A Conversation with Last Days Ministries
The first part is an email
request to an evangelical ministry. The second part is their answer. The
third part was taken off the Net in
1999
as background and was not a part of either email:
1. Original email-
I remember reading some of your old tracts. One series was on Roman Catholicism. I did not see this offered on your website, but these were excellent tools for evangelizing and/or teaching. Do you still have some of these? I am trying to get together as many different types of tracts to hand out this coming year. The Catholics have deemed it "J2K" for Jubilee Two Thousand. Many of the churches in my area are going in for ecumenism. They plan to hold rallies in Sacramento, CA, where a major push for unity at any price is building. Hope to hear from you. Please include prices. God bless. - Chris
2. The reply-
Date: Wed, 24 Nov 99 10:57AM
PST
From: Name omitted to protect
this website, not theirs
To: Chris
Subject: Re: Old tracts I
remember
November 24, 1999
Dear Chris,
Greetings in the precious name
of Jesus! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your request with us.
We have not distributed the Catholic Chronicles for many years now. We
feel we would not have discontinued them unless we felt this was the
Lord's direction for us. Although the American Tract Society will be
reprinting and distributing most of our tracts, in keeping with the
spirit of the decision to stop distributing the Catholic Chronicles, we
are not giving permission for anyone else to reprint or translate them
nor are they available from any other source.
We have never believed that
the Catholic Church is a cult in the same way as Mormons etc. We would
like to repeat a notice that Keith wrote when originally writing the
Catholic Chronicle series. "In pursuing this subject, I want to make it
COMPLETELY understood that neither I nor anyone else at Last Days
Ministries has anything at all personally against Catholics. WE KNOW OF
MANY LOVING, COMMITTED AND SINCERE BELIEVERS AMONG THEIR RANKS." ...
"Although it might be unavoidable to have given that impression, it was
never our desire to be thought of as 'one of those anti-Catholic
organizations.'"
Sometimes the "official"
doctrine of a church body is something other than what is being preached
there. That is, there is an inconsistency between their written creed
and what is practiced. The bottom line is to share the truth of God in
all humility and love so that it is Christ within us and His love that
draws people to a saving knowledge of Himself. We are sure that a
personal approach, using an opportunity to express Christ's love, is the
better and more excellent way as expressed in I Corinthians 13.
If you are looking for
reliable scripture-based information about the Catholic Church, we would
suggest that you obtain pamphlets explaining the scriptural
interpretation of those various doctrines with which most non-Catholic
groups differ. These pamphlets can be obtained from a
Catholic publishing company,
TAN BOOKS AND PUBLISHERS, INC., P.O. BOX 424,
ROCKFORD, IL 61105. At that
time, you can see the differences between their interpretation and your
interpretation of certain scriptures before differing with your friends
and relatives who might be members of the Catholic Church. We understand
your desire to share with those who do not know the Lord Jesus, but we
believe it is important to show your love and interest in them first. A
wise man once said that people don't care how much you know until they
know how much you care and we really find that to be true. We hope you
will accept this in the spirit of love in which it is meant.
Although we are no longer publishing a printed Magazine, Last Days is still active in bringing our ministry materials to many and we are still continuing to work on ministry projects (like the four new releases of Keith's music). We are responding to those who want us to remain a source of Christian encouragement and we are now in the process of greatly enlarging our Web Site. We'll be offering more ministry materials, Christian articles, opportunities to interact with fellow Christians, opportunities for non‑believers to learn more about Jesus, etc. It will be like an online Newsletter and much, much more. Later, as the Lord leads, we will be doing other projects and events. So keep in touch and, if you have internet access, don't forget to check our Site from time to time. (www.lastdaysministries.org)
Many of our tracts will
continue to be available through the AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, P.O. BOX
462008, GARLAND, TX 75046 (PHONE ORDERING: 1‑800‑548‑7228; FAX#: 972
272‑9642). Some of our tracts are now out of print at American Tract
Society. If any of the tracts you want are no longer available through
ATS, we do have some copies of these tracts here
jeopardize our copyrights.
Unfortunately, due to current circumstances we are not able to continue
our "Whatever You Can Afford" policy.
