Mission Statement

    Throughout the scriptures, the evidence of God as a Master Planner is clearly revealed. Even within the physical universe, a great design can be seen. Whether it is in the astronomical bodies which man uses to calculate time with great precision or the extraordinary laws governing science and nature, the presence of order and planning is clearly evident. When writing to the church at Rome, the apostle Paul stated that the physical creation was so extraordinary that it clearly revealed an invisible God and His greatness.

For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse... (Rom. 1:20)

    God's spiritual plan for mankind as well as the destiny of the entire universe is also revealed in the scriptures. Consider the following: God's Sabbath pictures a seven thousand-year plan in which man will labor for the first six thousand years followed by God's millennial kingdom being established on the seventh day, a thousand year period. Additionally, God's plan of salvation is revealed in seven annual holy days. These festivals reveal how God will accomplish His purpose for those being called at this time as well as the rest of mankind. Under the inspiration of the holy spirit, the apostle Paul indicated that these holy days were a shadow of things to come (Col. 2:16-17).
    God has also designed three resurrections which will enable all mankind to have an opportunity to know who He is and how He will perform His purpose regarding mankind. Even the destiny of the physical universe was perfectly planned by its Creator long before it came into existence. This destiny is revealed in the twenty-first and twenty-second chapters of Revelation as well as the eighth chapter of Romans.
    Truly, the Eternal is a great planner and is totally dedicated to accomplishing all that He has purposed. God once revealed through the prophet Isaiah that His ability to declare the end from the beginning sets Him apart from every being in the universe.

Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure... (Isa. 46:9-10)

    Every marvelous detail of God's plan of salvation was designed prior to the foundations of the world. The scriptures clearly reveal that the sacrifice of Jesus Christ was planned prior to creation itself (1Pet.1:19-20). Even man's need for immortality was identified by God prior to his creation (Titus 1:1-2). Truly, God is the Master Architect of the destiny of the universe and in a very real sense, the Bible is nothing less than the architectural plans of that destiny.

Man Must Also Plan
    The scriptures reveal that God is a great planner. However, God's word also states that planning can be valuable to man, provided God's will is served and that He is the central part of that plan (Psa. 127:1). God's word admonishes His children to count the cost (Lk. 14:28-29) as well as to consider where their spiritual home is built (Mt. 7:24-27). The Bible also reveals the great value of vision (Pro. 29:18) and outlines the consequences for its absence.
    This document reflects the mission of The Eternal Church of God with respect to the great work God has given His servants. We acknowledge that we do not possess the strength or the wisdom to fulfill God's will; however, we do believe that God can inspire the effort of those who are truly committed to Him and His service. Therefore, although the accomplishment of His work may be beyond our reach, it is certainly within His (Mt. 19:26).

What is the Work
    Throughout history, the servants of God have been given a work to accomplish. Noah was commissioned to be a preacher of righteousness as well as to build an ark which would preserve life from being destroyed by a great flood. Abraham was commissioned to leave Ur of the Chaldees and go to a land which would ultimately be the home of Israel.
    Moses was commissioned to lead Israel out of Egypt and build a nation united under God's law. Joshua was commissioned to lead Israel into a land of promise. Ezra and Nehemiah had a work involving the building of God's temple.
    The prophets were commissioned to cry aloud and indict Israel and Judah for their disobedience as well as to proclaim the ultimate destiny of God's people. John the Baptist was commissioned to preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins and to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah. All the servants of God had a work and a work continues to this very day.

Jesus Christ Leaves a Work
    It is important to understand that Jesus had a work. That work included revealing the Father (Mt. 11:27), preaching the gospel of the kingdom (Lk. 4:43), establishing His church (Mt. 16:18), calling sinners to repentance (Lk. 5:32), confirming the promises made unto the fathers (Rom. 15:8), and redeeming man from the consequences of sin (1Jn. 3:5). These are just some of the things Jesus was given to do as a work.
    The scriptures reveal that Jesus finished the work He was given to do by the Father. However, Jesus also left a work to His apostles and those who would follow after them. That work would continue to the day of His return to earth. Jesus' own words reveal this truth: "Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing" (Lk. 12:43).

The Two-Fold Commission to the Church

I. Preach the Gospel
    The scriptures reveal two great works Jesus commissioned His disciples to do. The first was to preach the gospel of the kingdom as a witness to all nations. So important was this commission that Jesus declared the kingdom of God would not be restored on earth until it was done.

    And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Mt. 24:14)

    The proclamation of God's kingdom by the disciples began on the day of Pentecost in 31 A.D. (Acts 2) and continues to this very day. It will culminate with the appearance of two witnesses who will have great power and will testify against all the nations on earth (Rev. 11:3-6).

