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October 1998
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October front cover
Pastor General
Joseph Tkach reviews three principles of worship in this month's Personal.
First, God does want us to worship him. Worship is one of the reasons we are called: to declare his praises. In Scripture, we see a wide variety in the way worship can be done.
Second, despite the great variety in worship styles, we see a simple constant throughout Scripture: Only God is to be worshiped. God requires all our love, all our allegiance. We cannot serve two Gods.
The third constant is that worship must be sincere. It does no good to sing the right songs, meet on the right days and say the right words, if we don't love God in our hearts. Pages 6 and 7.
The WCG appreciates the job its pastors do in the service of the people of God, writes Dan Rogers, superintendent of ministers.
Because a pastor is a servant-shepherd to his parishioners, and because he is an ordained minister of the WCG, many expectations are placed on him.
To help each pastor better fulfill his duties and meet expectations, the following items will help him be aware of some of the criteria by which his job performance is judged by his supervisors.
Pastors are expected to model and teach spiritual formation; preach and teach the gospel; provide inspiring worship services; be a transformational leader; model and teach stewardship; promote small group ministry; prepare congregations for relational evangelism; participate in continuing education; serve the congregation faithfully; identify, develop, mentor and empower leaders; and be faithful to the Statement of Beliefs and the policies, practices and procedures of the denomination. Pages 8 and 9.
Ninety elders' wives met Sept. 4 to 6 in Los Angeles, California, for the first elders' wives conference.
The conference, organized by Jannice May, included six women from England, five from Canada and four from the Caribbean. They learned about living the role of a minister's wife.
The theme of "bonding and connecting in the presence of God" was expanded by several guest speakers. Pages 12 and 13.
The Worldwide Church of God in the Caribbean looks quite different
than it did a decade or so ago, writes Patrick Fearon in this month's Regional Snapshot.
The new look includes a more intimate walk with Jesus, more meaningful inreach and outreach, smaller church size and a more hands-on involvement on the part of members who are actively making a difference for the kingdom of God.
It is an encouraging picture of new spiritual life and vitality--in spite of the fact that the region has experienced its share of birth pangs during our passage from where we were, to where we are now. Pages 14 and 15.
Our late summer
income has taken another downturn.
August ended with a daily average income of just $97,420.
Our budget is $110,000 a day. The year-to-date income is $106,704.
Bernie Schnippert, director of Finance & Planning, writes that Ron Kelly has assumed the functions of controller for the church, so he can devote his time to the sale of the Pasadena campus and a pension plan for church employees. Pages 22 and 23.
DALLAS, Texas--La Roche College, a coeducational, private college with a campus in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, entered into a purchase and sale agreement Aug. 27 for the acquisition of the assets of the former Ambassador University campus in Big Sandy.
Included in the agreement is a feasibility period during which the prospective buyer determines if the property is suitable for its needs.
The prospective buyer intends to continue using the property as a liberal arts university, and expects that it will attract an international student body, according to William Kerr, president of La Roche College.
According to President Kerr: "La Roche is strongly committed to preparing students to become contributing members of our ever-changing global society. Having gained an education rich in the Christian tradition, coupled with career-focused professional experience and a liberal arts foundation, our graduates are highly marketable."
Bernie Schnippert, WCG director of Finance & Planning, said: "The WCG is pleased to know that the prospective buyer is an educational institution with a philosophical commitment to comparable values and vision for which we have used the property."
Bill Vaughan with the Dallas office of the Grubb & Ellis real estate firm represented both parties in the transaction.
According to Mr. Vaughan: "At its peak, Ambassador University had enrollment of about 1,200 students, plus faculty and staff. The re-opening of the university will represent a boon to the East Texas economy."
Monsignor Kerr said: "Enrollment could exceed the previous enrollment in just a few years."
The Ambassador University core campus is 228 acres in size, and it is surrounded by almost 2,000 acres of farm and timberland, also owned by the university.
It has about three-quarters of a million square feet of building improvements ranging from classrooms to office buildings, dormitories to private residences, as well as a convention center and field house.
Many of the improvements were completed in the early 1990s and are in excellent condition, Dr. Schnippert said.
Other property includes a nine-hole golf course; athletic and recreational facilities; two lakes; campgrounds with bath houses; an airstrip (almost one mile in length); an FM radio station; and on-site water and wastewater treatment facilities.
The contemplated sale also includes all of the personal property of the university, including library contents, Dr. Schnippert said.
HALL OF ADMINISTRATION--The Joseph W. Tkach Hall of
Administration,
which housed various administrative offices, was constructed in the early 1990s.
[Photos by Thomas C. Hanson]
ORIGINAL BUILDING--The building that housed the Roy D.
Hammer Library,
was originally known as the Redwood Building. It was a location for church services
in the early 1950s.
I really enjoy reading the WN on the Internet. What a wonderful blessing God has given us.
The Holy Spirit is overflowing in congregations throughout the world. Our congregation is small here in Mountain Home, Arkansas, now but we have spiritual growth like I have never seen.
All are so eager to serve in any way they can, and the fellowship here is wonderful. We have all drawn closer together, and we are truly brothers and sisters in Christ, with genuine love, care and concern for one another, eagerly awaiting the return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Mike Ducker
Pineville, Arkansas
We received many responses to Tammy Tkach's article, "Let's Reaffirm Each Other's Christianity" (September WN).
Some members have felt that all of their years in the WCG were wasted. Mrs. Tkach was attempting to reaffirm members' Christianity and let them know that despite how wrong we were, many people came to Christ.
WN articles are of necessity short and are part of the whole context of what we have been publishing in regard to our doctrinal changes over the past several years.
Our town, Oberlin, Ohio, had a church unity day, and I was happy to attend this special worship service. Many different churches were there.
I was amazed as to how simular this was to our local church. We all have a lot more in common than we seem to realize.
It is sad that we can become prejudiced against our fellow Christians over certain issues that have come between us.
All this discord among churches is not pleasing to our dear Lord. Why is it that Christians are not getting along?
It seems that some act as if they are righteous and they determine what is or is not sin. Then they criticize others as to what they think others should be or should not be doing. When they gather as a group, they tend to be exclusive and even snobbish toward those who do not go along with their beliefs.
I am so glad that we are repenting of this terrible separation that has divided the many denominations. Jesus gives us the Spirit of peace and tolerance.
His Spirit enables us to walk together in peace and unity, even when we are not in agreement. We learn how to get along with one another in spite of our differences.
Jesus brings us together in love and unity, although we are so varied in opinions and cultures.
Don S.
Oberlin, Ohio
By Robert Klynsmith
CAPE TOWN, South Africa--Caroline Couch, daughter of Durban member Julia Couch, was injured in the Aug. 25 bomb blast at the Planet Hollywood restaurant.
Caroline sustained injuries to her spinal cord, and some shrapnel pierced her lungs and her liver. Initially, she was thought to be paralyzed from the waist down, but a few days later she was able to move a foot.
Her injury was reported in the Cape Times: "In five weeks a Durban woman was to have been married.
"But the bomb blast at Planet Hollywood on Tuesday night, which claimed one man's life, has [delayed] her plans for now.
"On Tuesday, Caroline Couch, 30, a recruitment manager with a gym in Durban, flew down to Cape Town where she was to have attended a conference yesterday. She got off the plane and decided to walk around the Waterfront. She then went to the restaurant and not long after that, the bomb went off."
By Sept. 2, Caroline was looking better, although she was still experiencing a great deal of pain. A neurologist indicated she could walk again. However, doctors feel it is still too early to make a full prognosis of her condition. They emphasized that she needs to be prepared for a long period of convalescence.
The plan is to fly Caroline to her hometown in Durban as soon as she is well enough to be moved.
Robert Klynsmith pastors the Cape Town, South Africa, churches.
By Olivier Carion
For the second time in two weeks, I reached Mpinda Ndayi Kakwanga in Kinshasa, Congo, by phone from France today, Aug. 23.
Mr. Mpinda said the Congo faces problems on many fronts. (The government of Laurent Kabila is under attack from Tutsi rebels backed by troops from Uganda and Rwanda.)
Mr. Mpinda cannot contact brethren in Low Congo (Matadi, Boma, Muanda). We have no news of elder Raphael Benza Tsuka in Boma.
However, colleagues at Mr. Mpinda's workplace made contact with family in that region. News is that civilians are not being targeted by the rebels, only Kabila's soldiers.
The Tutsi rebels somehow managed to reach the Congo coast, at Muanda. Marc Mbatshi, one of our leaders, supervises thousands of workers at the Gulf Oil Co. plant in Muanda. The rebels took over the plant, and we heard that Mr. Mbatshi was safe at his home with his family.
Kabila's forces regained control of Matadi, where we have a congregation. Matadi residents were urged to go back to work, and the situation appears normal.
Rebel headquarters is in Goma at the other end of the country. We have no news of Jacques Muzalia and his family there.
Mr. Muzalia tried to reach me by phone several weeks ago. Unfortunately we are unable to contact him. The lake district in Eastern Congo appears controlled by rebels.
Elsewhere in the Congo where we have congregations, such as in Mbuji-Mayi (Kasai region), Lubumbashi and Kolwezi (Katanga region in the south), the situation seems calm.
In the neighboring country, also called Congo, we received news from Sindaye Cassien. Cassien and his friend Wenceslas are the two who walked thousands of miles across the former Zaire from Bukavu, and ended up in Brazzaville (May WN).
I was surprised to receive a phone call from them. Someone had given them the opportunity to do so free of charge. Both men are doing well and are doing their best to try and settle down in Brazzaville.
I received a letter from Wenceslas Kamwenubusa in Bujumbura, Burundi, dated Aug. 7. He writes: "In the night of July 15, armed bands terrorized us and stole our belongings in our home. I now only have two old pairs of trousers, two old shirts and a pair of old shoes.
"Money, clothes, a radio and even my glasses were stolen. I can no longer read my Bible. War is still raging, and we are told it will get worse. Please pray for us. I suffer from being alone.
"Our little group on the hill meets regularly without fail, the Wenceslas, Cyrille and Pamphile families. We have untold tribulations but we are hanging on.
"Leave your comfortable beds in Europe and in the United States, brave war, barriers and prejudice, come and see what God is placing in our hands, we the children of the WCG in Burundi."
Personal from Joseph Tkach"I don't want to sing these new songs," someone told me. "I just want to sing the Psalms." As I reflected on the comment, I realized that even the Psalms contain some concepts that might stretch our worship style.
