Greetings from Charlotte,
Last weekend we had Tomorrow's World Presentations in Ft. Lauderdale and Tampa, Florida, with combined totals of 75 guests and 170 members. There will be follow-up presentations in Ft. Lauderdale and the Tampa area (Plant City); Eau Claire, Wisconsin; and Douglasville, Georgia this weekend. A new presentation is scheduled for Troy, Alabama. The Newsmax network, covering some 55 million, has offered us to move our program from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time on Sundays. This is a major change, as that means the program can be seen at 8:30 CT, 7:30 a.m. MT, and 6:30 a.m. on the west coast. The most recent Le Monde de Demain telecast, titled "Un monde chancelant" ("A Staggering World"), resulted in 46 responses—our highest Canadian response to a single French language program to date. Camp applications for the European LYP are now available. In addition to camp, you will have the opportunity to visit the site of the Battle of Waterloo, where Napoleon was defeated, and tour the headquarters of the EU in Brussels. See further details below.—Gerald Weston
Church Administration
Follow-Up Invitational Bible Study in San Fernando, Trinidad
The follow-up invitational Bible Study in San Fernando, Trinidad went extremely well. Twelve guests and 102 members attended for a total of 114—above the stated capacity of the meeting hall! Area Pastor Paul Shumway gave a powerful conclusion to Mr. Rick Stafford's message of the previous week. The title was: "How You Can Escape!" The audience was most attentive and a stimulating Q & A session followed, which lasted just over an hour. Our great God certainly blessed the event! Plans are to hold weekly Sabbath services in San Fernando for the next month and monitor interest in the area. We are looking for a permanent hall. Your prayers are deeply appreciated!
Passover 2018—Repeat Announcement
Important Notice to All Pastors: In 2018, the Passover Service will be observed on Thursday evening, March 29. Please let us know as soon as possible if any of the congregations you serve will need additional Passover Service supplies (bread trays and/or wine trays or glasses) or a copy of the Passover Service recording and letter instructions (available in English, French and Spanish). The Passover Service recording in English is the one made by Mr. Peter Nathan in 2017. To ensure timely delivery and to save on shipping costs, we need this information by February 20 for U.S. congregations. International information should already have been sent in.
Also, please let us know of any scattered members who are unable to keep the Passover with a congregation and who need to receive the Passover Service recording and letter instructions for observing it at home. Please direct your requests to the Church Administration Department at [email protected] as soon as possible. U.S. requests should be received before February 20. International requests should already have been submitted.
Living Education
Knowledge Alone—Must Read
Learning what God has inspired to be included in His word is only the starting point. That knowledge must be converted into action. Understanding how to apply God's word, then, is our challenge. A living education, at its core, trains us how to apply God's word to daily challenges in our modern, un-Godly world. As we assess how to assist our membership, we can use your help. If you'd like to participate in a brief, anonymous, two-question survey, just use this link (https://form.jotform.com/jmcnairny/bible-study-time-survey). Thank you!—Jonathan McNair
Living Youth Program
Friday Evening Online Teen Bible Study
The online Teen Bible Study on Friday evening, February 9, will cover Matthew 7:6 through chapter eight. The Bible Study runs from 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. Eastern time, and the chat room will be open for a half hour before and after the study. To join the study, go to www.livingyouth.org. For those who are unable to make it to the study, archives of previous Living Youth Bible Studies, including last evening's covering Matthew 6:14 through 7:5, can also be found on the Living Youth website.—Sheldon Monson
Living Church of God Youth Camps 2018
Applications for the summer camp in Europe are available now. See announcement below.
Camp registration for all U.S. camps will begin on the second Sunday in February, February 11.
Important: Be sure to submit a photo of yourself with your application, as that is required.
The listing of camps in United States and Europe, with locations, dates and Camp Directors, is below. Please note the corrected closing date for the Texas Teen Camp, which is July 22.
United States Camps 2018:
- Teen Camp – Texas – Sheldon Monson
Location: Camp Lone Star – Athens, Texas
Dates: Staff arrival on Sunday, July 8, by noon; camper arrival on Monday, July 9 by 6:00 p.m. – Departure on Sunday, July 22
- Adventure Camp – Colorado – Sheldon Monson
Dates: Tuesday, July 31 – Thursday, August 9
Location: To be determined.
- Preteen Camp – Texas – Jason Fritts
Location: Camp Lone Star – Athens, Texas
Dates: Sunday, July 22 – Friday, July 27
- Preteen Camp – Missouri – Gene Hilgenberg
Location: Knob Noster State Park, Knob Noster, Missouri
Dates: Sunday, July 1 – Friday July 6
- Preteen Camp – North Carolina – Mark Sandor
Location: Singletary Lake State Park, Kelly, North Carolina
Dates: Sunday, June 24 – Friday, June 29
International Camps 2018:
- Europe – John Meakin (Assisted by Rees Ellis)
Location: Domaine de Chevetogne, Belgium
Dates: Friday, August 3 – Sunday, August 12
- South Africa – Lawdi Ferrera
Location: To be determined
Dates: Thursday, December 20 – Saturday, December 29 (tentative)
- Latin America – Cristian Orrego
Location: To be determined
Dates: To be determined
- New Zealand – Rob Tyler (Assisted by Tony Leman)
Location: To be determined
Dates: To be determined
European Teen Summer Camp—Repeat Announcement
Attention all Teens! Applications are being accepted for this year's summer camp to be held once more at Chevetogne, in the beautiful Ardennes region of Belgium. We want to especially encourage non-Europeans also to apply this year: come with a friend for a memorable educational experience. In addition to camp, see the site of the famed Battle of Waterloo and the headquarters of the EU in Brussels.
