J. Tkach: Grace Communion International relocating to North Carolina

Ambassador Auditorium, July 2016

A read sent me a link to the September 2016 Grace Communion International letter from Joseph Tkach (Jr.):

While we have long enjoyed our home office being located in Southern California, the location in the USA isn’t necessarily a huge factor impacting our international operations. However, when we focus on how we can better serve our US congregations, location becomes a more important factor.

Southern California has served us well, yet over time the cost of living has reached the point where consideration has to be given to relocating.

It reminds me of an old joke that is still funny every time I hear it. A man walks into his boss’s office and says: “Sir, I’ll be straight with you, I know the economy isn’t great, but I have three companies after me, and I would like to respectfully ask for a raise.” After a few minutes of haggling, the boss finally agrees to a 5% raise and the employee happily gets up to leave.

“By the way,” asks the boss, “Which three companies are after you?” The employee quickly answers, “The electric company, the water company, and the phone company!”

A major consideration for relocation is that we can cut our overhead (i.e., cost of doing business in California) by $500,000 per year. While this may seem reason enough to move out of California, there are other advantages.

Our Glendora church property has significantly increased in value; by relocating, we would access some of that accrued equity to go directly into our mission of the gospel proclamation. Every time I attend any of our regional conferences or visit one of our churches, several members and ministers suggest their location as a great venue for our church headquarters. It is true there are many locations with a lower cost of living.

Another significant factor to consider in relocation is 65% of our congregations are in the eastern half of the continental US. …

After much prayerful deliberation, our Board of Directors has concluded that relocating to North Carolina would fulfill these desirable requirements. …

It will take the next 18 months to complete all the tasks necessary to relocate. We will announce when we finalize our selection of property in a new location and the work on selling the current property.

The former Worldwide Church of God, after it ceased to be an actual Church of God, changed its name to Grace Communion International.

The Living Church of God also relocated to North Carolina from California years ago to save money.

I would add that cost of living and operating costs are not the only factor in determining where a church should be based.

One of the reasons that the Continuing Church of God, for example, remains in California, is that it is one of very few states that allows a church to fully legally operate in accordance with proper church governance (see also The Bible, Peter, Paul, John, Polycarp, Herbert W. Armstrong, Roderick C. Meredith, and Bob Thiel on Church Government).

How so?

California is one of few states that still allows churches to be established as a corporation sole. This was the type of structure that the late Herbert W. Armstrong realized later in his life that allowed the type of legal governance that he advocated.

Groups like the Living Church of God basically try to have that, which they do another way. But in my view, a corporation sole is currently the best option, and so for now, the Continuing Church of God intends to remains in California.

As far as Grace Communion International goes, it can do what it wishes. It no longer holds to most COG doctrines and professes an ecumenical agenda. An agenda that will NOT end well (cf. Revelation 18).

Some items related to Holy Days that may also be of interest could include the following:

Beware: Protestants Going Towards Ecumenical Destruction! What is going on in the Protestant world? Are Protestants turning back to their ‘mother church’ in Rome? Does the Bible warn about this? What are Catholic plans and prophecies related to this? Is Protestantism doomed? See also World Council of Churches Peace Plan.
Joyce’s Pictures of the Pasadena Campus of Ambassador College and the former Headquarters of the old Worldwide Church of God Here is some pictures of the old campus taken in 2016 for those interested in what it did look like and what remains.
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.
Why Bob Thiel Left the Living Church of God Several have speculated reasons, but here is the truth. (En el idioma español: ¿Por qué Bob Thiel dejó la Iglesia del Dios Viviente?)
Journal Report on Continuing Church of God Leader Bob Thiel Bob Thiel was interviewed by The Journal News of the Churches of God related to him being a prophet, the proclamation goals of the Continuing Church of God, and why he left LCG.
Response to a Letter from Dr. Roderick C. Meredith Dated December 28, 2012 In violation of Matthew 18, Dr. Meredith publicly sent out a letter that forced Dr. Thiel to conclude that the Continuing Church of God must be formed. Here is that letter and some of Bob Thiel’s comments about it. Here is a version in the Spanish language Respuesta a una carta del Dr. Roderick C. Meredith fechada el 28 de diciembre, 2012.
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 as 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?)
Congregations of the Continuing Church of God This is a listing of congregations and groups of the Continuing Church of God around the world.
501(c)(3)? Why the Continuing Church of God chose a better option Churches in the USA do NOT have to register as 501(c)(3). Why would they? Why is what CCOG did better?
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 The Continuing Church of God: Two Years of Proclamation. 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?