RCG: Second Commission Operational Plan

Jesus taught His disciples—recall His question with statement repeated three times to Peter—“If you love Me, feed My sheep” (John 21:15-17). Later, the then apostle Peter, having gotten the point, instructed in his first epistle, “Feed the flock of God” (5:1-2).

We recognize the importance that the Head of His Church placed on the Second Commission—feeding His flock.

Of course, and this is obvious, all of the previous chapter’s plans and programs would be in addition to field ministers we will continue to hire. Anyone experienced with God’s Church and Work knows that its development would be limited—that it could not truly grow even close to its full potential—and potential size—unless there are sufficient “labourers in the harvest” (Matt. 9:36-38) who can baptize and care for those around the world learning God’s truth and coming to repentance.

This means more field pastors.

The Restored Church of God grew in size by almost 30 percent in 2006, by almost as much again in 2007—and exactly 30 percent in 2008! There have been many reasons for this. But, by all accounts, this is an absolutely stunning rate of growth. Pause and savor it for a moment.

All of these percentages reflect hundreds—or many hundreds—of new brethren to be cared for, and this in just 2009. What about 2010, and after? This will eventually mean many hundreds or then thousands of new people coming with us. And what if events in the splinters catapult larger numbers our direction, this year or later, due to significant events—and/or even worse doctrinal changes in these organizations that no one can anticipate? Certainly, things that you are reading about here could trigger more brethren to soon recognize the “fingerprints” of God all over this Work, and none other!

This presents an extraordinary ongoing challenge: The Church is charged with taking care of—feeding and protecting—Christ’s growing number of sheep in future years. We have an existing, working plan in place to hire a very controlled number of additional trained pastors, speeding up before and into late 2009, and all through 2010, but also steadily increasing thereafter.

Another Way Time Is Running Out!

It is apparent to even the most undiscerning person with God’s Spirit that the great majority of ministers in the Worldwide Church of God completely fell away during the apostasy. But this is only the obvious part of a very ugly story.

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North American Field Ministers Through 2013

When looking across the landscape of the splinters, to where the several hundred “surviving” ministers and elders went, the picture is hardly more attractive. We are aware that any already-trained, full-time pastors from those organizations that God may still be intending to send us will almost certainly have to come within the next 12 months. If more do not come by the end of 2009, we know that they are almost certainly not coming!

In a tragedy of epic proportion, so many of these men have simply thrown out, altered or forgotten too much truth, too much about the Church’s commissions, too much about the government of God, too much about even what is and is not the Church, too much of all that happened under Mr. Armstrong’s leadership—and so much more—to recover. Most have become too weak, confused, blind and compromised to find their way out of “the swamp.” No matter how much we might wish the situation to be otherwise, we must accept God’s Master Plan for His Church and Temple at the end as that plan is. Thus, we are going forward with or without more ministers and elders having anointed their eyes and departed Laodicea in pursuit of God’s true Church and Work.

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International Field Ministers Through 2013

Therefore, already having either existing members or prospective members attending in more than 38 countries, we have further developed a specific Second Commission Operational Plan. This plan includes a broad range of items: more Feast sites, many more field pastors, larger general conferences (already the case for six straight years), a two-year Headquarters Training Center/College, more congregations requiring halls because they have become too large to meet in homes, a larger Church Administration staff, and possibly much more. And we must continue to look for potential elders and deacons, as well as thoroughly train existing elders, deacons and others who have the potential to become local church elders or pastors.

Pastoral Training Program

We have established an extensive training process for Ministerial Assistants. This program involves a growing number of young men (more local church elders could also come into the process over time) who will be brought to Headquarters for this period of time before being sent for assignment into the field. There are no more Ambassador Colleges as such, so a different plan had to be enacted. (More on our school later.) We have developed a very sophisticated program, and it means bringing in a number of new men from the field each summer to be trained.

We pray constantly in the spirit of Matthew 9:36-38 that God will “send forth more laborers into the harvest”! Of course, He has never failed to do this, either today or in any previous age. We are confident the all-powerful Christ will meet the needs of His Church.

We have included two maps in this chapter to give a general idea of where we hope to have full-time ministers in place by the late fall of 2010. The maps reflect an estimate—basically about the minimum we think could be needed by that point to properly supervise God’s people in various regional areas, both United States and international. Of course, we hope to hire at least four to eight or more pastors or associate pastors each year thereafter from among the new ministerial assistants and local church elders who will be developing or coming with us.

Be sure you are noting the updated versions of this and the last chapter to remain aware of our rate of expansion in both Headquarters personnel and field ministers. This updating happens approximately every six months.

Why Did You Wait So Long…?

An inset here is helpful: Some few could wonder why we “waited so long” to so greatly expand our full-time field ministry. Obviously, such questions would most naturally come from those in the big splinters who attracted the most ministers when they left the Worldwide Church of God. These would probably be unfamiliar with or have forgotten that it was over 20 years into the Philadelphian era of the Church before Mr. Armstrong was able to hire even a single Church pastor anywhere in the world.

