|
February 1999
|
Here is our February cover
The New Testament
has two basic rituals: baptism and the Lord's Supper--and there are no detailed
regulations for either, writes Joseph Tkach in this month's Personal.
Why these two? In a religion in which faith is primary, why have any rituals at all?
The primary reason, I believe, is that both the Lord's Supper and baptism picture the gospel of Jesus Christ. They rehearse the fundamental elements of our faith.
Baptism unites us with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection. Our salvation depends on his death and on his resurrection. Our forgiveness--being cleansed of sin--depends on his death; our Christian life and future depend on his resurrected life. Pages 8 and 9.
In Window on the
World, Randal Dick reports on persecution our members face in Bangladesh.
Mr. Dick received a communique from John Biswas, a WCG member and head of the Bengali Evangelistic Association.
Mr. Biswas writes: "On Dec. 19, a group of militants attacked two of our gospel workers while they were distributing gospel tracts, Bibles and meeting people. These ferocious men came with gun, knife and iron rods and harmed our gospel worker.
"Mr. Satya Biswas was badly beaten and ended up being admitted to the critical care unit in a hospital. This fanatic group also attempted to burn one of our worship centers (church) and to kill the caretaker, a national missionary, Mr. Peter Baroi.
"However, due to the intervention of local people, the church building was saved from being burned, and Peter was able to escape. They have burnt gospel tracts, literature and Bibles." Pages 12 and 13.
The weekend of Dec. 5
and 6 was a quiet, but significant milestone in the history of the WCG in Europe, writes
John Halford, regional director.
Thirteen men and women gathered in a hotel outside Brussels, Belgium, to discuss the next steps in our church's development on this continent.
For the past year or so, we have been discussing how we should organize the European branch of the WCG.
This is a time of great challenges, but also of great opportunities. We ask you to remember us in prayer, as we remember you. Pages 14 and 15.
Bernard W. Schnippert, church treasurer, gave the Big Sandy congregation a plaque of appreciation and commendation Dec. 12 and described the legacy that the brethren have contributed to and created during the past 45 years.
Because of the impending sale of the Ambassador University campus, the Big Sandy church began meeting at the Abundant Life Temple in Gladewater, Texas, Jan. 2. "The sale of this facility affects the local WCG congregation most," Dr. Schnippert said. "It's your home." Pages 18 and 19.
Income for December,
for only the fourth time this year, has been at or above budget, writes controller Ron
Kelly.
The daily average for December was $115,946. That made the daily average for the year $106,793.
As 1998 came to an end, I had to sit back and give our loving God gratitude for his bountiful love and blessings for the year.
So many thousands of you gave so generously during the year. Page 22.
On Jan. 15, Pastor General Joseph Tkach and church treasurer Bernie Schnippert announced that the church and a respected Southern California real estate developer had signed a mutual letter of intent for the purchase of the Pasadena campus by the developer.
The parties are confident that a formal purchase and sale agreement will be signed within a month or so, at which time an escrow will be opened.
During the escrow stage--which could last between one and two years--the buyer will seek and obtain the necessary approvals that are required in a transaction of this size and complexity, after which the closing will occur and the transaction will be complete.
While all real estate transactions are tentative until final closing, both parties are optimistic about the deal.
The buyer, which is in the business of real estate development and made its offer among other competitors, has requested that the purchase price remain confidential at this time.
Of course, after the closing the church will disclose the transaction and account for the funds on its audited financial report, which is made available to members every year.
Legacy Partners intends to develop the site with a variety of residential and business uses, and as can be seen below, intends to preserve the historically significant buildings, including Ambassador Auditorium.
Following is the press release prepared by Legacy's representative with the church's edits and approval.
PASADENA--The Worldwide Church of God today announced it has entered into an agreement to sell its east campus and west campus (headquarters) properties in Pasadena with Irvine, California, based Legacy Partners, a leading Western U.S. real estate developer.
According to Bernard Schnippert, treasurer and director of Finance & Planning, church officials have studied proposals from a number of interested parties, among whom Legacy Partners has emerged as the clear standout.
"We are confident that Legacy's approach is creatively balanced," said Schnippert. "They have shown genuine respect for the church and for the historical significance of its property and buildings, and for the intent and spirit of the recently adopted West Gateway Specific Plan."
The Pasadena City Council adopted the West Gateway Specific Plan in July 1998, following more than three years of study and public discussion by Pasadena city planners, outside planning experts and concerned citizens.
"The community consensus achieved through the Specific Plan will be our guide," said Legacy's Bill Shubin, partner at the firm, "and we intend to continue the community dialogue as our plans progress."
Legacy's preliminary plan embraces both campuses (about 50 acres in total area) and calls for preservation of the historically significant buildings--most notably the Ambassador Auditorium on the west campus.
Legacy's selection of AC Martin Partners to design the project has served to reinforce the church's confidence in the overall quality of the approach.
The Los Angeles-based architectural firm has won widespread recognition, both locally and nationally, for its signature and historically significant projects--that is, those where existing structures are incorporated into new developments.
"AC Martin's track record clearly demonstrates it has both the forward and historical vision to design an award-winning project on this property and in this city," said Dennis Cavallari, senior vice president of Legacy Partners.
"We plan to build a first-class development that is guided by the Specific Plan, honors the rich heritage of the church, meets community-serving needs and is consistent with the character and scale of the surrounding residential community," said Cavallari.
"Pasadena is a great community, and this property in particular presents everyone concerned with a world-class opportunity to build something of real significance--something of which we can all be proud."
Legacy Partners is a long-term owner, developer and manager of multifamily communities and commercial properties, including office, R&D, warehouse and distribution projects.
The firm currently owns or manages more than 25,000 multifamily units and 38 million square feet of commercial space.
|
|
ANNOUNCEMENT--Bernie Schnippert (left), church treasurer, and Pastor General Joseph Tkach announce to church employees Jan. 15 that the church has found a potential buyer of the Pasadena headquarters property. [Photos by Thom
By Randal Dick
I send you greetings from 19 delegates (and three headquarters guests) at the African leaders conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. As I write, we have just begun the afternoon session of the first day, Dec. 14. Mr. Tkach opened the conference this morning, and James Henderson, superintendent of African missions, is leading a discussion of unity in diversity.
I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you to the men who are leading the churches in Africa. Missing from the photos is Raphael Benza Tsuka, leader of the churches in the People's Republic of the Congo. Please read James Henderson's report on the conference on page 5.
James Henderson
Superintendent of African missions
John Amadala
Pastor
Western Kenya
Victor Sunday Balinga
Limbe church and
Southwest province of Cameroon
Atsu Christophe Dravie
Pastor for Benin, Burkina Faso and Togo
Prem Goolaup
Elder
Mauritius
Kalengule Kaoma
Regional pastor
Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Ben Kaswaga
Pastor
Tanzania
Robert Klynsmith
Regional pastor
Western and Eastern Cape, South Africa,
and Namibia
D. Morgen Kriedemann
Ministerial Director South Africa
Gardner Kunje
Co-pastor Blantyre, Malawi
Caleb Makhela
Elder
Pietersburg, Venda, South Africa
Aldrin Mandimika
Pastor of churches in Zimbabwe
Kimani Ndungu
Regional pastor
Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania
Inyambo Nyumbu
Chairman of board of church in Zambia,
deacon in Lusaka
Michael A. Oguniase
Assistant area pastor for Nigeria
Gabriel Ojih
Regional pastor
Ghana and Nigeria
William Wilberforce O. Othieno
Uganda
Torero Philippe
Conference assistant and translator
Swaziland
R. Rafiringason
Madagascar
Carlos Tavares
Director
Portuguese Mission
By James Henderson
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa--An assembly of 19 African WCG leaders welcomed Pastor General Joseph Tkach as the guest speaker at the African leaders conference in Johannesburg Dec. 14 to 17.
Other speakers were Randal Dick, superintendent of missions; Charles Albrecht, manager, operations and budget, in Church Administration International; and myself, superintendent of African missions.
The theme of the conference was What Next for the Worldwide Church of God in Africa? Leaders attended from 14 of the 27 nations where the WCG has members. From an administrative point of view, most of the 27 countries were represented by those attending.
The WCG has a presence in Rwanda, Burundi, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, the Seychelles, Lesotho, Swaziland, South Africa, Reunion, Mauritius, Madagascar, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso, Benin, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Angola, Mozambique and Guinea Bissau.
Mr. Tkach presided over a lively discussion on trends within the church and also gave a presentation of biblical models of church government.
Mr. Dick outlined strategies for the multiplication of leaders within the African context.
Mr. Albrecht talked on budget creation and analysis and conducted a workshop on management and accounting.
I traced the development of the WCG in Africa and offered ideas for structuring the future of the church in the countries involved. Planned and sometimes spontaneous worship was led jointly by Kimani Ndungu from Kenya and Kalengule Kaoma from Zambia.
