Today, I am scheduled to be a guest on another, new, podcast program. Again, this is a no-cost door to reach people that we otherwise would not be able to reach.
Christians from the beginning of the church age believed that they were to strive to keep the Ten Commandments.
True Christians strive to do so today.
Burundi
Burundi is a very small country in Africa. Most of the people there speak French.
While we have had one or two small families there affiliating with us, we sent three people from Kenya there last week–we also tried to send, Moise Nshimiyimana, our host from Rwanda who had been working with them, but he was refused entrance at the border because of his nationality, so he was unable to meet in Burundi.
Evangelist Evans Ochieng sent the following report about his visit to Burundi:
Pastor Dr Bob,
Greetings from Burundi.
The meeting of today was beyond my expectations. The people were so many that I couldn’t fixed in my picture. I tried to go far in order to capture everybody but it couldn’t happen. The people were More than Three hundred people. The meeting was full. I gave a massage about the rulership of Christ on earth, why he went to heaven, the purpose of his coming and what will happen when he returns.
People were very happy even me I was very happy.
Let me tell you pastor that this church in Burundi will grow highly because they fear God.
Evans
Here are pictures that I capture.
Augustine Mpawenimana and Evans Ochieng
On the way back from Burundi, Evans Ochieng also met with a leader of a group of 120 in Tanzania that wish to be part of the Continuing Church of God. But, he was fighting an illness and cut that visit short–he plans to go back and visit him again later.
Now as far as Burundi goes, there are about 300 in that nation that want to be part of the Continuing Church of God. However, according to new laws there, a church with a foreign connection must have at least 500 persons, land, and a building, in order to legally operate. The United Church of God (UCG) and some other COGs there are facing issues with this there as well. I spoke to Aaron Dean of UCG about this some time ago, and he proposed attempting to see if we can come up with some type of confederated agreement to allow us, them, and another COG to legally function. Please pray about that.
Also, remember to pray as Jesus said:
37 … “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38)
More Gentiles are to be called in this age, and we are reaching more and more of them.
This is something all truly Philadelphian Christians should support.
Let me add that those in Burundi have asked for French language hymnals and other literature that we hope to send them once they specify a mailing address to use.
On an indirectly related note, we were contacted several times by a pastor in Togo several days ago who also wants to be part of the Continuing Church of God. He had been a Sunday keeper, but now keeps the Sabbath and the Holy Days. Most of the people in Togo also speak French. He gave an address and we ordered some French language hymnals and booklets to be sent directly to him.
Brazil
Adao de Amorim sent the following photo from Sabbath services in northern Brazil last week:
We are reaching and preaching to people all around the world, as Jesus said to do in Matthew 28:19-20.
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 mobile 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.
In case one or more of our video channels are unavailable, down, restricted, or ?, understand that we are on multiple platforms.
For sermons in English:
ContinuingCOG YouTube channel. Dr. Thiel has produced video sermons for this channel.
Bible News Prophecy radio. This is an audio version of the Bible News Prophecy videos on one of our internet stations as well as our radio broadcasts in English. The BibleNewsProphecy.net website also has information about our international radio presence for Europe, Asia, and North America. That page is also available as a mobile app.
Bible News Prophecy International radio. This has links to our non-English language online radio station as well as materials in multiple languages.
Many groups, including the SCO, BRICS, and also the European Union are pushing to change the world order. And allow me to add that US President Donald Trump is motivating many leaders to take more steps, and more quickly, than they would have done so otherwise.
As we have warned would occur, gold hit another record price in US dollar terms (see Gold hits another record: US dollar is no longer the ‘gold standard’). And while the price can most certainly drop, the Bible prophecies that gold will have value (cf. Daniel 11:43) after the USA is gone (Daniel 11:39).
On doctrinal matters, a reader (not a CCOG members) in Italy sent a link to an article in Italian that concluded that the Hebrew scriptures (otherwise known as the Old Testament) supports a binitarian view of the Godhead (see Italian report asserts that the Old Testament taught a binitarian Godhead). While that is true, it is nice when others outside the Churches of God recognize that the Bible supports the binitarian, not trinitarian, view of the Godhead. More on the nature of the Godhead can be found in our free ebook: Mysteries of God. What is God?
The death’s from that quake are a sober reminder that life is fleeting. Consider also the words of Jesus:
1 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:1-5)
Your situation can change. You can perish. Do not put off full repentance as YOU may not have as much time to become and live as a true Philadelphian Christian as you might think.
Concluding Comments
We want to reach all that we can with the truth.
As far as reaching people of different ethnicities goes, understand that ALL are important to God. Notice some of what the Apostle Paul wrote:
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:12-15)
Well, how can they hear if they do not understand the language?
Consider also from the Apostle Paul:
13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. (1 Corinthians 14:13-14)
It is unfruitful to think that preaching the gospel in English alone, or just in a few European languages, is enough of a witness to those who do not understand it.
What about ‘minor’ languages? Are they unimportant?
The Apostle Paul somewhat addressed that as he wrote:
10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. 11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. (1 Corinthians 14:10-11)
Since there are languages people do not understand (cf. Psalm 81:5), but all languages are significant, then obviously many languages need to be used by the CCOG to teach. This is something that many in the CCOG are currently volunteering to work on.
Consider also Jesus’ words:
4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ (Luke 15:4-6)
40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ (Matthew 25:40)
We try to reach all that we can.
Notice what the Apostle Paul wrote:
6 But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. (2 Corinthians 9:6)
We are to sow bountifully! We are sowing by having as many languages as we can available as we prepare for the fulfillment of prophecies including Matthew 24:14.
This may also help us find the lost sheep, or more accurately, make it easier for the sheep to see the fact that we are witnessing to them and perhaps that the Father is also now looking for them (cf. John 4:23-24), in order to call them (John 6:44; Jude 1).
Notice something else the Apostle Paul wrote:
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:7-10)
Having materials in many languages helps serve ALL as well as those who are in the household of faith.
Brethren, many of us in the CCOG are working on that, as well as improving upon the translations that we do have.
