Dear Brethren and Co-Workers in Christ:
Greetings from the Five Cities region of California.
Google and YouTube
Although YouTube and its parent company Alphabet (AKA Google) continue to discourage people from finding our content, we still are reaching many through them.
We continue to get new YouTube subscribers to our videos. As of August 2, 2022, we had 3,141 subscribers on the ContinuingCOG channel–this has grown to 3,224 as of November 29, 2022. This is the channel that has our sermons, offertory messages, and some of our less prophetically-oriented sermonettes.
We also now have 6,074 subscribers to our Bible News Prophecy channel. This is up from 5,780 on August 2, 2022. This is our main sermonette channel. Our Bible News Prophecy channel tends to have a broader audience than the sermon channel.
According to YouTube, subscribers watch more often than non-subscribers and our number of subscribers to these channels has continued to rise. Hence, our audience continues to expand–despite steps YouTube looks to have taken to slow the expansion.
We are also on other YouTube channels such as CDLIDDSermones (92 subscribers, up from 72 on August 2, 2022), CCOG Animations (167 subscribers, up from 159 August 2, 2022), and CCOGAfrica (153 subscribers, up from 144 on August 2, 2022).
As far as our Google campaigns go, we are doing very well. We have now reached over 449,155,667 impressions–and that is up over 43 million since August 2, 2022. That means computers (including ‘smart phones’) around the world have been reached over 449 million times with parts of the good news for those who put in various search terms.
In the past twelve months, we have made 144,256,667 computer/cellphone impressions, which is over 12 million per month! This is up from 100,691,681 impressions the previous 12 months. And, we were able to do this without increasing our spending for this, but by basically working with Google representatives to improve the reach of our campaigns.
It seems like never before in Church of God history have so few reached so many with so little resources. God has blessed the tithes and offerings we have received to give a witness to multiple millions around the world.
We have information on church history, the true Church of God, and God’s plan of salvation that we are promoting around the world through our Google campaign as part of the work we are doing to assist in fulfilling Matthew 24:14, Matthew 28:19-20, and Romans 11:25.
We also have a small campaign with Microsoft that targets and reaches Sabbath keepers–this has reached over 318,669 computers/cellular telephones around the world.
COGwriter News in the Spanish Language
We continues to get additional COGwriter materials translated into the Spanish language.
Here is what was received and posted on Tuesday:
Harbinger Daily wrong about pre-tribulation raptureHarbinger Daily está equivocado sobre el rapto antes de la tribulaciónOvercome Sin’s Deadly Power!¡Usted puede vencer el mortal poder del pecado!Last Great Day, CG7, and CalvinismEl Último Gran Día, CG7, y el CalvinismoDo you really know the fate of babies who die?¿Sabe usted realmente cuál es el destino de los bebés que mueren?King Charles welcomed by many in Northern Ireland, but…El rey Carlos fue recibido por muchos en Irlanda del Norte, pero…‘The Specter Of Germany Is Rising’ ‘Germany must accept leading military role, says defense minister’‘El espectro de Alemania está aumentando’ ‘Alemania debe aceptar un papel militar líder, dice el ministro de defensa’I365: Rare Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse on US Election DayRaro eclipse lunar de luna de sangre el día de las elecciones de EE. UU.Hindu Asian Rishi Sunak is now UK Prime MinisterIndoasiático Rishi Sunak es ahora Primer Ministro del Reino UnidoI365: Israel has struck 90% of Iran’s weapons production facilities in SyriaI365: Israel ha atacado el 90% de las instalaciones de producción de armas de Irán en Siria‘Karl-Theodor Maria Nikolaus Johann Jacob Philipp Franz Joseph Sylvester Buhl-Freiherr von und zu Gutenberg (50) is back’‘Karl-Theodor Maria Nikolaus Johann Jacob Philipp Franz Joseph Sylvester Buhl-Freiherr von und zu Gutenberg (50) está de regreso’DW: Eurozone inflation jumps to record-high 10.7% & Thousands rally in Prague against pro-Western governmentDW: La inflación de la eurozona salta a un récord del 10,7 % y miles de personas protestan en Praga contra el gobierno prooccidental
Having articles, books, magazines, and videos in Spanish helps us reach many as Spanish is the fourth most spoken language in the world.
Food Projects in Malawi and Mozambique
A couple of years ago, we began some projects in Kenya, Malawi, and Mozambique to help members support themselves through raising chickens and selling their eggs. The following photo comes from one of those projects in the Rift Valley of Kenya.
In response to an email from me, Malawi-based pastor Radson Mulozowa sent the following report:
Dr Bob
Let me report that chicken project is going well in the following congregation namelyNjenjeteMigowiChilekaWhile in Mozambique there was a problem of the disease chicken pox so the leaders suggested to sell the remaining chicken and start goat project and the goat project is doing fine. Even during the feast they were able to slaughter some goats. The same in Malawi …Best regardsRadson
We are glad that the chicken and goat projects are still helping our brethren in Africa.
