The Intercontinental Church of God

Garner Ted Armstrong got expelled by his own father, so he started his own church

In 1978, Herbert W. Armstrong (HWA) expelled his own son, Garner Ted Armstrong (GTA), from the Worldwide Church of God (WCG). Garner Ted then started his own church, called the Church of God, International (CGI), but it never had more than about 5,000 people attending at one time. It has a Web site at http://www.cgi.org. Later, GTA was secretly videotaped misbehaving at a massage parlor, and got expelled from the CGI too in 1998. The CGI ended up losing about half of its members, and GTA started yet another church, called the Intercontinental Church of God (ICG), with under a thousand followers. It has a Web site at http://www.intercontinentalcog.org. He also started the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association (GTAEA), which has a Web site at http://www.garnertedarmstrong.org.

Garner Ted Armstrong

Notes:

1. The Profligate Son

   Too many Web sites have links to all sorts of Worldwide Church of God (WCG) splinter groups, yet fail to warn people about what the leaders of these groups are like, even when the leaders have a long and sordid history. This clearly shows either ignorance or a lack of proper concern and respect for others--or even outright contempt for them. Before anyone follows Garner Ted Armstrong (GTA) anywhere, they should read an article called The Profligate Son, written by Al Carrozzo. The article was in the 1977 issue of Ambassador Report (AR2). Ambassador Report (AR) was produced by John Trechak, and also had other articles over the years about Garner Ted Armstrong. It is much faster, easier, cheaper, and better to read this article and learn the truth about GTA than to waste one's time, effort, and money following him.

2. The adventures of Teddy the Dink

   Born in Portland, Oregon, in 1930, Garner Ted Armstrong (GTA) spent his boyhood in Eugene, Oregon. He ran off and joined the U.S. Navy in 1948 for several years, including time aboard an aircraft carrier during the Korean War. He returned with tattoos of naked women on his body and entered his father's Ambassador College (AC) in Pasadena, California and graduated in 1956. By 1957, Garner Ted had become the well-paid, full-time speaker on his father's World Tomorrow radio program for his father's Worldwide Church of God (WCG).

   Interestingly, while Garner Ted was in the Worldwide Church of God and misbehaving in the early 1970's, the WCG began to decline for the first time in its history. In his June 8, 1979 letter to members and co-workers, Herbert W. Armstrong (HWA) wrote that, "The rebellion of 1974, when several ministers [editor's note: about 35 by some counts] left the Church, was caused by disagreement in allowing Ted to come back." HWA had quietly disfellowshipped GTA three separate times before, but had always allowed him to come back as soon as GTA claimed to have repented. This must have seemed unfair to innocent people who had been kicked out and never allowed back. After HWA got over the idea that GTA was "divinely called" and "above the scripture," and finally got rid of GTA openly and permanently, the WCG began to grow again. So much for the idea that smooth-talking playboys are indispensable. It would be better to listen to someone who stutters a bit but doesn't fool around so much.

   There was a time in the past when some people (such as Garner Ted's father, Herbert Armstrong) wanted to think that the Worldwide Church of God just could not possibly grow without GTA speaking on the WCG's radio and TV programs. They wanted to think that God Almighty Himself, although He had supposedly miraculously healed GTA of the dumbness he was born with, just could not get by without GTA and his great voice. In a surprising turn of events, God had become dependent on GTA. HWA quickly forgot about his own teaching that God grants the increase in the church, and started to think that it was his son's speaking ability that made the WCG grow.

   The Church of God, International (CGI) was founded by Garner Ted Armstrong in 1978 after he was kicked out of the Worldwide Church of God by his own father, Herbert W. Armstrong (HWA). Later, the CGI lost about half its members after GTA was secretly videotaped at a massage parlor trying to do the adultery thing that he seems to have been so bad at for so long. As usual, GTA tried to lie about his behavior, but the video showed a naked, tattooed, masturbating, old GTA chasing after the woman who worked at the massage parlor. GTA could tell women that his "Work" (as he called his talking) was so important that God would have to forgive him and any woman who committed adultery with him, but his influence was declining. He was best known while in Worldwide, and less well-known while in International. After being voted out of the CGI, GTA started yet another group in 1998, the Intercontinental Church of God (ICG), where he was next to unknown. His "Work" got so small that God might not have to forgive him after all.

