The Living Church of God (LCG) is the second largest Church of God group formed by followers of the teachings of Herbert W. Armstrong. It was formed as a series of increasingly radical doctrinal changes were introduced in the Worldwide Church of God (originally incorporated as the Radio Church of God) in the 1990s. The presiding evangelist of the Living Church of God is Roderick C. Meredith who was one of the first five evangelist-rank ministers ordained by Armstrong in December of 1952.

Brief history

One of the main factors for the growth of the Radio Church of God (later renamed the Worldwide Church of God), was a focus on prophesied events. A popular booklet written by Herbert W. Armstrong and illustrated by Basil Wolverton was 1975 in Prophecy!. In the early 1970s when it became clear that certain events covered in the book would not occur by 1975, many people began to leave the Worldwide Church of God. Others left in dissent over revised (or their own) theological interpretations of doctrine. Some began to form alternative church organizations which mirrored certain of Armstrong's teachings.

Armstrong died in 1986. As a process began that eventually led to the changing of many of its historic and core doctrines (including the key teaching that the seventh-day Sabbath is holy and set aside only for worship), the Worldwide Church of God

Global Church of God

Roderick C. Meredith was one the first five evangelist-rank ministers ordained by Herbert W. Armstrong. (Armstrong believed in ministerial ranks; in some cases, the same person could be ordained repeatedly to increasingly higher ranks, i.e., local elder, preaching elder, pastor, etc. "Evangelist" was the highest rank attainable in Armstrong's church model, other than his own, which was for life and not subject to review or removal.) In the late '60s Meredith was among those who indicated that the view that certain prophesied events would take place in the 1970s -- a view he and many other leading ministers had once supported and promoted -- was incorrect.

After the death of Herbert Armstrong in 1986, Meredith disagreed with many doctrinal and administrative changes made by Joseph W. Tkach, Armstrong's successor as leader of the Worldwide Church of God. Meredith claimed to be loyal to the teachings of the Bible and Armstrong. Faced with less responsibility and a less active role in the church under Tkach's leadershihp, Meredith left to form the Global Church of God in December 1992.

The Global Church of God began with 12 attendees on its first Sabbath meeting, eventually growing to more than 7,000 as disaffected former members of the Worldwide Church of God sought alternative places to worship in keeping with their long-standing beliefs and customs.

In a booklet called When Should You Follow Church Government? (later renamed Church Government and Unity), Meredith described a church government that

New organization

In December 1998, most of the former members of the Global Church of God organized and incorporated the Living Church of God in San Diego.

Within a few weeks of forming, the church began producing a weekly half-hour television program called Tomorrow's World. It is currently anchored by Roderick C. Meredith and another evangelist, Richard Ames (the church also publishes a bimonthly magazine by that name). The telecast is now shown on approximately 160 television stations. The Living Church of God also has a radio program that it broadcasts in several languages.

In 2002, the headquarters of the Living Church of God moved to Charlotte, North Carolina (and later, the church incorporated in North Carolina). The Living Church of God has more than 290 congregations worldwide in Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, North America, and South America.

Tragedy in Wisconsin

On March 12, 2005, a murderous rampage rocked a congregation of The Living Church of God who were meeting at the Brookfield, Wisconsin Sheraton Hotel for Sabbath (Saturday) services. Terry Ratzmann opened fire from the back of the hall and killed the local church pastor, six members of the congregation and then himself.

This occurrence was a shock to the members as the Living Church of God is a pacifist organization that preaches a message of non-violence and living by faith.

Doctrines

According to the church web site, members "view themselves as the spiritual heirs of the original Jerusalem Church of New Testament time." The mission statement of the church is to:

Preach, to all the nations of the world, the Gospel of the Kingdom and the true name of Jesus Christ; Preach the end-time prophecies and the Ezekiel warning, particularly to the "Israelitish" peoples; Feed the flock whom God calls, that all may be built to the stature of Jesus Christ; Be examples to the world, and to the Church at large, of Christ’s way of life; Learn and practice servant leadership in all our dealings with others; Build an atmosphere of radiant faith within God’s Church; Restore Apostolic Christianity, and all that this implies.

The Living Church of God is Sabbatarian (keeps the seventh day Sabbath), observes biblical holy days (sometimes called Jewish holy days), is nontrinitarian, and considers that it is attempting to, in the words of Roderick Meredith, "restore Apostolic Christianity". Some have categorized the Living Church of God as part of primitive Christianity. The concept of "Israelitish" peoples comes from the doctrine often called "British-Israelism" or "Anglo-Israelism" by those outside of the denomination. The doctrine identifies people of western European descent as the "lost tribes of Israel" and has been highly controversial in modern times, lacking the support of most Christian scholars and denominations.

News

Critical commentary

• "What Happens If I Joing Roderick Meredith's 'Living Church of God'?"
• "Exit and Support Network"