Big Sandy Bylaws

The Church of God in Big Sandy in its March 31st meeting passed a motion for Dave Havir to takeover the oversight of the church website, which was previously overseen by the church board, but it did not list any specifics on why the change took place.

The Big Sandy bulletin further reports:

In other Big Sandy board action, Neil McIver made a motion to change the interpretation ofthe term "same family,"which appears in Article IV, Section 6, of the bylaws (which stipulates that no two members of the "same family" may serve concurrently on the board). the motion was approved by a 5-1 vote. Voting for the motion were Ron Avey, Neil McIver, Don Mischnick, Bernie Monsalvo and Jim Wilkins. Voting against the motion was John Bearse. (This motion supercedes the motion made by the board of Nov. 21, 2005. The new motion lessens the restriction of "same family" and opens up opportunities for people to serve on the board."

Section 6 currently states in part, "No two members of the same family may serve concurrently on the Board." There are many thoughtful, commendable, well-considered aspects to the way the bylaws of the Church in Big Sandy were drawn. At one time Section 6 was considered as originally worded and passed - and with good reason. Section 6 tends to prevent a concentration of power, voting blocks of one family on the board, and one family ruling the church like a private, closed corporation fiefdom.

To make it plain, suppose instead Section 6 read instead, "No two members of the same Armstrong (or Tkach, Flurry) family may serve concurrently on the board." The consequences are obvious. Once a family is allowed to control the board of a church or ministry, the independent board becomes a dummy board.

No one is suggesting that the new supeceding motion to overhaul Section 6 of the bylaws is going to allow one family to take over the Big Sandy board. But it is a slippery slope from having a truly independent board to one in which exceptions to the exclusions in the bylaws for board members leads more of a dummy board, answering to one man and one man only.

Big Sandy Church of God, to its credit, makes public the actions taken during church board meetings in its bulletin. Also to its credit, publishes the bylaws of the church of God Big Sandy and any votes to change the bylaws.

When have the "reformers" Tkach Worldwide Church of God taken such action publishing board resolutions passed since 1986? Explained convincingly how the name of the church was voted from Radio to Worldwide? At least the Canadian website of the WCG has Canadian board members posted with a few remarks about why they are qualified to serve.

Another stain on Tkach's record is his ongoing refusal to publish the still secret church bylaws of the Worldwide Church of God religious association. Tkach would do well to publish the hidden church bylaws of the Worldwide Church of God. New bylaws can then be drafted and approved for the WCG. Tkach would do well by affording the WCG some of the protections offered in the Big Sandy Church of God bylaws:

CHURCH OF GOD BIG SANDY

BYLAWS

Bylaws for the regulation,
except as otherwise provided
by statute or its Articles of Incorporation,
of the Church of God Big Sandy

A Texas Corporation

Adopted December 7, 1999
Amended Sept ember 7, 2004

Amended December 19, 2005

ARTICLE I — Name

Section 1: The name of this nonprofit corporation shall be United Church of God Big Sandy, Texas, Inc., doing business as Church of God, Big Sandy, hereinafter referred to as the Corporation.
ARTICLE II — Mission
Section 1: The mission of the Corporation is to serve the needs of the local congregation and of the greater Body of Christ, and to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God.
ARTICLE III — Offices
Section 1: The office of the Corporation shall be located at 1106 West Broadway, Big Sandy, Texas 75755, or at such other place, within or without the State of Texas, as the Board of Trustees may from time to time determine. The corporate mailing address is P.O. Box 690, Big Sandy, Texas 75755.

ARTICLE IV — Board of Trustees

Section 1: MANAGEMENT: The Corporation shall be managed by the Board of Trustees, hereinafter referred to as the Board. The Board shall: with the assistance and recommendations of a committee, prepare and adopt the annual budget; with the assistance and recommendations of a committee, review and approve the terms of official relationships with other organizations. The Board shall also: approve commitments, statements of policy or position, or financial obligation; retain assistance in the general management of the Corporation as necessary; and conduct other duties as necessary to manage the general affairs of the Corporation.

Section 2: COMPOSITION: The corporate officers shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and at least three at-large Trustees.

Section 3: INVOLVEMENT OF THE PASTOR: Although the Pastor of the congregation is not a Trustee, the Board desires and expects his involvement in preparing for and participating in all Board meetings.

Section 4: SELECTION: Trustees will be elected by the congregation in accordance with the following procedure:

a) Each year during the month of March, the Board shall establish an Election Committee to manage and oversee the election process. The Committee shall be chaired by a Trustee whose term is not expiring, and shall include the Pastor and at least three at-large members from the congregation.
b) The Committee shall schedule a nomination and election procedure, allowing ample time for voting to be accomplished in advance of June 30, the date that Trustees’ terms expire. The voting period for each phase of the procedure shall include at least three weekly Sabbaths. On each of those Sabbaths, ballots shall be made available to the congregation, along with a description of the election procedure and instructions for completing and submitting the ballot. Each individual casting a ballot shall provide his name and mailing address, and sign for a ballot.
c) Any individual who considers himself to be a member of the congregation, and who is sufficiently interested in the governing
process of the congregation to responsibly cast a ballot, shall be
permitted to participate in the election. Such participants may include teenagers and unbaptized adults.d) In the nomination phase, each member of the congregation shall be given the opportunity to submit the names of up to [twice the number of expected vacancies] individuals that he wishes to nominate to serve on the Board. At the end of this process, beginning with the individual who received the most votes and proceeding in descending order through the list, the Committee shall contact each nominee to determine if he would be willing to serve on the Board if elected by the congregation. When [twice the number of expected vacancies] individuals have declared their willingness to serve on the Board, they become eligible to be elected in the election phase of the process.
In case a tie vote between two or more of the candidates makes
selection of the exact number of individuals eligible to advance to the election phase impossible, the number of candidates advancing to the election phase shall be increased as needed.
e) In the election phase, the names of the previously selected individuals shall be placed on a ballot, which shall be made available to the congregation for a final vote. Vacancies on the Board shall be filled by the individuals who receive the highest number of votes in this process.
In case of a tie, the candidates who receive the same number of votes shall draw numbers to determine which of them will become a Trustee.
f) In both the nomination and election phases, all ballots shall be
reviewed by the Election Committee for validity and eligibility. In the event that a majority of all the members of the Committee determines that a ballot must be disqualified, a representative of the Committee shall contact the person who cast that ballot and explain the reason for the disqualification. In order to avoid offense or embarrassment, all discussions related to this process shall be kept strictly confidential.
However, any individual whose ballot is disqualified for any reason
may appeal to the Board. A majority of the entire Board shall be
required to overturn the decision of the Election Committee.

g) When the entire election procedure is complete, the Committee shall turn over to the Secretary of the Board all ballot information relevant to the election. The Secretary shall keep all such documentation on file for future reference, because any vacancies that occur on the Board during the 12 months following a given election shall be filled by the runners up in that election, and because notice of any appeals to the congregation that are made during the 12 months following a given election must be sent to those who participated in that election.

