Basic HTML Version
Page 6
PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, February 6, 1981
Why only one apostle today?
We live today in a far, far different world. The world's population
has multiplied many times over. In the wake of the invention of the
printing press and the typewriter, KNOWLEDGE has increased astoundingly
not only, but also the diffusion of knowledge. Unfortunately, that
knowledge is virtually 100% materialistic. The world is still in the
darkness of spiritual ignorance. It has lost--or rather never gained-
the TRUE VALUES in understanding.
But escalation of carnal, selfishly-motivated diffusion of knowledge,
the advent and swift development of modern science and technology, the
effects of the machine age, all have made today's world a fast-moving,
complicated and complex world utterly DIFFERENT than the world of the
Apostles Peter and Paul.
Instead of requiring more apostles to go fbrth carrying the Message,
and directing the oversight:of the earthly Work, it requires but ONE!
Today that one can speak a message with a microphone and TV cameras
before him, and by electronic magic via satellite be SEEN speaking live
by vast audiences in other parts of the world. Or he can record a
Message to be heard and/or seen later on television or radio in any--or
many--parts of the world by vast audiences. Or he can write Messages
on his typewriter, which are reprinted in newspapers, magazines, or other
means of mass-duplication, distributed and read by thousands or millions
of people.
In Paul's day he could be heard by as many people as could hear a
natural,unamplified voice. It would have taken many hundreds of apostles
to convey the Message to as many people then as it does today.�
Today we have mechanical, organizational facilities so that one man
can direct the functions of as many as hundreds of apostles could have
done in the days of the Pauline ministry.
But today, these same advanced mechanical facilities necessitate
certain differences in organizational functions and procedures--though
basically THE PATTERN IS THE SAME!
As the Church grew for 35 years at the unmatched rate of 30% increase
annually over each preceding year, the use of modern facilities increased.
God continually added those He called. Ambassador College was founded in
1947, and later the colleges in Britain and Texas. Dozens, scores, hun
dreds of God-educated ministers were ordained. We became, by 1968, the
Worldwide Church of God.
All this time, it was the Work of Jesus Christ, through His chosen
apostle, carrying on the Church's operations, fulfilling the DUAL spirit
ual PURPOSES for the Church--1) Proclaiming to the world for a witness,
the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God, and 2) Feeding the flock-
preparing those God called in righteous spiritual character to become the
Bride of Christ, to sit with Him in His throne, and under Him to rule the
nations.
The WORK consists of proclaiming the Gospel, by radio, by television,
in print (booklets, books, The PLAIN TRUTH, messages in advertising space