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PASTOR'S REPORT, April 23, 1979
Page 5
In Galatians 1:18 Paul went up.to Jerusalem to see PETER, because
Peter had leadership over the people of Israel as Paul over the Gentiles.
In Galatians 2:8 Paul shows that Peter had primacy in the apostleship
to the "circumcision" as Paul had to the Gentiles.
GOD, in ruling among humans, HAS ALWAYS WORKED THROUGH ONE MAN
AT A TIME--NEVER TWO MEN--NEVER ONE HAVING COMPLETE AUTHORITY UNDER THE
TOP HUMAN IN AUTHORITY--NEVER BY COMMITTEES OR GROUPS! Always that one
man is CHOSEN BY CHRIST--never by PEOPLE!
God's Form of Government
And so, God's form of GOVERNMENT in His Church is, first, at the
top
in
supreme authority, GOD the Father. Under Him, Christ, to whom
the Father has delegated ALSO TOTAL AUTHORITY (as He never does to any
HUMAN). Then, on the earthly human level Christ's chosen APOSTLE, and
under him on a straight and equal line (no one over another), these de
partment heads: Mail Processing, Buildings and Grounds, Ambassador College,
Financial Affairs, PLAIN TRUTH Editorial Production, PLAIN TRUTH mechani
cal Production, Pastoral Administration, Festival Office, Television and
Radio Production, Bible Correspondence Course, Good News and Worldwide
News Production, etc.
Each of these under the Apostle. No one of these over any other.
But, IF each department head will DAILY, CONSTANTLY keep the living Jesus
CHRIST in his mind and heart, I'm sure there will be harmony.
The press has called us the "BELEAGUERED WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD."
WHY? We do not have power struggles, envies, competition, jealousies,
between one LAY MEMBER and the others! All this "BELEAGUERNESS" has origi-
1ated on the fourth floor of the Hall of Administration! I MEAN THAT
brother Ministers! And Jesus Christ--the very much alive and DYNAMIC
CHRIST--through me intends now to PUT AN END TO IT! If tlwre is any more
political lobbying for or against another, any more semblance of power
struggle for a top spot, the living CHRIST THROUGH ME WILL DEAL SWIFTLY
with it!
WHY IS IT, fellow ministers? The troubles, of course have ORIGI
NATED with Satan--but Satan has been able to work through some of us when
we did not realize it!
UNDERSTAND THIS! I have said to many groups around the world-
groups of top officials of governments, groups of the grass roots, and
privately to heads of state, that there are just TWO ways or philosophies
of life, basically--the one is "GET" the other is "GIVE." The "GIVE"
way is that of Him who said: "It is more blessed to GIVE than to receive."
Actually that is the way of "LOVE''--and love is an out-flowing concern for
the good and welfare of others. The other is Satan's way--wanting to
"GET" more money, more authority or power, more of whatever one lusts for.
GOD ALMIGHTY brought me back from DEATH! He brought me back, not
only to FINISH carrying His Gospel of the Kingdom of God into all the
world, but also BECAUSE HIS CHURCH WAS NOT "HOLY, NOT HAVING SPOT OR
WRINKLE OR ANY SUCH THING." Just as sure as He set Zerubabbel to build
the physical second Temple to which Christ came 1900 years ago, so He has
raised me up to build His SPIRITUAL TEMPLE--the Household of God, "which