Dear Brethren and Co-Workers!
Why is there so much suffering in our world? Why do so many live with poor health and chronic pain? Is this the way a loving God intended for man to live? Sadly, most of the afflictions we see around us are needless and preventable. The cost to eradicate many diseases is very low, but don’t expect the solutions to be put in place any time soon. Why? Because the answers to our problems are found in the rejected book that we know of as the Bible. Many people are surprised that God instructed mankind about the subject of health, but He gave us laws regarding sanitation, quarantine, and avoiding disease-causing foods.
Billions of dollars, euros, pounds and yen are spent treating disease each year, but just as one disease is declared eradicated, new ones pop up. Television ads would be comical if they were not so tragic. You’ve seen them. “Take this new wonder drug (show happy faces of active people) and your pain will be diminished, maybe even disappear.” Then come the warnings. “Do not take this if you have kidney or liver disease. Do not take it if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It may cause kidney failure, liver damage, lymphoma and other forms of cancer, depression, thoughts of suicide, and even death! If you have trouble breathing, develop a rash, or experience abdominal pain, stop taking it immediately and see your doctor right away!”
The next ad will likely be for a law firm that sues drug companies for the death of your loved one who took one of its wonder drugs! Does anyone see a problem with this picture? Surely, there must be a better way! And there is! While we do not have the answers to every disease and affliction at this time, much is preventable. Consider sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, chlamydia, the human papilloma virus, gonorrhea and a couple dozen more. These would disappear in a single generation if people obeyed God’s laws, but we choose to treat the effects rather than the causes.
Do you realize the Bible gives instructions regarding the proper disposal of human waste? One physician stated that if the twin goals of proper human waste disposal and clean water were achieved, nearly 75 percent of Africa’s diseases would disappear! The percentage of prevention is disputable, but the point is well taken. Most disease is preventable if God’s simple instructions were followed!
Dear Members and Co-Workers, these letters come to you each month to inform you about our world and where it is headed. We preach the true good news that Jesus Christ brought—that there is a time coming in the near future when He will return to bring about a better way. He will not return until we bring ourselves to the brink of self-annihilation, but He WILL stop our madness. We also know that the spirit directing the course of this world will be removed (Ephesians 2:1-2; Revelation 20:1-3). Only then will mankind learn God’s better way.
I am sure all of you recognize that these letters are also written to remind you of our need for financial support to preach this message to the world, and I thought it might be helpful to share with you a few things that you may not know about this Work. As you know, all our literature is sent out free of charge. Of the approximate 272,000 current subscribers to the Tomorrow’s World magazine, only some 11,400 member and co-worker families support this effort.
Consider what that means. At six yearly issues, that is a total of 1,632,000 magazines going out each year. Last year we printed and mailed 245,129 booklets. Our Tomorrow’s World telecast goes into all parts of the world, and we support 398 church congregations. We pay for the meeting halls of these congregations, as well as ministerial salaries and expenses. But, this only tells part of the story. Consider the office staff around the world providing the infrastructure for these endeavors. We have writers, accountants, television and Internet personnel and more. Call centers are hired to take thousands of calls each month. A mere 11,400 households financially support all these efforts, and you are one of them! Thank you, thank you!
We do not ask the public for money on the telecast or in our literature, and we don’t even take up collections during our weekly Sabbath services. The only occasions for taking up offerings are during the annual Holy Days, when we are instructed to do so: “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses: at the Feast of Unleavened Bread, at the Feast of Weeks, and at the Feast of Tabernacles; and they shall not appear before the Lord empty-handed. Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which He has given you” (Deuteronomy 16:16-17).
We do teach our members the biblical law of tithing, and most of our members faithfully practice God’s instructions when they voluntarily send in their tithes and offerings by mail or electronically. Regarding tithing, we publish a booklet titled God’s People Tithe. We almost never mention it, but it is available to you or anyone else who wants to learn more about God’s tithing laws. All you have to do is request it.
When we refer to members in this letter, we speak of those families who are in regular fellowship with one of our congregations. Co-workers are those who voluntarily support this Work, but who have not chosen to fellowship in one of our congregations at this time. Then there are donors, who give a one-time or occasional offering. Donors do not receive these letters, as they have not chosen to be regular supporters of this Work. Frankly, we could not do this Work to the degree we do without both members and co-workers, as well as those occasional donors. All who contribute to this effort are greatly appreciated!
You are probably bombarded daily with requests for money: starving children, abused animals, societies to cure various diseases, and televangelists hawking tapes, books, and anointed cloths. While we appreciate some of the work done by various agencies and the admirable dedication of their employees and volunteers, we understand the only real solution to mankind’s problems is the return of Jesus Christ. Only then will we see the eradication of hunger, cruelty, and disease.
We believe as an article of faith that “this gospel of the kingdom [not just any gospel, but the true gospel] will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). Thank you for seeing the big picture and supporting this Work where we practice Jesus’ instruction: “Freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8). You make that possible! God sees your private giving and will reward you openly in due time!
Sincerely, in Christ’s service,
Gerald E. Weston