Interview: Ronald Kelly (Worldwide Church of God)

As I've mentioned before, I've long held a fascination with the history of the Worldwide Church of God. So I've arranged an interview via e-mail with Ronald Kelly, an official of that denomination. Here are the results of that interview:

1. What is the purpose of the Worldwide Church of God?

Our purpose is expressed in our mission statement:

Living and Sharing the Gospel.

We seek to fulfill our mission by:

Building healthy, Christ-centered congregations that are sanctuaries of worship, friendship, and nurturing pastoral care.

Providing sound biblical teaching through congregations, media, and personal outreach in relevant, meaningful forms for people of diverse backgrounds and ages.

Expressing the love of God to all through the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Equipping people for Christian service so that the gospel can be known, understood, and experienced.

Sharing in the work of the gospel with the broader Christian community, acknowledging that we can learn from one another and the Christ’s love goes beyond denominational boundaries.


2. Taking into account changes in membership figures in recent years, what is the future of the WCG?

As a result of correcting doctrinal errors, WCG membership has fallen from a high of close to 150,000 to a current 64,000. Although this might seem discouraging to some, the current membership forms a solid core of dedicated Christians who have embraced the love and grace of Jesus Christ with great joy. As a result of the journey our members have taken, we hope they will be able to reach out to those who do not yet have a personal relationship with Jesus. Many of our congregations are experiencing growth after nearly a decade of declining numbers. We hold leadership training classes for members to understand how to reach their unchurched family, neighbors, coworkers and friends. We do not feel the great God who stepped into our denomination, guiding us to correct doctrinal error, did so to abandon us, but to use us as a small, but effective tool in the greater body of Christ.


3. If the WCG was founded upon several doctrinal falsehoods, why should members remain, rather than go to other churches and denominations?

What God has done in the fellowship of the Worldwide Church of God is unprecedented in modern Church History. We do not know of another group, fellowship, sect or cultish movement that has been willing to challenge the doctrines, administration and traditions it has historically embraced. This transformation has been an inspiration to hundreds of Christian leaders in many different denominations and to scores of thousands of individual Christians who have rejoiced with us in the changes that have been made.

If the WCG were to dissolve or be absorbed into other churches and denominations, the example would be lost in obscurity. Many Christian leaders have come along side us, accepted into the Christian community of believers and have encourage us to “stay to course.” As one commented, “Your example to the Christian community is too powerful, don’t come down off the wall!” (Reference to Nehemiah’s reconstruction of the walls of Jerusalem).


4. What does the WCG teach its children about Herbert Armstrong and his role in the history of the denomination?

Herbert Armstrong was the founder of the movement that became known as the Worldwide Church of God. Mr. Armstrong began a radio broadcast in 1934 that eventually was heard around the world. By the late 1960s, the media emphasis shifted to television and The World Tomorrow program became one of the most viewed religious programs in America.

Throughout the years, especially after WW II, the movement experienced explosive growth as radio listeners and television viewers and Plain Truth readers sought local congregations where they could worship together.

Thus the connection to Herbert Armstrong as the founder of the movement cannot and should not be denied.

However, after his death in 1986, many of the denominational leaders began to realize that some of the teachings, in fact some of the central teachings that Herbert Armstrong taught, were neither biblically or historically accurate. Mr. Armstrong had never been trained in theological studies and did not have the background to adequately evaluate some areas of theological study. For example the WCG did not accept the doctrine of the Trinity – a central and core belief of the historic, orthodox church. He rather taught that God was a family consisting of two persons, the Father and the Son, but that the Holy Spirit was not a person in the triune Godhead, but the power through which the Father and Son worked. After lengthy and intense studies, many of the church leadership understood the error this teaching and embraced the Trinitarian position. This caused some church leaders to defect and to form derivative or splinter movements of their own.

