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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, MAY 24, 1985
Churchl 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 relation
ship with God. Be diligent in setting such an example for your congrega
tions, and in stirring up God's Firstfruits to keep up the pace Mr. Arm
strong is setting for us in doing God's work!
Commencement exercises were held Wednesday, May 15, in Big Sandy and Fri
day, May 17, in Pasadena for the 1985 graduating classes of Ambassador Col
lege. 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
fruit·
s 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 simi
lar 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 wi�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 Am
bassador in the fall so he can
be
counselled by a minister in the College
who knows him.
Let'� 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 dili
gent 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 congrega
tion, was ordained by church pastor Mr. Dennis Diehl, and
Mr. Robert
Stewart, of the Augusta, Georgia congregation, was ordained by church pas-
tor Mr. Keith Thomas.