Off to the Worldwide Church of God / Grace Communion International in Orlando

Thursday July 22, 2010 ~ 7 Comments

Today I am flying from Santa Fe, NM to Orlando, Florida, to speak tomorrow at Grace Communion International's 2010 International Conference. Most of you would know it as the former Worldwide Church of God (hence the title). They have recently changed their name to better reflect who they are. I think their story is worth telling as they have become renewed in Christ in amazing ways.

Appropriately, the theme of the meeting is "GCI: Renewed in Christ." This is particularly exciting, given the history of this denomination.

Grace Communion International was formerly known as the Worldwide Church of God, and was considered by many to hold to unorthodox teachings, but in the late 1980s, they began a process of doctrinal reform on a large scale, and essentially transformed into an evangelical denomination. They also joined the National Association of Evangelicals.

In 2009 they changed their name to Grace Communion International, to better reflect who they are and what they teach. You can read their story on Wikipedia here and on their own website here.

They describe their journey this way:

Jesus Christ changes lives. He can change an organization, too. This is the story of how the Lord changed our denomination from an unorthodox church on the fringes of Christianity, into an evangelical group that believes and teaches orthodox doctrines. The story involves both pain and joy. Thousands of members left the church. Income is less than one fourth of what it once was. But thousands of members are rejoicing with renewed zeal for their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Living Hope Video Ministries made a documentary about GCI entitled "Called to Be Free." If you haven't seen it, check out this great story of the grace of the Gospel.

I will be doing two main sessions and two breakouts and I plan to make much of Jesus and His mission.

Posted on July 22, 2010 at 3:24 PM ~ 7 Comments

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7 Comments

By JT on July 23, 2010 10:54 AM

What a great reminder to all of us not to become so set in our ways that seeking God's word and His face and bring about change and renewal.

Thanks!

By Ken Nichols on July 23, 2010 11:19 AM

Loved the quote approx. 1 minute in... "the whole belief system is in error. It can't be fixed, it has to be demolished."

That's bold

By Reed Gardner on July 23, 2010 12:35 PM

What an amazing story. I have heard of a person moving from cult to Christian, but an to see an entire organization go from cult to Christian is incredible. Praise God!

By Ellen Jervis on July 23, 2010 2:07 PM

I just posted this on my FaceBook Wall with the link back to this website page: I invite you to watch the most amazing documentary about a religious movement that was transformed from cult to Christ. This is an expression of the goodness of Christ. Truly it had me in tears. I no sooner in my pessimism as I was watcing it, posed a question in my mind, that the very next second someone in the film answered it. It made me sit up straight and my heart leaped. By then end tears were rolling down my cheeks. This is a miraculous story. God worked a miracle with an entire body of people world wide, in my time and I am just now learning of it. Wow. I am so glad I didn't miss it altogether. Thank you Pastor Stetzer for calling this to my attention. For it indeed caught it. - Ellen

By Aaron Allison on July 23, 2010 10:46 PM

This was an excellent video, and a tremendous story. I remember studying this group as a cult in the mid-1990's. Little did I realize that God was at work in this group. Who could've imagined! It's a modern day Saul to Paul conversion.

By Pastor Dick Davis on July 24, 2010 11:55 AM

I am quite familiar with the former WCG, now GCI, and have kept abreast of their history and move out of legalism into grace - thus the new name. It is indeed sad to see that thousands of the former legalists have chosen to remain in their old ways, but that is often the history of many other denominations, too!

Of those thousands who left, according to correspondance I have received, several have come back into the new grace-laced church for which we praise the Lord. Others who have left have gone on to become alligned with other Evangelical and even Charismatic churches. I know of at least 4 ministers who switched denominations during the uproar and throws of the WCG trying to find its way. That's alright, too!

But the saddest part of many who have left, have never darkened the door to any fellowship whatsoever. Their world simply crumbled around them. They have thrown out the baby with the bath water. It is these that we all, as members of the Body of Christ, need to be interceeding in prayer for their souls and, if we run across them, show them the love of Christ and that His grace is sufficient for their every need.

I might also add that the former WCG sold their Pasadena, California and Big Sandy, Texas campuses to other organizations. In fact, the Pasadena campus is now home to a very Evangelical church and ministry. To help shed their old image, the CGI now has moved their headquarters to another town several miles away from the old Pasadena campus. As Southern Gospel Music's "The Booth
Brothers" sing: "Welcome to the family!"

By Bob Cleveland on July 25, 2010 12:34 PM

I have seen countless "revivals" and the like over the last 40 years but nothing comes close to touching what you show here.

God, in business. We need to learn some stuff from it, methinks.

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