Section 5: ELIGIBILITY: Trustees must accept and be in agreement with the Statement of Beliefs of the Corporation. Further, Trustees pledge to work together in a Christian spirit of love, cooperation and harmony in an atmosphere of peace.

Section 6: EXCLUSIONS: No employee of the Corporation may serve on the Board. No two members of the same family may serve concurrently on the Board. No two individuals involved in an employer/employee relationship may serve concurrently on the Board.

Section 7: TERMS: Trustees shall serve a three year term. The term shall begin on July 1 and shall end on June 30 of the third year. When the Trustees’ terms expire, they may be reelected to the Board.

Section 8: QUORUM: A quorum is required for any action to be taken by the Board. A majority of all Trustees, one of whom shall be an Officer, shall constitute a quorum.

Section 9: AT-LARGE TRUSTEES: At-Large Trustees of the Corporation shall number at least three but may number no more than fifteen. This decision shall require approval by a two-thirds majority of votes of the entire Board.

Section 10: COMPENSATION: A Trustee shall not receive any compensation from the Corporation for services rendered except as declared by resolution of the Board.

ARTICLE V — Officers

Section 1: OFFICERS: The Officers of the Corporation shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer, and shall be elected annually from the entire Board. No Trustee may serve in more than one corporate office concurrently.

Section 2: PRESIDENT: The President shall preside at the meetings of the Board and shall have the responsibility for the general and active daily operation of the Corporation. He shall: represent the Corporation in all legal and business matters; represent the Corporation in matters relating to the Corporation;
perform all other duties pertaining to the office; have the authority to perform duties as directed by the Board; and implement all Orders and Resolutions of the Board. In addition, the President may sign, execute and deliver in the name of the Corporation, all deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts or other instruments that are not specifically reserved for the Board
or prohibited by these Bylaws.

Section 3: SUCCESSION TO PRESIDENT: Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of President, or when the President, by written declaration transmitted to the Secretary, states that he is unable or unwilling to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately succeed the President upon receipt by the Secretary of the President’s written resignation and until a new President is elected.Section 4: VICE PRESIDENT: The Vice President shall: temporarily succeed the President, if that office becomes vacant, until a new president is elected; preside at the meetings of the Board if the President is not available; perform other duties as assigned by the President; and perform such other duties, not inconsistent with these Bylaws, as the Board shall from time to time prescribe.

Section 5: SECRETARY: The Secretary shall: keep, prepare and distribute the minutes of all meetings of the Board; cause to be given notice of all meetings of the Trustees; be custodian of the seal of the Corporation and shall affix the seal, or cause it to be affixed, to all documents the execution of which so requires;
have charge of the books, records and papers of the Corporation relating to its organization as a corporation, and shall see that the records, statements and documents required by law are properly kept or filed; keep on file all ballots and other information relevant to the election of Trustees; perform other duties as assigned by the President; and shall have other powers and perform such other duties, not inconsistent with these Bylaws, as the Board shall from time to time prescribe.

Section 6: TREASURER: The Treasurer shall: have charge and custody of, and be responsible for, all the funds and securities of the Corporation; keep or cause to be kept full and accurate accounts of all receipts, disbursements, credits and debits in books belonging to the Corporation; supervise and be responsible for all moneys, valuables and assets of the Corporation and credits owing to the Corporation; chair the Budget Committee; report on the
financial condition of the Corporation at board meetings; perform such other duties, not inconsistent with these Bylaws, as the Board shall from time to time prescribe.

ARTICLE VI — Removal, Resignation and Vacancy
of Trustees and Officers

Section 1: REMOVAL: The Board shall have exclusive right to remove any appointed Officer from office or remove any Trustee from the Board; however, removal must be by a two-thirds vote of the remaining Trustees and be preceded by written notice personally delivered or by mailing notice via U.S. Mail at least
ten days prior to the vote. A Trustee being removed from the Board has the right to be heard by the Board prior to the vote. Furthermore, the Trustee has the right to appeal his removal from the Board directly to the congregation in accordance with the provisions contained in these Bylaws.

Section 2: RESIGNATION: Any Officer or Trustee may resign in writing delivered to the President of the Corporation at least ten days prior to the effective date of the resignation.

Section 3: APPOINTMENT UPON VACANCY: Whenever there is a vacancy on the Board, whether as a result of removal, resignation or inability to serve, the vacancy shall be filled by the eligible person who received the next highest number of votes in the previous annual election, and he shall serve the remainder of the term of the vacant position. In case of a tie between two or
more individuals having the next highest number of votes, the candidates shall draw numbers to determine which of them will fill the vacancy.

ARTICLE VII — Committees

Section 1: CREATION OF COMMITTEES: The Board may create committees for specified purposes. Any committee so created shall have at least one Trustee and shall be advisory only and shall present, through the committee chairman, the results of its work, along with recommendations for specific action, to the Board.

Section 2: ADVISORY COMMITTEES: The Board may create ad hoc Advisory Committees composed of individuals who, by reason of having special expertise or qualifications, would from time to time be beneficial to the management of the affairs of the Corporation. A participant on an Advisory Committee need not be a member of the congregation. Once an Advisory Committee is established by the Board, any Trustee may nominate an individual to serve on it. Advisors will be approved to serve on the committee by a majority of votes of the entire Board.

ARTICLE VIII — Powers Reserved in the Board

Section 1: SPECIFIC DECISION MAKING RESERVED: The Board reserves all rights and powers to: commit the Corporation to any contract or other obligation; adopt the Corporation’s budget; nominate and appoint Officers and establish their duties; remove any Officer from office or any Trustee from the Board, except as provided in Article IX of these Bylaws; and amend the Bylaws of the Corporation.

Section 2: EMPLOYEES: The Board also reserves all rights and powers to hire and terminate employees. In the case of the Pastor, such termination shall require approval by a two-thirds majority of votes of the entire Board, and be preceded by written notice personally delivered or by mailing notice via U.S.
Mail at least ten days prior to the vote. The Pastor has the right to be heard by the Board prior to the vote. Furthermore, the Pastor has the right to appeal his termination directly to the congregation in accordance with the provisions contained in these Bylaws.

Section 3: INTERPRETATION: The Board has final judicial authority with respect to the interpretation of these Bylaws and with respect to any controversy that may arise thereunder.