For example, notice Psalm 33:1-3: "Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy."
Scripture tells us to sing a new song to the Lord, to shout for joy, to use harps, flutes, tambourines, trumpets, cymbals--even to worship with dancing (Psalms 149 and 150). The picture is one of exuberance, of unrestrained joy, of happiness that is expressed without inhibitions.
The Bible gives us examples of spontaneous worship. It also gives us examples of formal approaches to worship, with stereotyped routines that stay the same for centuries. Both approaches can be legitimate, and neither can claim to be the only authentic way to praise God.
We know quite well that music is a controversial aspect of worship. We also know that emotions can run high when we discuss the worship calendar. People have strong opinions as to the days on which we should meet to worship. I have commented several times on worship music, and more recently on worship days. Let me now review some of the broader principles involved in worship.
First, God does want us to worship him. We see this from one end of Scripture to another (Genesis 4:4; John 4:23; Revelation 22:9). Worship is one of the reasons we are called: to declare his praises (1 Peter 2:9). God's people not only love and obey him, but they also do specific acts of worship. They make sacrifices, they sing praises, they pray.
In Scripture, we see a wide variety in the way worship can be done. In the law of Moses, many details were specified. Specific people were assigned to do specific actions at specific times in specific places.
In contrast, we see in Genesis few rules about how the patriarchs worshiped. They did not have a designated priesthood, were not restricted to a certain place, and were told little about what to offer or when to offer it.
In the New Testament, we again see little about the how and when of worship. Worship activities are not restricted to a certain group or a certain place. Christ did away with Mosaic requirements and restrictions. All believers are priests and continually offer themselves as living sacrifices.
Despite the great variety in worship styles, we see a simple constant throughout Scripture: Only God is to be worshiped. Worship, to be acceptable, must be exclusive. God requires all our love, all our allegiance. We cannot serve two Gods. Although we may worship him in different styles, our unity is based on the fact that it is him we worship.
In ancient Israel, the rival God was often Baal. In Jesus' day, it was religious tradition, self-righteousness and hypocrisy.
Anything that comes between us and God--anything that might cause us to disobey him--is a false god, an idol. For some today, it is money. For others, it is sex. Some have a bigger problem with pride, or with concerns about what other people may think of them.
John mentions some common false gods when he writes: "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever (1 John 2:15-17).
No matter what our weakness is, we need to crucify it, to kill it, to put all false gods away. If something prevents us from obeying God, we need to get rid of it.
The third constant about worship is that worship must be sincere. It does no good to go through the right motions, sing the right songs, meet on the right days and say the right words, if we don't love God in our hearts.
Jesus criticized those who honored God with their lips, but who worshiped in vain, because their hearts were not close to God. Their traditions (originally designed to express their love and worship) had become obstacles to real love and worship.
Jesus also stresses the need for sincerity when he says that worship must be in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). If we say we love God, when we resent his commands, we are hypocrites. If we value our freedom more than we do his authority, we cannot worship him in truth. We cannot take his covenant upon our lips and cast his words behind (Psalm 50:16-17). We cannot call him Lord and ignore what he says. Throughout Scripture we see that true worship must include obedience.
This obedience must include God's words concerning the way we treat one another. We cannot honor God when we dishonor his children.
"If anyone says, `I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen" (1 John 4:20-21).
It reminds me of Isaiah's scathing criticism of those who perform the worship rituals while indulging in social injustices: "When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you, this trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New Moons, Sabbaths and convocations--I cannot bear your evil assemblies. Your New Moon festivals and your appointed feasts my soul hates. They have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide my eyes from you; even if you offer many prayers, I will not listen" (Isaiah 1:11-15).
As far as we can tell, nothing was wrong with the days these people were keeping, or the kind of incense and animals they were bringing. The problem was the way they were living the rest of the time.
"Your hands are full of blood," he said--and yet I am sure the problem was not just with those who had actually committed murder.
He called for a comprehensive solution: "Stop doing wrong, learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow" (verses 16-17).
They needed to get their interpersonal relationships in order. They needed to eliminate racial prejudice, social class stereotypes and unfair economic practices. Worship, if it is to be genuine, must make a difference in the way we treat one another seven days a week. This is another principle we see throughout Scripture.
How should we worship?
Micah asks the question and gives the answer: "With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil?
"Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
Hosea also stressed that interpersonal relationships are more important than the mechanics of worship: "I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings" (Hosea 6:6). We are called not only to praise, but also to do good works (Ephesians 2:10).
Our concept of worship must go far beyond music, and far beyond days. Those details are not nearly as important as the way we live.
It is hypocritical to keep the Sabbath while sowing discord among the brethren. It is hypocritical to sing only the psalms while refusing to worship in the way they describe. It is hypocritical to be proud about celebrating the incarnation, which sets an example of humility. It is hypocritical to call Jesus Lord if we do not also seek his sense of justice and mercy.
True worship is more than outward actions--it involves a total change of behavior, rooted in a total change of heart produced by the Holy Spirit.
Instrumental in this change is our willingness to spend time with God in prayer, study and other spiritual disciplines. The transformation does not happen with magic words or magic water--it happens with time in fellowship with God.
Worship involves all of life. We see this especially in the words of Paul.
Paul used the terminology of sacrifice and worship in this way: "I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God --this is your spiritual act of worship" (Romans 12:1).
All of life is to be worship, not just a few hours each week. Of course, if all of our lives are devoted to worship, this will most definitely include a few hours each week with other Christians!
Paul uses more words for sacrifice and worship in Romans 15:16 when he speaks of the grace God had given him "to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit." Here we see that preaching the gospel is a form of worship.
Since we are all priests, we all have the priestly duty of proclaiming the praises of the One who called us (1 Peter 2:9)--a worship any member can do, or at least participate in by helping others preach the gospel.
When Paul thanked the Philippians for sending him financial support, he used words for worship: "I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God" (Philippians 4:18).
Financial help given to other Christians can be a form of worship.
Hebrews 13 describes worship given both in words and in works: "Let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased" (verses 15-16).
When we understand worship as a life-style, involving day-to-day obedience, prayer and study, I think we have a better perspective when we look at the question of music and days. Although music has been an important part of worship at least since the time of David, music is not the most important part of worship.
Similarly, even the Old Testament recognizes that the day of worship is not as important as the way we treat our neighbors. The new covenant does not require a particular day for worship, but it does require practical works of love for one another. It requires that we meet, but it does not specify when we meet.
Friends, we are called to worship, celebrate and glorify God. It is our joy to be able to declare his praises, to share the good news of what he has done for us in and through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
By Dan Rogers
The WCG deeply appreciates the wonderful job its pastors are doing in the service of the people of God.
Because a pastor is a servant-shepherd to his parishioners, and because he is an ordained minister of the WCG, many expectations are placed on him-expectations by church members, by family, by peers, by the pastor himself and by the denomination.
To help each pastor better fulfill his duties and meet expectations, the following items will help him be aware of some of the criteria by which his job performance is judged by his denominational supervisors.
Model and teach spiritual formation. Spiritual formation involves teaching and practicing the spiritual disciplines so each member and the congregation as a whole continually grows in imitating Jesus and in extending his ministry in their lives.
Jesus commanded the church to teach people -to obey everything I have commanded you+ (Matthew 28:20). Pastors must admonish members to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.
Preach and teach the gospel. Pastors must preach and teach that salvation is by grace through faith.
Christians have repented and accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Jesus Christ is totally sufficient for the Christian. The Christian+s relationship with God is through Jesus Christ, not through our obedience to the law.
Pastors should be able to teach orthodox Christian belief and practice. Pastors are expected to support and teach the Statement of Beliefs of the Worldwide Church of God.
Provide inspiring worship services. The pastor should model and teach participation in corporate worship. Weekly and annual worship services should include congregational input and involvement in designing the worship.
Every part of the worship service should be directed toward God, to honor and praise him. This includes well-prepared, transformational sermons.
Topical sermons and special sermons such as dramatic renditions may be appropriate on certain occasions but expository sermons should be the norm.
Be a transformational leader. A transformational leader is not simply a manager who tries to maintain the status quo.
Pastors should lead their congregations to Jesus Christ and to a full understanding and acceptance of historic, orthodox Christianity. The ministry of all believers should be a prime focus.
Various needed ministries should be encouraged and developed. Pastoral leadership encourages and sees that these ministries are taking place properly. The goal throughout is that members be transformed to become more like Jesus Christ in their thoughts and behaviors.
Model and teach stewardship. Pastors should teach members to practice stewardship in all aspects of their lives-in the use of their time, their energy and their resources. Pastors should teach that financial giving is an aspect of worship. Pastors should model proper Christian stewardship for their congregations. It is the corporate policy of the WCG that all employees tithe.
Promote small group ministry. Pastors should continually educate the members of their congregations in the importance of being a part of a small group, and they should keep the congregation apprised of how to start or enter a small group. It is a denominational goal to involve as many of our members as possible in small group ministry.
Prepare congregations for relational evangelism. Pastors must teach and motivate congregations to fulfill the command Jesus gave his disciples in the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20). The goal of outreach ministries is not just to do good works but to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Pastors should focus their congregation+s attention on mission, evangelism and discipleship.
Participate in continuing education. Pastors are expected to fulfill the continuing education goal set by Church Administration by either enrolling in an approved graduate school or seminary degree program, or participating in our Pastoral Development in-service education classes.
Pastors should meet the performance standards, time frame and established goals for the reading, listening and writing assignments set by Church Administration.
Serve the congregation faithfully. Though many duties can be delegated and small groups can provide much care and nurture for the members, the pastor should be present at the serious times of transition in the lives of the members.
The pastor's presence is expected in times of serious illness and in times of serious conflict within families or among church members. The pastor is expected, as much as is reasonably possible, to be present for funerals, weddings and other important occasions in the lives of the members.
Identify, develop, mentor and empower leaders. Pastors should seek to promote church growth by identifying gifted people in the congregation who can provide leadership for congregations now and in the future. Pastors are expected to be developing more pastors and other ministry leaders and are encouraged to plant new congregations in the community.
Be faithful to the Statement of Beliefs and the policies, practices and procedures of the denomination. In addition to abiding by the Code of Ethics for Elders, all pastors should adhere faithfully to denominational teachings, guidelines, policies and parameters.
