United Church of God facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids United Church of God, an International Association
United Church of God Headquarters Building
Classification	Church of God
President	Rick Shabi (May 2022 – present)
Council Chairman	Len Martin (June 2020 – present)
Region	International
Headquarters	Milford, Ohio
Origin	1995 Indianapolis, Indiana
Separations	Church of God, an International Community, Church of God, a Worldwide Association.
Congregations	~395
Members	~22,000+

The United Church of God, an International Association (often called UCG) is a Christian church that started in the United States. It was formed in 1995 by churches that used to be part of the Worldwide Church of God. The UCG teaches beliefs that are similar to those taught by Herbert W. Armstrong, who founded the Worldwide Church of God.

How the Church is Led

The UCG is led by a group of 12 men called the "Council of Elders." These leaders are chosen by the church's ministers, who form a larger group called the "General Conference of Elders."

The General Conference of Elders

The General Conference of Elders meets once a year in May. During this meeting, they do important things like approving the church's budget and planning for the future. They also elect members to the Council of Elders.

The Council of Elders

The Council of Elders is the main governing body for the UCG around the world. They are in charge of setting the church's rules and beliefs. This council meets four times a year to make decisions.

The Home Office and President

The UCG's main office is called the "Home Office." It is located in Milford, Ohio, which is near Cincinnati. The church's president leads this office. The president is the official spokesperson for the church. They also manage the daily activities, like overseeing the ministers and creating church publications. The Council of Elders chooses the president and can also remove them.

What the UCG Believes

The United Church of God shares many basic Christian beliefs. These include believing the Bible is inspired by God and that Jesus Christ physically came back to life. They also believe that baptism is important. However, some of their teachings are different from what most other Christian churches believe.

God and Jesus

The UCG believes there are two distinct divine Beings: God the Father and Jesus Christ. They are "one" in what they believe and what they want to achieve. Jesus is both God and the Son of God, and He created everything under the Father's guidance. Together, they form "the God family." The UCG believes the Holy Spirit is God's power, not a separate person.

The Bible

The UCG believes that both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible contain God's complete message to people. They teach that all parts of the Bible are inspired by God. They also believe the Bible is always right in its original writings and is the final guide for how a person should live.

Satan the Devil

Satan is seen as God's main enemy and also humanity's enemy. They believe he tricks people and has been given limited power over the world for a time by God.

People and Life

The UCG teaches that humans are made in God's image. They believe people have the potential to become part of God's family. Humans are mortal, meaning they do not have an immortal soul that lives on forever after death.

Sin and God's Law

Sin is defined as breaking God's law. Sin prevents people from receiving God's gift of eternal life. The UCG teaches that only through God's forgiveness, given freely, can a person receive eternal life. However, if someone keeps rejecting God's law, it will lead to death.

Jesus' Sacrifice

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ is a core belief. The UCG teaches that Jesus gave His life for all people. This allows everyone to be free from the punishment of sin.

Jesus' Resurrection

The UCG believes Jesus was raised from the dead exactly three days and three nights after He died. They teach that Jesus died on Wednesday afternoon and was raised just before sunset on Saturday.

Repentance

Repentance means turning away from sin and changing your life. The UCG believes it is a very important part of becoming a true Christian and joining God's family.

Water Baptism

The UCG sees baptism as an important step for all Christians. They believe baptism must be done by fully immersing a person in water. Before baptism, a person must have faith and truly repent. Baptism shows that a believer has died to their old life and started a new life in Christ. They do not baptize babies. After baptism, they believe a person receives the Holy Spirit through the "laying on of hands."

The Sabbath Day

The UCG believes the Sabbath day was set aside by God at creation. It was given to Israel in the Ten Commandments and is meant for all people. Members honor the Sabbath by worshipping and resting on the seventh day of the week (Saturday).

Passover

UCG members observe the Passover meal once a year on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Abib. They do this to remember Jesus' Last Supper. The bread and wine used in the Passover meal remind them of Christ's sacrifice. The ceremony also includes foot washing.