Radson Mulozowa also mentioned two chicken projects in Malawi that failed, and that they were led by two men that had spiritual problems.
Evangelist Evans Ochieng just returned from an unannounced visit to Malawi. We decided that going unannounced would better help him investigate various complaints we have received related to leaders in Malawi. It is sad that we have people who claim to be of us, but then will not hold to the truth–and Evans Ochieng and others met and addressed issues with those two men (who were told they were no longer part of CCOG) and some others.
That said, we also provided assistance today to Mozambique so that they can buy fertilizer to raise more food. Fertilizer costs have risen related to Russia’s incursion into Ukraine and sanctions imposed because of that.
Suggested Sabbath Day Service
Here is a suggested Sabbath day service for our scattered brethren and other interested people:
- 2-3 hymns (our songbook, The Bible Hymnal, contains the materials from the 1974 Bible Hymnal from the old WCG with new covers, plus ten additional hymns; there is also some Choral Accompaniment online).
- Opening prayer.
- The suggested sermonette is: Lab grown chicken? Other sermonettes are available at our Prophecy channel on BitChute https://www.bitchute.com/channel/prophecy/
- Announcements (if any; though for many it will be this letter) and one hymn.
- The suggested sermon, which for most who receive this letter via email will be a recorded one. The suggested one is: Gentile European Beast. Other sermons are also available at the COGTube channel on BitChute https://www.bitchute.com/channel/cogtube/
- Final hymn.
- Closing prayer.
Note: If you have a slow internet connection, you can watch these by starting the video, then below it (and towards the right) look for an outline of a gear–if you click on that, it will allow the YouTube video to be played with lower video quality, but at least it will not stop often–you can select a quality as low as 144p. If your internet connection is still too slow (as my home one is) and/or you prefer audio messages to audio-visuals ones, go to the YouTube link for the message, click on SHOW MORE related to the description. You will then see something that says, “Download MP3.” Below that is a link to an MP3 file. Most computers (and even some cellular telephones) will allow MP3 files to be downloaded and played. This is an option we have made available (but we are also looking into ways to improve that as well)–and, of course, we have written article options. Some people have found that if their internet connections are not fast enough, that they can simply listen to the messages that are found at the Bible News Prophecy online radio channel.
IN CASE YOU DO NOT RECEIVE A ‘LETTER TO THE BRETHREN’ FOR ANY WEEK, REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE MANY SERMON MESSAGES ON THE ContinuingCOG channel AND MANY SERMONETTE MESSAGES ON THE Bible News Prophecy channel. There are also some messages at the CCOGAfrica channel. There are also messages in the Spanish language at the CDLIDDSermones channel.
World News Items
The US is concerned that Mexico is serious about stopping the importation of genetically-modified corn in 2024 (see BBC: Mexico’s planned GM corn ban ‘deep concern’ for US). Presuming Mexico holds to its plan, it will be similar to the European Union in this respect. The US is upset with both the EU and Mexico over this as the US wants to push GMOs (genetically-modified organisms) its agricultural segment produces.
It is also not just plants that the US is messing around with. The US Food and Drug Administration has given preliminary approval for what is called lab-grown chicken. This is not an actual chicken, but chicken muscle cells that are specially grown and then harvested. The recommended sermonette for this week is related to that–watch: Lab grown chicken?
The Bible warns:
13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:13)
Not only is that the case related to aspects of the food supply, we are having various ones, including academics attempting to push the notion that Jesus supports the LGBTQ+ agenda as well as the lie that Jesus may have been a transgendered individual (see Yes, they are even pushing the lie that Jesus is transgender). We are also seeing more and more publicly discount the Bible (e.g. Non-religious grow in the UK and official has proclaimed that parts of the Bible are ‘no longer appropriate for modern society’).
And in the USA, its Senate approved a bill to enshrine homosexual marriage the law of the land (see Senate passes abomination bill–but God created marriage, not the state–more ‘gaslighting’).
We are getting closer to the end of the 6,000 God has allowed humanity to rule itself (for details, check out the article Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End?), and with such deceits being pushed by the world, it is little wonder that Jesus said no life would survive without God’s intervention (Matthew 24:21-22).
As Jesus said, pray for His kingdom to come (Matthew 6:10).Concluding Comments
The Apostle Paul told the evangelist Timothy the following:
20 O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge — 21 by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.
Grace be with you. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:20-21)
Brethren, do not be deceived by so-called knowledge from sources that are in conflict with the word of God.
Believe God and live with the grace that God has given you.
Sincerely,
Bob Thiel
Pastor and Overseer