Chapter Three – Searching for the True Church

Upon unconditionally surrendering to God, Mr. Armstrong found that he no longer resented Mrs. Runcorn, the elderly woman who had revealed the truth about the Sabbath to Mrs. Armstrong. Instead, he and his wife came to look up to Mr. and Mrs. Runcorn as their spiritual parents.

The Runcorns were members of the Church of God, Seventh-Day, which was headquartered in Stanberry, Missouri. Through this couple, Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong became acquainted with a small group of Church of God people scattered in Salem and down south in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

Mr. Armstrong believed Christ’s promise that He would not let His true Church die out (Matt. 16:18)—but where was it? He knew that true Christians faithfully kept all of God’s commandments, including the seventh-day Sabbath. To Mr. Armstrong’s knowledge, the only Sabbath-keeping churches were the Seventh-Day Baptists, the Seventh-Day Adventists and the Church of God, Seventh-Day.

Mr. Armstrong’s daily Bible studies revealed that Christ promised to keep His disciples in His Father’s name (John 17:12), and that the Bible lists the name of God’s Church 12 times—“Church of God.” This ruled out the Seventh-Day Adventists and the Seventh-Day Baptists, who were named by human beings.

Some have believed that Mr. Armstrong was once a member of the Seventh-Day Adventists—but this was never the case. In fact, he never attended any of their services. Since that organization was not named after God, Mr. Armstrong determined it could not be the same Church Christ built in A.D. 31.

Mr. Armstrong’s search for the true Church had narrowed to the Church of God, Seventh-Day. And yet, he wrote, “They were so small, so uneducated, except for their limited amount of ‘Sabbath-keeping’ Bible knowledge—and their work, as I found, so ineffective and unproductive, I could not believe they could be God’s one and only true Church” (“History of the Beginning and Growth of the Worldwide Church of God,” The Good News, May 1980).

At that time, the Church was small and scattered, with less than 2,100 members, most living in rural areas. There were very few local congregations, and none as large as 100 members, and its ministry consisted of men who had little education. Though its elders preached with zeal, they lacked the power to attract sizeable audiences—the kind of preaching that moves people to action, stirs them up, and leads them to want to change their lifestyles.

Mr. Armstrong understood that “No person is even a member of the true Church unless he has received, and is filled and led by, the Holy Spirit—and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of power! This little church seemed to be powerless—comparatively impotent! It was not stirring up the world! It was not making the whole world conscious of its existence and its power! I failed to see where it was bearing much if any fruit! Could a fruitless church be the one and only true Church of God on earth?

“I was deeply perplexed,” he wrote.

How could such a tiny, scattered, virtually dead organization be God’s one true Church? This question constantly troubled Mr. Armstrong’s mind: “I could not then reconcile myself to believing a church so small, so fruitless, with an uneducated ministry, could be God’s one and only true Church” (Ibid.).

Because he could not reconcile this in his mind, Mr. Armstrong associated with its membership, but never became an official member of that organization.

Jesus Christ foretold that, from its birth on Pentecost, A.D. 31, His Church would exist through seven distinct eras over a 2,000-year time span—Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea (Rev. 2 ALL and Rev 3,ALL). Mr. Armstrong would later come to understand that the ministers and lay members he had been associating with were of the Sardis Era, whom Christ warned, “I know your works, that you have a name [“Church of God”] that you live, and are dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found your works perfect before God” (Rev. 3:1-2). This passage reveals the condition of the Sardis Era of God’s Church and of its brethren.

“Baptized Into Jesus Christ”

Mr. Armstrong no longer wanted to live his former way of life, that of putting material, worldly success first and foremost in his mind. His initial six months of study had led him to fear and to believe God. Now, he wanted to obey Him, to unconditionally surrender to God’s rule. Instead of following the way of vanity and self-importance, he decided to seek God’s way of love—outgoing concern for the well-being of others.

He learned that upon repenting of going the way of vanity and self-importance, he had fulfilled the first of two conditions to receiving God’s Holy Spirit: “repent, and be baptized” (Acts 2:38).

Mr. Armstrong knew he had to be baptized, but he wanted to do it God’s way. But how?—through immersion?—through the sprinkling, or pouring, of water? While he sought the counsel of several ministers to help him thoroughly understand water baptism, Mr. Armstrong determined to base his decision solely on the Word of God.

First, he approached a Church of God, Seventh-Day minister who was visiting from Texas, and asked him about water baptism. But this man was gruff and impatient. He let Mr. Armstrong know that he did not want to “waste” his time on answering the many questions of someone who was not baptized. Mr. Armstrong could not rely on this man for help.

So he went to three other men: a Quaker minister, a Seventh-Day Adventist pastor and a Baptist preacher. And, in the meantime, Mr. Armstrong studied the subject in the Bible.