In addition, each of the attendees spoke of the hopes and needs of their areas.
Victor Balinga, a deacon in the Limbe, Cameroon, congregation, and a member of the national church board there, pointed out that Cameroon members are seeking to be financially responsible for their own activities and that they need a lot of training.
Inyambo Nyumbu, chairman of the fledgling Zambian church board, pointed out the aims the Zambian congregations. Dr. Nyumbu said that "we are change agents. We have been changed to help others change."
Before the conference, Mr. Tkach flew to Cape Town, South Africa, Dec. 12 to speak to combined church services on the subject of No Second Coming Without the First.
After the conference Mr. Tkach, Mr. Dick and I attended a meeting at which Carlos Tavares, director of the Portuguese mission, explained the project's progress and goals.
Dec. 19, the Saturday before his departure, Mr. Tkach spoke to young people at South Africa's Summer Educational Program, and challenged them to consider accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and to reject any spiritual impostors.
During the leadership conference, each day was charged with excitement, and the small numbers in the intimate setting allowed everyone to get to know each other.
Morgen Kriedemann, chairman of the South African national church council, commented: "It was a bonding experience. It's one thing reading about my fellow ministers in other parts of Africa; it's another getting to know them on a personal basis."
The conference was a landmark in the history of the WCG in Africa, and it began to lay down the foundations of a meaningful future for our fellowship on the continent.
Gabriel Ojih, area pastor for Ghana and Nigeria, said: "Since returning to Accra I've started emphasizing the principles I learned, especially the need to replace the cycle of scarcity thinking with the reality of resources and Spirit-led human leadership at all levels being the greatest resource. Please let's have more of such conferences!"
OLDEST COUPLE--Joseph Tkach with Mr. and Mrs.
Edward Norling, oldest couple in Cape Town, South Africa.
RWANDAN REFUGEE--Randal Dick with
Torero Philippe, a Rwandan refugee now living
in Swaziland. [Photo by Charles Albrecht]
Thanks for The Worldwide News. It is like a monthly family letter, telling me what's going on in my worldwide family.
It's a lifeline for me. I learn, think about, pray for, laugh, cry and rejoice and study--in almost every issue.
Sometimes when I think days and times are important, I put myself mentally on an island paradise--just me and my Bible--alone.
I only have God's word, and as I read it I just believe it because I have proved that God's word is truth, and I live on this island not knowing when the Sabbath or Holy Days are. God is with me, and every day is a wonder time with God.
Jerry Rosfeld
Poplar Bluff, Missouri
I had a lung transplant in June, yet believe it or not, accepting and trusting in Jesus, who is the new covenant, has had a more powerful and profound impact on my life. Rejecting a new lung is one thing, but rejecting my Savior would be unbearable.
At times in the hospital I had trouble focusing on Jesus. Through all the pain, medications, setbacks and several rejections, I prayed to see Jesus. I knew he would never leave me, but he seemed farther away than usual.
Thankfully my wife, Tina, and I were given (by Jesus) eyes to see several years back (dimly, of course). But my mind and body, being tortured by the medications, began to play tricks on me.
One night while sitting up (I couldn't lie down), praying in bed to see Jesus, I did. I looked over at Tina and realized Jesus had been close to me all along. Her selfless serving day and night, totally forgetting her own needs, were the work and love of Jesus himself.
That's what the new covenant is. It's Jesus himself, who lives in us when we say yes to his invitation to come home to his temple, to live in his creation, to abide in us.
Thanks to all those at headquarters for faithfully following Jesus and helping us all to see.
Please thank all those from headquarters who came to Gainesville, Florida, for the conference Dec. 18-20. It was truly another eye-opener, or as Dan Rogers, superintendent of ministers, would say, "another encounter with Christ."
Mitch E. Davey
Keystone Heights, Florida
MT41284@prodigy.net
I really enjoyed Tammy Tkach's article Getting Rid of Old Baggage (January WN).
Her experiences and feelings mirror mine quite a bit. I loved the line at the end: "Our race is best run on light feet."
That encouraged me. We are allowed to be fully unencumbered so as to fully embrace Jesus. And right now, in my life, I desperately need that full embrace from my Savior.
Big Sandy
By Don Mears
"Look," said John the Baptist, "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
When you think of Jesus as the lamb of God, which lamb do you identify him with? Chances are, 1 Corinthians 5:7 pops into your mind: "For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed."
Jesus is our Passover Lamb. Our practice as a church of keeping the Lord's Supper as an annual event has been based on that understanding.
We knew that Jesus commanded us to "eat his flesh and drink his blood" by taking the bread and wine of communion. And we understood that in doing so we were partaking of the Lamb of God.
We did it annually because we saw the Lamb of God as being the Passover lamb, and we knew that the Passover was an annual observance.
But Jesus is more than just the Passover lamb. As the "lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" he is every lamb of every burnt offering, sin offering, guilt offering or peace offering of the old covenant.
In fact, Jesus is the fulfillment of all the sacrifices of the old covenant period. We read in Hebrews that the law with its sacrifices and offerings was a shadow of things to come, and that the reality or fulfillment of the shadow was Jesus Christ. His one sacrifice achieved everything foreshadowed by the sacrifices of the old covenant (Heb. 10:1-18).
The Passover lamb was not the only sacrifice eaten by the Israelites. In most cases, once a few parts of the sacrificial animal had been burned, the rest of the animal was eaten by those who participated in the sacrificial ceremony.
Sometimes it was eaten by the priest and his sons (sin offering and guilt or trespass offering), and sometimes the person who brought the offering and his family also ate of the sacrifice (various kinds of fellowship or peace offerings).
This practice is what Paul had in mind when he wrote in 1 Cor. 10:18, "Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar?"
Eating part of the sacrifice was an act that displayed the offerer's participation in the sacrifice, his relationship with the one to whom the sacrifice had been offered.
Paul said that just as the people of Israel participated in the altar when they ate of the sacrifices they brought to the altar, so Christians participate in the body and blood of Christ when they eat the bread and wine of communion (verses 16-17).
How often, then, might an Israelite have partaken of the "lamb of God"? As often as he liked: there was no restriction. As often as he brought a fellowship offering, he would share in the meal.
If the Israelite happened to be a priest or the son of a priest, he might be eating God's lambs many times a year.
What does all this have to do with our understanding of the Lord's Supper? Just this: the priests of the old covenant freely and frequently ate of the lambs that were brought to the altar.
The author of Hebrews pointed out that we Christians "have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat."
His implication is that just as they had their altar to eat from, we have our own altar to eat from. And by extension, as freely as they ate from theirs, we may eat from ours.
This points us to the conclusion that Christians, who under the new covenant, are a nation of priests (1 Pet. 2:9), may eat of the sacrificial Lamb of God just as freely and frequently as did those priests of the old covenant. We are not restricted to eating the Lamb of God only once a year, any more than they were.
Jesus is always our sin offering; he is always our guilt offering; he is always our peace and thank offering.
When we sin, he invites us to "eat my flesh and drink my blood," and remember that we have forgiveness in him. When we fall prey to guilt, he urges us to "eat my flesh and drink my blood," and remember we are free from condemnation in him.
When we rejoice in his blessings he calls us to his table to "eat my flesh and drink my blood," and rejoice in him.
Thank God our Father for the communion he gives us with himself in his beloved Son!
Rituals
were a prominent part of Old Testament worship--there were annual rituals, monthly rituals
and daily rituals.
There were rituals for birth and rituals for death, rituals of sacrifice, rituals of cleansing, rituals of ordination. Faith was involved, but rituals were more prominent.
The New Testament, in contrast, has two basic rituals: baptism and the Lord's Supper--and there are no detailed regulations for either.
Why these two? In a religion in which faith is primary, why have any rituals at all?
The primary reason, I believe, is that both the Lord's Supper and baptism picture the gospel of Jesus Christ. They rehearse the fundamental elements of our faith.
I have already described (WN, April 22, 1997) how the Lord's Supper reminds us of the Lord's death, his life now that we share in, and his promise to return. Therefore, as often as we do it, it is a reminder that our salvation is based on the death and life of Jesus Christ.
How does baptism picture the central truths of the gospel?
The apostle Paul wrote: "Don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection" (Rom. 6:3-5).
Paul is saying that baptism unites us with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection. These are the primary points of the gospel (1 Cor. 15:3-4). Our salvation depends on his death and on his resurrection. Our forgiveness--being cleansed of sin--depends on his death; our Christian life and future depend on his resurrected life.
Baptism symbolizes the death of the old self--the old person was crucified with Christ--buried with Christ in baptism (Rom. 6:8; Gal. 2:20; 6:14; Col. 2:12, 20).
It pictures our identification with Jesus Christ--we cast our lot in with him. We accept that his death was for us, for our sins. We acknowledge that we have sinned, that we have a propensity to sin, that we are sinners in need of a Savior.
