App
July 15, 2025
Dear Brethren,
What a month this has been! First we had the election of a new pope, Leo XIV; the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war; then the 12-day Israel-Iran war, which ended with the U.S. bombing and obliterating Iran’s nuclear production sites. Then there were all the legal wins for President Donald Trump—plus the passing of his One Big Beautiful Bill. There are the ongoing riots over ICE agents, the pro-Palestinian riots on college campuses, and then Texas was hit by a horrible flood—killing well over a hundred, including dozens of children. Add to all this the usual criminal activity spreading across the country and the world. All of this is exactly as prophesied in the Bible, showing that we are indeed in the last days. These events, and many others yet to come, are leading up to the aligning of the nations in preparation for the final seven years of Daniel 9.
If people actually believe in Jesus Christ, as they profess, why don’t they believe what He said? Why do they continue to follow men without proving from the Bible whether what they preach is true or not? Most will continue to believe false doctrines. However, a simple reading of the Gospels will clear up most matters. We just need to believe what Jesus said!
For example, concerning His return Jesus warned,“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or, ‘He is there,’ do not believe it. For there shall arise false Christs and false prophets, and they shall present great signs and wonders, in order to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Behold, I have foretold it to you. Therefore, if they say to you, ‘Come and see! He is in the wilderness’; do not go forth. ‘Come and see! He is in the secret chambers’; DO NOT BELIEVE IT. For as the light of day, which comes forth from the east and shines as far as the west, so also shall the coming of the Son of man be…. The heaven and the earth shall pass away, but My words shall never pass away. But concerning that day, and the hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only” (Matt. 24:23-27, 35-36).
Millions of Protestants believe that they will be “raptured” away before the Tribulation. But the Bible simply does not teach a mass rapture to heaven, nor a specific calendar date for such an event. This doctrine results from a misinterpretation of passages concerning the first resurrection. It is rooted in the false belief that upon death a person’s “immortal soul” goes to heaven. Think about it: If a person dies and their “immortal soul” goes to heaven, then there is no need for a resurrection of the dead as the Bible teaches.
Jeremiah prophesied that, just as in his day, the world in the end time would be filled with false ministers and false teachers who claim to represent God. He also foretold God’s judgment on them: “ ‘Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture,’ says the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, God of Israel, against the shepherds who feed My people, ‘You have scattered My flock, and have driven them away, and have not taken care of them. Behold, I will bring upon you the evil of your doings,’ says the Lord…. ‘For both prophet and priest are ungodly; yea, in My house I have found their evil,’ says the Lord. ‘So their way shall be to them as slippery ways in the darkness; they shall be driven on, and fall in their way; for I will bring evil on them, even the year of their judgment,’ says the Lord…. Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you vain; they speak a vision from their own heart, not out of the mouth of the Lord.’… The anger of the Lord shall not return, until He has executed and until He has performed the purposes of His heart; in the latter days you shall understand it perfectly. ‘I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran; I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in My counsel and had caused My people to hear My words, then they would have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their doings’ ” (Jer. 23:1-2, 11-12, 16, 20-22).
Will God Cut Short The Time? Many ministers claim, “Prophecy is speeding up” or “God will cut short the time”—quoting passages from the KJV that appear to support such a claim. For example, Matthew 24:22 reads, “And except those days should be shortened, there should be no flesh saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (KJV). Another verse from the KJV is Romans 9:28, which says: “For he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.” These passages are taken to mean that God will cut prophecy short.
But these verses are mistranslated in the KJV. Here is the correct translation as found in the Faithful Version: “For then shall there be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until this time, nor ever shall be again. And if those days were not LIMITED, there would no flesh be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days shall be LIMITED…. For He is accomplishing and LIMITING the matter in righteousness; because the Lord will LIMIT the matter He is doing upon the earth” (Matt. 24:21-22; Rom. 9:28). This rendering agrees with other scriptures, showing that God has predetermined and limited the time of the Great Tribulation to three and one-half years. These scriptures in no way convey the idea that God will “cut short” His own prophecies concerning the Tribulation. Thus, prophecies are not speeding up! Nor are prophecies slowing down! They are right on time—according to God’s timetable, not man’s. Remember, we can only interpret prophetic events as they unfold, rather than going by a specific date. Jesus even told His apostles, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father has placed in His own authority” (Acts 1:7).
