Manila, Philippines
March 15, 2007

Dr. Joseph Tkach
Pastor General
Worldwide Church of God
Glendora, California

Dear Dr. Tkach:

I just read from your latest update in WCG web site that you are really determined to push Spiritual Formation to the members of the church.  I quote you thus --

"I am delighted to say that we have received notice from quite a few pastors in International areas who are planning to attend our pastors conference in July.  My enthusiasm is really high.

      "Caribbean:      28

      "Canada:           30

      "Philippines:      40 . . .

      "Europe:               1

      "Australia/NZ:    15 "

I asked a WCG local elder if he had plans to attend the July conference.  Here is his reply --

". . .  The answer is no, I will not be going to the conference.  I was an elder in our church but as of last month we are no longer a 'church'.  We were down to 5 members [and] HQ wanted us to become a separate 'affiliated' church and send all our offerings into them and they would send us back 80% of it or we could just stop being a church.  We decided we would stop being a 'church'.  I was told we would still be considered members of WCG though.  Am I still an elder?  I don't know and I really don't care.  We still meet every week as we were before so nothing has really changed for us.  None of us have been pleased with the way the leadership in WCG has been taking us for some time but now the church has really lost its mind by inviting wolves into the sheep pen."

Quite a few of the members have discerned the apostasy that has been going on in the Worldwide Church of God.  I am sure Richard Foster and Dallas Willard are only two of the "wolves" in sheep's clothing that the local elder was referring to.  Maybe Ruth Tucker and Baxter Kruger, too, but I lack enough information on them.

My heart aches for my countrymen who are willing victims to your apostatizing leadership.  I hope and pray that you will soon wake up from the spiritual deception that you are in.  If only for the sake of thousands of members worldwide, Dr. Tkach, please reconsider your decision to push Spiritual Formation and other false doctrines to them.  Why not use the July conference to really get on the right track?  It should not be hard  -- just read the Bible literally and repent of your wrong ways.

Yours truly,

Edgardo S. Meneses

---

COMMENTS FROM ESN:

Joe Tkach Jr. finally blocked Edgardo's email address so no more of his emails could reach him. One of the superintendents at WCG HQ later told Edgardo, "Dr. Tkach's email is functional." 

A number of the replies* which Edgardo received from WCG ministers reveal that many ministers still have the WCG mindset of "HQ is right and you are wrong." Most of them (including their members) are still not willing to research further into the New Age mystical teachings of Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, Brian McLaren, Rick Warren, etc.

We will quote a few of these ministers' words in reply to Edgar's letter. [bolding ESN's]

WCG minister in Canada:

"I am sure God will deal mercifully with you and you will see the error of your ways on the day that you meet Jesus face to face. However, I can assure you based on my reading of the New Testament, our Lord is not pleased with your self righteous denouncements directed toward Joe Tkach and the WCG. ... I am amazed you can write: '…please reconsider your decision to push Spiritual Formation and other false doctrines…' Whatever your differences with WCG, how can one find 'Spiritual Formation' to be false teaching? ... Perhaps you'd find the simpler term 'Prayer and Bible Reading' more to your liking, but that's your problem. If you can't even understand the terms used perhaps you'd better step back and start humbly learning the English language rather than try teaching those with a bit more spiritual and intellectual depth than you appear to have. ... I anticipate seeing you on the day of resurrection. But for now, in God's name, shut up, stop writing, and start living a more humble and teachable life. Your writings have exposed no more than your lack of education and your willingness to run from former WCG errors to a new set of errors being taught by others. If you humbly ask God for forgiveness and recognize you're not called to criticize WCG leadership you'll start to grow again spiritually." - R. M. (3-18-07 email)

WCG pastor in Ohio:

"After my exhaustive study the early church I can tell you frankly, You have no clue! You need to become an expert on first century culture, first century ethics, the early church heresies, early church doctrine, the early church fathers writings and then you will begin to see what Paul is talking about. I will not pass this on to Joe, because he would say the same thing. Get a life, Edgardo! Stop interpreting the mysteries of the Bible from your 21st century viewpoint." - D. K. (3-17-07 email)

WCG minister:

"Having read books by both of these men [Richard Foster and Willard Dillard], I find their writings and teachings very consistent with a sound and balanced reading of the bible that does not waste time off in 'peripherals' " - B. E. (2-23-07 email)

WCG superintendent at HQ in Glendora:

"The difference between Dr. Tkach and yourself is that at least Dr. Tkach is open to correction. ... However, he and others who Christ has placed in oversight of this Fellowship have studied your thinking and found it grossly in error. You, sir, are the one whose mind is closed to correction from those who will have to give account for you." - R. D. (3-21-07 email)

UPDATE: Letter from author Brian Flynn to a WCG Philippine deacon (Cc to ESN), concerning how we must be discerning concerning false teachings coming into the church.

COMMENTS FROM ESN (A FEW ARE THINKING):

In spite of those that aren't thinking (or who have no intention of researching further), a few seem to be concerned about what is happening in Worldwide Church of God.

One WCG minister who received Edgar's Apostasy Letter said the only thing Edgar didn't mention was that "headquarters said they wanted any money we had in our local account." This same minister said they had been paying their own way for the last two years and "would continue to use that money for local ministries." He ended by saying, "Funny how they want nothing to do with us but send us your money."

Read three letters to ESN:

Concerned About the Direction WCG Seems to Be Headed (February 27, 2007)

WCG Turning Into a Dead Mainstream Church (March 19, 2007)

WCG Inviting Wolves Into the Sheep Pen  (May 31, 2007)

There are a number of websites and books today that are exposing spiritual formation and other New Age teachings that are infiltrating Christianity today. See the following links:

Spiritual Formation? Another Name for Contemplative Spirituality

The Issue of Other Religious Practices as Worship in the Church (shows the eastern mystical source of contemplative and centering prayer)

*All emails on file with ESN.

Update 8-9-07: More than 800 attended the July conference, including 19 Filipino WCG ministers with their wives.