Why I'm Proud of My Church

Overly pleased

By Charlene Rigdon
Waco, Texas

Several years ago I heard a sermon in which the speaker indicated that Christians shouldn't use the word proud as it indicated a haughty nature. Even God didn't use the word when referring to his Son in whom he was "well pleased."

However, after looking in the dictionary, I learned that one of the definitions of proud is "overly pleased." Therefore, I use the word in the sense of being pleased.

The above paragraphs are an example of the legalism I've lived all my life. I am proud of the WCG for coming out of the bondage of legalism and into the freedom only found in Christ.

I'm thankful for the courage our leaders have had in following Christ in the face of such hostile opposition. Their courage has been an example and inspiration for the rest of us who have also experienced open hostility from longtime friends and family.

I am humbled to be part of an organization that has repented of past errors to follow Christ, our living head, wherever he leads. I am thankful that the organization as a whole has overcome human pride and ambition. The control that has been so prevalent in the past has been released, allowing freedom of expression by the laity. Now as lay members of the WCG, we're able to do more than pay, pray, stay and obey.

For me, healing has come simply because there's been an admission of past mistreatment. There has been forgiveness and reconciliation, and by that I'm humbled--and proud.

The WCG is merely one part of the body of Christ. There are other groups that are different parts of the body--the church. And I am proud of the example set by the other parts. These are the same people who we at one time ridiculed and called deceived.

Yet their response to our corporate repentance has been truly Christlike: joy, love, acceptance and forgiveness. I'm humbled by their example.

A fierce love for church

By Joetta Smith
Kansas City, Missouri, North

As I look back over the nearly 20 years I have been in the Worldwide Church of God, I can't help but feel a glow of pride and a fierce love for her.

With study, prayer and patience, the church is becoming fully aware of the wonderful, exciting meaning of the new covenant that God is revealing to her. She has kept her eyes on God, not fearing what man could do to her. She has been tried again and again, and she has passed the test. She has remained faithful, teaching her children to remain faithful as well.

I am proud of my church, because though God never changes and is the same always, she knows that she must change as he reveals new understanding.

Lasting commitment

By Roy and Janice Jennings
St. Joseph, Missouri

We are proud of being members of such a large Christian family--the Worldwide Church of God. We attend a small congregation in St. Joseph, Missouri.

We have seen strong and lasting commitment of our Christian family members in zeal toward God's work. We have had a great opportunity to serve and be served physically and spiritually by the brethren in our area. In time of need, we have always felt a great inner warmth of friendliness from our congregation.

What a joy it is to be a small but strong tool in God's hands to let our lights shine.

Humble, teachable church

By Vicky Boteler
Jackson, Mississippi

God called me to be a member of this church more than 30 years ago. His hand has guided and stayed me through these many days--through the sunshine and the storms of this way of life. I have erred, but he has never failed me.

As a humble, teachable church, we have become willing to repent. We now truly say, "Not my will, but yours be done." We are changing from being critical and judgmental to being tolerant and forgiving. As our focus has changed from the law to Christ, Christ has lifted the veil, is taking our heavy burdens, and putting on us his yoke.

Our understanding of loving one another is growing. We are beginning to reach out to the poor and hungry, the oppressed. No longer exclusive, we are able to tell others about the bread from heaven and where the streams of living water can be found--that Christ is our salvation, the source of all our hope and joy.

As a bride preparing to meet the bridegroom, we are making ourselves ready, going forward, not looking back. We are pressing on toward the high calling of Jesus Christ our Lord. Yes, I am proud of my church--yet I am humbled to be a part of it.

A church of friends

By Deborah L. Blackwell
Athens, Georgia

We are a heterogenous group of people from all walks, skips and jumps of life.

Each person in the Athens church does his or her service to God. Each person is special, each person has his or her own story to tell, each person has battle scars, each person is developing talents, each person is becoming closer to God.

Every other Sabbath several members attend a Sabbath service in a convalescent home. They gather to sing songs, talk about Christ and visit with people who cannot visit them. True Christianity is here.

Every week children gather in the back room to learn about God, to learn to pray together. Jeffrey prays for the children in Somalia, Jenny for Aunt Debbie to get well, and Brian thanks God for flowers and trees. The children make cards for the senior citizens, they draw pictures, they do crafts. In their own way, they honor God.

Yes, we have suffered the scars of separation. Many longtime members have gone their separate ways; but from each one of them and each person to come a piece remains that builds upon our common spirit and helps us to soar a little higher.

With God's grace, we'll be here for years to come spreading the gospel and building a church that Christ would be proud to call his own.

