What a year this has been! We would normally have this issue of the Living Church News filled with summer camp material, but, as you will see, that has been scaled back a bit. The Adventure Camp was a huge success, as was the West Virginia Preteen Camp, but we canceled two preteen camps in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak that occurred at our Texas Teen Camp. Some may wonder how this could happen at one of our camps; can we not expect God to give us supernatural protection? Let’s see what we can learn from the Holy Scriptures.
God tells us through His servant the Apostle Peter, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy” (1 Peter 4:12–13). Peter also tells us that the devil walks about seeking whom he may devour, and in the context of this passage, he says to know “that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world” (5:8–9). Peter also wrote, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6–7).
Some may say that this all happened because we lacked faith, or because God was in some way displeased with us. But can we name any group that has not been touched by this pandemic? Nothing in Scripture indicates that God’s people will live a life free of harm. Yes, we know Psalm 91—but does it mean God will protect us from all dangers every time we, in effect, demand that He do so?
We read of many miracles of Jesus healing the sick and disheartened in the New Testament, but we also read of those who were not immediately healed. Many were healed through the Apostle Paul, yet we also read that one of his fellow workers in the Gospel was, quite literally, deathly ill: “Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow” (Philippians 2:25–27).
We also read of how God allowed Satan to thwart Paul’s plans and even to afflict him in some way (1 Thessalonians 2:18; 2 Corinthians 12:7). Paul told the Romans that he had often tried to come to them but was hindered (Romans 1:9–13). He does not say how he was hindered, only that he was. We can also read of how the great archangel Gabriel was hindered from coming to Daniel for a period of three weeks (Daniel 10:12–13). And how can we forget what went on behind the scenes with Job? It would be foolish at best to characterize Epaphroditus, Paul, Job, or the archangel Gabriel as “lacking faith” because they experienced great illness or hardship. We do not currently understand all the reasons we had an outbreak of the coronavirus at our Texas Teen Camp—almost certainly the Delta variant that hit Texas hard at the beginning of July—but in time we will understand better why God allowed it.
Though we do not always know the mind of God at the time some event occurs, I have learned from many years of experience that God is often working out unforeseen plans for us. I am reminded of a story recently related to me by people to whom this happened. We held a Feast in India a couple of years ago, and all except one who requested a visa to enter India received one. This lady was turned down three times, and no one could understand why. She certainly doesn’t look like or act like a terrorist, spy, or troublemaker.
One reason she wanted to go to India was to spend time with a friend, but that obviously did not happen. However, her brother received his visa and did something that all agree he would not have done had his sister been there—he spent time with his sister’s friend. Now he and his sister’s friend are married. Sometimes God works, as they say, in mysterious ways. Without going into details, I can look back on my life and see that events that were traumatic at the time worked for good in the end, and my guess is that most of you can look back and say the same.
We are physical beings, and summer camps are considered risky in the age of COVID-19. And of all types of camps, those like our Teen Camp are riskiest. We had about 240 campers and staff come from all over the country to a place where for two weeks they were to sleep in dorms and eat meals together, and they could not practice social distancing or masking in any practical way. We knew there was a risk, as all it would take would be one individual slipping through the cracks for the virus to spread like wildfire.
Addressing Questions
Some surely wonder, Why didn’t God prevent the outbreak? He certainly could have. Are we lacking in faith? First of all, it should be recognized that we have been transparent and have not tried to “hide” by not testing for COVID-19 when sickness occurs. We have not concerned ourselves with what others will think—instead, we have focused on honesty and on being upfront. And contrary to what many may believe, the 2020 Texas Teen Camp was not “illness free,” as several who attended the camp have mentioned after the fact, including some who were, themselves, sick at camp. This is not unusual for any camp, of course, and shouldn’t be considered remarkable. But it does help to put the claims of some last summer in perspective.
And this year, one particular group in which some have claimed great faith in God’s protection from sickness also experienced issues with illness in their camp, in some cases severe. Months earlier, the same group had experienced an outbreak at another event, and before long several were hospitalized, including the group’s leader.
