The United Church of God is a Christian denomination that traces its origins to the Radio Church of God, founded in 1934 by Herbert W. Armstrong. After Armstrong’s death in 1986, doctrinal disputes led to a major split within the church in 1995. Those who continued to follow Armstrong’s teachings took the name United Church of God.
Here is a summary of key beliefs and practices of the United Church of God:
- The Bible – They believe the entire Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of God.
- God – They believe in one eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing God composed of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- Jesus Christ – They affirm Jesus as Lord and Savior, born of a virgin, who died for the sins of humanity and was bodily resurrected.
- Salvation – Salvation is through God’s grace and requires faith in Jesus Christ and obedience to the whole Word of God.
- Kingdom of God – They believe Jesus Christ will return to establish the Kingdom of God on earth.
- Sabbath – They observe the seventh-day Sabbath from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset.
- Holy Days – They observe the Passover and biblical Holy Days listed in Leviticus 23.
- Law of God – They believe in keeping the Ten Commandments and biblical laws such as tithing.
- Purpose of Mankind – They believe humanity’s purpose is to develop holy righteous character to qualify for eternal life.
The United Church of God has an hierarchical leadership structure patterned after the first century Church. They are led by a Council of Elders who oversee congregations pastored by ordained ministers. The church’s headquarters is in Cincinnati, Ohio and they have congregations throughout the world.
Here are some key biblical passages that shape their beliefs and practices:
The Bible as the Inspired Word of God
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
“For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21)
The Oneness and Power of God
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” (Deuteronomy 6:4)
“Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.” (Jeremiah 32:17)
Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior
“Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:36)
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
Salvation by Grace and Works
“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)
“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” (James 2:24)
Kingdom of God on Earth
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” (Revelation 21:4-5)
Seventh Day Sabbath
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.” (Exodus 20:8-10)
Biblical Holy Days
“These are the appointed feasts of the Lord, the holy convocations, which you shall proclaim at the time appointed for them.” (Leviticus 23:4)
Tithing
“Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” (Malachi 3:10)
Developing Righteous Character
“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” (2 Peter 1:3-4)
In summary, the United Church of God is a Christian denomination that strives to follow the whole Word of God. Their doctrines and practices are founded on the teachings of the Bible, which they believe is the divinely inspired scripture. Some of their key beliefs include the oneness of God, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, salvation requiring both faith and works, observance of the seventh day Sabbath and Holy Days, tithing, and developing righteous character to inherit eternal life when Christ establishes God’s Kingdom on earth.
The United Church of God aims to recapture first century Christianity by adhering to the truths revealed in Scripture. They believe in living by every word of God as encapsulated in the Bible. The church governance structure mirrors the biblical model with a Council of Elders providing spiritual oversight for congregations worldwide. Throughout its history, the United Church of God has maintained its core doctrinal beliefs rooted in a literal interpretation of the Bible.
United Church of God members strive to practice what they understand as the authentic, original Christianity of Jesus Christ and the apostles. For them, the Bible contains the essential teachings on how to live a Christian life in accordance with God’s will. Their hope and goal is to honor God and make it into His eternal Kingdom when Jesus Christ returns to establish God’s rule on earth. Their teachings, organizational structure, activities and way of life are all centered around this hope and vision based on the Word of God.
The United Church of God has various resources available to assist interested individuals in understanding their beliefs:
- They offer printed literature on topics such as God, Jesus Christ, Christian living, prophecy, and the Kingdom of God.
- Their website contains online books, articles, sermons, video Bible study programs, and correspondence courses.
- Their magazine, Beyond Today, provides teachings and biblical perspectives on world events.
- They also have youth education programs to train young people in Christian values.
People interested in learning more about the United Church of God can request literature or enroll in their Bible study courses. Their goal is to share the truths of the Bible and point people toward the coming Kingdom of God. They invite those seeking biblical teachings on Christian living and prophecy to examine their resources and attend Sabbath services.
