What Do We Believe and Teach?

We believe and teach every doctrine which was in place in the Church at the time of Mr. Armstrong's death on January 1986. This includes all the major doctrines from the previous Philadelphian Era which include the Sabbath, the Church of God being the name of the Church, Tithing, Healing and the 18 Restored Truths, etc., along with the minor doctrines dealing with make-up, hair-length, Sabbath attire, etc.

We believe that doctrine is put into the Church only through God’s apostles under Christ's direction, as Mr. Armstrong taught.(GN Nov 1978, GN April 1979, PGR May 23, 1980, and member letter May 2, 1974) Therefore, only God's apostle had the authority to clarify or change doctrine. Any person who changes doctrine without the apostle's authority is not submissive to the Government of God and thereby disqualifies himself from leadership in God's Church.

The Church has become predominantly Laodicean because the above instructions have not been faithfully and diligently followed. Some groups do keep the major doctrines, such as the 18 restored truths and healing, while they disregard some of the minor doctrines induced into the Church through Mr. Armstrong. This, then amounts to departure from the most important of the 18 restored truths which is government. Since this is the case with the Church in general for this era we read that Jesus Christ, the head of the Church, is on the outside of the corporate bodies knocking. (Revelation 3:19-20)

What is the Church?

The Church is the Spiritual body of Christ composed of individuals who have been baptized and have God's Holy Spirit. They collectively comprise the Kingdom of God in embryo and will be born into the very Family of God as spirit beings in the first resurrection at Christ's second coming.

The Church is the Spiritual temple to which Christ will come. The Church is the affianced bride of Christ, which is to be living and growing in spiritual character, obeying the principles of the spiritual law of God, which is His love, qualifying to rule as kings and priest under Christ. They will be co-saviors of the whole world with Him. The Church is the college and training ground to qualify for these positions. God gives His ministry to the Church to teach and help God’s people achieve the greatest position possible to serve in His Kingdom. That is the ultimate fulfillment of God’s will and purpose for His Church.

Conversion and Salvation

We believe that eternal life is a free gift from God, but one must qualify for that free gift by submitting to His will, growing in the grace and knowledge of God, in His way of love, and in the development of His Holy Righteous Character which is a lifelong process. This process is called conversion and involves getting rid of human nature, allowing God to put His character in us through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the power of God, imparting God’s mind and is the earnest of eternal life given to an individual upon baptism and the laying on of hands by the ministry of God. Salvation will be completed when one is born into the very Family of God, composed of spirit, just as God is spirit, having perfect Holy Righteous Character, never able to sin again.

Form of Government in Church

We believe that the form of government in the Church should be hierarchical. This is the form that God has and will be the form He will use in the Kingdom of God when set up on the earth. Any other form is a devising of man and therefore does not constitute God’s government. Even then leaders, who practice the hierarchical form of government, qualify to be part of God’s government only when they themselves practice proper leadership and conduct according to the scriptures. They must be keeping all the doctrines as taught by God's late apostle and the Elijah to come, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. (1 Peter 5:1-6, 1 Tim. 3:1-6, 11-16, Titus 1-3, etc., Mystery of the Ages pg 262 hardbound copy).

Since the departure from the doctrines given to us through Mr. Armstrong, whether it be one or more of the major doctrines such as Government, Tithing, Born Again, etc., or one of the minor doctrines such as Hair Length, Sabbath Attire, Make-up, etc., or because of improper conduct, most ministers and leaders in God's Church have disqualified themselves from leading God's people in this Laodicean era of His Church. They have ceased to be part of God's Government unless there is repentance and a return to the doctrines given to the Church during the Philadelphia Era.