Greetings from Charlotte,
Religious and moral issues continue to generate conflicts and stir emotions around the world—not just in the Middle East. In Mississippi, a federal judge fined a high school for allowing a minister to pray before a voluntary event (in spite of the fact that Congress is opened every day by a prayer). During President Obama's visit to Kenya, his attempts to further homosexual rights in that country were clearly rebuffed by that nation's president who stated that such behavior was not accepted in their culture. Biblical values are no longer deemed important by many leaders today. Here in Charlotte, Dr. Meredith previewed a version of the Behind the Work Feast film this week in addition to holding meetings and working on a Tomorrow's World article. Dr. Meredith continues to urge everyone to pray that God will grant more faith and gifts of the Spirit to His Church so the mission that Jesus Christ gave to His disciples can be accomplished. The LYC Teen Camp in Ohio is off to a good start. Mr. Jim Meredith reports that arrangements for Feast sites in 2016 are nearly complete. Dr. Jeff Fall reports that 56 new people attended the Tomorrow's World Presents in Sacramento, California, last Sunday. I plan to be at the Teen Camp in Ohio this weekend and make additional visits next week before returning to Charlotte. Your prayers for God's Work and His people are needed and appreciated.—DSW
Television Department
Television in Kenya!—Repeat Announcement
As announced previously, God recently opened a very big "door" for us to preach the Gospel over both television and radio throughout all of Kenya and most of central Africa. We recently went on "Family TV" and "Family Radio 316," and already scores of inquiries and requests for literature are coming in from all throughout Kenya. We have been very encouraged by both the quantity and the quality of the responses. We are also very thankful for the enthusiasm of our Kenyan brethren for this initiative, and for the labor and service from our South African office which is playing an important support role in this project. Please continue to pray that God blesses the telecast throughout Kenya and elsewhere in Africa. We are commissioned to preach the Gospel to all the world (Mark 16:15), and there are many millions in Africa that need to hear the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God! And please keep Mr. Muthama in your prayers as he follows up with these many requests. It is very exciting to see these inquiries come in from cities such as Nairobi, Nakuru, Kisumu, Mombasa and elsewhere!—Wyatt Ciesielka
Television En Español in Northern Mexico!—Repeat Announcement
We are excited to announce that the Tomorrow's World telecast will soon be broadcast in Spanish "south of the border" throughout most of northern Mexico. Within the next few weeks, we will begin broadcasting Spanish telecasts recorded by Mr. Mario Hernandez over "Genesis Television" throughout northern Mexico, covering cities such as Reynosa, Nuevo Laredo, Tijuana, Mexicali and more! Please join us in praying for this and our many other initiatives to preach the Gospel as a witness to all the nations, before the return of Christ (Matthew 24:14)! Telecast broadcast times and channel information can be found at the Tomorrow's World Web site at www.TomorrowsWorld.org/tune-in.—Wyatt Ciesielka
Internet Department
Tomorrow's World Roku Channel Update
The Tomorrow's World channel on Roku recently passed 30,000 subscribers! It is exciting to see the channel reaching so many people, staying in the top 10 percent of the religious station category and also producing inquiries from not only the United States, but also from all around the world! You can find the English language telecast on our Roku channel, as well as our Webcast library, the Hong Kong telecasts and telecasts in French and Spanish! If you own a Roku, please install the Tomorrow's World app and give it a "five-star" rating. This helps with our ranking.—Wyatt Ciesielka, Director of Internet
Spanish YouTube Channel Update!
