<span style="font-size: 65%; ">MUST READ:</span><br /> 12 “Measures” of Unprecedented Growth in RCG

The Restored Church of God is experiencing absolutely spectacular growth in every statistical measure used in the past, plus new ones. We believe many in the splinters who are hearing discouraging reports of shrinking income, declining attendance, lack of miracles, worsening division and false doctrine, among other problems, and who are looking for obvious proofs of where God is working, would want inspiring news. Many will yet remember and apply Jesus’ instruction, “By their fruits you shall KNOW them” (Matt. 7:16, 20) to determine where Christ is leading.

All comparisons are of the first quarter of 2009 with the same three months in 2010:

1. Church Inquiries—Up 230.3%
   (294 in the first quarter of 2009 vs. 971 in 2010. We now project for the year 2010 that a great many thousands of households will inquire about attending services—of course, not all will come. For instance, we are currently averaging about 17.5 inquiries each day, or almost 125 each week, which computes to about 6,400 for a year—if the rate never increased! We expect the rate to greatly increase before just this year is out, and there are very good reasons for this! You may view our graph to follow monthly updates.)
2. Church Attendance—Up 27.0%
   (Due to a very strong first quarter surge, Church growth projects to 50% or possibly much more for the year 2010.)
3. Regular Tithes and Offerings—Up 37.2%
   (This rises to 38.6% if both December 2008 and December 2009 are added to reach a longer, 4-month comparison. Co-Worker/Donor income is up a whopping 62.1%, and it becomes 73.8% if both Decembers are added. [This helps explain why the income increase exceeds the Church growth percentage by 10.2%.] Not included are all forms of Special Offerings, which were up 61.8%, with this increasing to a huge 95.1% if both Decembers are counted. Finally, the Emergency Assistance [Love] Fund was up 434.1%, and this reaches 637.7% including both Decembers. Of course, as Mr. Armstrong so often reminded, “When our ways please God, HE BLESSES US”—even in terrible economic times.)
4. The World to Come Broadcast Views—Up 1,076.7%
   (45,890 in first quarter of 2009 vs. 540,007 in 2010.)
5. Total Website Downloads—Up 58.5%
   (1,185,771 in first quarter of 2009 vs. 1,879,224 in 2010.)
6. Field Ministers—March 31, 2009: 4 full-time ministers – One year later: 18 (8 U.S., 10 int’l)
   (By mid-May 2010, five more area Pastors or Associate Pastors will have arrived in London, UK; Chicago, IL; Orlando, FL; near Kingsport, TN, and also Cincinnati, OH a few weeks into the summer, bringing the total to 23 full-time ministers—with 12 U.S. and 11 international. All of these men [and wives] have received very sophisticated and very thorough training. Of course, there are also many additional local church elders, deacons and deaconesses being added. There are also 8 other full-time ministers who will continue to serve at Headquarters. Up to 10 or even more pastors or associates will likely be added to the field by mid-2011.)
7. HQ Staff—March 31, 2009: 46 (Five of these went to the field on 9/1, reducing the total to 41).
   March 31, 2010: 52 (Six more staff members will leave for the field in May. Eight other people will join our staff within 60 days: four in April, one in May, three in early June, then making 54 on staff.)
8. Ambassador Center—The Church’s educational arm, Ambassador Center, will graduate its first class of 94 men and women from many countries on Sunday, May 2, 2010. Ambassador—which offers an extensive two-year liberal arts and theology curriculum, both on-site and by audio/video online—equips leaders for service at Headquarters and in the field ministry.
9. 2010 Ministerial Conference—Over 90 men and women from around the world, plus some Headquarters staff, will arrive April 30 to attend the Church’s annual, now week-long Ministerial Conference, starting the day after Graduation—which begins RCG’s 12^th year.
10. New Operations Officer—An experienced executive administrator, and minister dating to the 1980s, will arrive at Headquarters on June 1 to serve as Director of Operations. Seven department managers will report to this man, relieving Mr. Pack from this direct responsibility, and freeing him to carry out other impending duties. Because of such rapid growth in staff size and in the whole Work, we realize even this new position may require this man to have an assistant in the near future. Of course, as with Mr. Armstrong, all senior Headquarters administrators—representing the major facets of the Church and Work such as Ambassador Center, Church Administration, and others—continue to report to Mr. Pack.
11. Dramatic Healings—The Restored Church of God has witnessed a large number of outright healings (and other miracles) over just the last six months. Of course, this has been very, very inspiring—and faith-increasing!—for the whole Church. The Acts 3 healing of the lame man, that left people “filled with wonder and amazement” (vs. 10), describes how we often feel here. Sadly, so many no longer remember what is, and is not, the Body of Christ—where it starts and stops. And tragically, with thousands no longer able to “discern the Lord’s Body”—and its connection to healing (I Cor. 11:29-30 and I Pet. 2:24)—many in the splinters are so unnecessarily sick and dying. If they did remember (could still also “discern” in this way) what IS the Body of Christ—that Jesus Christ heads only one unified organization—they would also remember that healings and miracles are only given THERE (I Cor. 12:4-13)!
12. Joy and Unity—Last and perhaps most important, members of The Restored Church of God radiate a truly unusual joy and unity that spring from complete doctrinal agreement, zeal to finish God’s Work, a powerful college in place, and producing as it did under Mr. Armstrong, more literature teaching the truth than was ever previously available—along with experiencing the kind of stunning fruits seen throughout the above list—under what so obviously must be led by the true Government of God. We are happy to see that over one-third of our Church growth is still coming from those who were once in the Worldwide Church of God.

Patient waiting while literature, infrastructure, a sufficient staff, a college, and a worldwide ministry were coming into place over a period of years has paid off. Always fast-growing, God’s true Work is now EXPLODING—yet we consider even this still to be only the very beginning, as statistics and projections above demonstrate. As conditions in the world grow darker, and time grows shorter, we will continue to pray diligently that more will follow Christ’s command to “anoint their eyes” (Rev. 3:18) so they can join where He is leading. We look forward to regularly welcoming large numbers of more who desire to help finish the final chapter of God’s Work in this age.

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The Restored Church of God