“And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do…” I Chronicles 12:32a  This is the Scripture that we have quoted many times in the past, but becomes more and more important as the time of the end draws closer.

This best describes the Friday night service.  The Spirit was wonderful, the building full, and fellowship was in abundance.  But, to have the knowledge to know what is going on around us is power.  “To be forewarned, is to be forearmed” is the old saying.  We cannot allow the “times” to sneak up on us and catch us “unawares.”

Bro. Glenn Goodwin took us through a PowerPoint presentation of ten Megatrends going on around us.  We must see the big picture; it is great to see what is going on here or there, but what is happening on the grand scheme of things?  God does rule!  “Our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.” Psalms 115:3.  All that is happening around us is being orchestrated by God and should not scare us but we must see the unseen hand behind all.

First of the Megatrends is the healing of the body of Christ.  We are coming together, we are staying together, and we are learning to work together!  Praise God!  God is bringing together all that was split and great things are on the horizon.

Second, is the globalization of the body of Christ.  We all must recognize that the body of Christ is not an American body, European body, or just an African body, but this body transcends all color, language, and creed.  It’s big!

Third, is the Emerging Generations.  These generations do not see things as right and wrong.  They want to accept “alternative” ways.  These see the Bible, and traditional Christianity as a “box” and they want to think “outside the box.”  Of course, with this comes the Emerging Church that believes that everyone is going to be saved and that there is good in everyone and every religion.

Fourth, the vanishing Europe.  Europeans are not reproducing enough of their own to maintain their population.  As a result Europe is becoming more and more populated with immigrants.  These immigrants are bringing their religion and ways, and thus Islam is on the rise.

This leads us to the Fifth Megatrend – The Rise of Islam.  The rise of this religion fulfills too many Biblical prophecies to mention here.

Sixth is Israel and the Middle East peace.  The world’s attention is riveted to this small piece of ground.  Israel giving away their land will not bring peace.  The way is being opened for a foolish shepherd.

Seventh is the Re-Awareness of the Russian Bear.  We all thought that when the Berlin Wall was broken down that Russia was done, but lo and behold we see today a re-militarizing of this once superpower.

Eight is the Resurgence of Catholicism.  In the rest of the world Catholics are on the rise, and likewise even in America, with most coming from the immigrants coming in and bringing their religion with them.

Nine is False Religion in End Times.  One of these “false teachings” will include tolerance.  “We must accept all and make room for all” will be the cry of the future.

And last we come to the Tenth Megatrend which is Global Unity.  Many have tried, and many have failed to unify Europe.  But what could not be done with firepower has been done by economic means.  Europe is and has been unified; not only Europe, but all of the world’s economic “fates” are tied together like never before in history.  The English language is being spoken all over the world.  It has become a small world after all.

All of these trends are in God’s ultimate plan to bring about His perfect will.  We must understand that these and other trends are happening so that we know what we must do.  Knowledge is power; we were given power; power that must be used responsibly to work together with God and to be in His perfect will.

Saturday Morning
Ruth Bough
Des Moines, Iowa

The service started by honoring the Holy God that we serve and reminding everyone of the great things He has done and what He will do for us.

God honored it with His presence as we sang, How Great Is Our God, and With the High Praises of God.
Bro. Narain Richard from Elmont, New York, reminded us we are here because of messages that touched the hearts of a ministry and saints around the world.  He asked the question, “What will happen in the generation after ours?”  They need a conviction like that which has held us.  “What does the Lord see in our churches?”

The ten virgins in Matthew 25 all went to sleep.  The wise ones came very close to being deceived.  In the second chapter of Romans, the nation of Israel was so confident they had it right – but they were wrong.  They were judging one another.  Verse two says the “judgment of God is according to truth.”  Don’t undermine your local church – die to self to maintain unity.  Judgment is still in the house of God – God’s judgment.