A second major challenge was a study and subsequent rejection of a major WCG teaching that the United States, The British Commonwealth and some nations of Northwest Europe were to be identified as the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel. Herbert Armstrong felt it was his calling to preach that doctrine and a related prophetic warning to these modern nations. Thus the media ministry of the denomination tended to focus on interpretation of world events in the light of perceived biblical prophetic scriptures. Church leaders, again after careful examination, concluded that these interpretations were neither biblically nor historically accurate and the WCG no longer teaches these erroneous beliefs.

Herbert Armstrong was sincere in his beliefs. But we feel he taught a flawed theology and that he incorrectly interpreted biblical prophecy.

One of his key instructions for many years was, “Don’t believe me, believe the Bible.” And he challenged church leaders, “You must always have the courage to admit error when you are proved wrong.” Beginning in the early 1990s, church leaders did just that. We cannot and should not divorce ourselves from Herbert Armstrong. That is simply not possible. But we can openly discuss the current teachings of the denomination along side the historic teachings and show why changes were necessary, admit error, and move into the future with positive conviction.


5. In your understanding, is salvation possible outside of the WCG?

Absolutely. While years ago the WCG operated under a “one, true church” misconception, the current WCG actively participates with many different denominations in active joint fellowship. We are now a part of the evangelical community and share a common bond with many congregations in areas where we have local churches. We believe, as stated in how we fulfill our mission, that Christ’s love goes beyond denominational boundaries. Perhaps because of our past, in fact, we joyfully understand how God has worked through the greater body of Christ and its many denominations for hundreds of years.

6. Why does the WCG celebrate traditional Israelite holiday such as the Feast of Tabernacles?

This is another tradition that the WCG no longer holds. From the early 1930s until the early 1990s, the Worldwide Church of God held convictions that Old Covenant laws were obligatory for New Testament Christians. Thus the church observed the 7th day Sabbath, kept the holy day festivals of ancient Israel, observed the food laws of clean and unclean meats and a variety of other Old Testament regulations.

Part of the doctrinal transformation of the Worldwide Church of God, was coming to an understanding that the church today lives under a New Covenant inaugurated by Jesus Christ. The legalism and rules of the Old Covenant are not binding on New Testament Christians. It is our belief that the New Covenant does not demand specified “holy” times such as Sabbaths and Holy Days. Our local congregations are free to worship on Saturday or Sunday. A majority of our congregations now hold weekly worship services on Sunday and practically none of them continues to observe the Jewish festival seasons. Rather they observe Christmas in honor of Christ’s birth and celebrate Easter to commemorate the resurrection. All of our congregations hold periodic Lord’s Supper services with the bread and cup of communion.


7. What relationship does the WCG maintain with splinter Armstrongist churches like the Global Church of God and the Philadelphia Church of God?

Sadly, it can be documented that there are now well more than 100 splinter organizations that derive from the Worldwide Church of God, or that are splits of splits of groups that broke off from the WCG. It is impossible to keep up with each and every movement that springs into existence. For example, the Global Church of God no longer even exists.

The current WCG has simply chosen to accept our place in the greater body of Christ and we do not judge those who have broken off from us. Neither do we condone their erroneous beliefs and maintenance of Armstrongism.

Personal friendships and fellowship certainly take place among members of various splinter groups. But there is no official contact or interaction between the WCG and any of the various derivative fellowships.


8. What ecumenical relationship does the WCG maintain with the United Methodist Church?

As noted above in this piece, the Worldwide Church of God is an active evangelical denomination that subscribes to the central and core beliefs of mainstream and evangelical churches. In addition, our denominational leadership interacts with a variety of denominational leaders varying from informal lunches and discussions to formal participation in activities and projects. Certainly we consider the United Methodist Church an important part of the historic Christian faith, especially in American history and as brothers and sisters in Christ. There has been no officially established relationship with the United Methodist Church, however our prayer is that United Methodists accept and welcome us into the greater fellowship of the body of Jesus Christ.