We continue to have very beautiful weather here in Pasadena — with plenty of sunshine and moderate smog. We hope those of you ministers living in the northern part of the U.S. have weathered the long, bitter winter. I am sure you look forward to God's beautiful springtime even more than we do here in sunny southern California.
Mr. Rod Meredith asked me to write you since he is now in New York visiting with ministers there, and he plans to speak to the churches in that area tomorrow, the last day of Unleavened Bread. He was in Cincinnati for the first part of the Feast.
I have spoken to Mr. Armstrong twice during the Feast via telephone, and he is well, filled with faith and energy. He continues banging out articles on his typewriter, a constant proof that God strengthens and inspires him.
At this point, I would like to clear up a misconception. Some brethren (and even a few ministers) have claimed that Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong is cut off, isolated from the ministry, having little or no contact with them. This is simply not true. Each week Mr. Armstrong is in constant contact with numerous ministers.
Mr. Meredith usually contacts Mr. Armstrong at least two or three times a week. Mr. Ellis LaRavia, Mr. Rader, Dennis Luker, Sherwin McMichael, myself and others also have regular contact with him. Since arriving back in Pasadena in the spring of 1978, I have usually been in contact with Mr. Armstrong once or twice a week either via telephone or during personal visits in his home. Besides this, various area coordinators call Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong any time they feel there is a need to do so.
So it is just not true that Mr. Armstrong is isolated from God's ministry! In fact, he insists that we keep him constantly informed concerning what is going on in the ministry, the college etc.
The hand of the Receiver continues to be stayed — pending a decision from the higher courts concerning our case. It looks as though we will be able to keep the Receiver from ever planting his boots back on God's property; remember, this is the property of the Eternal God. If we continue to do our part He will see to it that we win complete, ultimate victory! In the meantime, we must keep on our knees, continually praying and even fasting for God's Work — that He will bless it more than ever before as we remove the "spiritual leaven" from God's Church.
Attendance and offerings during the first holy day were very good. The offerings on the first holy day were, reportedly, up to projected levels — in spite of the fact that the brethren had been asked to make certain financial sacrifices during the first part of this year in order to thwart the illegal and ungodly attempted takeover of the very Work of the Living God!
I would like to take this opportunity to say something which I feel is important to all of God's ministers worldwide. How many of you ministers have really understood what Satan is doing — or trying to do — in his attacks against this Work?
I am quite aware of the fact that the ministers of the WCG have, in the main, performed very well during the numerous crises which this Work has gone through. Most of you, like good soldiers of Jesus Christ, have stood there, rock solid, as God's Church and His Work have repeatedly been attacked. You have been unmovable.
Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong and all of us ministers here at Pasadena have rejoiced to see the loyalty and stedfastness which the vast majority of you ministers have exhibited. Thanks to God for that dedicated support of loyalty to Him, to Jesus Christ, and to God's chosen apostle — the one through whom Christ raised up, and continues to direct, this mighty Work.
But we all need to guard against the tendency to forget that God has called each and every one of us in his ministry to a very high calling. In fact, I know of no calling so high and so noble as that of being counted worthy of being put into Christ's ministry. Let us consider Paul's admonition to a young man, Timothy, whom he had ordained into the ministry of Jesus Christ:
"I charge thee... Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season... For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine: but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears... But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work — of an evangelist (or that of a pastor, elder or deacon), MAKE FULL PROOF OF THY MINISTRY" (II Tim. 4:1-5).
All of us ministers need to keep our minds on the very high calling which God has granted us. We should never look back — never seek to go back into the world.
Notice what Christ thinks of any man called into his ministry who begins to look back — who tries to get out of fulfilling his high calling. "And He (Jesus) said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" (Luke 9: 59-62).
If a man comes to see that he is actually a "square peg in a round hole," then he can have God's blessing if he leaves the ministry. He should never have been in the ministry in the first place. But if God has truly called one into the ministry, then he should faithfully, diligently carry out that calling — without ever looking back! Remember, how Jonah tried to run away from the ministry to which God had called him.
Notice the apostle Peter's admonition: "AS every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles (words) of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ ..." (I Pet. 4:10, 11).
Also, don't forget the words of this same apostle, as he exhorted the elders of God's church to, "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind: Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away" (I Pet. 5:2-4).
What should be the attitude of all of us ministers toward the very high calling God has given us by putting us into his ministry?
We ought to seek, both by example and by teaching, to fulfill that calling to the very best of our ability. Nothing should turn our heads away from that high calling — neither money, persecution, nor anything else.
Once we have been highly favored of God by being called into His ministry, we ought to strain every muscle and every brain cell to make sure that we faithfully fulfill that ministry — never looking back over our shoulders for any reason whatsoever.
May God enable each and every one of us to faithfully perform that ministry that he has committed unto our trust. Then we shall receive "a crown of glory" from the Chief Shepherd at His Second Coming!
FROM PASTORAL ADMINISTRATION
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