I don’t write these things to condemn anyone, but merely to state the facts and to note that these facts should put shallow claims about faith into perspective. Health challenges such as these should not be taken as signs that those who suffer should be judged as lacking in faith—whether those who suffer are in our group or in another. As I explained earlier, even some of the most faith-filled individuals in Scripture experienced sickness and calamity, and their faith was not shown in God’s miraculous protection, but rather in their godly obedience, attitude, and even gratitude as they endured those trials.
Concerning those who have fallen ill, in our own organization and in others’, we are grateful to God that most have recovered, and we grieve for those who did not—again, whether in our organization or even among those who have left us. Many of us have prayed for their welfare. As David wrote concerning some who had attacked him and acted as his enemies, giving us perspective and something to meditate upon,
Fierce witnesses rise up; they ask me things that I do not know. They reward me evil for good, to the sorrow of my soul. But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled myself with fasting; and my prayer would return to my own heart. I paced about as though he were my friend or brother; I bowed down heavily, as one who mourns for his mother. But in my adversity they rejoiced and gathered together; attackers gathered against me, and I did not know it; they tore at me and did not cease; with ungodly mockers at feasts they gnashed at me with their teeth (Psalm 35:11–16).
David’s words are consistent with Jesus Christ’s command to each of us to “love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Dear brethren, we must follow God’s inspired instructions—and that includes loving and praying for our enemies, even while they may despise us.
Walking in Love—and Wisdom
Yet, even as we follow God’s instructions to love our enemies, we must also follow the instructions God gave through Paul to avoid those who cause division, as I explained in this issue’s “Dear Brethren” letter beginning on page 1. Some don’t seem to understand this individual responsibility and expect Headquarters to “mark” every single person who causes division, but are we not individually able to discern division when we see it? Are we so blind that we cannot make a simple judgment based on scriptural instruction? Are we unable to understand the meaning of “avoid”?
Does it make sense to believe and follow the reports of clearly divisive men? God hates division! I quoted Proverbs 6:16–19 in my “Dear Brethren” letter, and it is worth examining again. Notice the things that are listed along with divisive men—just as He hates those who sow discord, God says He hates “a false witness who speaks lies” (v. 19). I personally have been accused of “taking the Church into apostasy” as Mr. Tkach did. Brethren, are we not able to see how outright foolish such an accusation is? Where is the evidence? Have any of us in leadership positions hinted that we are not to observe the seventh-day Sabbath or the annual Festivals and Holy Days? Have we ever implied that we should stop distinguishing between clean and unclean meats? Have we gone against any of the 18 truths God restored to His Church through Mr. Herbert Armstrong? Have we neglected Christ’s commission to take the Gospel to the world? You should know the answer to that.
The fact is that over the last two years, the Living Church of God has had to face circumstances and make decisions that neither Mr. Armstrong nor Dr. Meredith faced—just as they faced things in the past that we have not had to deal with. We have had to make decisions regarding whether to limit the sizes of our Festival sites, whether to require masks and social distancing, and whether to worship together online in some situations. It is interesting that splinter groups that have decried online services are now of necessity holding online services. Brethren, we ought to be able to recognize rumor-mongering lies when we see them. And, of course, true Christians do not listen to divisive people who try to paint every decision in a negative light. Instead, true Christians follow Philippians 4:8: “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”
Does this mean we have made perfect decisions over the last several years? Of course not! But how do our mistakes compare to that of the Church under Mr. Armstrong regarding the Day of Pentecost? Remember that for 40 years the Church always kept it on Monday. How to count the day was always controversial, but when Mr. Armstrong realized his error—the different way time was counted in Hebrew—he made the change that most of us take for granted today.
