WHO IS ABOVE THE DECREE? Mother Tate Wasn't. So Who Is?
- Jun 24
- 5 min read
Updated: Jun 26
WHO IS ABOVE THE DECREE? Mother Tate Wasn't. So Who Is?
An Open Letter to All Members of the Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth Inc.
To all members, officers, ministers, elders, bishops, and Overseer of this Church:
I am writing this letter because the Church is now gathered in General Assembly, and the matter before us is not personal, private, or directed at one office alone. This matter concerns the law, rule, regulation, faith, doctrine, and government of the Church itself.
This letter is written concerning Page 2 – Covenant of Governance and Accountability, written and set forth by the founder, Mother Mary Magdalena Tate. Page 2 was not written for some and ignored by others; it was written for all who are and all who may become members of the Church of the Living God, the Pillar and Ground of the Truth.
Therefore, before any person speaks, judges, rules, corrects, or exercises authority over another, each of us must first answer whether we ourselves have honored the same Decree we expect others to obey.
This letter is written so that every member, every officer, every minister, every elder, every bishop, every committee member, and every overseer understands the question plainly: Who is exempt and above any law and decree of this church?
·This Decree Book was written and set forth for ALL THOSE who may come in possession of it, and for ALL WHO ARE AND ALL WHO MAY BECOME MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD, THE PILLAR AND GROUND OF THE TRUTH.
From the day you received this Decree, and from the day you accepted office, you placed yourself under its LAWS, RULES, REGULATIONS, FAITH, DOCTRINE, AND GOVERNMENT.
The Decree speaks directly to YOU, the reader.
If YOU are honest of heart, YOU will acknowledge these words as being of benefit and value to ALL WHO ARE AND ALL WHO MAY BECOME MEMBERS.
The purpose of this Decree is to keep all members mindful of their DUTY TO GOD AND TO THE CHURCH.
This duty includes ALL OFFICERS, ALL MINISTERS, AND THE OVERSEER HIMSELF.
Your BUSINESS and your DUTY were intentionally outlined in BOOK FORM.
This was done so there would be NO NEED TO ERR IN ANYTHING CONTAINED IN THIS DECREE BOOK.
This Decree is not a suggestion; it is GOVERNMENT.
It governs matters both SPIRITUAL AND TEMPORAL.
It is the will of God that ALL TRUE PEOPLE have a RULE TO WALK BY in ANY MATTER OF BUSINESS, both spiritual and temporal.
Such rules are to be WRITTEN IN BOOKS, because God Himself keeps books.
(“Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.” — Psalms 69:28)
The apostles also kept books, as it is written:
(“The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments.” — II Timothy 4:13)
The judgment of God is recorded in books, as it is written:
(“A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him… the judgment was set, and the books were opened.” — Daniel 7:10)
And again, the Scripture shows written names and records before God:
(“And had a wall great and high… and names written thereon… On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.” — Revelation 21:12–13)
The MINISTERS OF THE LORD were charged to go through the land, in the CITY, in the COUNTRY, and in EVERY PLACE.
Their charge was to DELIVER THE DECREE FOR THE SAINTS TO KEEP.
(“And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem.” — Acts 16:4)
This charge binds YOU today.
We further made known that GOD’S SOUL HATH NO PLEASURE IN THEM THAT DRAW BACK, as it is written:
(“But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” — Hebrews 10:39)
WE, meaning Mother Mary Magdalene Tate and the Elders, declared that WE WOULD NOT DRAW BACK.
They would not draw back from the RULES OF THEIR RESPECTIVE STATES, LAND, OR COUNTRY.
They would not draw back from the GOVERNMENT NOR RULES OF THE CHURCH.
These are distinct governing authorities, and obedience to God requires obedience to lawful governance.
For THOSE WHO DESPISE GOVERNMENT, civil or ecclesiastical, the Scripture speaks plainly:
(“But chiefly them that walk after the flesh… and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities…” — II Peter 2:10–15)
WE, including ourselves, submitted to ALL LAWFUL AUTHORITY in the FEAR OF THE LORD.
The Chief Overseer was not exempted.
The Elders were not exempted.
No one exempted themselves.
ALL RULES, ALL GOVERNMENTS, AND ALL THINGS CONTAINED IN THIS BOOK were ACCEPTED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED.
This acceptance was by the HOLY GHOST AND BY OURSELVES.
The acceptance included the humble servants of the Lord: THE CHIEF OVERSEER, THE STATE BISHOPS, THE ELDERS, AND THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD, THE PILLAR AND GROUND OF THE TRUTH.
This acceptance binds YOU.
If you stand in the office of Overseer, you stand UNDER THIS DECREE.
If you exercise authority, it must be authority that is SUBMITTED, OBEDIENT, and ORDERED.
If you reject this Decree, you reject the GOVERNMENT that gives your office legitimacy.
This Decree grants no exemption. It imposes RESPONSIBILITY.
Therefore, I now write to all who are in this church:
How many of you have violated Page 2 of the Decree Book, regardless of your office in this church?
How many have acted as though the law, rule, regulation, faith, doctrine, and government of this church applies to others, but not to yourselves?
Now tell me: who is exempt and above any law and decree of this church?
If Mother Mary Magdalena Tate, the founder, did not exempt herself, then by what authority can an Overseer, bishop, elder, minister, officer, committee member, or member claim exemption today?
The Decree grants no one the right to stand above the government of the church.
It calls every person to accountability, beginning with those who hold office and exercise authority.
Call to Action: Therefore, let this not be received as a matter to be discussed and dismissed, but as a matter to be answered before God, before the Church, and before the record. You are now in the General Assembly. Tomorrow is Wednesday, June 24, 2026, and the book will be open. Let every member, every officer, every minister, every elder, every bishop, every committee member, and the overseer examine themselves according to the Decree, according to the law, and according to the works they have done.
As we have always been taught, judgment begins at the house of God. If judgment begins here, then accountability must begin here also. No title, no office, no seat, no rank, no friendship, no influence, and no position can cover disobedience, excuse violation, or place anyone above the law and decree of this Church.
Let every person come prepared to answer plainly and truthfully: Have you honored the Decree? Have you kept the government of the Church? Have you submitted yourself to the same law you expect others to obey? And if not, will you now acknowledge it, correct it, and come back under the order that was accepted, approved, and adopted?
We are standing on business. We are standing on the Decree. We are standing on accountability. We are standing on the government of the Church. We are standing on truth. When the book is opened, let every work answer. Let every office answer. Let every member answer. Let the record speak for itself, and let no one claim to be exempt from what Mother Mary Magdalena Tate herself did not stand above.
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