SUBJECT:  GTAEA AND ICG

QUESTION:    Why a Church and an Association?

ANSWER:

There are a number of reasons why this is so.  Chief among them is the fact that from the first century the church was given two great commissions:

1)       To spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and

2)       To feed the sheep (take care of the church which is the Body of Christ).

The GTA Evangelistic Association is designed to carry out the first commission of the Work.  The Intercontinental Church of God [ICG] is designed to carry out the second commission to feed the flock.

Further, groups of individuals in the US and around the world have the option of becoming chartered to the Intercontinental Church of God as a local member church or to be affiliated with the GTA Evangelistic Association.  The Seattle Church of God, where I once pastored was its own corporation and was affiliated with the EA and technically/legally not connected to the Intercontinental Church of God other than fellowship.

In addition, when Mr. Armstrong was a part of the Church of God, International [CGI] as its founder, he already had founded the GTAEA as a first commission instrument.  When he separated from the CGI it was easy and natural to first have the GTAEA and work through it to establish the new church (ICG).

There are also issues with public authorities like the state where you set up corporations.  Having two corporations clearly separates the missions of this church.  In legal papers, the GTAEA is a servant of the ICG, that is, it is contracted to the ICG.