In Seminary, I took a required course in apologetics, a branch of theology concerned with defending or proving the truth of Christian doctrines. A segment of the course focused on cults and pseudo-Christian groups.
One of the latter groups was called "Armstrongism," after Herbert W. Armstrong, the founder of The Worldwide Church of God. Quoting from a Moody Monthly reprint ...
Jesus is part of the godhead (God family) and men can become like Jesus and part of the God family - Sons of God. They don't believe in a closed godhead (Trinity). The Holy Spirit is not considered a person, but the Father and the Son work through it. [July-August 1979]
Well, back in the mid-'90s several leaders of The WCG began to independently have doubts about the church's doctrine (the founder had passed away a few years earlier). Slowly, the each doubter found the other and then a serious but clandestine investigation of doctrine began.
Within a few years these men announced their findings: "we've been involved in the support of and the teaching of false doctrine." What remains of The WCG is now widely accepted as a bona fide Evangelical Christian fellowship .
This story, "called to be free," has just been released on DVD by Living Hope Ministries, out of Brigham City, Utah. Living Hope Ministries' web site says they ...
... exists to produce and distribute low-cost, effective tools to educate and equip Christians to reach Mormons for Jesus Christ.
The production quality is first class and is presented in documentary form; its run time is 74 minutes and worth the cost and the time investment. (order the DVD here)
I must tell you that I was wonderfully surprised by the humility and genuineness of the leaders' testimonies; I was equally pleased with the message of "called to be free" - God deserves the glory!
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