Latest News Flashes No.260       DO/TS    8/97
By WS Staff

1. "The Future Foretold!"
Dear Family,
         God bless you! We love you and hope you'll find the enclosed GN inspiring. "The Future Foretold" (GN 745) is an updated look at the signs of the times, with recent statistics and commentary on wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes and the many other indications that we are indeed living in the time of the end!
         This faith-building GN has been designated GP so you can share it with your friends, relatives, contacts and supporters. It is not intended for mass distribution, however, and we would appreciate it if you did not hand it out on the streets. Nor should it be sold. The most pertinent info from this GN has been prepared as a beautiful 64-page booklet for the GP which will be printed and shipped out by the GPU in a few weeks, God willing! This handy and attractive GP booklet can be sold and it should be on its way to your Home soon!
         Thanks so much for your help and cooperation with this. We love you!

2. Policy on Publishing Homes' addresses in the Grapevine or CRO Want Ad Bulletins
         We marvel and rejoice at the mighty feats that you perform daily as you reach the world with His love! We are so thankful for you, our wonderful Family! Praise the Lord!
         The Lord has said that it is a new day, a day of openness for the Family, a time of peace, protection, and, for the time being, reprieve from heavy persecution such as we experienced before the Charter. This has brought about a number of changes in our security measures as far as the openness of our Homes, increased communications, more news from and about WS, etc. Nevertheless, the security of each Family Home throughout the world is important and we don't want to take it lightly or for granted in any way. We want to be as secure as we need to be, as the Enemy is still "going about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1Pet.5:8). But at the same time, we don't want to be overly security-minded to the point that it hinders our mission of being witnesses for the Lord and the sample of His love to the world that He wants us to be.
         Since the inception of the Grapevine, WS has been publishing, on a small scale, the addresses you've sent in to the "Find a Friend" column. We've left it up to the individuals and Homes to do this if they chose to. Now some are asking if their addresses can be published in the CRO Want Ad bulletins. This ups the ante, because it will mean many more addresses on paper throughout the world, which our detractors and adversaries could get their hands on and use against you. This has happened in the past--either as an outside attack by inciting the authorities against the Homes, or an inside attack by trying to inundate Homes with their lies and doubts in an attempt to pull them off the wall of their service for the Lord. This is the reason we haven't allowed addresses to be printed in Want Ad bulletins in the past.
         There is a fine line between opening our lives and whereabouts to each other and the sheep to which we minister, and exposing ourselves to our adversaries. However, the Lord is the great Shepherd, and the One Who knows exactly how much freedom and openness we should pursue in opening avenues to reach us more easily. So we took the question to Him in prayer. We asked Him if He would protect your security if addresses sent in to the Grapevine or Want Ad bulletins are published. Following is His wise answer and instructions:

         (Jesus speaking:) Security is important. But I have now committed security decisions more into the hands of My children, and it is for them to assume responsibility for those decisions. This is a day of peace that I have granted My children, a time of openness in which I wish to reveal My Family and their sample to the rest of the world in a much bigger and broader way. There are many needy sheep in the world that are looking for a shepherd, looking for a light, looking for someone that is truly following, not only in word, but in deed--and this is My Family! So I have opened the doors much wider, but My children must continue to be prayerful and careful with their security and the security of others.
         I wish to put the decision-making in their individual hands and into the hands of the Homes. If a Home prays and seeks Me and decides that they want to publish their address in the Want Ads or the Grapevine, then that is their decision. I will allow this to happen, and I will protect the ones that I tell it is okay to do this. I will keep their security, I will keep their sheep and I will keep their children. But they must pray and they must take this responsibility seriously. Each Home must make its own decision. This is not something that should be dictated and legislated or even encouraged, but it is simply up to the Homes as to whether they want these addresses published.
         So neither the CROs nor the Grapevine or Zine or any other publication should print addresses of Homes without the express permission of those Homes. The Homes should be involved in the decision-making. If an individual wants to post his address, he must clear it with his Home first, because it affects his entire Home. If the Home does not want the address published, then the individual is not permitted to send in the address for publication. [Note from WS: In such cases, you could be contacted via your ABM.]
         So inform the Family of these regulations and let them know that this is how it should work: If a Home or Home member wants their address published in the Want Ad bulletins or any publication, then the Home must approve it by a majority vote. One individual or several individuals do not have the power to make this decision on their own and override or overlook the Home's wishes. So any addresses that the CRO offices or the publication units put in the pubs should be sent by the Home's teamwork and not by the individuals themselves. This will assure that the majority of the Home is in agreement with publishing their address.
         I will protect My children if they are obedient and follow My rules and the guidelines that I give, but if they become disobedient and go outside of the circle of My protection, they cannot claim My protection against the wolves. They must stay within the boundaries that I have set where they will be protected under the shadow of My wings. (End of message from Jesus.)

         So from now on, all addresses to be published in WS or CRO publications must be approved by a Home majority and sent in by one of the Home teamworkers before it will be published. Thank you for your cooperation in following these security procedures so the Lord can protect you and our Family throughout the world. We love you and pray for you always!
         Your WS Leadership


Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family