01/29/09
Greetings from Charlotte,
Work is proceeding on schedule in the new building housing the TV studio and offices for media personnel. This week, Dr. Meredith held meetings and made personal phone contact with individuals across the country. Mr. Charles Ogwyn reports that the online Bible Study Course is now being taken by individuals in 111 countries around the world. Mr. and Mrs. Crockett are in Michigan. He is attending a Religious Conference Management Association meeting. These meetings provide useful contacts for planning future Festival sites. Last weekend, I gave a Public Bible Lecture in Atlanta on the theme “What’s Ahead for America?” In the PowerPoint lecture I explained how to identify America in prophecy and what Bible prophecy reveals about America’s future. We had 69 visitors attend the lecture. Some of the attendees were brand-new, some had previous contact with the Church and some were from other COG groups (see Mr. Jack Lowe’s detailed report on the event below). Your prayers will be appreciated for a follow-up lecture that will be conducted this weekend.
The mailing from the United States of Dr. Meredith’s most recent semi-annual letter is expected to be completed tomorrow. In this exciting letter, we offer the DVD The Power of Prophecy, containing four selected Tomorrow’s World programs on prophecy subjects. This is the first offer of its kind in a semi-annual letter. Members and prospective members, many of whom have already received a copy of the letter, will receive a copy of the DVD automatically. They don’t need to return the card enclosed with the letter to receive the DVD. We are very excited about this semi-annual letter and your prayers for its success among our subscribers are very important.
This week, we are happy to have Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan McNair in Charlotte as part of the ministerial Headquarters visiting program. Mr. McNair will be recording a sermon tomorrow and will give the sermonette here in Charlotte on the Sabbath.
Church Administration
In Memoriam
Mr. Robert Croyle, an elder in the Bluefield, West Virginia congregation and long-time servant and pillar in the Church of God, died suddenly this week after suffering a stroke. The funeral will be conducted tomorrow, Friday, January 30 by our minister in Bluefield, Mr. Paul Shumway. Please keep Mrs. Croyle, Audie, and the family in your prayers.
Atlanta Public Bible Lectures
Mr. Jack Lowe, Atlanta Area Pastor, reports: Our first Public Bible Lecture in Atlanta given by Dr. Winnail last Sabbath was very successful. We had 130 in attendance, including 69 subscribers. The 69 visitors were captivated by the presentation; many were taking notes during the lecture and more than half of the visitors stayed around after the Bible Lecture for about one hour.
We served coffee and snacks to our guests and answered the many questions they had about the Living Church of God…. All of the brethren moved through the crowd introducing themselves and making the newcomers feel welcomed. Our literature display was swarming with activity; about one fourth of our guests ordered booklets or the Bible Study Course…. Many said they would return and bring their friends. Several are interested in attending Sabbath services, and asked for in-home visits.
French Update
Mr. Wilner Pierre, our Haitian-born American deacon, will be conducting a Public Bible Lecture in Port-au-Prince, Haiti this Sunday, February 1. Approximately 200 French-speaking subscribers were invited. We hope this lecture will bring growth and encouragement to our Haitian congregation.
Feast of Tabernacles 2009
Hawaii Pre-Registration
Response to our Feast pre-registration for the Hawaii site has been outstanding: the 500th person was pre-registered this week! If you are interested in attending the Feast in Hawaii this year and have not yet pre-registered, please do so right away by going to www.fothawaii.org.
Festival Advisors
Area Pastors: Please be putting together your list of Festival Advisors at each of your congregations. We will be collecting that information soon via a survey form, as we need it by February 13.
USA and Canada Registration
Some have asked if brethren will be able to register for Canadian Feast sites on February 22. International Site Registration on Sunday, February 22 does not include Canada. Registration for the United States and Canada will take place after the Spring Holy Days. The only exception is the Hawaii site. Hawaii registration will take place with International sites on February 22. Stay tuned for more news. We will be posting information on the MyLCG website as it becomes available.
