THE WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD

ADDRESS: 300 W. Green St., Pasadena. CA 91129

OTHER NAMES: Formerly, the Radio Church of God (name changed in 1968).

CURRENT LEADER: Joseph W. Tkach, Pastor General.(1993)

MEMBERSHIP: 97,000 baptized members (U.S. and internationally); about 140,000 people attend weekly services.

HISTORICAL ORIGIN: The Worldwide Church of God began as a small group of people meeting in Eugene, Oregon in 1933. It was incorporated under the name Radio Church of God in 1947 to reflect the primary means that it had contact with its members The name was changed to Worldwide Church of God in 1968 to reflect better the activities of the Church. Before 1933, the leader of the Church, Herbert W. Armstrong (1892-1986), and some members met with local congregations of the Church of God (Seventh Day), which maintained headquarters in Stan berry, Missouri.

The Church officially began its work of proclaiming the gospel with the purchase of a half hour of radio time in January, 1934. For the next few years Mr. Armstrong conducted a form of church services for members and listeners on a radio program that later became the issues-oriented World Tomorrow radio and television program. The primary magazine of the Church, The Plain Truth, also began to be published in that same month to provide a means for interested listeners to read and learn more about the Church and its beliefs.

In 1947, the Church moved its headquarters to Pasadena, California, where it also founded Ambassador College, a four-year liberal arts college with emphasis in theology. The facility grew with the addition of new buildings, radio and television studios, mail processing facilities and a full-service publishing operation. In 1990, all academic operations of the college were consolidated at the sister campus of Ambassador College in Big Sandy, Texas. The Pasadena facility remains the international headquarters of the Church and the Ambassador Foundation, a non-profit organization established by the Church. in 1975. to conduct cultural. humanitarian. and educational activities.

BASIC BELIEFS: The Worldwide Church of God believes in one God, in the Messiahship of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, God's revelation in the Old and New Testaments, the virgin birth, creation, and the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures. Further, the Church believes that, through Adam's sin, and through each individual's transgression of god's Will, all men became sinners and under the penalty of eternal death. God sent Jesus as the substitutionary sacrifice through which God forgives sin.

The Worldwide Church of God believes that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments express the will of God and are the supreme and final authority for faith and life. Based on an understanding of John 6:44, the Church does not proselyte. The Church believes that it should not be involved in political activity and should not endorse political candidates. The Church believes that one of its most important activities is to disseminate the gospel.

While not proselyting, the Church does make its message available to all who request it. Members also witness to their faith by personal example. The Church ministers to those who are called and voluntarily wish to affiliate with the Church.

PRACTICES AND BEHAVIORAL STANDARDS: The Worldwide Church of God keeps the weekly Sabbath (on Saturday) and the annual religious festivals described in Leviticus 23. The observance of these days varies from year to year on the Gregorian calendar, since they are determined according to the Hebrew calendar. Following the example of Jesus and the apostles, members observe these days and attend special services conducted during the festivals. The Church believes that these festivals outline the biblical plan of salvation. The days and festivals are: Passover, the Festival of Unleavened Bread (which members observe by not consuming leavened products for one week), Pentecost, the Festival of Trumpets, the Day of Atonement (marked by a 24-hour period of abstaining from food and drink), the combined Festival of Tabernacles and Last Great Day (which lasts eight consecutive days and is observed at designated regional sites around the world). Additional information, including dates of observance for any given year, can be obtained by contacting Ralph Helge at the address listed at the conclusion of this section.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: The Worldwide Church of God is hierarchical in structure with authority exercised by the Pastor General, the highest administrative office in the Church. Assisting the Pastor General is the Advisory Council of Elders, a group of individuals with extensive theological and administrative backgrounds. The Church is incorporated in the United States and other nations, with authorized boards and director groups assisting the Pastor General in his administrative functions.

Eleven regional directors supervise Church operations and activities in international areas, each reporting to designated administrative officials at headquarters in Pasadena. These regional directors oversee the work of the Church in offices and congregations in their assigned areas.

ROLE OF MINISTERS: Each local congregation of the Worldwide Church of God has an assigned pastor, usually a college-trained, ordained minister. Depending on the size of the congregation, the pastor may have an associate pastor or other ordained elders assisting him. The Church also ordains ministers who receive no salary from the Church and assist the local pastor as time permits. These individuals are designated local church elders.

Two or more congregations in a geographic area may be served by the same pastor. Responsibilities of the pastor include ministering to baptized members and their families, providing appropriate counseling, visiting and anointing the sick, conducting activities for Church youth to promote the development of positive moral character, preparing and delivering sermons and Bible studies, and fulfilling other ministerial duties as outlined in the Bible.

WORSHIP: The Church teaches its members to observe the weekly Sabbath (Friday sunset to nightfall Saturday) and the annual Holy Days (which are also observed from sunset to nightfall) by refraining from secular labor and entertainment activities. Members observe the Sabbath by attending worship services and devote time to spiritual study, prayer, meditation and rest.

DIETARY LAWS OR RESTRICTIONS: Members follow the biblical dietary laws described in Deuteronomy 14 and Leviticus 11. In accordance with the principles in these chapters, members abstain from consuming certain foods such as pork, shrimp, oysters, lobster, and certain types of fowl.

FUNERAL AND BURIAL REQUIREMENTS: None. The Church teaches that the biblical example is burial and conducts funeral services at the request of members.

MEDICAL TREATMENT: Other than encouraging its members to take appropriate care of themselves, the Church holds no position on the use of medical treatment or facilities.

OTHER: In accordance with biblical tenets, members of the Worldwide Church of God believe that it is wrong to kill, or in any way directly or indirectly take human life; that bearing arms for the purpose of killing or harming fellow humans is contrary to this fundamental doctrine of belief; and therefore, they refuse conscientiously to bear arms.

The Church teaches, according to its understanding of the Bible, that persons who become members of the Church while in the armed services should seek to be discharged from the same. In the interim, they should seek to be transferred to noncombatant duties and should not perform any duties which conflict with the law of God. In the event of conflict or other difficulties between military personnel who become members of the Church and their military obligations, the Church is available to help mediate such problems in an effort to avoid unnecessary disruption and conflict. Should a Chaplain wish to contact a Church representative in this regard, he or she may do so at the address and phone number listed at the end of this section.

The Church sponsors the World Tomorrow radio and television program, the Ambassador Foundation, and various archeological and educational projects. It also publishes the monthly magazine The Plain Truth in seven languages (circulation between two and three million), Youth 91 (quarterly with a circulation of about 500,000), and various brochures and booklets. All products of the Church are free of charge to those who request them. The Church does not solicit contributions from the general public.

GENERAL SOURCE BOOKS:

Melton, J. Gordon. The Enyclopedia of Religion in America. Detroit: Gale Research Company, 3rd edition, 1989.

Recapturing True Valves: The Story of the Worldwide Church of God. Pasadena, CA: Ambassador Publishing, 1990.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Ralph K. Helge, Legal Services, Worldwide Church of God, 440 West Green Street, Pasadena, CA 91105, (818) 304-4000, Fax: (818) 440 1795