ARTICLE IX — Powers Reserved in the Congregation

Section 1: SPECIFIC DECISION MAKING RESERVED: The Congregation reserves all rights and powers to govern itself by: annually electing Trustees; approving the hiring of the Pastor; hearing and adjudicating an appeal by a Pastor who has been terminated; hearing and adjudicating an appeal by a Trustee who has been removed from the Board.

Section 2: APPEALS: Any appeal that is made to the congregation under the provisions of these Bylaws shall be carried out in the following manner:

a) Within ten days from the time a Trustee is removed from the Board, orthe Pastor’s employment is terminated by the Board, the Trustee or Pastor may initiate an appeal to the congregation. Official notification of the appeal shall be sent to the most recent voting roster via U.S. Mail at least twenty-one days prior to the appeal date.
b) The appeal shall be heard in a meeting convened at the office of the Corporation 30 minutes after the sundown ending the first weekly Sabbath following the twenty-one day period mentioned in paragraph a) above. The above-mentioned notification shall include the date and time that the appeal is to be heard.
c) When the appeal hearing is convened, the attendees whose names are on the most recent voting roster shall choose an individual from among those present to chair the meeting. The meeting shall not be chaired by a Trustee nor by the person making the appeal. However, both the person making the appeal and any Trustees present at the appeal may cast ballots as individual members of the congregation.
d) In accordance with the biblical principle of doing all things decently and in order, the chairperson shall ensure that the discussion of the circumstances that have given rise to the appeal are carried out in a manner befitting disciples of Jesus Christ. Within reasonable time constraints, the chairperson shall make every effort to allow all points of view to be presented without interruption. If anyone in attendance is unwilling to conduct himself in an orderly and respectful manner, he shall be asked to leave the premises.
e) After reasonable time has been given to an open discussion of the appeal, the chairperson shall call for a vote to either uphold or overturn the decision that gave rise to the appeal. The vote shall be by written ballot, signed by each voting party. A two-thirds majority of those present at the appeal shall be required to overturn the removal of a Trustee or the termination of the Pastor. Any individual who considers himself to be a member of the congregation, and who is sufficiently interested in the governing process of the congregation to responsibly cast a ballot in the appeal process, shall be permitted to do so. Such
participants may include teenagers and unbaptized adults.

ARTICLE X — Meetings of the Board

Section 1: ANNUAL MEETING: The Board shall have one annual meeting, to be held at the corporate office during the months of July.

Section 2: REGULAR MEETINGS: The Board may hold additional regular meetings, scheduled at reasonable times, at the corporate office. The schedule of all regular meetings shall be communicated to the congregation.

Section 3: SPECIAL MEETINGS BY NOTICE AND CONSENT: Special meetings of the Board may be called if every Trustee has received notice and if every Trustee consents to the meetings. Any such special meeting of the Board shall be at a reasonable time and place and shall have a specific, limited agenda.

Section 4: SPECIAL MEETINGS BY WRITTEN NOTICE: Special meetings of the Board may be called by written notice from the Secretary or by written notice from a majority of the Trustees. Such written notice shall be sent postage prepaid and shall be deemed to be delivered when deposited in the United State mail, addressed to the person at his address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. Proof of mailing shall be required and shall be kept with the records of the Corporation. Such written notice shall be sent at least five (5) days prior to a special meeting and shall include the date, time and location of the meeting, as well as a specific agenda.

Section 5: PARTICIPATION BY TELEPHONE: One or more Trustees may participate in a regular meeting or special meeting via telephone.

Section 6: VOTING: All questions shall be decided by a majority of votes cast, unless stipulated otherwise in these Bylaws. Each Trustee shall have one vote.

Voting shall be in person, by telephone, by e-mail, by fax, or by proxy signed by the duly authorized representative of the absent Trustee. No person other than another Trustee may be the duly authorized representative of an absent Trustee for the purposes of proxy voting. The vote of each Trustee, whether for or against a matter or an abstention, is to be recorded and become part of the minutes.

ARTICLE XI — Prohibited Activities

Section 1: NET EARNINGS: No part of the net earnings of the Corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its Trustees, Officers, or other private persons, except that the Corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth in the Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.

Notwithstanding the above, the Pastor or Board may determine that a Trustee of the Corporation may require assistance in the case of financial distress, in which case such assistance may be rendered, subject to approval by a two-thirds majority of votes of the entire Board.

Section 2: POLITICAL ACTION: No substantial part of the activities of the Corporation shall be carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the Corporation shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the Corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on by a
corporation exempt from federal income tax under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

ARTICLE XII — Parliamentary Rules

Section 1: CONDUCT OF MEETINGS: Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern the conduct of all meetings of the Board, provided they do not conflict with applicable law, these Bylaws or the Articles of Incorporation, in which case the latter shall prevail.

ARTICLE XIII — Books and Records

Section 1: FISCAL YEAR: The fiscal year of the Corporation shall begin on January 1 and end on December 31.
Section 2: CONTRACTS: The Board may authorize any Officer or agent of the Corporation to enter into any contract or to execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Corporation.
Section 3: CHECKS, DRAFTS OR ORDERS: All checks, drafts or orders for the payment of money, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness issued in the name of the Corporation shall be signed by such Officer or Officers, agent or agents of the Corporation, and in such manner as shall from time to time be
determined by resolution of the Board. In the absence of such determination by the Board, such instruments shall be signed by the Treasurer of the Corporation.
Section 4: DEPOSITS: All funds of the Corporation shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Corporation in such bank or banks or other depositories as the Board may approve.
Section 5: GIFTS: The Board may accept on behalf of the Corporation any contribution, gift or bequest for any purpose of the Corporation.

ARTICLE XIV — Indemnification

Section 1: INDEMNIFICATION: Every Trustee, Officer or employee of the Corporation shall be indemnified by the Corporation against all reasonable expenses and liabilities, including, but not limited to, legal fees, reasonably incurred or imposed upon such person in connection with any act or proceeding to which that person may be a party, or in which such person may become involved, by reason of such person’s being or having been a Trustee, Officer or employee at the time such expenses are incurred, except in such cases where the person is adjudged guilty of willful misfeasance, gross negligence, or illegal conduct, in the performance of the duties of his office.
Provided, however, that in the event of a settlement the indemnification herein shall apply only when the Board approves such settlement and reimbursement as being of all other things rights to which such Trustee, Officer or employee may be entitled.

ARTICLE XV — Dissolution and Liquidation

Section 1: LIABILITIES AND OBLIGATIONS: All liabilities and obligations of the Corporation shall be paid, satisfied, and discharged or adequate provision shall be made prior to the distribution of assets.

