CCOG, plus two years: What has been accomplished?
Remnants of Philadelphia (in Turkey)
Two years ago, after receiving an improper letter from the top leader of the Living Church of God (see Response to a Letter from Dr. Roderick C. Meredith Dated December 28, 2012), this verified to me the suspicions that I had that the organization had lost the mantle that the Philadelphia remnant should have as further attempts at reconciliation would be futile.
I was saddened by this development and had hoped to avoid having to make a variety of decisions. But, concluded that God’s will was to be done (Matthew 6:10; 1 John 2:17). So, after reading over that letter, I telephoned the LCG regional pastor for this area and clearly (and politely) told him that I was no longer affiliated with LCG (I had suspended my membership on 7/14/2012, but until December 28, 2012 held out hopes that LCG would make various corrections, etc.).
Anyway, late in the afternoon of December 28, 2012, I signed various notarized documents to declare the start of a new organization. Its official legal name the Continuing Church of God Overseer and successors, a corporation sole. Other decisions made, combined with how churches are handled in California, meant that the CCOG (Continuing Church of God) would not be under the type of control that most churches who go the 501(c)3 route have taken. This corporate sole formation has meant that the organization can operate more efficiently than the standard church corporations that most form. Some will remember that the late Herbert W. Armstrong formed a corporate sole in the 1970s and this seemed to be the best available option for me in California.
Here is some of what I wrote the day the Continuing Church of God was declared:
We expect to best represent the true remnant of the Philadelphia era of the original Church of God that began on Pentecost in Acts 2 (c. 31 A.D.)
The following scripture, which I noticed yesterday for this purpose, is:
1 Let brotherly love continue. (Hebrews 13:1)
Hebrews 13:1 is very interesting as literally, it says “Let Philadelphia continue” as the Greek word translated as “brotherly love” is transliterated as filadelphia or Philadelphia.
The Church’s mission is to proclaim and promote Christ’s loving Gospel of the Kingdom of God (Matthew 24:14) and all that implies.Here are seven specific parts of the mission of the Continuing Church of God:
1. To preach the Gospel of the Kingdom (Matthew 24:14) and salvation through Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 4:10,12; Romans 1:13).
2. To preach the end-time biblical prophetic warnings, including about the coming Great Tribulation, to the descendants of Jacob and others in this age (e.g. Ezekiel 3 and 33; Matthew 24:4-51).
3. To preach Philadelphian love (Revelation 3:7-12; James 2:8; John 13:35; Hebrews 13:1), feed the flock (Matthew 28:19-20), and encourage all to build character through growing in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).
4. To be examples (Matthew 5:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 1:7) and witnesses (Matthew 24:14) to the world in general, as well as other Christians.
5. To learn and practice the words of Jesus in all our dealings with others (John 13:35; 15:14).
6. To restore knowledge of more of the truths of original Christianity (Jude 3).
7. To teach that Christians should be led by the Holy Spirit and purse love, mercy, judgment, faith, and the other gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 13:1-14:1; Galatians 5:22-25).
Teaching the truth and love of the word of God to the world in general and those called in this age in particular (Matthew 28:19-20) is the mission of the Continuing Church of God.
While the mission statement was slightly expanded after first putting it together, has the CCOG worked to fulfill them?
Yes.
How?
In many ways, including the internet, YouTube television, radio, publications, travel, preaching around the world, weekly services, and through Holy Day services.
As far as the internet goes, thousands of posts have been made, new doctrinal and prophetic articles written, and we established many websites. Other than COGwriter, here is a listing of links to various CCOG websites established after 12/28/12:
BibleNewsProphecy channel
Bible News Prophecy Flipboard
BibleNewsProphecy online radio
CCOG Asia (Mainly Mandarin Chinese)
CCOG English Language
CCOG Europe (Several languages)
CCOG India
CCOG (PHIND) Philippines (Mainly Tagalog)
CCOG (CDLIDD) Spanish Language
ContinuingCOG channel
We have another website coming up and one or two others we are currently considering adding.
Of course, simply setting up websites is not enough if no one visits them. But, as it turns out, we have reached people in over 220 countries and territories with information at our websites. Around 10,000,000 articles have been downloaded/reviewed. We have a lot of materials in five languages (English, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Kiswahli, and Tagolog) and also have some limited information in Dutch, Italian, Norwegian, and Serbian). We also are working on information in the French, German, Jingpho, Hindi, and Korean (복음이란 무엇인가?) languages. We also have limited materials in other languages, as well. We are working on a project to get more information into at least two additional African languages with computers being sent to Africa.
As far as YouTube television goes, we set up the following two channels:
According to YouTube, our sermon and sermonette videos have been viewed over 300,000 times and have reached people in at least 209 countries and territories.
As far as radio goes, I have done approximately 35 radio interviews since the Continuing Church of God formed. According to the host of the radio show I have been on the most, we have regularly reached millions of listeners with these interviews.