As with expanding the First Commission, certain things had to happen sequentially for us to go forward in a bigger way with more pastors:

(1) Obviously, we had to grow large enough to need more full-time pastors in the field. Our early annual rate of growth was generally in the eight to fifteen percent range, with these increases coming off of smaller base numbers at the time. This meant that the annual growth numbers were not nearly as large in the early years as today.

(2) As with the construction of a building or any other major expenditure, we had to be able to afford to hire ministers, including the costs of their cars and expense accounts, within a grander budget of always strongly competing needs.

(3) We have been able for a long time—and still can in some areas a while longer—to effectively manage God’s flock through local church elders, deacons, ministerial assistants, experienced local pillars, the Host Information Manual, the marvelous and helpful availability of powerful technology, a strong Headquarters Church Administration Department, as well as sermons and Announcement Bulletins sent weekly, and The Pillar magazine, among others. Besides these factors there was the overall general efficiency attributable to the government of God at work in practical application.

(4) Another “invisible” element about RCG has also been present—and in a big way. Because of the unparalleled wonderful unity and peace that prevails among the RCG brethren as a whole, the need for pastors in any significant number remained suppressed. Just the complete lack of doctrinal confusion and division has paid, and will continue to pay, its own nearly incalculable dividends for the remaining time in the age.

(5) We wanted to be sure that those ministers (with their wives) whom we hired were properly trained—that they would not make the same kinds of mistakes that the vast majority of almost 2,000 ordained men, plus women, before them had made! This meant patiently, but also properly, preparing them for service.

Before concluding, besides having several church pastors already, realize that our strategy involves, in what is just our 11th year of existence, the hiring of a number of pastors simultaneously, meaning in clusters. We know that this plan is ambitious, but it will happen because all the ingredients are in place to bring it about!

Summer Camp

Another exciting advancement in the Church—that came with an intermediate step in 2007—has been the development of a very special summer camp, which is scheduled again to be in a beautiful camp in Pennsylvania that will also last two weeks this year. More on this momentarily.

Some history: For a number of years, The Restored Church of God sponsored group trips of several days for the teenagers in the Church. Over time, our number of teens increased. This brought a need to transition to a full summer camp. The year 2007 was a sort of “interim” year that saw a small camp of one week, and in a location not far from Headquarters. The name we chose plays off the name of our youth magazine—Ambassador Youth Camp!

Mr. Armstrong long taught and often reminded the Church that we serve a God of quality—a God of excellence. He made sure that God’s people consistently saw this quality, always within reason, in everything that was done. Summer camp was no exception. We wanted to be sure that a full summer camp was done right, that it was not slapped together, and that it was designed—and fully prepared—to teach God’s youth that they were put on earth to learn a way of life practiced by no one else. (We have been producing Bible lessons and other important tools all along for younger children, as well as certain other tools for the teens, but this camp filled a special need for young people in the teen years.)

In summary, we could only wish every teenager in all of the splinters would be able to see and enjoy all that this Church has planned for its teenagers—and what children of all ages routinely enjoy here. The Church, with extra generosity from the members, is pleased and happy to underwrite such a wonderful camp for its teenagers. Also, we saw this as so important that a special, in-depth 20-minute “camp video” was prepared and sent for viewing by all congregations.

Teens—and parents—keep watching for additional camp announcements. It is not too late for more teenagers, whose parents have anointed their eyes, to attend this year!

Rising Income

As mentioned, our income (in all categories) continued rising so fast that all of the above ideas—and many more—have come into view for God’s Work. Further, because this is the Work of God and not of any man, we have complete confidence that, before the age is over, God will supply some miraculous form of “superfunding” to make probably much, much more, possible. We are not naïve. We recognize that it takes the “mammon of this world” to follow through in any meaningful way on many or most of the programs described here. Of course, all of this means God’s people have been truly learning to sacrifice after the pattern when Mr. Armstrong was alive.

There simply is not enough space in this book to report all that we have “in the hopper”—all that is at work in our thinking—in terms of how we can expand the Work of the living God. I was taught growing up that people are only limited by their imagination, and the close observer will recognize that we are far and away the most imaginative organization one could find. We are never afraid to innovate. It has already become visible to all but the most blind that tremendous power from God has shot His Work almost infinitely beyond the capability of not just the big splinters, but all of their “works” taken collectively.

This introduces fascinating, related understanding.

What Mr. Armstrong Told Me About Laodicea’s Work

I have explained elsewhere how I often discussed specific aspects of prophecy with Mr. Armstrong. On at least two occasions, and I have mentioned this before, I pointedly asked him to explain how he foresaw the future rise of Laodicea. These conversations were between 1978 and 1980, and in the wake of his having disfellowshipped his son from the Church in mid-1978. He was putting the Church back on track during this period and Laodicea was on his mind. He was also writing a great deal about Laodicean trends that had entered the Church in the 1970s.

