Cartwright’s Journal Out: LCG’s successor, Matthew 24:14, and Prophetic Beliefs

COGwriter

The latest issue (says #187, print date August 31 2016) of The Journal: News of the Churches of God was sent out electronically and just received. This was another relatively short edition.

The most newsworthy item on the front page seemed to pertain to an announcement from LCG’s Roderick C. Meredith:

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Presiding Evangelist Roderick Meredith of the Living Church of God announced Aug. 18, 2016, he has chosen the man who will become the LCG’s presiding evangelist in the event of Dr. Meredith’s death or incapacitation. The man is Gerald Weston, a headquarters evangelist. Besides Dr. Meredith and Mr. Weston, the evangelists include Richard Ames and Douglas Winnail. Dr. Meredith said he had discussed the possibility of Mr. Weston as successor with Mr. Ames, who agrees with the decision. Mr. Weston is a 1969 graduate of Ambassador College. He is married to the former Carol Bakan.

I reported a little about the preliminary aspects of this back in April (see Gerald Weston appointed next president of the Living Church of God). Here is some of what I reported about this at the News of Those Once Affiliated with GCG page:

08/20/16 p.m. The following is from one of LCG’s official websites from it Dr. Meredith:

August 18, 2016

Finally, brethren and co-workers, I have some BIG NEWS! Now that Mr. Gerald Weston has been here at Headquarters serving alongside of us for several weeks, and with my declining health and abilities, I have decided to appoint him to be the next Presiding Evangelist, Chairman of the Board and overall leader of God’s Church if I should die or be physically incapacitated. I have talked with Mr. Ames about this more than once, and Mr. Ames—one of the most dedicated and loyal men I have ever known—agrees with this. Both of us will continue in our present responsibilities as long as we are in health. But, in case of my death or incapacity, Mr. Weston will take over.

So I ask all of you brethren and co-workers to give him every support as you have me. I have known him for 51 years—since he first came to college in the autumn of 1965. He and his dedicated wife have been consistently loyal, doctrinally sound and extremely capable in feeding God’s people and building God’s Work. …

So please give Mr. and Mrs. Weston your total support and know that Christ is the living Head of the Church of God. He has guided and will guide in this appointment.

Dr. Meredith believes that God guided this appointment. If so, not the way that Dr. Meredith seems to want all to believe. Anyway, hopefully people will believe the Bible above men and have their true loyalty to God. Earlier, in the Spring of 2016, Gerald Weston was appointed to be the next president of LCG. For some comments, see Gerald Weston appointed next president of the Living Church of God.

Here is some of an article in The Journal from David Havir what Dixon Cartwright reported related to him:

BIG SANDY, Texas—Through the years have you become aware that some of your religious ideas (which seemed logical and true in the past) were really illogical and false? One particular example is when Church of God organizations and their leaders claim that their religious effort is the main fulfillment of Matthew 24:14. „

  • Herbert Armstrong (the founder of the Radio/Worldwide Church of God) claimed that he was the end-time Elijah (Malachi 4:5-6) and the end-time apostle (from his erroneous interpretation of Ephesians 4:11). He claimed that he was fulfilling Matthew 24:14. „
  •  Since Mr. Armstrong’s death, in 1986, many of his disciples have asserted that they are the legitimate successor (with the mantle, baton or other metaphors of succession). They have perpetuated their claim that they are fulfilling Matthew 24:14.

Notice Matthew 24:14: “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.” „ Preached in all the world. „ As a witness to all nations.

Some religious people have actually said that, when they place a handful of their religious magazines into a country, such country has had the gospel preached to them in a way that fulfills Matthew 24:14.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:14 will come to pass.  David Havir is correct that it will involve more that placing a few magazines in a nation.  To learn more on how Matthew 24:14 is now in the process of being fulfilled and more about how it actually will be fulfilled, check out the following:

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.
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.

There were at least two articles in this issue of The Journal that dealt with the authors opinions of prophetic matters. To learn more biblically about some of the topics raised, consider the following:

There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. There is also a video on the subject: Might Petra be the Place of Safety?  Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
Russia and Ukraine: Their Origins and Prophesied Future Russia in prophecy. Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end? There is also a video sermon available: Russia in the Bible and in Prophecy and a video sermonette available: Ukraine in Prophecy?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
Ezekiel 38: For Russia & Iran in Our Day? Is Ezekiel 38 about to be fulfilled? A related video is available titled Ezekiel 38: For Russia, Ukraine, & Iran Now? Another could be Russia, Iran, Syria, & the Bible (Code).

The Journal also had an article about and an advertisement related to a unitarian group, which I remain of the position should not be promoted (an article of related interest is titled Was Unitarianism the Teaching of the Bible or Early Church?).

On other matters, the following was on the front page of The Journal:

THE JOURNAL is listing contact information, locations and dates of Feast of Tabernacles observances for 2016 in several issues this year.

Those associated with the Continuing Church of God, and we submitted them to The Journal can be found in the article Feast of Tabernacles’ Sites for 2016.

As far as The Journal goes, it also had the usual letters to the editor and other advertisements, various comments, and opinion articles. The advertisements mainly seem to be from possibly Laodicean groups and/or individuals (not all seem to be COG) who seem to think that the ads are somehow doing the work of God. More of the real work that the COGs should be doing are in the article The Final Phase of the Work.

The Journal itself is available by paid subscription (though Dixon Cartwright says some subscriptions are free to those who cannot afford it). It tends to have a non-Philadelphian approach to many matters.



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