Rwanda’s rules impacting churches, as Banned continues to spew nonsense
Above from PublicDomainPictures.net
We continue to see persecution of various types. Rwandan Moise Nshimiyimana sent the following in an email today:
Dear Pastor Dr Bob , continue to pray us . …
So , now evangelism continues to be locked every time here in our country. They also stop us to doing God’s work online… .“But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition , but of them that believe to the saving of the soul” (Hebrew 10:39).Moïse.
He also sent a link to the following:
RGB boss warns non-compliant faith organisations hiding online
September 21, 2025
Officials at Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) have cautioned non-compliant faith-based organisations that have resorted to online preaching after losing their legal status or being temporarily closed for failing to fulfil certain requirements.
Recent regulations introduced by RGB necessitate that faith-based organisations meet several requirements, including proving that their places of worship comply with local construction laws. In addition, each organisation is required to collect 1,000 signatures from residents in their intended district of operation.
As part of other regulations that were already in place, faith-based organisations’ legal representatives and their deputies must hold a recognised theology degree or equivalent certification, especially if obtained from a foreign institution. …
Speaking at a meeting with faith leaders in Kigali on September 17, Doris Uwicyeza Picard, Chief Executive Officer of RGB, said …
“The reason why they are moving online is they believe that online is a lawless place, and that is not true. That is a message that we are putting across; we will be assessing this online preaching. All those that are found to be in contravention of the law will be held accountable,” Uwicyeza said.
Bishop Samuel Kayinamura, head of the Free Methodist Church in Rwanda and first vice-president of the Rwanda Interfaith Council, said shifting to online platforms without meeting regulatory requirements was problematic.
“Those who move online without the necessary qualifications, especially competence based, may risk misleading people. It is different when one meets the requirements.” …
The faith leaders speaking with The New Times indicated possible increase of online preachers due to the regulations.
Sheikh Mussa Sindayigaya, the Mufti of Rwanda, pointed out that some may turn to unregulated online spaces to avoid compliance.
“A person may flee to the uncontrolled field of online. We have called for online churches to be regulated,” he said.
“Requirements like a bachelor’s degree in theology and registration certificates should still apply.” https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/29785/news/religion/rgb-boss-warns-non-compliant-faith-organisations-hiding-online?fbclid=IwY2xjawM84uNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFUaWtVZGRiVXJPYTNsT0dYAR4H61Txiu5v_9HPV_vYzI3o1pHQXNW9xStgMke6U1Tpqt3WrNe-Vrzr-Hginw_aem_rLVzEYNLa–MtQdVS0DBSw
Notice that a church is required in Rwanda to have 1,000 people in each district and have government approved education.
The government does not seem to realize that this is banning smaller churches, yet we see groups like the Methodists supporting this.
We in the CCOG are not in opposition to the government of Rwanda. We just want to obey God and be able to function in peace.
Consider the following from the Book of Acts:
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”
18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. (Acts 4:13-20)
So, the Apostles Peter and John would be totally unqualified to teach according to the rules now in Rwanda.
Speaking of Rwanda, Gary Leonard, the Banned by HWA website host, posted the following last night:
Crackpot Prophet Lets His African Ministers Con COG7 Members Into Joining His Cult
Not content with poaching members from different Armstrong-related Church of God groups,his so-called ministers in Africa have long poachedSeventh-day Adventistsand now are focusing onThe Church of God 7th Day.
While people are entitled to hold wrong opinions, they should not make up facts.
The first fact is that Moise Nshimiyimana is not an ordained minister.
The second is that we in the Continuing Church of God do not poach.
The third is that we did not focus on the SDAs and are not “now are focusing on The Church of God 7th Day.”
What typically happens is that leaders of groups and congregations around the world will contact me or someone else in the Continuing Church of God after running across some of our materials. This could be printed literature, attending public preaching, viewing something on the internet, or hearing something on the radio.
We then will tend to have communications with the leader and will then often visit.