 

Tools: Pictured here are some of the additional tools produced by RCG. They aid in keeping all of God’s people informed, in developing leaders and in ensuring that “all things be done decently and in order” (I Cor. 14:33).

First, recognize that Mr. Armstrong at least initially did believe the Laodicean era would formally appear at or just before the time of the Great Tribulation. Some misunderstand why he thought this. The answer is simple: Believing at the time he said this that he would be permitted to live until Christ’s Return, he knew this final era, meaning the doctrinal part of the disastrous condition of God’s people that it represented—could not occur on his “watch”—that this would have been impossible because he would have thundered against and blocked its development as he had in the late-1970s following the period when the early liberals had taken root in the Church. Everyone who dates to Mr. Armstrong’s time knows that he would never have permitted compromise with truth to occur while he was alive. Therefore, he believed it would have to appear after Philadelphia was taken to safety.

This background sets up our conversations. At least twice Mr. Armstrong answered in the same way—four distinct points:

(1) The Laodicean era will arise suddenly.

(2) “It will come out of this Church” (the WCG), his words.

(3) It will involve the dominant number of God’s people.

(4) It will do a small Work (or, he speculated, possibly no Work), but the “open door” for a big Work, the one that Christ would lead, would only be before Philadelphia. (Each of these points were almost his exact words.)

How prophetic! Except for the timing, because of his death in 1986, every point was dead on. The collective work of the splinters—all human works of men—that you should understand by now will not even begin to approach the Work this book has explained remains for THIS CHURCH!—because only the Church led by Jesus Christ has before it the “open door” of Revelation 3:7-8!

Yet Another “Church” and “Work”

A short inset is important before the chapter concludes, because it illustrates how incredibly confused even top ministers in the splinters can become. In late 2006, a newer “evangelist” arose from a large splinter (he had been ordained to this office in 1999 by his “presiding evangelist”) and declared that the Laodicean age had not yet arrived “because Mr. Armstrong said it would not appear until the Church had been taken to safety”—that Mr. Armstrong had made a point of stating this era would appear “after us,” meaning after the WCG under his leadership.

This man literally could not see the Laodicean condition all around him—and that it has been here for decades! Such astonishing thinking takes the blindness foretold to afflict Laodicea to an almost “nuclear” level! That this is stated by one who suddenly now purports to be the leader of the only true Church (his tiny, unproductive sliver) makes this thinking even more astonishing. (He must then believe the “open door” lies before what has to be his “Philadelphian” group, since there are not yet any Laodiceans. It has been sadly humorous to watch this fledgling organization attempt to “do the Work” starting so late and from scratch.)

Think carefully. Mr. Armstrong was in fact correct when he declared what he did about Laodicea coming “after us.” This is exactly what happened!—and with its appearance did come a variety of “works” of men. The splinters (and two or three slivers) are doing their own work. They—the people and leaders, NOT CHRIST—head them!

Here is the point: Obviously, most who at all love the truth would remember Mr. Armstrong constantly repeated that, “The Church must preach the gospel and do God’s Work.” So it should come as no surprise that most attend splinters doing “works” of various sizes and shapes. Frankly, it is this “we-are-doing-something” pattern of the big organizations that has served to lull thousands into believing they are continuing, and participating in, the Great Commission as Mr. Armstrong taught. They have not recognized themselves having fallen into various “efforts” of Laodicea—compromised, unempowered “works” that did come out of the WCG and “after” Mr. Armstrong’s leadership.

Only by Faith

Mr. Armstrong understood that everything the Worldwide Church of God accomplished was done by faith, and that everything achieved under his leadership was entirely “a work of faith.” His eyes were fixed constantly on the all-powerful living Christ, and His ability to perform miracles, open doors, work out events, arrange key contacts, work out matters of delicate timing, grant special favor, supply critical needs—and always right on time—and to provide the immense funding necessary for the size of Work that God intended.

We are no different. The plans you have seen described are very, very ambitious. We know this. Our enemies and critics scoff and sneer at what is presented here. We also know this. The idea that God will use this Church to fulfill the colossal prophesied commissions before it is beyond what most could ever believe. And we also know this.

But we do not care!

You are left with Christ’s giant, looming open question to all of God’s people who are alive in the final age of the Church before His Return. Here is what He asked the disciples, but was really posing as a question for us today: “When the Son of man comes, shall He find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8). He will!—and that faith will be found in those who take God’s Word—great prophecies—at face value!

This is what we have done—and will continue to do. And we have unwavering faith in Jesus Christ’s ability to do His part in His Church’s fulfillment of every element within the two commissions—commissions you have seen to involve great prophecies.

Now what will you do?

I repeat a final time for powerful emphasis in this context, the Work that will be completed by this Church will ultimately dwarf anything the splinters could imagine—or that the world has ever seen!

This is already beginning to happen—and you can be part of it…