Dear Brethren and Friends,
For some months, I have wanted to share with you in this personal “Dear Brethren” message a description of the “team” we have here at Headquarters. I know you will all be interested in hearing about the key ministers directing Christ’s Work from Charlotte—about our activities and how we interact.
Please understand that I cannot possibly, in this one short message, describe all of our fine and faithful employees here at Headquarters. I will simply describe the “top” team members, and you will understand that we are backed up by dozens of wonderful servants here at Headquarters, plus scores of faithful ministers and elders around the world, and thousands of you dedicated brethren. For truly all of us are the “Body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12). He is using individuals in different ways to finish His Work today in proclaiming the true message of the coming Government of God and the true name of Jesus Christ all over this earth.
First of all, Mr. Richard Ames is, beside me, the individual with the most responsibilities in Christ’s Work in the Living Church of God at this time. As most of you know, Mr. Ames has been in Christ’s Work full-time since he graduated from Ambassador College in 1965. At that time, he was student body president—already having earned a degree in engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Mr. Ames is truly an outstanding individual in all-around capacity—and certainly in dedication and the ability to preach and to write the message of God’s Word.
Since he has an excellent radio voice, and had previous training and technical skills enhanced by outside instructors while on the World Tomorrow telecast from Pasadena, he is naturally our most outstanding television presenter. Normally, his programs bring in more responses than any of the rest of us. And he has certainly been a wonderful help in directing the Media Division and helping us move forward in the entire area of proclaiming Christ’s message.
As many of you know, Mr. Ames married my “little sister” back in 1964! So he and I have been not only friends but brothers-in-law for all these years! Nevertheless—as everyone involved in the telecast realizes firsthand—I did not put Mr. Ames on the television program because he was a relative. I have had many relatives. But none of them have had the background, the outstanding radio voice and personality, the training and the ability Mr. Ames has to do the program. So Christ has truly prepared him to help finish the Work at this time. Most of you know that I, with the Council of Elders’ and others’ input, have designated him as my “successor” in case God should choose to take my life before Christ returns. So I ask all of you to pray ferventlyfor Mr. Ames in a special way!
Next, I would like to note the fine background and contributions of Dr. Douglas Winnail. Before Dr. Winnail came to Ambassador College, where he earned his B.A. in Theology, he had already earned a Ph.D. in Anatomy and Preventive Medicine. Later, he earned a master’s degree in Public Health, teaching at a number of colleges (including Ambassador) and serving as a field minister for the Worldwide Church of God and Global Church of God. He served for several years as a Regional Pastor and Regional Director in the Living Church of God before coming to Charlotte. He has always been a steady and dedicated individual and a truly humble “team player.”
Having now worked with Dr. Winnail for hundreds of hours personally—here in Charlotte and on various trips overseas—I have found him to be a wonderful and balanced friend, and brother, in carrying on Christ’s Work today.
I used to wonder why Mr. Carl McNair regularly used Dr. Winnail as an “idea man.” Now I know! For he does come up with many thoughtful concepts, plans and organizational ideas which have proved extremely beneficial in “growing” the Work of God. He has helped us produce two fine leadership programs, and has made a regular practice of conducting regional conferences for the ministry and leaders all over the United States and the world. He has reintroduced and updated our “public appearance” campaigns, in which our ministers invite Tomorrow’s World readers to special meetings to learn more about the Truth and the Work. Dr. Winnail has introduced and is introducing more programs to help grow the Work all the time—while energetically helping Dr. Germano and me bring to fruition the establishment of Living University.
So, Dr. Winnail also needs your prayers! And I hope that he will be able to continue on for many years, assisting me and Mr. Ames in the various responsibilities he carries, such as Director of Church Administration, Vice Chair of the Living University Board of Regents, key writer for our publications, and more.
Another key individual here, who has a very long record of faithful service in Christ’s Work, is Mr. Dibar Apartian. Mr. Apartian is my “oldest” friend, since we first met each other 54 years ago when he came to Ambassador College as a professor of French. For about six years, we lived right next door to each other on South Orange Grove Boulevard in Pasadena, California. I have spent hundreds of hours with Mr. Apartian personally, and his wife was my first wife’s best friend. So I have seen Mr. Apartian grow in understanding and dedication for many years, especially in directing the French Work—and also now the entire International Work under Dr. Winnail’s overall supervision.