Section 2: DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS: Upon the dissolution of the Corporation, after paying or adequately providing for the debts and obligations of the Corporation, and after compliance with applicable state law, the Board of Trustees shall dispose of the remaining assets of the Corporation exclusively for the purposes of the Corporation in such manner, or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code (as amended). Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a Court of Competent Jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of the Corporation is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such exempt purposes. None of the assets will be distributed to any Trustee, Officer or employee of the Corporation or to any private individual.

ARTICLE XVI — Severability

Section 1: If any provision in these Bylaws is invalid, the remaining provisions will nevertheless continue in full force and effect without being impaired or invalidated in any way.

ARTICLE XVII — Amendments

Section 1: The Board shall have the authority to amend these Bylaws. Proposed amendments shall be provided to each Trustee at a regular Board meeting and posted at the next regular church service. At the following regular Board meeting the amendment will be discussed. At the next consecutive Board meeting a vote may be taken. Such amendments shall require approval by a
two-thirds majority of votes of the entire Board.

CERTIFICATE OF THE SECRETARY

I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of the Bylaws of the United Church of God Big Sandy, Texas, Inc., as amended by the Board of Trustees the nineteenth day of December, 2005.

Don Walls, Secretary

Bylaws of the Church of God Big Sandy Page 11 of 11
As amended December 19, 2005

WCG US Membership Plummets Into Nosedive

As longtime Worldwiders have suspected, most of the few membership statistics and financial figures coming out of the secretive Tkach administration have long been inflated or suspect.

Now however, the green light has been given to release some overall WCG membership and congregation statistics. But after years of Tkach stonewalling his finances and padding the membership, why now?

Perhaps Tkach thinks he doesn't have anything to more to lose with his utter lack of credibility so far by denying members straight information on WCG membership; finances; and even the Worldwide Church HQ Bylaws, still kept a church secret, making him absolute Pastor General for a lifetime. Or perhaps the business model the WCG is working on does not actually work, losing more and more money each year, and Tkach will have to spend the hidden pile of campus sale money until the WCG HQ goes into unrecoverable bankruptcy.

What does the new information reveal?

For one thing, the WCG is now claiming overall US membership has plummeted to 10,873 members total. In the NE region 4,005; SE region 3,346; Western region 3,522 members. That's a total of 10,873.

Canada is at 4,476; Australia has 1,438; and the UK with 1,467 members on the WCG membership rolls.

For the complete WCG summary report, click here.

World Exclusive - Photos of UCG Denton HQ Property!

Ambassador Reports is pleased to publish the first photos of the new United Church of God headquarters site located near Denton, TX!

Just click on any of the maps and photos for a larger view of the property.

Denton, TX is located on the north side of the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex. Site is marked by the green arrow on the map.

Above is an over look of the general area. I-35 runs along the left of the picture and intersects with Milam Rd. at the top left. The arrow points over the UCG property.

The yellow area on the subdivision plat, drawn to scale, highlights the area encompassed by the 81.5 acre UCG property. The arrow again points to the section where Milam road runs along the north boundary of the UCG property line.

Take Interstate 35 to exit 473, FM 3163 - Milam Road east. Love's 24 hour/7 day truck stop is at this intersection on the UCG side.

Another view of exit 473 along the I-35 service road, looking north towards Milam Road. Love's 24/7 combination truck stop and Subway sandwich sign visible along barbed wire fence.

Turning right onto Milam Road east, AmeriSteel Structures is on the corner on the north side - specializing in building metal buildings, steel frame homes, and horse barns.

New Life Church (www.NewLifeDenton.org) acreage is located across the road from UCG, further east at 1350 Milam Road.

Above is the UCG property for sale sign. Picture is taken from the front of the property on Milam Rd. looking south towards the property. Click on the sign. Note Milam Ridge Rd., ending in a cul-de-sac, running perpendicular to main thoroughfare Milam Rd. on the south side.

Another view from the front of the property. The other side of the hill in view gently slopes towards Milam Creek bed, which meanders south of the property between Milam and Ganzer roads.

A northwesterly view towards the front of the property. Milam Road FM 3163 is in the background.

Looking in a westerly direction across the UCG property towards Milam Ridge Road.

Southwestern view across the rear of the property.

Ganzer Road ranch (makes a "U" type shape from above on a googled map) is south of the UCG acreage on the other side of Milam Creek.

Cattle grazing along Ganzer Rd. pasture.

More bovine splendor along Ganzer Rd. ranch.

Looking northward from Ganzer Rd. vantage point towards Milam Rd.

View looking southward along Milam Ridge Road, which runs right alongside the west side of UCG property, and perpendicular to Milam Rd.- FM 3163. These Milam Ridge Road estates could become "Waverly Drive" type ministerial or executive homes for the church.

Looking northward along Milam Ridge Road. These home lots are sized with substantial setback - and a sizable three acre estate per lot.

Southwesterly view across the UCG property towards Milam Ridge Road estates.

View from Milam Ridge Road towards United acreage.

The Strange Case of Gerald Flurry vs. Fuller

Stanley Fuller of Vanderhoof, British Columbia, Canada, died in July 2000. His last will done in 1997 distributed just $1,000 each to his three adult children, while giving all the rest, approximately $1,000,000 to the Philadelphia Church of God. Also, Fuller had named Gerald Flurry to be the new executor of Fuller's estate. The Fuller children contest their father's capacity to make the will, and ask that the will be varied so as to increase their shares at the expense of the church's share. Flurry's Philadelphia Church supports the will and gift.

Rosemary, Stanley Fuller's daughter, testified that by 1993 her father was well aware that his land had a value in excess of $1 million. Mr. Fuller sold this land. The purchase price netted to Mr. Fuller more money, by several orders of magnitude, than he ever had before. After paying capital gains tax of some $600,000 on the transaction, Mr. Fuller was left with roughly $1.8 million in cash.

Justice Rodgers, who presided at the trial, writes in his opinion that the gift of $200,000 to each of his children was not the only gift Mr. Fuller made in 1995:

"[H]e also gave $260,000 to his church by way of a tithe. Mr. Fuller understood that his obligation was to give the church 10% of the increase in value of his property. Shane testified that his father showed him a calculation he had done of the tithe he was to give to the church after the 3/4 section was sold. Shane recalled that Mr. Fuller started with a tithe of $300,000. That is, of course, more than 10% of the $2.5 million the sale brought in. Shane testified that he understood from his father that in some years the tithe is greater than 10% depending on the church's need...

Mr. Fuller regularly attended Fall and Spring meetings of the Church. Sometime between the Fall meeting in 1996 and the Spring 1997 meeting Mr. Fuller spoke to Rosemary about how his money should be invested. This was a normal conversation for the two to have. That is because in 1995 Mr. Fuller made Rosemary a joint owner of his bank accounts and investment certificates. He sought and heeded her advice concerning the investments he should make. It is clear that in 1995, at least, he trusted her completely.

