Dennis Luker Demonizing Ex-WCG Minister (1979)

Found the following words from Dennis Luker regarding Roderick C. Meredith's campaign in San Antonio, Texas from the May 7, 1979 Pastor's Report, page 5.

Mr. Meredith will be returning from San Antonio, Texas today (Monday) after completion of a three-night campaign there. Word from the team there indicates it was a fine beginning for our campaign series. Attendance ranged from about 288 to 432. New attendance was low from the beginning however, ranging from 85 to 58, but the program went very well, and the brethren and new people were very appreciative.

I mention this because I had previously mentioned how Roderick C. Meredith reacted to a tragic shooting that had occurred there shortly before.

Later, on page 6, Dennis Luker discusses how one WCG minister was able to lead many WCG members out of HWA's WCG. It sounds like he is talking about John Ouvrier in Hawai'i.

I am very suspicious of Luker's accusation that the minister was working with Garner Ted Armstrong. I am inclined to ignore that accusation. This is the first time I heard of him being discussed in this matter.

I would like to close by briefly explaining how one minister who recently had to be put out of the Church was able to deceive a large part of his congregation into following him. I have given this a lot of thought and would to relate to you the following points:

He began emphasizing certain Bible doctrines and teachings with the implication that the Worldwide Church of God is not following the Bible. He began saying that Christians should follow no man and that no man has any spiritual authority over us--only Christ is over us, implying that Mr. Herbert Armstrong has no authority over us. He alleges that Mr. Herbert Armstrong is departing from God's way and becoming Laodicean, and imparted his feelings to the brethren.

He used the legal problems we are having in a totally negative way -- the charges against us, the lawsuits, the sit-ins, etc. to say that we are hiding something and that is why we are (supposedly) not being subject to the civil authorities according to Romans 13.

He has been in regular contact via phone with Garner Ted Armstrong for many months and also contacted the Church of God Seventh Day in Denver. This minister believes God is using them to do a great work also and convinced many of the brethren of this.

He is saying Mr. Herbert Armstrong learned most of the basic truth that he knows from the Church of God Seventh Day and not directly from God and the Bible as he claimed.

And finally, he convinced most of the brethren under his responsibility that no one can ever put them out of God's Church--that they are only leaving one era of the true church to join with another. He convinced most of the brethren that the Worldwide Church of God is becoming Laodicean and that they would be better off and that they would be better off associating with the Church of God Seventh Day and/or Garner Ted Armstrong.

I gave a sermon recently at one of the Pasadena churches on how this happened and explained how this minister was able to accomplish this over a period of many months. He was very subtle but some of the loyal members began to detect his disloyalty and reported it to us here at Pasadena. This minister was actually accepting a paycheck signed by Herbert W. Armstrong but was, in essence, working undercover for Garner Ted Armstrong. I know he would deny this, but it is the truth.       

Sounds to me like this WCG minister saved those people a lot of trouble and was a true shephard to them by getting them away from HWA's tyranny.

Also saw this on page 11:

All members should have received the new healing booklet by Mr. Armstrong at this time.

What terrible days those were within WCG.