The United Church of God has congregations and members in many countries worldwide. However, they are relatively small compared to other religious groups. In the U.S., they have an estimated 20,000 members with about 350 congregations in North America. Worldwide membership is difficult to determine but likely falls in the several tens of thousands.
The United Church of God emerged from the breakup of the former Worldwide Church of God founded by Herbert W. Armstrong in 1934. Armstrong began his ministry with a radio broadcast called “The World Tomorrow” and published the magazine The Plain Truth starting in 1934.
Armstrong’s teachings included observance of seventh-day Sabbath, avoidance of unclean meats, and celebration of festivals such as Passover. He also taught Anglo-Israelism, the belief that modern nations like Britain are descended from the lost tribes of Israel. The church grew despite controversy over doctrines and authoritarian leadership under Armstrong.
After Armstrong’s death in 1986, the church began reconsidering some of his teachings under new leadership. This led to the major schism in 1995 when ministers and members who continued to follow Armstrong’s teachings left to form the United Church of God. Since then, the United Church of God has sought to rebuild congregations and continue Armstrong’s teachings which they see as biblical truth.
The United Church of God has encountered some controversies over its history, mostly related to teachings and practices derived from Herbert W. Armstrong. Here are some of the criticisms leveled against them:
- Legalism – Critics argue keeping Old Testament laws like Sabbath and biblical Holy Days leads to legalism and ignoring Christ’s work.
- False prophecy – Herbert Armstrong predicted specific end time events that did not occur as claimed.
- Authoritarian leadership – Leadership is hierarchical, with an autocratic governance structure, leaving little room for dissent.
- Exclusivism – Their teachings promote religious exclusivism with claims to have the only real biblical truth.
In response, the United Church of God claims they are simply following biblical examples and commands according to the intent of God’s law. They argue salvation comes only through Christ’s sacrifice for forgiveness of sins. Their teachings aim for obedience to God’s laws as part of the Christian life but not as a path for salvation. They admit Armstrong made some errors in end-time prophecies but defend the bulk of his biblical teachings.
On governance, the United Church of God maintains their structure aligns with the biblical model of leading by faithful elders. They say this provides order though church leaders admit abuses occurred under Armstrong’s tenure. They reject claims of exclusivity, saying they teach observance of biblical commands applicable to Christians seeking salvation, though keeping these laws does not itself bring salvation.
In recent times, the United Church of God has focused on spiritual growth of members, international expansion, and use of media to spread their message. They aim to demonstrate faith through Christian living while emphasizing the hope in Christ’s eventual return. However, they still face criticisms related to teachings and authority structures arising from the Armstrong era.
Here is a summary of the key points on the origins, beliefs, practices and controversies related to the United Church of God:
- Formed in 1995 after a schism in the Worldwide Church of God over adherence to Herbert Armstrong’s teachings
- Follows teachings such as Sabbath, Holy Days, prohibition on unclean foods
- Hierarchical leadership by a Council of Elders that traces to Armstrong
- Emphasizes Christian living, tithing, obedience to God’s laws from a biblical foundation
- Criticized for legalism, false prophecies, authoritarian leadership, exclusiveness
- Trace origins to Herbert Armstrong’s ministry in 1930s that grew into the Radio/Worldwide Church of God
- Rejected doctrinal changes in Worldwide Church after Armstrong’s death
- Smaller membership than Armstrong’s era but still maintains international presence
- Focuses on spiritual development, spreading message through media outreach
Overall, the key distinguishing characteristics of the United Church of God are adherence to Armstrong’s teachings, observance of seventh-day Sabbath and biblically-based Holy Days, and hierarchical governance by their Council of Elders. Their doctrines, organizational structure and way of life are rooted in a literalist interpretation of the Bible which shapes their beliefs and practices. Their hope is to make it into God’s coming Kingdom by living according to biblical principles under the direction of Jesus Christ.