Jesus also commanded us to watch! (Matt. 24:42). God gives us a great deal of prophetic understanding through the framework of His holy days. Thus, we do have a certain amount of understanding. Paul wrote: “Now then, concerning the times and the seasons [of the return of Christ and the resurrection], brethren, there is no need that I write to you; for you yourselves understand perfectly that the day of the Lord will come exactly as a thief comes by night. For when they say, ‘Peace and security [prosperity],’ [as we see developing now, leading up to the final seven years] then sudden destruction will come upon them, [after the first three and a half years, when the Tribulation comes] as travail comes upon a woman who is with child; and they shall by no means escape” (I Thess. 5:1-3).
God gave Daniel the 70-week prophecy (Dan. 9). We know by the events of the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Second Temple (after the 70-year Babylonian exile) that the first seven weeks, or 49 years, has been completed. We also know that the 62 weeks, or 434 years, to the coming of the Messiah has been fulfilled. Thus there remains the 70th week, or 7 years, yet to be fulfilled: “And the people of the prince who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. And the end of it shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. And he shall make firm a covenant with many for one week [7 years]. And in the midst of the week [after three and a half years] he shall cause the sacrifice and the offering to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations shall come one who makes desolate even until the consummation. And that which is decreed shall be poured out upon the desolator” (Dan. 9:26-27).
We know this event has not been fulfilled because the final Beast and the False Prophet of Revelation 13 and 17 have not yet appeared—nor has the end-time Jewish temple been built. However, when the final time of “peace” comes, they will build it. Visit templeinstitute.org and you will see that the Jews have nearly everything they need already prepared—for the priesthood, the Levites, the sacrifices, and the temple rituals.
When the “prince of the people”—the final Beast—stands in the holy place and causes the sacrifices to cease (after 1290 days), then and only then will the Great Tribulation begin. Jesus warns: “Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation [this is an event—we are given the number of days, but not a set date], which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (the one who reads, let him understand)…. For then shall there be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until this time, nor ever shall be again. And if those days were not limited [prophecy shows it is limited to three and a half years], there would no flesh be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days shall be limited” (Matt. 24:15, 21).
These prophecies are telling us that we are to watch for specific events to occur without giving us a specific date. We are to watch for these three specific events: 1) The coming of the final Beast and False Prophet (Dan. 9:26; Rev. 13:1-10); 2) The building of the Third Temple in Jerusalem with the sacrifices (Dan. 9:27; 12:11; Matt. 24:15; II Thess. 2:1-12); 3) The stopping of sacrifices after 1290 days and the “abomination of desolation” occurs (II Thess. 2:1-12). Only when these prophecies occur in this order will we know when the Great Tribulation will begin.
As we get closer to the time of the end, as Daniel writes, the righteous will understand more: “[F]or the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and refined. But the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the WISE [those who believe and obey God the Father and Jesus Christ] SHALL UNDERSTAND” (Dan. 12:9-10). This is a promise from God. However, our understanding will only be by actual events as they occur and not by specific dates.
We are not to let any prophecies or declarations of men mislead us. We are to follow the Scriptures and watch events. While there are other prophetic events that are now occurring, these are the three linchpin prophecies we are to watch for. The Great Tribulation cannot begin until these three events have transpired.
New Book and Reprinting of Bible and Other Books: We are producing a brand new 300-page transcript book called The Love of God—Surpasses Human Knowledge. We’ve ordered 5,000 copies with audio CDs. This is an amazing book! Those who are on the mailing list will have the book mailed directly to them as soon as it is finished. If you are not on the mailing list, request your copy right away! We will also ship copies to our various offices.
We are printing 8,500 additional Bibles, The Holy Bible In Its Original Order—A Faithful Version. They will be finished and shipped the end of August to the first part of September. We will ship them directly from the printers to all our offices. We are also reprinting two books: America and Britain and Occult Holidays or God’s Holy Days—Which?