Comments
Dealing with Adversaries: Periodically, critics and adversaries rise up to attack God’s Work, God’s people and the ministry by hurling criticism, spreading rumors, lies and half-truths, and doing whatever they can to foster doubt and division. However, those whom God is calling and using need to understand—it comes with the territory! Long ago, Solomon wrote, “an ungodly man [or woman] digs up evil, and it is on his lips like a burning fire” (Proverbs 16:27). Solomon also observed, “The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles” (Proverbs 18:8). However, this is a poor diet that eventually produces a sick and angry mind. Persecution has dogged God’s people down through the ages. Joseph was imprisoned on false charges (Genesis 39). Angry religious leaders plotted against Jeremiah and determined to “attack him with the tongue.” Yet, God told Jeremiah, “They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you” (Jeremiah 18:18; 1:19). Jesus had to endure mocking and vehement accusations by religious and civil leaders who wanted to destroy His ministry (Luke 23:10-11). Stephen was accused by false witnesses (Acts 6:11-13). The Apostle Paul dealt with people who “spoke evil of the Way” (Acts 19:9) and he encountered “many adversaries” (1 Corinthians 16:9). Peter warned that false teachers who have gone astray would “speak evil of things they do not understand” (2 Peter 2:12). Critics and adversaries seldom realize that when they begin to spread their criticism, accusations and lies, they have adopted Satan’s methods and become agents in his hands to destroy the Work of God (see John 8:44; 1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:9-10). As God’s people, we need to reflect on these biblical examples and remember that wise people don’t believe everything they hear—and, if they are troubled by something, they seek accurate information.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—January 29, 2009
Twilight of a False God and a New Basis for a World-Power? Western capitalism spread supported by an underlying faith in money and a free market. Just as God exposed the false gods of Egypt during the Exodus, He is now exposing the false god of capitalism. Last week, share prices for the Irish Bank AIB fell 58% in one day. Ulster Bank fell 67% and Lloyd’s of London fell 34% in the same day—all because of loss of “investor confidence” or “faith” (Irish Times, January 20, 2009). Two of America’s largest banks, Bank of America and CitiGroup, each lost billions at the end of 2008. One U.S. economist estimated that credit loses in the banking industry could peak at $3.6 trillion (Weiss Research, January 20, 2009). He also stated that U.S. banks are effectively “insolvent” (International Herald Tribune, January 20, 2009). Banks around the world are facing similar woes. The proposed remedy for the banking crisis—nationalizing the banking industry—is a sobering proposition for democratic nations. This erosion of democratic freedoms comes as the Roman Catholic Church is taking a more prominent role on the world scene and more “return to faith in the church,” as nations’ faith in money is eroded. The Bible warns of a powerful Beast that will appear at the end of the age. Not only will the kingdoms surrounding the Beast give their power to it (Revelation 17:13), but many additional “kingdoms” or governments will also join this Beast power for a time (Psalm 83:5-8; Daniel 9:26-27; Revelation 13:7)—perhaps to save their own economies. Bank nationalization could give world leaders the capacity to “hand over” national finances to a central power—an action virtually impossible under independent and democratic capitalistic systems.
More Rumors of Wars. The most recent U.S. Joint Forces Command (JFC) report—based on financial, political, and other measures—suggests two nations are at very high risk for “rapid and sudden collapse”—Pakistan and Mexico. Pakistan has been much in the news; however, Mexico is much closer to home for the USA. A recent El Paso Times article quoted directly from the report, “The Mexican possibility may seem less likely, but the government, its politicians, police and judicial infrastructure are all under sustained assault and pressure by criminal gangs and drug cartels. How that internal conflict turns out over the next several years will have a major impact on the stability of the Mexican state. Any descent by Mexico into chaos would demand an American response based on the serious implications for homeland security alone.” Commander of the JFC, Marine Gen. J.N. Mattis noted, “Predictions about the future are always risky…. Regardless, if we do not try to forecast the future, there is no doubt that we will be caught off guard as we strive to protect… America.” (El Paso Times, January 13, 2009). Jesus Christ warned of “wars and rumors of wars” as one sign of the end of the age, but He also warned us not to be “terrified” by these events because they are prophesied to happen (Matthew 24:6; Luke 21:9). As these prophecies are fulfilled, we need to pray fervently for our brethren who could be in harm’s way.
More Leaders Look to Europe and Rome. The Russian Orthodox church just elected Metropolitan Kirill to its highest position—the first change in leadership of the Russian Church since the collapse of communism. Unlike his predecessor who kept his distance from Rome, the new cleric has met with the Pope on a number of occasions and has noted, “I think the place of Christian values in the world will in many ways depend on the character of Orthodox-Catholic relations, at least on the European continent.” A mending of the ways may be in the wind—the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches have been separate for 1,000 years (The Times, January 28, 2009). Meanwhile, on the European political stage, in the wake of the collapse of Iceland’s government, there is a push for entry into the EU (AP, January 27, 2009). Also some Germans have accused Turkey of blackmailing Europe with natural gas, in order to reopen its bid for entry into the EU (Deutsche Welle, January 20, 2009). Long ago, God prophesied that a Beast power supported by a prominent religious leader would play a prominent role on the world scene at the end of the age (see Daniel 11 and Revelation 17-18). As Europe and the Vatican gain more prominence, we need to watch how these prophecies will be fulfilled.—Scott Winnail and Sue Bennett
COGwriter 2009