All necessary reporting of information, church reports, ministerial expenses and other information required by denominational headquarters should be completed accurately and within the time frames allotted.
The U.S. Church Administration staff takes these expectations seriously and uses them as criteria by which the effectiveness of pastors is measured.
The regional pastor evaluates and reports on the performance of each pastor in his region. Church Administration maintains regular communication with pastors and with church members by telephone, electronic and postal mail. The data resources we have at headquarters along with files, reports and surveys will help monitor how pastors are doing in regard to these expectations.
Denominational administrators are thankful for the wonderful jobs being done by pastors in the WCG and try to pass on positive comments as much as possible. We also communicate any complaints or causes for concern.
By Luren Dickinson
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania--Several hundred people gathered for a racial reconciliation weekend Aug. 22 and 23.
The event, coordinated by pastor Tom Pickett, was sponsored by several WCG congregations, as well as some from other denominations. It combined praise and worship with presentations on racism and its possible solutions.
Mayor Stephen Reed declared the weekend Unity Days, and renamed Division Street as Unity Street for the weekend.
Ann Van Dyke, assistant to the director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, made introductory remarks and later made comments on Saturday.
Ms. Van Dyke said it is the duty of the commission to "monitor the state of hate" within Pennsylvania. She noted "a marked increase in hate groups and acts of intolerance" since the 1980s.
Most of the presentations were conducted by Cherry Steinwender of the Center for the Healing of Racism in Houston, Texas, and Chris Beam, a presenter for the center and a WCG pastor in Houston.
Mrs. Steinwender introduced a video produced by KQED-TV in San Francisco, titled "Ethnic Notions," which documented how African-Americans have been ridiculed and how this prejudice continues today.
Afterward, whites, Latinos, African-Americans and Native Americans made comments. Peggy Grove, a Harrisburg council member, commented on the ill treatment she received as a child because she was of mixed race.
Mr. Beam spoke of his involvement with racism as a young man, including association with neo-Nazis. He has since repented and now helps others see such errors.
Curtis May, Pasadena pastor, spoke of his experiences with segregation and violence growing up as a black man in pre-Civil Rights Alabama. He also addressed the effect of the WCG's former doctrines promoting British-Israelism.
Mr. Albrecht said, "We cannot solve the problem of racism politically or by saying it is someone else's problem." Each person has to confront it personally. Mr. Albrecht apologized for the problems his color group had caused Curtis May and other African-Americans.
Mr. May accepted the apology while admitting that no group is perfect and commended Mr. Albrecht for his efforts to heal racism past and present.
Mark Hardway, a member from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, led praise and worship. Alonzo Piper sang "Move in This Place" in the morning and led a group of adults and children in "Allelujah, Praise Jehovah" during the afternoon.
Day two featured additional sections moderated by Mrs. Steinwender and Mr. Beam, including a panel discussion and a lecture on institutionalized racism.
PARTICIPANTS--From left: Mr. Albrecht, Ann Van Dyke, Tom Pickett,
Cherry Steinwender, Chris Beam and Curtis May. [Photos by Ron Robinson]
By Russell Duke
How often have you heard someone in the WCG say, "I just want to go somewhere I can be comfortable"?
Some members are uncomfortable with new approaches to music, food or worship days. Some feel pressured to adopt new practices before they have resolved the issues.
Unfortunately, some stay at home rather than face the stress. Change often brings discomfort, so how are these feelings best resolved?
These feelings are not unique to the WCG--Paul addressed similar situations in the church in Rome.
By the time Paul wrote Romans, about 50,000 Jews lived in Rome, a city of about one million people. They were brought to Rome as slaves, and they achieved the right to meet in synagogues on Saturday and to worship their God. This is in contrast to religious Romans who worshiped their gods daily in their homes.
Idols adorned corners throughout the city so travelers could worship. Romans worked seven days, using the eighth and sometimes a ninth for markets and festivals. So, conflict existed between Roman culture and Jewish belief.
Christians originally met in synagogues with Jews, but growing animosity from Jews led Christians to worship separately in houses. After all, the Sanhedrin, the governing body for the Jews, had sanctioned the crucifixion of Jesus, imprisoned Peter and John, martyred Stephen and James, persecuted Christians in Palestine, and attacked Paul.
So Paul addressed the house churches of Rome (16:5) about conflict on a new level--Jew vs. Christian.
About A.D. 49, a dispute arose among Jews and Christians about Chrestus, probably referring to Christ, whom the Christians accepted as Savior. Fearing that Jews were insurrectionists, Emperor Claudius banished all Jews, including Jewish Christians, from Rome. Gentile Christians were allowed to remain.
The death of Claudius in A.D. 54 ended the banishment of Jews from Rome. It appears that Paul's friends, Aquilla and Priscilla, returned to Rome, as did other Jewish Christians (16:3).
Not all gentile Christians welcomed back Jewish Christians, so Paul wrote them to accept Jewish Christians and to understand that God would yet graft in many Israelites into the body of Christ (9:11-24).
In A.D. 57 many members of the church in Rome were gentile Christians who had come from pagan roots in polytheism without any particular day of worship.
Probably some gentile proselytes of the Jews had become Christians and would have been observing some, but not all, of the Jewish requirements.
Jewish Christians who kept Old Testament traditions formed a third group. A fourth group, probably the smallest, were Jewish Christians who had abandoned their traditions as unnecessary and unwanted.
The message God sent to that church parallels the work of the Spirit in our church today.
Painful conflict threatened the work of God (14:20). Opinions differed on what should determine holiness in the Christian calling. Did eating certain meats make a person unholy? Was a certain day to be kept holy?
Although Paul does not give details, he sets forth principles to counter the problems and leads us to better understand the difficulties confronting each group.
Paul builds the theme in Romans on God's reply to Habakkuk: "The just shall live by faith." His solution to disagreement in the church shows us how to live in faith (13:8 to 15:13).
Consider these principles:
Love your neighbor as yourself (13:8-10). Love fulfills the purpose of the law and sums up the intent of the commandments. Christians must commit to do no harm to their neighbors and, even more difficult, to love others regardless of circumstances.
Live daily in the light of Jesus (13:11-14). Awaken from lethargy and live in the light of our Lord Jesus Christ, not in the actions of darkness: no drunken parties, no sexual immorality and no dissension. Thus, Paul struck at three enemies of love: apathy, lust and hatred. Christians must clothe themselves with Jesus Christ, not with carnality.
Accept differences in eating (14:1-4). Some felt free to eat any meat served. Others felt that God did not accept those who did not adhere to dietary restrictions of the Old Testament.
Concerns about meat probably ran the gamut from unclean meats of Leviticus 11, to meat offered to idols, to improperly bled animals, to blemished sacrifices. Romans had no qualms about eating various meats. After all, they sacrificed pigs, goats and dogs to their gods in the temples. Some "conservative" members would refuse to eat with "liberals."
Two problems resulted: those who ate indiscriminately often ridiculed anyone who restricted what could be eaten. Those who held to dietary restrictions often judged the liberalness of others.
Paul warned them not to be contemptuous or condemning (14:3, 10). Why? Both parties serve God, even though they may be uncomfortable with traditions maintained by others.
Accept differences in worship (14:5-8). Some members believed that one day was holy, while others believed that all days were alike, that no day was inherently holy.
Paul returns to dietary concerns. Those eating freely did so to God, and those limiting their diet did so to God, thankful for what they had to eat.
The point? Holiness in God lies in commonality of worship and prayer, not in traditions. Paul probably repeats the concerns about eating because Christians had common meals on the day of worship and conflict would destroy the work God was doing in them.
While Paul supported the position that no day was any longer inherently sacred, he did not require anyone to act against Christian conscience.
Live and die in Jesus (14:9-13). Jesus lives today. Since he is the judge, and he accepts those who live and die in him, we should not judge others in their chosen religious traditions. Days and foods do not matter, but Jesus does.
Do not block Jesus (14:13-18). Individuals with a greater sense of freedom must not place a stumbling block in the path of those who feel greater restrictions.
Paul supported this position by writing that "nothing is unclean [koinos] in itself" (verse 14), for the new law in Christ changed what is holy.
In fact, "the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy" (verse 17), for all who serve Jesus Christ are accepted by God (verse 18). Strong Christians must be peacemakers.
Paul taught that although Christians are no longer required to keep Old Testament regulations, members could choose to maintain those traditions.
However, just because the doctrine of the church was set forth does not mean everyone at that time was comfortable with it, especially those who had spent entire lifetimes within Judaism. So Paul admonished everyone to be tolerant of one another and to live by personal conscience in the walk with Jesus.
Live in the kingdom in faith (14:19-23). Seek peace, so that no one destroys the work of God (verse 20). Christians, as the body of Christ, should build, not destroy. Maintain a strong commitment to Jesus and his work of the kingdom now.
Again Paul states the principle of the new covenant: "All food is clean" (katharizo) (verse 20). However, the strong should not purposefully eat or drink anything that would be offensive to others in their company. Nor should those with greater restrictions judge others if they encounter them eating freely. Live in the faith you possess with God.
Imitate the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (15:1-6). Jesus did not become a human sacrifice for us because it was the comfortable thing to do. He came to serve, to save and to be sacrificed.
Christians accept a life of service and sacrifice, even when it is not comfortable to do so.
Freedom in Jesus means leaving comfort zones to bear with those who do not share the same approach to liberty.
To bridge distinctions of worship, Paul focused on building unity through following Jesus Christ (verse 5). In unity Christians glorify God and Jesus (verse 6).
Accept others as Christ accepts you (15:7-13). God is praised when his people place responsibility to love others above their rights of personal freedom. Christ is Lord and servant of both Jew and gentile. Each needs to appreciate the culture of the other.
How comfortable are you with freedoms that exist in the WCG?
From greater variety in song services, to variation in personal expression, from worship on Saturday or Sunday, to freedom in eating, we should be thankful for the wider opportunity to praise God as we live in his love.
Differences on these issues should not overwhelm our focus on Jesus and his kingdom. True comfort lies in a close relationship with Jesus and tolerance for one another. "The just shall live by faith."
By Arlene Schnippert
LOS ANGELES, California--Ninety elders' wives met Sept. 4 to 6 at the Renaissance Hotel for the first elders' wives conference.
The conference, organized by Jannice May, included six women from England, five from Canada and four from the Caribbean. They learned about living the role of a minister's wife. The theme of "bonding and connecting in the presence of God" was expanded by several guest speakers.
