Reprinted from The Journal: News of the Churches of God, June 30, 2001.
Subscribe for $22 for one year or $39 for two years by writing P.O. Box 1020,
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Column: My church can beat up your church

The writer is a church pastor and a regular columnist for THE JOURNAL.
By Dave Havir

BIG SANDY, Texas--Once upon a time, a wise old man and his teenage grandson
went for a walk. As they became a little tired, they stopped and sat on a
bench.

Also on the bench were two men arguing about religion. Grandpa and the boy
overheard the conversation.

Man No. 1: Why didn't you join my church? Our church is the best church.

Man No. 2: No, our church is the best.

No. 1: We follow Mr. Armstrong better than anyone else.

No. 2: That is not true. Our group follows his teachings more thoroughly than
anyone else.

No. 1: Can't you see that our council of elders is the true successor to Mr.
Armstrong? We have the mantle and baton of leadership. We are the chosen
group to preserve the truth.

No. 2: How can you say that? Our church is the chosen group to preserve the
truth.

No. 1: There is only one group that is God's government on earth, and that is
us. We are the only group that has the authority to bind and loose doctrine.

No. 2: You are wrong. My church is God's government on earth, and we are the
only group that has the authority to bind and loose doctrine.

No. 1: Our church does the work of God better than anyone else.

No. 2: It does not.

No. 1: Does too.

No. 2: Does not.

Throughout this conversation, the teenager glanced at his grandfather's face
and noticed a slight smile. However, during the two men's next two statements
the boy saw his grandfather wince.

No. 1: Salvation comes by submitting to the authority of our church leaders.

No. 2: No way. Salvation comes by submitting to the authority of our church
leaders.

The men then went their separate ways.

Unlearning church errors

Since the teenager had attended a Church of God throughout his 16 years, he
was familiar with some of the concepts in the discussion he overheard. But he
knew that his grandfather had attended a Church of God for more than 50
years, so he asked him some questions.

Teenager: Who is Mr. Armstrong?

Grandpa: He and his wife began the Radio Church of God in the 1930s. She died
in 1967, and he died in 1986.

Teenager: Do you want to focus on Mr. Armstrong as much as some people do?

Grandpa: No, I don't want to focus on any man as much as some people want to
focus on him.

Teenager: What did those men mean when they talked about the authority to
bind and loose doctrine?

Grandpa: One theory is that God binds people to doctrine through a physical
group. Another theory is that a physical group binds God to their conclusions.

Teenager: Which theory do you believe?

Grandpa: I reject both of them, but Itry to be patient with the adults who
believe them. It is harder for them to unlearn error than for you to learn
truth.

Tunnel vision

Teenager: What is the work of God those men talked about?

Grandpa: That's their phrase they use to talk about their literature,
television shows and youth camps.

Teenager: Do they really think they are doing the biggest and best service
projects?

Grandpa: Some people in these groups think that.

Teenager: Do they realize there are charities that have a far greater impact?

Grandpa: They don't like to compare themselves to charities in society that
help people, because the churches claim that their mission is to warn people.

Teenager: Do these Church of God groups think they are doing the biggest and
best warning?

Grandpa: Some people in these groups think that.

Teenager: The Jehovah's Witnesses, the Mormons and others have a huge impact
in warning people around the world. Why can't these Church of God groups see
that?

Grandpa: Sometimes when people get all excited about something, they develop
tunnel vision.

Children arguing

Teenager: Grandpa, I noticed that you were smiling during most of their
discussion. What was so funny?

Grandpa: I was thinking about two little boys arguing about their dad. One
child will say, "My dad is the strongest man in the whole wide world." The
other child will say, "My dad is stronger."

Teenager: How does that apply to these two men?

Grandpa: Think about it.

Teenager: Oh, I get it. These two men think their church is the strongest in
the whole wide world.

Grandpa: You are a smart boy. All that schooling is paying off.

Serious mistake

Teenager: Grandpa, toward the end of the conversation I noticed you stopped
smiling and you winced. Why was that?

Grandpa: Those two men said that salvation comes from submitting to the
authority of church leaders.

Teenager: Isn't that putting men into the role of Jesus Christ?

Grandpa: Yes, it is, and that's a serious mistake.

Teenager: If you knew they were making a serious mistake, why didn't you say
anything?

Grandpa: It is very hard to keep quiet. But then I remember how big God is
and how much He loves those two men. Someday God will help them to see their
mistake.

Teenager: Is there ever a time to speak up?

Grandpa: Yes. You should be ready to give an answer, but choose your moments
to speak up. Proverbs 26:4-5 will help you understand.

Teenager: What about church leaders who think they are spiritually over other
people? Should members of a congregation ever tell the leaders they are wrong?

Grandpa: Yes, but people should count the cost before doing it. Many leaders
are not going to like it. Although church leaders do not have the same
authority as parents, bosses and policemen, many will act like they do.

Praying for people

Teenager: Would God want me to pray for people to unlearn error?

Grandpa: God is very pleased when you pray for people.

Teenager: I am going to ask God to help them realize that their dad is not
the strongest in the whole wide world.