Dear Brethren and Co-workers with Christ,
Last month I asked our Tomorrow’s World and Living Church of God Regional Directors to write the Brethren and Co-worker letter. It occurred to me that you might enjoy reading excerpts from the letters written by these dedicated men from around the world to the members and co-workers they serve.
Mr. Robert Tyler is our Regional Director for Australasia. He pointed out:
In Australia, we have seen rolling calamities since the beginning of 2020. Devastating drought, damaging floods, and destructive fires which are now estimated to have killed or displaced over three billion native mammals, reptiles, and amphibians. . . . Now, with the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia is tackling a financial crisis like it’s never faced before.
In New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is quietly working to have major policies passed through the Parliament. On the 24 March 2020, new laws were passed to decriminalise abortion right up until the moment of birth, with no meaningful limitations. Further, two important referendums will be held in September 2020: one to legalise euthanasia, and the other called the “Cannabis Legalisation and Control Bill,” which, if passed, will legalise the sale, use, and possession of cannabis in New Zealand.
The Tomorrow’s World telecast continues to air on nationwide television in Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines. . . . We are active through Google Ads in Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Australia, New Zealand and many other countries. . . and our ministry are actively visiting those who want to meet a minister or attend services in their area.
Mr. Rick Stafford oversees the Caribbean and a small portion of Northeastern South America. He received good news from Barbados while writing his letter: “They are finally able to have live services! For months, they’ve had to have online services and fellowship. The brethren are thrilled to be able again to fellowship and be together in person.”
He also wrote these words of encouragement and exhortation:
Faithful brethren and co-workers are also expressing a deep appreciation, by their actions, for having been called by our Father (John 6:44) to understand His Truth and the true Gospel. We are deeply appreciative for being a part of Christ’s end-time Work, warning and giving hope to thousands—hope for the wonderful world tomorrow when Christ returns. It is a privilege and an honor to understand God’s Truth today and to come out of this world (Revelation 18:4) so that we do not go down with it. It is a great blessing to do our parts in helping others come to understand this Truth and good news as we do.
Every day, we receive news that manipulates our emotions. This influence divides and confuses people rather than supports and encourages them. We have been called to shine as lights, as ambassadors of Christ (Matthew 5:14-16; 2 Corinthians 5:20). It is our privilege and responsibility to support and pray for God’s Work preaching the true Gospel so His Way of Life can be revealed to others.
Our Regional Director for the task of overseeing the United Kingdom, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa is Mr. Peter Nathan. He wrote in his letter:
Despite all the chaos around us, we have some good news to share with you: 2019 was a record year for literature sent out by our United Kingdom office. . . by the beginning of July this year we had already surpassed our 2019 totals! Our subscribers to Tomorrow’s World magazine have increased substantially from 8,263 to 12,073—an increase of 3,810 or 46 percent. With the growth in circulation we have witnessed a ballooning in the number of requests for literature.
The United Kingdom office also oversees the production of magazines in the French language. Each time an English edition of Tomorrow’s World is published, it is followed . . . by a French language edition. . . . The same holds true with the Living Church News, in French titled Le Journal. . . . The Living Church News has been offered to Co-workers previously. If you are not receiving this publication and would like to read a copy or receive a regular subscription, feel free to contact us.
In South Africa, the Tomorrow’s World magazine is translated into the Afrikaans language, while in the Netherlands and Germany selected articles are translated into their respective languages and posted on the websites for Dutch or German readers. All the literature available in English is also available in the French, Dutch, German, Spanish, and Afrikaans languages. Each language has a website. . . . Visits to these websites show a consistent growth in traffic as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. [All are accessible through links found at] the foot of the English page at TomorrowsWorld.org.