The conference opened Friday night after a reception and worship music by the Oasis Praise Band from Pasadena.
Curtis May, regional pastor for the Southern California and Hawaii region, made opening remarks. This was followed by a talk from Dan Rogers, superintendent of ministers.
Tammy Tkach spoke about things to be thankful for, especially God's unconditional love, and how we need to be in community with our sisters.
After a buffet breakfast Saturday morning, the meetings for the day started as they all would, with scripture readings, worship singing and special music.
Lorraine Pelley, a minister's wife from Rhode Island, was the music leader for the weekend.
Kathleen Hart, chaplain to
student wives at Fuller Theological Seminary, had the first message.
She first covered the advantages and disadvantages of being a minister's wife, the qualities needed to be effective, feelings and emotions one has to deal with, and the needs of wives in the ministry.
She also went over questions we can ask that keep us honest before God. The bottom line is that "there is no problem greater than God."
Jan Johnson, an award-winning author, took
the next hour to discuss the "Lone Ranger Myth" in women's ministry, which is
that pastors' wives can't have friends or tell anyone their problems.
She explained how Christ spent a lot of time building community, and that we all need it in our lives with our mates, our friends and the church members. We must stay vulnerable to people and surrender our need to change and control them.
The ladies started the afternoon by hearing from a third guest speaker, Sharon Hart Morris, the daughter of Kathleen Hart.
She is working on a Ph.D. in marriage and family therapy at Fuller Graduate School of Psychology.
She told the story of her husband's death last year in a car wreck at age 36, and how in spite of life's trials and traumas, God will always bring you into a "good land" as described in Deuteronomy 8:1-18. Her main point was that God values us women as treasured possessions in process.
Her talk was followed by another message from Jan Johnson, who discussed a second myth about ministers' wives, which is that they are supposed to be like caulking guns, always filling the cracks so nothing will leak.
Her main point was that we have a responsibility to find our calling and a purpose in life. "Let your heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God." She gave several points on how to be attentive to God's creative process.
After dinner that evening, the women returned for an open discussion that included talks from a panel of five longtime minister's wives: Virginia Rice, Norva Kelly, Marge Friddle, Pat Halford and Helen Jackson. These women represent 161.5 years as ministers' wives, and their speeches reflected a wealth of experience and understanding.
Sunday, Sept. 6, was another full day of worship, music, speeches and closing remarks.
Kathleen Hart spoke first, and the title of her talk was "A Heart Set on God." She stressed that life is a vapor, so we must make sure our choices of action reflect Christ. You must receive God's love and let that love speak for you, she said.
Jan Johnson presented a third myth about pastors' wives in her final talk, which was that the pastor and his spouse are like "spiritual pixies" and have the perfect life. She urged us to seek a spiritual discipline such as meditation to help us connect with God. The ladies then had a question and answer session with Mrs. Hart and Mrs. Johnson.
After dinner, everyone met again. After worship music and two solos, Pastor General Joseph Tkach conducted a question and answer session.
This was followed by a final talk by Dan Rogers. The question he asked and then answered was "how does our church view the role of the elders' wives? The truth is there is no preconceived mold for the pastors' wives other than the mold of Christ. Put God's expectations of you first and be the best of who you are.
Finally, Curtis May with the help of Barbara Rogers and Tammy Tkach led a communion service.
The conference concluded with the song, "Go Light Your World," while a dozen ladies lit candles.
From left: Martha Quakenbush, Jonnie Perry,
Marge Friddle and Gwen Deshong.
[Photos by Susi Albrecht]
From left: Carmelita Dizon, Rose Neumann,
Madeline Wesst and Barb Edwards.
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CORONA, California--The Southern California Women's Ministry Planning Council was host to 110 women at a one day retreat Aug. 22 called Seasons of a Woman.
The morning began with a praise service provided by the Orange County congregation's praise team. Next, Thelma Davies introduced the keynote talk given by Julia Staton.
Mrs. Staton is pastor of adult ministries for Crossroads Community Church and author of a book titled What the Bible Says About Women.
She shared background information on the New Testament and how women were treated, and showed why Jesus Christ was considered radical for his kind and loving treatment of women.
After the keynote address, Mitzie Farmer shared how the Holy Spirit changed her life. Sylvia Ramos spoke on how it took a hurricane to humble her. Valerie Carroll spoke on having a unbeliever husband. Sharon Hunter shared her story of being reunited with her birth daughter 37 years after giving her up for adoption.
The women then worked on a craft project by beginning to create a memory book of photos.
The host Corona congregation prepared a catered lunch.
After lunch, the women broke into small groups for Bible study and discussion. The groups were on emotions by Colleen Guerrette; the Holy Spirit by Mitzie Farmer; being a good mother-in-law by Karla Diehl; a mother's love by Brenda Townsend; grandparenting by Pam Waian; prayer by Jan Roemer; being beautiful inside and out by Ruth Plache; putting on the full armor of God by Lisa Smith; and a group for the teen girls on God's power by Amy and Amber Sinner.
To conclude the day, Karla Diehl conducted an intercessory prayer time for anyone needing prayers.
Deena Murray invited the women to the Lord's Table for a communion service, and Terry Davis closed the day by having the women stand in a circle for two closing songs of praise for God.
Seasons of a Woman was a wonderful day, with the emphasis and focus of the women on Jesus Christ.
As one woman put it, "God must be smiling in heaven at us." Deena Murray.
BRADENTON--The registration deadline for the Nov. 6 to 8 Women, Arise and Renew the Spirit retreat has been extended. See the August WN or contact Lorna Peterson at SBMINC@aol.com or call 1-727-392-0828. The fee is $35.
By Patrick Fearon
FREEPORT, Bahamas--The Worldwide Church of God in the Caribbean looks quite different than it did a decade or so ago.
The new look includes a more intimate walk with Jesus, more meaningful inreach and outreach involvement, smaller church size, and a more hands-on practical involvement on the part of the general membership of men, women and children, who are actively making a difference for the kingdom of God.
It is an encouraging picture of new spiritual life and vitality--in spite of the fact that the region has experienced its share of birth pangs during our passage from where we were, to where we are now.
A prominent presence in our congregations today is small, solid, Christ-centered, core groups around which a healthy church can thrive.
These have taken root and are sprouting healthy shoots across the region. They include healthy prayer groups as well as other small, service-oriented groups.
Ministries are growing as more and more members are finding and using their gifts to further the role of the church in the lives of members and in community life.
This is true irrespective of size of individual congregations--be they in the hundreds as in Bridgetown, Barbados, or an average of 30, as in Kingstown, St. Vincent.
An active prayer group of nine members in the Roseau, Dominica, congregation faithfully meets each Wednesday, and is well into its second year of active prayer ministry.
In Freeport, Bahamas, the congregation has consistently provided about 50 meals for needy people in the community one Sunday each month for the past 12 months.
The new face of the WCG in the region includes greater warmth and friendliness in congregations. In St. George's, Grenada, Peter Hosten, who returned to the fellowship, attributed his return to a genuine warmth that is evident in the congregation.
It is not surprising then that the same congregation also sees new people coming to services through relational evangelism. Family members and friends are seeing something that is positively drawing their attention and their presence to the fellowship.
Relationships are sprouting both intradenominationally and inter-denominationally. Within the past year, groups of WCG members from the French Caribbean have visited their counterparts in St. Lucia and Dominica. The French-Caribbean members have in turn received visits from their fellow Christians from Trinidad and Tobago.
Jack Brunet, who pastors congregations in Martinique and Guadeloupe, has played a key role in the development of this bond.
Interdenominational bonds are thriving in the region. WCG members in Nassau, Bahamas, participated in a family day activity April 13 with All Saints Church on New Providence Island. The event, which included a game of volleyball as well as Christian fellowship, was aired live on an area radio station.
In Hamilton, Bermuda, pastor Cecil Pulley has spoken at a Methodist church.
In Freeport, Bahamas, pastor Patrick Fearon has spoken at a Presbyterian church on several occasions. These two Freeport churches have also met for joint services on a few occasions for both Saturday and Sunday services, and were mentioned at an April 21 meeting of the Grand Bahama Christian Council as being in the forefront of fostering unity among denominations.
Women's ministry is having a powerful effect on the lives of many throughout the region, and most of the congregations have an active women's ministry program.
The women's groups are a great source of support within and without the church. In St. Lucia, a women's group conducts an outreach ministry that ministers to the needy in the community. In Grenada, the women's team meets each Tuesday for prayer. They also conduct fund-raising activities--from which half of the proceeds go toward the Grenada church-building fund.
The Freeport women's ministry supports the children's ministry through fund-raising activities and lends its services to organizations such as the Red Cross. The pattern is similar in other churches throughout the region.
Eighty women in the southern Caribbean attended an inspiring women's retreat in Barbados, June 5 to 7. Joining the women from Barbados were women from Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Trinidad and Tobago.
A few women from other Christian denominations also participated in the event, which included evenings spent in praises and prayer, personal testimonies and the sharing of God's awesome goodness--all of which inspired many. Old friendships were rekindled, others were newly made.
Some of our congregations now have their own buildings, while others are embarking on this path toward a more visible and permanent presence in the communities. From these bases, much evangelism and community involvement can be launched.
In Arima, Trinidad, 1,000 community members of all ages participated in a grand fair put on in May by the Arima congregation at the church's building.
On the day of the fair, about 30 WCG youths and parents kicked off the activity at 7 a.m. with a walkathon around a stadium. During the walkathon the youths carried a banner advertising the church.
Flyers that invited people to the fair later that day were handed out. Radio and the print media also advertised the event. Area churches were also invited. The event was so successful that the members plan to make it a yearly event.
The Nassau church also has its own building. Properties have been acquired in Bermuda and Jamaica. In Antigua the church is negotiating the acquisition of property.
A British-Caribbean magazine is distributed among hundreds of readers throughout the Caribbean. A Caribbean edition of The Worldwide News is also shared among members in the community by some of our congregations.
In Barbados, Clifton Charles, who pastors several congregations in the southern Caribbean, presents a weekly radio program on Sunday mornings. A theme of the program is "Life Is a challenge! Don't be overwhelmed by it. God's Word provides direction and support for facing the challenge."
Other developments in the region include greater emphasis on team ministry and continued training for salaried and nonsalaried leaders in the region.
