Letters for this section should be addressed to "Letters to the Editor." The editor reserves the right to use letters so addressed in whole or in part, and to include your name and edit the letter for clarity or space. We welcome your comments.
Hi, just wanted to tell you that your web page is excellent with your beliefs clearly marked and referenced. But most of all I'd like to welcome you into the fold as fellow sheep and children of our Lord. I read the latest Christian Research Journal and praise God for bringing you home.
Thanks and God bless.
Neil Mammen
E-mail: nmammen@nukohost.nuko.com
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ. I find The Worldwide News on the Internet interesting and edifying. The changes taking place in the Worldwide Church of God are encouraging and inspiring. Keep up the good work!
Yours in Christ,
Pau Cin Thang
Fuller Theological Seminary
Pasadena
E-mail: pthang@fuller.edu
You have a good start with this web page but it's bland relative to state of the art Internet potential. The attractiveness of an Internet page is proportional to how well it uses graphics, audio and even video.
Some of the top 5 percent sites on the Net are from organizations you wouldn't expect, but they have great creativity in their use of graphics, audio and video. We are missing an opportunity in attracting people if we don't put a major effort into our official web page.
The Internet has multimillion viewer access and many people expect it to become ubiquitous over the next few years. The cost per contact is almost nothing. Resources may be limited, but this area is not the place to scrimp. Let's not be penny-wise and pound-foolish.
Gonna be late for church--gotta run.
Mike Hanshaw
E-mail: mikey43@ionet.net
As 20-year-plus veterans of the church, my wife, Eve, and I have experienced our fair share. We see the change in church outlook, focus and administration as a miracle from Almighty God.
It's a joy to read current church literature, such as the WN. We feel closer to God than ever. We feel we understand better what he wants of us, and how he feels about us.
Good fruit is being borne by the changes. We are better examples of Christianity. Yes, we always loved God and our fellowman, but now our fellowman actually recognizes this. He can see our love expressed in physical action.
Our congregation in St. John's, Newfoundland, is active on several fronts. We have a farm project. Brethren cleared a piece of land, reclaiming it from the forest. We prepared the soil for farming, bought seed, ploughed, planted, weeded and prayed. During the Feast, area brethren were joined by transfers in harvesting the vegetables. It made for a wonderful family day activity, by the way.
Now, once a month or so, we prepare hampers of vegetables and distribute them to needy neighbors and acquaintances, on a one-to-one basis.
Our local congregation ran newspaper and radio ads, offering selected church literature and a locally produced audiocassette. Every aspect of this was a local effort.
It's always a pleasure to run across likeminded brethren in person, on the Internet or in the pages of the WN.
Frank Burke
E-mail: cad1034@InfoNET.st-johns.nf.ca
Christian growth is attainable today in the Worldwide Church of God. Christ reigns in the church today. I am happy to be a part of the body of Christ. Christ is directing his church and the Christians in the church.
The road appeared dark. Christ carried his people into the light of the truth, which is his new covenant, teaching us that we are to be partakers of his truth. I thank God daily for my calling and placing me where he wanted me to be, and it is in this church.
I thank him for allowing me to enjoy others not of this fellowship who are walking in the truth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The joy I have the world did not give me. It is growing and walking daily with my Redeemer because he is alive and well today in the Worldwide Church of God.
Remonia J. Lewis
Sarasota, Florida
E-mail: 103453.1030@compuserve.com
I was deeply moved by Glen Weber's account of his prayer retreat experience [Feb. 13].
It is wonderful to see how God is working to show us again and again that he calls many members into one body. He knows how to bring his entire family together in fellowship and spiritual growth.
It is heartening to read of how even those who have been taught to distrust our fellowship (not necessarily without cause) are able to rejoice and thank God for the repentance and mercy he has extended to us--when a Spirit-filled member (such as Mr. Weber) has the courage and humility to put himself on the spot and trust our Lord and Savior to guide him through all the tough questions and concerns of our brethren in other Christian fellowships.
They deserved honest answers and got them--to the honor and glory of Jesus Christ!
Members of other denominations locally are also beginning to see some of our local members as fellow laborers in Christ (and vice versa). Those of us involved in these kinds of reaching out (even those who stumbled into it inadvertently, like me) are beginning to raise our voices to join the chorus of "hallelujahs," "praise Gods" and "amens" that Mr. Weber describes in his article.
There is nothing more moving than being a part of a community of believers praying together and for each other. Whenever two or more are gathered in Jesus' name, he is indeed there. Jesus didn't put conditions on his statement. Neither should we.
I recall being baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, not in the law of Moses. I also remember Terry Johnson, the pastor who baptized me, teaching me that I was not being baptized into a denomination, but into the body of Jesus Christ. I don't recall signing a contract that made me the exclusive property of the Worldwide Church of God--only of Jesus Christ.
I happen to be content in my fellowship within this church. I dearly love my church family and will continue to support it and fellowship with my friends and family within it. I rejoice that God is dealing with us in the way of mercy and graciousness. It is a joy to realize that our church family is much, much larger than we originally realized!
In thankfulness and rejoicing!
John M. Valade
E-mail: 102166.3463@compuserve.com
My wife and I have been members of the church for about 20 years. We have known for years that the church held some doctrinal errors, but we discussed it and decided to depend on God to correct them, which he did through Joseph Tkach Sr.
In fact, he went further than I had imagined. In 1994 and '95, I prayed to God to show me the truth. I'm happy to report that he has. Thanks in large part to Mr. Tkach Sr., I have a better relationship with Christ that is far better than anything I've known. Praise God!
I respected Herbert W. Armstrong and have not changed my opinion of him. I fear that some do not realize that he was a man with flaws, as we all are. God used him for a specific purpose, and I believe he did well.
The time came for a new level of understanding. Mr. Tkach Sr. was a man of great courage, faith and love. Now we have his son, Joseph Tkach. I think of him as a minister of reconciliation, and I believe he will serve God and the church well.
I heard Mr. Tkach and Mr. Albrecht with Hank Hanegraaff on the radio and enjoyed the programs [Jan. 16 WN]. If we are judged by our company, I think it speaks well for all three men working together.
Gary Davenport
Longview, Texas
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