TO: Youth@ag.org

SUBJECT: Warning: AOG using Armstrong’s material, http//www.biblestudy.org to be placed on their upcoming Book of Acts CD.

CC: gensup@ag.org

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Grace and peace to you in our wonderful Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I noticed on the website http://www.thejournal.org. The Assembly of God National Youth Ministries will be producing an upcoming book of Acts study CD containing several Bible study materials taken from http://www.biblestudy.org.

I am writing to warn you of the anti-Trinitarian, and hence anti-Christian doctrines being promoted by this website, which is a site for many Armstrong splinter groups. This should sound a warning to those who are familiar with Armstrong doctrines. The Churches of God are one of many offshoots of the Worldwide Church of God. a church founded in the 193 0’s by the late Herbert W. Armstrong. (http://www.livingcog.com/237offshoots.htm) lists 237 groups that can trace their origins to the Worldwide Church of God). Herbert W. Armstrong based his doctrines on unique blends of what most Christians would agree are unorthodox beliefs.

In September 2005 the Inspiration Network, CEO/President David Cerullo cancelled one of these 237 offshoot groups after it conducted an extensive review of their unorthodox ~ ojgraAzm~innJitrn) Recently another Armstrong offshoot has been cancelled from fourteen Christian radio stations due to its unorthodox teachings. Both of these groups are listed among these two hundred thirty seven offshoots of Armstrong. Worst still both groups are recommended by http://www.thejournal.org. Although there are some teachings on this website and other Armstrong sites recommended by the Churches of God that differ from the old Herbert W. Armstrong teachings of the World Wide Church of God, http://www.biblestudy.org is still without question teaching and promoting unorthodox Armstrong doctrines.

Along with the other sites recommended by the Churches of God, and http.//www.biblestudy.org, their literature teaches against and even vehemently assail, many of the foundational doctrines of Christianity. My concern is that http://www.thejournal.org states that the AOG Book of Acts study CD will refer individuals to visit http ://www.biblestudy. org.

When one visits http://www,bihlestudy.org they will read the denials and attacks on our precious Christian doctrines. This site as well as others recommended by http://www.journal.org and http://www.biblestudy.org deny without apology, The Blessed Trinity, stating “Satan has palmed off the doctrine of the Trinity on the world ... if they can make you believe in the Trinity you will be deceived into thinking that the Godhead consists of only three persons... Satan wants you to think that God is a limited Trinity’ (Why the deception? http://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/trinity2.html). Another Armstrong group recommended by the churches of God states” The fact and the real
truth is that God is not a Trinity. That is a lie that has been perpetuated by Satan the Devil to hide the real truth about the Godhead.”
http://www.7times.org/newsletter/trinity.shtml

I myself, find these statements concerning the Blessed Trinity offensive and unchristian.

Here is a list of some of the doctrines that http://wwwbiblestudy.org and other
Armstrong groups deny/teach.
I. The Father has a body. (http://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/godbody.html)
2. The denial of The Blessed Trinity.
3. The denial of The Eternal Son ship of Christ.
4. They teach you can become God/a member of the God Family.
(http://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/tiinity2.html.)
5. Unorthodox view of the resurrection of Christ. Jesus was raised spiritbody, not
physical, fleshly. (http://www biblestudy.org/bibleref/reljesus/reljes14.html/ You will
notice this is chapter 14 of Garner Ted Armstrongs book “The Real Jesus”.(Also chapters
19,20 html.) You can also read Armstrong’s pamphlet concerning the resurrection at
http://www.cgi.org/booklets/bonagain.cfn .

6. No one is born again in this life except Jesus. You are not born again till the
resurrection when you are changed from flesh to spirit, human to divine and then become
a son of God, born into the God Family. Please notice from “flesh to spirit.”
(http ://www.biblestudy. org/basicart/born-again html). You can also read this at
http://www.cgom.org/publications.htm. “Just What Do You Mean Born Again?”
7. The denial of the immorality of the soul.
8. The denial that the believer goes into the presence of the Lord at death.
9. The denial of a conscious eternal hell.
10. The teaching of annihilationism (same teaching as the Jehovah’s Witnesses).
Armstrong also denied these doctrines stating that they are “Satan’s Greatest Deception”)
(http://www.org/booklets/satans.cfm)
11. http://www.thejournal.org recommends Armstrong books including Herbert W.
Armstrong and Gamer Ted Armstrong
http://www.thejournal.org/bkstore/cogbooks.html

In closing, my concern is that the CD which will be distributed by the AOG will refer those to a website of teachings, that attack and deny many of the Christian churches teachings. I pray that the AOG will find another source, an evangelical one, for it’s material for the book of Acts study CD, not one who opposes the faith once delievered to the Saints.

My prayer is that you, bothers and sisters will investigate what I have written and find another source for your book of Acts CD, and remove the referral of
http://www.biblestudy.org, before many are misled.

Very Respectfully in Christ

James Kieferdorf

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