Sunday, May 18, 2014

Overview of the May-June 2014 Living Church News

Continuing on from the overview of the May-June 2014 issue of Tommorrow's World it is now time to look at the May-June 2014 issue of LCG's magazine for members, Living Church News. Let us see what they have to say.

Roderick C. Meredith has an opening article calling upon LCG members to have a godly "fear" of God and in which he condemns various "flaws" among LCG members.
Some of our brethren in God’s Church do not have the genuine “fear” of God. Yes, they claim to be “Christian”—to be followers of Christ. But they seem not to really understand Christ’s warning to “would be” Christians or “part-time” Christians. ...

These kind of “part-time” Christians are those who often “skip out” on attending Sabbath services or other Church activities on a regular basis. They often have some wonderful “excuses” as to why they are often not there when a sermon is given which they may need in a special way! Some of these people come to church to “get,” to show off, to argue or to just develop a social fellowship. They are not primarily coming to “seek God” and humbly worship their Creator on His commanded Sabbath day. They are not there through a desire to love, to serve and to help their fellow Christians by their presence, their encouragement, etc. These are the peoples whose “hearts” are not truly given to God in His Work. They are not going “all out” to help proclaim His message going to the entire world and honestly do all they can to support the Gospel in every possible way. As Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong put it over and over, “The depth of one’s conversion is often best measured by the degree to which a person’s whole heart is in helping and supporting the very Work of the living God”! ...

A deeply converted person will have a sense of fulfillment and joy in giving to his God! And he will sincerely want to dedicate his talents, his time and his energy to do everything he can as part of the very Work in which we are all involved! (pp. 1-2.)
Why can't Meredith just admit that he will never be satisfied? Unless you are close friends with him LCG members will never be good enough for him. LCG members are already required to pay three tithes and somehow Meredith still thinks this is not enough.

Roderick C. Meredith's editorial falsely claims that HWA did prophecy events simply due to his connection with God. He claims HWA predicted the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989. He uses this apparent fact to call upon LCG members to increase their faith. Meredith conveniently forgets that HWA did not predict the fall of the Soviet Union. He taught it would survive until several years after the return of Christ, only to be destroyed in fulfillment of Ezekiel 38-39. Also HWA taught that Christ will have returned by 2005 in his last book, Mystery of the Ages. (PCG has since deleted these embarrassing words in their copies.) HWA was a false prophet. He could not have been used by God.

Dexter B. Wakefield has an article calling upon LCG members to embrace their new life as baptized true Christians.

The LCG editorial Staff have an article calling upon LCG members to obey the law of God and comparing how their version of the New Testament covenant has now superseded the Old Covenant.

Douglas Winnail has an article meditating on the meaning of Pentecost, reciting HWA's teaching that it symbolizes the church and her relationship with God to learn to be the rulers during Christ's millennial reign.

Don White has an article praising the unity LCG members experience by singing together every Saturday and extolling the health benefits of singing together.

Sheldon Monson has a little article about Living Youth Camp in which he quotes a testimony written by woman who has attended Living Youth Camp fifteen times, first as a student then as a staff member. (The article has a few pictures on page 17.)

Faye League has a little article praising women of courage and fortitude, reciting the Biblical examples of Ruth and Esther.

Rod McNair has a little commentary remembering the Pentecost of Acts 2.

Also there are births and deaths mentioned. Also three ordinations are reported, those of Mike Alamilla, Dwayne Wilks and William Long.

Jim Meredith, the would be successor, is conspicuous by his absence. He is not even in the credits on page 2.

And so there we have it. That is what LCG's leaders have to say to LCG members in this magazine.

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