When he returned from the 1996 Fall meeting, however, Mr. Fuller told Rosemary that he did not want his money to be locked into inflexible and non-liquid investments. He said that he wanted to have his money readily available because according Church doctrine he might have to retreat with his money to a 'place of safety' on only two weeks notice (emphasis mine). Rosemary was not keen on this idea, and said so to her father. She pointed out that the investments she recommended would return higher interest than the more liquid investments he wanted to use. Mr. Fuller replied that he was not concerned about the lower interest rate. I find that to have been an entirely reasonable response by him; Mr. Fuller had ample money and did not need to maximize his investment income in order to meet his modest needs. Rosemary went further, though. During this conversation she questioned the bona fides of the Church. She suggested that the head of the church was not the good man Mr. Fuller believed him to be; that the Church was after his money; and that he might come to a tragic end such as the poor unfortunates at Jonestown. Jonestown is, of course, the spot in the Guyanese jungle where hundreds of Jim Jones' followers died by poison. Rosemary says that as soon as those words were out of her mouth her father took an expression of deep anger and she knew that she had gone too far in her questioning his faith in his Church. From that point on relations between her and her father cooled and became strained.”

Find out how it turns out here.

Justice Rodgers did go on to say:
"The children do have a point when they say that the plaintiff Mr. Flurry and the defendant Church were one and the same. They are right in that observation. Their interests were identical, there was no lis between them, and they were represented by common counsel. I direct that the executor and the Church may present a single bill of costs for payment by the estate. As an aside I say that it would have been much preferable for Mr. Flurry to have resigned as executor and to have confined his participation in the suit as a defendant. As it is he decided to wear two hats, and unless one has two heads to accommodate them, that is often an uncomfortable proposition."

Finally, in 2004, the B.C. Court of Appeals upholds Justice Rodgers finding no reversible error here.

Flurry's $15 Million Dollar Folly

In 2006, Gerald Flurry, Philadelphia Church of God leader, approved a set of architectural drawings for a $15,000,000, eight-hundred seat imitation Ambassador Auditorium to be built on his church-financed Armstrong College in Edmond, OK. Having obtained enough church tithe money necessary to start the new construction, Flurry broke ground on the auditorium construction earlier today.

Flurry founded his Imperial College, now labeled as Armstrong College, in 2001. The new auditorium and bible school grounds are entirely financed by the small number of triple-tithe paying members of Flurry's Philadelphia Church. The Edmond campus compound design is patterned along the lines of the Worldwide Church of God's former Ambassador College campuses. Herbert W. Armstrong, founder and Chancellor of Ambassador College, did not graduate from high school, attend any college, or partake of any formal theological school coursework. In keeping with the self-taught Armstrong tradition, Flurry's unaccredited Armstrong College's policy is to remain permanently unaccredited. The "College" does not seek outside academic accreditation because it is held to interfere with the college's spiritual training mission for God. The college name was later changed from Imperial to Herbert W. Armstrong College, following formal protest by Imperial College of London. In 2006, Herbert W. Armstrong College held its first commencement exercises.

A new dormitory-learning center was built by the church in July 2006. The unaccredited bible college has enough accommodations on campus for about 90 students. Loyal Armstrong college graduates are typically recruited into the Philadelphia church ministry or other jobs needing to be filled on the Armstrong College campus.

Flurry's Philadelphia church doctrine is similar to Worldwide Church of God end of the world doctrine under Herbert W. Armstrong, but with a twist. Germany remains the major force behind a revived European beast power, which in conjunction with the Vatican, leads to the annihilation, and captivity of the United States. Followers are taught Malachi's Message, a booklet supposedly written under inspiration by "That Prophet" Gerald Flurry, is the "little book" mentioned in the tenth chapter of the book of Revelation.

Without cost construction overruns and at zero percent interest financing, Flurry's $15,000,000 auditorium built inside his cult college compound will wind up costing his faithful triple tithe-paying followers a minimum $18,750 per seat this time around. Added to that will be the additional annual losses incurred to attract world class performing talent to the little known Edmond, OK campus. Such a small sacrifice to pay for when your very salvation in the World Tomorrow is at stake.

Will the Oklahoma acoustics be half as good as Ambassador Auditorium? So when does the Vienna Orchestra arrive in Edmond for the Armstrong inaugural concert?

To view a daylight "Flurrycam" of the Armstrong auditorium construction, updated hourly, go here.

For a revealing look behind the scenes into Gerald Flurry and his Philadelphia church/Armstrong college, put together by a former member, see this website.

Some Truth About Ministry Fundraising and Finances Needed

You'd be hard pressed to find just one monthly letter appeal from HWA from the hundreds he personally wrote without hearing a need for more money, some great impending financial crisis for the work, or at least an emphatic request for bigger donations, lest one be found guilty of "robbing" from God's Work.

It's not hard to be critical of the effectiveness of HWA's guilt trip fundraising techniques, but he managed to get over over a billion dollars in cash donated over his lifetime. Indeed, he raked in a lot of cash without having to account for how he spent it, to the very people who provided it.

In more recent, leaner times, the WCG has become a member of the Christian "Stewardship" Association (CSA), turning to it for financial advice on how to "milk" the donor cows for the best yield. Dan Rogers (with little Joe, no doubt) and scores of WCG ministers have attended CSA conferences.

Articles on the CSA website include such stewardship advice as:

10 Biblical and Practical Reasons to Teach People to Give 10%; 10 Practical Ways to Help Increase a Congregation's giving 10-25% (or more); 7 Secrets to Teach About Biblical Giving (I hope keeping the financial statements and unincorporated association bylaws a secret isn't one of the 7 “Secrets”); 90 day Giving Challenge; 100 Stewardship Verses and Ideas; How to Encourage Generous Giving Through People's Wills and Estates.

Hmmm... Could David Pack or Gerald Flurry use the practical wealth extraction techniques found in any of those CSA golden "nuggets"?

CSA is having it's upcoming annual meeting at the Hyatt Regency/Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, NM Jan 31- Feb 2, 2998. Cost to attend the three day conference, with preregistration by members is $740.00.

Workshops and seminars hosted by CSA at the Albuquerque conference include:

How Data Mining Can Increase Net Income for Ministry; Ten Mistakes You Shouldn't Make with Donors; Developing a Personal Solicitation Strategy; Slay the Gospel Bird: Fundraising Banquet or Free Chicken Dinner; How to Acquire Even More Donors; How to Get Out of Debt by Applying God's Principles; Getting More Bank For Your Buck From The “Hired Gun”; and How to Add Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars to Annual Budget Without Finding New Donors.

You can find a copy of the CSA conference schedule at their website here.

