Self-presentation of the Church

Our historical roots

The Worldwide Church of God (WCG) was founded in Germany in the 1960s as a foundation of an American educational institution called Ambassador College. Ambassador College belonged to the Worldwide Church of God (WCG), whose headquarters were in California (USA). The first congregation in German-speaking Switzerland was founded in Zurich in 1968, and shortly afterwards in Basel. In Switzerland, the Worldwide Church of God has been part of the SEA Swiss Evangelical Alliance since 2003.

The church's founder was Herbert W. Armstrong, an advertising executive who became a lay preacher in a splinter group of Adventists that originated in the Millerite movement (around 1844). Due to differing doctrines, a split occurred, leading to the founding of the WCG (Worldwide Church of God) in 1933.

Mr. Armstrong effectively used media (radio, a magazine, articles and pamphlets, and later television) to warn of an imminent end-times tribulation and the subsequent "world of tomorrow." He drew heavily on the Old Testament and adopted the observance of the Sabbath, Jewish festivals and dietary laws, the giving of tithes, and other doctrines from various sources. These doctrines included the identities of tribes of ancient Israel attributed to the United States and Great Britain. Christian festivals were considered pagan.

Fellowship among the members was strongly encouraged and nurtured. Bible study and adherence to the church's discipline were mandatory. However, under the charismatic and authoritarian leadership of Mr. Armstrong, the church isolated itself from other communities.

After Mr. Armstrong's death, the church leadership increasingly engaged with other church leaders and theologians, which soon led to a questioning of their own distinctive doctrines. What the Bible describes as growth in grace and knowledge occurred. One distinctive doctrine after another was abandoned or revised. The doctrine of the Trinity, in particular, was studied intensively and reinterpreted.

The tenets of the Evangelical Alliance form the basis of our new understanding. Observers and friends describe the transformation of the WKG as unique in church history. We ourselves see it as a wonderful intervention by God, who, despite our errors, was merciful to us and led us back to the right path.

Many members, however, could not follow the realignment and separated from our community, forming splinter groups to cling to the old doctrines. The path led from legalism to knowledge and grace, which is also reflected in the name change from Worldwide Church of God (WCG) to Grace Communion International (GCI). The name change is still pending in Switzerland. Since the mid-1990s, the WCG/GCI has been a healthy member of the Body of Christ. We consider ourselves part of the evangelical wing of the Protestant ecumenical movement.

The relevance of our historical roots for today

Media work, especially the internet, remains one of the church's strengths. It is part of the church's tradition to engage intensively with biblical teaching (guiding principle: Don't believe me, believe the Bible!), which also significantly facilitated the realignment.

Structural characteristics

The leadership consists of a president and a council of elders. At the national level, congregations are led by mission directors in matters of doctrine and administration. Regional directors are responsible in individual countries. The church is episcopal in orientation, with the president supported by the council of elders and assigned departments. Jesus Christ transforms lives. He can also transform an organization. This is the story of how God transformed the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) from a strongly Old Testament-oriented church into an evangelical church. Since October 2018, Greg Williams has been the general pastor of the church, which has approximately 30,000 members in about 550 churches in 60 countries worldwide. In Switzerland, the Worldwide Church of God has been part of the Swiss Evangelical Alliance (SEA) since 2003.

• How is the church governed? What is the relationship between lay people and ordained members?
  The congregations are led by elders appointed by the church leadership. These are almost always lay preachers trained by the church. Most members (laypeople) gladly participate in the ministry of the congregation.
• How is the community held together at a higher level (country, state, global)?
  This is done through the church headquarters and its specialist departments.
• How do we arrive at binding content?
  The church leadership has decided to recognize the principles of the Evangelical Alliance as a guiding framework. This is further elaborated upon by the church's articles of faith. Doctrinal positions not essential for salvation are sometimes left open or decided for the church after intensive study, supported by theologians and experts. For example, after a two-year investigation, it was decided that women can also be ordained as elders. We do not practice any ritualistic forms of confession in our worship services.
• Are there admission and exclusion criteria, and who decides on them?
  Belief in Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins, as well as a willingness to live a spiritual life, are prerequisites. Through baptism, the believer is received into the church. Members who spread false teachings are excommunicated by the church leadership in consultation with the regional leader. There is a grievance procedure and the possibility of readmission to the church.

What importance does a missionary orientation have for you?

It has always been a top priority for the WKG to disseminate biblical teaching through media work (increasingly via the internet). Numerous publications (magazines, brochures, articles) and videos are available for this purpose. Personal evangelism primarily takes place within one's personal network. Our goal is to lead people to Christ and his church (ecumenism). We (GCI) are currently experiencing our greatest growth in African, Latin American, and Asian countries.

