Chapter Eight – What About “Local Evangelism”?
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It was promised earlier that we would revisit the subject of the social gospel in a different context, and include more of what Mr. Armstrong taught about it. That happens now. Let’s understand how the Church, through “cunning sleight of hand” (Eph. 4:14), was sold a “bill of goods” that was another central part of the apostates’ sinister agenda to condition God’s people not just to believe as, but also to FUNCTION like, the world’s churches.
Missionaries the world over, both clergy and laymen alike, generally describe themselves as called to participate in the “work of the Lord.” Many of you either have come from such a background—you grew up in a church that strongly emphasized this. If you did, you know the sincerity—the genuine dedication—of those who seem to so selflessly give themselves to one or another form of this endeavor. Some, like Mother Teresa, spend an entire lifetime making it their personal mission to “save” as many of the “unwashed” as possible. This is all part of the world’s social gospel, which is linked to improving societal conditions wherever “believers” have “accepted Jesus.”
“Announcing” or “Spreading”?
Now thinking in a more narrow sense, there is a popular approach—practiced throughout the world—to “spreading the gospel” within one’s community, neighborhood, workplace or circle of friends. This phrase is often linked to the terms evangelism or evangelizing. Apart from the fact that the “gospel” being spread is the wrong one (and, as we have seen, one that focuses on a very different “Jesus”), generally believed throughout most of Christendom, a secondary question arises: Is the method of “empowering” or permitting individual brethren or members of the Church to “preach the gospel” on their own, as they see fit, a biblical concept?
An inset thought applies here: Mr. Armstrong spoke often of announcing the kingdom of God to the world, and you have seen this referenced in the book. He never spoke of spreading the kingdom. There is good reason. I repeat for emphasis: He understood that basic Protestant theology has the kingdom of God already on Earth, found in the hearts of men—“within you” (Luke 17:21)—or wherever “Christianity” is practiced. Of course, and I repeat again for emphasis, the kingdom of God is not yet here and “Christians,” therefore, cannot spread it. It is as impossible to spread a kingdom not on Earth as it is to spread jelly on bread without jelly. Mr. Armstrong carefully selected the phrase “announcing the kingdom” because he knew it was future.
Here is the problem: Seeing oneself as “spreading the kingdom” is a powerful elixir to human nature! It is being “proactive for God”—and “making the world a better place.” Of course, all of this is much the same as “witnessing for Jesus,” discussed earlier. So recognize that there is more than one way to describe this worldly approach.
Uneating the Apple
Most people involved in missionary work or personal evangelism are almost completely unwilling to believe that what they are doing does not have God’s blessing. Believe me, I have tried to convince more than a few who have been involved in this kind of work (and who seemed at the time possibly called of God) that God hasnot authorized them to act on their own. I explained they must be careful not to “cast pearls before swine.” Many of you can remember yourselves being similarly cautioned early in your calling. In addition, the ministry would typically explain the simple difference between “confessing” Christ when under fire and “professing” Him where there was no interest. We would also talk in terms of “being ready always with an answer to every man that ASKS you…” (This is why The Restored Church of God has prepared an article, “Should You Preach to Others?” and another, “Are You Being Called?”, to explain these and related principles in more detail than can be covered here.)
From time to time, people have sought membership in RCG after having developed a personal website for the purpose of “doing the Work”—or they have become involved in various efforts to “spread Mr. Armstrong’s literature”—or to in some way give public “tribute” to him, all done through their own authority, and in their own way. Other brethren have taken it upon themselves to write and post, on their own websites or those of others, their commentaries about world news or opinions about the fulfillment of prophecy. It is as though many have come to believe that what was once done exclusively by Mr. Armstrong and headquarters may now, primarily because of the apostasy, be done by anyone. Convincing these people that they have taken authority not given them (James 3:1-2) is no less difficult than telling a Methodist missionary that he does not have God’s approval. In effect, so many today have “grown a voice.” And it is extremely difficult to get these people to “uneat the apple” of personal evangelism.
Therefore, we must ask again an old question: Does God approve of and endorse such efforts by His people? Are individuals or local congregations, apart from headquarters’ direction—or even the general approval of headquarters—permitted to “do the Work” when and where they wish—and through the method or methods of their own choosing? What did Mr. Armstrong teach?
“Local” or “Personal Evangelism”
Some review. In the early 1990s, as the apostasy was shifting into high gear, the false leaders of the WCG introduced a concept that should have been familiar to all those in the Church with Evangelical Protestant roots. Having already thrown out the true gospel, and so many having come to believe that Jesus was the kingdom of God, and then that this kingdom was already on Earth, again, WCG members were taught that it was now their duty to “spread the kingdom.” This was characterized in classic Methodist or evangelical fashion, meaning through the concept of employing “local evangelism,” sometimes referred to as “personal evangelism.” Many of you will not forget having heard these terms for the first time—and wondering what they meant.
At the same time, the apostates denigrated the idea of a warning—any kind of warning. Mr. Armstrong’s understanding of the need to warn Israel was reduced to and derided as the “gospel of warn and walk away.” While he always saw the warning message to Israel as something entirely different from the gospel, the apostates’ catchy phrase was a way—a word gimmick—designed to associate the idea of a warning with something that was “unloving,” “unmerciful” or “unchrist-like.” (The concept of a supergovernment coming to SMASH all the governments of men—see Daniel 2:45—was seen as much the same.) In addition, the use of the term “walk away” was a second gimmick employed to make brethren feel guilty if they did not “lend a helping hand” to those they were now “leading to Jesus” in the fashion of the world’s churches. They were told that God had always wanted His people to “do their part in improving the world.”
Over time, as with so many other doctrines, resistance (and there was little by the ministry) to this completely alien theology eventually collapsed, and the Church became conditioned to it. Most accepted the new principle as correct, and it occurred to almost no one to research what Mr. Armstrong had taught. Yet again, a staggering memory loss overtook scores of thousands.
The result was that many brethren fled the apostasy and took this thinking with them into the splinters, where it is practiced much more widely—in fact it is almost universal—than you may be aware. Consider. With the enormous power of the Internet, this ultimate tool of “personal evangelism” gives any individual person today the potential to take the gospel—and this could be the true gospel, a hybrid gospel or an entirely false gospel, and could also include any version of a “warning”—to every nation!
Does God just look the other way when this happens?
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