Greater team cooperation among congregational leaders is especially visible in several of the islands that do not have a full-time pastor, and where teams of nonsalaried leaders do much of the work.
In July, 12 leaders from the region attended a pastors conference in Pasadena. During the past year, leaders from the region also attended major U.S-based conferences on evangelism and church development.
These include conferences sponsored by Willow Creek Community Church, Billy Graham School of Evangelism and Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church.
The WCG in the Caribbean does look different than it did a decade ago. Thanks to Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior who, through his grace, mercy and love is drawing us closer to him and leading us into greater accomplishments for the kingdom, in spite of our imperfections.
One way to summarize what has been happening in WCG congregations is to look at what regional director Charles Fleming emphasizes at subregional conferences.
This involves our churches seeking to know what our Savior, Lord and Master--Jesus Christ--is now asking of us as a denomination. Based on Jesus' letters to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus is showing us (a) things to hold fast to, (b) things to let go of and (c) things to acquire.
As the churches are seeing what Jesus now desires in the new covenant walk with him, many are responding to his exhortation, and a refreshing new WCG is emerging.
Fund-raising car wash in Freeport, Bahamas
Church hall in Arima, Trinidad
Youths in Bridgetown, Barbados
Chorale in Nassau, Bahamas
By Randal Dick
Last month I described the apostolic approach to spreading the gospel. Because our seed has been so widely scattered, there is a huge potential harvest, provided we multiply the necessary gifted leadership. The chart below is designed to show you the fruit of new leadership that has come into being in the last two to four years, and is currently functioning at the congregational level.
This graphic:
* Is not complete
* Shows only new leadership and not our hundreds of excellent, faithful, longstanding pastors and leaders
* Is not an organizational chart
* Is intended to demonstrate the effectiveness of the apostolic principles and how comparatively small investments of personnel and money can produce exponential results (Matthew 13:23)
Jacques Brunet is an interesting example of how an apostolic type leader can be effective over a wide area--from Madagascar to French Guyana. Wherever Jacques is, leaders begin to multiply.
* Indicates an existing pastor. The existing pastor who becomes a multiplier deserves a great deal of credit for being willing to relearn. Our faithful pastors train to be shepherds. The two roles are widely divergent, they involve an unlearning-relearning process that can be a real challenge.
The Philippines is a remarkable example of multiplying leadership. It does not show as much because there are many well established congregations and in most cases the new leadership is functioning within existing congregations in the form of cell groups and a variety of ministries. This graphic shows the congregational level.
Carlos Tavares' limb would be the largest of all if it were fully displayed. Unfortunately, the renewed war in Angola has caused us to lose contact again with some of the leaders.//There are currently 30 WCG ordained ministers or leaders with another 15 who are awaiting ordination at Carlos' next visit. Jacques Brunet was the first multiplier to be involved with Angola.
Artwork by Bruce Hedges
By Alyssa Akers
We first met three weeks earlier, and now, even though we're scattered all over the United States, we're inseparable.
We came from as far as North Pole, Alaska; Huntsville, Texas; and Murray Hill, New Jersey.
For a short but intense two and a half weeks, July 31 to Aug. 17, we served God with our Asian brothers and sisters in Singapore and Malaysia together as one body. We are Team America--Don't Hold Back (DHB).
The 17 team members were selected by a committee from Youth for Christ (YFC) in March. The committee prayed over who God wanted to send. They believe each member was there for a reason and handpicked by God. This humbled me and made me wonder why he wanted me there.
July 31, we met in Denver, Colorado. It's amazing how fast we jelled. By day one we were a team.
Each one of us had either musical or dramatic abilities, so YFC sent in a drama and music coach to help us perform songs and skits.
We used these tools to reach Christians and non-Christians in the Asia Pacific region.
In Denver, we had four days to practice music and drama as well as to physically, mentally and spiritually prepare ourselves for our cross-cultural experience.
It's awesome how God worked with us by binding us together and helping us to master our songs and skits by the second or third run-through.
After our long flight to Singapore and a short night, we spent one day of sight-seeing.
Then we put our dramas and music aside to attend the ASPIRE '98 conference. ASPIRE was a combination of YFC's DC/LA and InterVarsity's Urbana conferences for high school and college-aged students in the Asia Pacific region. It focused on evangelism and missions, placing emphasis on the 10/40 window (a region from 10 degrees north to 40 degrees south latitude that is a focus of evangelistic efforts).
More than 500 delegates from 19 countries attended. I enjoyed seeing people from so many nations joining together to worship and pray to the same God, sometimes even in numerous languages at the same time.
Most of the time, we didn't just socialize with people from our own country. I would look out at the audience and see Americans spread out over the entire room. We weren't confined to our own culture and language. God tore down the would-be barriers between the different people groups, and the rewards were awesome
After the conference, we put to use our dramatic and musical talents during the latter portion of our trip. We performed at two ITEs (Institutes of Technical Engineering, a type of pre-university) in Singapore.
Since it was a public show, and Muslims were in the audience, we weren't allowed to openly share Christ, but we provided a message of hope and left them wanting to know more.
Singapore YFC will be able to follow up with some of those in attendance. After the show, we were swamped with people asking for our autographs--they thought we were professionals!
When we told them we had only been together about two weeks, they were astonished. But it was God who did it, not us, and through much prayer, we were able to remain their humble servants.
Friday, Aug. 14, we left for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The day after our arrival, we put on an evangelistic concert at a university with the help of a performing arts team from Singapore.
Since tickets were sold only to non-Muslims, we were free to share testimonies, the gospel message and give an invitation at the end.
Fewer came than we expected, but out of about 150 who returned the response sheets, most of whom were already Christian, five made first-time commitments to Jesus and four wanted to know more about him.
The concert also opened the door for Malaysia YFC to reach more young people.
Don't Hold Back (DHB) was also able to perform in three churches in the Kuala Lumpur area, giving more exhortative messages to Christian audiences. The Holy Spirit moved powerfully at these meetings.
Some of my favorite memories of the trip were spending time with the people afterward, learning not only about each other's culture, but about each other.
The last time Team America met as a group in Malaysia was a time to remember. We spent about an hour and a half talking about the whole trip, sharing specific praises to God, and praying.
God was with us throughout the trip and he revealed himself to us in many ways, but two tangible miracles stood out that placed a special edge on the whole thing.
Between performances at the two ITEs, another of our leaders, Sumi Flanagan, left her bag, which contained her passport, money and plane tickets, on the subway. We prayed long and hard about it and upon arriving at the second ITE, she got word that it had been found 30 stations away and was with the conductor who, incidentally, was a Christian.
The other miracle happened to me. Somewhere between Hong Kong and San Francisco I lost my plane ticket home to Burbank, California. I was told there would be a $75 replacement fee. I started to get out my wallet, but they started asking me questions such as, "You're just going home, right?" and "do you have a receipt or anything?"
I did have a receipt and they found my name in the computer. After a couple of "should we's?" to each other, they decided to give me a boarding pass at no extra charge. I was blown away!
The trip was a complete success, but only because of the Almighty God who had it in his will to begin with and made the whole thing possible. It was through much prayer that we were able to accomplish all that was done.
To God be the glory!
Team America's Singapore Youth for Christ hosts
SINGAPORE DELICACY--Casey Stanley eats a
durian--a Singaporean delicacy.
Ron Kelly joins
Finance & Planning team
By Bernie Schnippert
Once again, greetings from the office of Finance & Planning.
You may notice a slightly different title to our column--it used to be "Update From the Treasurer."
The reason for this change is because we have asked Ron Kelly to assume the functions of controller. Ron and I will share this monthly column, so we felt an update from the overall financial operations would be a more appropriate title.
My responsibilities as treasurer have included the major undertaking to sell our Texas and California properties. As you may have already read on page 3, the Ambassador University campus in Big Sandy has entered into escrow.
For the past several months we have been negotiating with several interested parties. That has consumed much of my time. Continuing dialogue, legal matters, agreements, phone calls and a host of related items are still required over the next several months as we move toward completion of the sale.
In addition, interest in the Pasadena campus continues at a good pace. We anticipate a great deal of time will now be devoted to this important project. When we enter into contract negotiations, almost all my time will be devoted to the sale and the future movement of church headquarters to new facilities.
And as the sale process continues, my time will be further devoted to establishing a pension plan for church employees. The church has never had a pension plan.
The church board feels a moral and ethical obligation to our many longtime employees who are now receiving gratuitous assistance, as well as all current employees who should have the appropriate benefit of a sound pension program.
We'll be discussing this topic more with you in future columns.
This means we needed someone to fill the shoes of controller. I talked this over with Pastor General Joseph Tkach and Dan Rogers, superintendent of ministers, who both agreed Ron Kelly was the man for the job.
Ron brings with him a wealth of experience in virtually all operations of the church. He has served as a church pastor, college faculty member and administrator, Editorial director, World Tomorrow television presenter and most recently as manager of Pastoral Development. We have every confidence Ron will do a fine job. Ron has a master's degree in organizational management. Not only does he have the experience we needed, but the educational background, as well.
I wanted to introduce you to Ron in this month's column as he will begin to write much of the update materials. I know he will appreciate your prayers as he takes on new challenges.
So for the remainder of the update this month I'll turn you over to Ron Kelly.
By Ron KellyI know you all have appreciated understanding the finances of the church in Bernie Schnippert's column the past couple of years.
Never before have our members had this much news of the income, budget needs and expenses of the church. It will also be my intent to keep you fully apprised of our financial circumstances.
As I take on this new job, it is with a certain sense of awe. To be responsible for the financial affairs of our church is almost overwhelming.
The past few years have been the most challenging since Mr. Armstrong moved church headquarters from Oregon to California in the late 1940s and early '50s.
By the time I came to Ambassador in 1956, the church's income had begun to stabilize and was growing every year. We had many financial ups and downs between then and now, but never the kind of downs we have experienced the past few years.
So it is with some trepidation I take over the office of controller. However, in faith I know our Lord and Savior is with us. And I know you loyal members of the WCG will do everything you can to provide the financial stability we need in the coming years ahead.
Our tithes and offerings are a special part of our worship to our Creator. He provides for our needs and we express our love and appreciation by supporting the church.
We in the WCG are but a small part of the work of God, but we are privileged to be part of it.
I'm sure most of you feel as we do in Pasadena that God has led us on this incredible journey as a fellowship and he has plans to use that journey for his glory and honor in even more meaningful ways in the coming years.