Our audio and videotapes as
well as some other materials will be available through YWAM PUBLISHING,
P.O. BOX 55787, SEATTLE, WA 98155 (PHONE ORDERING: 1‑800‑922 2143; FAX#:
1‑425‑775‑2383). They are also carrying "No Compromise," "The Last Days
Collection" and most of Keith's music. A CRY IN THE WILDERNESS is
temporarily out of print. It will be available early next year under the
title, IF YOU LOVE THE LORD in a devotional format. You can order it
through a Christian bookstore or from the Web through "www.christianbook.com"
(Stock No. 03208). Other books can be ordered through local Christian
bookstores. Any of the fine art offered through the catalogue can be
purchased through CHRISTIAN ART GUILD, 25500 COUNTY ROAD 462, MINEOLA,
TX 75773 (PHONE: 903‑569‑5161; FAX: 903‑569‑2820).
Last Days does have a Web Site
("www.lastdaysministries.org") on the Internet. You can download any of
our tracts, particularly those that are now out of print, for your
personal use. However, you may not distribute any printout to others, as
this might jeopardize our copyrights. Our office here in Texas will
remain open for mail and referrals (P.O. BOX 40, LINDALE, TX 75771). We
will endeavor to keep all our friends informed about future projects. If
you would like to be added to our mailing list, please e‑mail us your
full name and address. God bless you!
Your friends at Last Days
Ministries
3. This portion, below, is background material for the above and in no way has anything whatsoever to do with the organizations listed above and please do not send money to us or to them. This was taken off the Web in 1999:
History
In January 1997, Sacramento's
Catholic bishop proposed to the Episcopal and Lutheran bishops an idea
of a local Christian celebration as we move toward the new millennium.
The unprecedented event in our community would emphasize our common
faith in Jesus Christ. Local Assemblies of God, Presbyterian, and
Methodist leadership soon joined the enthusiastic planners.
By 1998, the name Jubilee of
Jesus Christ 2000 was born and ARCO Arena was secured for Sunday,
January 2, 2000. Christian leaders from many more traditions joined in.
The inspired 1999 planning committee also includes representatives of
UCC, RCA, Baptist, and Christian (Disciples) as well as Youth for
Christ, Capital Prayer Resources, the North State Ecumenical
Conference, and Christian
radio stations. The momentum continues to build . . .
Quotes
"For the first 1,000 years,
Christians were for the most part united. Then there was disunity
through the second. We want to start out this new millennium with as
common a note as possible."
Roman Catholic Bishop William
K. Weigand of the Sacramento Diocese
"We're trying to reach across
racial and denominational lines. Regardless of what the distinctions
are, we're putting those things aside to come in the name of Christ, to
project to the community that we are more together than we are apart."
Rev. Dwight Burchett, President of the National
Association of Evangelicals of Sacramento
"We want to be a Christian
witness to the community at large."
Mrs. Diane Sassman,
Evangelical Lutheran Church Steering Commitees
Executive Committee
Rev. Glen D. Cole, Assemblies
of God
Bishop Jerry Lamb, Episcopal
Diocese of Northern California
Bishop Robert Mattheis,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Bishop Melvin Talbert, United
Methodist Church
Bishop William K. Weigand,
Roman Catholic Church
Rev. Dr. G. Henry Wells,
Presbyterian Church,U.S.A.
Rev. Dr. Ephraim Williams,
Missionary Baptist
Co-Chairs
Mrs. Diane Sassman,
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Bishop William K. Weigand
Rev. Dr. G. Henry Wells
Committee Chairs
Arrangements/Facilities × Gary
Fox, Youth for Christ
Endorsements × Rev. Rick Cole,
Assemblies of God
Finance × Bishop Jerry Lamb
Hospitality × Rev. John Keane,
Roman Catholic Church
Prayer × Mr. Joe Walsh,
Christian Prayer Resources
Program × Rev. Dwight
Burchett, National Association of Evangelicals
Public Relations × Rev. David
Mullen, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Representation
Denominations
Represented:
American Baptist Churches of
the West
Assemblies of God
Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ)
The Episcopal Church
Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America
Missionary Baptist Church
Presbyterian Church, U.S.A.
Reformed Church in America
Roman Catholic Church
Southern Baptist Church
United Church of Christ
United Methodist Church
Other Groups Represented
Capital Prayer Resources
Church World Service
National Association of
Evangelicals of Sacramento
North State Ecumenical
Conference
United Pastors of Sacramento
Youth for Christ
- Chris Simonson
We encourage you to email the author to prove or disprove, from the Scriptures, the intent, meaning, purpose or doctrine of this piece. email Chris