Bob Thiel is now using Norm Edwards to legitimize his prophet status in the Churches of God. Thiel is constantly looking for any "proof" he can find so that he can legitimize his illegitimate minuscule ministry.
Thiel first conned Rod Meredith into believing he had insight into prophecy and biblical understanding. Meredith, Richard Ames and others fell for it and bought into it hook, line and sinker. Then he used Gaylyn Bonjour as a willing dupe into laying hands on his rapidly swelling head and head giving him a double does of the "holy" spirit. Thiel then used some nightmares a women in his group had as further legitimizing his prophet-hood.
Now enter Norm Edwards. Sometime back Norm wrote an article about why the Church of God needs more "prophets" than they do prophecy. Need Prophets More Than Prophecy
Norm writes:
Many have said, “If God is still providing prophets to the church, where are they?” My church—even my whole denomination—does not recognize any.” Our national leaders do not recognize any either. That is “business as usual” when it comes to prophets. We must remember that God sends prophets to speak His messages and do His work, which often conflicts with the purposes of political and religious leaders. Political and religious groups tend to only allow teachers and preachers who are educated in their schools or approved by their management. Yes, God might choose to give one of them the gift of prophecy, but since most such groups and their schools do not seek out prophetic gifts, they rarely receive them.
Further down he writes:
Norm just had to go and open the door for Bob Thiel at this point. Did Norm know that God was using him to proclaim Thiel as the new prophet of the Church of God?This writer has met people whom he believes have the gift of prophecy, but they are often in small congregations or keep a “low profile” in larger ones. In most cases, they have said or done things in conflict with popular or leader’s opinions, so are not held in high esteem by the brethren.
Norm then encourages COG members to pray that they be given the gift of prophecy. Thiel took this to heart and discovered he was a true prophet.
Norm ends his article with this:While the Bible teaches us to listen to prophets in meetings of brethren (1 Corinthians 14:29), the overwhelming teaching is not to seek out prophets to hear, but to “desire to prophecy” (see above references). While there is no guarantee that anyone will receive any particular spiritual gifts, desiring them certainly means they are worth praying for. We can pray to receive the gift of prophecy. We should be willing to pray for it over a long period of time—just as we might pray for family members, a better job, a new home, etc. We should pray about using it for good, not for selfish reasons. We do not want people to say, “Look at him, he’s spiritual” or “Look at her, she’s a prophetess.” We should pray for strength to withstand the persecution the gift of prophecy usually brings on.
Sometimes, we may not feel that we are righteous enough to receive the gift of prophecy. Do not worry. Nobody is “righteous enough” to receive it. It is an undeserved gift from God!
And there ya go! The sure and prophetic sign that Bob Thiel is the true prophet of God! Norm foretold it so it has to be true.
Whether it is a dream, a vision, a voice or an overwhelming feeling, most people know when God has clearly spoken to them. The prophets of the Bible were completely honest about what they saw or heard, and were very careful not to add to it, take away from it, or confuse their own interpretation and feelings with what God gave them. Sometimes, they had to be content not to understand it (Daniel 12:8-9). One can always judge by making accurate records of revelations and then seeing if they come to pass as understood.
As the time of the end approaches, we need more prophets, not less. Local prophets can help each person and each group survive and be a powerful witness in the tribulations to come. The gift of prophecy is not vulnerable to electronic surveillance, network failures, police action, restrictive laws or religious censorship. It works in any language, custom or culture. It works no matter what other nations and churches do.
Thiel writes:
Norman Edwards runs the Port Austin Bible Campus and is editor for Shepherd’s Voice magazine. He is not part of the Continuing Church of God, where, I function its human leader (and am an ordained prophet; the only known such prophet in any legitimate Church of God group).
Norm should feel proud to now be part of the chain of command legitimizing Bob Thiel as the Church of God's ONLY legitimate prophet. Thanks Norm! No, not really.While Norman Edwards and I have long disagreed about aspects of church governance and various matters of doctrine (and I would have suggested a different title, etc. for his article), we both agree that many who are in or claim to be in the Church of God (COG) wrongly do not accept that God has any prophets today. We also agree that most have severe difficulty to identify one who really is a prophet because of various unscriptural biases and improper criteria that they have.
As Norman Edward’s article points out, it is scriptural to now have prophets according to the New Testament. But many who truly believe that they live by the word of God have discounted or overlooked what the Bible actually teaches and/or have been influenced by others who have done the same or worse. The COG has at least one demonstrably true prophet today, yet most in the greater COG world seem to be able to ignore the truth about that, like most ignored John the Baptist and others in their day.
Thiel conveniently ignores this comment by Edwards:
God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds (Hebrews 1:12).
But these verses simply accurately state the greatness of Christ’s teaching compared to those of the prophets. Christ’s righteous teaching and words of eternal life are so much more important than knowing what kingdom will arise or be defeated. Christ is “heir to all things” and we indeed can be “joint heirs” with Him (Romans 8:17).
Almost every COG leader out here, shoves Jesus to the back burner. Hebrew scriptures and the law are their savior. With out the law they cannot be saved. When they do speak about the guy it is of a pissed off dude coming back to wreck havoc on the world and elevate them to "godhood" status where they too can beat the unwashed masses into submission. Hell hath no fury like a future COG god.
Thiel has set himself up as the only legitimate prophet to the Church of God and the world. Everything he says should be taken to heart and recorded as scripture. As we all know from Armstrongism, the book of Acts was never completed so it will end up being the final depository for Thiel's magical words of wisdom.
So thanks Norm, Gaylyn, Rod, Richard and Doug! The world eagerly awaits the wondrous mutterings of the prophet you set up for us all. All hail Thiel!