Having had so much experience over so many years, Mr. Apartian often adds a “special touch” in our ministerial deliberations. He is the consummate gentleman, as well, and—since he grew up in Switzerland and France so many years ago—still carries with him a background of European culture. The Eternal God has granted him more than 91 years of life so far, and we are grateful that he is still serving so actively and productively! So, please also remember Mr. Apartian in your prayers.
Last, but not least, let me say that Mr. Davy Crockett— our Director of Business Operations—is somewhat newer in the full-time ministry, but has been with us in this Work from the very beginning. He and his wife served faithfully in the Little Rock, Arkansas congregation for many years. Mr. Crockett owned his own insurance claims adjusting business there, which was bought out by a larger company that wanted him to stay on and lead the combined companies for a few more years. At the end of his contract, rather than staying on as they wished, he asked to become full-time in this Work. He knew he was going to take a sizable salary cut in order to do this, but he wanted to do it anyway.
So, as many of you know, Mr. Crockett continued to serve the brethren faithfully, not only as a minister in Little Rock but all over Arkansas and as far east as Memphis, Tennessee. Then, after a few years, we asked him to come to Charlotte to serve as our Director of Business Operations. He has done a fine job in this, and has also given many fine sermons and sermonettes, and has helped in the ministry very much here in Charlotte as well. We all appreciate his unique contribution.
Here in Charlotte, these four men and I (sometimes affectionately called “RCM and the four Ds”—Dick, Doug, Dibar and Davy)meet together two or three times a week and make all major decisions as a “team.” We normally have an Executive Lunch on either Tuesdays or Wednesdays—and include in this group some of the other key individuals here as well, such as Messrs. Rod McNair, Gary Ehman, Charles Ogwyn and, more recently, Dr. Scott Winnail. Other leading visiting ministers—such as Messrs. Bruce Tyler from Australia, Rod King from Britain, Gerald Weston from Canada, and Mario Hernandez representing the Spanish Work—are also sometimes included, plus Dr. Michael Germano when he is in town on Living University matters. Others are invited from time to time as need arises.
We have an open and loving atmosphere in our meetings. We enjoy working together as “brothers” in carrying on this Work. Many serious topics are discussed, including doctrinal matters and problems facing the Work, but by regularly having such warm, brotherly interchanges— interspersed with humor and “kidding” each other—we are able to keep our balance and grow in love and faith to “finish the Work” as Christ indicated we certainly should.
We have conscientiously tried to follow a principle God particularly mentions in the book of Proverbs: “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; but in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14). Unlike a number of self-appointed “prophets” and other self-titled individuals, I have long recognized that every leader deeply needs honest and straightforward advice and counsel! So I try to get this from all of these men—and from the Council of Elders as well—when any crucial decision is involved. This saves us a lot of trouble! And it is God’s way.
I hope all of you brethren can also recognize the importance, in your own lives, of seeking “multitude of counsel.” Learn to ask for advice. You do not always have to follow everything that is suggested, but at least you can listen carefully, weigh the options and make a wiser decision in the end.
Many times, during or in concluding our meetings, we will exhort one another to pray fervently about various items in the Work or in our own lives. There is a genuine “brotherly” spirit and harmony among our leading ministers that is very encouraging to me. The above-mentioned ministers on our Headquarters “team”—plus those on the Council of Elders—have all been “tried” and “tested” again and again for many years, most of them for several decades! These men have had to be on their knees continually. They had to step back and see the “Big Picture” in order to remain loyal to the Truth during the apostasy that affected so many in the Worldwide Church of God after Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong’s death.
Of course, as mentioned above, although this letter has described the leading men in the top human positions under Jesus Christ in His Work here in Charlotte, we are also grateful for the many others who are faithfully and zealously serving God’s people, and we deeply appreciate all their contributions, as we appreciate all those who are serving God’s people all around the world. I hope this letter has given you some small “insight” into what God is doing here in Charlotte, as we strive to serve God’s people everywhere and to preach the Gospel as a witness to the whole world, and feed those who respond to the Gospel message. Dear brethren, I am grateful that these leading men on our Headquarters “team” have remained humble and faithful to the Truth, and that they have learned to genuinely trust the living Jesus Christ to watch over, protect, preserve and guide His Church. I am sure Almighty God is pleased with this, and I have wanted to share all of this with you brethren. Please pray for us that this spirit may continue! And pray for one another and the Living Church of God so that we may do a truly powerful Work that is pleasing to Jesus Christ as the end of this age approaches.
