Policies and Proceedures

Introduction:

As a way of introducing the Policies and Procedures for operating CBCG-GTM I am including an email written last year.

“Hi everyone,

It has come to my attention that we need to put our CBCG Friday night online meeting (GTM) attendance and operational rules, or guidelines, in writing. We have made mention of the fact that this meeting is by invitation only.

Also, we have mentioned that we are to conduct ourselves with the Love of God leading us as we interact with each other esteeming others better than ourselves.

Each of you attending has complied with those wishes and because of it we have had no instances or trouble from among the regular attendees. You have shown by your compliance how far along the journey you really are by your display of God's Love for one another.

Romans 12:10.
Be kindly affectioned toward one another in brotherly love. Let each esteem the other more highly than himself.

On behalf of Fred and all the Elders, it has been and is, a pleasure to bring this GTM to all of you in attendance and to serve all of you here.”

The need for the policy:

God tells us that we are to live in the world and because of this we need to wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Because of this we are somewhat open to potential difficulties. There are always those who are not among us or are among us but are just quietly waiting to disrupt the unity and harmony we enjoy. Those who would disrupt would ultimately like to see what God has inspired, destroyed.

We are admonished to be wise as we go forward.

Matthew 10:16
"Behold, I am sending you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves".

These attendance and operational rules are not for " control" but rather for protection of the flock.”.

Here then are the Policies and Procedures.

The Policies and Procedures Statement describes what the desired actions and behaviors should be of all invited attendees to CBCG-GTM.

The policies and procedures outlined below, may be applied at the discretion of CBCG-GTM

CBCG reserves the right to cancel the registration of anyone who maybe disruptive and thus not abide by the policies and procedures outlines herein.

Furthermore, CBCG-GTM reserves the right to withdraw or change the policies, procedures described at any time, for any reason. CBCG-GTM will make every effort to notify the attendees when a change in policy or procedure has been made. Ultimately it is the responsibility of the attendees to be up-to-date regarding these policies and procedures.

CBCG-GTM strives to provide a loving and harmonious environment in which God’s family can come together to fellowship with others likeminded brethren who wish to worship the true God and learn more about his Truth.

Please review these policies and procedures before you attend. You will be asked to abide by them, and your attendance signifies that you are in full agreement with them.

CBCG GTM attendance and operational (guidelines):

• The CBCG attendance is by invitation only.
• The ID number for access to the meetings, is to be used by that individual only and not to be shared with others. The ID number is not to be given out indiscriminately.
• The request for attendance and to receive an invitation must be given to one of the Elders in CBCG and then given to .
• When you log into the meeting please enter your name, not an internet “handle”.
• When logging on using the phone, please enter the pin number provided.
• When called on at the beginning please answer, and let the moderator know who you are.
• During the meeting, if you are not asking a question or commenting on the message please mute your microphone until called upon.
• During the message portion, please do not chat with others. You may chat before the message and after the message. Chat messages will be made public before and after the message not during.
• Please do not use your webcam unless you do it briefly during your comment and then turn it off as well as your microphone. The webcam should never be on during the message.
• Please do not talk over someone else.
• Please do not interrupt someone else.
• Try to stick to the message or thread in general, as you bring up comments.
• Please do not bring in your own pet peeve or personal doctrine or conspiracy theory.

Please note that the purpose for these guidelines is to show love and concern for our brothers that have joined in with us to fellowship and worship God and learn more about the love of God’s and his truth. Please be respectful to all.

Again, Thanks you for your understanding and assistance with these operational rules and procedures. It is a pleasure and honor to serve God's true brethren.

CBCG's Online Go-To-Meeting Fellowship

CBCG Online Go-To-Meeting Fellowship is in its fifth year. Through the use of this online webinar technology, CBCG has brought God’s scattered family around the world together. The GTM conferencing service enables participants to “meet” and communicate in real time. The GTM meetings are currently held each Friday evening, and every other Sabbath morning.

Registration

Registration is by invitation only.
Brethren must register first to enjoy this service.
The individual who wishes to attend should go through a member of CBCG or an Elder who will send the request along with your name and email address to . Registration is done by sending a request with your name and email address to .

Once registered you will receive a weekly invitation as well as a reminder to join. Just click on the join button at the appropriate time to join.

The doors open for a 30-minute greetings session before start time. Meetings begin with a 60-minute message followed by discussion. This section is facilitated by a moderator—and kept on-topic. Our goal is to utilize these meetings to help fulfill Christ’s instruction to “feed my sheep.” John 21:17 …“Feed My sheep.”

History and Development of GTM

The need for Fellowship identified :

The concept of bringing the scattered brethren together became obvious after hearing from the many brethren at different Feast sites around the world. The question was frequently asked, "Fellowship at the Feast is great, but how can we get together with other brethren throughout the year?"