God sent His Son to die for the church.  We must be diligent to keep our churches on the foundation they were established on.  We need the message that will save men and women.  The spirit of the world is destructive.  We need the real Spirit of God like our forefathers knew.

Bro. Desmond Singh from Mississauga, Canada, spoke next.

In Matthew 24:3 the disciples were wondering what was going to happen in the future, and when it would happen.  It is the same today.  God’s people are wondering too.

We know a lot of Scripture; so did Israel.  Educated in Scripture, but no change in lives – no conversion.  Are we prepared for God’s plan for the future?  What are we going to do in the next five years?  When truth is pushed aside the church is in a sad state.  We must stay faithful like Simeon in Luke 2:25-30.  God gave him a promise that he would see the Lord’s Christ.  God was faithful.  We must hold onto the promises we have received, knowing God is faithful today.

The ministry needs to examine themselves.  The devil is out to destroy all of us.  God processes His ministry, like He did Moses and Paul.  Brother Singh entreated his fellow ministers to let the Lord work in their lives.

Bro. Opio from Uganda said he was getting up to fill in the gap.

He admonished everyone to remember we are not to be like the nations or the peoples of this world.  In Numbers 25:9 God even spoke through Balaam, telling Israel they were to stand alone.
In I Samuel 8:19 Samuel also gave the people a message – they refused to obey.

Brother Billy Brown from Houston, Texas, told us he feels secure in his identity with God.  It is our responsibility to carry on the message of our fathers of the past.  God is looking for a people to live as He would have them live.

In Matthew 5:44, Jesus told us to love our enemies.  This is as hard to do as it is to fly.  But Jesus has the answer, and we have power through the Spirit to do it.  Pray for them – bless them – do good to them that hate you.

God is not concerned about your comfort, He is concerned about your character.  It takes the right attitude.  We want to be more like Jesus.  “Blessed are the meek.”  It’s the attitude to take when you are on the judgment end.  “Blessed are they which are persecuted.”  Leap for joy.  Matthew 11:28 is the answer.  Do what is right and you will find rest for your soul.  You can’t have rest when you are angry or carrying a grudge, etc.

It is hard to refrain from wrong when others are doing it.  You have to want to do the right thing – then it will be easy.  Sometime you are going to have to take a stand.  When you do you will find rest for your soul.  Take a stand.  Settle it in your heart and keep the right attitude toward everyone; not only to those in the church.  Let your light shine to others outside the church.  His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

Saturday Night
Annmarie Senior
Toronto Canada

Oh I want to see Him!  Looking for a City! Saturday night in the Des Moines meeting was filled with songs of hope and joy.  Worship lasted for nearly an hour and even the children got involved by lifting their hearts to the Lord.  There were wonderful exhortations from the men of God that were encouraging to our hearts and reminded us that God is still calling His people today.

During the worship service the young children worshipped so sincerely.  Some of the children lifted their hands high and raised their voices calling on Jesus for a touch of His Holy Spirit.  The Lord heard and answered that prayer for Josiah Goodwin of the London Gospel Assembly.  Our prayers are with him and his family in their endeavor.  I just know the Lord encouraged the hearts of those children who reached out to Him and it will not be long until the Lord blesses them as well.

Bro. Lester Talley, from Barnesville, Georgia, shared an experience he had with the Lord that reminded us that when the Lord wants us to do something He will work it out despite our own objections.  Bro. Talley made mention of a time when he was asked by Bro. Emmons to go on a missionary trip to India.  He had no personal desire to go for fear of falling ill, and immediately rejected the idea.  He did not have the funds to travel but still asked the Lord, sarcastically, for the $1000 he needed.  Bro. Talley went on to tell us that a car he tried to sell for one year sold the very next day for the exact amount he needed.  Finally he succumbed to the Lord’s call and experienced a beautiful blessing in the process.  When the Lord wants us to do something, He will always make a way.

