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NEWS FLASH: TGOC MOVES TO FLASH!
OK. Now do we have your attention? The catchy heading of this section of our newsletter is actually intended to give you some important news that relates to the quality of current and future videos on TGOC's Website. In the past, our videos have been produced in what is known as a ".wmv" format. However, newer technology has now made it possible to produce higher-quality video files in what is referred to as a FLASH format (otherwise known as ".flv files"). As of approximately June 1, we have begun preparing all new GOC television programs for our Website by using the newer .flv format, which produces a clearer, better-quality video. All programs that we place on our Website after June 1, 2008, will be produced using the .flv format. In addition, we are now in the process of reformatting several of the most-popular series on our Website (such as the Topical Series, Truth Series, Fundamentals of the Faith Series, Soul-Saving Series, etc.) so that they, too, will eventually appear in an .flv format.
In the past, whenever you accessed the main Web page of one of our video series, you had only two choices: (1) DSL/Broadband; or (2) Dial-up. In the future whenever you access those pages you will notice a third option: FLASH. If your computer is set up to play .flv files (which many computers today are; and if yours is not, all that is required is a simply added plug-in program), you will be able to access our new .flv videos—which not only will load faster (because they are smaller in size), but which also will be clearer and easier to view.
In a future edition of this newsletter, we plan to give our readers an opportunity (by participating in a quick easy survey on our Website) to offer us feedback on such things as: (a) how many of you are still using dial-up to view our videos; (b) your impressions of the new FLASH format we have begun using for our programs; (c) etc. For now, however, we simply wanted to alert you to the fact that in the coming days and weeks, you will be seeing more and more of our online programs available in the FLASH format. We are constantly looking for methods to improve each and every one of our services to you as we strive to "take the whole Gospel to the whole world." Using this new format is just one more way we can do that. Stay tuned, however. Additional important announcements are "just around the bend."
TGOC ADDS NEW
"PRESS ROOM" SECTION
TO ITS WEBSITE!
From time to time (OK—a whole lot of the time!) we receive inquiries from people who want to help spread the word about THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST, but who aren't quite sure how to go about doing that. One of the most-frequent questions we receive is, "Do you have any graphics (and accompanying text) that we can insert into our church bulletin, our local newspaper or place on our Website to advertise your work?"
In the past we have handled each of those requests on an individual basis. But since so many people were making essentially the same request, we thought it would be more efficient to make these types of materials available (via our Website) to anyone who might need them. To that end, we did the following two things. First, we created various sizes and styles of TGOC-related logos that can be used to advertise TGOC in church bulletins, newspapers, on Websites, and elsewhere. Second, we crafted several paragraphs of text (covering almost all aspects of our work) that can be copied and pasted into bulletins or to Websites to accompany the various logos that we are making available.
In short—because we truly appreciate the desire of others to help us spread the word about TGOC—we've done most of the work for you. If you would like to take a look at our offerings in this regard, please visit the new PRESS ROOM section of our Website that is devoted to these advertising materials. And if you do not find what you need, by all means, feel free to contact us to let us know what you do need. We will gladly try to provide it (and probably will add it to the PRESS ROOM section of our Website so others can use it, too).
Thank you for all you do to "tout TGOC." We are truly appreciative!
TGOC ANNOUNCES
THE LAST TWO LESSONS
IN ITS NEW
TOPICAL SERIES OF LESSONS
We are pleased to announce in this newsletter the availability of the last two lessons in our newly revised Topical Series, with James Gravelle as the speaker. In the first of those, "The Consequences of Sin," James lays his foundation by examining what the Bible means when it speaks of "sin." He begins by quoting 1 John 3:4, which defines sin as "transgression of the law." Several Hebrew or Greek words have been translated into English to express the concept of sin, one of which is found in Romans 3:23 where Paul wrote, "All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God," and where the word "sin" is used to refer to "missing the mark."
Another word translated into English as “transgression” is found in Acts 1:25, which speaks of Judas and how he, "by transgression fell." The meaning there is "to fall or drop from a higher position to a lower position." The English word "iniquity" also is found in several passages, including Psalm 51:2 where the psalmist said, "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity." The meaning has to do with "deviating from a straight line or being out of step." Another word translated as the English word "transgression" actually means "a crossing of God's boundaries." King David was one who truly crossed a God-drawn line when he committed adultery with Bathsheba. His prayer regarding this sin is found in Psalm 51:1 where David pleaded, "Blot out my transgressions."
As James points out, God's law can be transgressed by thoughts, feelings, words, or actions. Sin, unrepented of and therefore unforgiven, eventually leads only one place: Hell! James therefore spends considerable time and effort depicting Hell exactly as the Bible depicts it, and then ends his lesson answering some of the arguments that have been made against the existence of Hell.
In his lesson on "The Plan of Salvation," James investigates the meaning behind Paul's statement in Romans 3:23 where Paul wrote, "All have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God." From there, he then moves to Romans 6:23, which explains that "the wages of sin is death."
But, as James goes on to note, Jesus Himself explained the remedy for sin in John 3:16—"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." Belief alone, of course, will not save anyone, as James 2:24 makes clear: "You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." Yes, God requires that a person believe in Jesus as the Son of God if he wants to be saved from his sin. But a person also must repent of his past ungodly actions (Lk. 13:3; Acts 17:30), be willing to confess Christ as God's Son (Mt. 10:32-33; Rom. 10:10), and be baptized in water for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16; 1 Pet. 3:21). Then, once a person has become a Christian, he or she must "live faithfully unto death" (Revelation 2:10).
Both of these new lessons are now available on our Website, where you will find them in video, audio, and written transcript formats. We invite you to examine them for yourself, and to share them with others.
MORE BIBLE QUIZZES
TO ACCOMPANY OUR
SERIES
ON
THE BOOK OF
MATTHEW
NOW AVAILABLE
In the April 29, 2008 edition of this newsletter, we announced the availability on our Website of the first four Bible quizzes in our newly revised Matthew Series. Today we are pleased to announce that we have added another four quizzes to that section of our Website ( www.thegospelofchrist.com/quiz ). We invite you to test your Bible knowledge by taking any or all of these eight quizzes.
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