Herbert W Armstrong

Help the brethren in your spiritual care to understand their part in what God is doing, and the fact that God has called them to support Mr. Armstrong in proclaiming Christ's Gospel. Remind them that God has called them as His Firstfruits to prepare them to become rulers and teachers in the soon-coming government of God that will solve the problems facing all nations today. Nothing in our lives can be more important than God's great purpose and plan for us. Encourage God's people to immerse themselves in their special calling, which will ultimately benefit all people everywhere.

We are very encouraged by the tremendous opportunities God is currently opening before His Church for preaching the Gospel. As Mr. Armstrong often tells us, when we please God, He will bless our efforts. We need to be continually reminding God's people of the seriousness of the times we are living in. We need to stir them and ourselves to draw close to God, putting His Kingdom first so He will continue to bless us in doing His work. Be sure to relate to your congregations the exciting news reported in this issue of the PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT by Mr. David Hulme, Director of Media Purchasing.

Here are some figures you might find interesting regarding the size of the ministry and number of congregations around the world as of Pentecost 1985:

Full Time Ministers - Local Church Elders - Totals
United States - 371 - 496 - 867
International - 212 - 127 - 339
Worldwide - 583 - 623 - 1,206

Weekly Churches - 1985 Feast Sites
United States - 409 - 22
International - 316 - 67
Worldwide - 725 - 89

We have members in 120 countries, churches in 57 countries, and Feast sites in 49 countries around the world! God has truly blessed His end-time Church! But let's realize that the best is yet to come. Each of us must more fully commit ourselves to God's purpose in calling us. We all need to be striving to overcome and to develop a deeper, richer personal relationship with God. Be diligent in setting such an example for your congregations, and in stirring up God's Firstfruits to keep up the pace Mr. Armstrong is setting for us in doing God's work!

Commencement exercises were held Wednesday, May 15, in Big Sandy and Friday, May 17, in Pasadena for the 1985 graduating classes of Ambassador College. A total of 24.1 students received two-year degrees and 144 received four-year degrees. In addition, 153 of the two-year graduates have been accepted for the four-year Bachelor of Arts program in Pasadena. (Mr. McNair comments further about this year's graduation in his report.)

Now that the college year is over, many continuing students will be going home for the summer. Some of them may want to counsel for baptism while they are home. In the past, we recommended that local ministers go rather slowly in baptizing Ambassador College students. When and where possible, it was considered advisable to have the students wait until they returned to Ambassador in the fall so they could counsel with one of the ministers in the College. This was because the ministers in the College would normally know the students better and could verify what their "fruits" actually were. They could more readily determine if the students had "brought forth fruits of repentance" than could a minister who would have much shorter contact with the student during the summer break.

Normally, if a prospective member is passing through another church area, he should not counsel with the local minister concerning baptism. He should rather counsel with his own local minister, who ought to know him better—who is familiar with his background and his fruits. This is similar to the situation with Ambassador College students who are prospective members. Normally, the ministers in the College will know them better-­ understand their backgrounds and their fruits—than can a local minister who may have had very limited contact with that student as a prospective member.

This does not mean that we think you local ministers aren't qualified to counsel with and baptize students. It's just that in most circumstances we feel it would be wiser to tell the student to wait until he returns to Ambassador in the fall so he can be counselled by a minister in the College who knows him.

Let's keep up the good work, and the momentum from the spring festivals, as we press onward toward the fall Holy Day season. Thank you for your diligent prayers for Mr. Armstrong and the work God is doing through His Church, and thanks for your part in submitting yourselves to God as instruments for His use in serving His people.

Recent Ordinations

On the first day of Unleavened Bread, April 6, two more men were ordained local church elders. Mr. Ray Jones, of the Somerset, Kentucky congregation, was ordained by church pastor Mr. Dennis Diehl, and Mr. Robert Stewart, of the Augusta, Georgia congregation, was ordained by church pastor Mr. Keith Thomas.