Many Church members want to know what the Living Church of God Council of Elders discusses when we convene in person each May and November. In this Editorial I’ll share some key points from our November 2024 meeting. Inevitably, some of what we cover is of interest to only a small subset of members. For instance, at our latest meeting we discussed whether ministers of the Church can perform weddings for family members who are not members of the Church.
The short answer to that question is no. As ministers, we must not officiate at weddings of those who are not adherents of the Living Church of God. Why? Because doing so could be seen as setting a legal precedent; if we conducted weddings for people outside of our fellowship, we could jeopardize our stance against officiating at weddings for outsiders in general, including same-sex couples. So, we only perform weddings for those who are adherents—who agree with the Bible as understood by the Church.
Why do we use the term adherent rather than member? Because not all weddings involve baptized members. Sometimes they involve young people who grew up in the Church, observe the Sabbath and Holy Days, keep the laws of clean and unclean meats, and fully agree with the teachings of the Church as they were brought up to believe, but are not ready to make the commitment to be baptized. They are adherents—faithful members of the congregation, but not yet baptized members. Newer attendees may also fall into this category.
“Keeping the Feast at Home”
We also discussed topics that involve a larger segment of the Church. One such discussion involves how we talk about keeping the Feast. We are aware of how language is manipulated to alter how we think on a subject as political correctness is employed to change culture and morality. This is not to say that there is always a sinister motive behind every change in language, but political correctness has made everyone more sensitive about making anyone feel badly about himself, and this may even affect the Church in the way we express ourselves about keeping the Feast. The expression “keep the Feast at home” has crept into our vocabulary in recent decades for a variety of reasons. There was no evil intent in this expression—but is it biblical, and what are the downsides to using it?
Only in recent decades have we used this expression. Historically, we did not speak of keeping the Feast at home—so how has it become a part of our vernacular? The answer is simple. We have many faithful members who struggle with health issues, often related to age. Out of compassion and a desire to include these members, we have done what was not possible to do until fairly recently—connect them to services through livestreaming. In cases where shut-ins do not have livestreaming available, they are sent DVDs, CDs, or tapes with prerecorded messages that they can play each day during the Feast.
This is a service that we want to give to true shut-ins. We want them to know that they are sincerely loved and not forgotten, and we want to enable them, too, to be edified by the messages given at the Feasts. We desire that they gain as much as possible during the Feasts—but does this mean they are “keeping the Feast at home”?
The point is that this statement carries with it a mindset that distorts what the Feast is about. No one wants to be seen as lacking compassion for those who are physically unable to go up to a place where God has placed His name. I realize that I might be in that position myself someday. But are we unwittingly distorting what God commanded? Let’s review that command. “You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain.... And you shall eat before the Lord your God, in the place where He chooses to make His name abide, the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks, that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always” (Deuteronomy 14:22–23). Note also, the admonition regarding the three pilgrimage seasons each year. “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles” (Deuteronomy 16:16).
It is significant that God did not specify where He would place His name—only that He would do so. We know that Jerusalem will be the main location of the Feast during the Millennium, where representatives of all nations will be commanded to appear. However, from a logistical perspective, it is evident that billions of people will not be able to meet in one location. Just as today in the Church, there will be many locations in all countries where the Feast will be kept.
So, where and how does God place His name? Is it left up to each individual to decide the answer to this question? Nowhere does Scripture indicate that the Feast can be kept just anywhere. I explained this in my September–October 2023 Living Church News article titled “How Does God Place His Name?”
In His word, God gives general instructions for the individual. For example, He commands, “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8), but He gives only a few instructions on how to do so (vv. 9–11; Isaiah 58:13–14). The ministry should give guidance, but individuals have to make decisions based on the scriptures given and on that ministerial guidance (1 Corinthians 11:1).
However, when it comes to community decisions about Sabbath observance, this is not—and from a practical sense cannot be—left up to individuals. Decisions must be made as to where and when services are held. Everyone cannot decide for himself, and the Bible nowhere indicates that this should be left up to the congregation to debate and vote on.
The Bible is explicit in directing us to go to a location of His choosing. It is also evident from the Bible that He delegates those decisions to His ministry:
Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them (Matthew 18:18–20; see also 16:19).
Some people misapply verse 20 and think that as long as any two or three people agree on a matter, Christ is in the midst of them. However, they understand neither the context nor what it means to be gathered together “in My name.” “In Christ’s name” means with His authority, and the entire Bible teaches us that God works through His appointed leaders. Nowhere does it teach that decisions involving the Church body as a whole are to be determined by some manner of vote by the membership.
In our Council discussions, it was clear that the overwhelming majority of those who stay home would rather be at the Feast. Most people stay home only out of necessity. We have always understood that the direction for “all your males to appear before Me” allows for pregnant women who are close to giving birth to stay home, and we have likewise understood that women who have just given birth may need to stay home. We have also understood that some members, due to age and infirmity, should not attend. This was especially relevant when Feastgoers had to travel on foot for many miles. God does not expect us to do what we cannot do.
Notice in all of this how we rightly speak of attending the Feast. The injunction for “all your males to appear” does not mean that only males are commanded to attend, with women and children merely given the option. God intends us to take our wives and children—and anyone else who is a part of our household—that we may all rejoice before God. “And you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires; you shall eat there before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household” (Deuteronomy 14:26).