With love in Christ Jesus,
Fred R. Coulter
Recent Emails and Letters from Brethren and Website Visitors
Dear Minister Fred: I cannot thank you enough for all you do and have done for me and for so many others. Your books and sermons are fantastic! I have read God’s Plan and my mind was simply blown away! How great is our God and our Lord Jesus Christ! I have also read many of your other books…. So much deception is out there in the world today. It’s sad to me that a lot of people don’t seem to be interested enough to do any research. I thank God for you and pray for you daily. I watch you on Caravan to Midnight every time you are on. Thank you again for all you do!—LS
Dear Fred: Thank you for all the wonderful messages you have been inspired to give! Thank you to your staff for putting everything together! Thank you for yielding to God and delivering His Word so powerfully, yet in a kind and humble way! Love, your sister in Christ.—No name
Dear Fred: Being allowed to obtain a glimpse of the awesome truths contained in the inspired Word of God is such an awesome privilege…. Thank you, Fred, for helping us to grow into a deeper understanding of the plan of God. You have certainly helped open the doors and pull back the curtains so that the light of God’s truth can shine brightly into our lives. And thank you for the love you demonstrate by your diligent service to the brethren. Sincerely.—RM, Washington
To Whom it May Concern: Thank you so much for your great information to all the brethren. I thank you again and again and again. It keeps us on our toes and [helps us be] an example by living God’s way. God is our creator and protector. God will not forsake us.
I was diagnosed with leukemia. My doctor wanted me to take drugs. I said no, and left it in God’s hands. The doctor did not like it. I felt like telling him “You’re not God!” So far, I don’t have leukemia. I thank God every day. I am praying for you and I thank you for your dedication and love for the people. In Christian love.—KD, Missouri
Dear Fred: I am a 79-year-old widow. I just retired and I’m now on Social Security and unable to tithe. However, it is my Christian responsibility to send offerings, and I do so from a thankful heart. I consider myself blessed to have been given the strength and ability to work for so long. But more so, I am grateful that God has placed me under the spiritual care and guidance of a true and faithful minister such as yourself. Thank you for keeping me attached to the vine.—GM, Arizona
Dear Pastor Coulter: Thank you so much for your books! I’d like another copy of the Bible, for my wife, and an Interlinear for myself. I am retired and on a fixed income, so these would have to be part of your “donation campaign.” Please also send Occult Holidays or God’s Holy Days—Which? and God’s Plan for Mankind Revealed by His Sabbath and Holy Days. I can’t tell you what a blessing the Church has been to me through your publications! Please send me a new Publication Catalog also. Thanks again! And thanks for the MP3 “Time is short”!—GD, Kansas
Dear Fred: Thank you for your faithfulness in teaching the true Gospel and in teaching us about the love of God for all these years. Keep up the good work; we appreciate your sincerity. We are sending our offering for Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread. One request: please send us the Hebrew calendar booklet. Also, thank you for the booklet on righteous judgment. Thanks so much! With love in Christ.—G & O
Dear Staff and Brethren: Thank you for your dedication and hard work. I pray for Mr. Coulter and all of your services. It is a great service to hear Mr. Coulter. His DVDs are very much welcomed. Thank you. In Christian love.—BK, Missouri
Dear Fred, Family & CBCG Office: We are doing well out here in Colorado! Hope you have a blessed Spring Holy Day season! I pray for you every day; may the Lord bless you with health and many more years! Your Bible lessons are always so wonderful! I’ve learned so much from you over the years. God bless; peace be with you!—JB, Colorado
Mr. Fred Coulter: Thank you so much for all that you are doing. We have been able to supply many people with your Bibles and materials that they would have never known were available. I was able to present one of your Bibles to my friend who washes my car, and he was so happy he cried. He had worn out his Bible that he received when he was 16 years old and needed a new one. So not only does he now have a new Bible, he also has much needed biblical information, which he is reading. Thank you so much.—MK, Oklahoma
CBCG: I am sending a Holy Day offering to the Christian Biblical Church of God. I have been greatly appreciative of the sermons, transcripts, and books—which have really challenged my understanding of the Scriptures. Mr. Coulter preaches so well. Thank you.—KH
To Whom it May Concern: This being the Last Day of Unleavened bread, it was an inspiring message of what this week has meant. Our Creator gave His life for our sins. Praising Jesus and His Father—who made this possible for those seeking God’s way. The Bible is our instruction book: live by it and grow in grace, praise, and honor to the great God. Thank you for making this all possible. In Christian love.—BKD, Missouri
Dear Fred: What an inspiring Unleavened Bread message—“Sin easily entraps us.” That is a true statement, and I will read and study Matthew 6.
Thank you, Fred, for your sincere and heartfelt sermons. Joel Osteen needs you to lead him to the truth. I never watch his program; just seeing his ads is all one needs to know. No Bible anywhere on his huge stage, his helpers doing the Baptisms. His net worth is $100 million, he lives in a multi-million-dollar mansion, travels around in private jets, sells lots of books. He’s a popular celebrity, but nothing sincere or meaningful about him; hard to believe thousands of people pay to hear him. He’s really got a racket!
