(Official logo of Grace Communion International)
Many people in various Church of God groups once had at least some connection with the old Worldwide Church of God.
In an email, Greg Williams, president of Grace Communion International, the current name of the Protestant group that took over and changed the old Worldwide Church of God, (also now known as GCI) posted the following:
The Sacrament of Baptism
August 12, 2026
Dear GCI Family and Friends,
It is our pleasure to make available the updated Pastoral Liturgy Guide (previously called the Ceremonies Book). We presented it to the elders at the Denominational Celebration last month …
Below is an excerpt:
GCI’s liturgical practice includes two sacraments: Baptism and Holy Communion. Both are vital to the worship life of the Church as embodiments of grace, enacted testimonies to the love of God in Jesus Christ. Both are visible signs of an invisible grace — holy ordinances instituted by Christ wherein by visible signs Christ and the benefits of the new covenant are represented, sealed, and applied to believers. Moreover, these sacraments enact the gospel by means of which the Spirit of God confirms to us the forgiving, renewing, and promising love of God in Jesus Christ, enlivening us in faith, hope, and love. (p. 5)
Sacraments are outward signs or ceremonies of inward grace. Baptism and Holy Communion were established by Jesus and mandated by him for all who would be his followers. GCI along with most Protestant groups accept Baptism and Holy Communion as the two sacraments instituted by Jesus.
The updated Pastoral Liturgy Guide goes on to say:
The sacrament of baptism proclaims we are saved by Christ alone and not through our own repentance and faith. Our baptisms are effective only because they bear witness to and by faith share in Christ’s baptism for us. His baptism as one of us was for the forgiveness of our sins and the provision of the promised Holy Spirit to indwell us. In our baptisms we affirm that the Holy Spirit Jesus received at his baptism was for us to be received by faith in him. In every act of baptism each member is invited to recall and reaffirm their own baptism into Christ’s baptism for us. (p. 5) https://update.gci.org/2026/08/the-sacrament-of-baptism/
Terms like “Sacrament of Baptism” and “Holy Communion” support the view that GCI wants to better fit in with the world’s churches and seemingly the ecumenical movement.
Now, the Greco-Roman Catholic churches use the term sacraments and claim there are seven. GCI may accept many of the other five as well, while claiming that just two were “instituted by Jesus.”
Of course, simply claiming Jesus does not make one a Christian. Jesus said:
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
Who is a Christian?
One with the Spirit of Christ according to the Apostle Paul:
9 … Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. (Romans 8:9)
One is not a Christian without that Spirit.
Who can receive that Spirit?
See the following from the Apostle Peter:
38 … Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38)
32 And we are His witnesses of these things, as is also the Holy Spirit, which God has given to those who obey Him. (A Faithful Version)
Notice you have to obey to receive the Holy Spirit. If we want to follow Jesus, we must obey God to attain salvation:
9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, (Hebrews 5:9)
Salvation is not granted to those who will not obey and are not given the Holy Spirit.
GCI’s view of baptism does not align with scripture.
More on baptism can be found in our free eBook: About Baptism.
Anyway, my hope for any possible Christians who may still be part of GCI is that they will study God’s word, agree to truly live by it, repent, and pray that Jesus would set them free (cf. John 8:32) from Greco-Roman Catholic and Protestant errors and support the most faithful church.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
About Baptism Should you be baptized? Could baptism be necessary for salvation? What about “the thief on the cross’? Who should baptize and how should it be done? Here are links to two related sermons: Let’s Talk About Baptism and Baptism, Infants, Fire, & the Second Death.
Christian Repentance Do you know what repentance is? Is it really necessary for salvation? Will certain English-speaking nations that refuse to repent be destroyed? Two related sermons about this are also available: Real Repentance and Real Christian Repentance.
What is Sin? How Can You Sin Less? What is sin? What about lawlessness Are their sins of omission? What about confession and penance? A related sermon is also available: Let’s Talk About Sin: What is It? Should You Hate Sin?
Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism The CCOG is NOT Protestant. This free online book explains how the real Church of God differs from mainstream/traditional Protestants. Several sermons related to the free book are also available: Protestant, Baptist, and CCOG History; The First Protestant, God’s Command, Grace, & Character; The New Testament, Martin Luther, and the Canon; Eucharist, Passover, and Easter; Views of Jews, Lost Tribes, Warfare, & Baptism; Scripture vs. Tradition, Sabbath vs. Sunday; Church Services, Sunday, Heaven, and God’s Plan; Seventh Day Baptists/Adventists/Messianics: Protestant or COG?; Millennial Kingdom of God and God’s Plan of Salvation; Crosses, Trees, Tithes, and Unclean Meats; The Godhead and the Trinity; Fleeing or Rapture?; and Ecumenism, Rome, and CCOG Differences.
The Gospel of the Kingdom of God This free online pdf booklet has answers many questions people have about the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and explains why it is the solution to the issues the world is facing. It is available in over numerous languages at ccog.org. Here are links to four kingdom-related sermons: The Fantastic Gospel of the Kingdom of God!, The World’s False Gospel, The Gospel of the Kingdom: From the New and Old Testaments, and The Kingdom of God is the Solution.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui? Here is a link to a short animation: Which Church would Jesus Choose?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries and Continuing History of the Church of God: 17th-20th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, French: L Histoire Continue de l Église de Dieu and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.
Being Separate: What Did Herbert W. Armstrong and the Bible Teach About Where Not to Fellowship? Some believe that it is acceptable to attend groups called COG, but who are not actually. What did Herbert W. Armstrong and the Bible teach about this?