The camp arrival date is Friday, August 3, and departure will be Sunday, August 12. The focal point of camp will be two adjacent chalet-style housing units in a woodland setting, with comfortable bunkbeds, shower facilities, and where all meals and indoor activities will take place. Once again an exciting range of outside activities are in preparation, including water skiing and a challenging "aerial adventure." The application/tuition fee per camper (ages 12-19) is £135/€170. Staff volunteers, especially those with prior experience of summer camp are welcome to apply.
Application forms are available from the U.K. Office (Jamie Meakin: phone 01536 520042, e-mail [email protected]), or your pastor, or from Mr. Rees Ellis in Europe. Please send any questions to Mr. John Meakin, Camp Director (home 01460 54240, mobile 07795 814623, e-mail [email protected]) or Mr. Rees Ellis, Assistant Camp Director (mobile +32 475 276821, e-mail [email protected]).
Come and enjoy an action-packed week of challenge, fun and fellowship in a safe, supervised environment, where you'll make new friends, renew acquaintances, and expand your knowledge of God and His amazing creation. Any side trips will be taken before or after camp, as appropriate.
Comments
Wisdom with Words: We live in an age when people are encouraged to "say whatever you feel like saying," whether in personal conversations or on the Internet—and everyone has an opinion to express! However, the Bible provides very different advice. Long ago, Solomon observed that "a fool's voice is known by his many words" (Ecclesiastes 5:3), and "In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise" (Proverbs 10:19). We are also reminded that "A prudent man conceals [is reluctant to display] knowledge, but the heart of fools proclaims foolishness" (Proverbs 12:23). I once had an English teacher who was fond of saying, "Make sure that you engage your brain before you put your mouth in gear"—which is the same advice we find in Proverbs 16:23, "The heart [the mind] of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips." In order to speak wise words and avoid troubles, we need to remember the admonition of King David who wrote, "The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice" because "The law of his God is in his heart" (Psalm 37:30-31). The book of James offers this advice: "be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God" (James 1:19-20). This is sound advice from the Scriptures about wisdom with words.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—February 1, 2018
"The Next War" is the title of a recent article in the Economist magazine (January 25, 2018) that examines the changing relationship between the United States, China, Russia, Europe and other nations, and how the U.S. seems to have overlooked or ignored those relationships. The article also notes how decades of neglected military research and development is placing the U.S. behind rising nations like China, Russia and North Korea, and it discusses how "powerful, long-term shifts in geopolitics and the proliferation of new technologies are eroding the extraordinary military dominance that America and its allies have enjoyed." The authors of the article make a sobering observation: "Conflict on a scale and intensity not seen since the second world war is once again plausible. The world is not prepared."
The statement "[t]he world is not prepared" alludes to the fact that dire events could take place suddenly and unexpectedly. The prophet Jeremiah was inspired to write in his dual prophecy regarding the Israelite-descended nations that their demise will come "suddenly" (Jeremiah 6:26; 15:8; 18:22). Jesus Christ stated that His return will come suddenly, and it will surprise many who are not paying attention (Matthew 24:44). This is why Jesus warned His followers to "watch" for specific signs that will announce the approaching "end of the age" (see Matthew 24:3-21). For more details on these future events, read or listen to Fourteen Signs Announcing Christ's Return.
While the followers of Jesus Christ watch for these signs to occur, they must also, like Jesus, be about their Father's business and finish His Work (John 4:34). A significant part of that Work involves preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to the world as a witness (Matthew 24:14; Mark 16:15). This is a mission that God's Church will be striving to finish when Christ returns (Matthew 10:16-23)!
Uncontrolled Violence in Mexico: According to Mexico's Interior Ministry, "Nearly 30,000 people were killed last year, marking the worst year [for homicides] recorded in Mexico… But security analysts have cast doubt on the government figure, saying it's likely much worse" (Deutsche Welle, January 21, 2018). The government figure is based on the number of murder cases opened by authorities, not on the actual number of murders. Blame has been placed on the drug cartels and on Mexico's president for failures in security. Mexican authorities continue to locate mass graves related to drug killings—some of which were probably dug with bulldozers. "The Mexican state of Veracruz is running out of room for hundreds of newly unearthed bodies" and has stopped excavating because there is no more room to house the bodies that await forensic testing (Deutsche Welle, March 17, 2017). Even more sobering is that while 2017 set a new record for homicides, drug cartels have been killing tens of thousands for years.
The brutality and lack of respect for human life shown by Mexican drug cartels is not unique to this troubled nation. Today, we see increasing violence and brutality in societies around the globe. Bible prophecies have long foretold, "in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money… unholy, unloving [lacking natural affection]… brutal, despisers of good" (2 Timothy 3:1-4). These violent character traits are increasingly evident today.
Sadly, modern leaders seem to be increasingly incapable of governing their nations and protecting their people. The Bible reveals the time is coming when effective teachers will show the world the way to peace (Isaiah 2:2-4; 30:20-21). These leaders will rule with firmness (Revelation 19:15), but also with righteousness, justice and mercy (Isaiah 16:5, ESV). The global carnage that we are witnessing today will finally cease when Jesus Christ returns to establish His government on earth (Isaiah 9:6-7). For more information about this important topic, read or listen to Prophecy Fulfilled: God's Hand in World Affairs.—Scott Winnail and Francine Prater