Question: I have a question. Who started this magazine and organization? My boyfriend used to get this magazine and he told me about it but couldn’t remember who founded it. He said he thought it was Herbert Armstrong. Is that right? Thanks for your help!

Mary

Answer: Dear Mary,

Herbert W. Armstrong founded The Plain Truth in 1934. At that time and for 6 decades, the magazine was the denominational magazine of the Worldwide Church of God.

The traditional teachings of the Worldwide Church of God, as directed by Herbert Armstrong, were considered to be unbiblical, lacking historical validity, and not in keeping with the historic, orthodox Christian church.

Herbert Armstrong died in 1986, and shortly thereafter the Worldwide Church of God began to undergo massive reform, moving it from cultic teaching into the center of the Christian faith. The story of how God converted a church, and transformed the church corporately and tens of thousands of its members is told in Joseph Tkach’s book, Transformed by Truth, published by Multnomah Books.

Because of massive defections from the Worldwide Church of God by people who refused to abandon what is now known as "Armstrongism" (proving once again that humans are more inclined to believe falsehoods than truth) in 1995 the Worldwide Church of God decided that it could no longer afford its media efforts.

At that time it founded Plain Truth Ministries, a transdenominational ministry. Plain Truth Ministries now is a media ministry that exists to bring people to Christ, and/or to assist those who already know Christ to come to a closer walk with him. We do not promote or direct people toward any one denomination, but solely to Christ. Our authors are from across the denominational spectrum, including such regulars as Hank Hanegraaff, Luis Palau, and Steve Brown. Our readers, listeners (to Plain Truth Commentary), and those we serve via resources, our monthly ministry letters, and a variety of ministry outreaches are unchurched (belonging to no church at the present time) as well as members of more than 25 major denominations (our latest demographics).

Plain Truth Ministries exists, among other things, to help people avoid the potholes that Christians can fall into – and we know, for we fell into most of them. They include legalism, predictive prophecy, unbiblical teachings, exclusivism and/or denominationalism (the reality that many churches view themselves as the "one and only" true church of God). We proclaim this message, and insist that Christians focus on the main and plain teachings of the Bible, while allowing other Christians to differ from them on non-essential areas. We major in the majors, rather than in the minors.

Hope this helps give you some background Mary, and we are thankful that we have a chance to help you!

In Christ,

Greg Albrecht