We acknowledge our need to be cleansed, and that this cleansing comes through the death of Jesus Christ. Baptism is one of the ways in which we confess Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
Baptism pictures even better news--in baptism we are raised with Christ so that we might live with Christ (Eph. 2:5-6; Col. 2:12-13; 3:1). In him, we have a new life, with him as Lord leading us out of sinful ways and into righteous ways.
In this way we symbolize repentance, a change in the way we live, and also the fact that we cannot make this change in ourselves--it is done by the power of the risen Christ living in us. We identify with Christ in his resurrection not just for the future, but for life right now.
John the Baptist used baptism as a ritual to show repentance in which the water symbolized cleansing.
Jesus and his disciples continued this practice. It dramatizes the fact that we have a new basis for life, and a new basis for our relationship with God.
Baptism pictures our participation in Christ's death and in his resurrection. As we rise from the baptismal waters, we picture rising to a new life--a life in Christ, with him in us.
Peter wrote that baptism saves us "by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 3:21). However, baptism itself does not save us. We are saved by God's grace, through faith in Christ.
We are baptized not only into Christ Jesus, but also into his body, the church. "We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body" (1 Cor. 12:13). That means it must be done within the context of the Christian community. There are no secret Christians, people who believe in Christ but no one knows about it.
The biblical pattern is to confess Christ before others, to make a public acknowledgment of Jesus as Lord.
Baptism is basically a ritual recognizing that a person has already repented of sin, accepted Christ as Savior, begun to grow spiritually--is in fact already a Christian. Baptism is generally done soon after a person has made a commitment, but occasionally it may be done much later.
After a person has come to faith in Christ, he or she is eligible for baptism. This may be when the person is quite old, or quite young. A young person may explain faith differently than an older person does, but young people may have faith nonetheless.
Teens and even younger children may have genuine sorrow over sin, genuine faith that Christ has paid for their sins, and genuine commitment to Christ, and they may be baptized.
Will some of them eventually change their minds and fall away? Perhaps, but that happens with adult professions of faith, too. Will some of those childhood conversions turn out to be mistaken? Perhaps, but that happens with adults, too.
If the person is repentant and has faith in Christ, as best as the pastor can determine, then the person may be baptized. It is not our practice, however, to baptize minors without consent of their parent or legal guardian. If the parent objects, then the child who has faith in Jesus is no less a Christian for waiting until he or she becomes an adult to be baptized.
It is our practice in the WCG to baptize by immersion. We believe that was the most likely practice in first-century Judaism and in the early church. We believe that complete immersion pictures death and burial better than sprinkling does.
However, we do not make the mode of baptism an issue to divide Christians. The important thing is that the person forsakes the old life of sin, and has faith in Christ as Savior.
To develop the analogy further, we may say that the old person died with Christ, whether or not the body was properly buried. Cleansing was pictured, even if burial was not. The old life is dead, and the new life is here.
Salvation does not depend on the exact mode of baptism (the Bible doesn't give us many details on procedure, anyway) nor on the exact words, as if the words had some magical power of their own.
Salvation depends on faith in Christ, not on the depth of the baptismal waters. A believing person baptized by sprinkling or pouring is still a Christian. If such a person wishes to become a member of the WCG, we do not require a new baptism, unless the person believes it appropriate.
If the fruit of a Christian life has been present for 20 years, for example, there is no need to quibble about the validity of a ceremony of 20 years ago. Christianity is based on faith, not on performance of a ritual.
It is not our practice to baptize infants or children too young to express faith for themselves, since we understand baptism to be an expression of faith, and no one can be saved by their parents' faith.
We do not, however, condemn as unchristian those who do practice infant baptism. Here are two common arguments for infant baptism.
First, scriptures such as Acts 10:44; 11:14; 16:15 tell us that entire households were baptized, and households in the first century normally included infants.
It is possible that these households did not have young children, but I think that a better explanation would be to observe in Acts 16:34 and 18:8 that entire households were said to believe in Christ.
I do not think the infants had genuine faith, nor that the infants spoke in tongues (10:44-46). Perhaps the entire household was baptized in the same way that the entire household believed in Christ. This would mean that as many as were old enough to believe were also baptized.
A second argument uses the concept of covenants. In the Old Testament, children were included in the covenant, and the ritual of inclusion was circumcision, done on infants.
The new covenant is a better covenant, with better promises, so surely children are included automatically and should therefore be marked with the initiatory rite of the new covenant, baptism, even in infancy.
However, this fails to acknowledge the difference between the old and new covenants. A person entered the old covenant by genealogy, but a person enters the new covenant only by repentance and faith.
We cannot argue that all a Christian's descendants are automatically in the new covenant! Each must come to faith himself or herself.
Occasionally a person baptized in infancy wishes to become a WCG member. Is it necessary for us to baptize the person?
I believe that this must be decided on a case-by-case basis, based on the person's preference and understanding of baptism. If the person has only recently come to a point of faith and commitment, it is probably appropriate to baptize the person. In such cases, baptism would emphasize to the person what a decisive step of faith has been taken.
If the person was baptized in infancy and has been living as an adult Christian for many years, with good fruit, then we do not need to insist on baptizing them.
Of course, if they request it, then we would be happy to do so, but we do not need to quibble about ceremonies of decades ago when Christian fruit is already evident. We can simply praise the grace of God. The person is a Christian whether or not the ritual was done correctly.
For similar reasons, it is permissible for us to share the Lord's Supper with people who have not been baptized in the manner we are accustomed to. The criterion is faith.
If we both have faith in Jesus Christ, we are both united to him, we have both been baptized, one way or another, into his body, we may share in the bread and wine.
We may even share with them if they have erroneous ideas about what happens to the bread and wine. (Don't we all have erroneous ideas about some things?)
Friends, my prayers are with you. May you be strengthened by our Savior and by his gospel.
By John Halford
As you may remember, in the early and mid-1980s, our church organized Festival tours to China.
Participants have lasting memories of that fascinating country, and its talented, energetic people.
I was asked to lead the three cultural exchange tours. I also accompanied Herbert W. Armstrong on a visit, and helped make a film there--perhaps you remember "The Little Ambassadors From Shanghai." I came to know China quite well.
So, as you can imagine, I was excited to hear that we have once again been invited to organize a cultural exchange tour.
Much has happened, in both China and our church in the intervening years. In 1984, when we first visited, China was in the first stages of modernization. We kept the Feast in Nanjing, in a hotel that was at that time the tallest building in China.
Today, I am told, that building is now dwarfed by other high rises, and we would not recognize the skyline of Nanjing.
Our church has changed too. This will allow us to have a fuller yet more relaxed tour of China. We hope to meet Chinese Christian groups, as well as visit historical sites in Beijing, Xian, Nanjing and Shanghai. In 12 days we can't see it all, but we will see far more than the average tourist.
The tour will have a daily schedule of worship services, including, we hope, one or two with Chinese Christian groups.
I am happy to be working again with my friends Fred and Maryann Stevens, who I hope can join us as co-hosts. In the years we worked together, I think we learned a thing or two about planning a Festival tour that combines the elements of worship, education and entertainment.
Travel Gallery, the tour organizers, worked with the Soong Ching Ling Foundation in China to prepare a full program that is not too strenuous. The hotels are first class.
So if you came to China with us before, come back and see how it has changed. If you have never been, please join us for the experience of a lifetime.
We leave Los Angeles Sept. 21 and return Oct. 3. The cost per person (double occupancy) is $2,295. See below for an overview of the program. Then, if you would like to know more, call Travel Gallery at 1-800-858-6999, and they will send you more details. But don't delay--places are limited, and this tour may fill up fast.
Sept. 21-22--Los Angeles to Beijing. Your flight path on China Eastern Airlines takes you along the coast of Canada and Alaska, then over the Pacific. Arrive in Beijing in the early evening. Transfer to hotel for a traditional Chinese dinner.
Sept. 23--Beijing. Begin in Tiananmen Square. Then visit the Imperial Palace Museum (Forbidden City). The Soong Ching Ling Foundation will be hosts for a classic Peking duck dinner.
Sept. 24--Great Wall of China and the Summer Palace.
Sept. 25--Beijing. Visit 15th century Temple of Heaven. Tour Yonhe Lama Monastery Buddhist temple.
Sept. 26--Fly to Xian, the starting point of the silk road, a trading route that stretched through central Asia and Turkey to Rome.
Sept. 27--Xian. Visit Provincial Museum housed in a former Confucian Temple. Then see Xian's Terra Cotta Warriors Museum.
Sept. 28--Fly to Nanjing. Visit China Church Seminary and meet Ding Guangshun, head of the China Patriotic Church Association.
Sept. 29--Nanjing-Suzhou. Visit Sun Yat Sen Mausoleum erected in memory of the founder of the Chinese republic. Then tour ancient city wall. After shopping, board the Suzhou train.
