Greetings from Charlotte,
Mr. Rod McNair recorded a telecast on Thursday titled “Are Churches Dying?,” offering Restoring Original Christianity. We set a new record on our French-language YouTube channel, Le Monde de Demain, with over a half-million views in January. Mr. Rob Tyler reports that scores of concerned people are watching the Tomorrow’s World program on television, and thousands more are responding to our Facebook advertising campaigns. To give you some indication of how God has blessed the Work, in 2022 the Asia-Pacific Region received 24,429 individual requests for literature through Facebook alone. That equates to a 110 percent increase over 2021. Mr. Tyler writes, “Perhaps it seems small when you consider the enormity of the region, but what is significant and exciting is that we are reaching parts of the world which were previously out of reach to us.” Mr. Tyler and Mr. Jonathan McNair met up in Thailand where they are meeting with Mr. Htoowah Laybeh and school officials to discuss Foundation initiatives in Mae Sot. They will later travel to Malaysia for a Regional Ministers’ Conference.—Gerald Weston
Church Administration
Past and Upcoming Tomorrow’s World Presentations
Last weekend, we held eight Tomorrow’s World Presentations: five initial presentations and three follow-up presentations. These presentations had a combined total of 95 guests. This weekend, we have eight events scheduled: three initial presentations—including one in Melbourne, Australia—and five follow-up presentations. A full list of upcoming TWPs can be accessed at the following link: tomorrowsworld.org/presentations. Thank you all for your continued prayers for these presentations.
Passover 2023—Repeat Announcement
Important Notice to All Pastors: In 2023, the Passover Service will be observed on Tuesday evening, April 4. 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 physical 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 17 for U.S. congregations. Information for international congregations should already be here.
Also, please let us know of any scattered members who are unable to keep the Passover with a congregation and who need to receive a physical copy of the Passover Service recording and letter instructions for observing it at home. U.S. requests should be received before March 17, and international requests should already be here. Please direct your requests to the Church Administration Department at [email protected] as soon as possible. These dates take into consideration the slowdown of mail service in some places.
Note: As in the last couple of years, the Passover Service recording will also be available digitally to pastors and video recipients via the FTP site. A private YouTube link will also be provided ahead of time.
Feast of Tabernacles
Feast of Tabernacles Congregation Assignments 2023 (USA only)—Repeat Announcement
This year’s Feast of Tabernacles congregational site assignments in the U.S. are listed below, and registration is tentatively scheduled for April 30. Some brethren have asked about our general transfer policy. All American sites are expected to be open for transfer. International sites open to transfer will be announced at a later date. Transfer approvals are made based on a number of criteria, and a detailed list of transfer approval considerations can be found at MyLCG.
Please note: The Church has always encouraged all of us to serve at the Feast as we are able, and often the needs are greatest at our assigned site. Therefore, before deciding to transfer, please talk to your pastor to see if there are service needs locally. In your long-term plans, consider staying to serve at your assigned site once every several years to support the local needs.
To find out where your local congregation is assigned, please consult the following list.
Note: The Valley congregation in Texas is assigned to the Rockport/Fulton Feast site, not to Boerne, as listed last week.
Arroyo Grande, California
California: Arroyo Grande, Banning, Bay Area, Fresno, Garden Grove, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego
Nevada: Reno
Boerne, Texas
Texas: Abilene, Amarillo, Big Sandy, Dallas, Lufkin, Midland, Temple
Branson, Missouri
Arkansas: Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Little Rock, Russellville
Kansas: Chanute
Missouri: Joplin, Springfield
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City, Tulsa
Tennessee: Memphis
Fontana, Wisconsin
Illinois: Chicago, Peoria
Indiana: Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, La Porte, Terre Haute
Michigan: Flint, Kalamazoo, Traverse City
Minnesota: Minneapolis
North Dakota: Bismarck
Wisconsin: Appleton, Merrill, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Dells
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Georgia: Atlanta, Augusta, Braselton, Columbus, Savannah, Warner Robins
South Carolina: Anderson, Columbia, Gaffney, Walterboro
Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri
Illinois: Springfield
Iowa: Des Moines
Kansas: Wichita
Missouri: Columbia, Kansas City, Rolla, St. Joseph, St. Louis
Nebraska: Lincoln, Omaha
Natchez, Mississippi
Alabama: Athens, Birmingham, Dothan, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa
Florida: Pensacola
Louisiana: Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Monroe, New Orleans, Shreveport
Mississippi: Jackson, Laurel, Ocean Springs
New Bern, North Carolina
North Carolina: Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Greenville, Jacksonville, Kannapolis, Raleigh, Statesville
Newport, Oregon
Alaska: Anchorage
Idaho: Boise
Montana: Great Falls, Helena
Oregon: Myrtle Creek, Portland
Washington: Richland, Seattle/Tacoma, Spokane, Tonasket
Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
Georgia: Blairsville
Kentucky: Berea, Louisville
North Carolina: Asheville, Sylva
Ohio: Akron, Cincinnati, Columbus
Tennessee: Chattanooga, Clarksville, Crossville, Etowah, Knoxville, Morristown, Nashville
Virginia: Bristol
Poconos, Pennsylvania
Connecticut: Hartford
Maine: Waterville
Massachusetts: Auburn
New Hampshire: Tilton
New Jersey: Hammonton, Rahway
New York: Albany, New York City, Plainview, Rochester, Syracuse
Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh, Tannersville
Rhode Island: Pawtucket
West Virginia: Morgantown
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
San Juan
Rockport–Fulton, Texas
Texas: Baytown, Corpus Christi, Houston, San Antonio, The Valley
St. Augustine, Florida
Florida: Ft. Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Lake City, Melbourne, Naples, Ocala, Sanford, St. Petersburg, Tampa
Georgia: Coolidge
St. George, Utah
Arizona: Phoenix, Prescott Valley, Tucson
Colorado: Denver, Grand Junction
Nevada: Las Vegas
New Mexico: Albuquerque, Santa Fe
Utah: Layton
Wyoming: Cheyenne, Rawlins
Williamsburg, Virginia
Maryland: Baltimore, Salisbury
Pennsylvania: Harrisburg
Virginia: Norfolk, Richmond, Winchester
West Virginia: Bluefield, Charleston
Living Youth Program
Registration for two exciting Teen Adventure Camps opens this Sunday, February 12. The Northwest Adventure Camp will feature backpacking through the rugged Olympic National Park in Washington state. The Midwest Adventure Camp will be a canoe trip on the Current River in southern Missouri. Both of these camps are scheduled in June and spots are limited, so apply early. For more information and to register for any of the Living Youth Program camps, please visit camp.livingyouth.org.
