I’m sure we’ve all heard the news by now. According to Mike Bennett at Forward to the Kingdom!, “UCG Administration Changes; Kilough, Franks and Salyer Resign”.
I’m sure some will run around yelling the sky is falling, but let me assure you it is not. I’m sure that some will cry and wail about disunity, but is it? I for one don’t think making a mountain out of a molehill is very worthwhile.
I learned something today. No president of UCG has lasted more than 5 years. So, I looked it up, and Wikipedia tells me:
David Hulme: 1995 – 1998
Les McCollough: 1998 – 2002
Roy Holladay: 2002 – 2005
Clyde Kilough: 2005 – 2010
What does this tell us? Well, you can either take the view that UCG is unstable, and if you are a proponent of the “one man rule” idea, then you’ll likely lean that direction. Or, you can take the view that the terms are getting longer and things are actually settling down.
Then, there is the view that it really doesn’t matter what man is in charge, since Jesus is in charge. This can be difficult for a people who’ve been trained to follow a particular man to accept, but you either have faith that Jesus is leading your church or not. If He is, then it doesn’t matter who is the man doing the overall work of the Church.
To put it another way, to paraphrase someone I know, has your job (that is, your role in the Church) changed? OK, the job of 4 people have changed, but what about you (if you are in UCG)? Your pastor? Probably not.
Reasonable people will disagree at times. Husbands and wives disagree. Paul and Barnabas disagreed. It happens. It is how we deal with those disagreements that show the character of the people involved.
And, so, I can only speak of what I know. I do not know what happens behind closed doors. I’m not going to speculate about what the UCG Council of Elders discusses at their meetings. I don’t know Mr Kilough’s leadership style. However, I can say I have met Mr Kilough. I have met his wife, Dee. They are very down to earth people. I find Mr Kilough to be very likable, but he is also not afraid to give hard hitting sermons.
I also would like to point out that Mr Kilough offered to resign if the COE asked him to. This was quite a while back, so I thought it perhaps settled by now. However, the fact that he offered and graciously did so shows to me his desire to work within the framework of the church. Others in the COG past have instead grasped at the reins in an attempt to run off with the horse, cart and all. Instead, it appears to me that he has shown a strength of character.
Time will tell, but unlike others, I’m not envisioning a split in UCG any time soon. I don’t believe any of these men will attempt to start up their own churches. I don’t view this change any more revolutionary than how many corporations treat reassignments. In fact, these 3 men will likely continue to provide valuable contributions to UCG.
The UCG form of government is not the most efficient. In fact, it is downright messy at times. It can be somewhat political even, if God’s Spirit is not being used. However, the change of a president is not new. Change in administrative assignments is not new.
Compare this to the one man at the top form of government. While that person holds the office, some things are held in check. Once that person is gone, people will struggle for power. It happened before, and I believe it will happen again.
I wish all 3 UCG ministers blessings in their new roles. I encourage them to rise to the occasion and show their character. Of course, not for me, but to the glory of God.
One of the 3 men resigning figured prominently in the Global breakup. No doubt there is disunity in United with 2 camps vying for control as per prior reports in the past months. Is this perhaps a pre-split maneuver? Could be, could be not. But when men are involved, anything can happen.
Thanks John for your objective appraisal of the announced changes within UCG.
We were at UCG services last week when they announced the changes in the administration of UCG. The announcement was prefaced with a reading of Acts 15 v 36-40
"After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” 37 Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also. 38 But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. 39 And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. 40 But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches."
There have been disagreements in the church in the past and will be in the future, what is important is how we deal with disagreements and yet continue to work together, which I hope they will all continue to.
As you recall later Paul requested that Mark be sent along to assist him : 2Ti 4:11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
Best wishes.
I was surprised to learn recently that there were changes taking place in the UCG, I'm not sure exactly what is going on and if you really believe that Christ is leading the church then it may very well be Gods will, maybe God knows and sees things that we can't truly know or properly discern at this time.
We really need more churches teaching these biblical truths to the masses on every corner, as opposed to a few splintered groups I think more churches throughout this country teaching Gods true doctrines that encourage and promote obedience to the commandments and the word as a whole, as well as emphasizing the fear of God which motivates one to live godly also, as opposed to the false doctrine of salvation by grace through faith only, which encourages and promotes hypocrisy and rebellion against the word and law of God, can only benefit this country and the world as a whole.
Can you imagine the citizens of this country applying those biblical principles in every day life it would simply transform this nation for the better and would positively impact other nations, because they in spite of America's blatant rebellion against God, with the promotion and support of so many perverted practices, still many of them pattern themselves after America.
Unfortunately they happen to be following America at time when they shouldn't be, so maybe Gods doing the replacing and displacing here for a bigger larger work in this end time, just not sure just pray that it is all best for all the parties involved.