CHURCH OF GOD TIMELINES - Origin of Nations

Church of God Timelines
Appendix
A comment on HWA’s 1939 article
Much has been made of the 1939 article by HWA (“Did Christ Reorganize the Church?” published in the Good News (Feb)) with this or that claim concerning
it. Most notably, various ones see in this article an excuse to revert to local congregationalism. Yet the thrust of the article did not dwell on that aspect
but on excessive control. In fact, with the omission of a few lines here and there, the article would be current today.
The article was written in reaction to the structures being set up in other Churches and he noted the errors he perceived within those structures – the
backdrop to the article should be considered prior to one wishing to revert to localism or changing modern structure.
Now, there can be no doubt that HWA made some basic changes to Church governance. This was due to the Church adopting a corporate structure
some years after this article was written, it managed to perform a great Work. Local congregationalist structures do not produce major fruits nor a
united, combined, efficient means to reach a huge audience.
Historically, when God raises up a Torah-based Work (eg Moses, Hezekiah, Ezra) under the helm of a strong leader who put the assembly and its
teachings ‘back on the track’, a centralised administration naturally arises with this effort. The purifying of the doctrine is an outcome. Today we would term
this a ‘corporate structure.’ Localism and congregationalism do not form part of the model. The only time that localism is of use is when the Church is
scattered due to persecution and must survive locally.
Therefore those that wish to return to a 1930s structure must consider that such a structure would not have led to a great Work. In addition, HWA was
still learning in those days. For instance in the 1930s he believed in 6 Sivan for Pentecost; did not know the identity of Germany; believed that one is
born again now, not in the resurrection; did not understand the truth about the 'spirit in man'; or major aspects of God's Plan and such like. Should we
revert to old 1930s teachings or reject newer understandings simply because he held to other positions in the 1930s? That just does not make sense.
So it depends what one wants: localism that does not attain to much; or a corporate structure to undertake a great Work. I might add that I still find it
so amazing that people can make such a fuss about this article.
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