Subject: Ordering booklets and tapes

Question: How do I go about ordering a booklet, tape or CD from your organization?

Answer: Use our Literature Request on-line form.

Subject: Ordering booklets and tapes

Question: How do I go about ordering a booklet or tape from your organization?

Answer: Use our Literature Request on-line form.

Subject: Asking Bible questions and submitting comments

Question: How does one submit Bible questions, comments and other inquiries to your web site?

Answer: Use our Questions and Comments on-line form.

Subject: A Church Near You

Question: How may I find out about an Intercontinental Church of God church or fellowship group near me?

Answer: Use our Is There A Church in My Area? on-line form.

We have churches throughout the United States and Canada as well as Australia, Norway and UK-Scotland.  See a complete list of our church locations here.

Subject: Support of the Work

Question: We have received a number of emails, letters and phone calls asking how this Work and this website are supported. Some have expressed that they feel like they are taking advantage of us by accepting free literature and audio tapes from us.

Answer: No one should ever feel he or she is taking advantage of us by requesting all the free material which is offered on the television and radio programs by Mr. Armstrong or that is listed at the this website. God wants us to give this vital material to everyone who is sincerely interested in learning His truth! Because this is God's Work, it is run His way. And His way is to give!

The Living Christ knows that many have limited incomes. Therefore, He has directed that there be no charge for His Gospel (1 Cor. 9:18; Prov. 23:23). Jesus said, "Freely you have received, FREELY GIVE" (Matt. 10:8).

God's Work is supported financially by freely given tithes and offerings -- and even "widow's mites" (Mal. 3:8-11; Mark 12:41-44). But, God does not expect anyone to give "that which he has not got?" (2 Cor. 8:12) -- Moffatt translation). Those who are able, give so that the Gospel Christ preached can go freely to the world ( Matt. 24:14; Mark 13:10).

Those who are unable to help in this way still can have an equally effective and important part in God's Work -- through fervent, effectual prayer. God says that the prayers of His faithful followers AVAIL MUCH (Jas. 5:16-20) Everyone can serve effectively in prayer for God's Work. Anna the prophetess was poor and elderly, yet she pleased God by her faithful laboring in prayer (Luke 2:36-37). There are countless examples in the Bible of the effectiveness of prayer.

Through the effective prayers of our Co-workers, God has supplied all our needs for over 42 years without our ever having to ask the public for contributions! He has increased the size and power of His Work from the very smallest of beginnings. Even now, in our new beginning with the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association, God has blessed us constantly by opening a number of doors and allowing this new Work to already take great strides in growth!

Because of the effectual prayers of thousands whose hearts are in this Work, God has given us the means to take His Word and Gospel to the World like never before in history. Great things are about to happen in His Great Work.

There is still much work to do and many improvements to be made in finishing the Work Christ has given us to do (Matt. 24:14) -- world-wide television broadcasting, world-wide Internet video and audio broadcasting, published booklets, and posting booklets and newsletters on the website for world-wide distribution.

God is responding to the believing prayer of His people today as He has in times past ( Acts 4:23-33). Labor with us in this way, and you will be serving God in an effective way. And you will be giving to others as Jesus said -- giving others the opportunity to learn God's way which leads to salvation! For instruction in how to have effective prayers, please read our article "The Answer to Unanswered Prayer" which is posted at this website.

We are happy to continue serving you by maintaining this website and providing you with booklets and audio tapes -- free of charge. So request any booklet or audio tape that interests you and faithfully use to help you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Saviour ( 2 Pet. 3:18) -- to help you qualify for salvation and eternal life in God's Kingdom! And thank the great God who makes it all possible!

LETTER ANSWERING DEPARTMENT

Subject: The Church

Question: Is the Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association affiliated with any church?

Answer: Yes. The GTA Evangelistic Association is affiliated with the Intercontinental Church of God which has its corporate headquarters at Tyler and which was founded by Garner Ted Armstrong. There are a number of chartered churches and fellowship groups throughout the United States and in countries around the world. The web site address for the Intercontinental Church of God is: http://www.intercontinentalcog.org

The address for the Intercontinental Church of God is: P.O. Box 1117, Tyler, TX 75710.

LETTER ANSWERING DEPARTMENT

Subject: Name of the Church

Question: What is the Biblical name for the Church?

Answer: The Bible gives the true NAME of the Church in twelve different places. Twelve, remember, is God's complete number.

In five passages where the true Name of the Church appears, the entire Body of Christ -- the Church as a whole -- is indicated. Thus when speaking of the entire Church, including all its individual members on earth, the name is "The Church of God." Here are these five passages:

1) Acts 20:28. The admonition to the elders is to "feed the CHURCH OF GOD."
2) 1 Corinthians 10:32. "Give no offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the CHURCH OF GOD."
3) 1 Corinthians 11:22. "...or despise ye THE CHURCH OF GOD, and shame them that have not?"
4) 1 Corinthians 15:9. Paul wrote: "For I persecuted the CHURCH OF GOD."
5) Galatians 1:13. This verse repeats the one last given -- "I persecuted the CHURCH OF GOD."

Notice that Paul did not call the true Church, "Catholic" or "Protestant." Nowhere is the true Church called after the name of a MAN or after the name of a doctrine.

