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Church History Overview
In this brief history of the church I do not intend to compete with Church literature. My intention is not to give a thorough exposition of the progress of Christianity or of a Church. The church has had an impact on me and that is what is significant in my view. Don^t ask a shoemaker to fix your teeth. I am not a historian nor a history buff.
I began studying the Bible some time before coming across The Plain Truth, a magazine published by the Worldwide Church of God, whose chief editor was Herbert W. Armstrong. Upon reading the magazine my interest and curiosity peeked. I read all the issues available from the news stand found in my neighbourhood. The magazine answered more questions than I had yet formed in my mind. This led me to request most if not all the publications advertised in these magazines. I had spent many frustrating months if not years searching for a religion that could explain the Bible and teach from the Bible because they understood it. Surely such a church must exist, I thought. Why else would God give us the Bible? I learned a great deal from Herbert W. Armstrong and his publications. Things that few groups teach and practice.
Of course the Church did not start with H.W. Armstrong. Things got started during the week of creation when Adam was created. And we are made aware of another beginning by John in his first chapter where we are told that Jesus, the Word, was with God from the beginning and was God. All things came into being by Him, the cherubim, the archangels and the angels, myriads of angels, see Hebrew 12:22. There is a great work of creation being worked out here on earth. Herbert W. Armstrong helped me to understand that like no other person I have ever encountered. I believe that he was a significant beacon in these end times and that the teachings that he instigated are of utmost significance. A phrase he often spoke was ^Don^t believe me, believe your Bible.^ Those who hold to the teachings of the Bible, the whole Bible, not merely a favourite verse or concept here and there, are predominately the members of the offshoots of the Worldwide Church of God.
Herbert W. Armstrong founded the Radio Church of God in the 1930^s ( see chart at www.wcg.org/lit/AboutUs/roots.htm ). Since that time it is said that there have been hundreds of splits in the church. You can read a list of some of them posted on the Worldwide Church of God^s website ( www.wcg.org/lit/AboutUs/splits.htm ). The United Church of God is one of these offshoots and I am a regular attendant of their services. From my observations and from my knowledge of the Holy Scriptures I can attest that they are making a genuine effort to preach, teach and observe the truths of the Bible. We are all flawed, but some try harder than others to overcome. The Worldwide Church of God is in large part giving up in my humble opinion.
2007 Jacques Gauvin
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