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Meanwhile Satan's counterfeit church, evidently started
by Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8), was growing great and powerful,
while the true Church of God, undergoing an ever more powerful
persecution, was diminishing. Before the end of the first century,
the proclaiming of the GOSPEL of the Kingdom worldwide had been
virtually STOPPED!
There then ensued the "Lost Century" in the history of
God's Church. The Church continued to exist, small in number.
But the proclaiming of the Kingdom of God, and public healing of
the sick, as done by Jesus and the Apostles, had stopped. God's
Church existed through every generation, small, "the little flock,"
as Jesus called them, often having to meet secretly. When I came
among them, in 1927, they were small and insignificant in numbers
(probably not even 1,000 converted, baptized members) and impotent
in power -- and NOT proclaiming the Kingdom Gospel worldwide.
EPISODE VI: Even as Moses, the Apostle Paul and others,
in early life, had been specially prepared for the special Mission
to which God finally called them, so was I. Then it pleased the
living Christ to call me by His grace, I did not go to men, or
seminaries. But I was taught His truth by the written Word of God.
I did not learn ALL TRUTH at once, but a new truth at a time,
beginning Autumn, 1926, continuously in a process still continuing.
But God revealed Himself to me, His Law, His Government,
and His PURPOSE. After repentance, conversion, giving myself to
Him to use as HE wills, and after many tests of faith, He built
His Church for this present time with and through me.
In 1933, He raised up, through my preaching the Good News
of the KINGDOM OF GOD, the parent Church of what was to become the
Worldwide Church of God. It started as "The Church of God at
Eugene, Oregon," with 19 baptized members.
As in the first century, the Lord ADDED gradually to that
number. Meanwhile God's WORK was growing by MULTIPLICATION, 30%
per year, multiplying itself 8 times in 8 years, 64 times in 16
years, and more than 4,000 times in 32 years. The GOSPEL OF THE
KINGDOM was being announced, first in Lane County, Oregon; then
in the Pacific Northwest of America, then on the West Coast, then
Coast to Coast nationwide, then, by 1954, starting in Europe, then
attempting to reach the nations WORLDWIDE by radio, but finding
that impossible -- by that method.
Meanwhile the Church grew only by addition, VERY slowly,
until Ambassador College was founded in 1946 -- after 12 years.
(The WORK started in 1934). But finally the CHURCH itself grew
by MULTIPLICATION, until today Church attendance is around 85,000.
God MULTIPLIED, once again, the growth of His Church that
HIS Great Commission might go to the world PREPARING THE WAY for
Christ's return to establish the KINGDOM OF GOD to rule ALL
NATIONS.
Meanwhile GOD'S GOVERNMENT was established in His Church.