Dear Brethren,
The year is off to a busy start for God’s Work in Asia, Philippines and the Pacific region. Let me give you some highlights. Facebook efforts continue to produce very encouraging fruit. I was told by our media team that we are
on track to receive over 60,000 individual requests for literature in 2025 through Facebook alone. To put this growth into perspective, our average weekly Facebook response in 2023 was 418. In 2024 that increased to 704 weekly responses on average, and in 2025 so far, we are averaging– 1274 responses per week. These responses are received from 33 nations in the Asia Pacific Region. Here are a few countries you might be surprised to discover are receiving literature from the church: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Nauru, Niue (look that up), New Caledonia, South Korea, Taiwan, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands and Kiribati, just to name a few.
In April I had the privilege of ordaining Mr James Simpson from our Queenstown, NZ congregation, to the office of Deacon. Mr Simpson is doing a wonderful job serving our members in the South Island of New Zealand. Mr and Mrs Rajan Moses kept the Passover and ULB1 in India where he baptized a new member, Ms Aneeta Banerjee into the Body of Christ. Mr Moses also ordained Mr Marc Casey to the office of Local Elder. Mr Casey will join Mr Subash Wangkhem serving our scattered members in India.
Here in Clarendon Mrs Lucy Mager has rejoined the team after taking Maternity Leave – Congratulations to the Mager family for the birth of baby Anya. Lucy continues to serve part-time in accounting, assisting Mr Brian McKenzie. In February, Mr Troy Kearns and his family transferred from Melbourne to Adelaide where Mr Kearns is now serving in the Clarendon office as Operations Manager.
TWP’s have been conducted in Adelaide, Vanuatu and New Zealand. Later this year we are planning to hold our first online TWP in the region. Mr Htoowah Laybeh will give the presentation and we are excited to see what fruit may come from our online efforts. Our longer-term plan for online TWP’s, is to offer them in countries where we have subscribers, but where there are limited resources to arrange TWP’s in person.
I hope we are all now looking forward to the Feast of Pentecost and considering our calling as firstfruits in God’s Family. We are reminded that we have been called not primarily for personal salvation, but called to do the Work that Jesus began while in the flesh. In the May/June LCN, Mr Weston wrote in his Personal, this important reminder: “Personal salvation is the by-product, not the primary purpose, of our calling. First and foremost, God is calling us now to do the Work and prepare for our future role in His Family. Let me say it again: God is calling you to do His Work, not just to get personal salvation!”
Through our combined efforts, our prayers, our tithes and offerings, God is blessing His Work, not only in the Asia Pacific Region, but throughout the world.
In closing, let us also remember that the Work of God is not just in magazines and Facebook advertising. We are also called to be Ambassadors for Christ and representatives of the coming Kingdom of God. While the world is clearly being stirred up by a satanic spirit of anger, accusations, contentions and war, we must be mindful of how easy it is to unwittingly be affected by that same spirit that is tearing the world apart! Christ warned that prior to His second coming that we would be faced with a challenging and dangerous social atmosphere. “And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:10-12).
Sobering isn’t it?! Let’s strive not to be a casualty of this present evil age.
Thankfully, God has given us the Sabbath as a special haven and place of rest from this world. Please be sure to leave the problems and attitudes of the world, in the world, and not carry them into the church with us. Let’s live peacefully with each other, let’s work together and let’s love each other as Christ loved the church. If we do this, then every Sabbath will truly be a delight!
Have a wonderful Pentecost.
With sincere love,
Robert Tyler
Regional Director