In my case, I recently did that when I went to Brazil and baptized someone there. He had been a Protestant pastor and teacher of theology for 28 years. He did not have a Church of God or SDA background–and he had been following me on COGwriter.com for years.
Now as far as the nonsense “poaching” assertion goes, ten years ago, I met with the former president of the Church of God 7th Day, Denver. Here is a photo from September 2015:
CCOG’s Bob Thiel and CG7-D’s Robert Coulter
One of the reasons for the meeting was that several groups in Africa that had previously contacted the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) had used some version of the name Church of God Seventh-Day. The groups were in Ethiopia, Ghana, and elsewhere. I tried to determine their sincerity as well as their possible connections to the group in Denver.
In 2015, I first discussed those groups with then CG7 president Calvin Burrell. According to Calvin Burrell, those who contacted us had not broke off from CG7-D (nor had I thought so, but wanted to check). Furthermore, when I met with Robert Coulter, he explained that while there are groups that are formally part of the CG7 International Conference, there are also independent groups that have associate status–but that it is really a name-only association.
Robert Coulter and I discussed how I was told the Ethiopians first became affiliated with a Church of God minister from Kenya and that there were around 200 in the group that contacted us. I also mentioned that there were about 500 in the group in Ghana that we were starting to work with then. He provided some of his insights to that part of the world, and he and I discussed our own respective visits to Kenya and other parts of Africa. Anyway, both Calvin Burrell and Robert Coulter told me that we in the CCOG were not poaching, those that had been contacting us were not part of them, and that if people contact the CCOG, then we are encouraged to try to work with them.
And, so we have.
Yet, we still face difficulties and persecution.
Instead of acknowledging the truth or offering to help the persecuted, the webmaster at Banned puts out nonsense that he and Satan’s other minions want to believe.
In Romans 11, verse 25, the Apostle Paul wrote the following:
25 For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. (Romans 11:25)
This means that Gentiles, like those in places like Africa and South America are to be called and converted before Jesus returns.
We are focused on that, as well as the commissions that Jesus gave the church (e.g. Matthew 24:24, 28:19-20). That is not poaching. Regarding Romans 11:25, we have the following article with more information What About Romans 11:25 and the Full Number of the Gentiles?
Getting back to nonsense from Banned, that site likes to try to connect me to false prophets like David Pack, Gerald Flurry, and Ron Weinland (see also 21st Century Church of God Prophets). Guilt by association has long been a tactic of Satan–he did that related to Jesus (e.g. Luke 5:13). Anyway, last Monday, Gary Leonard posted the following:
No man alive in the Armstrongist churches today has ever authenticated the gospel message through signs, wonders, and miracles. None of them—including Bob Thiel and Ron Weinland— will ever do so in the future. They cannot even get a prophecy right,
Well, that, of course is not true in the case of the CCOG. For details, check out the article: Does the CCOG have the confirmed signs of Acts 2:17-18?
That said, Gary Leonard likes to state that I have never made any predictions that came to pass. As regular readers of this COGwriter Church of God News page are aware, that is more false nonsense from Gary Leonard and his anti-COG supporters.
We even have a list in a chart, by the way, for he and others to consider.
Before getting to that, here is something that Herbert Armstrong wrote in 1985:
In these last days, according to biblical prophecy, knowledge, spiritual as well as material, was to be increased. The true Church of God was to be set back on the track, restoring the glorious knowledge of the faith once delivered to the saints in the days of the original apostles. (Armstrong HW. Mystery of the Ages, 1985)
Would not spiritual and prophetic knowledge include making predictions inspired by God and having a better understanding of prophecy than the non-Philadelphian COGs?
Look now at the following chart:
Coincidences or Divine Intervention?
