Also Read: Letter to ESN as to why Ministers in WCG can't leave.

Following is from John E. Miller Jr., former WCG member:

Joe Tkach Jr. published an article on the discretionary assistance program in the March 2003 Worldwide News.¹ This is a fund that contributes money to retired ministers. It has short hard luck stories from three or four ministers. "They" have no pension, or Medicare or social security to fall back on. They might want to ask their Pastor General and his top cronies to scale back a little on their own pay and give some to them. I don't want to sound to harsh but they brought it on themselves! They will have to learn to live at a lower standard just like they taught the members to do. I don't see the WWCG leadership giving any money to the members that lost their homes, so that they might replace them. No one is giving any of them a retirement that they lost due to past church teachings that prevented them from having jobs that paid a retirement.

Again, its all about "the ministers" and how they get the short end of the stick, while the lowly members are not given the time of day. In fact WWCG would be prepared to fight us in court to not pay us a dime of what we lost, and all because of them and their deceptive teachings. I say it is pay back time and you know what they say about that. These retired ministers can at least think about the "good times" when they recall the past WWCG, but most of us, if we want to admit it, can think of the iron fisted rule these ministers had over us.

Will this church ever get its just deserve? I think so. The time for payback is now for most ministers in the WWCG, and this is only the beginning. They will get my prayers and concerns, but until this "church" changes its still deceptive teachings they will not get any money from me for help. In my opinion, anyone that assists in this way is simply giving support to a group of people that are leading people away from Christ and not towards Him.

The WWCG says that they will be giving money back to the local churches "when Pasadena property is sold."² But they also say the first thing to be paid is their retired ministers. An account will be set up for them and ear marked as their retirement fund. This sounds good on the surface but won't WWCG also benefit from this account, since they too will be retiring? In other words, ministers first again.

What will it take for the followers of WWCG to see that they are being deceived by this ban of Satan's helpers? And that is what anyone is that teaches that an unbeliever can be saved after death. It will take a miracle from God. I pray that God changes them or God causes the demise of the WWCG and soon. 

After reading this article in the Worldwide News, I thought I would write Tom Hanson* about the ministers' retirement. Paul Kroll responded. You will notice that he did not say that ministers did tithe, nor did he say that my tithe went towards his income. He seemed to be saying somehow that my tithe went only towards the benefit of the lay members. I wish I knew where. Also notice where the money will come from for the retirement plan of retired ministers.

*Update:  Tom Hanson's employment with the WCG ended in March 2006 at age 51.

John Miller's email to WCG headquarters:

March 2003

Dear Tom,

I read your news paper [The Worldwide News] today. I noticed that retired ministers are receiving discretionary assistance from the church. What about those of us that are retired members that lost nearly everything they had because they put their whole lives too into the church, are they entitled to the same. I lost my house and my retirement pension, I had to keep the Sabbath so I quit my job. The church teaches now all believers are ministers, does that qualify me to receive some of your help? I'm not asking for much, only a very small portion of what I tithed. By the way, did any of the retired ministers tithe at all? I heard they did not.

I am also disabled, have diabetes, heart problems and nerve damage from the diabetes. Would this qualify me in any way to get any of your help? I am waiting hopefully and patiently for your answer. Please email me.

John Miller 

Paul Kroll's reply to John Miller:

March 2003

Greetings John,

Thank you for your message to Tom Hanson. I'm happy to reply to your question. Please let me offer you my thoughts and prayers regarding your health problems. I pray you will find comfort and healing in the Lord for your afflictions.

What you read in The Worldwide News is correct. There are a number of retired pastors and employees of the Worldwide Church of God that are receiving discretionary assistance from the church. When the church sells its Pasadena property and goes to its new financial model, a vested retirement program will come into being. Our pastors and employees, when they retire, will be eligible for benefits. In the meantime, any retirement assistance must be discretionary. The retirement program will be funded wholly from income derived from the proceeds of the sale of the property.

Regarding your question, the church's retirement program is meant to provide a retirement benefit for its employees. That is the key category to consider. The church has a retirement program for its employees in the same way that government agencies, businesses and other organizations have such programs for their employees. If I were, say, a Federal employee I would receive a retirement package upon my retirement. However, since I am not an employee of the government, I don't receive such a package. (Social Security is different in that we all pay into the system.) Though I don't receive a retirement package from the government, I still support the government through the taxes I pay, some of which make the retirement program possible. I'm a citizen of the United States but not its employee. [Notice the spin control at this point. - ESN]

It works the same way for businesses, non-profit organizations, universities and schools, churches and other organizations. Employees receive a retirement from the business or organization for which they work. Those that do not work for a certain entity do not receive a retirement package from that entity.

You stated that you wanted a retirement consideration as a return of a portion of your tithes. I’m sure you understand that the church is unable to do this. I must remind you that you willingly gave those tithes and offerings for the work of the church and they were spent years ago in the church’s corporate and spiritual purposes of serving the needs of local congregations and proclaiming the gospel message of Jesus. Such donations cannot be returned. They weren't given as dues for a retirement program, but in support of the church's activities. We are truly sorry to hear that you have suffered financial losses in past years. The church greatly appreciates the offerings you gave when you were able to do so. Through these offerings you have helped people come to Christ by making the gospel available to them, and you helped enable the church to minister to its members. You have borne fruit for the kingdom.