These clever modern ministry fundraising techniques have been criticized by Phil Cooke, a ministry media consultant to ministries and churches (unrelated to CSA). He has this to say about modern ministry fundraising techniques:

"For churches and ministries across the country, fundraising has
become a vital tool that ís used to raise the necessary money to make ministry happen. It ís a noble effort, because people need to understand that without financial support, significant outreach is
nearly impossible. However, in many cases, the tail has started to wag the dog, and some ministries focus on raising money more than their actual mission.
The science of fundraising has become a massive business. It has spawned financial consultants, direct response companies, fulfillment businesses, telemarketing, and more. Helping ministries raise money has become an industry in itself.
The fact is, the "personal" ministry letter you receive each month was probably not written by the ministry leader at all, but by a direct mail strategist, and designed by a graphic designer for maximum response. Today, color scheme, spacing, layout, and structure are some of the most important features of monthly letters and and the most effective fundraisers can even compare responses based on different colors of the envelope. They mail the letters on just the right day each month so it arrives when people get their paycheck either from the mail or direct deposit. Statistics prove that if it is only a few days late, the response will drop considerably. I've seen people fired from ministries because they mailed the monthly letter 48-72 hours behind schedule, it ís considered that important.
In fact, I spoke to one Christian fundraiser who said that the single most important thing is getting a person to open the envelope - and he would be willing to do anything to make that happen.

Even lie about what ís inside.

It ís important to note that I'm not against fundraising with integrity. There are some marvelous ministries out there doing great work because of effective relationships with their supporters and partners. But I do think you need to know how the business works, because believe me, it's a business, and they're trying to work you.

Here are some suggestions to consider as you pick up the next fundraising letter from your mailbox:

1) They have timed the letter to arrive when you have the most money in the bank. Giving will be easier for you, but that shouldn't control your decision.
2) The cute little underlines, exclamation points, and arrows that look like the writer inserted with a pen after it was written - weren't marked by a person, but a computer. Each one was strategically planned for placement and effect.
3) The amount of the suggested gift on the reply was calculated by a computer based on your past giving history, and often with the goal to nudge you to give a little more.
4) Even the color of the paper was researched based on past responses to that particular shade...
5) You're more likely to give because they ministry sends you something in return. Sadly, we wouldn't even need fundraising if Christians gave as the Bible teaches. So am I suggesting that we stop fundraising? Absolutely not. As I said before, great ministries are impacting the world because good people give. Plus, there are many gifted fundraising experts who are ethical and operate with utmost integrity. Frankly, I wish people gave more to deserving churches and ministries.
But I am suggesting we become informed givers. Don't be a ministry zombie and give on impulse for any reason. Give because you have researched a ministry, believe in what it's doing in the world, have confirmed its integrity and track record, and then prayed about the gift.

Giving for any other reason, is usually a waste of money."

With all the above in mind, I humbly present the:

Church of God

Donor's Bill of Rights

When you give, be sure the church employs standards and policies that assure you of your ten rights as a Church of God donor. You have the right to:

1. Know exactly how the funds of the COG organization are being spent, where Christian stewardship is not just a web policy for the sake of appearances, but an actual practice.

2. Know the salary and total compensation packages of key ministry, evangelists, executives, and board members.

3. Know what the COG programs you support are accomplishing or not accomplishing. Check and see if any outside ministry you are considering gifting to has a passing or failing financial transparency grade at www.ministrywatch.org.

4. Know that the organization and its employees comply with all federal and state laws, including tax regulations for nonprofit, tax-exempt ministries, including regulations against inurement or personal benefit from tithes and donations.

5. Be able to specifically designate and permanently restrict your COG gifts to fund a specific charitable or religious cause within the organization's mission objectives, such as helping widows and orphans, the sick, or the assistance of the needy or hungry.

6. A timely and courteous response to your inquiries about finances and programs, not incomplete or misleading Orwellian doublespeak about quarterly income and budget percentages as substitutes for periodic, complete financial reports.

7. Give without being pressured by the organization, or computer donation tithe-checked for loyalty or "member in good standing" roadblocks to HQ accountability.

8. Obtain a full copy of the ministry's most recent audited financial statements and charitable disaster fund statements - not a sanitized version with meaningless categories lumped together. Third tithe collected by the ministry and spent for that specific charitable purpose should be placed in distinct, separate categories on the financial reports.

9. Know that there is a responsible, qualified, governing board of members providing oversight to the church mission, accepting responsibility for board actions; not a rubber-stamp, unincorporated church association's board of elders, controlled legally by one man and one man only.

10. Know that all appeals for funds are truthful and accurate, and that conflicts of interest are avoided. Audited financial statements are absolutely not a "clean bill of health" or CPA guarantee of fiduciary integrity. CPA-audited financial statements can also hide church assets, real estate, gold bullion in Swiss bank accounts, payouts, or loans; provide inadequate retirement funding for employees, continue to "cook" the books, or materially misrepresent your COG's financial condition.

You have a right to timely, accurate, and complete sets of financial statements from your COG, and to know exactly how your money is being spent by your ministry.

Try tacking the Church of God Donor's Bill of Rights up on your COG's bulletin board or website, and emailing your ministry requesting financial statements promised to all COG members in good standing. See what kind of charitable response you receive in return for exercising your Christian responsibility.

Grounds For Impeachment

Raising the Ruins refers to an unpublished, sworn to tell the whole truth deposition of Joseph Tkach Jr., which may help answer some pointed questions about the distressed sale price of WCG's Ambassador Auditorium:

"Yet another legacy that was neither heavy nor burdensome. After 2,500 concerts and recitals, it was the Tkaches who shut down the famous performing arts series in 1985, saying they could not afford to subsidize the program and that it had “nothing to do with the mission of the church” anyway (Deposition of Joseph Tkach, September 8, 1998). “News of Ambassador’s closure,” the Los Angeles Times reported, “rumbled through Pasadena’s business and political circles like an earthquake.” The community was terribly disappointed. In fact, one reason it took so long for the WCG to sell the Pasadena property is the resistance that city officials put up over proposals to turn the campus into a residential community. “Our mission in the building is over; we aren’t going to keep it," Bernie Schnippert, the church’s director of finance and planning, told the Los Angeles Times in 2002. If it is not bought by the city or bought by a benefactor, the church will tear it down.” Quite a legacy! They actually gave the city an ultimatum: Either buy Ambassador Auditorium for the appraised value of 22 million, or else we’ll demolish it! In the end, city officials held firm and prevented the auditorium from being sold to a developer. This forced the WCG to divvy up the property and sell off the parcels piece by piece. Harvest Rock Church bought the auditorium in 2004 for a little more than a third of the appraised value.