Category Event Fulfillment Prediction During late August 2008, Bob Thiel told LCG minister Davy Crocket that unless evangelists would implement certain matters that God was about to strike a top LCG leader with something. LCG’s top evangelist, Roderick C. Meredith, suffered a ministroke on September 19, 2008. Prayer On February 4, 2009, Dr. Meredith asked Bob Thiel to pray that he would live another 7 – 15 years, so Bob Thiel did. Dr. Meredith died on May 18, 2017–a little over 8 years after that prayer. Predictions In July 2009, Bob Thiel’s book 2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect went to press. By December 22, 2012, 32 predictions in that book were at least partially fulfilled. For details, go to https://www.cogwriter.com/Confirmed2012BookEvents.htm Possible Divine Intervention During the Feast of Tabernacles in October 2009, an odd feeling came over Bob Thiel that pointed to looking to see if the beginning of sorrows may have began. After researching and finding that events consistent with the ride of the 1st horseman occurred, Bob Thiel telephoned Dr. Roderick C. Meredith and told him. While his church had taught that the beginning of sorrows had not begun prior to that, it taught shortly after that telephone call that it had begun. Speculative
PredictionOn June 24, 2010, Bob Thiel warned that “Certain biblical, Chinese, and other prophecies…discuss that how Australia itself may become taken over. By virtue of her timing, Julia Gillard may inadvertently pursue policies that will lead to the fulfillment of various end time prophecies.” On November 10, 2011, because an agreement with Julia Gillard, US troops were stationed in Darwin, Australia, and by November 18, 2011 China pointed to this as a reason to consider military action against Australia. Speculative
PredictionsFrom 2010 to 2015, Bob Thiel made and/or posted speculative predictions related to Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg. He also made others since.
By late 2017, 7-11 predictions (depending on how they are included) related to Herr Guttenberg were at least partially fulfilled. For details, go to https://www.cogwriter.com/karl-theodor-zu-guttenberg-king-of-the-north.htm
A speculative prediction in 2022 was confirmed in 2023. For details go to: https://www.cogwriter.com/news/prophecy/karl-theodor-zu-guttenberg-is-to-become-a-media-brand/
Prayer Although told by two LCG ministers (Dr. Jeff Fall and Gary Ehman) in the late Fall of 2011 that he did not need to have hands laid on him to be a prophet, Bob Thiel prayed that something would happen related to his ‘prophet’ situation in a planned December 2011 trip to Charlotte, North Carolina. On December 15, 2011, Gaylyn Bonjour anointed Bob Thiel and prayed that he be granted a double-portion of God’s Spirit. Gaylyn Bonjour said this was reminiscent of the passing of the mantle, that he realized what he may have unintentionally did, and that what he did could not be undone. This answered Bob Thiel’s prayer. Gaylyn Bonjour also confirmed on November 28, 2019 his belief that his prayer was answered.
Prayer On December 16, 2011, Richard Ames prayed that Bob Thiel would continue his evangelical/prophetic efforts and LCG evangelists Dr. Meredith and Dr. D. Winnail gave Amen concurrence–as did Bob Thiel. Bob Thiel has continued evangelical/prophetic efforts and has been the human leader of the fastest growing COG group in the 21st century, known as the Continuing Church of God. These show the fruits of a true prophet, consistent with Jesus’ criteria in John 7:15-20. Prediction On December 19, 2011, Bob Thiel tried to meet with Dr. Meredith to tell him that it seemed God was telling him that his wife Sheryl was about to be struck with something serious. In Dr. Meredith’s letter dated 1/12/12, he reported that his wife Sheryl (who was much younger than he) was stricken with stage four cancer. She later died on November 29, 2013. Speculation On May 12, 2013, I warned in an online post about the threat of new coronaviruses and speculated that “novel” diseases could be a threat. In 2019, a “novel coronavirus,” later renamed COVID-19 emerged and devastated peace and normalcy around the world. In 2020, I tied that in with the possibly start of the ride of the 2nd horseman of the Apocalypse. Prediction On December 5, 2013, Bob Thiel posted that governments, particularly in Europe, would one day not allow cryptocurrencies like BitCoin to be private and unregulated. In late November 2021, the European Union released a paper called “Proposal for EU Regulation on Markets in Crypto-Assets.” On December 7, 2022, the EU passed rules to rules that are to “be extended to the entire crypto sector, obliging all crypto-asset service providers (CASPs) to” eliminate the possibility of privacy through various customer “due diligence” requirements. Prediction In a book published on January 19, 2017, Bob Thiel listed many predictions related to the upcoming Donald Trump presidency. Plus he published others at cogwriter.com By mid 2019, events aligned with at least 19 predictions related to the Trump Administration. For details go to https://www.cogwriter.com/donald-trump-prophecy.htm
