In this issue of The Ministry, we include six messages from the 2002 Memorial Day Conference in Seattle, Washington, May 24-27. The general subject of this series of messages is, "A New Reviva--Living the Life of a God-man for the Reality of the Body of Christ." The following four statements summarize the burden for these messages: 1) God's economy is God becoming man that man may become God in life and in nature for the producing of the Body of Christ; 2) the reality of the Body of Christ is a corporate living of conformity to the death of Christ by the power of the resurrection of Christ; 3) the Spirit is the reality of the Triune God, the reality of resurrection, and the reality of the Body of Christ; and 4) whenever we turn to our spirit and exercise our spirit, we enter into the reality of the Body, because the Body is in our spirit. Last of all, we include two reports: 1) a recent training among the young people in West Africa, and 2) recent and upcoming trainings and conferences in Russia.

Paul's two Epistles to the Thessalonians were written to a young church with young believers. These Epistles are very precious, for they render particular help concerning the young Christian life and church life. In the Life-study of 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Witness Lee presents the basic elements in Paul's word to the Thessalonians concerning living a holy life for the church life. Paul's Epistles to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon, written to more experienced believers, cover God’s economy regarding the church. In the Life-study of these books, Witness Lee presents crucial points in these Epistles concerning God's economy, the inoculation of the church against decline, the maintenance of the order of the church, and the believers' equal status in the new man.

In Pope Francis, Marriage, and Same-Sex Civil Unions: Foundations for the Organic Development of Catholic Sexual Doctrine, Todd A. Salzman and Michael G. Lawler argue for the organic development of Catholic sexual teaching to recognize the morality and sacramentality of opposite-sex and same-sex marriage. They do so on the basis of Pope Francis’ support of the legal protection of same-sex civil unions, “new pastoral methods,” theological anthropological, and ethical methodological developments. To that end, the authors consider the historical development in the Catholic tradition of sexual and marital ethics; the impact of virtue ethics, emphasis on the authority and inviolability of an informed conscience, and a revised understanding of sexual complementarity on defining human dignity and the method for doing Catholic ethics; the sacramental nature of opposite-sex marriage as an upper-case Sacrament and same-sex marriage as a lower-case sacrament; the widespread and growing phenomenon of cohabitation before marriage where couples grow into the ideal of marriage; and sociological and experiential data that supports the overwhelming positive impact on children of opposite-sex and same-sex parents. All of these issues are considered in the light of the theological and pastoral changes that Pope Francis is introducing, with widespread support and minority opposition, into the Catholic tradition.

What are the most important biblical texts for modern Christians to read in order to arrive at responsible decisions regarding the ethics of human sexual behavior? How should the Bible be used in this enterprise? How should those texts be translated for today's reader? The contributors to this book, all noted biblical scholars, confront these questions as they deal with issues surrounding the ethics of sexual behavior, in general, and the divisive issue of gay/lesbian ordination, in particular. They provide for the reader a deeper understanding of the Bible, its intentions, and its variety. This book offers a challenge to the church to give heed to the multiplicity of voices that are engaged in biblically responsible and constructive debates about the volatile issues regarding sexual behavior.

This book is intended as an aid to believers in developing a daily time of morning revival with the Lord in His word. At the same time, it provides a limited review of the Thanksgiving weekend conference held in Charlotte, North Carolina, November 22-25, 2018. The general subject of the conference was “The Reality of the Body of Christ.” Through intimate contact with the Lord in His word, the believers can be constituted with life and truth and thereby equipped to prophesy in the meetings of the church unto the building up of the Body of Christ.

This issue of The Ministry contains a complete record of the twelve messages given during the 2007 summer training on the crystallization-study of the Epistles of John, held July 2 through 7 in Anaheim, California. The crucial truth and burden embodied in these twelve messages may be summarized in four statements: (1) The fellowship of the eternal life, the flow of the eternal life within all the believers, is the reality of living in the Body of Christ; (2) We know the Triune God by experiencing and enjoying Him as the One who dwells in our spirit and desires to spread into our heart; (3) By the anointing of the all-inclusive compound Spirit, who is the composition of the Divine Trinity, we know and enjoy the Father, the Son, and the Spirit as our life and life supply; (4) The Son of God has given us an understanding so that we might know the true One, the genuine and real God, and be one with Him organically in His Son Jesus Christ, who is eternal life to us. These messages are being published immediately following the training in order that they might benefit the saints participating in the many video trainings that are held throughout the earth. The Reports and Announcements section includes a presentation of the Lord's burden for His move in Europe and an announcement about the upcoming gospel feast in South Korea.