After the sale, like a good politician, Schnippert’s tune changed. The Ambassador Auditorium has always been an important part of the Worldwide Church of God’s ministry, Schnippert told the Worldwide News. “We are pleased that this religious and cultural jewel will continue to be used for the glory of God.” He said this just two years after threatening to demolish the structure.”

Ambassador Auditorium's dedication occurred April 7, 1974. In order to help pay for the expensively built auditorium, the church had requested special donations for an auditorium Building Fund. Yet after the auditorium was finished, it was announced a loan mortgage was made for 100% financing. Mysteriously, neither Tkach nor his predecessors in office have told the Church where the Auditorium Fund money collected went or what it paid for.

When the Mystery of the Ages lawsuit phased into calculating the amount of money damages Flurry would be ordered to pay, the WCG had to submit into evidence certain facts regarding its financial condition. Flurry may be basing the sale price of the Auditorium based on actual knowledge of WCG documents handed over during trial. If what Flurry says is accurate about this, Harvest Rock paid only one-third of the appraised value of Ambassador Auditorium, or the paltry sum of $7.3 million dollars for it.

Some sketchy information has come to light recently from the WCG's commercial real estate broker on the total amount the WCG received from the sale of its Pasadena campus. But Tkach has not fully informed the church of the financial details of these real property and other important transactions; as in what happened to the collections made for the Building Fund, or of the debts, assets, or balance sheet of the church. Such unaccountable arrogance of the Tkach dynasty since 1986 is grounds for impeachment of the Pastor General. Sufficient reason, indeed, for the Pastor General to be ordered to produce the WCG's balance sheet, real estate asset sales and executive compensation packages right before Senator Charles Grassley and the Senate Finance Committee.

cc: Sen. Charles Grassley
Committee On Finance
219 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-6200

New UCG Estate Building; United Landing $1.6m Texas Deal

It's 160 miles west of Big Sandy, TX; 168 miles south of Edmond, OK and and 132 miles north of Waco, TX on Interstate 35 and Milam Rd.
Just go east at the Milam Rd. exit, #473 off I-35 (notably on the southeast UCG corner is Love's 24 hour truckstop) and you're right there in the promised land.

What is it? It's land where God's new UCG headquarters building is to be erected!

The UCG land is east of I-35 on Milam road, south side, by the area marked "Hills of Denton Home Sites", in orange. (Catacorner opposite the red area on the photo marked "site").

As Clyde Kilough informs in United News:

The 81.5-acre parcel north of Denton considered a "very good value" at $1.6 million. Closing likely in early January. Further discussions of development plans set for December Council meetings.

We have been working for several months on finding suitable land, and the process gradually narrowed from several good options to one that is very suitable for filling our short-term needs, and also offering flexibility for yet unforeseen long-term options.

Here are the details:

• Property: 81.5 acres.

• Location: South side of FM 3163 (Milam Road), just east of Milam Ridge Road, Denton, Texas, one-half mile east of Interstate 35 (visible from the freeway), approximately 3 miles north of loop 288 and 7.5 miles from downtown Denton.

• Cost: $1,599,784, or $19,610 per acre.

• Appraised value: $1,710,000.

• Description: The property is outside of the Denton city limits (which simplifies the development process somewhat), with vacant land to the north, east and south, and a small subdivision adjoining to the west. The property is gently sloping to the south.

We consider this to be a very good value, not only for the specific site and price but for the surrounding area and future potential. It is, by the way, 15 more acres, for $100,000 less, than the Kings Row acreage we originally considered.

The future growth in the Denton area is moving in this direction, with four major commercial/residential developments all planned for the north and west sides of town, including a 2,000-acre project between Loop 288 and the Milam Road property.

Already under construction is a major, 412-acre mixed-use commercial/residential development approximately five miles south on I-35 that will include major department stores, Sam's Club, theater complex, restaurants, a 280-room hotel and a 90,000-square-foot convention center.

The appraisal states, "In conclusion, the market area has good access to all parts of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex via US Highway 380, US Highway 377, Interstate 35E, and Interstate 35W. It has a good single family residential base which is located throughout Denton, primarily on the interior streets. There is plenty of available land for development. The proximity of freeways and the dramatic growth of Denton are positive influences on the market area creating a good long term outlook for real estate values."

We have found a very good property with close proximity to all the services we will need, and for a very good price. We most likely will not actually close on the property until early January, but the Council gave its approval last week in light of a looming deadline for commitment. So, if anyone drives by the area, remember that it is yet private property, and please don't drive into it.

Of course, purchasing land is just a first step, and much work lies ahead. Further discussions about where we go from here with development plans will take place at the December Council of Elders meeting (which is scheduled for Dec. 11 to 13 at the home office).

Note to Clyde: So if the land is a cool $1.6 million, how much in 3rd tithe is the 1st building gonna cost?

Scroll through the facts on Denton, TX from City Data (link)

Can ORU Be Saved? In Green We Trust!

Oral Roberts University has been in a bit of a cash crunch lately. Who will come up with the green? Oral Roberts? Not this time.

To relieve that worrisome cash crunch crisis, ORU has been promised a gift of $70 million by Mart Green, the founder and CEO of Mardel Christian educational stores.

David Green (pictured left), father of Mart Green, is CEO of Hobby Lobby, an Oklahoma businessman who founded the Green family Hobby Lobby retail chain, with one small store in the early 1970s.

David Green also happens to be who bought Ambassador College Big Sandy. He took this campus off the books of the WCG at a very good price through a purchase by the Green Family Trust, which owns the 390+ Hobby Lobby retail chain of stores Green built. (David Green then somehow wound up leasing the AC Big Sandy campus to evangelical Bill Gothard, who founded Big Sandy's Alert Academy).

Green said ORU will receive $8 million immediately to meet pressing financial needs. ORU is currently at least $52 million in debt, but who's counting?


The remainder will come after a 90-day review of ORU's accountability practices.

Green said that ORU must demonstrate "good governance'' before the remaining $62 million will be gifted.

Meanwhile, the ORU regents have voted to separate the school from the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association.

''This has truly been a great day for Oral Roberts University,'' said George Pearsons, chairman of the ORU board of regents.

Richard Roberts resigned as ORU's president, but carries on as president of Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association, OREA.

In 2006, the OREA ministry brought in $12.7 million. While the evangelistic association spent most of that on its weekly television shows, direct mail, crusades and other outreach, many donors give directly to ORU because of the ministry, according to Roberts.

ORU received cash donations totaling $14.3 million from 173 persons last year. Most gifts were in the $10,000 range or more, including three of at least $1 million.

In terms of separating the intertwined ministry and university, out of 15 key officers and trustees of the OREA ministry, 14 are now key officers and trustees of ORU.

Richard Roberts has said the university and the evangelistic association cannot be separated and must not be separated.