Observing the Feast means more than hearing messages about its meaning. It involves saving our second tithe, rejoicing with others, and sharing our blessings:
Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” So the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still, for the day is holy; do not be grieved.” And all the people went their way to eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood the words that were declared to them (Nehemiah 8:10–12).
Clearly, “keeping the Feast at home” is not what God had in mind. The natural question then arose regarding COVID-related restrictions that affected some parts of our world more than others. Were members in those cases not “keeping the Feast” if they were tuning in online? What is the difference between that and those who choose not to attend in person when there are no travel restrictions?
This brings us back to the question of how God chooses to place His name. As explained earlier in this article, the Bible designates God’s ministry as the decision-makers for this matter. During a very short time in 2020 and 2021, due to what was going on with COVID-19, the ministry decided that it was okay to observe the Feast online in locations that were “locked down”—that is where God placed His name during that unusual time. One can debate whether the various government restrictions were justified. However, we are a law-abiding people who recognize that, just as God has placed His ministry in the Church to keep unity and order, God has also placed carnal individuals in positions of authority, and we are to respect their offices for the good of all (Romans 13:1–5).
So why don’t we simply say that the ministry allows shut-ins to “keep the Feast at home”? There are two reasons. First, when we read the commandment to keep the Feast, it clearly means for us to go out of our homes and to temporary dwellings. Even when the Feast is held in the city or location where one normally resides, members still move into temporary dwellings, some even exchanging homes with other members.
The second reason is that the expression “keep the Feast at home” normalizes the idea that it can be kept at home. We do have individuals who are not shut-ins who see this as an option, and things that start small have a way of growing. Perhaps it is because they don’t want to be burdened by travel and the inconvenience of leaving their own home. Perhaps it is because they have not faithfully saved their second tithe. Some are new and have not had time to save enough—others choose to disobey God’s command, seeing it as optional, and have not faithfully prepared. If you are in that category, I suggest reviewing Mr. Dexter Wakefield’s November–December 2017 article, “God’s Tithes Are Holy.”
Brethren, we must be faithful in observing the Feast—and do so in the manner instructed. This does not mean that legitimate health-related issues make us second-class citizens in the Body of Christ. But to use the expression “keeping the Feast at home” distorts God’s original intent for the Feast and gives the impression that able-bodied people have the option to remain at home. We simply cannot as individuals decide for ourselves where it is acceptable to keep the Feast. This is a function of God’s ordained ministry.
The Phone-Based Generation
Another topic discussed by the Council involved the influence of modern culture. Many voices are raising the warning about the use of smartphones—especially for children. The Church has given warnings over the last decade—in writing, in sermons, and on telecasts—about the dangers of online activity, but it appears that many still do not see the dangers that social media and the Internet pose.
At the same time, we cannot insulate ourselves from it all. In fact, the Church uses social media and the Internet to preach the Gospel and warn this world of what is coming. Christ prayed to His Father on the night He was betrayed, “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:15–16).
Computers and smartphones are not of themselves evil, but there is much evil available on them. In order to sell advertising, very intelligent men have designed these electronic platforms to be addictive and consume as much of our time as they can. Furthermore, our devices are sending us down “rabbit holes” politically, culturally, and conspiratorially. They even change how the brain functions, shortening our attention span.
These are not ideas that only we in the Church have. More people, including some who helped start these platforms, are now publicly raising serious red flags. We will be saying more on this subject in sermons and articles, but I sincerely hope that each of us will look in the mirror and be honest with ourselves about how these electronic platforms are affecting us. It would also do us well to educate ourselves on how these systems work.
Trends and Admonitions
In my final comments at our meetings, I summarized some trends and discussions that came up during the previous two-and-a-half days. There is much for which the Church can give thanks. We are seeing more individuals with a Worldwide Church of God background returning to be with us. Several Council members commented on how people who left the Truth decades ago are coming back. We also saw in 2024 a spike in the number of people attending their first Feast with the Living Church of God. Tomorrow’s World Presentations are also showing good fruit, though it takes some people a year or more after showing serious interest to make the move to change their lives. The men also reported that members are very much supportive of the direction the Church is going.
While we are encouraged by the growth, I reminded the men that we must not be discouraged by the fact that our overall impact in this world is still small—and in this regard I recounted Jesus’ parable of the sower (Matthew 13:18–23), His warning in Luke 14:16–24, and the examples He gave in Luke 9:57–62 to show that most people will not accept what we have to say. I also reminded them of Ezekiel 33:30–33, which tells us of people who will give lip service but not obey God. Ezekiel knew that he was dealing with a hardheaded, stiff-necked people (Ezekiel 3). His prophecies to the house of Israel are for our time, so we should not expect anything else.
I also reminded the men that we are living in the age of Laodicea. Compromise is clearly what is driving many of the problems we now face in the ministry. It is not that we in the Living Church of God must necessarily be Laodicean in attitude, but some Church members are indeed blind to the influences of society and culture around them. Rather than seek truth from those God is using to give guidance, some are influenced by celebrities and sports figures in dress and grooming, and by social media influencers and the world regarding the roles of men and women.
In closing, I admonished Council members to encourage ministers and members to evaluate why they do things—why they dress and groom the way they do, why and how they spend time on social media. We must also stay focused on what God has called us to do. He has not called everyone in today’s world, so we must know why He has called us. We must understand that, because major problems start small, we must be wary of emerging cultural and societal trends, knowing who is behind the course of this world (Ephesians 2:2). Overall, despite some sobering topics, the meeting was positive and productive, and you will be hearing more as we go forward.