Current Events & Trends: Raising the global alarm
The direction of international events in the time ahead of us is vitally important for all people.
The Western world in particular has largely adopted a godless, secular approach to life, and we should all be aware of where this dangerous path will eventually take us.
The World in 2014, the current edition of the annual publication on the state of the world from the British magazine The Economist, states: "At the turn of the 21st century The Economist had sage words that deserve to be read again. 'In every way that people, firms, or governments act and plan,' it wrote, 'they are making implicit forecasts about the future.' That is a fundamental fact. Our decisions rest on expectations of what the future will look like and how those decisions will play out in it" ("Who's Good at Forecasts?" Nov. 18, 2013, p. 89, emphasis added throughout).
From a biblical standpoint, where are present trends taking the world as we begin another new year? What does the future hold for all of mankind? Jesus Christ plainly instructed us, "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36).
Clearly the Bible reveals the future and plainly tells us the ultimate outcome of present world trends, along with highlighting major occurrences along the way (see Isaiah 46:9-11). In this particular edition of "Current Events and Trends," we will take a figurative walk around specific regions of the world, flagging various areas experiencing serious to severe troubles. (Source: The World in 2014.)
An Article from:
Good News Magazine: January - February 2014
Course Content
Jerold Aust
Jerold Aust has served in the ministry for 52 years, as a public speaker for 58 years, a published writer for 38 years, and is employed by UCG’s Media and Communications Services. He is a Senior Writer, interviewer, and editor for Beyond Today Magazine and has taught Speech Communication for UCG’s ministerial online program and the Book of Revelation for ABC.
Jerold holds a BA in theology from Ambassador College, Pasadena (1968), an MA in Communication from California State University, Fullerton (1995), a distance-learning Ph.D (2006), and a Famous Writers School diploma in non-fiction writing (1973). Additionally, he studied post-grad communication at University of Southern California (1995), radio, TV, voice-overs, and Public Relations at Fullerton College (1995-1996), and graduate communication at Wichita State University (1978). Jerold has taught communication at the University of South Alabama (7 years) and ABC (17 years). His published works include, Ronald Reagan’s Rhetoric: Metaphor as Persuasion and EZSpeakers: Public Speaking Made Easy in 7 Steps. Jerold's overarching goal is to share with humankind its incredible destiny!
John Ross Schroeder
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