3. HWA's June 8, 1979 letter about GTA

   In his June 8, 1979 letter that was sent out to members and co-workers of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG), Herbert W. Armstrong (HWA) alluded to the real problem with his son, Garner Ted Armstrong (GTA), when he quoted from the biblical story of Eli:

   "I refused, dear Brethren, to be like Eli. Eli had two sons. Listen to what happened when a man of God allowed his sons to do evil IN OFFICE:

   'Now Eli was very old, and heard all that his sons did, unto all Israel; and how they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation' (I Sam. 2:22). 'And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both ears of everyone that heareth it shall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house...because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not' (I Sam. 3:11-13)."

   Herbert Armstrong did everything in his power to help Garner Ted, including covering up GTA's sins, and even naming GTA as his successor in 1973, but it never worked out. In his June 8, 1979 letter, HWA wrote (emphasis his): "But now, Ted has been out permanently more than a year, devoting all his time and energies trying to DESTROY the Church of the living God!" Later in this same letter, HWA wrote (emphasis his), "But I certainly did feel, back in 1953 and for some years, that [GTA] did have God's Holy Spirit. But I SEE ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE OF IT NOW!"

   It is a strange, strange world that we live in. Sometimes, it seems like a leader just cannot win no matter what he does. Whereas some people (like Al Carrozzo who wrote the Profligate Son article) seemed to think that HWA should have openly and permanently expelled GTA sooner, others now think the opposite. Incredibly, some people now think that it was mean and nasty of HWA to finally, openly, and permanently put his son out of the church for his ongoing bad behavior. They wanted to see evil and immorality continue in the WCG without restraint. Always beware of any and all such crazy and wicked nut cases.

   Herbert W. Armstrong's letter to the members and co-workers of the Worldwide Church of God after he had disfellowshipped his son Garner Ted can be read online. It is much faster, easier, cheaper, and better to read this letter and learn the truth about GTA than to waste one's time, effort, and money following him. While HWA does not give the sordid details that others do, his letter is still interesting. You can read his June 8, 1979 letter here.

4. The fruits of wrong child rearing theories

   Before he got kicked out of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG) by his own father, Garner Ted Armstrong (GTA) had written a book called The Plain Truth About Child Rearing, which was once considered to have the answers. It was taken off the official literature list of the WCG after Herbert W. Armstrong (HWA) gave his son Garner Ted the final boot, and some now complain that GTA's writings just led to children with low self-esteem and suicidal tendencies. GTA was most likely just using his book to teach children respect for authority figures so that he could take advantage of the young girls at Ambassador College (AC). It is interesting to note that Garner Ted, who thought he knew all about child rearing and the way to world peace, couldn't get along with his own father. Also, the Church of God, International (CGI), founded by Garner Ted Armstrong, has reportedly had at least 70 splits.

5. GTA's inadequate speaking ability

   Since Garner Ted Armstrong's (GTA's) speaking ability isn't good enough to make his own church grow, the few remaining GTA worshippers sometimes end up fellowshipping with other groups, such as the United Church of God (UCG), and babbling at them about GTA's great speaking ability, and about how they think that God is "really going to bless Garner Ted." However, the man in charge of GTA's television program for ten years went with the UCG and reported that one Reader's Digest advertisement for the UCG's Good News magazine brought in more responses to the UCG than ten years of GTA's television program brought to GTA.

