Question: I have a question. Who started Plain Truth magazine? 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. Worldwide Church of God has since changed its name to Grace Communion International.
Plain Truth Ministries was founded in 1996 -- a media ministry that exists rescue people from religion -- and bring them to freedom in Christ. We are an independent minitry -- not supported or affiliated with any denomination or church organization. Our authors, and those we serve are from across the Christian spectrum. Many do not attend a "brick-and-mortar" church, but consider Plain Truth Ministries and Christianity Without the Religion (our weekly online service) to be their church or place of worship.
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.
Hope this helps give you some background Mary, and we are thankful that we have a chance to help you!
In Christ,
Greg Albrecht