The World Ahead Weekly Update — May 1, 2014
Greetings from Charlotte,
Severe storms and tornadoes again brought death and destruction to the mid-section of America this week, causing millions of dollars of damage. However, due to the politically correct, anti-biblical mentality that prevails in the western world, few today make any connection with weather-related disasters and prophetic warnings of the consequences to a nation for turning away from the laws of God. Here in Charlotte, Dr. Meredith has completed a semi-annual letter that will be mailed to more than 440,000 subscribers. Mr. Gerald Weston reports that 27 visitors attended Tomorrow’s World presentations last weekend in Regina and Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada. Mr. Hernandez has returned from visiting congregations in South America, and Dr. Wilner Pierre has returned after visiting congregations in the French Caribbean. We have a number of ministers and wives arriving for the Council of Elders meetings this week and for the General Ministerial Conference next week. Please pray that God will watch over His people and that He will guide these upcoming meetings.—DSW
Church Administration
Obituaries
Mr. Glen Gilchrist, Area Pastor of congregations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska died suddenly on Sunday, April 27, of a heart attack. He is survived by his wife Diane and two daughters, Laurel and Allison. Mr. Davy Crockett will conduct a memorial service on Saturday, May 10, at the Fife Community Center, 2111 54th Ave. E., Fife, WA 98424.
Mr. Vernon Damron, a long time elder who served in the Russellville, Arkansas, congregation also died on April 27 at the age of 83, after being in declining health for some time.
Trip to St. Maarten
On April 8, 2014 Mr. Rod McNair and Dr. Wilner Pierre arrived in St. Maarten in the Caribbean to prepare for a live radio broadcast interview and also to conduct a Tomorrow’s World Presentation. The radio broadcast interview on April 9 was aired over the entire island of St. Maarten along with other Dutch- and French-speaking islands close by. During the interview, there were questions on Bible prophecy and also questions concerning the difference between the pagan holidays and God’s biblical Holy Days.
At 7:00 p.m. on April 9, Mr. Rod McNair gave a PowerPoint TWP on “Five Keys to End Time Prophecy.” After a fifteen minute break, Dr. Pierre, Area Pastor for the French-speaking Caribbean, gave a follow-up presentation on the meaning of God’s Holy Days. Forty people attended the presentations, including the two members from St. Maarten. Everyone was very attentive. You could hear responses from the audience, such as “Go ahead” and “Yes.” You could also feel the energy and excitement of people hearing the Truth for the first time. It is very encouraging to see the potential for growth in St. Maarten, on both the English- and French-speaking parts of the island.—Rod McNair
Television Department—Web Site TV Station Updates
Recently, God has greatly blessed His Church with major expanded television coverage. If you haven’t recently visited the updated and redesigned “TV Log” at the new TomorrowsWorld.org Web site, you may want to take a few minutes to do so. There you will find not only additional local coverage in your area, but you may also be very encouraged to see some of the cities and countries around the world where the Tomorrow’s World telecast is broadcast. Check out the updated on-line TV Log at www.tomorrowsworld.org/tune-in .—Wyatt Ciesielka, Director of Internet & TV Operations
Second Passover
The Second Passover this year should be taken shortly after sunset on Tuesday, May 13. This Passover is for those baptized members who were unable to take the first Passover due to unavoidable circumstances. The biblical instructions regarding this ceremony are found in Numbers 9:1-14.
Outreach—Exciting Upcoming Projects
Dr. Meredith has encouraged us that, while powerfully preaching the Gospel to the whole world remains the priority of God’s Church (Mark 1:14, Matthew 24:14, etc.), we must remember that Jesus Christ Himself also said that His faithful servants would “feed the hungry, help the stranger, clothe the naked, visit those in prison,” etc. and that when we serve those in need, we actually serve Him (Matthew 25:31-46). Following these biblical admonitions, as we have the time and resources, Living Church of God Outreach is active in “[doing] good to all” (Galatians 6:10) by engaging in community service work that especially helps those less fortunate, such as the widows and fatherless in their time of need (James 1:27) and also in assisting in local congregation service as desired by the local ministry. Our Church member volunteers have been a wonderful light in both the local community as well as with organizations that have national and international reach. These organizations include groups such as Habitat for Humanity, local hospitals and retirement homes, Goodwill, and others. Coming soon, we have another Habitat for Humanity critical home repair project planned and will also be working with Ronald McDonald House to prepare and serve a large dinner for parents and families of children who are hospitalized with serious medical conditions. To learn more, or for ideas about how you can get involved in local Outreach activities in your area, visit LCG.org and click on the “Outreach” menu item.—Wyatt Ciesielka, Outreach Coordinator
Carolina Singles Weekend 2014—Deadline Approaching
The deadline to register for the Carolina Singles Weekend is only a few days away: Monday, May 5. If you wish to attend but have not yet registered, please do so right away. If you are not able to register but still wish to attend, please contact Jonathan Bueno at jbueno@lcg.org. See you soon! To register visit charlottelcg.org (not an official LCG Web site).—Jonathan Bueno
Important Update about the “Creation Weekend”!—Repeat Announcement
If you are planning to come to Cincinnati for the “Creation Weekend” over May 24-26, then please register on our Web site as soon as possible! Just head over to ohiolcg.org (not an official LCG Web site) and click on any of the “Creation Weekend” links, where you will find the Registration Form and information on costs and housing.