6. Stretching the truth with "awesome mental dexterity"

   Garner Ted Armstrong (GTA) wrote an article called Forgiveness, Buried Sins, and Spiritual Grave Robbers to discourage anyone from saying anything about his life-long bad behavior. The article started with this warning:

   "One of the most ghoulish, detestable sins of all is the sin of trafficking in other's sins. Satan the devil is the 'accuser of the brethren.' It is time those who deal in spiritual graves robbing understand that their fate is a lake of fire; that they are robbing themselves of eternal life in God's Kingdom! What you are about to read is DANGEROUS knowledge. It comes directly from the sacred Word of God Almighty; the righteous Judge of us all."

   As Al Carrozzo once wrote, "Glib as an orator and possessing awesome mental dexterity, Ted can change black into white, turn silk into wool, and refine sin into baseless allegations and rumor."

   Religious leaders who want to collect a good income from their followers so they can live a playboy lifestyle often pretend to be concerned about their followers. They don't want them to end up in the lake of fire. That is why they continually remind their followers to tithe faithfully. They wouldn't want their followers to fry in the Trib. or burn in heck fire. But, the same leaders often fool around with their secretaries and other women. They don't seem to care that that sort of thing might be detestable to God or cause someone to end up in the lake of fire. Followers are supposed to continue tithing to all sorts of con-artists who don't want to have to work for a living. The followers are supposed to be afraid to stop handing over their hard-earned money to self-appointed leaders who aren't even afraid to go on fornicating and committing adultery!!! GTA made it sound like God had forgiven him, was forgivinig him, and always would forgive him, for anything he "might" have done, might be doing, and might continue to do. But, it is not absolutely certain that God forgave GTA. Naturally, GTA wanted to trick people into thinking that the only unpardonable sin would be for anyone to simply tell the plain truth about what was going on, or for anyone to refuse to hand over their money. However, it seems more reasonable to suspect that an all-knowing God would fully understand if any potential followers simply refused to be babbled at and robbed by such a complete fraud.

   One trick used by Garner Ted was to claim that his enemies could not find anything wrong with his message, so they tried to find fault with the messenger. This was, as one ought to expect by now, merely another lie. GTA's wrong prophetic guesses about when the end of the age would come constituted a faulty message--the sort of thing that comes from false prophets. GTA wanted people to be afraid that Jesus would be angry at them if they didn't listen to guys like GTA. In actual fact, Jesus said the exact, diametrical opposite of what guys like GTA wanted people to believe. Jesus warned that "many false prophets will appear and deceive many people" (Matthew 24:11, NIV). If Jesus does become angry about anything, it might be about some people ignoring all His warnings and following guys like GTA. "One of the most ghoulish, detestable sins of all" that you could commit against your own self and against God is to listen to, follow, and financially support some babbling pervert like GTA.

7. What the Bible says

   The Bible says, "Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character'" (1 Corinthians 15:33, NIV). Understandably, those who follow Garner Ted Armstrong (GTA) tend to think that sexual morality isn't all that important. Often, the sex lives of GTA's followers haven't been totally pure either. The Bible also says that one "must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat" (I Corinthians 5:11, NIV). If everyone would have obeyed what is written in the Bible, Garner Ted Armstrong might not have had any followers.

8. The death of profligate son Garner Ted Armstrong

   Garner Ted Armstrong (GTA) died on Monday September 15, 2003 at age 73. Garner Ted founded the Church of God, International (CGI) and the Intercontinental Church of God (ICG). He was the profligate son of Herbert W. Armstrong (HWA), founder of the Worldwide Church of God (WCG). GTA leaves behind three sons: Mark, David, and Matthew.

9. ICG splinters after GTA's death

   After Garner Ted Armstrong (GTA) died, his oldest son, Mark Armstrong, began to lead the Intercontinental Church of God (ICG). Mark Armstrong had not previously shown an interest in religion. He had not bothered to get baptised until he was quite old. Now, however, he feels that it is time for him to lead the ICG and to collect a paycheck for doing so.

   After GTA's death, the usual Church of God (COG) style disagreements emerged, with ministers being "marked" and splitting. Some former ICG ministers started yet another splinter group, called The Church of God, Worldwide Ministries, which has a Web site at http://www.cogw.org/letters/vol1no1.htm.