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PASTOR GENERAL'S
REPORT
TO THE MINISTRY OF THE
WORLDWIDE CHURCH OF GOD
VOL. 3 , NO • 23
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA
MR. ARMSTRONG VISITS LAKE OF THE OZARKS
JUNE 5, 1981
Everyone was surprised and delighted to learn of Mr. Armstrong's visit to
the Lake of the Ozarks, as word began to spread on Friday, May
22.
One
minister, who was informed late Friday, found that three fourths of the
congregation knew about it by Sabbath services the next day.
This was
indicative of the excitement generated by Mr. Armstrong's visit May 30th,
when 3379 from 17 churches attended the combined meeting in our own build
ing.
Initial planning was begun with a phone call from Mr. Tkach. Then the
coordination of efforts came through Mr. Robert Fahey. The Lake of the
Ozarks Church, with assistance from the Columbia Church, prepared the site.
We had had a great deal of rain the past few weeks here in the Ozarks.
Sabbath morning the liquid sunshine was still falling and the cloud ceiling
was low. The rain continued to fall heavily in the morning and lightly the
rest of the day. The cloud ceiling lifted around noon, a short time before
Mr. Armstrong's arrival.
Mr. Armstrong delivered a powerful message preparing God's people for the
corning day of Pentecost. He emphasized the need to recognize what would
have happened if Adam had taken of the tree of LIFE. "We need to think
about this," he said. "Most of us have not spent sufficient time looking at
this question," he emphasized.
Mr. Armstrong made very clear the fact that LIFE--real LIFE--was in Christ.
Not the temporary, chemical life of man we normally think of, but inherent
LIFE that is eternal. After explaining more about the mortal life of man,
Mr. Armstrong gave special atttention to the j udgrnent that is on the
Church, and how we have available God's Spirit which will lead to LIFE
eternal. But we must first prove that we will obey God in this temporary
life before we are given real LIFE!
He emphasized that Christ would build His Church and the gates of hell would
not prevail against it (Matt. 16:18), and that the prophecies of the Old
Testament were for the New Testament Church.
It was a very timely and
important message for the brethren gathered at this memorable occasion.
In the meeting with the ministers and wives, Mr. Armstrong explained that
he delivers the overview, beginning in Genesis which, he emphasized, "I
will continueto do." He admonished the men that "We must all speak the
same thing. That which comes from Christ the head of the Church. Many
forget that Christ is the head of the Church." Then as the ministers fill
in the details to their congregations, he said they must always remember
that Christ is the head of the Church. Christ works through human instru
ments and those instruments should deliver His message. Then they will all
be speaking the same thing.