I thank you that you are a true messenger from God. You are blessed. We are blessed to have you for our teacher! Thank you.—SM, Arizona
Dear Fred Coulter: I want to personally thank you for sending us the anointed cloths. One for my eye surgery last year in February, and the other for the intestinal flu our family had a couple of months ago. It’s evident God gave me back 20-20 vision and I only need glasses for reading, etc. We are all doing much better since our bout with the flu. Back at the end of October, last year, I had shingles; the worst of it was over in about a week, but it took a long time to heal from its effects. My right index finger is just getting back to feeling normal after six months of feeling sensitive to heat. I greatly appreciate your video sermons where I can view the closed-captioning. I have a severe hearing loss and don’t catch all the words. Closed-captioning also misses a few words, like when you say leaven it puts up the number “11.” Without using my hearing aid, I’m practically deaf. Also, the Chrome browser has a real-time closed-captioning app that will allow me to view your live sermons or a video from a stored file. In God we trust!—JW, Pennsylvania
Dear Minister Coulter: Thank you so much for your kind message—and for the generous shipment of books and CDs. We truly appreciate the care you’ve taken to ensure that we have everything, and we look forward to diving into the God’s Plan book step by step, just as you’ve designed it to be understood.
I want to sincerely thank you from the bottom of our hearts for joining us on the show last night. It was truly a barn burner—your message resonated deeply, not only with us but with our entire audience. The clarity, conviction, and passion with which you share God’s truth is a rare gift, and we are incredibly grateful that you chose to share that gift with us.
Your dedication to preserving and teaching the Word in these times of great deception is both inspiring and vital. We are honored to stand alongside you in this mission to awaken and equip those who have “ears to hear.”
We look forward to having you back again soon—there is so much more wisdom to share, and I know our listeners are eager for it. Until then, blessings to you and your ministry. Please know that you have our deepest gratitude and support. With heartfelt thanks.—BW
Dear Fred and Everyone: We’re sorry to be late, but we had some health setbacks. We’re doing fine now! Thank you for all the CDs. We always look forward to each and every one of them. May God continue keeping you in good health for a long time. Thanks to all of you and may God richly bless each and every one of you! Our love and prayers.—RJF
Dear Fred: I hope this note finds you well. Every year I try to go over the Passover book and God’s Plan for Mankind. These two books are so valuable to me—along with “Scripturalism vs. Judaism.” Wow! Without your publications, I would be so lost! I wish the larger organizations were preaching like you preach or what you preach. I am so thankful for all of them! I remember that years ago a friend of mine passed on some of your CDs and encouraged me to watch Church at Home. I was reluctant at first, but I stuck with it. I feel sad for many of the brethren who don’t understand the truth. I am trying to pass some of this knowledge on to my church friends. But they are as reluctant as I was. I am so thankful to God for opening my eyes. With love.—LJ, Missouri
Dear Fred: It is awesome that we have a God who searches our hearts; that He is an all-knowing God, a heart-knowing God. Therefore He knows our weaknesses…. Psalm 111:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.” Thanks for all your sermons and the transcripts, books, and all the hard work that you and the brethren do for us. You all are truly a blessing to those of us out here seeking the truth. In love.—JH, Canada
To Whom it May Concern: I was born and raised in the Catholic faith. I was not satisfied, though, and by 18 I had left. Something just did not seem quite right. I searched for God and His truth off and on for the next 50 years and eventually returned to the Catholic Church in 2007 because I needed God in my life. However, all the old doubts and questions returned.
I always believed the Bible was the truth from God’s mouth—but the Catholic faith did not match His Word. One major question I had was why the Jews practiced the Sabbath from Friday at sunset until Saturday at sunset. Plus, all the dogma and doctrine just didn’t make sense. I had long ago given up the idea that the pope was infallible and that the pope could change the Word of God. In my mind, no man has the authority to change what God has said.
About 5-6 years ago I found John B. on 710 AM radio—The Intelligence Briefing—and was hooked. However, I did not find Caravan to Midnight (CTM) until about 2 years ago. My husband and I were excited when we found CTM.