Yielded to understanding

By Frederick J. Moore
Atlanta, Georgia, East

I am thankful that the leadership of the church has yielded to the understanding revealed by Christ through the Holy Spirit. I am thankful that God has chosen us individually, and collectively, to come to Christ, to have him dwell in us, and teach us, and lead us in the paths of righteousness, so we can be true servants in his work.

We understand that if we accept, truly accept, Christ's priceless sacrifice, and if we surrender, truly surrender, to his will in our lives, we will have a right relationship with God and fellowman.

I am happy to be in this fellowship, where it is understood that growth cannot occur without change, and where we look to Christ to direct that growth and change.

Grace through faith

By Bernice Jones
Atlanta, Georgia, East

The present church leadership led by Mr. Tkach Jr. has apologized for past errors in doctrines, beliefs, practices and attitudes. We are leaving legalism, elitism, isolationism and arrogance behind and reaching for the harmony, unity and oneness that is in Christ.

I have pride in what Christ has done, is doing and will do in and through his church. We are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16), and we are strengthened by the knowledge that salvation is by grace through faith.

Faith expresses itself through love (Galatians 5:6). We love and strive to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and our fellowman using the gifts and talents God has given us.

Uplifting music is an important element of our praise and worship services, and we are praying together as never before. God's house is becoming a house of prayer, praise, worship and a sanctuary to glorify his name.

Many brethren have left our fellowship, and several splinter groups have been formed. Some people were and still are confused and bewildered. Some feel betrayed and bitter. Sadly, some no longer worship with any fellowship.

Perhaps some feel that they are in a long, dark tunnel, but they are not alone. Our Lord, our Shepherd is always with us, and we walk in the light because he is our light and our life. He paid the ultimate price for us, and we belong to him.

Jesus Christ is faithful, and we can "be confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Philippians 1:6).

People I call family

By Rhonda Stauffer
Kalamazoo, Michigan

I am proud to be part of a group of people that I call family, who will see where they have been in error, admit that error, repent and then proceed in the right direction.

To have to say, "I'm sorry, I was wrong," is humbling and can be difficult and embarrassing for any one of us to say to another person. The pastor general said those words to the whole church. The majority of our brethren, in turn, had to say those words to mates, relatives, friends and workmates with the same sincerity and conviction.

Our willingness to repent and change and begin a new walk with Jesus Christ has changed our lives in a positive and wonderful way.

Thank God

By Frank Crumell
Kalamazoo, Michigan

We are pilgrims and sojourners in this world, and it is easy to see the imperfections of this world and its organizations as compared to the perfection of the kingdom.

In reflecting on what is positive about any human organization, one cannot help but think of how it can further improve. As Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, "While we reflect on the `is,' we can't help but think about the `ought.' "

The thinking, sojourning Christian always compares the standards of human organizations to the higher standards of his or her homeland--the kingdom of God.

Nonetheless, we must be positive about the present if we are to be hopeful for the future. Within the fellowship of the Worldwide Church of God there is much to be thankful for and proud of.

First, we can be proud and thankful that nothing has separated God's love, justice and mercy from us. Not our insensitivity toward other believers. Not our arrogant and misguided pride in biblical knowledge. Not even our false sense of superiority or inferiority toward those of other races, genders or economic status.

The leadership of the church has made positive steps forward, however modest, to reconcile itself to peoples of color, women and the poor. It is aware that not to include many more of them in key leadership roles would not only be a gigantic backward step, but would prove to be grievous to the Holy Spirit of God.

It can no longer be counted with a callously indifferent or tragically ignorant status quo that says, "There is no problem."

As we march triumphantly toward our not-so-distant homeland, we of the Worldwide Church of God have reason to be proud and can rejoicingly shout to our Redeemer the words of newly liberated slaves:

Lord, we ain't what we should be,
we ain't what we want to be,
we ain't what we ought to be,
But thank God, we ain't what we was.

Fellow reapers

By Jerome K. Bischoff
Lansing, Michigan

I am excited that the church recognizes the supremacy of Jesus Christ in our daily walk and worship. This has encouraged many of us to renew our personal fellowship with Jesus Christ. My prayer and hope is that this revival will allow our Lord to empower us individually and corporately to be his fellow reapers of the great harvest of mankind.

The fields of our generation, perhaps more than any other, seem to consist of rocky ground, thorns and weeds. Somewhere in the fields of poverty, famine, war, crime, addictions, social dysfunctions and even prosperity, lies our harvest.

Yet, if we ask, Jesus Christ will show us where to gather the wheat, and empower us to bring it into his barns.

What a great time to be alive and in God's family!

Jesus Christ our center

By Lance Scarborough
Kansas City, Missouri

In my congregation I have never seen as much love and compassion for one another as I have seen this past year.

Most of all I am proud of my church for making Jesus Christ the center of what we believe. It is through him that we have salvation.