We are excited to announce that the Spanish-language YouTube channel El Mundo de Mañana, which carries high-quality Spanish-language versions of the Tomorrow's World telecast, has surpassed two million views! We have a lot more work to do, but it is very encouraging to see the growth and the responses from all around the Spanish-speaking world to these powerful telecasts, and to see how God has blessed the Church's efforts to use various Internet platforms such as YouTube, Internet Television such as Roku and Amazon TV, etc., as some of the many tools at our disposal to help fulfill the Great Commission God has given us! On this note, the English-language YouTube channel Tomorrow's World recently surpassed 5.5 million views! Thank you for your continued prayers for these efforts, and please keep "liking" and "sharing" Tomorrow's World content. That is a way that you can help increase the power of our Internet "reach."—Wyatt Ciesielka
"Most Talked About" Internet Content—Repeat Announcement
Recently we began featuring the "most liked" and "most shared" Tomorrow's World content from the previous six months to a year (based on content type). It has been very encouraging to see the enthusiasm of our Web site visitors and to see many articles, booklets and telecasts being "liked" thousands of times and "shared" many hundreds of times. It was very interesting to see that two of Dr. Meredith's very powerful recent articles, "Do You Worship the True Christ?" (March-April, 2015 TW) and "Which Church Should You Attend?" (July-August, 2015 TW) both rapidly rose to be the top two "most talked about" articles on the Web site. Additionally, Mr. Ames' telecast "Your Glorious Destiny Beyond Death" is currently the most popular telecast based on "likes" and Mr. Weston's telecast "The Antichrist Is Coming" is the most popular telecast based on "shares." Check out this feature in the bottom middle of the www.TomorrowsWorld.org Web page. And thank you for sharing, liking and "talking about" Tomorrow's World articles, telecasts and other content on Social Media. Please continue to do so! This is a way that you can really make a difference in reaching even more people!—Wyatt Ciesielka
Living Youth Program
LYC Ohio Video Streaming
As in previous years, video streaming of LYC Ohio Bible Studies, Christian Living and other activities is available. Access to the stream is posted on the MyLCG page of the www.cogl.org Web site as well as on the LCG Youth Web site at www.livingyouth.org. We hope that many brethren around the world will enjoy seeing our youth be taught God's way of life and enjoy the many activities that camp has to offer. Many short videos and pictures of camp are being uploaded daily to the LYP Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Living.Youth.Programs. Check back daily for updates and share them with your friends.
Living University
Registration for First (Fall) Semester
LU classes will begin in just two weeks, so now is the time to register if you have not already done so! Students may register any time before August 17. Those who have never taken a Living University course will need to enroll in the University first, and then register for selected courses. A complete listing of the "Fall 2015 Class Schedule" (Spring in the Southern hemisphere) can be viewed on the Living University Web site. To make application to Living University, to register for courses, and to find out more, please visit the www.livinguniv.com Web site. For additional information, please contact Mrs. Michelle Broussard at [email protected] or 704-708-2294. The following are brief descriptions of some of the 20 classes being offered next semester.
THL 437—Biblical Prophecy I: Major Prophets: This course deals with the role and function of the biblical "major" prophets with a focus on the prophecies found in Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Emphasis is on the historical background of each prophet and the writing of each book as well as their prophetic meaning. THL 212 is a prerequisite for this class.
THL 460—Understanding Contemporary World Religions: This course is an introduction to the major religious traditions of the world, particularly Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and Islam, and consideration of neo-pagan and cultic phenomena in the contemporary world. Emphasis is on the historical development, key figures, as well as major doctrines and practices. As the world changes and God calls more people from more diverse religious backgrounds, understanding "where they have come from" will help God's people better encourage and serve new spiritual brothers and sisters.
THL 473—Archaeology and the Old Testament: This course deals with the archaeology of the Bible Lands from the fourth millennium BC through the Intertestamental Period. Topics addressed include patriarchal Palestine, Joseph and Moses in Egypt, the reigns of David and Solomon, the divided kingdom, the exile, and the intertestamental period. Additional focus is placed on how understanding of the social, political and religious background of the biblical world aids illumination of the Hebrew Scriptures.
Comments
Together on the Sabbath—for a Reason! We are admonished in the Scriptures to encourage one another, "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some" (Hebrews 10:24-25). In the New Testament we see how members of the early Church gathered together on the Sabbath "with one accord in one place" to worship, hear instruction and to fellowship with other believers (Acts 2:1; 13:14, 44). In doing so, they were following the commandment to "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8) and the example of Jesus Christ (Luke 4:16) and the apostle Paul (Acts 17:2). Today, with easy access to personal television sets, computers and DVD or CD players and other electronic devices, some assume that all that is necessary on the Sabbath is to stay home and watch a sermon. Yet, this overlooks the importance of gathering together to worship and fellowship with other believers—which involves giving, sharing, learning to relate to other people and being part of a spiritual family. We have been called to become part of God's family and commissioned to preach the Gospel of the coming Kingdom of God. The reality of that vision is enhanced when we come together on God's Sabbath with others of like mind who share that same focus.