God's Festivals and Holy Days

The UCG observes seven annual Festivals and seven annual Holy Days. These are special days of worship throughout the year. They include:

Passover
Feast of Unleavened Bread
Feast of Pentecost
Feast of Trumpets
Day of Atonement
Feast of Tabernacles
The Last Great Day

Food Laws

The UCG believes that God's food laws, which tell people what meats are clean or unclean to eat, are still important for Christians today. They believe Jesus and His followers avoided biblically unclean meats, showing these laws are still valid.

Military Service

The UCG teaches that Christians should not take a life, based on God's commandments. They believe Christians are called to be separate from the world and should not get too involved in worldly matters. They discourage members from joining the military because it might make it harder for them to serve God fully.

Promises to Abraham

The UCG believes that people of Western European descent, especially those in the United States and the original British colonies, are physical descendants of the Ten Lost Tribes of ancient Israel. They believe this helps them understand prophecies about the end times that are meant for these regions. This belief is not used to say one group is better than another.

God's Purpose for People

The UCG believes that God's purpose for humanity is to prepare us to become part of His family. They teach that Christians will eventually become "spirit-born divine beings" who are part of God's family that rules the universe.

The Church

The church is defined as all believers who have received and are guided by the Holy Spirit. The UCG emphasizes the name "Church of God" as an important identifier for God's true church.

Tithing

The UCG encourages its members to tithe. This means giving a tenth of their income to the church. Members are also taught to save an additional 10 percent (a "second tithe") for their own use when observing the church's annual festivals, especially the Feast of Tabernacles.

Resurrections

The UCG teaches about different resurrections:

When Jesus returns, those who have lived as Christians will be brought back to spiritual life.
People who did not know or understand the Bible's truth during their lives will be given a chance to learn these teachings after a "Second Resurrection" to a new physical life.
After living again in God's Kingdom, those who continue to reject God will be destroyed in a "Third Resurrection" (the "resurrection of fire") along with Satan and his demons.

Jesus Christ's Return

The UCG believes that Jesus Christ will personally and visibly return to Earth before His Kingdom begins. They teach that Jesus taught about a real earthly Kingdom. They also believe that saved people will not go to heaven immediately after dying. Instead, they will be raised on the last day to live and rule with Jesus Christ on Earth after He returns. The UCG also teaches that wicked people who do not repent will be permanently destroyed, not tortured forever.

Other Beliefs

The UCG believes in Restorationism. This means they think some mainstream Christian teachings changed over time due to other influences. They try to find and follow the original beliefs and practices of Jesus and the early church. For example, the UCG teaches that traditional Christian holidays like Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, and Halloween have ancient pagan origins. Because of this, they believe these holidays are not appropriate for true Christians.

Ambassador Bible College

Ambassador Bible College (ABC) is a nine-month program. It focuses on the Bible, Christian living, and the main beliefs of the United Church of God. The program helps young adults prepare for leadership and service. It also helps them get ready to teach future generations. Students study church beliefs and go through the books of the Bible in order.

Spreading the Message

The UCG's main goal is to share the message of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God around the world. They also aim to help and care for their followers. They spread their message using various types of media.

Publications and Programs

The UCG creates and publishes several things:

Beyond Today magazine: This is their main publication. It is free and comes out every two months. It has articles about Bible prophecy, world news, social issues, church beliefs, and Christian living.
The Beyond Today Television Program is shown on TV channels like WGN America and the WORD Network. It also airs on many local cable TV stations. They have a website, a YouTube channel, and a Roku channel for this program.
Compass Check is a quarterly publication for young people. It has articles from church ministers and youth. It aims to help young readers strengthen their Christian faith.
The United News is a newsletter about news and events within the United Church of God. It includes articles on church missions, activities, reports on church leadership, and articles on beliefs and Christian living.

The UCG has also made 53 booklets on Bible topics. They have a 12-lesson Bible study course and a monthly Bible reading program with comments. They also hold "Kingdom of God Bible seminars" in different places around the world.