Sept. 30--Suzhou. Suzhou is one of China's oldest inhabited towns. Visit Tiger Hill, the Silk Embroidery Center and enjoy an Ancient Grand Canal cruise. Then board the Shanghai express to Shanghai.
Oct. 1--Shanghai. Tour Yu Garden (Garden of Happiness). Acrobatic show in evening.
Oct. 2--Shanghai. See Shanghai Children's Palace, where children with particular skills receive specialized training, often provided by leading professionals.
Oct. 3--Shanghai to Los Angeles.
By Christina Kuo
SUMNER, Washington--One of the most rewarding and enlightening aspects of going out into all the world and sharing the gospel is finding people with teachable hearts; souls that thirst for a faith that will work and who put it into action.
One of the
main reasons why China has become such an exciting area for Christian missionaries in the
past decade is because it has proven to be a climate where thousands of people are
genuinely responding to the new life God has to offer.
They find it inspiring to be in the company of those who have a first love and who deeply appreciate the power of salvation. They're a group who want to listen vs. be entertained.
A Westerner asked a Chinese archbishop, "How long will this last?" He responded, "Anyone who wants to come and evangelize the Chinese better come quickly because in 40 years they will have unteachable hearts."
Today, the Chinese are experiencing change at a greater pace than most cultures have throughout history. Despite its 4,000 years of civilization, China has embraced modernization with amazing speed and is fast becoming a consumer society.
These days, it's not uncommon to see a man pulling a rickshaw next to a Mercedes-Benz or find a Chinese grandma with bound feet standing next to a young Chinese businesswoman talking on a cell phone at a bus stop. You feel as if you've gone through a time warp and have missed something along the way.
In this sea of change, Chinese Christians are trying to keep body, mind and soul together by discerning what traditions to keep and what to let go. Many of them have read the Bible from front to back but want to know how the Scriptures apply to their complicated lives. Overseas ministries are trying to assist the Chinese church in this area.
In May of last year, I felt the call to focus my efforts on helping my brothers and sisters in China and began working as director of training and video production for East Gates Ministries International (EGMI), a ministry dedicated to equipping and serving the church in China.
In the eight months I've been on staff, I've begun to understand why East Gates' motto is Seeing Beyond the Impossible.
The ratio of pastors to members in China is about 1 to 10,000. As one lay leader said, "Sometimes the weight of our responsibilities is unbearable."
Despite the lack of laborers in the field, the church in China has been able to do a lot with a little, and the Chinese church has been experiencing massive growth. To feed their flocks, pastors become quite creative, but they still need help.
This past November, a few East Gates staff members and I visited a house church on a smelly pig farm.
After the service, the pastor invited us upstairs to his humble living quarters. We asked him how he was able take care of his family, raise his pigs and feed his flock of more than 1,000 members.
He said he traded two of his prized pigs for 45 Christian training videotapes. We were touched by his story and told him that East Gates would help him produce his own Christian video training tapes so he and his church could extend their ministry and keep his pigs.
To assist and help build the church in China in the midst of rapid social, economic and political change requires much prayer, patience and the belief that what is seemingly impossible is possible.
For more information on East Gates and how you can help our brothers and sisters in China, please call 1-800-959-EGMI (3464).
*Equips Chinese Christians in China with Bibles and Christian literature.
*Assists Chinese pastors and lay leaders in the development and production of Chinese Christian training materials.
*Helps to construct or reconstruct churches and associated educational, medical or social facilities.
*Builds bridges to China's leaders at all levels, therefore developing understanding and trust between China's believers and the secular authorities who govern their nation.
*Networks with other China ministries whose philosophy of ministry is in agreement with working legally and in cooperation with the churches in China.
Tina Kuo is a former staff member in Church Administration International.
From Randal Dick
Superintendent of missions
I don't normally like to report on the same place too often. However, we have late-breaking news from our people in Bangladesh I would like to share with you.
This communique is from John Biswas, a member of the San Bernardino, California, church and head of the Bengali Evangelistic Association, and is based on phone calls from our brethren in Bangladesh.
"The persecution of Christians, destruction of churches, Christian schools, attacking of Christian families, burning of their houses, looting of their belongings and raping of Christian women as well as insulting of Christians publicly in Bangladesh are not something new. But obviously it is hard to accept when it directly happens to the people we closely know.
"On Dec. 19, a group of militants attacked two of our gospel workers while they were distributing gospel tracts, Bibles and meeting people. These ferocious men came with gun, knife and iron rods and harmed our gospel workers.
"Mr. Satya Biswas was badly beaten and ended up being admitted to the critical care unit in a hospital. This fanatic group also attempted to burn one of our worship centers (church) and to kill the caretaker, a national missionary, Mr. Peter Baroi.
"However, due to the intervention of local people, the church building was saved from being burned, and Peter was able to escape. They have burnt gospel tracts, literature and Bibles."
John called me soon after the first attempt to burn down the training center provided by the Canadian brethren. He said that the gang of Muslim extremists had stormed the church building, poured kerosene around the foundation and were ready to set it alight, when a throng of villagers intervened.
They told the gang to desist, saying that "these people have not hurt anybody."
Then John went on to say in his communique:
"On the eve of Dec. 25, about 30 offenders came again and surrounded the church, to attack the worshipers. Fearful of violence from extremists, who have been trying to target the gospel workers, the prayer service had to be canceled.
"The believers were not physically harmed this time. `As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people both now and forevermore' (Psalm 125:2).
"Peter Baroi and other gospel workers are now working with extra caution. They said that they have dedicated their lives for the gospel work of Jesus and their labor is not in vain. `Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain' (1 Corinthians 15:58). Please pray for these suffering Christians and local churches in Bangladesh."
In societies such as Bangladesh, the well-being of the social unit, whether it be the nuclear family, the clan or the village, is far more important than the well-being of the individual.
When a person is converted from Hinduism, or especially Islam, the family often feels that the social unit has been injured. They feel that the well-being of the individual must be set aside for the good of the social unit.
It is not unusual in Islamic countries for Christian converts to have to go into hiding or face beatings, and sometimes death from family members or irate village mobs.
One of the women who accepted Christ had to run away from her family, go into hiding many miles away and assume another identity to serve Christ. She is afraid her family would kill her.
Bangladesh has a constitution that in theory provides for religious plurality. However, the reality is that Islam represents a strong and fairly intolerant majority of the population.
The Hindu population is much more tolerant of other religions than the Islamic population. Either way, the situation can become highly volatile when a parent becomes irate because one of the family members accepts Christ.
Jesus used a number of agricultural models to help us, as human beings, to understand the spiritual dynamics of his kingdom. Humans did not originate the concept of a spiritual harvest.
It was Jesus who told his disciples to pray that the Lord of the harvest would send laborers. Some harvests are easily harvested, while others are harvested with great difficulty and at great price.
Bangladesh is one of those fields that is hard on harvesters. Most people have never heard of their Savior. Most people in this field can live and die without ever knowing that Someone came and died that they may be free from sin.
They will live their lives never knowing what they were created to become. They either know Allah--a single being but different in character to the God we serve, or, they know of a host of spirits who must be kept mollified. They feel they are trapped in an eternal cycle of reliving their failure.
This is not unlike the situation at the beginning of the spreading of the gospel beyond Judea--at the beginning of the New Testament church. Yet, God has chosen to show mercy to an increasing number of people in the area of Bangladesh where John Biswas and the dedicated team of fellow servants are working.
All of those people, whether we know all their names or not, must be blanketed with our prayers. This is not merely a Christian duty. We are honored to walk in prayer with these brave people.
Prayer groups that meet weekly in homes or at worship services can be a powerful force, even though they will not be able to see the individual answers to their prayers.
We need to pray that God will give the gospel workers in Bangladesh an extra measure of wisdom so they may know how to best approach the dangerous situations they face. Pray for them to receive favor in the eyes of the populace and officials alike.
John Biswas intends to approach officials of the Bangladesh government, as well as the United Nations, asking them to make sure the constitution is taken seriously. We should pray for wisdom and divine help for the government officials as well.
Classroom Burned--Muslim terrorist sets
classroom on fire.
Anti-Christian Procession--Muslims in Bangladesh
march against Christians April 28.
Aftermath--Terrorists left this Christian school in ruins.
From John and Pat Halford
Europe
By John Halford
BRUSSELS, Belgium--The weekend of Dec. 5 and 6 was a quiet, but significant milestone in the history of the Worldwide Church of God in Europe.
Thirteen men and women gathered in a hotel outside Brussels to discuss the next steps in our church's development on this continent.
Outside, an unseasonal snowstorm brought everything to a halt. It was a blessing in disguise--we had hours to get to know each other better.
To understand why this conference was significant, you need to know what has been happening in Europe. As we face the next millennium, this old continent that has contributed so much to civilization, faces some critical decisions.