Bro. John Githinji of the Manchester, Connecticut assembly reminisced about Bro. Lloyd Goodwin’s trip to Africa in 1978 and the impact it has had on his life ever since.  “I appreciate Bro. (Lloyd) Goodwin and the men that represent him,” Bro. Githinji declared.  He went on to encourage the church to do God’s work with all of our hearts.  In everything we do – our manner, our dress – these things should always be done to please God. Ecclesiastes 9:10 and II Samuel 6:14.  Finally, Bro. Githinji claimed his stance with Gospel Assembly Church by declaring several times during his exhortation, “This is where I belong.”  Thank God for stable men who are not ashamed to stand firm despite the appearance of trouble on every side.

Saturday night was a beautiful time in the house of the Lord from start to finish. Blessings flowed, hearts were encouraged and hope was revived in the hearts of many.  Praise to the Mighty One of Israel!

Sunday Afternoon
Sean Townes
Des Moines, Iowa

The Sunday afternoon service started off with yet another great move of the Spirit as we sang I Exalt Thee.  The Spirit moved for 45 minutes as many were reaching out seeking the Lord and He was meeting the needs of His people. The Lord was truly putting His approval on the convention as His Spirit always seemed near.

Bro. Waters from Warren, Michigan spoke, covering a lot of ground. He started off talking about how we are the sheep of His pasture.  We had gone astray, but He called us; and since we are His sheep we heard His voice and He has not left us, but is sustaining and blessing us.  Bro. Waters then spoke about this present world; it is not built on God anymore, but the church is to be a holdout, a place where we find the will of God and walk with other people of like precious faith.  Jesus has promised to take us through to the end if we stay “with the ship,” and we will be saved.

Bro. Waters also showed us that down through time the Lord has taken the church through different phases, but the flow of the Spirit has always flowed among God’s true people in one way or another; and the flow of the Spirit has always indicated where God has moved. Bro. Waters then spoke about the mega trends that we heard about on Friday.  He showed how we, the church, can use some of the things of this world to help promote and move the work of the Lord on to greater heights, and reach more people who otherwise would not be reached.  He closed his talk encouraging the people to get their eyes off the natural and to stay faithful; in doing so we will receive the blessing that God has for us.

Bro. Steve Wilkinson from Bourbonnais, Illinois took us to Psalm 22:28-29.  Regardless of what it looks like or what we may have to go through, it is God who is ruling among the nations. He then took us to Genesis 1:18 and described the purpose of the sun and the moon, and showed us that the sun rules the day.  Every time we see the sun shining in the day, it should remind us that there is a God that is in Heaven ruling actively as the ruler of the nations. Bro. Wilkinson showed us from I Timothy 6:14 that the “commandment” is the Gospel, or the sum of Jesus’ teaching. We are to keep that commandment until His appearing. He also showed us that eternal life was not something that we gain after we have breathed our last breath, but we experience eternal life. Eternal life is what we are brought into by the Gospel; we begin to partake of another realm of power in the covenant of Christ. We experience a transformation in our life. When we speak in tongues, overcome sin in our life, get the victory over the devil, and have life changes in our heart that begin to clarify our picture of Christ, we are partaking of eternal life.  Thus to have eternal life is to know the only true God.

Bro. Lazarus Muriritirwa from Johannesburg, South Africa spoke on two of the mega trends, the emerging church and the emerging generation.  He said that while we are aware of these changes in the world, the church is not to change its vision and mission to try to accommodate the emerging trends, but we are to stay true to the unique vision of the church. He reminded us that the church has a role to play and a work to do in these end days and it is not going to go under; it is still going to produce the man-child. In Ecclesiastes it says there is no new thing under the sun.  The church has always been contested. What the world is using now to contest the church may look different, but it is not new, and the church will still produce the bride. He showed that the church is not held by itself or on its own, but it has a power behind it, and it is held by God.