Our Spanish language El Mundo de Mañana YouTube channel has by far the most subscribers of all our languages, with ten Tomorrow’s World voiced-over telecasts receiving over one million views and two other programs surpassing two million views. Señor Mario Hernandez, Regional Director for Central and South America, reminded everyone of our calling. “We are instruments of the most exciting announcement ever made to humanity—the coming of a world government. . . .” He continued:
Here is what the book of Psalms foretells about the future King of the World: “Yes, all kings shall fall down before Him; all nations shall serve Him. For He will deliver the needy when he cries, the poor also, and him who has no helper. He will spare the poor and needy, and will save the souls of the needy. He will redeem their life from oppression and violence” (Psalm 72:11-14).
As moral depravity reaches its fullness and the present society advances blind and oblivious toward its own destruction, there is no more important message in the world than the one we have been called to announce.
The coming King that we announce to this world is called the “Prince of Peace.” With overwhelming force at His return, He will subdue the nations and force them to walk in the way of peace, the way that they have never known.
Peace is something this world sorely needs, but it will only come after the return of Christ. Señor Hernandez then quotes near the end of his letter this wonderful passage, where many people shall come and say,
“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore (Isaiah 2:3-4).
Stuart Wachowicz is our Regional Director for Canada and our fledgling work in China. Mr. Wachowicz informed our Members and Co-workers that he serves:
Truly, it is nothing short of miraculous that the Work of God here in Canada and in the United States, as well as in other places around the globe, has in fact grown during these difficult times. In just over halfway through 2020, we have added more subscribers to our mailing list than in all of 2019—and by a substantial margin. We are very thankful to God for this, and also to all those who have been faithfully supporting this Work with their offerings and their fervent prayers.
To further support our French-language efforts, we have recently launched the new Internet-delivered production Point de vue on French YouTube. This is the French version of our successful English language Viewpoint YouTube commentary series, which now has over four million views and 20,000 subscribers.
My friends, regardless of the social movements, the politics, and the religious deceptions of this world, we have a great job to complete. It is our responsibility to be clear, honest, and polite, but we are to warn our nations about the catastrophic result of their present way of life and to explain the purpose and the hope of the coming Kingdom of God.
God Himself has given us our marching orders: “Cry aloud, spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet; tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins” (Isaiah 58:1). He also tells us, “And this gospel of the kingdom 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 very much for your faithful support and prayers, and for the fact that you have accepted the calling God has given you, which, according to Scripture, makes you His special treasure: “‘They shall be Mine,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘on the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him’” (Malachi 3:17).
Mr. Rod McNair is one of our presenters on the Tomorrow’s World telecast, and I asked him to write the letter for the United States. He wrote:
We Americans have been given some of the most productive land on earth. . . .blessed beyond perhaps any other nation in history. We have inherited freedoms that other societies only dream of. And yet, too many of us are obsessed with seeking material success. . . .We kill our unborn children. . . .We live in immorality, tearing down marriage and family, and call it “love.” We blaspheme God and spew out hate toward fellow citizens, and call it “freedom of expression.” Is it any wonder our society is descending into chaos? Consider the warning God gave through the prophet Jeremiah: “Your own wickedness will correct you, and your backslidings will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing that you have forsaken the Lord your God, and the fear of Me is not in you” (Jeremiah 2:19).
There is a coming judgment on modern Israel and on all nations. God help us see the handwriting on the wall before it is too late! Let’s avoid getting caught up in the rising strife that is tearing our nations apart. And let’s stay focused on our God-given mission of preaching the Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God. That is the real hope for mankind.
Dear Members and Co-workers, we have truly been surprised by the advances this Work has made during 2020—racing forward rather than falling back. Our magazines, booklets, DVDs and CDs have flown out our doors all over this world. Our telecast responses are up significantly, and more people are contacting us, wanting to be part of the Church that holds faithful to the Christianity of Christ and His Apostles. While we know that ultimately it is God the Father and Jesus Christ who bless us, we also thank you for your part in making this happen.
Sincerely, in Christ’s service,
Gerald E. Weston