Mr. Richard Ames plans to be at the weekend, along with Mr. John Robinson and myself, talking about science and the Bible, the dinosaurs and so-called “human” fossils, and a proper understanding of God’s wonderful Creation. Along with a group visit to the Creation Museum and crafts for young children, it should be a great family weekend!
Space may be limited and some of the hotel discounts are time-sensitive, so please register on ohiolcg.org as soon as possible! When space fills up, we may need to close down registration to ensure we have enough room and materials for everyone.
So, get online, register, and we’ll see you in Cincinnati!—Wallace Smith
Feast of Tabernacles
Feast Registration Update
More than 6,100 brethren have successfully registered and received approval for their Feast site of choice. If you have not already registered, go to fot2014.lcg.org and sign in with your MyLCG log-in information.
As a reminder, the sites that are closed are: Myrtle Beach, SC; Navarre, FL; Gatlinburg, TN; Jamaica and Argentina.
Still lots of room in… Palm Harbor!
The beautiful Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Palm Harbor, Florida, will again be a major site for the Feast of Tabernacles in 2014. The Innisbrook Resort is an excellent facility and an outstanding venue for the Feast, with the beautiful Inverness Hall for our daily services and outstanding living quarters for the brethren to enjoy. Much to their delight, the brethren who stayed there in 2013 discovered that the free shuttle service offered by the resort is very prompt, efficient and comfortable—and available 24/7. The accommodations being offered at Innisbrook are as follows:
Executive Suite – $109/night
One-bedroom Suite – $119/night
Two-bedroom Suite – $159/night
The prices noted above include the resort fee, but they do not include the 12 percent tax. To review the complete details of what each suite offers and the resort itself, please go to innisbrookgolfresort.com.
For the brethren who choose to stay at Innisbrook, the resort offers the following complimentary amenities: six swimming pools, two beach volleyball areas, miniature golf, shuffleboard, a fitness center, outdoor basketball court, fishing for largemouth bass in a stocked lake, and scheduled shuttle service to Honeymoon Island Beach. Also available, but with associated fees, are four golf courses, 11 tennis courts, racquetball courts and an outstanding spa. Busch Gardens, well known for its gardens, rides, and animals, is nearby. Discounted tickets for Busch Gardens before, during and after the Feast are available at this link: www.buschgardens.com/
conventions. Please note that these discounted tickets to Busch Gardens must be purchased and printed in advance—they cannot be purchased at the gate.
Dining options at the resort include five restaurants. Tampa, a short drive south, also offers superb restaurants. For more information, contact the Festival Coordinator, Mr. John Strain, phone 903-316-3160 or e-mail jstrain@lcg.org.
Living Youth Programs
Online Teen Bible Study—Friday Evening
The online Teen Bible Study Friday evening, May 9, will be on “The Dramatic Return of Jesus Christ,” presented by Mr. Sheldon Monson. If you haven’t had the opportunity to join us for one of the online Bible Studies yet, I encourage you to do so. It is a wonderful way to start the Sabbath day.