We solicit your continued prayers for the successful completion of the sale of the Big Sandy campus. Many weeks of feasibility study and due diligence considerations are now under way. If all goes well, when those studies are satisfactorily completed, escrow will close.
Because we have never had a pension plan, the proceeds of the Big Sandy sale will be earmarked to that project.
I pray our members will not feel that the campus sale will mean regular contributions are not as important. Only your regular, generous donations make it possible for the church to weather the severe fallout of declining income as so many of our beloved brothers and sisters stepped away from our fellowship.
As you will see in the accompanying graphs, our late summer income has taken another downturn.
August ended with a daily average income of just $97,420. Remember our budget is $110,000 a day. The year-to-date income is $106,704. And to cause me pain in my first week on the job, the month of September is off to a slow start.
I pray that in our traditional offerings during the fall festival season you will express your financial care for the needs of the church as you have always done in the past.
Even though we understand the festivals in a different light, it is still appropriate to express our love for the church in this traditional manner.
I'll let this wrap up my first contact with you. I look forward to serving all of you as the church controller. I hope to see many of you in person as we cross paths on church visits or when you come to Pasadena. All of us here pray daily for you faithful members. We love you dearly and consider it a privilege to serve in the work of God with you.
A survey conducted of some members who have traveled internationally during the last two years for the Festivals showed high interest in cruises to Alaska and in the Mediterranean, as well as a tour to China.
Because of this, three tour and worship opportunities will be offered for 1999. More specific activities will be announced as people send deposits for each program and group size is determined.
(Inside passage: Vancouver to Vancouver, May 17 to 24)
Since the Alaska sailing season ends in September, a cruise that corresponds to the traditional Festival dates is not possible for four years. So, a May sailing to include the festival of Pentecost was selected.
This cruise aboard Holland America's Veendam embraces the thousand-mile Inside Passage and Glacier Bay. The Veendam is five years old and is almost identical to the MS Ryndam, the ship of the 1997 Caribbean cruise and this year's Panama Canal cruise.
Prices include a 50 percent discount.
Inside cabins: $866, $919, $953, $986, $1019, $1,053. Outside cabins: $1,033, $1,106, $1,166, $1,226, $1,279, $1,346, $1,379. Veranda: $1,879, $1,979. Suite: $3,907. Penthouse: $6,130.
(Empires of the Black Sea: Venice to Istanbul Sept. 22 to Oct. 4)
The Empires of the Black Sea cruise combines Holland America's Flagship Forum lecture series and a sailing that includes the traditional Festival dates.
The cruise starts in Venice and includes stops in Athens, Ephesus, Odessa, Yalta and Istanbul. It combines cities visited by the apostle Paul and the land of Chekhov, Tolstoy and Rachmaninoff.
This is supplemented with lectures by Holland America's guest lecturer, Colonel James W. Reid. His lecture From Classical Greece to Tsarist Romanovs will give informative background for this cruise.
Prices includes a 35 percent discount for members. Inside cabins: $2,535, $2,626, $2,717, $2,808, $2,899. Outside cabins: $3,010, $3,068, $3,133, $3,192, $3,250, $3,315, $3,374. Veranda: $4,446, $4,602. Suite: $6,601. Penthouse: $12,999.
(From Los Angeles, home city airfare available, Sept. 23 to Oct. 3)
We have made arrangements through the Soong Ching Ling Foundation (SCLF).
They have included a grand canal cruise, an acrobatic show, museum tours, a meeting with Archbishop Ding Guangshun and visits with fellow Christians in Shanghai, Nanjing and Beijing.
Itinerary
Sept. 23: Depart Los Angeles.
Sept. 24: Arrive Shanghai.
Sept. 25: Shanghai: Yu Garden, Shanghai museum and Children's Palace. Acrobatic show in evening.
Sept. 26: Morning visit to church. Afternoon train for Suzhou. Tiger Hill and Silk Embroidery Research Center.
Sept. 27: Suzhou: Ancient Grand Canal cruise. Train to Nanjing.
Sept. 28: Nanjing: Sunyatsen's Mausoleum and Ancient City Wall. Afternoon: China Church Seminary and Archbishop Ding Guangshun.
Sept. 29: Fly to Beijing. Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.
Sept. 30: Beijing: the Great Wall and Summer Palace.
Oct. 1: Beijing: Temple of Heaven and Yonhe Lama Monastery.
Oct. 2: Beijing: visit local church. Closing worship service.
Oct. 03: Departure to Los Angeles.
Xian extension
Oct. 03: Flight to Xian. Big-small Wildgoose Pagoda and city wall.
Oct. 04: Xian: Terra Cotta Warriors Museum, The Mosque and the Provincial Museum.
Oct. 05: Fly to Beijing, connect to flight for Los Angeles.
The cost for this tour is $2,195, which includes the Festival fee. The Xian extension price is $525. Prices are per person double occupancy. Single supplement and children's prices are available.
For more information on any of the above tours fill out the coupon or call Travel Gallery at 1-800-858-6999 or send electronic mail to info@travelgallery.com)
Reservation Form for Cruise '99 or China '99
Name:
Address:
City: State: Zip code:
Home phone: Day phone:
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Please send me information and booking instructions for
* Alaska Cruise * Mediterranean Cruise * China Cultural Exchange
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Mail to: Worldwide Church of God, Cruise/China '99, 300 W. Green St., Pasadena, California, 91123
The theme for our Festival of Tabernacles this year is "Come--Celebrate Christ." A Savior is certainly someone worth celebrating. Christians have been celebrating Christ for almost 2,000 years.
To commemorate and celebrate the Savior, most Christians have observed annual memorials of various events in the life of Jesus Christ. Some celebrate his birth, baptism, transfiguration, triumphal entry, Last Supper, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension. Scripture tells us when some of these events happened; others are commemorated with dates that have become traditional.
This worship calendar was useful for the needs of the Christian church. Since many early Christians were unable to read the Scriptures, the yearly cycle of worship days helped people remember the biblical stories about Jesus.
Of all events in Jesus' life, three stand out as most significant and most celebrated: his birth, death and resurrection. These are doctrinally significant. His birth illustrates his humanity; his death makes salvation possible for us; his resurrection illustrates his glory and our future resurrection to glory.
In future studies, we will look at the importance of Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. In this study we focus on the importance of his incarnation--the fact that he was a human, with human flesh. In order to save us, it was necessary for Jesus to be born and to die as a human.
1. What was one of the specific heresies that John warns us about? 2 John 7. What is the true teaching about Jesus? 1 John 4:1-3. How does John phrase it in his Gospel? John 1:14.
Comment: John begins the story of Jesus by talking about "the Word"--a being who was both with God and who was God (verse 1). The Word was the Creator (verse 3), and he had both light and life (verse 4).
The Word came into the world, but the world did not accept him (verses 9-11). But some people did accept him, and the Word enabled believers to be born as children of God (verses 12-13).
The Word--this eternal being who had life within himself--became flesh. The immortal became mortal. The Creator became as one of the created. These concepts contradicted everything the Jews and Greeks had thought about God, and many people could not accept these ideas. They could not believe that God had become human.
Some people tried to resolve the logical problem by saying that Jesus was not God. Others taught that Jesus wasn't really human. But the apostle John tells us boldly that the Word became flesh. This concept is so important, he says, that anyone who teaches otherwise is an antichrist. This doctrine is one of the few that the New Testament says is essential to the faith.
John is saying that God became fleshly. This is the basis of the doctrine of the Incarnation, the teaching that God the Word was made flesh. Jesus was not only God, but also a flesh-and-blood human--God in the flesh. This teaching is central to the Christian faith.
The Word became flesh--"and made his dwelling among us," John tells us. A literal translation says that "he pitched his tent among us"--the Greek original uses the word for tent or tabernacle. The Word had a temporary dwelling, a mortal body (Paul also compares our body to a tent in 2 Cor. 5:1-9).
We have seen the evidence, John says. We have touched him and talked with him (1 John 1:1). We have seen both his humanity and his divine glory.
2. In what ways did Jesus have human weaknesses and limitations? Matt. 4:2; John 4:6; 19:28. What emotions did he have? John 11:33-35; 12:27; 13:21; Matt. 8:10; 26:38; Mark 3:5; 6:6; 10:14; Luke 10:21; Heb. 5:7. In how many ways did he grow? Luke 2:52; Heb. 5:8. Did he have to grow in intelligence?
Comment: Jesus began life as a fetus, helpless. He lived as a baby, crying when hungry, fussing when he was uncomfortable. As a child, he had to learn to crawl, and then to walk and run. He learned to talk just as other children do. He had to learn words and grammar of Aramaic, Greek and Hebrew. He had to learn about the physical world around him, farming, weather and the history of his own people. He was human physically, intellectually and emotionally.
In the process of learning, Jesus would have made mistakes. He would fall down when learning to walk, make grammatical errors when learning to talk, make measurement mistakes when learning to be a carpenter. Making mistakes with facts such as these is not a sin, and we have no biblical or theological reason to think that Jesus never made such mistakes. This is part of life in the flesh.
In contrast to factual mistakes, Jesus never made moral mistakes. He never committed a sin. This is a reflection of his divine nature. Although Jesus did not know everything (Mark 13:32), he knew his limitations, and he did not teach errors. He was full of truth; he is the truth (John 1:14; 14:6).
3. Did Jesus sin? 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15. Is he called God? John 1:1, 18; 20:28; Rom. 9:5; Titus 2:13; Heb. 1:8; 2 Peter 1:1. Is he our Creator? John 1:3; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2. Does he reveal to us what God is really like? John 14:9; Col. 2:9. Is he worthy of our worship? Phil. 2:10-11; Rev. 5:12-14.
4. Even after his resurrection, did Jesus have flesh? Luke 24:39. How did he prove it? Verses 42-43; John 20:27. Did he rise into heaven with a body, and will he return in the same way? Acts 1:9-11. Is he even now called a man, a human? 1 Tim. 2:5.
Comment: Some scriptures tell us that Jesus is God; others tell us that he was and is human. He was God in the flesh--God made incarnate--a God-man. Jesus shows us that God is not just an idea or a list of doctrines, but a person--not a far-off person, but one who wants a relationship with humans.
To make this relationship possible, the Son of God humbled himself to become a human. Jesus is the best example of God we can see in this life--so much so that if we reject Jesus, then we are also rejecting God.