Yet, while God tells us through Paul that we are to avoid those who cause division, this does not mean that we do not pray for them when they get sick or that we fail to pray that they may see the error of their ways. We are happy when a neighbor, a coworker, or a member of virtually any group—even those who have criticized and derided our decisions and efforts—recovers from serious illness. After all, we too are physical, and we suffer the same trials as our fellow human beings. Our real enemy is Satan the devil, the great deceiver.
We are not the only ones who in the last two years have had to shut down a camp early or cancel a camp due to the novel coronavirus. Virtually all Church of God groups have had outbreaks of the coronavirus and other illnesses as a result of a camp, family weekend, funeral, Feast, or other activity. This is not to say that all Church of God groups are the same or that all are doing the will of God, which brings me to another point.
How Are We to View Others?
Some among us see the various Churches of God descended from Worldwide as “all believing the same thing.” But if that is the case, why have they divided the Church by rejecting Dr. Meredith, who with the founding of the Global Church of God in late 1992 was clearly doing the Work of God by preaching the Gospel to the world (Matthew 28:18–20), giving the Ezekiel warning message (Ezekiel 33:1–7), and feeding the flock (John 21:15–17)? Many who went a different direction freely admitted that Dr. Meredith was already doing these things when they left Worldwide. On the other hand, we have other members who mistakenly believe that anyone in a group outside the Living Church of God is an apostate.
I was recently asked for my thoughts regarding these other groups, and here is what I explained. Some organizations that call themselves “Church of God” are clearly not God’s Church in any way, although there may still be some of God’s people among them. These are often the ones led by a single authoritarian leader who takes advantage of people, pressuring people to donate homes or life-savings they may need themselves someday. They make wild and continual claims about when the tribulation begins and other outlandish prophetic utterances. Some forbid their members from fellowshipping or even associating with family members if they are not members of their group. It is difficult to see Christ’s leadership in these groups in any substantial way at all.
Then there are groups that splintered off from us, rebelling against the leadership of the Church under Mr. Armstrong, Dr. Meredith, or me, and these have essentially gone nowhere. God is not going to honor division. These do not normally reach out to the world in any significant way, but fish in the pond of God’s Church, thus further dividing the Body of Christ and diminishing its ability to do God’s Work. While some make more noise and last longer than others, they virtually all end up splintering further and failing to do the Work of God in any significant way.
There are other groups, larger than the ones I have just mentioned, that are similar to us in most doctrines, yet with important differences—especially in governance and focus. As I explained to the questioner, Jesus instructed us to judge by the fruits, and Paul added that it is unwise to compare ourselves among ourselves (2 Corinthians 10:12). Whatever God may choose to do through others is not our concern (Mark 9:38–40; Acts 19:13–17). We know who we are, and we know the commission Christ gave. That is where we should focus our minds. We must be humble enough to admit that we do not know how all of this will play out in the future. We hope that God will use us to finish His Work, but that is His decision. We must do what we know to do and let Him decide how He will use—or not use—any specific group.
Deceptive Movements
And that brings me to one final aspect I’d like to address concerning this whole matter. From time to time we see individuals who set themselves up to try vainly to bring all the “Church of God” groups back together. If only the leaders would get out of the way, we could all be together, they think. Rather than uniting people, these movements eventually separate people and further divide our efforts to do the Work of God. How often we see someone act as though only the “independent” can “serve the unserved.” How often we see un-ordained individuals attempt to bring groups together socially, as though that is the most important thing.
Brethren, do not get caught up in these movements. They will fail in the end, but in the meantime they further divide and distract people from doing the Work. We have a commission—let us not fail in fulfilling it!
As for camp, I am grateful to be able to say that, in the eyes of most who attended, the Texas Teen Camp was not a failure. Despite having to close so early, we still heard from several campers and staff that it was their best camp experience ever. We were able to work with our staff, including a newly formed group of “high school” staff who caught the vision of where we want to go. This was a good start for next year. Lessons to be learned from this year will become clearer as time goes by. Where the world will be next year, we cannot know, but whatever happens, we trust that Jesus Christ is in charge and that He is working out a plan that we will better understand in the years ahead.