The Quaker religion (which Mr. Armstrong and his parents and ancestors were reared in) did not teach water baptism—being immersed in water. After Mr. Armstrong peppered him with several questions, the Quaker minister admitted that he too had questioned his church’s teaching. But the man resolved his crisis of conscience by ignoring what the Bible taught about baptism, and following the traditions that the esteemed leaders of his church taught. Mr. Armstrong came away from this discussion both amazed and disappointed. Like so many have done throughout the centuries, the Quaker minister had rejected the laws of God to follow after the commandments of men (Mark 7:6-9).

Mr. Armstrong spoke with a preacher from the Seventh-Day Adventists, but he found his explanations to be cold and legalistic.

However, his counsel with a Baptist minister was different. Not only did he give the clearest and best explanation of water baptism, but he was also warm and friendly. He sincerely wanted to help. Though this man’s church observed Sunday worship and other pagan traditions, his knowledge about water baptism and the laying on of hands was in line with what the Bible actually taught. (Mr. Armstrong knew that the churches and denominations of traditional Christianity teach customs and traditions rooted in paganism—Christmas, Easter, birthday celebrations, etc. But many of these churches of the world did correctly teach one or two doctrines as taught in the Bible.)

Convinced that the Baptist minister would baptize according to the way God’s Word instructs, Mr. Armstrong asked him to perform his baptism. However, he stressed that he did NOT want to be baptized into that man’s church, denomination or religion. Instead, he asked that he be “baptized into Jesus Christ” (Rom. 6:3).

(Today, during baptismal ceremonies conducted by God’s Church, just before the ceremony is to take place, the person to be baptized is told that he is not being baptized into any sect or denomination of this world.)

Mr. Armstrong had to appear before a board of trustees to see if they would authorize their pastor to fulfill his request. The board was so impressed by his understanding of the scriptures that they unanimously agreed in his favor.

And so, in the spring of 1927, Herbert W. Armstrong was baptized into the body of Christ.

Learning That God Heals

The Armstrongs continued living in Portland, frequently visiting with Church of God brethren in neighboring Oregon City, and down in Salem, Jefferson and other towns.
It was the practice of one small, leaderless group to ask its visitors to give a sermon. Mr. Armstrong received such a request, but he quickly declined. Being a preacher was the last thing he wanted to be.

However, when he received another invitation, he accepted it, because he was anxious to tell them about God’s special Sabbath covenant (Ex. 31:12-18), of which he knew they were unaware.
As he grew in biblical knowledge and understanding, and continued to come out of the traditions and customs in which he had been reared, Mr. Armstrong learned the truths of God one doctrine at a time. That August, he learned that God heals.

Mrs. Armstrong had been suffering from a series of health problems (a swelling in her throat that kept her from eating and drinking, blood poisoning, etc.), and a doctor determined that she had only 24 hours to live. Also, having gone without sleep, food and drink for three days, Mrs. Armstrong was near exhaustion.

At that time, a neighbor visited her and asked whether Mr. Armstrong would permit a man to come with his wife for the purpose of anointing Mrs. Armstrong and praying for her healing. Though he feared that the couple might turn out to be religious fanatics, Mr. Armstrong reluctantly agreed.

When they arrived, Mr. Armstrong asked the man if he would answer a few questions before praying for his wife. This man welcomed his questions, and all of his answers came directly from the Bible. Mr. Armstrong was familiar with the passages the man quoted, but had never before thought of them in regard to healing. He began to understand and believe in God’s promise to heal—and Mrs. Armstrong also agreed.

When the man anointed Mrs. Armstrong with oil, he prayed in a quiet, positive tone with earnestness and sincerity. It was unlike any prayer that Mr. Armstrong had ever heard. In it, the man boldly approached God, reminding Him of what He had promised to do. The man acknowledged that people deserve nothing from God, but can claim promises because of Christ’s sacrifice and God’s boundless mercy. He then asked God to completely heal Mrs. Armstrong, stressing that he was holding God to His promise to heal.

Mr. Armstrong had never heard anyone talk so boldly to God as did this man. It was a short prayer, lasting only a couple of minutes, but the words were heartfelt. Mr. Armstrong knew God heard them—both he and his wife had complete faith that she was healed.

After the prayer, the man’s wife assured Mrs. Armstrong that she would sleep well that night. And she did. She awoke at nearly noon the next day, arose and dressed as if she had never been ill. This healing was a powerful new lesson in faith for the Armstrongs—that whatever God has promised, He will do. The Bible is filled with thousands of promises, and they are there for us to claim.

Although some evangelical groups try to make healing their centerpiece (like a disreputable circus sideshow seeking to deceive the public for money), Mr. Armstrong learned that healing in the first-century Church was intricately tied to preaching the gospel—the good news of the kingdom of God. He came to understand that the Church, from its start in A.D. 31, always looked to God for healing.

Next Part Steady Opposition

Back to Herbert W. Armstrong