Blast from past…
Ambassador College was often referred to as a huge pressure cooker. It’s purpose was to instill righteous character into its students in the shortest period of time. They were tried to the limit of their endurance, and beyond. Patience was all to often pushed over the cliff of sound judgment. Self worth was crushed to the point where the individual student became totally dependant upon the ministry to determine their life’s values, goals, and unfortunately their worthiness for eternal salvation.
Real pressure cookers, as you know, can produce some very wonderful and tasty things from the kitchen in a very short period of time. In like manner, the right kind of pressure in our lives can produce some interesting and wondrous results. One is able to attain goals once thought unreachable. Even conquer life’s difficulties, without the help of a divinely inspired ministry thank you.
The students were judged, evaluated and pressured into the change that the leadership felt was in the student’s best interest. Unfortunately all the false precepts the ministry had been taught to develop sound spiritual character was forced upon the unsuspecting disciple. After two or three years the ministerial candidates were ready. Their minds and sound judgement had been altered and perverted, many were no longer the kind and caring individuals they were when they entered college. Now mean and angry they were thrust out upon the unsuspecting membership to vent their new found spiritual leadership and authority.
As part of their final training the young men during the summer break were involved in baptizing tours. Unsuspecting, good hearted people, were exposed to the charms and beguiling of the sweet words of the ministry. One of God’s Old Testament prophets put it very clearly when he described their teachings as being very sweet to the taste as we take it in. But once it enters our stomach it becomes upsetting and bitter, a horrible and a sickening experience.
The stories they had to tell about their tours of duty were absolutely amazing. Two of them on one occasion had a shot gun placed in their faces and were told by an angry husband to get ready to meet their maker. The man was ready to kill them if they baptized his wife. Needless to say they made a hasty retreat in the car to the sound of gun fire.
Some were beaten, many were verbally abused. It was a miracle that none was ever seriously injured.
On one occasion while driving through southern Texas their conversation focused on the baptizing tour they had started several weeks before. So far the trip had been very successful. Over twenty had been baptized into the church. Another thirty were told to wait until they had a better understanding of the church’s teachings. Just yesterday they baptized a family of four. They all were very proud and energized by what they felt was divinely inspired progress.
After all 1975 was just around the corner. It wouldn’t be long now and all hell would break out on earth. They felt driven, they must see to it that as many people as possible would be saved from this coming time of terror that was going to befall all humanity. That is except for a small group of god’s elect. They all felt proud and even a bit arrogant that they would be counted among god’s elect. Being Ambassador College graduates they were the cream of the crud, oops, crop. They were all more gifted and intellectually blessed than the dumb sheep of the membership. They felt their place in the kingdom would be very close to Jesus Christ, maybe even next to Him.
It was nearly lunch time when the driver saw the sign of an up coming town. Uvalde was just 10 miles ahead. He brought it to the attention of the lead man, who was the only one ordained in the group. All of them noticing the name began to speculate on how to pronounce it. None of them had a working knowledge of Spanish, so it was of a particular interest and challenge to them. What should have been an insignificant individual opinion turned into a very heated and hostile argument. Each man had his own way of pronouncing the name. Finally the elder in charge told the others to shut up. He was in charge and would decide the best way to pronounce the name. The other three were not ordained, they did not have the same degree of wisdom and understanding that their god gave the elder.
This somewhat irrational stand taken by the elder bothered one of the men. So he suggested that when they stop for lunch, which would be in about ten minutes, that the elder ask their waiter for his opinion about how to pronounce the small city’s name.
The elder smiled to himself and thought it was an excellent opportunity for him to exercise his authority and prove once and for all that he was more divinely inspired than the other three men.
They stopped for lunch at a small roadside cafe. After finding a suitable table and sitting down the three men waited and observed as the elder asked the waiter about the name.
The elder looking squarely into the eyes of the waiter said, my friends and I would like to you settle an argument, once and for all. We do not know where we are. Pounding his finger on the table as if he were one who had great authority, he asked the waiter to very slowly, and precisely tell them where they are?
The waiter looked somewhat astonished and puzzled. He looked at each of the men as to question both their intelligence and sanity. He cautiously took a step back away from the table. He then very slowly and precisely with a questioning look on his face said, “R-O-S-E’-S D-I-N-E-R!” He then shrugged his shoulders, turned and walked away from the four men.
My guess is who ever laid hands on the elder to ordain him must of had his fingers crossed.
Ambassador’s finest. Bright, intelligent, well groomed and mannered. Unfortunately not a brain of common sense among them.
It was called “The Worldwide Church of God”. They left Jesus out of the name. And well they should. For the church did NOT represent Jesus Christ or any of His teachings. For if they had known that God’s Work (John 6:29) is Jesus Christ, the church today would be strong and healthy, and so would its members. Instead it is scattered and fractured with well over 200 splinter groups each claiming to be doing god’s work. Not one of them has a clue to what the Work of God really is, not one!
By Bob W.
