Greetings from Charlotte,
When it seems as though things cannot get worse, they will. There will be ups and downs, but our world is heading into the time of Jacob’s trouble. We may not be there yet, but that is where the events taking place right now are heading. The invasion of Ukraine by Russia, whether justified or not, sets in motion paths for the future that can move us closer to the fulfillment of end-time prophecies. The disastrous manner in which the United States pulled out of Afghanistan is part of the big picture, but even more so is our headlong plunge into sinful behaviors and divisions within.
In the meantime, we continue doing the Work of God. Each week between 2,500 and 3,500 brand-new subscribers are added to Tomorrow’s World magazine. While some subscribers do not renew their subscriptions, the mailing list continues to grow as we reach larger numbers of new people. We will be starting a new congregation in Savannah, Georgia, and last week we started airing the telecast in Israel. Please pray that God will use this opportunity to preach the Gospel in Israel to accomplish His purpose.—Gerald Weston
Church Administration
Importance of Follow-up Tomorrow’s World Presentations
In 2022 thus far, the Living Church of God has conducted 26 follow-up Tomorrow’s World Presentations. Follow-up presentations are vital in giving TWP guests a “next step” in moving forward and learning more. Follow-up presentations are conducted by the local pastors and elders, and are usually more doctrinal in nature than the initial TWP. It’s encouraging to note that so far in 2022, follow-up presentations have generated 113 “repeat” attendees and 17 “first-time” attendees. Both figures are encouraging, because it shows that even if some don’t attend the initial TWP, they may still come to a follow-up as a “first-time” attendee. And, it is good to see “repeat” attendees who like what they are hearing and come back for more.—Rod McNair
Passover 2022—Repeat Announcement
Important Notice to All Pastors: In 2022, the Passover Service will be observed on Thursday evening, April 14. Please let us know as soon as possible if any of the congregations you serve will need additional Passover Service supplies (bread trays and/or wine trays or glasses) or a copy of the Passover Service recording and letter instructions (available in English, French, and Spanish). To ensure timely delivery and to save on shipping costs, we need this information before March 18 for U.S. congregations. International requests should already have been sent in.
Also, please let us know of any scattered members who are unable to keep the Passover with a congregation and who need the Passover Service recording, also, whether they will need a CD or a DVD recording. Letter instructions for observing it at home will be sent with the recording. International requests should already have been sent in and U.S. requests should be received before March 18. Please direct your requests to the Church Administration Department at [email protected] as soon as possible.
Living Education
Virtual Worldwide Chorus III
This spring Holy Day season, we will once again be preparing a very special music selection with choir members from around the world. If you would like to participate, navigate to the Resources tab, then the Music section of www.lcgeducation.org. Together, we’ll be singing “The Lord’s Prayer” by Albert Hay Malotte. This is a familiar piece to many choir members and should be very appropriate for the Passover season. To allow enough time for editing, the deadline to submit recordings is March 20. If you have any questions, please email me at [email protected].—Jonathan McNair
Living Education–Charlotte
If you or someone you know is interested in building a foundation for a good life and is between the ages of 18 and 30, LivingEd–Charlotte is the place to be! We are accepting applications for our 2022–23 school year and will begin issuing early acceptance letters shortly. If you would like to know more, just go to www.lcgeducation.org and click on “Charlotte.”—Jonathan McNair
Men’s Training Camp—Texas: Deadline to Register
This is a reminder that the deadline to register for the Men’s Training Camp in Texas is Sunday, February 27. Just go to Login to MyLCG for more details and a link to register. All men, ages 16 and up, are welcome to attend. For more information, contact Mr. Rick Stafford at [email protected].—Jonathan McNair
Living Youth Program
LYP Adventure Program 2022
This summer, we’ll be expanding our LYP Adventure Program to serve two separate locations. Our goal is to encourage as many of our young people as possible to step up to the challenge of adventure! For our teens in the Midwest, we’ll be exploring the Ouachita National Forest in western Arkansas. For those on the east coast, we’ll feature a hike in the Middle Prong Wilderness of the Pisgah National Forest, in the heart of the Smoky Mountains. Both trips will take place over the week of June 26 through July 1. Stay tuned for more information about the trip and how to apply.—Jonathan McNair
Register for Preteen Camps in Missouri, Texas, and West Virginia, and Texas Teen Camp
Registration is now open for the Texas Teen Camp as well as Preteen Camps in Missouri, Texas, and West Virginia. Please see specific announcements below for more details or go to our Living Youth website: https://camp.livingyouth.org.
Missouri Preteen Camp—Repeat Announcement
Come join us this summer in beautiful Lake of the Ozarks State Park. The largest state park in Missouri will serve as host to preteens from all over the Midwest and beyond as they gather together for a week of fun, fellowship, and new experiences. In the peaceful setting of Camp Clover Point, campers will have opportunities to acquire new skills, build confidence, and deepen their knowledge of God, while reconnecting with old friends and making new ones!