Please know that our prayers are with you and your family. May the blessings and grace of God bring you peace and joy in the Lord.

Paul Kroll
Personal Correspondence

Comments from ESN on Kroll's email:

Kroll's reply to John is typical spin control and accepts no responsibility for the deceit and exploitation of members. It is important for our readers to understand that "disinfo control artists" are trained in propaganda and are experts at sophisticated techniques of thought reform. Following are a few comments to Kroll's email (not mailed, but for our readers). [Emphasis below is ESN's]:

KROLL: I must remind you that you willingly gave those tithes and offerings for the work of the church and they were spent years ago in the church’s corporate and spiritual purposes of serving the needs of local congregations and proclaiming the gospel message of Jesus. Such donations cannot be returned. They weren't given as dues for a retirement program, but in support of the church's activities.

ESN: Kroll does not admit that members "willingly gave" as a result of "coercion tactics" and the threat of "eternal damnation in the lake of fire" if they didn't pay (not "donate") their tithes and offerings. This included a third tithe which was to be paid every three years out of seven. While Kroll says members' tithes and offerings were given to "the church's corporate and spiritual purposes" and proclaimed the "gospel message of Jesus," the truth is that these monies were given unknowingly to pay for Herbert W. Armstrong's lavish and opulent lifestyle. (Read: Herbert W. Armstrong: The Rich Apostle) Furthermore, WCG did not ever proclaim "the gospel message of Jesus" as they taught a false Jesus and a false gospel.

This reply is very familiar to what Greg Albrecht said in the past: "The money has been spent; we no longer have it." One must ask what about the gold and silver accessories, crystal and other expensive, lavish items that Herbert Armstrong owned and which WCG auctioned off? Read about how WCG auctioned off many expensive items from "the House for God" in 2004 and Gerald Flurry of Philadelphia Church of God spent close to $200,000 purchasing some of them.

KROLL: The church greatly appreciates the offerings you gave when you were able to do so. Through these offerings you have helped people come to Christ by making the gospel available to them, and you helped enable the church to minister to its members. You have borne fruit for the kingdom.

ESN: WCG was never a "church," but was known as a mind manipulating Bible-based "cult." I'm sure WCG does "greatly appreciate" these offerings, as they were used not to help people "come to Christ" (HWA preached a false Christ), but to help recruit and deceive others into a corrupt organization which ended up devastating innocent lives, in order that the founder, Herbert W. Armstrong, might live his luxurious lifestyle. What a travesty these words of Kroll's are.

Comment: Paul Kroll exited the WCG sometime shortly after 1973 and was listed among other leading men and women who left their positions because of "frustration, matters of conscience, and disgust over doctrinal and organizational problems" and who "no longer supported AC or the WCG." (Ambassador Review, 1976, p. 5) One must ask why he's back in again?

UPDATE December 18, 2004: WCG says in their Worldwide News article that "many former employees now have no pension, Social Security or Medicare to fall back on." Our response is: And what do former members and child survivors of WCG have? They gave up everything for the "one true church"? What about them?

Kroll's words to John that he will find "blessings and grace" are like salt poured into a wound while at the same time saying, "be warmed and filled." John, like thousands of others who have been impacted by WCG, have suffered much loss and pain due to the fraud, exploitation and deception from a fraudulent organization that has the unmitigated gall to call itself a "church" and to continue extracting money from its unsuspecting, dutifully-paying members. When will it ever end?

One former WCG member expressed doubt to us whether most retired WCG employees will ever receive all these "retirement" benefits. He said he believes that the WCG leadership will "end up squandering most of it on themselves." 

UPDATE September 2006: WCG HQ still receives offerings from members:

"Scott [Wertz ] is also responsible for maintaining church literature inventories, printing and sending offering envelopes and mailing monthly and annual donation receipts for congregations who use headquarters' donation processing services..." (Excerpted from, "New offices help church employees serve local churches," Together, July-August 2006) [bolding ours]

However, WCG's website states:

"...most but not all of our revenue is raised from our church members and is solicited, if at all, from verbal or written appeals in accordance with our doctrines." (WCG's website)

NOTE: Read letter to ESN from former member who wrote Joseph Tkach Jr. and he said that he "couldn't help it if members wanted to give him money."

Read other letters/articles by John Miller:

Is Worldwide Church of God Still Holding on to Some of Herbert W. Armstrong's Doctrines?

Worldwide Church of God and Their Evolutionary Views (sent to WCG HQ)

Worldwide Church of God and Their Universalism Views (sent to WCG HQ)

The WCG Has Changed Little in Their Tactics (Oct. 3, 2003 email)

Footnotes by ESN:

¹ In Feb. 2005 The Worldwide News in the United States changed its name to WCG Today. In May 2006 it was changed to Together.

² Read: WCG Received Millions for Sale of Pasadena Campus (2005 letter to ESN). In November 2004 the Worldwide Church of God moved its headquarters from Pasadena to Glendora, California. (Pasadena Star-News, October 25, 2004) By May 2006 all their offices were moved to Glendora. (Together May-June 2006). Worldwide Church of God is now considering a name change. Read: Worldwide Church of God is Changing Their Name. 

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