This was the first editorial I wrote for the former AW website. It's been updated slightly for the blog, but essentially it dates to 2001. Sadly, five years downstream, it still seems just as relevant.
Americans elect their president every four years, and wisely limit any one incumbent to two terms. The same cautious approach is evident in the constitution of many churches. A church, like a nation, should not become the personal fiefdom of any individual, no matter how sincere or gifted they might be. Yet Pastor General Joe Tkach was appointed, not elected. Moreover he's already served a lengthy term as spiritual leader of the Worldwide Church of God, and apparently has "life tenure". Doesn't that sound more like a fringe cult than an evangelical denomination?
Almost all churches, including related movements like the Church of God (Seventh Day) and the United Church of God, have systems in place that hold their leaders accountable in some way to the membership. Church presidents serve a limited term. Not so the WCG. Joe Jr. (he apparently likes to be addressed as Doctor Tkach) holds the very same title and office that Herbert W. Armstrong held. And while Joe is happy to trash any number of church traditions and doctrines from the past, he shows no enthusiasm for seeking endorsement for his position as the church's top dog. No General Conference exists to provide a counterbalance to the Pastor General's authority. The power of the ministry has been shown to be severely limited: stand up to Joe and Co. and you're likely to become a "pastor without portfolio".
The traditional argument that the Pastor General is accountable solely to Christ won't wash. The theology on which that particular bit of self-deception was based has long since been swept away in the flood waters of change. Has Joe heard about "the priesthood of all believers"? His friends in the wider evangelical community certainly have. In practice, "accountable to Christ" means not accountable at all.
But it gets worse. Legally it appears that the Worldwide Church of God is still "privately owned", and Pastor General Tkach is "sole proprietor". Caught off guard in a radio interview some years ago (on the Larry Mantle "Airtalk" show), he was asked what would stop him from just taking the money and leaving. The only reply he could come up with was that his family would stop him.
While Tkach might deny that he "owns" the church, with the current legal structure of the organization the reality seems to be that he can hire and fire all board members at his personal discretion with absolutely no reason given. That's in writing. He can do whatever he wants with the corporation as long as it complies with government rules for a non-profit organization.
That things don't have to be this way was demonstrated some time ago by an independent Church of God congregation in Tulsa. The Journal, May 2001, reported the ordination of new pastor Ray Kurr. These Sabbatarian Christians have decided to bring the terminology of ministry into line with the service-oriented function originally intended.
Ray Kurr commented "I showed that a pastor does not get between members and Jesus Christ." The article continues "In other church groups... a pastor had to grant permission for the general membership to do many things. 'As a pastor I have no intentions to behave in such an oppressive manner. If the Holy Spirit is moving you to benefit other churches with special music or take a group of friends of the congregation to help at the local shelter, just do it.'"
Joe might regard the members of this local splinter group as "legalists" due to some of their doctrinal beliefs. Yet these people seem to have a fuller grasp of the freedom of the gospel than the top leadership in Glendora demonstrate. Here's what one member posted on a news board:
The ministers have their marching orders and you will see more and more of this coming up soon... the subject of "days" [to worship on] seems to show the most clearly how things are being done...
We were given the right [for local churches] to choose the days ourselves. No real restrictions were placed on us and I felt Wow! this is a real empowering of the people. Well, it hasn't turned out that way. The clear motive now is a complete move from our past traditions to mainstream ones. The people may have chosen to keep the older ones but the ministry are to move us along. So there really wasn't a choice after all.
This is not empowering the people... The level of control on the WCG members is not unlike the Roman Catholics or even the Mormons for that matter.
Empowering the people is a scary thing. It means that you will not be able to control everything the way you would like. But maybe what this produces is something wonderful for the people.
Here's what Michael Feazell said back in 1996 - a full decade ago - speaking to a conference of regional pastors.
"The church needs to be a priesthood of believers... It needs to be doing ministry. Everybody in the church has a stake in that--whether it's women, men, teens or children."
Stakeholders must have a voice. They are not powerless, passive observers.
The simple truth may well be that Joe doesn't trust the church he presumably serves. He won't risk relaxing the reins lest people come up with ideas he doesn't endorse. Perhaps Joe considers himself indispensable. Perhaps he's a control freak. Could it be that he is unwilling to lose his comfortable sinecure?
Pastor General Joe has been chief shepherd of his dwindling flock for far longer than is decent without, at the very least, endorsement from the membership. How long will he remain on his pontifical throne? Even the pope is elected by a college of cardinals! Will he be Pastor General for life - a religious version of Fidel Castro?
Michael Feazell wrote in the July 2001 Worldwide News:
"If your church is a spiritual detriment to you, then you should consider finding another one... When the leader of a church indicates that he is God’s unique messenger or special representative in comparison with other Christian ministers... then you have another example of a church that is spiritually detrimental to its members."