Questions that have been discussed for 40 years are reaching decision time. By the time you read this, most countries of the European Union will have adopted a common currency--the euro.
Although at first this will be a parallel currency, within a few years, the euro will be the standard currency of Europe.
This will be an irrevocable step toward some form of a United States of Europe. Some countries want it, others are firmly against the idea. But it seems as if it is an idea whose time has come, and we had better prepare for it.
All Europeans, and all European organizations, have to ask, What does it mean to be German, French, Dutch, Norwegian, Spanish or British? And what would it mean to submerge those distinctives into a common European nationality?
That is why, for the past year or so, we have been discussing how we should organize the European branch of the WCG, in the face of the new realities.
Until recently, the church's work in Europe was subsidized by the United States. The work was spread among six distinct regions, each with its own regional director.
In 1995, after the various regions had suffered severe attrition, we recognized that this was no longer workable. Randal Dick, international director, combined the European countries under one administration and asked me to be the regional director.
The churches in Europe have been seriously depleted, as many ministers and leading members disagreed with the doctrinal changes and sought fellowship elsewhere. It has taken some time to rebuild and develop a new infrastructure.
Many governments are becoming sensitive to "foreign controlled" churches and are demanding evidence of local administration. National boards have had to be formed, with local officers and directors.
Most of the old offices have been closed and have been replaced with much smaller operations, and in some cases volunteers have taken over tasks once performed by full-time employees.
As the old media proved to be unsustainable, new, less complicated magazines are now being produced. All editorial and translating work is done in the local areas.
Altogether the European region has about 4,000 members in 25 countries.
We now have what we call national coordinators in the 10 main regions--Belgium, Switzerland, Germany-Austria, France, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Scandinavia and the United Kingdom and Eire.
These were the people who met in Brussels, along with key administrative staff from the European Service Center. (We try not to call it the British Office any more.)
Perhaps, as in any conference, the real work was done in the informal discussions and at meals (we were a small enough group to sit around one table).
Old friendships were renewed and some new ones made. It can, after all, be rather lonely if you are the only WCG minister of the church in your country.
In fact, the meetings were so valuable that we unanimously decided that we should get together in this way three or four times a year.
Time will tell whether the historical developments now taking shape in Europe will be for good or bad. But we who have the privilege of representing the Worldwide Church of God in Europe want to be ready, united in a bond of love and mutual respect, to help each other to do what God wants us to do to serve our brethren and take the gospel to as many others as we can.
It is sobering to realize that in nearly every country in our region only a tiny percentage of the population is interested in Christianity. And yet, there is a great hunger for spiritual knowledge. We have become a continent of spiritually homeless people.
This then is a time of great challenges, but also of great opportunities. We ask you to remember us in prayer, as we remember you.
European Region Statistics as of
December 1998
European Regional Director--John Halford
Countries Congregations Members
National Coordinator: Carl Fredrik Aas
Denmark 1 14
Estonia 1 13
Finland 0 9
Norway 1 30
Sweden 1 16
National Coordinator: Daniel Bosch
Italy (including Sicily) 10 118
National Coordinator: Jack Brunet
French West Indies (attached to France)
Guadeloupe 2 95
Martinique 2 245
French Guyana 1 15
National Coordinator: Gerard Claude
Belgium 1 40
National Coordinator: Jesse Korver
Belgium (Flanders) 1 17
Netherlands 4 138
Suriname 1 8
National Coordinator: Santiago Lange
Austria 2 46
Croatia, Slovenia,
Czechoslovakia
0
10
Germany 8 336
National Coordinator: Donat Picard
France 12 350
National Coordinator: Jose Ribeiro
Portugal 1 24
National Coordinator: Pedro Rufian
Spain 1 50
National Coordinator: David Silcox
United Kingdom 44 1,985
Eire 3 98
Cyprus 0 1
Gibraltar 0 1
Greece 0 5
Israel 0 2
Malta 1 19
Oman 0 7
United Arab Emirates 0 14
National Coordinator: Paul Stoffel
Switzerland
(French & German)
4
232
EUROPEAN LEADERS--From left: Jose Ribeiro (Portugal); Carl Fredrik Aas
(Scandinavia); Pedro Rufian (Spain); David Silcox (United Kingdom and Eire); Bernadette
and Gerard Claude (Belgium); Astrid and Paul Stoffel (Switzerland); Santiago Lange
(Germany and Austria); John Halford (European regional director); Jesse Korver
(Netherlands); Jacqui Eve (assistant to regional director); Donat Picard (France); and
Daniel Bosch (Italy). [Photo by Phil Halford].
Editorial and translating work is done locally.
Aug. 6 to 8
Celebrating the Seasons of Our Lives
For details see the December WN
Registration Form
Name
Address
Home Phone Work Phone
Emergency Name Emergency Phone
Payment
Registration fee: $ ________
$70 on or before June 1, $85 after June 1
(Includes all general sessions and workshops; breakfast, lunch and dinner Saturday, breakfast Sunday)
NOTE: Registration fee is transferable but not refundable.
Donation: $ ________ To assist women who require financial assistance to attend.
Total enclosed (U.S. Funds*): $ ________
* Canadians and other international guests, please use international money order.
Special Needs and Comments:
Please make check or money order payable to: WIC Chicago Fund
and mail this form and payment to Margaret Davis
900 N. Taylor Ave.
Oak Park, Illinois, 60302
Hotel reservations must be made directly through the Wyndham Hotel by each individual conference applicant.
Wyndham Hotel
Northwest Chicago
400 Park Blvd.
Itasca, Illinois, 60143
Reservations 1-630-773-4000 or 1-800-WYNDHAM
Mention you are with the Worldwide Church of God group. Cost is $95 per night (tax not included).
We request that this be done as soon as you send this registration form to us.
If you have any questions please contact us:
Karen Newby 1-847-741-6658 (e-mail james_newby@wcg.org
Angie Latimer 1-847-587-5038 (e-mail LATIMO@aol.com)
GLENDORA, California--The Southern California Women's Ministry will have its '99 Women's Retreat, Walking in Christ's Footsteps, April 30 to May 2 at Embassy Suites in West Covina.
The keynote speaker will be Bunny Wilson. Guest speakers will be Pastor General Joseph Tkach, and Tammy Tkach and Sheila Graham of Women's Ministry Support in Pasadena.
Room costs for two nights at Embassy Suites are as follows: four women per suite--$95 each; three women per suite--$105 each; two women per suite--$123 each; one woman per suite--$205.
Cost includes Friday night dessert, Saturday and Sunday breakfast and Saturday night dinner. Prices are good until Feb. 26.
For more information contact Glendora Women's Fellowship, Box 2222, Glendora, California, 91740-2222.
PORTLAND, Oregon--March 26 to 28 will mark the third annual Portland East women's retreat.
Crestview Manor, which overlooks the Columbia Gorge in Corbett, Oregon, will once again be the location for the retreat.
The theme is Expanding Your Connection With God. Tammy Tkach and Sheila Graham will be the guest speakers. The cost is $100 for two nights lodging and six meals plus numerous snacks.
For more information contact Cheryl Cooper, 17037 SE Main St., Portland, Oregon, 97233, by mail or by e-mail at ckcooper@juno.com Judy White.
KANSAS CITY,
Missouri--The Kansas City Northland congregation viewed a dramatic presentation during the
worship service Dec. 12 titled, Jesus Called Her Mother.
In costume as Mary, Marjorie Truesdale, minister's wife, experienced Bible teacher and missionary, shared insights into the life of the mother of our Savior.
In conversational style, Mary's life unfolded before us providing a deepened gratitude for Mary's ministry to humanity.
(Marjorie is available for other churches and can be contacted at 1-913-341-1059.)
Her presentation was preceded by a scripture reading of Luke 2 by Pastor Ray Meyer.
Special music was "Mary, Did You Know?" sung by Loren Frey.
The following week, our women's ministry meeting featured Mary in the first of our "Women Worth Watching" series.
Using the audiotape, "The Twelve Voices of Christmas" from Back to the Bible, we considered the consequences Mary faced as she accepted her call. A lively discussion followed, and we considered aspects of parenting the Christ child as we sang "What Child Is This?" Carol Meyer.
By Shasta Kalin
BIG SANDY, Texas--Bernard W. Schnippert, church treasurer, gave the Big Sandy congregation a plaque of appreciation and commendation Dec. 12 and described the legacy that the brethren have contributed to and created during the past 45 years.
The congregation, which met on the former campus of Ambassador University, could use buildings, lakes, woods, a golf course and many other amenities.
However, because of the impending sale of the campus, the Big Sandy church began meeting at the Abundant Life Temple in Gladewater, Texas, Jan. 2. They will continue meeting there until more long-term arrangements can be made for a meeting place.
"The sale of this facility affects the local WCG congregation most," Dr. Schnippert said. "It's your home."
