I have been hesitant to this point to claim that UCG is sliding down the sewer of doctrinal changes, but now I can say with all due confidence that they no longer have what it takes to stay the course. This morning, UCG posted on Inside United: Realtime “Additional Council Nomination Results”, which states:
“John Elliott will fill the vacancy created by the termination of Victor Kubik, with his term of office expiring on June 30, 2013. This is in accord with the provisions of Bylaw 8.4.3 which states: “Vacancies on the Council shall be filled from the list of runners-up in the final ballot at the preceding meeting of the General Conference, based on the number of ballots the nominee received.”
“John Elliott was the first runner-up.”
The fact that they even retain him as a pastor speaks volumes after his hypocritical posts about the Sabbath and how “Some non-Church families hold their family’s reunions only in connection with religious holidays.” The implication, of course, is that violating the Sabbath and keeping “religious holidays” are OK as long as it has something to do with family members who are not in the church.
However, now to elevate a hypocrite like Arctic Circle Guy to the level of the COE speaks to just how much UCG is now ready to jettison everything it has ever stood for. Will they become Protestant? Who knows? All I know is that they now have the people in power that could make that happen if that is their intent.
John, I’m very disappointed in this post. Though we made opposite decisions in the UCG-COGWA split, I have always felt that you have been the most even-handed and non-destructive of the online commentators. These disrespectful words are inappropriate and unbefitting of Christian conversation. I will neither criticize nor vouch for John Elliott, as I do not know him at all, but I would insist that we not dehumanize our brethren by giving them degrading names such as “Arctic Circle Guy.” Have you expressed your concerns and disapproval with Mr. Elliott? If not I would advise you that you have no right (biblically or socially) to disrespect him in a public forum, especially without his immediate presence to defend himself. Likewise my words are not meant as disrespect, but as brother-to-brother exhortation.
I’m with you, John.
His appointment to the Council comes as nothing short as a disappointment to me.
Nick, I understand you take offense to the post. But while the nick name may’ve been disrespectful, John Elliot’s words, statements, positions, and teachings are public knowledge. For someone that will make statements (repeatedly) in a sermon to his congregation that “The 10 commandments are not a law of love”, for one of the main authors behind the Sabbath white paper that was redacted, to be elevated to the Council is downright shameful. And that’s a statement that can stand on its own.
FWIW, I will not apologize for reminding people from when his notoriety comes and why he is unfit to be a leader in the Church of God, I will not apologize for speaking the truth, and I will not apologize for standing up to confront evil.
wow I don’t know Mr. Elliot personally, but we visited his church and was shocked to have him tell us that when cleaning for UnL. Bread, that it was only important to throw out the leaving in the cupboard, and not clean anything else since it’s the Days of Unleaven Bread..not the days of unleaven bread crumbs!..we felt he missed the whole point since the hidden sins we have are the ones we miss or don’t know about or Deliberately Ignore. I agree with John…a man who thinks like that has no place on a council of men who can make or break policies concerning the church..We know people by their friuts ( behavior and speech) and Mr. Elliot will have to answer to God..If any doubt what kind of standard God expects and demands from His ministry, go through the O.T. and see how God dealt with the religious men who dared to disrespect Him in action and thoughts..The death penalty was the consequence of such action..Mr. Elliot and others of his ink should be quaking in their boots, since everyone will stand before Him and give an accounting and there will be no excuse accepted especially from His ministry who Know better..I leave that judgement in His Hands, but we are told to judge the fruits not the person ( God’s rice bowl) and his fruits are definitely not matching God’s way of behavior when we overlay it over Mr. Elliot’s
I too have been watching to see what might happen with these council meetings and am very disappointed with the election of John Elliott to the council. I don’t know him personally either, but have not agreed with some of the things he has written in his local congregational blog or his co-authorship of the Sabbath Paper. I am not judging Mr Elliott, only watching his fruits. I have been praying that God would make apparent many things during these council meetings and this appointment as well as the passage of the amendments seem to show the direction that UCG is going in.
I do believe by calling John Elliot, “Arctic Circle Guy” does diminish you John. In my opinion any valid points that could be made about how he interprets and teaches the scriptures gets tainted with it.
maiuuislandgirl Says: “I don’t know Mr. Elliot personally, but we visited his church and was shocked to have him tell us that when cleaning for UnL. Bread, that it was only important to throw out the leaving in the cupboard, and not clean anything else since it’s the Days of Unleaven Bread..not the days of unleaven bread crumbs!..we felt he missed the whole point since the hidden sins we have are the ones we miss or don’t know about or Deliberately Ignore”
Anyone can read the Bible and would aggree those days are not exactly called “days of unleaven bread crumbs”. However I believe the word of God does make a point, a very important and valid point about having an attitude towards life in general, which includes the days of unleavened bread.
The scripture says, “Whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, where you go.” (Eccl 9:10)
So when it comes time to remove the leaven, I have to ask myself, how much effort should a person put into that?
Some years ago I read the UCG doctrinal paper about dating and marriage outside of the Body of Christ – written by Mr. Elliot.
I felt the basis of the paper was mostly solid until it came to the concluding paragraph in which all Biblical commands were in my opinion thrown to the wind in stating that it was “up to each individual”. I would have to search and find the paper in order to accurately quote that conclusion, but it disturbed me enough that I questioned his wife when I met her why we (UCG) would say such a thing?
When God says “don’t” we have the obligation to preach, teach, publish in every way what God says.. NOT what Satan promotes “You can make up your own mind” as he has done since Adam & Eve.
For 16 yrs I have watched UCG being fearful of coming right out and bluntly stating what God really says… it is a disturbing trend.