Sermon Central
-
God's Salvation ...
Contributed by Sermon Central on Mar 17, 2009 (message contributor)
GOD’S SALVATION CHURCH
In the 1990s, a cult from Taiwan relocated to San Dimas, California, and registered itself as God’s Salvation Church. In 1997, the Chen Tao cult, also known as the Flying Saucer cult, led by Hon-Ming Chen, headed to Garland (mistaken for "God Land"), Texas, where they expect Christ to come down in a flying saucer to pick them up. 140 followers of the church--dressed in white, wearing sunglasses and white cowboy hats - left for Texas for the expected March 31 date with their Maker.
Chen was born in 1955 and was a former Taiwanese sociology teacher. He claimed to be the father of Jesus Christ and that God will assume an identical body to his own at 10 a.m. on March 31. Members purchased more than 20 homes in an upper-middle class south Garland neighborhood. At the time the group had roughly 160 members, 40 of which were children. According to neighbors, as reported in The Dallas Morning News, "they dressed in white, wore cowboy hats and drove luxury cars. They reportedly believed that two young boys in their group were the reincarnations of Jesus and Buddha. They told reporters they had come to Garland to watch God come to Earth and take human form at 10 a.m. on March 31, 1998, at the home of Mr. Chen."
God’s alleged TV appearance on Channel 18, as Chen predicted, failed to materialize. Immediately after the failed prediction some of the members had to return to Taiwan due to visa problems. In total, roughly two-thirds abandoned the group and an estimated 30 members moved to Lockport, New York. The group entered a sharp decline after the failed prophecies and virtually nothing was heard of them after 2001 and the current whereabouts of Hon-Ming Chen are unknown.
(From a sermon by Victor Yap, "The Blessed Hope: The Rapture of the Church" 1/24/2009)
Related Sermon Illustrations
-
Ghandi Said "I Could Accept Jesus As A Martyr, ...
Contributed by Aubrey Vaughan on Feb 12, 2007
Ghandi said “I could accept Jesus as a martyr, an embodiment of sacrifice, and a divine teacher, but not as the most perfect man ever born. His death on the cross was a great example to the world, but that there was anything ...read more
-
One Elderly Lady Had Come Under Hard Times. She ... PRO
Contributed by Fred Sigle on Feb 13, 2007
One ELDERLY lady had come under HARD TIMES. She would have to SELL her HOUSE and move into a RETIREMENT HOME. Her children had tried to help her understand the SITUATION but she couldn’t seem to GRASP it. She was WORRIED, FRETFUL, and UPSET all the time. Her son said, “Mom, everything is ...read more
-
Interestingly, Stress Is Produced By Not Only ... PRO
Contributed by Fred Sigle on Feb 13, 2007
Interestingly, STRESS is produced by not only NEGATIVE experiences, but also by POSITIVE ones. It was for this reason that Donna Parker HESITATED telling her husband about him WINNING the Reader’s Digest Association Sweepstakes. She was ECSTATIC when she got the CALL INFORMING her that a ...read more
-
More Thank Anything--And I've Said It Before-- ...
Contributed by John Harvey on Feb 14, 2007
"More thank anything--and I’ve said it before-- Lovie Smith and I are not only the first two African-American coaches, but Christian coacnes, showing that you can win doing it the ...read more
-
So What About Us? We Call Ourselves Christians, ...
Contributed by Joanna Beveridge on Feb 2, 2007
So what about us? We call ourselves Christians, that is followers of Jesus. What kind of disciples are we? Do we have a purely academic interest in the words of Jesus, or are we prepared to put him first in our lives? Are we ready to fish for ...read more
Related Sermons
-
The Lost Coin Of Luke 15:8-10
Contributed by Val Black on Oct 21, 2019
What is the significance of a woman in Bible times losing one particular coin and how does it relate to us today?
-
The Beginning Of The End Series
Contributed by Brian Bill on Nov 19, 2017
The closeness of Christ’s coming should cause us to walk closely with Him today.
-
Building Your House Upon The Rock
Contributed by Shane Brown on Apr 18, 2016
A teaching about the Christian believer building their life upon the solid foundation of God's Word
-
The Midnight Cry
Contributed by Shawn Miller on Jan 10, 2015
The Parable of the ten virgins - by focusing on 3 symbols, a Wedding, foolish virgins, and the wise virgins leading up to a lesson to be watching for Christ's return and ready once He does.
-
A Tale Of Two Homecomings
Contributed by Horace Wimpey on Aug 1, 2012
I Daniel 12, we see the resurrection, the rapture of the church and the retribution for those who have not accepted God's gift of salvation. The only way to change from retribution is through repentance.