To better acquaint Big Sandy members with the potential buyer of the property, Dr. Schnippert spent a portion of the service describing some of the steps that the church and buyer must take to facilitate a sale of the property. He conducted a question and answer period in which members could satisfy their curiosity about certain aspects of the sale.
After speaking on some of the details of the sale, Dr. Schnippert described some legacies for which other Christian communities have been known.
The Bereans in Acts 17:11 were described as being "more noble," the Corinthian congregation was known as being divided, and Revelation 2 lists the characteristics of different churches.
Clearly, Dr. Schnippert said, the Big Sandy congregation has built a legacy during the past 45 years and will continue that legacy in the years to come.
Accomplishments of the Big Sandy congregation include being the fifth U.S. WCG congregation, one of the first Festival sites, home of the first Summer Educational Program for teens, an involvement with Imperial elementary and high schools, a provider of spiritual nourishment to Ambassador students and a strong representation of the church in East Texas.
According to Dr. Schnippert, one of the most memorable traits of the members is their warm spiritual core that contributes to the overwhelming spirit of the campus.
"What you have done will be remembered," Dr. Schnippert told the members, "because you've been a part of the foundation on which all of this was built and a consistent presence of the church in this part of the country. Over the years, the church has brought a great deal of things to this small town, but you have brought the spirit."
Finally, Dr. Schnippert presented Dean Blackwell and Don Mears, the first and current pastors of the Big Sandy congregation, a hand-printed plaque signed by Pastor General Joseph Tkach and given with thanks on behalf of the WCG.
WHEREAS, the Big Sandy congregation of the Worldwide Church of God was established in June, 1953, as the fifth congregation of the church in the United States, and
WHEREAS, during its first 45 years the Big Sandy congregation has held a pivotal place in the Worldwide Church of God, and has a long and distinguished record of service, including, but not limited to: hosting the church's yearly Festivals, nurturing students at Ambassador University, providing moral and spiritual leadership for the church's various educational endeavors, and representing the church as its fundamental spiritual presence in the community at large, and
WHEREAS, the Big Sandy congregation will shortly move its temporal home from the university campus where it has met since the congregation's inception, but will continue from a new venue its mandate of preaching the gospel and spiritually nourishing the members of the church,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT KNOWN TO ALL, that the Worldwide Church of God hereby recognizes the Big Sandy congregation for its spiritual service over the years, thanks the members of said congregation for their service, support, prayers and love, and charges said members and congregation to continue to preach the gospel and serve the household of God from whatever place and in whatever manner the Lord in his wisdom shall provide.
"For I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all,
that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world."
Romans 1:8
By Sarah Strub
BIG SANDY--I was born in Big Sandy and have been a member of this WCG congregation for the past 29 years.
My mother's family, the Jerry and Georgia Chalupa family, then from Austin, Texas, kept their first Feast of Tabernacles in Big Sandy in 1965. Thus began a long tradition of attending the Big Sandy Feast site.
As Dr. Schnippert mentioned in his Dec. 12 message to our congregation, it wasn't great tourist attractions that brought people to Big Sandy for the Feast. And it certainly wasn't bug-free, dry, comfortable camping that kept us coming.
Instead, I believe it was the great fellowship we looked forward to. In the campground we shared food and fellowship with new and old friends. People stayed to talk for hours before and after services. And who can forget the sound of thousands of Feastgoers singing hymns together?
In 1967, my mother, Dana Chalupa, attended Ambassador College in Big Sandy. She worked at the press, and was involved in the beginnings of the church in the Spanish-speaking region. She helped print the Spanish-language magazine and other literature.
While working, she got to know Delmer Rehak, a church employee at the press. They were married in 1968 and made their home in Big Sandy. I was born a year later.
My earliest memories of the Ambassador campus are of church services conducted there. I remember lying on a blanket in church looking at legs and shoes in every direction.
I appreciate meeting in such a beautiful facility over the years. Members had free access to the lake, the basketball and tennis courts, the library, the golf course and other facilities.
Like many Big Sandy members, I have worked at the university in several jobs. I worked side by side with my grandfather, my mother, my father and my sister, Karon Rehak, at different times over the years.
The beauty of the campus reflects thousands of hours of loving labor. That legacy makes us proud, and creates a bond between us and the campus that will always stay with us.
Ambassador students added a special touch to the Big Sandy congregation. It did not seem strange to me to attend a congregation where a large percentage of the members were young people.
It didn't strike me as unusual to sit beside a person from India in church, or share a meal with an African. The students eagerly shared their cultures and perspectives with us. Many church members were adopted parents for students living far from home. The international students were especially precious to us.
I always dreamed of attending Ambassador, and I was able to fulfill that dream in 1988 and then again from 1994 to 1996. I am deeply grateful to the men and women who served the students. I grew in many ways, and was given an education that has served me well. Also, as I had hoped, I met my husband, George Strub, at Ambassador.
So now, Ambassador University, which has played such a pivotal role in my life, is gone. Moving our congregation off campus adds to the finality of the situation.
As I reflect on our experience here and our years of service, I wonder what God will do with us next. Dr. Schnippert delivered the following charge to our congregation: "The Worldwide Church of God ... charges said members and congregation to continue to preach the gospel and serve the household of God from whatever place and in whatever manner the Lord in his wisdom shall provide."
We eagerly look forward to carrying out this charge.
1953--The Redwood Building was the first building built. About 650 assemble for the Feast of Tabernacles. The Redwood Building later became Ambassador College's Roy Hammer Library.
1964--The Big Sandy campus of Ambassador College opens with 100 students.
1973--The first Worldwide News is published on the Ambassador campus. The WN was produced in Big Sandy until 1977, when the campus closed. Big Sandy members helped mail the WN.
1977--The Big Sandy campus closes.
1981--The Big Sandy campus reopens as a junior college.
1989--Big Sandy becomes a four-year college again.
1991--The Pasadena and Big Sandy campuses are consolidated in Big Sandy.
1997--Ambassador conducts its final graduation.
1999--The Big Sandy campus is sold, and the congregation moves to a rented facility in Gladewater.
Space is available on Holland America's MS Veendam Inside Passage cruise.
This deluxe May 17 to 24 cruise overlaps the Pentecost weekend and will feature messages, seminars and workshops by a WCG worship team on board.
Dennis and Lorraine Pelley, who pastor the Providence, Rhode Island, and Norwich, Connecticut, congregations will lead the music.
Ronald and Norva Kelly from Pasadena will be the group tour leaders and will conduct services and workshops at sea.
Mike and Sandy Swagerty, district superintendent in Sacramento, California, will help with services and seminars.
In addition to the time at sea, tour participants can enjoy Vancouver, British Columbia, and Juneau, Alaska, with optional time flying over ice fields up to the Mendenhall Glacier, the frontier town of Skagway and picturesque Ketchikan.
Holland America's price for the church group is 50 percent off regular rates. Inside cabins start at $866 per person for the seven-day cruise.
For further information or to make a booking, call Travel Gallery at 1-800- 858-6999.
|
A Missions Exposure and Training project is planned for WCG members 16 and older July 5 to July 20 in Manila, Philippines.
Our Lord Jesus has commissioned us to go into the world and make disciples. Here is an opportunity for those interested in reaching out to non-Christians and to get exposed to missions work.
This program will be supervised by the WCG staff in the Philippines. The work of the Lord in the Philippines has experienced remarkable growth lately.
Participants will receive missions exposure and training. We estimate a total cost of $1,300 per person. This includes round-trip air fare from Los Angeles to Manila, food, lodging and registration.
Missions work is challenging. Participants will stay in homes of members so they can experience how people in different cultures live. They will also visit tribal areas where the WCG is involved.
Since this will be our first year to do this, we will accept only 15 people. If you are interested, please fill out the form below.
Name
Address
Church area Pastor:
Please send this form to Bermie Dizon, Pasadena Church Offices, 300 W. Green St., Pasadena, California, 91123, or send the same information by e-mail to bermie_dizon@wcg.org
By Ron KellyHere we are not only at the end of another month, but the end of a year.
Income for December, for only the fourth time this year, has been at or above budget. The daily average for December was $115,946. That made the daily average for the year $106,793.
When we write our monthly financial update it often seems that we look at graphs and figures of declining income. And it's easy to be at least a little discouraged. But as 1998 came to an end, I had to sit back and give our loving God gratitude for his bountiful love and blessings for the year.
Yes, we did have less income than we budgeted for. And our reserves are lower than we would like. But so many thousands of you faithful brothers and sisters gave so generously during the year.
The other day when I was working on our annual report for the board of directors, I had lunch with a well-known Christian radio personality. He had heard about the changes in the Worldwide Church of God and wanted to come by and see for himself.
It just so happened that when he arrived at my office, I was calculating the funds our members had sent during the calendar year.
Of course individual member contributions are confidential, but our monthly statements are published for anyone to read in The Worldwide News.