The Bible Study runs from 8:00-9:00 p.m. (EDT) and the chat room will be open for a half hour before and after the study. You can access this Bible Study at livingyouth.org. We hope as many of our youth as possible will join us for this wonderful opportunity for godly fellowship and learning. For those of you who are unable to make it to the study, archives of previous Living Youth Bible Studies can be found on the Living Youth Web site.—Sheldon Monson
Missouri Pre-Teen Camp at Capacity
The Missouri Pre-teen Camp has reached capacity. We are very excited about having a full camp with more than a 20 percent increase over last year—a record for the Missouri Pre-teen camp. If you are a male camper, we may be able to fit you in, though. Please call me directly at 417-483-8365 or e-mail ghilgenberg@lcg.org. Any other new applications will go on a waiting list.—Gene Hilgenberg
Registration for LYC 2014 Camps
Although the Texas and Missouri Pre-teen camps are now at capacity for campers, and any further camper applications for these two camps will be placed on a waitlist, there is still room at the West Virginia Pre-teen camp.—Sheldon Monson
Youth Camp in Europe
Applications for LYC Europe, which is scheduled for August 13-22, are still being accepted but we are getting close to capacity. If you are hoping to come, please apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. This year’s camp is promising to be a great experience with a new location and some new faces providing more great opportunities to participate in activities and learn about God’s way of life. It really is an opportunity not to be missed! If you require more information or application forms, please contact Mr. Rees Ellis rees.ellis@brutele.be or Jamie Meakin jamiemeakin@lcg.org.uk at the UK Office.—Jamie Meakin
Comments
The Importance of Working Together: Jesus referred to His disciples as His “friends” and encouraged them to “love one another” (John 15:12-17). The Apostle Paul referred to those who assisted him in his ministry as “my fellow workers” (Romans 16:3). He referred to members of God’s Church as “God’s fellow workers” (1 Corinthians 3:9) and “workers together [co-workers] with him” (2 Corinthians 6:1). These unique opportunities come with important responsibilities. The Scriptures provide practical guidelines for working together. We are instructed to “be perfectly joined together in the same mind” and not let contentions divide us (1 Corinthians 1:10-13). We are also advised to learn how to get along and live in harmony, to avoid being haughty and conceited or ambitious for a position, to be humble and do what is right, and to strive to live and work together peacefully (Romans 12:16-18). We are told that repeating rumors disrupts friendships (Proverbs 17:9) and that a converted person is “easy to be entreated” (James 3:17, KJV). If we learn to “love one another” and treat each other as “friends” we will be more effective “fellow workers” for the Kingdom of God.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—May 1, 2014
A Changing Deadly Virus: Resistance to drugs is a growing problem for a number of diseases. New research has discovered that the virus that causes AIDS is adapting to the human immune response (International Business Times, April 27, 2014). As a result, researchers believe the mutations could result in a decreased ability to fight HIV—especially in African populations where the infection rates are highest (ibid.). The HIV virus attacks and eventually destroys the immune system of its victims. While the origin of HIV is disputed, many scientists believe it “originated in Africa at some point between the late 1800s and the 1950s, possibly as a result of a human eating ‘bush meat’—probably a chimpanzee” (ibid.). The sad but encouraging reality is that HIV is preventable. Long ago God gave dietary laws that prevent the spread of diseases from many animal meats to humans, by avoiding meats that contain these infections—guidelines that modern Christianity believes have been “nailed to the cross” (Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14). In addition, a primary means that spreads HIV infections is promiscuous sexual contact. However, if biblical commands to avoid adultery and fornication (sex outside of a monogamous, heterosexual marriage) were followed, virtually all HIV transmission would cease and eradication would follow within about a decade (Exodus 20:14). The laws of God lead to health and life (Proverbs 4:22), and those laws have been available for thousands of years. For more on God’s public health laws, read our article “Biblical Health Laws.”
Earth Destroyed Next Week? Prominent religious leader Pat Robertson predicted the destruction of the world by a meteor, during a recent airing of The 700 Club. “A giant meteor will bring an end to the world is a prophecy by none other than Jesus Christ… It could be next week, it could be 1,000 years from now. But nevertheless, we want to be ready whenever the Lord says, ‘I’m wrapping it up, and it’s time to come home’” (International Business Times, April 26, 2014). Predictably, atheists and agnostics are making light of his comments. But is Mr. Robertson correct about Christ returning “next week” or in 1,000 years? While Mr. Robertson’s premise that we should be “ready” and preparing now for Christ’s return is correct (see Matthew 24:36-44), the Bible makes it clear that a definite series of prophetic events must come first (see Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21). For more information on events that will precede the return of Jesus Christ, view our fascinating TV programs “Will Christ Return Tonight?” and “Christ Will Return Soon!”
Severe Weather Devastation: This week, severe weather spawned tornadoes across Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, killing more than 30 people (New York Times, April 29, 2014). The powerful storm systems leveled homes and businesses, forced frightened residents in several states to take cover and left tens of thousands without electricity (Associated Press, April 29, 2014). The latest severe weather followed on the heels of a tornado that devastated everything in its 80-mile path through the suburbs of Little Rock, Arkansas, killing at least 15 (ibid.). The powerful winds of these storms are estimated to have reached 130-150 miles per hour (CNN, April 28, 2014). Severe weather can be terrifying as it causes death and destruction. What many do not realize today is that God will use the weather to punish nations that turn away from His laws (Leviticus 26:14-16; Deuteronomy 28:15-16; Luke 21:11). The Bible warns that increasingly severe weather will be one of the events will mark the approaching end of this age (Matthew 24:3-8). For more insight into the real causes of much of the severe weather we will see in the future, read our booklet Who Controls the Weather?—Scott Winnail and Ron Ramsingh