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My article "I've Had Enough! I Can't Take it Anymore!" (WN, Jan. 27) brought letters of thanks and letters of criticism. I appreciate and have learned from both.
The article was intended to be food for thought rather than an exhaustive doctrinal exposition. As such, it focused on one aspect of the wide-ranging subject of deciding whether to remain in a particular fellowship, while necessarily leaving other aspects unexamined.
No doubt there are valid reasons to leave one fellowship and go to another.
My particular concern in the article was an increasingly common notion that the Christian's experience in church is supposed to be consistently painless, fulfilling and pleasant.
This dangerously untrue idea leads some Christians on a quest to discover the Ideal Church, where they expect to be perfectly fulfilled. But there is no such church. All churches are flawed in some way or other. The Faith must be fought for and defended in every fellowship.
My article was written to exhort Christians to shoulder their burdens and defend the faith where they are rather than seeking an easier place. In reality there are no easy places; just battles of various kinds.
It was my intent that my article might be taken as counsel, rather than as command. Don Mears.
This is a big thank-you to both Don Mears for his article "Jesus Loves Me? This I Didn't Know" (WN, Dec. 23), and Audrey Webb, who thanked Don in the Jan. 27 Letters to the Editor.
I cried in happiness when I read the article. See, I am one of his lost and hurting sheep who did accept Jesus' welcome back into the fold.
Here's my story: I grew up in the WCG and attended until I was 12 years old, though not by choice at the time. I always felt out of place and somehow not good enough to be there with my dad.
So, when I was 13 I quit going to church with him. My mom went to a Pentecostal church, which scared me because I never knew what the people were saying (there wasn't an interpreter).
At 14, I tried to commit suicide and ended up in intensive care and in a coma for three days.
My mom said that when I came out of the coma I was saying the Lord's prayer with a smile on my face.
Eight years later I wanted to go back to church, and when I called the WCG they told me that I needed to counsel first and then they would tell me if I could go to church there. So, I said to myself, What a hassle.
Now again, eight years later (last year), a friend pulled out a business card of the WCG pastor in Albany and Salem, Oregon.
I was surprised. I said that's where I went to church when I was a kid. He said, Oh, it's not the same as it was supposedly then. I was interested, so he told me of all the changes.
The most important thing was that Jesus was there with the people, and I didn't have to be perfect to go. I went as soon as I could and have been ever since.
I am back home now.
Lisa Youngberg-Burnim
Salem, Oregon
Randal Dick's story about Dr. Ngoi in the Jan. 27 WN inspired me.
That he was able to help this Christian gentleman in his need was wonderful!
The words of the King to those on his right hand in Matthew 25:34-40 came to mind. It made me proud to be a member of the WORLDwide Church of God.
I've been in the church now for 20 years, and I've always felt at home in any of our congregations I've visited. This close relationship we share worldwide in the WCG is one built on shared experiences, just like any friendship.
Your story excited me because it showed me that we have something to offer Christianity that I had not thought of before. The WCG was built through a media strategy, and therefore we have congregations all over the earth. I guess you could say that the sun never sets on the WCG.
This tangible network of congregations and members all over the earth combined with the intangible infrastructure of closeness and relationships presents itself as a potentially valuable resource in God's work. I think that we could all share in the proclaiming of the wonderful gospel of Christ.
Jerome Ellard
Big Sandy, Texas
We received many positive comments on the WN redesign. We thank all of you for your kind response.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for considering our needs with the change of format for the WN. We love the new format--it is easier and faster to read.
We enjoyed the summaries of "In This Issue," and the two-page Bible study was great! We especially enjoyed the women's and men's ministry sections. (We'd like to see them regularly.)
All the articles inspired us to move ahead behind Jesus Christ. We couldn't even pick one that was more valuable than another. It is so important to keep up with the WCG family. Now, it is an even better experience!
Jim and Gayla Horvath
Denver, Colorado
Thank you for making the WN so user friendly. The minute I picked it up off the stack of mail I was delighted. It is so easy to hold, handle and read.
It does not fall apart and fits neatly in my briefcase. In order to read the tabloid WN I had to take it apart and fold it. Now each article is easy to read because it is all on a page or two.
I was deeply moved by the WCG students at Texas A&M. Their love for fellowship with others of like mind was most refreshing. The WCG has lost so many of its young people, and to find students dedicated to their heritage in the church and with each other brought tears to my eyes.
What a wonderful opportunity they now have in bringing other students to Christ. Hats off to the students for setting a wonderful example.
Hats off to Randal Dick for his article on the W in WCG. After 30-plus years in the church I have a long list of brethren from throughout Canada and United States with whom I continue to maintain contact. The article points out how we can use our relationships to help and serve others.
Ray Meyer's article on men's ministry hit the nail on the head. At the '97 Promise Keepers rally in Minneapolis, we were encouraged to join a small PK group.
Even though Mr. Meyer encouraged a WCG group, I found just such a group at my place of employment. We meet weekly and the experience has been one of the most rewarding I have had. We are all of differing denominations, but the bond of friendship is growing.
We have been able to show our love and trust for one another, are becoming transparent and are accountable to one another. Yes, men can change by filling their banks relationally.
Bruce A. Bremer
Richfield, Minnesota
Feb. 24, 1998, WN, pages 4 and 5
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