Prediction In 2013, in an article about the future of Ukraine and Russia, Bob Thiel said that at least part of the territory in Ukraine would support Russia. On March 18, 2014, Russia officially annexed Crimea. Prediction Bob Thiel specifically warned about risks associated with the coronavirus in 2013 (see Coronavirus: A new risk for humans? and Saudi Arabia warning visitors to Mecca about coronavirus risk) and 2014 (see Saudi Arabia, MERS, and Missiles and Infection-gate: A dangerous scandal hitting the USA?). Additionally, he also warned also about human engineered pathogens without mentioning the coronavirus in 2018 (see DARPA to weaponize insects to spread viruses across the population… sinister plans exposed by team of scientists) and 2019 (see DARPA: ‘Militarized Microbes’ To Spread GMO Bacteria). A novel coronavirus hit China in late 2019 and resulted in a worldwide pandemic in 2020. Many believe it was a human-engineered virus. Prediction On March 18, 2019, Bob Thiel posted: It remains my view that Crimea and at least parts of eastern Ukraine will ultimately align with Russia. International sanctions will not stop biblical prophecies from being fulfilled. Sanctions did not stop Russia. Prediction On May 28, 2019, Bob Thiel posted that the UK would lose the Chagos Islands (see UK closer to losing Chagos Islands–it will happen). On October 3, 2024, the UK agreed to give them up toMauritius (see UK to give up Chagos islands, including Diego Garcia, confirming prediction from COGwriter ).
Prediction On February 22, 2022, two days before Russia’s ‘special military operation’ into Ukraine began, Bob Thiel posted: I expect that Donetsk and Luhansk will either be annexed by Russia and/or join its Eurasian Economic Union. On September 30, 2022, Russia formally annexed Donetsk and Luhansk. Predictions In a book printed on January 21, 2021, titled, Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction, Bob Thiel had various warnings, predictions, and speculations of what would occur during the Biden-Harris Administration. By August 22, 2024, there were at least partial fulfillments of at least 20 warnings, predictions, and one speculation. Details can be found in the online article: Joe Biden- Kamala Harris Administration fulfilling 20 warnings/predictions/speculation in the 2021 book ‘Biden-Harris: Prophecies and Destruction’. Prediction In a book printed in July 2023 titled,
Lost Tribes and Prophecies: What will happen to Australia, the British Isles, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and the United States of America?, Bob Thiel had the following statement on page 293 of the print edition and page 317 of online version of my book is the following statement:Gold will set records in U.S. dollar terms.
According to CNBC, this happened on Sunday, December 3, 2023. Then CNN reported it also occurred on Monday December 5, 2023. https://www.cogwriter.com/news/prophecy/as-predicted-gold-hits-an-all-time-high-against-the-usa-dollar/
Gold also hit record prices in U.S. dollar terms several times in 2024 and 2025
Prediction On November 6, 2024 (https://www.cogwriter.com/news/prophecy/media-declares-donald-trump-won-the-election-now-what/), Bob Thiel wrote, “According to the major media, Donald Trump won re-election. … Europe will get more serious about trade deals with others internationally, such as being more motivated to approve the trade deal with the Mercosur block of South America.” On December 6, 2024, European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sealed the trade deal with the Mercosur block. Prediction On November 26, 2024 (https://www.cogwriter.com/news/2024/11/page/2/ ), Bob Thiel wrote, “If the EU-Mercosur deal is approved, there will be protests in parts of Europe.” In December 2024, there were (e.g. https://www.brusselstimes.com/1347314/farmers-protest-outside-eu-parliament-denounces-mercosur-deal). Prediction On December 27, 2024, Bob Thiel again posted: “Gold will break records in US dollar terms.” By early September 2025, gold set daily price records in US dollar terms at least 31 times (see https://www.bullionvault.com/gold-news/gold-price-news/gold-3600-dollar-tariffs-090820251). Predictions Since my book, Unintended Consequences and Donald Trump’s Presidency: Is Donald Trump Fulfilling Biblical, Islamic, Greco-Roman Catholic, Buddhist, and other America-Related Prophecies?, published January 16, 2025, came out, world events have begun to align with at least 14 predictions in it. For details go to https://www.cogwriter.com/donald-trump-prophecy.htm Clearly the above are not all coincidental nor the only result of analytical news skills and biblical knowledge, particularly on those that were related to the health of Dr. Roderick and Sheryl Meredith.
