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Im assuming this is the person that calls my husband and lets him know when PO is. If they wouldnt call my husband wouldnt even know when it is. Does everyone have an overseer to keep them on track etc?
The location I was at everyone had a group leader and unit leader. The unit leader usually contacted their unit about Passover dates and other things. The overseer usually told the group leaders about those things and the group leader told the unit leaders.they would also have leaders meetings about these things.
Here is the Heirarchy in all its “Magic”;
Overseer – Can be a Pastor(Usually a high ranking Korean), Elder (Middle ranking Korean, who is bought in, and being Groomed to be a Pastor) and a Missionary.
Deacons/ Deaconess- Over looks Biblr studies, general members needs, and will usually head a particulat task deemed important (A deaconess maybe in charge of the cooking on Saturdy.)
Group leader- Looks over a certain number of teams, and meets with Team leaders often to convey messages.
Team leader- Heads a small number of members o the same sex. Coordinates bible studies between services, preaching and preaching practice.
“Buddy” member- When your a new member, someone will be assignd to you. They will sit with you during service, bible studies and pretty much stay glued to you.
Information usually comes from Head Office, or General Assembly, to the Regional Pastor, to each Overseer, then down the line. The Team leader is usually the one sending the texts,
“GBU brother for those who want a blessing…we will gather in Zion Sunday, promptly at 7:30am for Construction.”
Notice, the wording? Suggestive wording. “we WILL” “promptly”..and “blessings”. I hated the messages, because they made you feel like a loser if you couldnt go. And, their major tactic is short notice. Every Saturday, after a Long day, I could literally bank on a deacon or brother to ask, “Im going to see you tommorrow for construction, right brother J?”
Or a text comes on Tuesday at 5:00pm, while your scrounging to prepare dinner, iron your clothes, bathe your kids for Service, “GBU, there will be a special meeting from Missionary immediately after service”. These folks havr their strategy mapped out. When they deny sleep deprivation, and Monopolizing members time, its a BOLD lie.
Continuing
Overseers- Conduct services. Order books, do the book keeping and run the church
Hmm, that’s a pretty good sum up of the hierarchy in zion. Okay, Untouchable now that you have the ball rolling, can we get the heirarchy of head office with all the departments? 🙂 you got the video department, the tech department, the overseas department, the uh, elder department.
@Abba Oh, thats a definate. Especially since he makes money. Short story, we had a member in our branch who was an Engineer. Very very nice guy, needless to say, he made “dough”. Again he was very humble, not flashy, but he did have a Benz Suv. He never kept a full service, EVER. Sometimes we didnt see him, but he tithed. Did they bug him about keeping service and all that Blah? Nope. When they wanted to expand, or had an idea…they called him first.
@Mayor. Yikes, the divisions at Go and Come. I have heard their security detail is top notch, as well as their tech. division. The branch in North Korea that conducts the spying on Exmembers…thats what interests me *wink*
The branch in the North, hmm, you heard of them too?
I didn’t get to see their security detail up close. They blended in very well, they looked like gospel workers. They were short somewhat stalky guys. At the Institute, they hung out on the side lines. They were at the beverage tables serving up drinks, juice, water and coffee that is. I remember breaking away from the group to go to the washroom. I was followed in there by a short guy in a suit. I sized him up. I thought who the heck is this dude?
@ Abba
Zhang (Heavenly Mother)
General Pastor- Joo Cheol Kim (Oversees general operations for entire church. Gives sermons in South Korea)
Pastors- Vary world wide. Always Koreans (unless this has changed). They usually over see a demographic area. For instance Daniel Lee, oversees the East Coast “Zions”. Pastor Park Oversees Most of the Central-Midwest churches. Pastors usually do this out of a Bigger church in their region. They orchestrate Overseers meetings when they need to convey messages from Korea. They are often flying back and forth to Korea. Most of them are linked to the Big Shine Corp. From what I have heard, many are relatives of Zhang. Isn’t it Ironic that the only relatives of AhnSahnhong are members of the Ncpcog?