Roberts said frequently, people believe they are giving to the ministry and make a check out to ORU. In those cases, the funds go to ORU, he said.

''I will go somewhere to preach or I will go somewhere for a healing service and they will raise an offering and they will make the check out to ORU.''

He said the ministry has traditionally raised funds for campus projects, such as the prayer tower or new carpet in the dorms.

Can ORU Be Saved?

Richard Roberts Resigns From Oral Roberts University

Richard Roberts in 'the bonds of Satan'?

Richard Roberts, president of Oral Roberts University since 1993, resigned from his position Friday effective immediately, according to a statement by the chairman of the school's Board of Regents.

Roberts and ORU have come under fire since a lawsuit was filed by three former professors.

The lawsuit includes allegations of financial malfeasance by Oral and Lindsay Roberts and other forms of misconduct.

Roberts, son of school founder and televangelist Oral Roberts, had taken a temporary leave before resigning from the evangelical university, fighting the accusations against him. The couple denies wrongdoing.

Richard Roberts is the CEO of Oral Roberts Ministries, an Oklahoma corporation. Robert's wife Lindsay Roberts is a director of the Oral Roberts Ministries.

ORU Hit With 3 New Lawsuits

Does Richard Roberts have a prayer?

A senior accountant for Oral Roberts University, Trent Huddleston was ordered to help school president Richard Roberts and his wife, Lindsay, “cook the books,” by hiding improper and illegal financial wrongdoing from the authorities and the public, a lawsuit claims, filed November 21st in Tulsa.

Huddleston was hired in 2006 and spent 15 months at the school. He was responsible for recording the fixed assets of the university and delegating them to several corporations formed by the defendants named in the suit, which include the Robertses, the university, the ministry and school’s board of regents.

Huddleston claims in the wrongful termination lawsuit that he was directed against his will to falsely list thousands of dollars as expenses rather than assets — which were spent remodeling the home of Richard and Lindsay Roberts — in order to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and other agencies.

He says the couple co-mingled and spent university and ministry funds, and that funds donated by one church were spent on the Roberts’ home.

He claims nearly $123,000 in expenditures were paid by Oral Roberts University and Oral Roberts Ministries for remodeling the home. He said more than $40,000 of university and ministry money went for a new swimming pool and nearly $5,000 was spent on a pool table.

Huddleston claims he was instructed not to contact certain departments or individuals about expenditures and was not allowed to question their authenticity.

He claims he was discharged on the day an audit was to take place. The audit was ordered by the school’s regents two weeks after three professors brought a wrongful termination lawsuit against ORU accusing Richard Roberts of misusing school funds to support a lavish lifestyle.

Huddleston’s lawsuit states that his discharge came “in retaliation for his refusal to remain silent about the fact that the defendants were committing illegal acts with regard to the finances of the various parties.”

Causes of action set forth in the lawsuit include constructive discharge, fraud, civil conspiracy, tortious interference with business relationships, naming Richard and Lindsay Roberts, ORU, Oral Roberts University and Ministry Boards, and Oral Roberts Ministries.

Two others were filed on behalf of ORU students Cornell Cross II and David Brown. Both claim ORU’s wrongful termination of the three professors, John Swails and Tim and Paulita Brooker, ruined the reputation of their degrees. Brown states that he cannot complete his degree at ORU because of Swails’ termination and is looking to transfer schools. Cross says an attempt to transfer will invalidate half the credits he earned at ORU.

“This was a complete, 100 percent destruction of the degree,” Cross said Wednesday.

The lawsuits come after more than 80 percent of ORU faculty voted this week against Roberts continuing as president at the 5,700-student school.

Next week, the school’s regents are expected to discuss that vote, as well as a similar one cast last week by tenured faculty members giving Roberts a “no confidence” vote as president, regardless of the outcome of the lawsuit.

To read the latest ORU lawsuits in the original Hebrew ;-), click here.

WCG Pocono Feast Site Condemned - Now A Corporate Business Park!

The Pocono Feast site has been condemned and is being turned into a new corporate business park - called Pocono Mountains Corporate Center East.

As many Worldwiders will recall, the Pocono property was originally a WCG Feast of Tabernacles site. The 247 acre site was owned, developed and constructed by the WCG with much unpaid, volunteer, "sweat equity" labor from the church. One year after HWA died, Tkach Sr. sold it in a very mysterious transaction to the also mysterious US Senda Corporation, which supposedly had intended to develop and market the facility. The WCG property deed wording recorded claimed Pocono was sold for just "one dollar" and other valuable consideration. Just what other valuable consideration?

Property taxes declared on the sale were far, far lower than the estimated sales value of the property, Tkach hasn't released the 1987 WCG financial statements to show what money the WCG received for selling off the Pocono property. After the WCG sold it to US Senda, the property sat undeveloped, and it endured periodic vandalism, making it a blighted property. Monroe County, PA completed a redevelopment plan and the redevelopment authority of the county began the process of condemnation of the Poconos site. It would be interesting to know who really owned US Senda corporate stock, what US Senda paid Tkach for the Pocono property and compare the difference with what US Senda received for the condemned site from Monroe County. But with the Tkachs not responsibly releasing financial statements of their secretive cult, it's anybody's guess what the WCG actually got for the Pocono property, that is besides "one dollar".

The former feast site project was unique because it was one of the few times in the Commonwealth of PA that a redevelopment authority has condemned property and sold it to a public entity, like Pocono Mountains Industries (PMI), for development. Condemned properties are typically sold directly to the private sector. A 54,000 sq. foot Mountain Health Care facility has already been completed off Rt. 610 in the business park.

US Senda was a subsidiary of a Japanese corporation formed in California on 2/9/87 - in other words, formed only weeks prior to the time the Pocono deal was completed. The CA corporation in question could have been was formed for the specific purpose of buying Pocono from the WCG. The Calfornia private corporation US Senda in the WCG Pocono land deal has since been dissolved and disappeared without a trace. Believe it or not, US Senda corporate offices in California were listed in the Pocono property sale records as strangely being located in a warehouse, right across from the WCG campus on the other side of freeway, opposite Waverly Drive, directly behind Mijares Mexican Restaurant. How very odd. John Trechak then discovered where U.S. Senda moved to (at 200 E. Del Mar Blvd. in Pasadena) the exact suite at which the Senda Group received mail is also an address where Osamu Gotoh and associates received mail!

Tkach Jr. undoubtedly knows how much the WCG was paid for the Pocono feast site; for what reason the mysterious US Senda corporation was formed, with offices adjacent to the WCG Pasadena campus; how this mysterious US Senda corporation got the winning bid for the property; and who really benefited from the sale of the Pocono site. Certainly not the rank and file members. But Tkach isn't talking, he's taking the fifth.