Announcements for April 26, 2018

New Website for Teens

From Clyde Kilough: We are pleased to introduce a new website dedicated to our COGWA teens! Your thoughts, trials and experiences are unique to you. You’ll find blogs, sermon messages and more—all with topics just for you! Don’t see what you’re looking for? You can even suggest a topic! We hope you’ll find this website useful in dealing with everyday life as a teen following God’s way. Visit the new site today at teens.cogwa.org!

PCD Quarterly Report January-March 2018

From Cecil Maranville: We processed 753 PCD emails in the first quarter of 2018, compared to 919 in the first quarter of 2017 (down 18 percent).

Here are some sample questions with background information that our database software enables us to see:

· I [was] baptized when I was small. I am a born-again lady. But I did not go for adult baptism. My church follows only child baptism. What is my hope for my eternal life? (From Dubai, U.A.E.; this person has visited LHT 12 times and viewed 40 pages.)

· I have been reading about keeping the Sabbath. How does one keep the Sabbath if their job requires them to work? I am a nurse. Sick people do not take a vacation from being sick, and the hospital cannot close down on one day from sundown to sundown. Which Bible verses can clarify this issue? (From San Antonio; has visited LHT four times and viewed 11 pages.)

· Please be very careful in answering this question because the answer will either redirect me or encourage me on my track. The question is, Are the 10 Commandments still valid or done away with? If it is still valid, why are professed Christians disregarding it these days, especially the Fourth Commandment? (From Dublin, Ireland; has visited LHT twice and viewed six pages.)

· I was just reading through your website and noticed in your “About us” section that you are “Church of God” and that you said you are established in 50 countries. Do you have physical churches within these countries for attending praise, worship and teaching services? We live in Palmerston North and have been seeking somewhere that we can attend. Look forward to your reply. (From New Zealand; first time visiting LHT.)

· Hi, I just want to know whether you have a local church in my town in Upington. (From Klerksdorp, South Africa; has visited LHT over 500 times and viewed over 2,000 pages!)

· I believe in the Sabbath and that I should worship on the Sabbath, but there aren’t any churches in my community that have Saturday services, so what should I do about that? (From Piqua, Ohio; has visited LHT 28 times and viewed 78 pages.)

· What about the SDA church? Have they too compromised with the world? I need some answers on when to celebrate God’s holy days. This is a new revelation for me. But what if there is no COG in my area? If you could please correspond with me via e-mails, that would greatly help. Thank you. (Location unavailable; has visited LHT six times and viewed six pages.)

· 1) In the Bible Jesus said, remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. Is the Sabbath a Saturday or Sunday, and why was it changed? 2) Why are so many religions saying they are right and others are wrong? I know for a fact that Seventh-day Adventists say they are right and Christians say they are right and Jewish say they are right, so who is right? (From Buena Park, California; first visit to LHT; viewed two pages.)

· I don’t know how to start praying. How do I start a prayer? (Location unavailable; first visit to LHT.)

· Explain how the Bible’s book of Daniel relates to New Testament writings about Jesus’ resurrection? (From Norfolk, Virginia; first visit to LHT; viewed 26 pages.)

· Holy day calendar request by phone. (From Hesperia, Michigan; visited LHT 25 times; viewed 188 pages; has written twice with doctrinal questions since we sent the calendar.)

· If there is no hell as we have been taught, then what is the place where the devil is sent to be tormented forever in Revelation 20:7-10? (Location unavailable; submitted to cogwa.org; has visited LHT four times and viewed five pages.)

· My dad was a drunkard, but he was hard-working, loved his family and provided for us. He often worked two jobs, never went to work drunk. He helped everyone he could. But he was not baptized. But he did go to church and made sure his children knew the Lord. Before he died at the age of 59, he requested the hospital clergy. He asked for forgiveness for his sins and said he was truly sorry for his love of beer. Said he knew he was a sinner and asked God for forgiveness. Can my dad get into heaven? I really hope so. (Location unavailable; first visit to LHT; viewed five pages; found us by a general Google search.)

· I have repented for five years. I have committed adultery; can I take communion? (Location unavailable; visited LHT 11 times and viewed 15 pages.)

· I want to forgive but the people who sin against me don’t feel repentant. I have tried talking to them and they repeat the offense, which causes resentment in my heart. (From Portland, Oregon; visited LHT 10 times and viewed 20 pages.)

· Why does a small child or a young adult or a young parent have to suffer and die or be born deformed or die suddenly in an accident? Parents believe that Jesus Christ suffered, died and rose again for all their sins. How do generational curses then happen? (From Brisbane, Australia; visited LHT 14 times and viewed 25 pages.)

· How do you forgive your ex-wife if she remarried, and how are you supposed to treat her now? Is remarriage allowed and how do you work through difficult doctrines? So many questions, but I have already posed three. Thank you. (From New York; first LHT visit; viewed six page views.)

· I ask God to forgive me, and He did, but I did sin again. This time I mean I won’t sin no more, so help me. I hope Jesus will forgive me one last time. Please help. (From Buena Park, California; first visit to LHT; found us by Yahoo search; viewed two pages.)

· How can one live a better life with no education? (From Windhoek, Namibia; first visit to LHT; viewed nine pages; found us by a Google search.)

· Is speaking in tongues in this day and age biblical? And if not, are those doing it in deception? (From Brisbane, Australia; visited LHT 288 times; viewed 906 pages.)

· Is it in the Bible about women gossiping and wagging their tongues from neighbor to neighbor? (From a completely new contact; no additional information.)

· I have confessed and believe that Jesus is the Son of God, who came from heaven to die to save me from my sins, but still I don’t speak in tongues. And even if I read the Bible, I don’t understand. So please why? (From Seattle, Washington; visited LHT twice and viewed 12 pages; found us by searching Google for “What is the first sign if someone has the Holy Spirit?”)

· Will the tribulation saints have the same attributes as the bride of Christ in the Millennium? (From Hurricane, Utah; visited LHT four times and viewed 16 pages; found us via a Google search.)

· When does the war of Gog and Magog occur (Ezekiel 38-39)? (From Colorado Springs, Colorado; visited LHT twice; viewed 11 pages; subscribes to Journeys.)

· Do we still have a chosen Israel today among the nations of the world? (From Seattle, Washington; visited LHT 22 times and viewed 77 pages.)

· What is the plan of God in the year 2018? Will earth be hit by stone? (From Tamil Nadu, India; visited LHT six times; viewed 27 pages; receives newsletter; downloaded The Mystery of the Kingdom.) 

· My son wants to know if as a man he should have a beard. I would like to know the opinion of the Church of God on this matter. (From Anchorage, Alaska. At first, you might think this was only a curiosity question from a web surfer. Actually, the person has visited LHT 75 times and viewed 195 pages; downloaded booklets, subscribed to EEI, Discern and Journeys.)

This gives you a little of the information that we can glean from those who contact us. Our database software is a new tool that we are just introducing to our PCD team. It will enable us to be more effective in interacting with those God draws to us.