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PASTOR GENERAL'S REPORT, DECEMBER 28, 1984
Thirty years ago the first Bible correspondence course lesson was pub
lished. It was the fulfillment of Mr. Herbert
w.
Armstrong's desire to pro
vide an in-depth Bible study course for interested listeners to "The WORLD
TOMORROW" broadcast and readers of The PLAIN TRUTH magazine.
Under Mr.
Armstrong's direction, the late Dr. C. Paul Meredith became the first edi
tor of the course in 1954. In December of that year, 8,194 people received
the very first lesson.
As with The PLAIN TRUTH and GOOD NEWS magazines, over the years certain
changes in the course have occurred, though the basic Bible study format
has remained the same. For example, each lesson originally consisted of
eight to twelve pages of unillustrated copy. Today, the lessons consist of
16 pages of beautifully illustrated copy. Various booklets and reprint
articles relating to the subject material of the lessons are offered as
"supplementary reading," which the student may request by returning a
coupon enclosed with each lesson.
The course is now available in seven
languages: English, German, French, Dutch, Spanish, Italian and Norwegian.
Now that the updating of the first 12 lessons is nearly complete, Mr. Rich
ard Sedliacik reports that production of brand new lessons and tests on a
monthly basis has resumed.
Lesson 20, entitled "In Training for Ruler
ship," will be mailed this January. He also added that after the current
series of lessons (based on Mr. Armstrong's series of PLAIN TRUTH articles
"A Voice Cries Out Amid Religious Confusion") is complete, a new series of
seven lessons covering God's annual festivals will begin.
Over the years, many thousands of Bible correspondence course students have
written to express their appreciation for the course and the marvelous new
truths they have learned. Their comments show the depth of new understand
ing God has granted them as a result of studying their Bibles with the
course. Many are also very enthusiastic about the new lessons that have
been published since Mr. Armstrong decided to continue the course beyond
Lesson 12. Following are some of the comments we have received from those
writing in about these new lessons, as well as the first 12 lessons:
Dear Friends: I have just finished Lesson 16 and I want to write
and tell you how much I appreciate these wonderful tools for
learning more about God's Word.
Having been a member for 9
years, I finished the first 12 lessons many years ago when I was
first baptized. When I heard a while back that they were going to
continue them from Lesson 12, I thought "that's nice," but per
sonally felt that it would be so simple and basic in doctrine
that it would be of little value to me.
How wrong I was! I wish I could tell everyone that might be feel
ing this same way how beautiful these four new lessons have been!
When I finally reenrolled I was amazed at how God was giving me an
even deeper and clearer understanding of His Word in areas that I
thought I had already fully understood!
He has also liberally
sprinkled beautiful gems of new truth along the way as well! The
correspondence course is not just for those newly coming into the
understanding of God's truth. My grateful thanks.
J.C.--member (Oxnard, CA)