Wise words. But what about churches where the leaders have safely elevated themselves beyond the influence of the members? A church, for example, that permits only token involvement of it's members in governance at either local or denominational level? How can Feazell justify the office of Pastor General and the hierarchical structure of the church in light of his own statement?
Tkach is on record as saying: "This fellowship has always been Episcopal, which is hierarchical..." Perhaps so, though a case can be made that in the early years it preserved a more congregational structure. But even if true, this fellowship had always been Sabbatarian too, but that wasn't allowed to stand in the way of change. And if an "Episcopal" model is to be used, there would need to be a long hard look at the parliamentary procedures actually used by the groups like the Episcopal Church; procedures which do indeed involve representative bodies of lay members at all levels. The Worldwide Church of God is out on a limb when it claims "episcopacy" as some kind of precedent for leadership by a clique or self appointed oligarchy. It is no such thing.
Joe has been single-minded in his efforts to inveigle his way into the evangelical mainstream. But despite cuddling up to evangelical leaders, his leadership style arguably has more in common with Louis Farrakhan than Billy Graham.
They used to say in Pasadena that the only thing that would topple Herbert Armstrong from his throne would be the Second Coming.
Apparently some things don't change.
11 comments:
Joe Jr. should face the fact that he is a protestant pope. Hard truth but nevertheless, it remains the truth.
There's one big difference between WCG's "Protestant Pope" and the various leaders of the groups that have split from WCG: there isn't any apparent "battle for succession" in WCG. Nobody is particularly eager to become the head rat on the sinking ship that is WCG.
Compare this to LCG, where at least a couple of men are already angling to head the group after Meredith dies or is ruled incompetent. And of course UCG experiences ongoing power struggles. But WCG? As far as I know, most WCG ministers are figuring out how best to leave, not how they might gain power.
Anyone care to comment on "WHO" might end up being the next Pastor General after Joey?
Frankly I wouldnt mind if the nepotism continues on with his son, Lil Joey the III, (known for his teenage blog about his sexual and other exploits, as was reported back in the old AW website).
I found Joey III's carnal "adventures" to be tame compared to the other past leaders, ie. HWA, TED, and even his own Tkach grandfather. At the very least, he is at least open and candid about it all.
So Ambassador Watch "College of Cardinals" cast your vote now...Joey the III for new Pope of WCG.
Probably Joe's buddy Mike Feazell would get it. In my dreamworld it would have been John Halford or even Bob Morton (he's now retired from the WCG ministry).
Speaking about Joey III, he can form his own church, The Generation Y Consumerist Church of God.
Bob Morton for PG? A New Zealander with a shonky North American accent? I can only imagine Gavin's reaction (*chuckling*).
Actually Gavin liked the concept and I agree with Gavin firmly that Bob would have done a much better job than Joe Jr. anyday. I think it just drove Gavin crazy when Bob Morton touched his glasses so often. I don't remember him doing that when he was in the Greater Toronto area during the late 80's to mid 90's as a church pastor. :)
Can you imagine Tkach naming anyone as the next PG, but his personal shadow, post modern day Rasputin of the WCG, Mike Feazell?
This Cardinal throws his votes to the man who has the personal moral authority to do the job with HQ accountability, candid enough to be open and honest with the HQ financial statements, and with the heartfelt support of the common people, National Director Gary Moore.
Gary's good also. He's one of WCG's good guys.
Joe won't ever leave until he personally chooses. He has done very well by the church, at the expense of tens of thousands who let him get away with it all. The Tkaches, with their cronies, should have moved on themselves and left the church alone no matter how wrong they felt it was.
Well my current point is that my sister, surviving widow of my recently died WCG minister brother in law has noted that Tkaches still have a Fall Festival Cruise yet do not "allow" the local can't afford a cruise types to have meetings for Fall Festival things. She wondered why and was starting to resent the implications. I told her that the cruisies are well to do people that want something to still feel Fall Festivaly and will leave if Joe doesn' not accomodate them. So they take the cruise, share Jesus in one silly way or another and it's all good. She said that yes, that sounded right and, while she is weaning herself away from WCG, feels for the leftovers who want some fall festival feel. She wonderd just waht exactly they were celebrating in the Fall that they still take the cruise after all these years of switching from festivals to Xmas and Sabbath to Sunday. THe best reason I can think of is that Joe and Co. like cruises and hell if Jesus wants to take a fall cruise with them , in his Name, so be it. Who can fault Sunday School theology on an expensive Cruise. Argh
I would like to be the next "PG" not for my own 'salvation' but for those that are/have suffered. First I would dissolve the whole damn thing screw the rules. I would publish all financle records(if any existed) and somehow show the splinter groups are just as fraudulent asthe original!!!!!! Then I would take any monies (if any)and donate it in the name of all those that truly suffered through the horrible " Mind F*Ck that Herbie started!!!!!!!
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