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Stay Focused on Our Mission: The lessons of history show that mankind and God’s chosen people have drifted off course again and again—due to Satan’s deceptive influence. Adam and Eve made wrong choices that sent human history in a wrong direction (Genesis 3). Ancient Israel turned away from God and suffered serious consequences—and modern Israelite nations are heading down this same path. Jesus called disciples and raised up His Church to preach the Gospel (Mark 1:14–15; 16:15), to warn the world of the consequences of sin, and to announce events that would indicate His return was near (Matthew 24). The mission of God’s Church involves preparing a people to rule with Jesus Christ as kings, priests, and teachers in the coming Kingdom of God (Luke 1:17; Revelation 5:10). To qualify for this challenging and exciting reward, we must avoid being distracted by the trials and temptations of this world (Matthew 13:18–23), and we must remain faithful and focused on our calling and our God-given mission (Matthew 24:13; 28:19–20).
Have a profitable Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—February 9, 2023
Terror and Greed Spreading: The Associated Press reported in January that Mexican authorities recently captured Ovidio Guzmán, son of the infamous “El Chapo” Guzmán of the Sinaloa drug cartel who was extradited to the United States six years ago. In response to the arrest, the heavily armed drug cartel members began a shootout with police that eventually involved Blackhawk helicopter gunships and other military support, as the conflict turned the area into a war zone. Following the removal of Guzmán, gang members attacked buildings and aircraft at a nearby airport, hoping to prevent the transfer of Guzmán to Mexico City. Nineteen gang members, ten military personnel, and a policeman were killed, and another 35 military personnel and 17 police officers were wounded. Despite the gang’s efforts, the government successfully transported Guzmán to Mexico City via military helicopter. Later, gunmen from the cartel arrived at a hospital attempting to abduct doctors to treat their wounded gang members.
The Bible provides insights into recent events in Mexico and around the globe. The Scriptures state, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12), and Jesus Christ warned that “all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). Mexico’s drug lords, much like the leaders of Boko Haram in Africa and ISIS in the Middle East, are motivated by greed and selfishness. They care little about anyone or anything else. This selfishness is not unique to Mexico. It is seen everywhere and increasingly in world leaders. Ezekiel warned that end-time leaders, even in the Israelite-descended nations, will be in it for themselves (Ezekiel 34:2–4). They will clothe and feed themselves and neglect everyone else for whom they are responsible. This world needs compassionate leaders who will take care of their people. This world needs Christ’s return and His reign of peace! To learn more, read or listen to our article “The Prince of Peace.”
Young Men Suffer and No One Cares! The concept of “toxic masculinity” has attracted much press in recent years. In some ways, men acting in ungodly ways have brought the label and condemnation on themselves. But our society tends to readily apply this label to any man who has confidence, goals, and ambitions, and is even remotely assertive. In a recent article in the Telegraph, columnist Madeline Grant observed that, as many seek to force positive male role models into the shadows with accusations of “toxic masculinity,” they have made way for more profoundly extreme and truly toxic men to fill the void (January 11, 2023).
As Grant points out in her article, young boys no longer aim for the milestones once expected of them, such as the opportunity to graduate from school or earn a living and support a wife and family. Fewer fathers now live at home, and many young men cannot earn enough income even to live on their own! She cites statistics from the United Kingdom, where 27 percent of 27-year-old men still live at home. This compares to only 13 percent of 27-year-old women! The sad truth is that few are concerned about this trend. And as men are imagined to be less and less relevant to society, women have skyrocketed to the fore—and have, in many ways, been there for well over a decade. As far back as 2012, author Hanna Rosin noted in her book The End of Men that 12 out of 15 of the top growing professions in the United States were dominated by women.
Bible prophecy warns that as the end of the age approaches, men will be displaced as leaders of society: “As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them” (Isaiah 3:12). This decline leads not only to a social role reversal, but also to the demise of the family as God created it. To learn more about this profound but often ignored trend, be sure to watch our powerful Tomorrow’s World Viewpoint video “Do Schools Discriminate Against Boys?”—Scott Winnail and Francine Prater