- Arrival will be Sunday, July 31, and departure Friday, August 5
- Application deadline for staff is Tuesday, May 17
- Application deadline for campers is Tuesday, May 31
For more details, costs, and to register, please visit https://camp.livingyouth.org/. If you have questions, please contact me by email ([email protected]) or phone (765-243-4715).—Yancy Taber, Camp Director
Texas Preteen Camp—Repeat Announcement
Preteens from ages 8 to 12 are invited to the beautiful Lone Star Camp from Monday, July 25, to Friday, July 29, for fun-filled days in the summer sun! Campers will make new friends, renew old friendships, and learn more about God’s wonderful way of life. We will be offering a variety of activities this year, and many unique opportunities for fun and excitement! For more details, go to https://camp.livingyouth.org.—Phil West, Camp Director
West Virginia Preteen Camp—Repeat Announcement
Campers ages 8–12 and families with 8–12-year-old children are welcome at the Preteen Camp held at the 4-H camp in Princeton, West Virginia. Older sibling-campers who are teenagers are also welcome. We are also looking for staff to support the camp as counselors, kitchen, dishwashing, laundry, and other areas. Arrival will be Sunday, July 31 and departure Friday, August 5. Deadline for application is Tuesday, May 31, 2022. If you have questions, please contact me ([email protected]; phone: 240-707-6280). For further information including camp fees and to apply, please go to our website https://camp.livingyouth.org.—Scott Winnail, Camp Director
Weekly Content for Teens at the Living Youth Website—Repeat Announcement
The LivingYouth.org website now features fresh, weekly content for Church youth. A mix of written posts, videos, and podcasts are being added, with two to three new items posted every week. We hope teens, young adults, and their families will check it out and give us feedback.—Wallace Smith
Comments
The Church as a Watchman: Down through history God has used His servants to warn His people and the world of coming events—for their own good. Moses warned the Israelites that if they disobeyed God and despised His laws and statutes, they would be punished (Leviticus 26:15). Isaiah was told to “Cry aloud” and tell God’s people that their sins will bring serious consequences (Isaiah 58:1). Jeremiah warned the Israelites, “you have forsaken the Lord your God” and “your own wickedness will correct you” (Jeremiah 2:17–19). Hosea’s message was, “They sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind… Israel has forgotten his Maker” (Hosea 8:7, 14). Ezekiel was given a prophetic commission to be watchman to the house of Israel and that he would be held accountable for delivering that warning. In Ezekiel’s day, the house of Israel had already gone into captivity—which means that same message must be delivered to modern Israelite nations today. Let’s pray that God will open doors to make that possible and that we will stay focused on the mission to be a watchman to modern Israelites and the world.
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—February 24, 2022
Where Are All the Teachers Going? CNN has reported an alarming trend: “US teacher prep programs have reported shrinking enrollment numbers over at least the past decade. Experts are sounding the alarm” (February 5, 2022). Many teachers are now retiring, and replacements are in dwindling supply. The reasons for teachers leaving makes for a large list, “from low pay and often little regard from their communities, to growing numbers of school shootings and legislative requirements about what and how to teach.” As educators leave the teaching field, the vacancies they leave behind are going unfilled because fewer and fewer seem interested in taking their place. As one official noted, “I don’t know how bad it’s going to have to get before we realize as a country that if we don’t invest in education ... we will not have anyone in the classrooms to teach our children.”
A 2021 report from the UK reported that one in six new teachers quit after the first year (Forbes, June 17, 2021). Teacher shortages are a problem in Canada as well, where in some provinces, 40 percent of teachers leave in the first five years. In a recent survey of 15,000 teachers, “70 per cent of them reported being ‘very stressed, struggling to cope and increasingly feeling unhappy’” (The Conversation, March 15, 2021). New South Wales, Australia, is also short on teachers, mostly due to low salaries and unsustainable workloads (The Educator Online, October 6, 2021). The trend is similar in many other nations around the globe.
While many are discovering that some of their children’s teachers are doing more indoctrinating than educating, there are still many good teachers out there. They are often underappreciated and taken for granted. Many face challenges from every direction, from disrespect in classrooms to threats on their lives. Some schools in the USA pay a “combat pay” bonus to teachers in dangerous schools. The Bible warned of a time when disrespectful children would become oppressors (Isaiah 3:4; 2 Timothy 3:1–4). However, prophecies also tell of a time after Jesus Christ’s return, when teachers will once again show students the right way to live (Isaiah 30:20–21). At that time, parents will take a much more prominent role in teaching their own children (Deuteronomy 4:9–10; 6:6–7). To learn more about this important topic, read “Misguided Education and the Decline of Western Civilization.”
Europe Needs a Leader: With Angela Merkel gone, Europe has a power vacuum. French president Emmanuel Macron, whose nation is currently serving a six-month term as presidency of the Council of the EU, is ambitious and driven but is often seen as working solely for France. Many of his European peers also distrust him (Carnegie Europe, February 10, 2022). One analyst noted Macron is the de facto leader of Europe: “While some EU member states are skeptical of Paris, the alternatives to French leadership are few.”
Merkel’s successor, Olaf Scholz, has been a disappointment, even to many Germans. Chancellor Scholz has been slow to act on major issues, including Russia and the Ukraine. Politico reported that “after two months at the helm of a three-party coalition, the Social Democrat is under fire on multiple fronts, accused of failing to show leadership, sending muddled messages and taking too soft a line with Moscow in its showdown with Ukraine and the West” (February 7, 2022). Global headlines regarding his lack of leadership have been unflattering. Will Chancellor Scholz turn it around and lead Europe as his predecessor did for many years, or will he leave this opportunity to a successor?
The lack of strong and respected leadership generates national uncertainty and disrespect on the world stage. Historically, the rule of weak leaders is often followed by a backlash and a demand for a strong one. Bible prophecy indicates that a strong leader will emerge in Europe just before the end of the age. This individual, referred to as a “beast” in prophecy, will have strong ties to a worldwide false religion, direct a powerful political entity described as a mixture of “iron and clay,” and be supported by ten leaders just before the return of Jesus Christ (Daniel 2:40–45; Revelation 13 and 17). Students of Bible prophecy should watch for such a leader to appear in Europe. For more information, watch “The Beast of Revelation.”—Scott Winnail and Francine Prater