Announcements for January 31, 2019

Camp Plans for 2019

From Ken Treybig: With the beginning of January and the end of Winter Camp, our 2018 camp season came to a close. The last news update about a 2018 camp was posted on the website, and the site was put in “off-season mode.”

Last fall at the camp conference the camp team decided on the theme of “Discernment: Training Your Heart” for 2019. We are still working on a banner for the new theme, but the dates for our camps have been finalized and are now posted on the home page at https://camps.cogwa.org/.

More details will come later as we get official descriptions, pricing and deadlines posted, but the Texas teen camp is moving locations, and we have found a new location for a preteen/family camp in Minnesota in late June.

As we’ve done since getting our COGWA portal working for application, we plan to begin taking 2019 camp applications in early March.

PCD Quarterly Report
October – December 2018

From Cecil Maranville: Our PCD total for the fourth quarter of 2018 was 621, which is down slightly from the third quarter total. Our numbers for all of 2018 totaled 2,740.

Following is a sample of the questions we answered this quarter.

· Who is the beast? How does the beast relate with anti-Christ? Which nation or nations [are] associated with [the] beast?

· Question on Matthew 24:34: What did the Christ mean by that statement? Did He mean that some people of that era/age will be alive when those happen? I thank you in advance, and GOD bless you and the whole team.

· We are a new church in Knoxville Tennessee. We have been in existence since April of this year. After … reading on your website, I wanted to contact you and see what we can do to become a part of the Church of God Worldwide.

· I’m from Somalia and I am new to Christianity. I really got confused because I do search the Internet but it has shown me different information about Christians and their churches and their different beliefs.

· Hello, my name is _____. I grew up in the Worldwide Church of God and I was baptized under Mr. Jim Franks. I would like to attend services. Where can I attend? I live in _____.

· I have a question. Why [are] both Jesus and Satan … called “morning star” in the Bible?

· I wanted to know about the second coming. What do you know about Revelation 12? What is your interpretation? Is it a real woman?

· Do I need to surely get baptized to enter the Kingdom of God? If not, won’t He accept me if I completely believe and repent?

· Once we get to heaven, and after this present world is gone, what are we going to be doing? I mean we live forever? Also, I have been seeing a lot of science articles about black holes lately. How does a black hole affect God? Black holes scare me, and I just wondered if they do any damage to heaven.

· I have only recently started recognizing Saturday in the fulfillment of the Fourth Commandment. Here in _____, the nearest church is about 45 miles away. I will make an effort to attend as often as possible, but am wondering if going back to worship and fellowshipping on Sunday on the occasions that I miss Saturday worship would be considered acceptable. I would worship at home on the Saturday and fulfill the fellowship aspect on Sunday.

· How can I be sure it’s God speaking to me and not me reading into things? How do you know it’s God? At times it [is as] though it was God answering me but [then] it appears it wasn’t when nothing came from it.

· I have learnt that Saturday is the Bible day for Sabbath. Teach me more about accepting this truth. I need to learn more about Sabbath. Help me.

· Thank you, brother, your response has shown that this is the right church where I will be able to serve my Lord till He comes. Currently [I] am still worshiping with the SDA Church, the church that [I] am about to leave. Am I allowed to establish a place for worship before being accepted to the new church? That is my first question. The second one is, according to what [I] have read, I do not have great questions, but I just wanted to know what is the stand of this church on the writings of Ellen White?

· What day should be set aside as the Sabbath according to obeying God’s law? Saturday or Sunday? Does it matter as long as one day is set aside?

· I need help based on how I should understand the Word of God and also to preach it to everyone so that they can understand.

· What causes barrenness and how can it be overcome?

· Greetings to you all from lifehopeandtruth.com. I’m 21 years old and I’m seeking for more and more of God. I was baptized in [the] Seventh Day Adventist Church at 11 years of age. However, I came to Canada and started going to [a] Sunday church from age 16 because that’s where my adopted mom goes. I really believe that God wants me to keep all of His commandments and not just nine of them, because He said if we break one we’re guilty of all. So I would like you guys to please keep me in [your] prayers.

· My fiancé and I have just been baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. We were previously married (both of us now divorced prior to repentance and baptism) as unbelievers and living in sin. We were told that we can’t get married because our previous spouses are still living. We’ve been searching the scriptures and we aren’t sure if God approves or disapproves.

· I am sincerely impressed by the word and your articles. How can I be part of you? The article about Christmas impressed me most because I have [growing] doubt about it. I searched the scriptures and I did not find it anywhere, but I found the birth of John which was six months earlier than that of Jesus.

· I’ve been trying to live the Christian life and live like the Bible tells me to, but I’ve got something I don’t quite understand. Did Jesus and the apostle Paul call for us Christians to be pacifist? Can Christians perform military service? Can we defend off an attacker when our or our family or friend’s [life] is at risk?

· What if a voice that someone believed was Jesus Christ spoke to them mentally. That voice spoke to them in such a way that it convinced them to be baptized. What if that same voice did the baptism, telling the person certain words to speak out loud. The baptism was performed in a shower with water flowing over the person as the person being baptized spoke the words that the voice told them to say. Would that baptism be valid?

· I’m wondering if it’s ok to visit a parent or friend to ride bicycles with and if going to eat at a restaurant with a friend or family member is ok on a Saturday? I’m new to Sabbath keeping and trying to understand the dos and don’ts.

· [I] wish to be baptized into God’s Church. I would like to meet local members in West Palm Beach, FL.

· I have a real serious question about salvation, by way of the prodigal daughter, having strayed from the faith a few times. About six months ago, I rededicated my life to Christ, and the thing that I’ve found is that there was no joy, no presence of the Holy Spirit. But I can’t recall if I ever repented from my sin, which would’ve been part of that prayer that I just made. I feel more lost than ever before, when I said that prayer. I would really appreciate your prayers, admonition and godly advice.

· I am _____ from Kenya but right now am in Middle East (Saudi Arabia). I have been led into prayers of salvation so many times but I keep struggling in sins. Is this backsliding? How do I know Jesus?

· Hi, I’m enquiring about your congregation in Melbourne, Australia.

· You have written that scripture indicates that those who use wine (in moderation and with respect for one’s body) should respect others’ decision to not use wine. Is the reverse true? I ask because I have a sister that converted from Roman Catholicism to Southern Baptist; she now condemns any use of alcohol and those who use it.

· Does your church have any congregations in the UK? I am currently living in England (London). Please be advised that I understand French and Spanish.