Pastoral Development Program 

At the home office, the fifth annual Pastoral Development Program is in session. It started on November 11, and will run until November 20. Thirty-two people from Australia, Haiti, Sri Lanka, Malawi, the Caribbean, Myanmar, Canada, United Kingdom and the U.S. are represented. We also have two veteran U.S. pastors, Vince Szymkowiak (St. Louis) and Randy D'Alessandro (Chicago), who we invited to be part of the mentorship process.

We are housing most of the participants in our homes, giving us an opportunity to get to know one other better. While many topics relating to pastoral job skills and personal integrity are presented, increased attention has been given this year to expository preaching. We welcome the wives of the men who are a very important part of their husband's Priscilla/Aquila style of ministry. This Sabbath, the participants will be traveling to neighboring congregations and will give split sermons.

We are at a very historic and critical time in the history and ministry of the United Church of God. Twenty-five years have passed. We are earnestly looking to the next 25 years as we prepare the Church for the end of the age and the Kingdom of God. I thank all those from the home office who prepared this comprehensive 10-day program.

Subscriber letter offering What Does the Bible Teach About Grace?

We are offering our newest landmark booklet, What Does the Bible Teach About Grace? to our entire Beyond Today magazine subscriber list. The letter will be mailed the first part of next week. We are so pleased with the balanced biblical approach to what I consider a long neglected subject that is so thoroughly covered through the entirety of the Bible.

Podcast with Police Lieutenant This Week

This is my first podcast with someone outside our church community. His name is Anthony Rees and he is the Administrative Lieutenant for the nearby Union Township police department. He has some very interesting things to say about some of the not-so-well-known things that policemen do as public servants. Lt. Rees makes observations about changing family dynamics, social media and much more. He has spoken to Ambassador Bible College in the past.

Make the Most of Every Opportunity

When I was recently studying the book of Daniel in preparation for my Feast sermon "Let Us Go Up to the Mountain of the Lord," I reviewed the passages that describe the various governments of this world. That included the second chapter of Daniel. This chapter describes the "great image" representing numerous incarnations of human government. The human governments end with what will be the final revival of the Holy Roman Empire, a short-lived confederation centered in Europe.

With that as a backdrop, the November 9 cover of The Economist magazine captured my attention. "On the edge of a precipice" read the startling headline, noting a "stark warning to Europe." The weekly British news magazine was highlighting the recent surprising comments of 41-year-old French President Emmanuel Macron, who is unabashedly calling for the refreshed power of a unified Europe. He wants that new power to replace traditional reliance on the United States. He's openly doing this in China, Europe, basically everywhere he goes.

In extended coverage of this phenomenon, The Economist noted intensifying voices for political, military and diplomatic unification across the Continent, led by the increasingly potent outcry of President Macron. He sees a seemingly schizophrenic Brexit threatening to sunder Britain from Europe and a United States retreating from traditional NATO support in the current and previous U.S. Presidential administrations. Macron now claims that if Europe doesn't act swiftly, "we will no longer be in control of our destiny."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also recently and forcefully noted that "the times when we [Europeans] could rely on others are over." Mark Rutte, the prime minister of the Netherlands, remarked recently that "the EU [European Union] needs a reality check—power is not a dirty word."

When I read these and other European comments clamoring for political unity—I see what appears to be remarkably increasing connectivity to what we proclaim in our Beyond Today TV programs and in our literature.

As our Bible Study Guide, The Final Superpower, points out, French leaders like Macron are not the first to call for a global entity. Napoleon Bonaparte created and achieved his own version of a biblically prophesied empire, uniting much of the European continent and ruling over lands that stretched to North America. Given all of this, and according to our understanding of Bible prophecy, one can easily ask: are we watching the beginnings of a prophetic foundation being poured for the final incarnation of the Holy Roman Empire?

Here's an important point: regarding the sequence of end time Bible prophecy, Jesus Christ, the living Head of the Church, made this plain statement: "Concerning that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only" (Matthew 24:36, English Standard Version, emphasis added throughout).

While it is important to discern the times, even though we may not know exactly when final prophetic events will occur, Jesus gave us this critically important directive: "You must also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" (Matthew 24:44, ESV).

The early disciples understood this. They yearned for the day of Christ's return. They hoped it would be in their generation. They strove to zealously work on themselves, surrendering to the transformational power of God acting through the Holy Spirit. They came boldly to the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace in times of need (Hebrews 4:16). They took Christ's words seriously and acted on them.

Today, the words of the book of Hebrews ring across the ages to us in the 21st century. As we see early possible signs of prophetic events appearing to line up, we are reminded of a singular point, to redouble our efforts toward spiritual growth. Here's a standard of conduct for us today: "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:25).

We do not know the time. But we all do need to capture and sustain the vision of the Kingdom of God, the incredible future that was painted in detail for us by the recent Feast of Tabernacles. With every passing day, we are one day closer to the return of Jesus Christ and the establishing of the Kingdom. Is this vision of the coming Kingdom still fresh in our minds, sustaining us now as we go through our daily routines? Are we still fired up for spiritual growth, energized by the recent Feast?

I ask that, because we live in a tough age where our spiritual energy can quickly get drained off by the problems and challenges of this world. We can be excited at the Feast, ready to spiritually conquer. Then we can go home and the present world shows up. We can start to limit our vision of God's power and what He can do in our lives personally.

That's why the apostle Paul encourages us to be "redeeming the time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:16). Other translations make this plain: "Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days" (New Living Translation).

In the 21st century, with numerous Bible translations, historical records and preserved knowledge all available, we in the fellowship of the Church of God hold a marvelous advantage. Many of us live in areas of the world where we can live, study, assemble and worship in peace. In the United States, we still have remarkable freedoms.

Are we making the most of every opportunity, regardless of where you live? Peter set a high standard: "as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "'Be holy, for I am holy.'" (1 Peter 1:15-16). Can people see in our conduct the influence of God, setting us apart?

Perhaps we can use these words of Paul as a checklist for our standard of conduct: "Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony" (Colossians 3:12-14, NLT). Are we striving to receive and show the spiritual virtues of mercy, humility, patience, forgiveness and love?

Prophecy will march on. Some future confederation of Europe will unite. But as President Macron himself admits, the process could take years and happen in a way that no one suspects.

Meanwhile, what's truly important for us? To make the most of every opportunity that God gives to us to grow spiritually. Let us be about our Father's business and fully redeem the time!