Greetings to all of you from Grover Beach, California.
There was a hurricane (Melissa) that caused damage in Haiti and we just provided some assistance. Please pray for our brethren in Haiti as well as for more laborers for the harvest.
We have since renewed our contract for one year over European Gospel Radio.
European Gospel Radio (EGR) broadcasts the program weekly on its AM station Monday 21:30-21:45 CET on AM/MW 1323 kHz + streaming (CET=Central European Time: local time in Central Europe).
The following is the coverage map for the AM signal for its new 1323 kHz signal location as well as the nations EGR says that station can reach:
We cover a wide area including, but not limited to: Northern and Central Italy, Southern Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Southern France, Germany, with DX reception so far reported also in Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Czech Republic, Slovakia.
This broadcast is also on shortwave at the 7295 KHz location from them from late October through late March. And from late March to late October it is 7290 KHz on shortwave. Here is the coverage map that European Gospel Radio provided for the shortwave station:
Now, let’s talk about radio.
Jesus said:
14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)
Being on mass media, including radio, is something that COG leaders have done since no later than the 1930s to help fulfill that.
Radio was used so much to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom and other biblical messages, that after he left Church of God, 7th day, the late Herbert W. Armstrong initially did business as the Radio Church of God.
Consider also the following from Herbert W. Armstrong’s last letter before he died:
It may be that the Work that God has given me to do is complete, but not the Work of God’s Church, which will be faithfully doing God’s Work till Christ, the True Head of this Church, returns…Remember brethren, this is not the work of Herbert W. Armstrong…The greatest work lies ahead…Never before in the history of the Church has it been possible to reap so great a harvest. It has only been made possible through modern technology, beginning with the printing press, radio, television...Each of you must commit yourself to support God’s Work…God’s work must push ahead as never before. God is opening up new doors in television (Letter, 1/10/86).
Actually, those new doors for television have included the internet, which allows videos as well as online radio.
Another new door has been being a radio guest.
As long-term readers are aware, I, Dr. Bob Thiel, AKA COGwriter have frequently been a radio guest. After being so over 230 times, the time seemed right for the CCOG to sponsor our own programs.
Prior to that, CCOG Overseer Samuel Ofosu from Ghana had already been doing that.
Plus, in New Zealand, Shirley Gestro helps by handling our Bible News Prophecy online radio channel. Various men in CCOG have been on it. This is another way we reach people.
We reach people all around the world from the online radio program. We also have Bible News Prophecy International radio which Kristy Gorman handles.
Online and commercial forms of radio are some of the media we use to proclaim the good news of the coming kingdom of God.
Evangelist Evans Ochieng sent the following email:
Pastor Dr Bob,
Greetings from Kenya.
I remember when we started the work in Africa some years back. And I remember the dreams of my son and how the work has moved in Africa. It’s God’s plan to work together.When I met you for the first time, it was after you had known some people in Africa. Because I can remember when you sent me to go and meet with some people in different parts of Kenya and give back the feedback how they are working on the gospel of the kingdom of GOD. Which I did and reported back to you and give the whole details how they were faring on. That time I was working with another man from USA.
Even though we were working together with him, the work was lacking so many things because there was no weekly update, no magazines, no published books, etc. GOD worked miraculously to unite us together to start preaching the gospel of the kingdom of GOD in such a way that I can’t express it.
This is because, by the time that we wanted to work together, Satan tried to block and make things hard after the man who was working together with me jumped and didn’t want us to work together when you requested for the teamwork. I prayed over this matter until I got a result that I should work together with you.
These came after getting another strength from the dreams of my son.
It was true that Satan wanted to block the true work for taking the massage to all parts of Africa.
Why do I say this?
