January 1999 Personal Letter

Dear Friends,

1998 was a most wonderful year, and I am very grateful to you for all of your help. During the past year we made a number of important programs including two new series, Covenants of God and Love Stories of the Bible. We interviewed some interesting people and we taped the footage for our upcoming God and Science series in Israel. It was a productive and very satisfying year.

But the upcoming year is still more important. In 1999, as I have written previously, the unbeliever is really thinking about the end of the world. The one who is outside of God’s plan is more concerned about his life ending abruptly and very negatively than at any time since 999 A.D.! After all, if I had nothing further to go on than the calendar, I would have a nagging hunch that something big was going to happen at the turn of the Millennium.

A thousand years ago, the Christian armies of Europe mounted crusades to the Holy Land to do something for God at the turn of the Millennium. Their mission was to recapture Jerusalem from Moslem hands, but that job will have to be done again. In any case, once again we have a situation where well-intentioned people are turning their thoughts to the Almighty and the supernatural as the year 2000 dawns.

I want to broadcast the truth to them while they are listening, while they are yearning. The plan I have in mind is simply this: we should purchase as much primetime-special air space as we can afford in the upcoming year, and continually discuss the end of the world in terms of Biblical truth. It is one thing to teach on our regular program every week, and that is very effective. But let’s face it, most of the viewers are our own people. We are, as the saying goes, “preaching to the choir.” If we could broadcast in primetime, not at dawn or midnight, but when people are channel surfing and really looking to their television set for an evening’s diversion, we would be more effective.

And if, in fact, we could promote those specials with ads in local newspapers or even TV Guide magazine, we would gather an audience of millions each time. If there was a series of specials, with an organized presentation of End Times prophecy, the future of the world, and exactly how one makes reservations for the next life, we would have the most effective presentation of all.

The real difference between primetime specials and our regular program is the audience. If we broadcast at 8:00 p.m. in every sector coast-to-coast, we obviously would talk to a lot more people—and different people—than we are talking to now. I hope to have the unbeliever tuning in where he can’t be seen, settling his deeply felt questions about the possible end of the world.

A few years ago we broadcast a national Passover demonstration on a primetime hookup. I was putting the names into the computer of those who had requested our Miracle of Passover book to learn more, and they were practically all Jewish names! I learned a principle there; if the unbeliever, Jewish or otherwise, can study these things without being seen going into a church or Sunday school class, then he will indeed study them. His hunger for them is natural and his concern about where he is going when he dies is perfectly understandable. If we can reach him in his living room at the time he is watching television, we can gather a real harvest among those who watch.

We will have a financial challenge with the primetime hour. As you well know, this ministry doesn’t waste money, and is a reliable teaching outreach. If everyone reading this letter simply sent $10.00 more than they would have at year’s end, we would have enough money, believe it or not, for primetime specials about every quarter throughout 1999. For $25.00 we could virtually have monthly specials! They would have a regular, on-going impact like CNN’s “Cold War” series.

Truly the mission is very important. If it has to wait a year, then the impact is lost. There won’t be another time until the year 2999 that the unbeliever will really be watching and listening like he will in 1999. Please, truly pray about this. Some of you out there have watched our program for a long time and truly not caught up with us in terms of giving. Other people are paying your share. This is a fine time to get right with your accounts and at the same time promote a really powerful outreach to the unbeliever.

We are already taping interviews with the most major prophecy teachers for these upcoming programs. If we have the means, we will tape in Israel again with some Biblical thinkers there. We plan a normal year of touring and programming in addition to these specials, but if you can help us, we will be most grateful to do the extra work. I see people standing around with sign boards saying “Will Work for Food.” If I stood out there my sign board would say, “Will Work for God.” Thank you for doing as He directs you on this important occasion.

Spring in Israel will burst out all over with beauty! The flowers and trees are truly awesome to behold, and the feeling of rebirth is overwhelming and extraordinarily good for the soul! Our Lord, after all, advised us to “consider the lilies of the field…” We will certainly do that on our Israel-only Deluxe Tour, April 1–28, and our Grand Tour which includes the fabulous Creek island cruise, April 13–28. Both Deluxe and Grand tour guests will see Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives and walk through the Garden of Gethsemane. They will see the Sea of Galilee and learn about archeology at actual digs! The cruise of the Greek islands, which were visited by Paul, includes a thorough tour of Athens, with its Acropolis and Mars Hill, and the splendid ruins at Corinth. The Mediterranean cruise to the islands of Mykonos, Patmos, Rhodes, and the City of Ephesus is simply not to be missed! This year we will offer this lovely Greek excursion with the cruise on its own (April 13–20)

Please do pray about our request for these End Time prophecy specials. In my heart of hearts, I feel that is the thing to do.

And remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem!

Your messenger,