II. Feed My Sheep
    The second commission concerns the nurturing of God's children. The gospel of John reveals that after Jesus was risen from the dead, he met with His disciples and gave them special instructions regarding the great work that lay ahead of them. At one point, Jesus spoke personally to Peter and indicated that if Peter truly loved Him, he would take care of God's children.

So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me more than these?" He saith unto Him, "Aye, Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee." He saith unto him, "Feed My lambs." He saith to him again the second time, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?" He saith unto Him, "Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love Thee." He saith unto Him, "Feed My sheep." He saith unto him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me?" Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time, "Lovest thou Me?" And he said unto Him, "Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I love Thee." Jesus saith unto him, "Feed My sheep." (Jn. 21:15-17)

    With the words "Feed My sheep," Jesus was announcing the second great commission given to His New Testament servants. The importance of nurturing God's people cannot be overstated. God's people need to be fed in order to sustain them in their Christian walk. The apostle Paul, when writing to the church at Rome, said, "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17). It is for this reason that God established the ministry. The purpose of that ministry is to "edify the saints," not to edify the ministry. By feeding Jesus' sheep, God's servants are preparing them for a future in His kingdom.

The ECOG's Response to the Two-Fold Commission

Preach the gospel as a witness.
    We believe preaching the gospel as a witness to all nations constitutes the first commission given to the church. In consideration of this commission, The Eternal Church of God will commit its efforts to the following goals.

Produce a high quality television program
    In August of 1999, The World to Come telecast was first aired. This telecast is one half-hour in length and addresses issues such as the gospel, prophecy, and God's law as well as core doctrines recorded in the scriptures.

Create high-impact publications
    The Eternal Church of God will continue to offer literature concerning vital issues pertaining to God's people and their pursuit of His kingdom. Our goal is to present booklets that are thoroughly researched yet simple to understand. Additionally, all literature produced by The Eternal Church of God will be offered without cost or obligation to all who request it.

Feed the flock
  We in The Eternal Church of God believe that God has commissioned His servants to create an environment in which His children will be nourished by His word and nurtured by His love. This is the second great commission given to the disciples and those who follow them. In consideration of this commission, The Eternal Church of God is committed to achieving the following goals.

Create a nurturing environment within the church
    We believe this can be achieved by managing the size of congregations. It is the intent of the church to insure that congregations are limited to 50 members or less. Although this is more expensive, it insures that the needs of those within the church are not inadvertently overlooked.

Create a servant-oriented government
    Although this is the expressed goal of all churches of God, we believe it must be more than stated in words. To insure that the government within the church maintains an attitude of servant leadership, The Eternal Church of God has created a unique organizational model. The Eternal Church of God will be presided over by two servant leaders: a Director of Pastoral Services and a Director of Administrative Services. This model is consistent with several administrative models found within the scriptures. Its purpose is to insure that leadership will be driven by principle with service to God and His people and not by power.

Present high quality, thoughtful messages
    To insure the quality of messages, each Sabbath service will contain a question and answer session in which speakers can be questioned by the congregation concerning the content as well as the veracity of their messages.

Create a highly participative service format
    Each Eternal Church of God service is designed to sustain high audience interest. The following is a typical format for services:

two hymns
opening prayer
scripture reading (one chapter of the Bible)
hymn
sermonette
hymn
announcements / special music
sermon
hymn
closing prayer

Approximately one half hour after services, a question and answer session is presided over by a moderator. During this session, questions and comments are directed to the speakers.

Develop leadership within the congregation
    The importance of developing strong Christian leadership cannot be overstated. To this end, The Eternal Church of God encourages all adult male members to participate in the services. Each adult male is scheduled on a rotating basis to read one chapter of the Bible during a Sabbath service. Additionally, all males are being groomed to give sermonettes and/or sermons. Because of the limited size of congregations, participation in the speaking portion of services is quite frequent.

Develop an outreach designed to embrace the scattered sheep of the Church of God
    It has been estimated that there are over 100 Church of God splinter groups within the United States alone. Some of these consist of small in-home groups. The Eternal Church of God is committed to supporting all of God's children and will make available its resources to them. These resources include a library full of information from the Eternal Church of God and those of Herbert W. Armstrong and Ambassador College.  Free booklets and cassettes of our own research, and a telecast produced by the Eternal Church of God titled The World to Come viewable via public access and local cable channels.

A Final Thought
    At the conclusion of His life, Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane and began that prayer by informing His Father that He had finished the work His Father had given Him (Jn. 17:4). It is hard to imagine that it should be any different with us. If we remain steadfast to God's will and His work, the Bible says His pleasure will be openly expressed with the words "well done, good and faithful servant." Our service must be profitable. It must extend beyond our own limitations. Only then can we truly know if God's hand was in it.