Have a profitable and inspiring Sabbath,
Douglas S. Winnail
News and Prophecy—July 30, 2015
Growing Persecution of Professing Christians: "Christians are facing growing persecution around the world, fuelled mainly by Islamic extremism and repressive governments... On his recent trip to Latin America, Pope Francis said he was dismayed 'to see how in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world many of our brothers and sisters are persecuted, tortured and killed for their faith in Jesus.' He went on: 'In this third world war, waged piecemeal, which we are now experiencing, a form of genocide is taking place'" (The Guardian, July 27, 2015). "According to the Pew Research Center, Christians face harassment in 102 countries—more than any other religion" (ibid.). Could attacks such as these, on professing Christians around the globe, elicit a stronger and stronger response from the "mother church" in order to defend against them? Will these be some of the factors that cause a powerful leader to arise and galvanize Europe into a resurgent church and state alliance? Bible prophecy shows that a strong religious system in Europe will eventually grow in power and reach, to the point of putting to death those that don't conform to it (Revelation 13:15). The adversary, Satan the devil, knows full well the mission of God's true Church and although he cannot destroy God's Church, he can bring about global actions that will ultimately impact it. He will motivate the creation of laws that will restrict and even prevent the preaching of the Gospel and bring about the "famine... of the hearing the words of the LORD" (Amos 8:11-13). For more on where Bible prophecy is headed, read our article "Coming: A Famine of the Word!"
Global Drought Conditions: "California's historic drought appears to be matched by severe dry spells on three other continents. Brazil, North Korea and South Africa are bearing the brunt of much lower-than-average precipitation, wreaking havoc on millions of peoples' lives and livelihoods" (USA Today, July 27, 2015). In North Korea, "The country said it is undergoing its worst drought in a century, and the U.N. is warning of mass starvation since many of the areas affected by the dry conditions produce staple food crops" (ibid.). In South Africa, a major corn (maize) exporter, the drought is expected to cause "significant food supply shortages in coming months" both inside and outside the nation (ibid.). Along with drought, the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change forecasts more extreme precipitation ("both more and less") into the future (ibid.). Bible prophecies have long warned that due to disobedience to His laws (physically and spiritually), God will cause it to "rain on one city" and not another—implying drought and flooding will be signs of the end of the age (Amos 4:7). Although this prophecy is to the Israelite-descended nations, this type of extreme weather is happening globally. It is sobering to see modern forecasts that are consistent with Bible prophecy. For more information on end-time weather events, watch "God Controls the Weather."
Will Europe Benefit from China's Troubles? "The Chinese government is struggling to contain the collapse of a stock-market rally it helped engineer, announcing late Monday that it will step up its purchases of shares to prop up sagging indexes. Chinese shares suffered their biggest one-day percentage drop in over eight years Monday, wiping out hundreds of billions of dollars of market value and putting an end to a three-week period of stability Beijing had achieved by intervening with stock purchases and other steps to stop the market's slide" (The Wall Street Journal, July 28, 2015). This has led to widespread fears that China's slump will create a tsunami of instability on the world market. "The wild volatility in China's markets has stoked fears among global investors about the broader health of the Chinese economy, and sent Asian investors scurrying on Tuesday for safe-haven assets…" (Reuters, July 28, 2015). In light of these events, it will be important to watch Europe! Tomorrow's World readers and listeners know from Scripture that a European superpower will emerge on the world stage and bring a brief period of prosperity (Revelation 17-18). Though Asia will also play a key role in end-time events from a military perspective (Revelation 9:16), it will be the European-led system that will play a bigger economic role. The events surrounding China's instability could enable a German-led Europe to exert more economic influence in the world. To learn more about Europe in prophecy, read our article, "Coming: A 'United States of Europe'!"—Scott Winnail, Francine Prater, Chris Sookdeo and Justin Ridgeway