CHURCH OF GOD TIMELINES - Origin of Nations

Church of God Timelines
Date Event Source
Big Sandy campus closed.
Mystery of the Ages book completed (14 May)
HWA publishes the lengthy article “Recent History of the Philadelphia Era of the
Worldwide Church of God,” in the Worldwide News (24 June) predicting his death
and warning against heresy and predators.
The Mystery of the Ages is launched at AC at the Fundamentals of Theology Class
Last public sermon by HWA on Feast of Trumpets (16 Sept)
150,000 attend FOT.
Mystery of the Ages formally published (16 October) after 7 revisions. It grew out
of Seven Proofs of the True Church and A Voice Cries Out series in the Plain
Truth.
In late 1985 HWA surmises whom to choose to be his successor. Apparently these
include: David Hulme; Leon Walker; Aaron Dean; Joseph Tkach. It is claimed that
there were two others, but I am not sure who they were. Herman L Hoeh was not
considered and did not want the job.
117. 1986 HWA appoints Joseph Tkach as successor (7 January)
HWA dies (16 Jan) and buried (19 Jan or 7 Adar). Hoeh presides over funeral
Joseph Tkach snr takes over church and leads it into apostasy
Greenberry G Rupert predicted this apostasy:
“Verse 9 shows there is a great apostacy during the history of the
Philadelphia church. Yet there are some few in that age that have kept his word
... How truly all this history is fulfilled before the eyes of those who can see, having
eyes anointed to discern truth ... Now is the time to not be ashamed of his truth
and proclaim it."
WCG membership peaks at around 127,000 (additional people attended the FOT);
PT circulation reaches 8.075 million; GN 754,000; WT one of most watched
religious program in the USA; annual income of over $200 million
118. 1987 Vote to unify Church of God (seventh-day) with the Meridian, Idaho Church of God
approved at the convention held in Denver. However the voted failed in the
The Seven Churches (pages 19-20) published around 1910
38