If Jesus were not God, he could not save us. If he were not human, he could not pay our penalty for us. We may not understand exactly how he did it, but we recognize that our salvation depends on Jesus being both God and human. Let us see some reasons that his humanity is important.
5. Was it necessary for Jesus to be a human? Heb. 2:17. Does his experience as a human enable him to help us? Verse 18. As both God and human, is he uniquely qualified to be a High Priest, a mediator between God and humans? Heb. 4:15; 1 Tim. 2:5. Are we made righteous through the obedience of a human? Rom. 5:18-19.
6. Does he set an example for us? 1 John 2:6; 1 Pet. 2:21. Is he the pattern for our spiritual life? Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18; Gal. 4:19; Heb. 12:2-3. Does his example even carry over into our future glory? 1 Cor. 15:48-49; 1 John 3:2.
Comment: It was as a human that Jesus paid the penalty of human sin. Because he is saving humans, "he had to be made like his brothers in every way" (Heb. 2:17). As a perfectly righteous human, and as our Creator, he could pay for everyone's sins through his one sacrifice.
And through his experiences as a human, through his lifelong struggles with temptations, he is able to serve more effectively as our High Priest. He was tempted in every way, and he suffered when he was tempted. We can therefore be confident that he understands us when we struggle with our temptations and look to him for the help and grace we need.
"Being human, Jesus could not conquer temptation without a struggle, but being divine it was his nature to do his Father's will (John 5:19, 30), and therefore to resist and fight temptation until he had overcome it. From Gethsemane we may infer that his struggles were sometimes more acute and agonizing that any we ever know" (J.I. Packer, Concise Theology, Tyndale, 1993, p. 110).
Jesus is the perfect role model for us. He shows us what it is to be fully human, fully in touch with God's purpose for our lives. When God first made humans, he declared them "very good." Jesus Christ proves that nothing is morally wrong with having flesh, with having weakness, with being mortal.
Jesus had human nature. The reason that all humans have sinned is not because there is anything wrong with the way God made us, but because humans have chosen to misuse what God made. Jesus has shown what human nature could and should be.
God intended that humans rule over creation, and through the human Jesus Christ, humans will indeed rule over creation (Heb. 2:8). It is because of Jesus' obedience as a human, as the Second Adam, that we are made righteous and therefore qualified to rule with him.
Two moments in Jesus' life illustrate his humanity most clearly: his birth and his death. We will look at his death in our next study; let us now look briefly at his birth. Although his human life began with his conception, it was at his birth that he became visible.
7. Was Jesus conceived in a miraculous way, in a virgin? Matt. 1:18-23. What was his significance? Verses 21, 23. How does Luke describe the events? Luke 1:26-35. Was Jesus born in a place of glory, or of humility? Luke 2:4-7. Did the angels sing praises for this event in God's plan of salvation? Verse 14. Did angels sing for any other events?
Comment: Since the incarnation was essential for our salvation, we praise God for it. Indeed, at least one passage in Scripture appears to be a song in celebration of Jesus' willingness to humble himself for our salvation (Phil. 2:6-11).
God became human--what a miracle! "It is by far the most amazing miracle of the entire Bible.... The fact that the infinite, omnipotent, eternal Son of God could become man and join himself to a human nature ... will remain for eternity the most profound miracle and the most profound mystery in all the universe" (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, Zondervan, 1994, p. 563).
Michael Morrison
Bibliography
Athanasius. On the Incarnation. St. Vladimir's, 1961.
Bruce, F.F. Jesus: Lord and Savior. InterVarsity, 1986.
Erickson, Millard. The Word Became Flesh. Baker, 1991.
McGrath, Alister. Understanding Jesus. Zondervan, 1987.
Wells, David. The Person of Christ. Crossway, 1984.
By Craig Shrum
KHUST, Ukraine--Six WCG volunteers completed a two-month mission in Khust Aug. 3. Mission team members were Todd Couch, Carrie Fields, Douglas Hall, Kristy Henderson, Tonia Weik and myself.
We had post-mission meetings in England and gave a report to the Watford church, which commissioned us in prayer at the start of our journey to Ukraine in May.
God gave us many opportunities for evangelism in Khust, both formally and informally. Our work on the Ukraine Mission has always targeted young people, and this year we added several programs geared toward them.
Several times a week, we had Bible discussion groups, usually attended by four to six teens. Topics included prayer, friendship with God through Jesus Christ, and using the Bible as a guide for daily living.
Thursday evenings we had prayer meetings to ask for God's intervention in problems Ukraine faces.
The economy continues to worsen, with an inflation rate of 18 percent, and state workers (including teachers and doctors) have not received their regular salaries for eight months.
In addition to its economic problems, Ukraine is a country with great spiritual needs. After years of communism and atheism, people need something to believe in. Many times young people are not taught about God by their parents, because the parents themselves grew up in a godless society.
We prayed that a moderate speaker would be elected in parliament, rather than the communist candidates who were in the running. This prayer was answered.
We prayed for the healing of two girls' grandfathers who had undergone eye surgery. These prayers were also answered.
The greatest joy in these meetings was not the answers themselves, but the encouragement and faith that God's response brought to these young people, some of whom had not prayed before.
Also on Thursday evenings, we had English-Russian hymn sings. We taught the teens contemporary praise and worship songs in several languages. We used the hymn sing to teach them about our need to praise God, not only in song but also in how we live our lives. About 15 teens regularly attended the hymn sing.
On Friday afternoons, we had Christian video screenings for the teens. We showed the Matthew video as well as a video based on the life of Joseph.
Four days a week, we taught conversational English classes to 80 high school and junior high students. Our relationships with these students were the basis for the evangelism work we did this summer.
Twice, we conducted evangelism programs for our students. The programs included praise and worship, as well as exhortation. After the first evangelism program, we noticed that interest in the other Christian programs picked up.
One girl told Carrie: "I have been looking for God for a long time. You all have helped me find him." All mission team members used opportunities in class to discuss Jesus Christ and our belief in him.
A group of about six students has shown interest in continuing to meet for prayer and discussion after our mission team's departure. We and the Christians we know in Khust plan to support these young people in whatever ways we can.
Tonia and I returned to Ukraine Aug. 9 to follow up with these young people. In September, I traveled to eastern Ukraine to see about extending our mission programs there.
We're thankful to God for the work he's doing in Ukraine, for what he has taught us and for what he can and will do in the future. May he allow us in the WCG to continue to be a part of it.
KHUST BROTHERS--Three boys, all brothers, from
the Khust, Ukraine, church.
WCG VOLUNTEERS--Above photo, Todd Couch
teaches class. Below, Tonia Weik teaches students in
her English class.
John E. McKenna, senior editor of denominational publications, who also serves as president of the California Graduate School of Theology, traveled to Peru and Brazil in July to institute a doctor of ministry degree in an extended education program in South America.
Daniel Quintana, a representative of the Lima, Peru, WCG congregation, and two of his associates, attended two sessions of Dr. McKenna's classes. They met 15 Peruvian pastors of different evangelical backgrounds.
"It seemed that the Lord had prepared their meeting of one another, so warm was their reception and interaction with the Peruvian pastors," Dr. McKenna said.
Dr. McKenna felt that the introduction of these pastors to one another represented a new era of cooperation between them and a good step toward the future of the ministry of the gospel in South America.
Dr. McKenna also met with Mr. Quintana at the WCG's service in Lima July 11. He devoted three hours to a question and answer session. He noted that the questions showed astute theological concerns along with a great hunger for knowledge and wisdom of our God.
"It seems our local congregations are poised with a new enthusiasm for the new direction that the WCG is taking," Dr. McKenna said.
Mr. Quintana is an executive of a consulting engineering firm in Lima, and in this position he is well-versed in adding new dimensions to the Peruvian culture, and is surely poised to do the same with the gospel, Dr. McKenna said.
"He, along with his associates, should have no trouble finding the new direction in Lima for his congregation," Dr. McKenna said.
"With the newfound freedom of our local congregations and the freedom with which headquarters is able to relate to the church pastors, we may anticipate substantially new relationships that will contribute to the solid vision for the ministry."
Unfortunately, Dr. McKenna did not experience the same readiness and openness among Christian ministries when he continued on to Sao Paulo, Brazil.
"Roman Catholicism and evangelical Christianity in South America have stronger barriers between them than we understand in the United States," Dr. McKenna said.
"It may take a new generation to create those kinds of relationships that will enable Christianity in Brazil to realize a new kind of direction and unity."
But Dr. McKenna reports a growing willingness in the successful evangelical Korean community in Sao Paulo, led by pastor Jae Ho Park, and it is hoped that in the future WCG and Brazilian pastors can also experience what occurred in Lima.
"We would see the WCG playing an important role as a mediator between denominations that in the past have constructed strong barriers between themselves."
John McKenna (back, third from left) with ministers in Peru.
By Brenda Plonis
BOREHAMWOOD, England--In a whirlwind visit July 24 to 28, Pastor General Tkach met with the combined churches in northern England, members in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and the Summer Educational Program (SEP) in Loch Lomond, Scotland.
Mr. Tkach attended the annual general meeting of the church's U.K. board of directors, Friday, July 24. Then, he and John Halford, European regional director, met Joel Edwards, director of the Evangelical Alliance in the United Kingdom.
On the Sabbath, July 25, Mr. Tkach spoke in Manchester to about 250 members. In the evening, he flew to Belfast and on Sunday, he spoke to the members there.
Although members from Northern Ireland made up the bulk of the 155 people present, a sizeable contingent from the Irish Republic traveled considerable distances for the occasion.
As it was Mr. Tkach's first visit to Ireland, he spent part of the morning seeing the countryside and the city of Belfast. Although it was quiet, the stark nature of the city split by rival Christian groups was apparent. Mr. Tkach said it was a tragedy that such a beautiful country and such friendly people should be scarred by this conflict.
Bob Beggs led members in songs of praise. Mr. Tkach presented Samuel and Margaret Armstrong of the Ballymena, Northern Ireland, congregation with a bouquet and card to mark their 50th anniversary.
Then Mr. Tkach gave a sermon on the theology of suffering.
After the service, members enjoyed a buffet provided by the women of the Northern Ireland churches. Although the service had begun at 2 p.m., it was nearly 7 when Mr. Tkach left.
Mr. Tkach then flew to Glasgow, Scotland, and went on to visit SEP in Loch Lomond.