Additionally, we now have our own internet radio. Here is a link to that: BibleNewsProphecy online radio. This is fairly new, but represents another way to reach more people.
As far as publications go, we have regularly put out the Bible News Prophecy magazine, which is quite an accomplishment considering that we have no actual employees. Furthermore, we are reaching people in the English, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Kiswahli, and Tagolog (Philippines) languages, as we have our Bible News Prophecy magazine in five languages now, with other languages expected in the future.
We currently print our Bible News Prophecy magazine in two languages in Africa now, but expect that to be four in 2015 or so.
Additionally, we have three printed booklets in three languages (here are links to English and Spanish, as the other is not online: Continuing History of the Church of God and Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios and Faith for Those God has Called and Chosen and Fe para aquellos que Dios ha llamado y escogido and Where is the True Christian Church Today?), with more planned and in-progress. we also prepared and published a songbook The Bible Hymnal, which is also online. We have printed thousands of magazines and about 1000 copies of The Bible Hymnal (most of which have been distributed in Africa).
As far as travel goes, I have personally traveled to places in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and New Zealand to preach the truths of the Bible, conduct Holy Day and other services, as well as to be involved in baptisms in most of those places. I have also been to Israel to prepare sermons, video sermonettes, and to do research that helps support our written materials. Additionally, CCOG Pastor Evans Ochieng travels throughout various parts of Africa to give sermons, conduct Holy Day services, baptize, etc. We have established congregations in various places around the world. We have over 680 congregants around the world.
Yet, we have many scattered brethren. To serve our scattered brethren, for regularly Sabbath services, each week, we have put our a Letter to the Brethren. This letter has information about what has been happening in the Continuing Church of God, as well as a suggested format for Sabbath services. Over one hundred sermons, plus over 100 sermonettes, have been uploaded online to insure that we can reach all who wish to learn that have access to a computer. Plus, of course, in Africa, there are men who preach and reach those without computer access. We also held a camp for youth in Kenya to try to better serve our young people there.
As far as love goes, I believe what we have accomplished shows love towards God, love towards neighbors, as well as a love of the truth. The first sermon I gave in the Continuing Church of God was titled “It’s All About Love.” That was also the subject of an article in the first edition of our Bible News Prophecy magazine as well as the first topic I discussed when I was in Africa earlier this year.
The internet posts, articles, sermon topics, sermonette subjects, magazines, etc. have covered the points mentioned in the original mission statement. We in the Continuing Church of God have been serious about fulfilling Matthew 24:14 and Matthew 28:19-20.
Though some will claim other groups do about the same thing, perhaps all should consider how God views matters. God has intervened with dreams, that have been confirmed, to at least two who are now part of the Continuing Church of God (see Dreams, the Bible, and the Continuing Church of God). The Bible prophesied that God would use dreams and prophets in the end (Acts 2)–and this has truly been confirmed in the Continuing Church of God (see also How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God).
God’s interventions and the fruits are demonstrating that we in the Continuing Church of God are leading what I have termed final phase of the work. It is my belief that those who are truly part of the remnant of Philadelphia portion of the Church of God, but are not yet with us, will accept God’s lead to support this work relatively soon.
More information is in a sermon titled: The Continuing Church of God: Two Years of Proclamation.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Building Character: Going on to Perfection Once you have accepted Jesus, do you need to strive for perfection and build character? A related video sermon is available: Going on to perfection and building character.
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 lower level leaders? A related sermon is available titled Priority of the Philadelphia Work.
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.
Leading the Final Phase of the Work Matthew 24:14 teaches “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come ” will be fulfilled and RCG is not the group doing this. Who is leading the final phase of the work? What did Herbert Armstrong and the old WCG teach about that and about prophets? Does Bob Thiel meet the criteria that the Bible and the old WCG set? What is the proof? What has the Continuing Church of God been doing? This is a sermonette length video.
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? There is also a sermon-length video titled How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God. Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Cómo determinar si alguien es un verdadero profeta de Dios?
What is the Gospel? True religion should be based upon the true gospel. What are some of the different gospels and where did they come from? Do you believe the true or a false gospel?
What is the Gospel? True religion should be based upon the true gospel. What are some of the different gospels and where did they come from? Do you believe the true or a false gospel? Who is preaching the gospel? Here is a version in Korean 복음이란 무엇인가?
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? You can also see a YouTube video sermon The Gospel of the Kingdom.
Just What Do You Mean the Kingdom of God? A booklet that was written by Herbert Armstrong answers questions about the Kingdom.
Getting the Gospel Out is More than a Local Job Discusses Biblical rationale for doing an international, and not just a local, work. Here is a link to the article in Mandarin Chinese: 宣传福音不只是一个本地作业.
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.
Continuing Church of God Striving to be the most faithful of the COGs to the word and love of God.
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