He did a couple of quick calculations and easily demonstrated that members and co-workers who donate to the Worldwide Church of God are among the most generous in the entire world.
My new friend sat in amazement and respect for the dedication of members who give so generously.
He said to me, "There's not a church in the world that would not be turning cartwheels of delight to have their members contributing so generously."
Coincidentally, the next day I read a magazine article about charitable giving. The writer lamented that the average donation to charity for families earning more than $100,000 per year is less than 3 percent of income. Yet families earning less than $10,000 a year give a larger percentage.
We realize you have been willing to sacrifice and give abundantly for the church fellowship we all love so much.
We hope you continue to give consistently in 1999.
So this month, as we end one year and begin another, I just wanted to stop and say, "Thank you, thank you, thank you." Each of you is a blessing to the work of God and you are appreciated more than words can say.
By Brandy and Paula McCart
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma--The Oklahoma City youth group performed the dinner play In Bethlehem Inn Dec. 19 and 20.
The play was directed by Daniel Hiedrich, Kendra Hunt and Paula McCart, youth leaders. Mary Peairson, Shirley Click and the youths worked on the props and costumes. Mike Rasmussen is the youth minister.
Throughout the play and during intermission the guests were served a Middle Eastern meal prepared by Joe and Barbara Puckett.
The play was an opportunity to evangelize the community and a growth opportunity for those involved. The two months to prepare, rehearse and design the play took a lot of patience and sacrifice, but united everyone.
The name of the youth group is 316. It is taken from John 3:16 ("For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life") and 1 John 3:16 ("This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers").
The name gives the youths a chance to evangelize when they are asked what the name of the group means. The 3 in 316 is larger and represents the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
When? First Session: Campers arrive June 27, depart
July 12Second Session:
Campers arrive
July 14, depart July 29
Where? Orr, Minnesota
Cost? $595 per camper
Also, we need qualified college-adult and high school volunteer staff.
To request more information or an application, write or call the SEP Office at
SEP Office
P.O. Box 2211
Frisco, Texas, 75034
Phone: 1-972-712-KSEP (5737)
e-mail: sep.orr@wcg.org
Summer Education Program video scrapbooks are available from 1997 and 1998.
These half-hour videos chronicle events and activities of the Summer Educational Program.
Order your copy by sending a check, payable to the Worldwide Church of God and in the amount of $5 (for the 1997 video) or $10 (for the 1998 video) to SEP Office, Box 2211, Frisco, Texas, 75034, call 1-972-712-5737 or send e-mail to sep.Orr@wcg.org.
Northwest Airlines will again offer SEP campers and staff discounted airfares for those traveling to Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Northwest will provide a 10 percent discount if ticketed at least 60 days before travel, and a five percent discount if ticketed less than 60 days before travel.
For passengers staying more than 30 days, Northwest will waive the maximum stay requirement on a 14-day advance purchase fare, but no additional discounts.
To receive SEP discounts, call Travel Gallery 1-800-858-6999 or send e-mail to info@travelgallery.com
No additional ticketing fees will be charged for campers and workers using these discounts through Travel Gallery.
The Gospels are books about Jesus Christ. But these four books also tell us much about God the Father. Even though he is often hidden behind the scenes, he is the most important person in the story. Everything depends on him.Even Jesus' importance is best understood when it is seen in relationship to God--Jesus is the Son of God, the the One sent by God, the Messiah anointed by God. Jesus' importance is received from God; his authority, power and teaching come from God the Father. His mission was to serve God, to bring glory to God, to further God's purpose and God's kingdom and God's plan for the salvation of his people.
The Gospels make no effort to prove that God exists--they seem to assume that the readers already believe in the God revealed in the Old Testament. They believe that he is eternal, almighty, personal, omnipotent, omniscient, holy, righteous and gracious.
A basic understanding of God is assumed in the Gospels, and important additional information about him is revealed. Let us survey the four Gospels to see how Jesus and the apostles understood God.
1. Did Jesus speak with authority? Matt. 7:29. Where did he get his authority? John 5:19; 8:28; 12:49; 14:10. Where did he come from? John 8:42. Why was he sent? Luke 4:43; John 3:17; 4:34; 5:36; 6:38-39; 9:4.
Comment: These are just a few of the scriptures that tell us that God the Father sent Jesus the Son into the world to accomplish the Father's purpose. In John, more than 30 verses tell us that the Father sent the Son, and in 14 additional verses, Jesus refers to "the one who sent me." Jesus is telling us something about God--not only is Jesus identified as the one who was sent, the Father is identified and described in terms of his relationship to Jesus. The God we are interacting with is the one who sent Jesus.
2. During Jesus' ministry, it was revealed that he was the Son of God. What did he then reveal about the Father? John 1:18; 14:9; 17:26; 17:4. And what did the Father himself reveal about Jesus? Matt. 3:17; 17:5.
Comment: Jesus shows us what God the Father is like. He shows us the Father's love, his compassion and mercy, his righteousness, humility, authority, words, work and truth--even his glory. In Jesus Christ, the Father is made visible so that we can know him. We worship a Father who is very much like his Son.
Although the Father is greater than the Son, they are also one. They have a reciprocal relationship: the Son is in the Father, and the Father is in the Son. Jesus brings glory to the Father, and the Father gives glory to the Son. The Son testifies concerning the Father, and the Father testifies concerning the Son.
3. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught about the Father. What kind of love does the Father have? Matt. 5:45. Can he be trusted to take care of us? Matt. 6:8, 26-32; 18:14. How should we respond to him? Matt. 5:44; 6:33.
4. Does God reward his children? Matt. 6:1-6. How do we speak to him? Luke 11:1-13; 18:1-8. What are we to pray for? Matt. 5:44; 7:11; 9:38; 18:19. Whose will is to be done, in prayer as well as in other aspects of life? Matt. 6:10; 7:21; 12;50; 26:39, 42.
5. What is the Father's role in the work of the Son? Matt. 11:25-27; 13:11; 16:17; 19:26; 20:23. People can come to the Father only through Jesus Christ, but how do people get to Jesus? John 6:44, 65.
Comment: Jesus' ministry was all done under the direction of the Father. Throughout the Gospels we are reminded that Jesus worked according to a plan. It was predicted in Scripture, and it had to be done in a particular way to fulfill what God had already predicted.
The Father directed Jesus in what to do and what to say, and the Son was obedient. Jesus prayed often, and he knew his Father's will. His authority and power came from the Father, and the Father supported him and honored him for his work.
6. How did Jesus describe his relationship with God? John 3:35; 5:20; 10:17; 14:3; 17:24. What special term did he call him? Mark 14:36. Where was he to go after his work on earth had been done? John 13:1; 14:28; 16:10; 20:17.
Comment: In the Old Testament, God is called Father less than 1 percent of the time, never in prayer. Yet Jesus always addressed God in this way (except when he quoted an Old Testament prayer). His disciples only rarely called God Father; almost all the occurrences of "Father" are spoken by Jesus.
Jesus had an unusually close relationship with God, as shown by the word Abba. This was an Aramaic word for father, used by children and adults to refer to their human fathers. Jesus used this familiar term when he prayed, and apparently he taught his disciples to use it, too. Paul used this Aramaic word when he wrote to the church at Rome, confident that they also knew the word because it had been taught to them (Rom. 8:15).
Abba shows a personal and close relationship--Jesus was aware that he had a unique relationship with God. He was loved by the Father, even before the world began, and he loved and trusted the Father. When his work was done, he returned to the Father to be with him in his glory.
7. May we also share in this relationship and look to God as our Father? Matt. 6:14-15, 32; 7:11; John 1:12-13; 14:23. What does the Father send to us? John 14:26.
Comment: Jesus gave us the right to become children of God--yet we are not children in exactly the same way that Jesus is. He was a born Son of God; we are adopted children of God. John notes that distinction by using different Greek words: huios (son) for Jesus and tekna (children) for us. Jesus also suggested a distinction when he told Mary, "I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God" (John 20:17).
Jesus did not consider everyone a child of God--a person can be a child of God only by accepting Jesus as the Son of God (John 8:42). We are to respond to him with worship, praise, honor, prayer, love, faith and obedience--to the Son as well as to the Father.
1. Some of Jesus' parables tell us what the Father is like. Jesus tells us that the Father will act like the king in the parable of the unmerciful servant (Matt. 18:23-35). Was the king willing to forgive the debt? Verse 27. Why was this forgiveness taken away? Verses 28-35. How did Jesus make the same point in the Sermon on the Mount? Matt. 6:15. How is it expressed in Luke 6:36?
2. In the parable of the workers (Matt. 20:1-15), the Father is like the landowner who paid each worker a day's wage, even if he worked only one hour. What does this tell us about God? Verse 15.