I thank God with all that I am that he has opened my eyes and helped me understand that Jesus Christ was resurrected for me, and I am proud of my church for helping me to open my eyes to that truth.

Welcomed without judgment

By Dale Renshaw
Waterbury, Connecticut

My church makes me feel like I am in a family--a true family. It opens its arms and welcomes everyone without judgment. It helps me to grow and encourages me.

My church is a place where I can fellowship. I enjoy being involved in my church. I'm glad the focus is on Christ and that we're not ashamed of that. Christ has opened up our hearts, and we have welcomed him. Our church is a church where love binds.

Bonded together

By Malva Renshaw

Through the church's teaching about the gifts of the Spirit, members are coming to see that we are a body, and each one contributes to the whole in a unique and important way using his or her gifts.

As we realize this we are bonded together all the more deeply in love for others, as well as our love for Christ. I'm proud that the church is focusing on goals and individual spiritual growth, as well as growth as a church.

I feel our faith is being strengthened and God's spirit is being stirred up and flowing freely to the point that our service in the future may be quite different than we imagine now.

I'm proud that we have clear direction in leadership and we're going forward to lead people worldwide to Christ and that God is now preparing us individually for this mission of preaching the gospel. This is what our lives are about, and this is what really matters.

Our rest in Christ

By Floyd Millsaps
St. Louis, Missouri, North

I am encouraged daily by the faith that the late Joseph W. Tkach displayed. He set the example of faith in Jesus Christ, enduring many trials coming from within the body of Christ.

God led him to understand the elementary teachings (old covenant) about the Christ and to press on to maturity, and come to the reality of the new covenant in Jesus Christ. In doing so, I can certainly see the rest we have in Jesus Christ. A rest from our works, and letting Christ work in us.

I cannot emphasize enough the encouragement and guidance given to us through our local ministers. Yes, we struggled, but with their strong belief in Jesus Christ and teaching the same thing (new covenant), Christ became the center point. We are blessed with ministers that shepherd the flock.

Thrilled at spiritual growth

By John Flynn
Cheyenne, Wyoming

In 1991, after it had become apparent that Mr. Tkach was reshaping WCG doctrine to bring it into closer conformity with the Bible's teaching, I asked him to reinstate my membership.

I was delighted and encouraged by the changes he had achieved, and now, four and a half years later, I am simply thrilled at the spiritual ground the WCG has covered.

My heart indeed resonates with joy to these things, but this joy does not lead me to heap praises on the WCG, because the changes we have witnessed speak not of our leadership's great wisdom and spiritual insight. Rather, they speak of God's great power to work in the hearts of men.

It is my feeling that had we not make the changes we have seen, God would simply have moved on to work with other flocks in other pastures. He likely would have abandoned us to the scrap pile of irrelevant, defunct ecclesiastical bodies that once had a vision and a call, but which refused to follow when the cloud moved on.

Finally, much more remains to be done. Without question we have begun well, but it will count for little unless we also finish well.

Building strong relationships

By Barbara Finley
St. Louis, Missouri, North

My church has fostered a relationship between me and God that has brought me so much peace and joy. I look forward to each Sabbath service. If I miss I feel a spiritual emptiness.

I have attended several churches. I never knew the true meaning of fellowship until I became a WCG member. Our fellowship goes beyond mere socializing. I am proud of the fellowship in my church. It helps me to get to know my brethren better, to build strong relationships and friendships.

Healing and reconciliation

By William J. Osia
St. Louis, Missouri, South

My wife, Barbara, and I have been WCG members for nearly 16 years. We've both had a certain level of pride in belonging from the beginning.

However, there were numerous occasions throughout the years when I personally would hold back in mentioning the church's name to outsiders.

When people wanted to know about our Saturday meetings, dietary requirements, our feelings toward other religious organizations, and so forth, I would be quite evasive.

This was especially true whenever friends and relatives wondered about that "extravagant church convention/vacation" that we took every fall.

They knew we had an older car and an old house, both in need of repair and replacement. They knew that our sons weren't being given the college education that so many other parents were providing for their children. And they knew I made a better than average salary.

It may sound strange, but I was embarrassed to offer information about my church because I feared that the tremendous change in life-style a new person would have to undergo would harm them.

It wasn't until Mr. Tkach Sr. sent a donation to assist the victims of Hurricane Andrew that true pride welled up inside of me. From that time on, I was more willing to share good news about what the WCG was doing for people in need.

This past year I was given the courage to apologize to my extended family as well as Barbara's for the grief we had caused them over the years.

Brought closer through prayer meetings

By Mr. and Mrs. Wilburn Hickman
Austin, Texas

Having prayer meetings in our homes has brought us closer, showing more love to each member as God has shown us of his love.

Never before has 1 Peter 2:21 been so clear as we follow Christ's steps as we go forward.