The very first Tomorrow’s World telecast aired in January of 1999 and, just four months later, the newly established Living Church of God published the inaugural issue of our Tomorrow’s World magazine. This year, 2024, marks the 25th anniversary of what God began accomplishing through the Living Church of God. Among those involved in this work today are men such as Presiding Evangelist Gerald E. Weston, Director of Media Operations Richard F. Ames, Executive Editor Wallace G. Smith, and Digital Media and Broadcast Manager Michael J. DeSimone. To commemorate 25 years of Christ’s Gospel being preached through the Living Church of God, we sat down with each of these four men to glean insights from their perspectives on how LCG’s work has grown over the past two-and-a-half decades.
Mr. Weston reminisced about LCG’s beginnings under its founding Presiding Evangelist, Dr. Roderick C. Meredith. “We had a lot of members,” he recalled, “because the majority of the members of the Global Church of God had seen what was happening and were supportive. But the magazine, the telecast, the studio, the booklets—essentially, everything had to be started from scratch. And of course, Dr. Meredith was very good at that sort of thing.”
Mr. Weston also emphasized the initial challenges inherent in quickly resuming operations. “We were there at Dr. Meredith’s dining room table, planning the beginning of the Church…. It was a very humble beginning in many respects.” From those humble beginnings have come significant growth in quality and organization. “When I look back over the 25 years,” Mr. Weston commented, “I see that the quality of everything—the booklets, the magazines, the telecast—has improved immensely.”
Mr. Ames highlighted the Church’s adaptability to technological advancements. “One thing has not changed,” he said, “and that is the mission of the Church. Regardless of historic circumstances, cultural changes, technological changes, we still have the same mission, and that mission is to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.” However, as Mr. Ames noted, “the methods have changed over the years.” From radio broadcasts in 1934 to using the Internet and platforms like YouTube today, the Work’s technological progression is obvious, and Mr. Ames elaborated on the recent incorporations of artificial intelligence in translation and broadcasting. “Artificial intelligence has helped with our translations,” he said. “We are now going into the Urdu language for the telecast, which is helped by artificial intelligence.”
Mr. DeSimone remarked on the operational challenges inherent in the telecast and the need to avoid complacency in our presentation of God’s message. The Church does its best to present that message in a way that conveys its relevance today. “There’s always growth and improvement in the way you do things,” he explained. “We’re probably going to look back in five years and say, ‘Oh, I can’t believe we did it that way. It looks so weird.’ That’s the way it is—you want to make adjustments that allow the telecast to stay contemporary and not stand out as out-of-date. There’s always growth and improvement in the style of how you communicate.”
Mr. Smith pointed out the enduring relevance of traditional broadcasting methods like television, which continues to be a powerful tool despite the rise of digital media. “Television has surprised many with its longevity,” he said. Referencing Mark Twain’s famous quip, Mr. Smith remarked that “the death of television has been greatly exaggerated, and it remains a powerful medium for reaching people with the truth of God. “
Yet, as Mr. Smith pointed out, “One of the most effective ways we’ve evolved, though it’s invisible to most, is learning to reach people online who might otherwise never find us. When everyone and his brother is shouting on the Internet, it takes real skill to stand out, and the Work continues to evolve and discover new ways to do that.” He also stressed the importance of the Church’s message remaining unchanged: “The truth is still the truth! What was true five generations ago is true in this one, too. And since the magazine first began, a focus on the purpose of man, the will of our Creator, and the prophetic message of Jesus Christ about the coming Kingdom of God has always been at our core, and it continues to be.”
Overcoming Challenges
Naturally, the Church has faced many and varied difficulties over the past 25 years. Manpower, particularly in the field ministry, has presented a significant challenge. “Age is a main issue, because we don’t have that many new people in the pipeline,” Mr. Weston said, explaining the challenge of sustaining a vibrant and effective field team. “We face challenges today that we did not face when I first came into the ministry,” he explained. “In the Worldwide Church of God, we were really the only well-known option for the Sabbath, Holy Days, and so forth. Today, we face different groups all fishing in the pond of Worldwide.” However, Mr. Weston is certain that God is blessing LCG in a unique way and has since its inception. “Dr. Meredith, from the very beginning, was preaching the Gospel to the world,” he said. “Almost immediately, we were on television, publishing a magazine—not just fishing in the pond of Worldwide, but going to the world. That’s been one of the big differences.”