Does anyone know if the above mentioned positions, (ie. Overseer, deacons, group leaders etc), get paid by the church?
Are these paid “full time” positions?, or are these members generally employed outside of the church and they do this job for “extra blessings”?
Yes. These positions are paid positions. Last I checked, the zion itself whether starting out as an office church or regular church are self independent. The money they bring in goes to them. And I believe that the zion gives 10 percent to head office. The overseer, the full time missionaries, deacons/ deaconess’ get paid. Group leader I think is voluntary work.
@Mayor When we got our Korean Overseer, from what I was told, he asked the Deacons to get jobs and not take a paycheck from the church. Im not sure all of the above mentioned people are paid, because one of our deacons worked construction full time. Either way, one thing for sure….these people get paid next to nothing. This was hinted to us by a deacon. I dont know the exact, but most of them are Ultra comfortable with living in portions of the church, or properties owned by the church. I’ve never known of an Overseer or deacon with their own house. At the first church building, they bought a small Cape across the street from the church and used it for the kids. The Overseer and Assistant overseer then moved in. On Saturdays when you were walking through to get your kids, there were two locked rooms. The Overseer and Deacons rooms. When the newer building was bought, it was previously owned by a Methodist Church that used the Anex building to house needy families. I found out recently that the Overseer and Assistant Overseer are living there. Pretty sad because it safe to assume WMS pays these people scraps on the dollar.
Not all who are title holders were being paid. There was a younger deacon who ended up moving in to the church building. I’m pretty sure he was being paid. But for how much, I’m not sure. Probably not very much. His brother didn’t live there but had a job outside the church. And our missionary lived in the building too.
fedupmom wrote:
Does anyone know if the above mentioned positions, (ie. Overseer, deacons, group leaders etc), get paid by the church?
It depends on the Korean overseer because he controls everything (especially the finances) in the church. If there are any local memebers holding full time positions it usually means that the church gives them an allowance. Here in Africa it's about $130 a month. It might be a different amount in other countries. From this amount they buy food and clothes and airtime and other necessities.
You do have some full time gospel workers who are supported by their families who may or may not be members of the cult. Sometimes you have housewives who are "encouraged" to dedicate themselves to the cults work. The guilt trip might sound like (and this is from a local who speaks fluent Konglish), "Sist-uh! heabunly modda gave your husband good job. Why you think gawd did like this? So you can be good gospel worker-uh."
The main point is to minimise expenses and get the most money out through various "free will" offerings.
You saw John Powers knew very little about the finances of the church, the only thing he did was to regurgitate memorised scriptures about money. But as for the technicalities ,where the money is coming from or how it gets spent, most locals are clueless. Most of the locals are only too happy to receive titles, like team leader and so on to "get blessings"-whatever that means (more planets/galaxies in heaven or something, who knows?). That is to say most of them are not paid cent and they volunteer their own time and money for the cult.
Now that you guys mention it, it really does sound like a North Korean set up.
@Azula The “title holder” position is used to lock a member in. People feel less likely to leave if the have a position. Its equated to added responsibility.
Ok so I’ve heard of you don’t address an overseer “right” you would be rebuked!! So if you better put “respek” on their name at all times!! Lol.. I had to out some dumb humor here bahaha!!
No, but my husband calls his overseer, Deacon B…. Is this how this usually goes!?! I’m confused now..
Yeah…you have to show reverence to the Overseer. Wms members will often call the Overseer the “Prophet”, that “mother” sent to lead us. Alot of times a Deacon may be the Overseer, but he well more than likely be upgraded to a Missionary soon.
Asked for 600$, yikes. I remember when we scrounged to get the 1,400$ for my wifes trip to Korea. Short notice. We had to get passport, the money etc with 8-10 days notice. My wife was stressed and apprehensive about lying to her job, to get such short notice, off. Our Deacon said, “Well you have to do what you have to do, right? This is Heavenly, alot of people dont have this oppurtunity”.
The good Ol’ righteous lie
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