Theological content

• What is the Bible's position? How does its significance relate to tradition?
  The Bible is recognized as the living Word of God with supreme authority. The apostles needed instruction from Jesus Christ to understand Scripture, and the Ethiopian eunuch also required competent guidance from Philip. Due to a one-sided focus on Old Testament teachings and the end-times prophecies of our founder, we have realized that our understanding was limited. We are fortunate to have experienced a New Testament orientation through the work of the Holy Spirit, with the help of many competent teachers and theologians both within and outside our church. We do not adhere to any narrow or rigid understanding of a specific systematic theology. We endorse traditions such as the celebration of Christian festivals (Christmas, Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost) because they reflect the life of Jesus and provide opportunities to teach about Jesus and deepen our relationship with him. The festivals are thus also mediators of the Christian message.
• What is the significance of the three ancient creeds?
  The Apostles' Creed, the Nicene and Constantinople Creeds, and the Athanasian Creed? The first two creeds are part of the WKG's doctrine. While the Athanasian Creed is not explicitly documented in our articles of faith, its content is acknowledged.
• Are there any binding confessions of faith, dogmas, or binding doctrines?
  What forms do they take? What role do they play? The aforementioned ancient creeds are a binding and dogmatic component of the doctrines of the World Church of God (WKG). A larger number of publications (brochures, special articles) address individual topics in detail and are published by or with the participation of our theological department. The doctrines of the World Church of God are normative for the content of sermons, articles, and other forms of proclamation.

Where is Christ especially present in the life of faith?

Worship services, especially Holy Communion, and all Christ-centered festivals are special amplifiers of our brotherly and sisterly fellowship in Christ. God's Word, the Bible and preaching, and life's circumstances can at any time challenge or strengthen the feeling of faith in the presence of Christ in every believer in a unique way.

Where do you feel the Holy Spirit is most present?

What role does he play in the life of your congregation? What role does contemplative spirituality play? The Holy Spirit is especially present in worship when the songs, the sermon, and the discussions inspire and harmonize with one another. The Holy Spirit grants us the understanding of spiritual matters; he comforts, strengthens, and empowers us, thereby strengthening faith, hope, and love.

The doctrine of the Trinity has helped us to understand the nature of God more deeply. God lives in a wonderful community into which he desires to welcome us as his children. Through the Holy Spirit, we are allowed to recognize the truth, which is hidden from most of the powerful of this world: that Christ is Lord and Savior of humankind.

Contemplative spirituality is an intensity that arises from deep and heartfelt communion with Christ, when our entire thoughts and will are directed toward Him. Whether in prayer or Bible study, whether in contemplating nature or through meditation, the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit can then be heard, and the security found in Christ bestows peace and healing.

What makes a church service a church service?

Worship begins when two or three gather in the name of Jesus to worship God and receive his word. Hymns of praise, with the participation of the entire congregation, play a central role in worship. The WKG (Waldeck Church) has a comprehensive hymnal with mostly original songs, some of which are ecumenical. With the opening prayer, we place the service under God's guidance and ask for inspiration.

The sermon, in which we interpret and proclaim the Word of God, is central to the service. As Paul instructed, we ensure an orderly flow when several contributions (further short sermons, reports, announcements) are included. We strive for the participation of all members according to their abilities and gifts, which also extend to organizational and technical areas. In the closing prayer, we thank God, pray for the sick and absent, and ask for guidance through daily life, which, like us, is... Römer 12 know that it is also a church service.

Holy Communion has a special tradition in the WKG (Evangelical Church of Cologne); it is celebrated as a special feast on Maundy Thursday and at least on all feast days. Many congregations also celebrate Holy Communion more frequently. A collection is traditionally taken only on feast days.

What is essential? We consider it essential to follow the exhortation in the Letter to the Hebrews to believers not to abandon the gatherings. The mere presence of believers is an encouragement to one another and a proclamation to the outside world.

How do you shape the relationship between the church and the state?

In countries with democratic constitutions, we, as a free church, organize ourselves in foundations, associations, or other legal entities and are subject to state oversight through bylaws and financial accountability. As a free church, we do not allow the state to collect church tax, but rather finance ourselves through voluntary donations from members and supporters. We consider state authority to be divinely ordained, are law-abiding, and support the common good. Obedience to God is paramount.

From the study paper for the Theological Working Group of the Working Group of Christian Churches (ACK).