Mr. Ames highlighted the profound impact of the 2020 pandemic on Church operations and governance. “One of the decisions that Mr. Weston gave instructions on was that we should wear masks,” he said. “Another issue that came up was the matter of singing, which could be dangerous. Well, when this was discussed at the Council of Elders, I said right away, ‘This is going to be a challenge of Church government.’” The subsequent fallout from these decisions proved Mr. Ames correct. “We had a disruption from several ministers and about 400 people left our fellowship because they would not submit to Church government and wanted to follow their own dictates,” he explained. Despite these departures, Mr. Ames noted the Church’s resilience and growth, commenting that “God has replaced those 400 and added many more.”
For Mr. DeSimone, a perpetual challenge lies in continual improvement and overcoming blind spots in our efforts. “What are we not seeing that, with God’s help, will help propel us forward?” he pondered, highlighting the ongoing quest to enhance the effectiveness of the Work’s telecasts and digital media. His focus on incremental improvements reflects a strategic approach to preaching the Gospel in a rapidly changing world. “How can we do our part to make the telecast even more effective?” he asked, mentioning the questions that are constantly on the minds of those in his department: “What can we do to reach more people on the Internet on an ongoing basis? What can we do to help get more literature into people’s hands, so that more seed can fall on good ground and we can do more of what God wants us to do?”
Mr. Smith pointed out the growing cultural resistance to biblical teachings. “Merely saying one agrees with values that were widely held in 1999 can result in being kicked off of stations now,” he remarked, noting the challenges of proclaiming the Gospel in an increasingly secular environment. “Yet, the need for strong preaching of the truth has never been greater. Like Jesus Christ in His day, we are increasingly seeing what it is like to preach the truth in a world that violently does not want to hear it.”
Surprises Along the Way
Undaunted by these multifaceted challenges, the Living Church of God maintains its steadfast commitment to preaching the Gospel amidst adversity. As Mr. Weston previously noted, the Tomorrow’s World telecast and magazine have grown remarkably over the past 25 years, greatly influenced by technological advances and how God has inspired His Church’s leadership to utilize them. Such growth has been characterized by both unexpected developments and adaptive strategies.
Mr. Weston reflected on his personal journey, expressing astonishment at his role as the current Presiding Evangelist. From working as a field pastor and Regional Director to becoming not only a regular contributor but the central figure over the telecasts and editorial work, Mr. Weston noted that his personal growth has paralleled that of the Church. He shared, “I would never have imagined doing telecasts, or being in Canada or the UK, or being Editor in Chief and writing on such a regular basis. Doing the telecast gives you great respect for those people who are on television daily.”
Mr. Ames highlighted the transformative impact of the Internet, noting its “ability to reach almost every corner of the earth.” Over the last quarter-century, digital advancements have enabled the Gospel to break through traditional geographical barriers. “We had television in the 1950s, and Mr. Armstrong experimented with it in 1955,” Mr. Ames recollected. “But later on, in the 1970s, the Worldwide Church of God began to use that television technology. But now, where are we in the 2020s? Technology is still changing. The Internet has come in, and what we have found is that the Work has been able to use that technology—particularly YouTube as one of the platforms.”
Separate from the telecast and magazine, but a vital part of the Work, are the informative booklets that LCG produces—and powerful strides have been made in getting those out to the world, as well. “Another development is the booklets’ amazing translation into Chinese,” Mr. Ames said. With helpful translators in the Church and a capable staff in Charlotte, we have begun producing fully formatted booklets in both traditional and simplified Chinese. “They’re being printed in our Canadian office—we have at least eight booklets so far printed in Chinese.”