Bro. Brintley from Dallas, North Carolina spoke and showed us that even though things may look complicated in the natural, we can rest knowing that God is in control. He then spoke about the body of Christ having resistance and persecution, but God will bring us through the persecution if we just call on and depend on Him.  When we come through the resistance God is going to get the glory. Bro. Brintley showed us how great God is, and showed that God has great concern for us. If He even knows the number of the hairs on our head, then how much more His concern for our souls. He has taken care of the details of our life.

This is just a synopsis that does not do justice to the words that were spoken by these men of God; I would encourage you to listen to these lessons for yourselves. The Spirit was truly speaking and saying to the church that regardless of the problems that may face the church, and even though some may withstand the church, God is still holding the church. God is still in control and there is still a work that the church must do and will do.  To be part of this and receive our reward, we must remain faithful.

Sunday Night
Joshua Damus
Hartford, Connecticut

We had a wonderful time in the Lord on Sunday night; the Spirit we felt was awesome. The band stood and sang a song called Glory be to the Son and the presence of the Lord mightily blessed the saints during that song.  It was God sending His confirmation on a powerful meeting.

The power of God fell for one hour.  Some for the first time were baptized with the Holy Ghost and others rejoiced in the Lord in a dance.

Bro. Smith began with a song and then spoke about his experiences in Kenya. He was showing us when the Lord sends his servant out, he must go. When God has a plan for you, He will always see it through. He said a man of God is called to serve the people, not himself, and God will take care of him.  A man of God is to love the people that God has given to him to take care of.

Bro. Watson showed us how God is so good, and He’s good all the time.  He was also talking about this old house – that it will return to dust and the Lord will give us a new house, a house that is not built with hands, an eternal house that God is preparing for us in Heaven.  II Corinthians 5.
We had a wonderful time in the Lord!

We are profoundly thankful to God and to His wonderful people for their support during this meeting. We had ministers present from eleven countries. There was great strength in the number of ministers and saints who travelled hours and distances to be in Des Moines. Thank you.

We are living in strategic, historic times. The prophet said: “I will stand upon my watch.” Habakkuk 2:1. This time is our watch; our tour of duty. We, of all people, should have an understanding of the times and seasons. We, of all people, should see the hand of God at work in the massive and minor events that are leading to the end of this age, and the preparation for a new world. We have been called for a special purpose. We are seeking to complete the project of restoration of the message and order of that pure Early Church.

Because our watch is during important and critical times, we need to have an “understanding of the times, to know what [God’s people] ought to do.” I Chronicles 12:2. Jesus asked the religious people of His day: “Can ye not discern the signs of the times?” Matthew 16:3. Can we? I believe that this movement, among all people of the earth, should be able, by God’s help, to understand the times.

There is good in every Christian movement and denomination. There are God’s people there. They are doing a great work in keeping the name of Jesus alive, and in promoting general righteousness and Christian virtues. We rejoice in what is being done. Some have been  specifically commissioned of the Lord to feed the poor, to support orphanages and provide medical services. That is wonderful. May the Lord bless their efforts even more.

But we have our own mission. If our mission were exactly the same as some other Christian group, then we wouldn’t need a separate existence. But our mission is unique. The Lord has not asked us to do the exact same thing that He has asked others to do. Just as others are true to their mission, we must be true to our calling and our mission. If the Lord has given you a vision of the calling and work for this group of people, then you are welcome to join us in this work.

What is our distinct mission? We are called to finish that restoration of the message of pure truth and divine order of the Early Church. We are to give the world a final witness before the Great Tribulation and the Battle of Armageddon. We are to produce the final members of the bride of Christ. While other Christian works may prepare inhabitants for the coming kingdom, we have been asked to prepare the leaders of that kingdom.

Access to pertinent information is crucial to our mission. May God give us wise men and women who understand what is happening in the body of Christ, the body of Moses, the body of the beast, and the body of Mohammed. We pray that this quarterly newsletter will be one source of that information in these times.