This question became a regular one asked by brethren around the world. It was clearly apparent that some kind of service was needed for this purpose. The internet, with its online software offerings, was the obvious form of media to accomplish this worldwide need. The question was, “what software would be best in order to accomplish this task?” GoToMeeting was chosen.

Two sessions running:

We now have two GTM sessions running at two different time zones for the brethren. The eastern time zone which is called GTM1 and begins at 8:00 P.M in the summer months and 7:00 P.M. eastern in the winter. The second time zone which is called GTM2 and begins at 8:00 A.M. Sabbath morning. This GTM2 session services the brethren in the EU, UK and RSA.

The software, GoToMeeting, has stepped up to the challenge. It allows for multiple callers to speak when invited and to write chat messages at the appropriate times during the session. It also allows for more control of the features. The moderator and the presenter have a video presence. GTM allows for up to 25 web cams to be viewed at the same time even though only the moderator and the speaker use their web cams at present. After the message portion of the session the moderator opens a discussion of the message. The brethren are then encouraged to give comments or ask questions pertaining to the message. In addition to this the brethren may use the chat feature before the speaker begins and after the speaker finishes. This allows for further fellowship among the brethren.

GTM Bearing Fruit:

GTM is supported by twelve CBCG Elders who speak on a rotating basis. It is growing in interest and has borne much fruit providing a family atmosphere of worship and continued learning of God’s truth.

Development of GTM
As mentioned in the preface of this booklet, the vision for GTM initially was to provide fellowship for the scattered brethren. By doing so, GTM is naturally providing other benefits to the Church of God as a whole. That is to say, as GTM evolved or developed naturally in stages it would progress from serving the scattered brethren to ultimately providing benefits and services for the entire Church of God as a whole.

Here was the vision seen for GTM as laid out in 2017 and again in 2018. We are right on track with GTM’s development.

First stage: ( online fellowship)

Initially GTM was started with 18 people in 2017 and has grown to approximately 150 in attendance weekly with around 500 on the invitation list. The first part of the vision was to provide worship and fellowship for the scattered brethren around the world.

Results so far:
Brethren have benefited:

• The brethren have benefited from fellowshipping with other like-minded brethren. They have benefited from the spiritual food that has been provided by committed and loyal elders in CBCG under the support of Fred Coulter.

John 21:17 Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep. (A Faithful Version)

• The brethren have gained friends and increased in their relationships with others in the Church.

Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (A Faithful Version)

Hebrews 10:24-25
24. And let us be concerned about one another, and be stirring up one another unto love and good works;

25. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, even as some are accustomed to do; but rather, encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.
(A Faithful Version)

• The brethren are getting to know those who labor among them as stated in I Thessalonians 5:12

I Thessalonians 5:12 Now we beseech you, brethren, to acknowledge those who are laboring among you, and are overseeing you, and are instructing you in the Lord, (A Faithful Version)

• The Elders are getting to know the brethren better.

The Elders have benefited:

• The elders have gained friends and family members locally and worldwide that they may not have known, if not for GTM.
• The elders have committed to providing messages for GTM have increased in their speaking opportunities and also increased their speaking talents and presentation skills. They have been given more opportunities to handle the Truth of God skillfully and thus have grown in the knowledge of the Truth of God. See: II Timothy 2:15

Diligently study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of the truth; (A Faithful Version)

• The elders have grown closer to one another and God due to the common purpose of serving the brethren together in unity and the bond of peace.

Stage two: ( planting fellowship groups)

As stated initially at the conference in 2017 and again in 2018, the next step for GTM naturally would be the identification of the pockets of GTM members and bring them together physically. As the demographics have become more obvious and people hear of others in their areas, it naturally follows that they will want to get together. How is this being accomplished?

Visits to local areas by the elders is the best way to accomplish this. The visits to Conway Arkansas, Cleveland, Ohio, Michigan Lexington, Ky, Knoxville, Tn and Charlotte, VA are just a few of the examples of how this is being accomplished now in stage two.

What does the Future Hold for GTM?

Future developments will be obvious and bear fruit as we continue to give God the credit.

The fruit that has been borne is due to God’s involvement and direction through the lead of the Holy Spirit. As we remember that it is God who gives the increase and adds to the church, as it pleases Him, we will continue to see God’s blessing on our efforts to serve him and the brethren.

I Corinthians 3: 5-9
5. Who then is Paul? And who is Apollos? They are but ministers through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to each one.
6. I planted and Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.
7. Therefore, neither is he who plants anything, nor he who waters; for it is God who gives the increase.
8. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, but each shall receive his own reward according to his own labor.
9. For we are God’s fellow workers; and you are God’s husbandry, even God’s building.
(A Faithful Version)