If we magnify the kind of work which GOD has done through the unity of us from that time when we joined in CCOG, it’s wonderful. If I can remember how I was threatened in Mozambique when I went there for the first time and how I was mistreated. I couldn’t expect what I’m seeing in Mozambique right now and Africa at large. when I joined CCOG, I was alone and if I’m seeing what GOD has done now. It’s just a miracle. When I went in Mozambique in my third Trip. I baptized over 37 people. This is the largest baptism I ever did in my life at ones. I can remember the kind of mistreatment that I got in kisii during my first Trip. It was painful and shed tears. But right now, this is the place where over 500 members are coming from. How wonderful is God’s work and plans. When GOD calls someone, let him not reject the call. That’s the reason why Abram went to the land which he didn’t know and become the Father of Nations.
The work which is going in Africa right now is bigger than what I can imagine. GOD is working miraculously through CCOG to fulfill the book of Mathew 28:19 in such a way that none can express it. I do thank Dr Bob and all the ministers and all workers in CCOG who have sacrifice themselves to preach the gospel and also to support the work.
May The Almighty God who is the creator do what is good as well as possible. I am also very much thankful to the family of Dr Bob who have given him a favorable, nice and flexible time to do the kind of work that he has done in CCOG. I also thank Dr Bob for sparing and offer his most of time to concentrate in God’s work full-time. He is writing books, magazines, weekly update etc. The GOD of Ibrahim, Isaac and Jacob may bless you and add you More days.
The brethren who have concentrated and offer to support the work of GOD. May the Almighty God bless you highly.
Lastly I want to ask the brethren to pray for me in whatever activity put before me. Without your prayers, I cannot afford it. Because of your prayers and support, the work has gone far in Africa.
I wanted to share these links with you for when you reference the holy days calendars. I see that sometimes at the bottom of the news page you reference foreign languages. In the post this afternoon you noted just one link for the calendar in Chinese. We have the calendars translated in 78 languages with dates from 2026-2033.
The God’s Holy Days booklet was finished and is now in 78 languages on the various websites. If you want links to those (that would be a lot) let me know. Otherwise when you mention that book you can mention that it can be found on all CCOG websites in many languages.
The above Holy Day calendar links were also posted at COGwriter.com.
It is great to have more and more materials in more languages.
The Holy Days are really hard to observe if you do not know what they or when they occur 🙂
Suggested Sabbath Service
Here is a suggested Sabbath day service for our scattered brethren and other interested people:
2-3 hymns (our songbook, The Bible Hymnal, contains the materials from the 1974 Bible Hymnal from the old WCG with new covers, plus ten additional hymns; there is also some Choral Accompaniment online).
Note: If you have a slow internet connection, you can watch these by starting the video, then below it (and towards the right) look for an outline of a gear–if you click on that, it will allow the YouTube video to be played with lower video quality, but at least it will not stop often–you can select a quality as low as 144p. If your internet connection is still too slow (as my home one is) and/or you prefer audio messages to audio-visuals ones, go to the YouTube link for the message, click on SHOW MORE related to the description. You will then see something that says, “Download MP3.” Below that is a link to an MP3 file. Most computers (and even some cellular telephones) will allow MP3 files to be downloaded and played. This is an option we have made available (but we are also looking into ways to improve that as well)–and, of course, we have written article options. Some people have found that if their internet connections are not fast enough, that they can simply listen to the messages that are found at the Bible News Prophecy online radio channel.
IN CASE YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A ‘LETTER TO THE BRETHREN’ FOR ANY WEEK, REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE MANY SERMON MESSAGES ON THE ContinuingCOG channel AND MANY SERMONETTE MESSAGES ON THE Bible News Prophecy channel. There are also some messages at the CCOGAfrica channel. There are also messages in the Spanish language at the CDLIDDSermones channel.
That said, many in Europe (as well as the government of Iran) are cheering the mid-term election results in the USA. Democrats and socialists gained a lot of political power in this election (see Democrats and Socialists win big in USA mid-term elections).
Speaking of elections, the upcoming one in the USA will result in more troubles (cf. Mark 13:7-8) as the divide in the USA grows–see also Should a Christian Vote?
6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:6-8)
Brethren, we are to walk with Jesus and strive to live as He did.
But we need to be careful that the world with its standards, pressures, and anti-biblical messages do not deceive us to walk according to the traditions of men.