Where one specific local congregation is mentioned, the true Church is called "the CHURCH OF GOD," often in connection with the place of location. Here are four more passages:

6) 1 Corinthians 1:2. "The CHURCH OF GOD which is at Corinth."
7) 2 Corinthians 1:1. "The CHURCH OF GOD which is at Corinth."
8) 1 Timothy 3:5. In speaking of a local elder in a local congregation, Paul wrote Timothy: "For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the CHURCH OF GOD?"
9) 1 Timothy 3:15. "...behave thyself in the house of God, which is the CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD." Here it is the Church of the Living God.
In speaking of the local congregations collectively, not as one general Body, but as the total of all local congregations, the Bible name is "THE CHURCH OF GOD." Here are the final three verses of the twelve which name the Church:
10) 1 Corinthians 11:16. "...we have no such custom, neither THE CHURCHES OF GOD."
11) 1 Thessalonians 2:14. "For ye, brethren, became followers of The CHURCHES OF GOD which IN JUDAEA are in Christ Jesus."
12) 2 Thessalonians 1:4. "So that we ourselves glory in you in the CHURCHES OF GOD."

Since Christ is the Head of the Church, Paul also called the various congregations "the churches of Christ" (Rom. 16:16) -- but the actual NAME is the CHURCH OF GOD. It is kept in the NAME OF THE FATHER (John 17:11)

LETTER ANSWERING DEPARTMENT

Subject: Rebaptism

Question: I was baptized once as an infant or child OR I was baptized in another church; do I need to be baptized?

Answer: Did you understand the true meaning of baptism when you were baptized? If not, should you be baptized again?

This is a vital question to many of you. Baptism is an important step in your spiritual life, and it must be done properly -- at the right time and in the right way -- after true repentance! Unfortunately, many people have not been properly immersed. Here's how you can know if you have been properly baptized.

The key to this whole problem was given by the Apostle Peter on the Day of Pentecost when he said: "REPENT, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:28)

Notice that repentance COMES FIRST! Baptism is second -- AFTER repentance!

You repent of SIN. And what is the Bible definition of sin? "...Sin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4). That is the Bible definition of sin -- breaking God's law! To be really converted, you must REPENT of breaking God's law and believe that Jesus Christ paid the penalty of sin in your stead and is your personal Saviour.

Jesus said: "...man shall not live by bread alone, but by EVERY word of God" (Luke 4:4). You must repent of disobeying God's Law you need to be baptized by a complete immersion as an outward sign of your very life to God and to Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, High Priest, and Master.

But frankly, most people attending the churches of this world and having been "baptized" by them never really knew WHAT to repent of! This is especially true of young teen-agers. They don't know WHAT sin really is.

At the time of early youth, most young people sincerely intend to "do better" or to "follow their church." But since they have not been taught what sin actually is, they completely fail to realize how ROTTEN and SINFUL they have really been in God's sight. They are usually only sorry for having disobeyed their conscience or their church.

They don't really REPENT! They aren't broken up about the wretched state of their lives and their own human VANITY and selfishness which expresses itself constantly in all of us.

After baptism in a worldly church, such people don't immediately begin to study and UNDERSTAND the Bible. They just continue to go along with the customs, the ways and the traditions of their friends and of this world. Their lives are not actually CHANGED. They don't come to personally KNOW GOD! Such people have NOT TRULY REPENTED, and their baptism was probably not valid! Theirs was only a ritualistic "dunking" in the water.

If you are wondering about your baptism, ask yourself WHY you were baptized in the first place. Were you baptized simply because many of the members of your family were baptized, and you felt looked down upon, or had that "left out" feeling? Did you stand in the water and go through the ordinance of baptism simply to "join" the group with whom you had been fellowshipping? Were you baptized because you temporarily thought it was the "right thing to do?"

If you were baptized for ANY of these reasons--YOUR BAPTISM WAS PROBABLY NOT A VALID BAPTISM, because your motives were not right! You may have doubts about whether you are properly baptized, and you need to be sure! First, go to God in prayer and lay out all of your feelings and concerns before Him. Next, carefully read Acts 2:38; Romans 8:9; and 1 Corinthians 12:13; and if there remains any uncertainty in your mind, it is important that you counsel with a true minister of God about it. If you want a faithful servant of God to counsel with you about your baptism, then send your name and address immediately to Mr. Armstrong, P.O. Box 1117, Tyler, TX 75710 or contact us at the web site.

Read our doctrine on baptisms here. 

Don't put this off any longer! It means so much to your spiritual growth.

THE ISSUE OF LAYING ON OF HANDS TO RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

In addition to baptism, the next question is, did you receive the laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit?  Most have not.  In addition, it is important to have this done by one or more ministers of the same church Jesus founded as that same Holy Spirit that was bestowed upon the first members of the church in Acts 2 has been passed down through the ages from one minister to another to the present day.

In almost all cases, new members will want to have this ceremony carried out by a minister of God's church.

Read our doctrine on the Laying on of Hands here.  Also see our Heart and Soul of the Gospel page here.

Subject: Sabbaths and Holy Days

Question: Are your regular Sabbath Services and Holy Day Services open to the public?

Answer: Yes. You need not contact anyone prior to attending. If you want to know if there are services in your area, contact the Home Office of the GTA Evangelistic Association by email or writing to them at P.O. Box 747, Flint, TX 75762
 

Subject: Holy Days for 2008

Question: What are the dates for the Holy Days this year?

Answer:

To learn more about the Holy Days of God, please read the booklet, "How Seasonal Holy Days Reveal God's Plan" available at this site.  See the Church calendar here.

Subject: Personal Counseling

Question: How could I receive personal counseling from one of your representatives?

Answer: Many write and email us asking if we have representatives in their local areas to counsel with them personally, to answer their questions, and even to baptize in certain cases.

The answer is yes, we do.

The Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association and the Intercontinental Church of God have personal representatives in communities throughout the United States and British Commonwealth and many other parts of the world.

These representatives can visit you directly in your own home. Of course, none of them will ever call on you unless invited.

But, if you do have questions or require personal counsel for any reason, feel free to write us and request a private appointment.  Or, if you’d prefer, we can counsel you by mail, email, or even, in some cases, by phone. Please feel free to email your questions to us or write to us at P.O. Box 747, Flint, TX 75762.