Atlanta, Georgia - December 17, 1994

FROM WCGNET

Mr Tkach just finished speaker at Clayton County Performing Arts center today and it was quite historic in significance.

As you all know I have been quite concerned that Earl Williams may be losing his job due to the fact that he has preaching about grace and the extreme pressure that has been building in Atlanta and nationally against him.

Today Joe Tkach Sr put his chips firmly in Earl Williams square. There was few subtle things which I will cover first, I won't try to cover the sermon in detail, but will give you some significant points of it. It was video taped so no doubt it will be sent around the world for viewing in the local churches.

The subtle points: the visit was given to Earl Williams to coordinate, the choir was from Earl's churches, the opening comments were given by Mr Barr another black minister and Earl Williams personally gave the introduction to Mr Tkach. Earl patted Mr Tkach on the back as he left the stage. (I breathed easier) The opening and closing prayers were given to the Buford minister and the closing prayer was given to the ATL NW minister Dan Rogers.

The main points,

1. Prior to this visit Mr Tkach was deluged with letters from people outside the area warning him NOT to speak about grace or there would be a protest in services. Most of these were from Washing D.C, Virginia, Ohio. He also got a few letters warning him if didn't speak on grace. He said to this "brethren I am not going to come down on the side of commandments or grace, but on the side of Jesus Christ. The deacons and ushers had orders to escort anyone out that stirred up trouble.
2. He outlined the usage of covenants in the Bible, breifly mentioning several but covering in detail the Abrahamic, Old and New covenants.

 

3. He publicly chastised people for getting on Earl Williams case about grace.

 

4. He showed how some of the laws carried over from the Old Covenant, but others were modified or deleted.

 

5. Adultery is even more prohibited than it was earlier (its not showing love)

 

6. He described tithing as voluntary under the new covenant, however strongly hinted at 10% being a minimum suggested donation, and "those under grace should want to do more for God's work"

 

7. The sabbath does not have the same restrictions it did in the old covenant as to restrictions on work. "however you should try to arrange things so that you can make it every sabbath and worship God"

 

8. He seemed to hint that the Holy Days were clearly no longer required but was a little vague, he was much more specific on the sabbath and tithing. He gave an example of Mr HWA requesting a cup of hot coffee and 2 sugar cubes on the day of atonement prior to speaking.

 

9. He seemed to strongly hint that many of our do's and don'ts never orginated with HWA but with Rod Meridith and others of like mindset.

 

10. He covered the fact that Jesus Christ WAS under the old covenant and therefore was kept it. We however aren't. Just because Jesus sacrficed lambs doesn't mean we do.

 

Those who did not believe what they read themselves in the bible and who were waiting for "official" okay to believe it, got just that today.

All in all I think it was a pretty fantastic day. There are some ambiguities in the message and I am sure he is still sorting much of it out himself. We all are. Earl still has his job and also got public support of the JWT Sr. Not a bad day at all!

Time to get back on the nets, you'll get no bad attitudes from me!

Warm regards, Bill Ferguson

This note is courtesy Drew Corrigan's backup tapes at Australian National University in Canberra, Australia