Then, a little over a year ago, I was listening to CTM and John had Fred Coulter on for the first time. I remember John called him a minister, or a title similar to that. I will never forget what Fred said: “Oh, no. Just call me Fred. Paul went by Paul, so I just go by Fred.” I was blown away at his humble response and that got my attention.
During that program, he answered my questions about the Sabbath using Bible verses. I emailed Fred, and one thing led to another. He sent me books; I read the books and ordered more. Everything was sent at no charge, and that in itself amazed me. Fred and I decided that I needed a full immersion baptism—as I had only been sprinkled as an infant. He had one of his elders contact me. My husband had also decided to take the pre-baptism study series, so when the elder came to Colorado, he baptized both of us in October of 2024.
All my questions have now been answered from God’s Word. I have been so blessed in finding John and CTM—I know it was the hand of God directing me. So, in short, I owe CTM, Fred, and John B.—with the grace of God—for my salvation. I could never find a greater gift than this, as it means my eternal life with God and our Lord Jesus. May God bless you both and keep you safe. With much love, gratitude, and prayers.—LS, Colorado
Dear Fred Coulter and CBCG: I am sending this note of appreciation for all you have done in bringing the truth to all of us. I was brought up in the Worldwide Church of God, when I was approaching my teens in 1970. There was much going on that I did not understand or even know about during the 70s through the 90s. Thank you for enlightening us about those years with the details you have given us in your videos. I am gaining more truth and understanding of God’s Word, our heavenly Father, and our Messiah and soon coming king.
I’ve been attending the United Church of God over the years and I am so looking forward to Jesus calling us all together to be one. I have been requesting your books and wanted to contribute to the work you have been doing. Take care and God bless you and all the brethren. Love from your sister in Christ.—KM, Wyoming
To Whom it May Concern: I have great appreciation for your messages, letters, and sermons. I pray for your health and all who work with you—those dedicated to feeding the flock, seeking the truth, and obeying God—not someone who adds words to what they think the Bible says. Mr. Coulter, you bring out what I want to hear. Thank you ever so much. In Christian love.—BK
Dear Fred: Thank you so much for all your teachings—books, sermons, and so much more you provide. We are so blessed to have all these wonderful materials and you as a teacher. We have learned so much. There are no words that can express how deeply we feel on being blessed by the church and by you. Thank you. Love.—KS
Dear Fred: Thank you for your encouragement; it is much needed. Thank you for the pre-Passover sermons. There are many in the Church who still have leaven in their homes on Passover day. I’ve tried to reason with them, but they don’t believe it. I’ve also spoken to some friends about Pentecost being the resurrection day. My pastor in my previous church believes it, but won’t preach it because he said he didn’t want to lose his job. He gave a wonderful sermon last Pentecost and “said it without saying it”—if that makes sense. I couldn’t believe it! Thank you, and I thank our Father above, for helping me understand the mysteries of God. Your sister in Christ.—LJ, Missouri
Dear Brother Fred: I pray this note finds you in excellent health. I have just finished my first study of Study Package 2. I cannot thank you enough for it. It brought me to a repentance I have never experienced before. I thank God and thank you. Thank you also for the great sermon you gave for Pentecost. I had a very good day. God bless.—KH, Kentucky
Dear Fred: Thank you for all you do for the brethren. People are very thankful for the Bibles, and we pray that they learn and grow every day. Fred, my wife and I have been with the CBCG for over 18 years, and what you have taught us is beyond what we could have imagined or hoped for. We started attending God’s church in 2002 and were baptized in June of 2005, 20 years ago. We left there in 2007, and I’m thankful that one of the brethren who had known you in Utah connected us with the CBCG in early 2007. We knew nothing about the WCG, so listening to your sermons has enlightened us greatly. We have faithfully grown year after year as members of the CBCG. You are our minister, as well as our mentor, and through your teachings we continue to grow as we anticipate the return of our King and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you, Fred, for accepting us as brethren into the CBCG and for teaching us what the love of God really is. Thank you for the prayers also. I’m trying to learn Greek little by little, but at 68 years young it’s a challenge! Thank you very much. With all of our Christian love.
PS: We pray for the brethren every day, especially since the tines are growing more violent and wickedness is getting worse.—KDW, Missouri
Mr. Coulter and Staff: Thank you for teaching us about the true God and the true way of living. I cannot tell you how much I have learned from your sermons. Thank you again.—RD, Ohio
Dear Mr. Coulter: I hope all is well with you. Thank you for your help with our Pentecost question. Now we need help with another one, if you please. My wife and I were baptized by a WCG minister in 1984. We raised our son in the Church; and when it came time for him to register for the draft, I cannot remember what we did to make sure he had conscientious objector status in case his name was called. Now, my grandson, whom our family has also raised in the truth, turned 19 this year. From what I understand, he has registered but could not claim conscientious objector status until his name was called.