Echoing Mr. Ames, Mr. DeSimone pointed to the rise of such social media platforms as Facebook and YouTube as unexpectedly major contributors to the outreach of the Gospel. “Facebook and YouTube are the online platforms where we get the biggest action,” he said. “Those weren’t around [until relatively recently], nor was there anything like them around before they were made. The number of people who see something of ours on their phone, through Facebook, is in the millions.” Mr. DeSimone also noted the integration of artificial intelligence into the ongoing expansion of our communication tools. “We’ve used it already to help with the creation of telecast translations,” he said. “We just finished one in Urdu, and we are working on Hindi. We’re also using A.I. to help translate into Portuguese, and our next will be Italian.”
Mr. Smith expressed his appreciation for what God has achieved in the Work despite limited resources, adding that he never expected to contribute in the ways he has. “I am frequently delighted by the quality I see in what we are doing,” he said. “The insightful writing from our authors, the consistency and visual style Mr. John Robinson has woven into our material over the years, the top-notch video editing and artistry of the TV team—clearly, God is doing it through them. We know we can improve and strive to do so. Still, it’s humbling to consider how much is achieved by such a small group of people.”
The Work Moves Forward
God has continually inspired His people not only to maintain a high standard, but to reach ever higher. Mr. Weston is impressed by the digital transformation that has revolutionized so much of the Work over the past 25 years. Social media and artificial intelligence have helped the ministry to break language barriers and reach a global audience, as Mr. DeSimone emphasized. Mr. Weston is similarly excited about the potential of A.I. in expanding into new languages, such as Urdu, which is spoken by more than 200 million people. Despite the challenges, he sees enormous potential: “We can go into all the world in a way that we never could before,” he said. Nevertheless, he recognizes that artificial intelligence, in particular, is “a double-edged sword. You can’t just turn everything over to it. How far are we going to go with it? We have to make decisions on that.”
Mr. Ames highlights the fulfillment of prophecy as a pivotal aspect of the Work’s progress, noting the significant events now unfolding, such as the examination of red heifers in Jerusalem. He emphasized the importance of staying attuned to prophetic events as they unfold. “We need to make sure that we’re watching world news, and we’re realizing, yes, we’re in exciting times,” he said. “What we’re seeing is prophecy being fulfilled. And, as Mr. Weston points out, these are prophecies that we have spoken of for years.”
Mindful of the fact that human effort alone cannot carry out the Great Commission given by Jesus Christ, Mr. DeSimone stressed, “Ultimately, it will be Christ who has to do the Work. All we can do is spread out the seed, and water—God is the one who brings the increase. The most you can do is your best, and you’re still going to miss—you’re still going to not know everything. We’ve got to depend on God to do those things through us, to fill in the gaps that we can’t. He’s only going to use us as instruments.”
While the ultimate success of the Work depends on God’s will, strategy and proactive effort are still crucial, and Mr. DeSimone emphasized the importance of strategic planning and efficient use of available tools. “We can sleep at our desks and say, ‘Well, God has to do it all anyway,’” he said, “Or we can say, ‘What are the best tools that we have?’ and utilize the tools in front of us to do the best we can. We ought to be doing the most we can with the tools that are available to us.”
Mr. Smith brought to mind the personal connections that are foundational to the Work, which are steadily being enhanced by Tomorrow’s World Presentations. “I think we are learning to maximize the impact of the live Tomorrow’s World Presentations,” he said. “Those are key moments, where we are face to face with people who have been drawn by our message—and we want to make the most of those opportunities.” This personal interaction not only allows for a deeper connection with people, but also provides a direct avenue for communicating the Gospel effectively.
As we commemorate 25 years of the Tomorrow’s World telecast and magazine, let us all continue to support God’s work in the ways we are able and remain diligent in our prayers for Him to increase the effectiveness of His message through us. As Mr. Ames said, “We still have the same mission—to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, to warn the Israelite nations as the watchman in Ezekiel 33, and to feed the flock. We thank God that He is blessing the Work and opening the doors for the Gospel to go out; we thank Him for the power of Jesus Christ working in His servants here at headquarters and around the world.”