COGaIC’s David Hulme’s ‘Vision’ per a 7th day reporter

Logo on 7th Day Sabbath Churches of God page

The 7th Day Sabbath Church of God News website has the following on its news page:

David Hulme’s ‘Vision’

As the church that David Hulme founded slides slowly from obscurity into oblivion, he is seeking to use his accumulated knowledge and diplomatic expertise to bring peace to the world.
His vision is “to become a renowned diplomat to establish peace among international entities” [Crunchbase], because he is “the ultimate resource for all matters about foreign policy” [Twitter].
He spent 10 years studying International Relations at the University of Southern California, with an emphasis on the Middle East, in order to obtain a doctorate.
What work experience has fitted him for this role?
David Hulme gained a BA degree from Ambassador College, Bricket Wood, and served as a minister in the Worldwide Church of God in the UK, South Africa, Canada and the USA.
He rose to prominence in 1986, when the WCG’s new pastor general, Joseph W. Tkach, ordained him as an evangelist, and appointed him, Richard Ames and David Albert as presenters of The World Tomorrow TV broadcasts.
In 1995 he was elected to be the first President of the United Church of God, the largest breakaway group from the WCG. In 1998 he was removed from this position by the UCG’s Council of Elders for unauthorized spending that had plunged the church into serious debt.
He then left United, drawing away around 3000 members to his new church, the Church of God, an International Community.
He launched a quarterly magazine, Vision, which was printed on very high quality paper. The magazine was almost entirely secular in content, with no mention that it was being sponsored by a church.
David Hulme claimed that the new church would be more active than UCG in preaching the gospel, but in 2013 several of his ministers had finally had enough, and left to form a new church, with probably close to 1000 people.
Stephen Elliott, wrote, in his resignation letter to David Hulme in December 2013: “Our membership has declined, not grown. After 15 years and an estimated expense for Vision of $3+ million dollars for salaries, advertising, publishing, design, shipping, PR, video, travel and whatever, there has been no fruit from Vision or the Vision website. The only new members, other than children of members, have come because of a personal relationship with a member – not because of Vision.”
In 2016 the magazine was reduced to a website version, which is actually just a collection of 5 or 6 articles.
Three early videos – Quest for the Real Paul, Cheating God out of Christianity and Message to the Seven Churches – were filmed on location in the Middle East. These are well produced and worth viewing, but very expensive to make. Latterly, his Insight videos are much shorter and filmed in a studio.
David Hulme promotes himself, but not his church, posting his personal profile on various websites dedicated to business professionals.
If you go to David Hulme’s page at LinkedIn (a social networking website), you find that he describes himself as the President of Vision Media, and clicking on the link to his ‘personal website’ takes you to Vision.org. It’s not a church website, as far as he is concerned.
“David Hulme is publisher of the quarterly online journal, Vision (vision.org), president of Vision Media Productions and chairman of Vision Foundation International.”
He lists his previous experience as:
• 1977-1979 Circulation Manager (Africa) of Quest Magazine
Although Quest was owned by the Worldwide Church of God, TIME magazine described it as: “nonetheless thoroughly secular. Armstrong gave editorial control to Robert Shnayerson, 55, a former TIME senior editor and Harper’s editor in chief, who dedicated the magazine to what he called ‘the pursuit of excellence’ in fields as diverse as mountain climbing and genetic research.” Herbert Armstrong closed down the publication when Shnayerson declined to modify his editorial policy.
• 1986-1995 Vice-President of Ambassador Foundation
(David Hulme formerly described AF on LinkedIn as a “Non-Profit Organization, Management industry”.)
Ambassador Foundation carried out some charitable works, but Ambassador Auditorium’s performing arts program was not one of them.
• There is no mention of being a presenter of the WCG’s TV program, The World Tomorrow, 1986-1994.
• There is no mention of being the President of the United Church of God, 1995-1998.
• President of Vision Media, 1998- (not President of a church).
There is a mention of the church on the Vision website (if you search for it):
“Vision.org is sponsored and funded by the Church of God, an International Community.
The Church does not intend this site to convert readers to its beliefs …”
As Stephen Elliott noted above, David Hulme succeeded in not converting readers – but surely that was not the wish of the church members?

As far as David Hulme’s COGaIC goes, it never accomplished what those who first went with it hoped it would. It is likely that salaries of the remaining ministry and staff have been factors in preventing COGaIC from printing its Vision magazine anymore.

Vision was supposedly aimed at a more high-brow crowd, and tended to be light in unique Church of God doctrine. Groups like COGaIC have had a different proclamation focus than the Continuing Church of God has had.

When there was the split in COGaIC a few years back, I had hoped that either those that left or stayed would awaken to support the Final Phase of the Work.

Which is a better vision, in my view, than what COGaIC has had.

As it turned out, a few in Europe and some in Tanzania once part of COGaIC came with us (probably about three dozen in total).

As far as growth is concerned, the Continuing Church of God has been the fastest growing COG in the 21st century. We have grown in members and reach each year since it needed to be formally declared in late 2012. We have about 3800 congregants, but only started with 5.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Church of God, an International Community (COG aic) This is the group led by David Hulme. It seems to minimize parts of biblical prophecy.
Church of God, (Seventh Day): History and Teachings Nearly all COG’s I am aware of trace part of their history through some affiliation with this group. Loren Stacy is the president of the largest CG7 group (Denver). Do you know much about them?
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? Two related sermons are available The Work per HWA and the Bible and Priority of the Philadelphia Work.
Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short 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.
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? Here is a link to a short animation: Which Church would Jesus Choose?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L Histoire Continue de l Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
CCOG.ORG Continuing Church of God The group striving to be most faithful amongst all real Christian groups to the word of God.
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.