The world is much more dangerous than it was in 1996 when my son was 18. I know what the old WCG taught on this matter, but I was not sure of CBCG’s position. My wife and I would appreciate some guidance. Since leaving the WCG, we have continued to keep the Sabbath and Holy Days at home, along with our son and his family. We have no pastor, so to speak; your live stream is our weekly service. We appreciate it so much!—RK & LK
South America Update
In late May I had the privilege of visiting the brethren in South America, beginning in Mendoza, Argentina, and then in Santiago, Chile. It was a wonderful blessing to be able to meet brethren in person who have been meeting with us online via Zoom for the last few years. I spent two days in Mendoza where we secured a location for the Feast of Tabernacles. We found a great location that accommodates all the brethren staying together.
I then spent the next five days with the brethren in Santiago. We held Sabbath services at a member’s home via Zoom. On Sunday we went to pick up one of the brethren from southern Chile. He has been helping with transcripts of various sermons in Spanish. He turns them into booklets and distributes them to people in southern Chile. These booklets have helped a number of people understand subjects such as “Why does God hate hierarchy?” and “How to heal a broken heart.”
On Monday we ventured out to Costanera Center—the tallest building in Latin America—where we were able to enjoy looking out over the city from the viewing deck which sits at 984 feet high. This building is also a mall where we shopped for the materials we needed for the printing of various booklets (printer, ink, paper, etc.). Tuesday was spent all day setting up the printer and working on printing drafts of the booklets.
On Wednesday we held a training session on Zoom so that our brethren in Chile could host Sabbath services online. This has already been a great help, as the online fellowship group can now have services every Sabbath. On Wednesday night I took my flight back home after a very profitable week in South America.
The online group has been growing in attendance for the weekly Sabbath services and the Friday night Bible Studies (every other Friday). We have brethren from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Chile, Argentina, and Spain who gather online via Zoom.
It has been a great blessing to have this technology. It provides a place for brethren who are scattered and are hungering and thirsting for God’s Word to come together to learn, to ask questions, and to dive deep into the Word of God. We thank God the Father and Jesus Christ for blessing this trip and making it successful in every way.—Eduardo Elizondo
Philippines Church Update
I just got back from another excellent trip to the Philippines. The church there is growing in numbers with more than 60 now attending services. I spent three full days with the brethren, did a lot of personal counseling and baptism counseling, and had one blessing of a child. I also gave a sermon on tithing and offerings.
It was a good experience counseling with people and answering lots of questions. I also dealt with a situation similar to what the apostle Paul faced with the church in Corinth: a member was involved in an affair that the whole church knew about but took no action on. My correction was well received by the congregation and those involved were led to repentance. Other than this, everything is good and most of the people are happy with how the church is going.
About 20 people from CGI have joined us along with some older members from WCG. They are committed to the CBCG, and I spent a lot of time answering their questions. This group is mostly from the same family, which consists of about 70 people (most are Catholics). I wish I had been able to spend more time with them; it was interesting to learn about WCG Philippines. We spent two lunches and three dinners together—all very good. There is so much love, care, and respect among the brethren.
A few other matters were finalized, and some remain a work in progress:
The Feast of Tabernacles planning was finalized. About 50 local members will be going. I’m planning to keep half of the Feast with them this year if God wills and everything goes well. We are also planning to have our first CBCG Youth Camp in the Philippines next year. Around 20 youths from the Philippines and five from Malaysia will participate. Once plans are finalized we can advertise the camp on our website and welcome other youth who would like to join.
I’ve just started developing Youth Bible Lessons for our children. We have started work on Lesson 1, and plan to do 12 lessons. I’ve also started a Leadership Course for both Malaysia and the Philippines. It is similar to the one we had in WCG. The first lesson will be ready later this month.
Hoping everything goes well—which it will by God’s grace and love! Pray for us! I’m trying to involve everyone in doing God’s work. I can see the happiness among the brethren and the church is growing! Thank you Fred for all the prayers, love, funds—and, most importantly, your trust. I’ve attached some recent photos.—Andrew