3. In the parable of the tenants (Matt. 21:33-43; Luke 20:9-16), the Father is like a landowner who eventually sent his son to collect rent. What happened to the son? Luke 20:15. And what happened to the tenants? Verse 16.
4. In the parable of the wedding banquet (Matt. 22:2-13), the Father is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. Who is invited to the wedding? Verse 9. What happens to those who don't respond properly? Verses 7, 11-13.
5. In the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of the lost coin (Luke 15:3-10), the Father is represented as a man or woman who seeks something that is lost.
What is the point that Jesus made? Verses 7, 10. In the parable of the prodigal son, the Father eagerly desires the return of his son (verse 20). How does he greet him? Verses 22-24. What is the lesson we can learn? Verse 32.
Comment: These parables do not give a complete portrait of the Father, but they do sketch some important aspects.
Here we see a Father who is generous, willing to forgive, eager to invite and eager for us to return. In fact, the Father is so eager for our salvation that he took the initiative to send his Son to seek for us, to invite us and to ensure that we can come.
In the parables, we also see another aspect of God: a Father who makes requirements, who is critical of people who do not rejoice when sinners turn to God.
Moreover, the Father is willing to judge and punish those who disobey. "Be afraid," Jesus said, "of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt. 10:28). "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only" (Matt. 4:10).
Michael Morrison
By Mike Swagerty
SACRAMENTO, California--The Sacramento congregation celebrated the birth of Christ at a service Dec. 19.
For the past two years we have eased into this celebration, trying to keep as many people on board as possible. But this year we had the children dress up and participate, conducted a communion service, and took up an offering, besides lots of seasonal music and a main message on the subject.
I was kind of dreading the fall-out. But many of us were praying for God to bless our efforts.
Normally we have about 150 in attendance. At the incarnation service we had 166.
That was the first piece of good news. Several friends of members attended.
The second piece of good news: not one negative comment.
Third piece of good news. Many felt a new closeness to God.
Fourth piece of good news. Of 166 in attendance we had 160 empty communion glasses. This means all but the babes in arms took it.
(For the past two years our youth teachers have had even the 3 year olds do a sample communion with footwashing as a part of their understanding of Christ. This probably reflects why so many children partook.)
Fifth piece of good news. I have learned something from this experience. First, Christmas time is the best season of the year to do evangelism, especially if you use children in the service. Friends, neighbors, relatives, converted and otherwise, will come at this time of year, especially to see children they know.
I had an opportunity to make the gospel message meaningful to these people.
The second thing I learned is that you have to experience something to lose your fear of it--in this case a communion service not on Nisan 14. In the worship survey we conducted in December, 50 percent of the members in Sacramento said they wanted to do communion only once a year. Nevertheless, everyone present took the communion at the end of the incarnation service.
I gave a low key presentation of why we do it at other times of the year. As we grow in learning and experience, we overcome our fear of the unknown. Now people have no fear of the unknown.
AUBURN, Washington--The Puget Sound area churches combined for an incarnation service Dec. 19.Members and guests met at the Auburn Seventh-day Adventist Church for an evening filled with music, praise and inspirational messages.
The event began with solo music performances by Dolly St. John and Cathy Guth, followed by congregational worship including praise songs and traditional Christmas carols, led by worship leader Michael Limanni.
Larry "Lomax" Lindsley, Olympia church member and KCMS radio personality, gave dramatic readings from Luke about the birth of Christ.
Penny Engelbart, wife of Guy Engelbart, district superintendent, lit four Advent candles symbolizing the coming of Jesus and all he has done for us.
The three red candles picture light, love and hope. The fourth, a pink candle, represents Jesus coming in the flesh.
A women's choir consisting of members from the Tacoma, Federal Way and Bellevue churches sang a choral version of "Mary, Did You Know?"
Mr. Lindsley then announced "Jesus, the Light of the World," and Mrs. Englebart lit the fourth candle.
Pastor Steve Schemm of Federal Way introduced guest speaker Bruce Marchiano. Mr. Marchiano played Jesus in the video series Matthew. Mr. Marchiano gave an inspirational message on the genuineness of Jesus Christ, pointing out how many of us put on bravado as a front to hide our brokenness. Kriss Erickson.
A celebration of the birth of Christ took place in Pasadena Dec. 24. Dan Rogers, superintendent of ministers, began the service with a scripture reading and a short message, followed by others reading scriptures. A praise and worship team led members in song. The event ended with families and friends taking communion. [Photos by Ron Grove]
|
PIKEVILLE, Kentucky--The Pikeville congregation had a service Dec. 19 to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Since we are a small church of around 40 people the whole church had to take part in some way. The heavenly host (our congregation) opened services with "O Come All Ye Faithful," "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "Silent Night."
The children, in full dress depicting that season, presented us with a live Nativity scene, and sang "Away in a Manger."
The Christmas story according to Luke was read, and Christine Stewart sang "O Holy Night."
The heavenly host closed the first half of the service by singing "Joy to the World." Pastor Don Justice gave the offertory message, and an offering was taken up.
The service was then turned over to guest speaker Terry Adkins from the Christian Life Fellowship Church. Rebecca Peak, a member of Christian Life Fellowship, sang "No Room in the Inn."
Terry Adkins then spoke on the birth of Jesus Christ and how through his birth we have been given hope of salvation and have been atoned by the blood of Jesus, and only his blood can save us. Christine Stewart.
GAINESVILLE, Florida--The Gainesville congregation joined with Westminster Presbyterian to celebrate the remembrance of the joyous first coming of our Lord Jesus Christ at a Christmas eve service.
Ken Smylie, WCG pastor, shared the Christmas message with Glen Dickenson. The title of the split message was Keeping a Clear Focus. Both emphasized the importance of keeping Christ the center of the seasonal celebration.
Mr. Smylie shared his and the WCG's journey from the old covenant to the new covenant. He pointed out that not having celebrated Christmas for the last 30 years and now being free in Christ to celebrate it, gave him a profound sense of joy and release to join the larger Christian family and be glad in the remembrance of Jesus' first coming.
The 200 in attendance sang traditional Christmas songs and ended service with singing "Silent Night."
DALLAS, Texas--The Dallas Central church presented a musical play, Tonight a Savior Is Born, Dec. 20.
The music included songs by soloists and an angelic choir, and a band performed two numbers.
The play was written by Frank Lewandowski and directed by Joel Gehman, an Ambassador University graduate who acted in university productions.
Joan Wright directed the singers and was assisted by Debbie Hard and Kevin McCoy. Brian Holsenbeck directed the band, and Suzy Molnar designed the costumes.
Since the Ambassador University campus in Big Sandy, Texas, which served as the custodian of the academic records for the schools mentioned above, is being sold, records are now located at the Worldwide Church of God headquarters in Pasadena.
Please make requests for academic transcripts or other related documents to:
| Ambassador University Registrar Box 2241 Pasadena, California, 91102 |
Fax: 1-626-304-6038 Phone: 1-626-304-6030 E-mail: Registrar@wcg.org Web: http://www.ambassador.edu |
Federal Law requires that requests for all transcripts be submitted in writing and signed by the individual whose records are being requested. Please submit $5 (U.S.) for each transcript requested. Checks can be made payable to the Worldwide Church of God.
For more information, please contact us using the phone number above.
Ronald D. Urwiller
Registrar and Archivist
P.S., Note that any further updates to this information will be posted at the Ambassador University web site (http://www.ambassador.edu) and not necessarily updated here. Please check there for the latest information.
Church Administration announced the following ministerial ordinations.
Tony Auernheimer Salina, Kansas
Brent Baker Bowling Green, Kentucky
Danilo De Guia Catbalogan, Philippines
Gilbert Flournoy Anniston, Alabama
Ronald Garrett Wilmington, North Carolina
Tobe Johnson Helena, Montana
Allen Johnston Kingsport, Tennessee
Leonard Ladage Olean, New York
Duane Marquis Lincoln, Nebraska
Floyd Sayler Butte, Montana
Cliff Snyder Pueblo, Colorado
Following are the dates for the annual festivals in 1999
Lord's Supper observance: Tuesday evening, March 30
First Day of Unleavened Bread: Thursday, April 1
Celebration of Jesus' Resurrection: Sunday, April 4
Last Day of Unleavened Bread: Friday, April 7
Pentecost: Sunday, May 23
Feast of Trumpets: Saturday, Sept. 11
Day of Atonement: Monday, Sept. 20
First Day of Tabernacles: Saturday, Sept. 25
Last Great Day of the Festival: Saturday, Oct. 2
Celebration of Jesus' birth: Saturday, Dec. 25
BOREHAMWOOD, England--The church in Spain is planning a Festival site on the island of Majorca in the Mediterranean Sea. The hotel is on the beach near Palma Majorca. The climate is warm enough to enjoy the beaches, and many historical attractions are available.
The island is about 50 miles wide, and a full-day tour will be arranged, plus tours to visit the historical sites. Services wil