He visited the camp in the afternoon and evening when all of the campers arrived. He then addressed campers and staff Tuesday morning, July 28, on the issue of time.
He urged those present not to kill or waste time, but rather to use it wisely. He reminded them to take time to build a relationship with God and to talk with those who already know him well.
Mr. Tkach later said that SEP was one of the most beautiful places he'd ever visited and a great place to get to know God.
ANNIVERSARY GIFT--Mr. Tkach gives
bouquet of flowers to Samuel and Margaret Armstrong,
who celebrated their 50th anniversary.
SUMMER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM--From left,
Andrew Silcox, Joseph Tkach and John Halford.
ADDRESSING MEMBERS--Mr. Tkach gives update
before delivering sermon in Belfast, July 26.
AFTER SERVICES--Members engage in discussion with
Mr. Tkach about theology after services in Belfast, July 26.
Church Administration announced the following ordinations.
Edward Allen, Champaign, Illinois; Melvin Bailey, Klamath Falls, Oregon; Raleigh Blackman, Greenville, South Carolina; Donald Boddie, Copenhagen, Denmark; Lloyd Burgess, Antelope Valley, California.
James Colvin, Michigan City, Indiana; Galen Davenport, Huntsville, Alabama; Melvin Deraas, Duluth, Minnesota; John Farmer, Hemet, California; Prem Goolaup, Phoenix, Mauritius; Michael Houghton Sr., Elkhart and Michigan City, Indiana; Don Hussell, Huntington, West Virginia.
Del Leger, Grand Junction, Colorado; Gordon Lindquist, Duluth, Minnesota; Benny Maake, Pietersburg, South Africa; Brad McDowell, Antelope Valley, California; Kenny Mitchell, Antelope Valley, California; Allan Okaya-Jones, Homestead, Florida; Mark Swann, Clarksville, Tennessee; C. Jeffery Vallet, Logan, West Virginia; Larry Ward, Huntsville, Alabama; and Baron White, Hemet, California.
Ken Sparks is no longer pastor of the Bluefield and Summersville, West Virginia, churches. Mr. Sparks resigned his membership with the WCG.
Warren Wilson and Gary Endres will assist temporarily in those churches.
Church Administration launched a new round of conferences for the field ministry in Waupaca, Wisconsin, Aug. 21 to 23 and in Big Sandy, Texas, Sept. 11 to 13.
The Big Sandy conference, which took place on the former Ambassador University campus, included three regions: Big Sandy, Memphis and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
MOREHEAD CITY, North Carolina--No members were injured in August when Hurricane Bonnie, with sustained winds of 115 miles an hour, struck North Carolina.
"Our own town and the smaller surrounding towns have some water damage but not nearly as extensive as we have seen," said member Dixie Marino. "Wind damage seems to be minimal."
"Rainfall went to double digits in some areas, and many thousands were without electricity and water," Mrs. Marino continued. "Food stores had empty shelves, and most all stores were boarded up."
Three North Carolina congregations were in the path of the storm: Wilmington, with about 30 members, Jacksonville, 40 members, and New Bern, about 30 members.
PASADENA--Ron Kelly has been named controller in Finance & Planning.
Bernie Schnippert, director of Finance & Planning, said: "This allows me to delegate to Ron nearly all of the day-to-day internal financial matters of the church (including the supervision of the Computer Information Systems, Accounting and Human Resources departments), while I focus almost exclusively on the facilities sale, the much-desired retirement plan and certain other fundamental financial and organizational issues."
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Dorcas Taylor will continue to assist Mr. Kelly in his new responsibilities.
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In other Finance & Planning news, Nigel Bearman, the church's Accounting controller, accepted a position as a business analyst with Southern California Edison, an electrical utility.
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He was replaced by Lisa Huber, who will serve as Accounting manager and budget manager.
At a farewell party Aug. 19, Mr. Bearman said: "The last two years have been a happy work experience for me. "I will miss all of you. I have particularly appreciated the trust that Mssrs. Tkach, Albrecht and Schnippert have shown in me and the cooperative spirit and good humor that is the hallmark of those men and, in fact, of all the employees working here."
ELKHART, Indiana--One hundred forty members and guests of the Elkhart congregation gathered Aug. 1 to dedicate their newly leased church building and to celebrate 37 years of existence as a congregation.
"Members spent the month of July painting and recarpeting the church building as it had sat empty for more than a year," said the new pastor, Michael Houghton.
Lowell Blackwell, the former pastor, and several elders and deacons found the hall. The arrangements were finalized just before Mr. Blackwell retired in June.
The building has seating for about 180 in the main sanctuary and another 50 in an overflow and adult education room. It also has a nursery with a play area and a quiet area, a full commercial kitchen, fellowship hall and five classrooms.
ELKHART BUILDING--Elkhart, Indiana, members dedicate new building Aug. 1.
Students from B.O.L.D. Student Ministries (Being Our Lord's Disciples) spent July 21-26 working with Friend Ships at their Los Angeles Harbor site.
The students and their chaperons stayed on board the Faithful, which is being refitted as a children's hospital ship. They worked at the ministry's shipping yard crating supplies to be sent to a mission project in Roatan in the Caribbean. They also worked with the food warehouse that the ministry maintains.
Saturday, July 25, they worked with students from a Phoenix, Arizona, youth group to help distribute more than 150,000 pounds of food to Los Angeles area foodbanks.
Student workers were Alyssa Akers, Nathan Smith, Aaron Walton, Nathan Payne, Jessica Buschmann, Hillary Arend, Chelsea Arend and Eric Orr.
The International Day of Prayer, when thousands of churches will join to pray for our persecuted brethren, is Nov. 15.
During this time, The Bible League is sponsoring a Recycle Your Bible collection. You can contribute your unused Bibles and study aids, or provide new Bibles in the appropriate language at $4 each, or $1 for a New Testament. They can be sent to The Bible League, 16801 Van Dam Rd. South, Holland, Illinois, 60473.
For a resource kit and video (does not contain used Bible information) call 1-888-538-7772 or contact TBL representative Jeff Kolsch at 1-718-850-5237 or send him e-mail at JKolsch@aol.com for more details.
WICHITA, Kansas--Sixty members met Aug. 15 to form a new congregation in Wichita.
The service took place in the Clarion Airport Hotel with Ron Haines and Lyle Campbell giving the messages. This congregation was started as a program-based church for those not interested in a cell-based church.
Twelve former members attended and expressed a desire to continue attending. Faye Campbell.
PIKEVILLE, Tennessee--Christian singles are invited to Winterfest Weekend '98 at Fall Creek Falls State Park Dec. 24 to 27.
The park is near Interstates 24, 40 and 75. Cost for food, lodging and a dance Saturday night is $45.
Send a $25 nonrefundable deposit before Dec. 13 to Mollie Lay, 4101 Rugby Pike, Allardt, Tennessee, 38504-5011. Phone 1-931-879-6316.
Space is limited to the first 48 men and 48 women to apply. Your deposit confirms your space. Wayne P. Graves.
HEMET, California--The Hemet congregation, copastored by Baron White and John and Mitzie Farmer, took part in a Salsa Show-Off and Music Festival in May.
The event was sponsored by the area Christian community. Christian businesses, churches and ministries set up booths to display their products and promote their organizations.
The Hemet church displayed Mr. Tkach's book Transformed by Truth, the Millennial Madness video, magazines, and maps to their meeting location for worship services. Mitzie Farmer.
MASON CITY, Iowa--Ten members of the WCG, along with several others from the area, traveled to Des Moines June 12 and 13 to attend a Women of Faith--Bring Back the Joy conference.
Speakers gave the audience fits of laughter and only moments later brought them to tears while sharing their lives, describing trials and how Jesus helped them, making them stronger in their faith. Rhea Bender.
PIKEVILLE, Kentucky--The Pikeville Women Of Faith had their third tea and discussion July 26 with 25 women in attendance.
Visitors came from five other denominations in the area.
Debby Bailey, acting hostess, opened with prayer. Christine Stewart, worship leader, performed songs of praise and worship.
Speakers chose three topics for discussion that reflected on past periods and trials in their lives, and how they had dealt with and triumphed over their problems.
Janet Hall, guest speaker, and member of Freewill Baptist Church, spoke on fear and encouragement.
Peggy Montgomery of the WCG chose stress and the woman's body as her subject, while Christine Stewart's topic was our identity in Christ; facing and forgiving those who abuse us. Ruby Smith.
Pensacola, Florida, will be the site of a four-day Feast Oct. 9, 10, 11 and 12. Registration fees are $25 for singles and $35 for families.
A catered lunch Saturday will cost $10 for adults, $5 for children 4 to 10, and free for those 3 and younger.
A dance is planned for Saturday. For more information call John Young at 1-850-623-1401.
PASADENA--Jubilee Concert Series Inc., a nonprofit organization of WCG members devoted to helping the needy, formally opened its office June 15.
In attendance were Trudy Magee, chairperson; Leeardis Macklin, president; Walter Macklin, vice president and transportation; Willie R. Edwards, facilities manager; John Neypes, sick outreach; and Anna Macklin, corporate secretary and treasurer.
Those not in attendance were Dawn M. Merideth, production coordinator; Linn and Jean Hoadley, board of directors of outreach ministries; Brad and Rhonda McDowell, prison outreach; Colleen and Robert Easter, clothing outreach; and a host of volunteers.
Pastor General Joseph Tkach prayed for the success of Outreach Ministries.
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana--Video and audiotapes are available of the African-American Gala Event that took place July 4 and 5.
The event began with Saturday services that included two gospel choirs with members from several Christian community churches.
A praise dance was performed to We Shall Behold Him by Shelia Grady and Yvonne Battle. Messages were given by the copastors of the Indianapolis A.M. congregation, James Merriweather and Sam Willis.
The highlight of the weekend was a formal dance at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. Joan White of Chicago performed an American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation of Hero.
Also performing his own Christian rap composition was Joel McNair of Detroit. Music was provided by the Chicago Cosmopolitan Band.
The traditional theme song, Get Here if You Can was sung by Libby Walker of Cincinnati.
Cost per video (including shipping) is $18 and $10 for audio. Please make your checks payable to LCAF-Indianapolis A.M. and mail your requests by Oct. 31 to the Merriweathers, 2517 Tyrone Dr., Indianapolis, Indiana, 46222. Marion Merriweather and Linda Hack.
Copyright © Worldwide Church of God, 1998
