paul University, sharing the highest honor with a fellow student. Everyone seemed to like him (except for some ministers who were jealous not to have his character). He never drank (except in the early years, having wine with dinner), never had a temper, never swore (except once or twice), never told dirty jokes, was a good son (my mother loved him) and a good husband and father. He loved to watch the birds that chirped for him, the flowers that bloomed for him. Art was a man who excelled in everything he did. The only sadness I have is “Art will never be coming home.” I will truly miss him and I was honored to be his wife. He will truly be missed.
Mrs. Mokarow was the wife of Art Mokarow, who died July 27, 2017. He was an inspirational speaker that impacted me back in the 1970s in the old Worldwide Church of God. A little more about him is in the post: Deaths of Ronnie McGowen and Art Mokarow.
The Journal once again reported numerous Feast of Tabernacles’ sites. I previously submitted the following to The Journal related to the Continuing Church of God sites:
Dear Dixon:Saw you would like a list of Feast of Tabernacles sites to be sent in.So, here is our current expected list (and yes, Oscar’s email and last name are intentionally spelled differently) in no particular order:San Diego, California, USA. Continuing Church of God, contact Dr. Bob Thiel, email cogwriter@aol.comWichita, Kansas, USA, Continuing Church of God, contact Richard Close email closesr@comcast.netOntario or Quebec Canada. Continuing Church of God, contact Herb Haddon email hwhaddon@gmail.comUzice, Serbia. Continuing Church of God, contact Aleksandar Veljic, email radsonmulozowa@gmail.comRotorua, New Zealand. Continuing Church of God, contact John Hickey, email john.h@vodafone.net.nzSilay City, Philippines. Continuing Church of God, contact Oscar Mediavilla, email hansmeidavilla@rocketmail.comGambella, Ethiopia. Continuing Church of God, contact Koang Deng, email koangdeng5@gmail.comAshanti, Suame-Kumasi, Ghana contact Samuel Ofosu Gyeabour fosusamuel81@gmail.comNdhiwa, Kenya. Continuing Church of God, contact Evans Ochieng, email evochieng74@gmail.comBomet, Kenya. Continuing Church of God, contact Evans Ochieng, email evochieng74@gmail.comKitui, Kenya. Continuing Church of God, contact Evans Ochieng, email evochieng74@gmail.comMau, Kenya. Continuing Church of God, contact Joseah Kipngetich, email joseahts@gmail.comNairobi, Kenya. Continuing Church of God, contact Evans Ochieng, email evochieng74@gmail.comTransmara, Kenya. Continuing Church of God, contact Evans Ochieng, email evochieng74@gmail.comMigawi, Malawi. Continuing Church of God contact Radson Mulozowa email radsonmulozowa@gmail.comMozambique, Continuing Church of God contact Radson Mulozowa email radsonmulozowa@gmail.comUtegi, Tanzania. Continuing Church of God, contact Martin Wanga, email matinwanga@gmail.comBest regards,Bob Thiel
Since the above letter, the CCOG site in Canada was finalized to be in Kingston, Ontario. More on sites can be found in the link: Feast of Tabernacles’ Sites for 2017.
As far as The Journal goes, it also had the usual letters to the editor and other advertisements, various comments, and opinion articles. The advertisements mainly seem to be from possibly Laodicean groups and/or individuals (not all seem to be COG) who seem to think that the ads are somehow doing the work of God. More of the real work that the COGs should be doing are in the article The Final Phase of the Work.
The Journal itself is available by paid subscription (though Dixon Cartwright says some subscriptions are free to those who cannot afford it). It tends to have a non-Philadelphian approach to many, but not all, matters.
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