Final Days
The Christmas Eve sermon only served to accelerate the departure of church members. A new branch, the United Church of God, was created in 1995 by a conference of departing ministers and named Tkach's one-time associate and former The World Tomorrow presenter, David Hulme, as president. It eventually became the largest of the groups to break away from the WCG during this period. Although revenues continued to drop, Tkach remained steadfastly committed to the changes that he had implemented.
On May 12, 1995 Tkach had surgery to remove his gall bladder. Shortly thereafter he was readmitted to the hospital because of severe intestine and back pain. Surgeons then removed a grapefruit-size tumor from his intestines and discovered he had cancer. As Armstrong had done before him, Tkach named a successor to become pastor general in the event of his death. In this case, it was Tkach's son, Joseph Tkach Jr.
Tkach died on September 23, 1995.
Read more about this topic: Joseph W. Tkach
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