Jesus said that fruits were the criteria to determine true vs. false prophets (John 7:15-20). The Continuing Church of God has the true fruits.
That said, while Banned wants people to believe falsehoods and nonsense, the issue of government persecution is a major one.
We have also been seeing bureaucratic types of religious persecution from other governments around the world.
We have been implementing ways to handle services and other matters differently in certain countries than we have in the past. Today, I also contacted men in the USA, France, and Haiti to see how we may be able to teach and not violating the rules of government officials (those in Rwanda, Burundi, and the Congo who are with us understand French better than English).
Pray, as the Apostle Paul wrote:
1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-5)
Pray, also, as Jesus said (Matthew 6:10), for the Kingdom of God to come.
Some items of possibly related interest may include the following:
Persecutions by Church and State This article documents some that have occurred against those associated with the COGs and some prophesied to occur. Will those with the cross be the persecutors or the persecuted–this article has the shocking answer. There are also three video sermons you can watch: Cancel Culture and Christian Persecution, The Coming Persecution of the Church, and Christian Persecution from the Beast. Here is information in the Spanish language: Persecuciones de la Iglesia y el Estado.
What About Romans 11:25 and the Full Number of the Gentiles? Some in the West discount God’s calling of Gentiles, but the Apostle Paul wrote about the need for them to come to the truth before Jesus returns. Two somewhat related videos are available Gentiles and When Will Jesus Return? and Puerto Rico, Trials, and Triumphs.
21st Century Church of God Prophets Are there any true prophets in the 21st century? What about false prophets? What are scriptures and fruits to identify the true from the false? Will you prove all things and test the spirits?
Church of God Leaders on Prophets Have there been prophets throughout the church age? Are any supposed to be around in the last days? What have COG leaders stated or written about prophets? Here is a link to a related sermon: Church of God Leaders on Prophets.
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? There is also a sermon-length video titled How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God. Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Cómo determinar si alguien es un verdadero profeta de Dios?
Prophecies Showing Persecution of Sabbath Keepers Are Sabbath-keepers going to be persecuted in the 21st century? Are there biblical and non-biblical prophecies that point to this type of persecution?
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? Will Philadelphian Christians instruct many in the end times? What about modern censoring, censorship, and shadow banning? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work. Here is a link to another: Preparing to Instruct Many.
The Spanish Inquisition and Early Protestant Persecutions Was the Church of Rome really responsible for this? What happened? A video of related interest is titled: The Past and Future Inquisition.
Blessing of Children or Infant Baptism? Which does the Bible endorse? Two videos of related interest are available: Infant Baptism Scripture and History and The Blessing of Little Children Ceremony.
Is God Calling You? This booklet discusses topics including calling, election, and selection. If God is calling you, how will you respond? Here is are links to related sermons: Christian Election: Is God Calling YOU? and Predestination and Your Selection. A short animation is also available: Is God Calling You?
About Baptism Should you be baptized? Could baptism be necessary for salvation? Who should baptize and how should it be done? Here is a link to a related sermon: Let’s Talk About Baptism and Baptism, Infants, Fire, & the Second Death.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church Did you know that? Do you even know what the gospel of the kingdom is all about? You can also watch YouTube video sermons: The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, Why Teach the Kingdom of God, The Gospel of the Kingdom, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
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