What’s Behind Discern?

Tens of thousands of subscribers receive each issue of Discern. We care about each of you, and we would be happy to hear more about you and what you want from the magazine.

And we imagine some of you may also want to know more about us.

The people behind Discern

You can see the names in our staff box, and even scroll to the end of our articles online to see our authors’ biographies. But those names are just a few of the thousands of committed Christians who provide this magazine for you.

Discern is sponsored by the Church of God, a Worldwide Association, which is committed to upholding the teachings of the early New Testament Church.

Members of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association (known affectionately as COGWA), form a community of believers around the world who are joined together by authentic biblical teaching and God’s Spirit. They attend church services on the seventh-day Sabbath each week to worship God and learn His truth.

The Church’s membership spans more than 60 countries around the globe. From large congregations in major cities like Houston, Texas, and Santiago, Chile, to isolated individuals and families in places like Indonesia and Greece, the Church truly is a worldwide association of people from various cultures and speaking many languages.

The mission of the Church

After Jesus’ resurrection, He appeared to His disciples and instructed them on the spiritual work to be done. His command was: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).

Mark’s account includes, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

This twofold responsibility of preaching the gospel (the good news) of the Kingdom of God and caring for the called-out disciples (students) of Jesus—teaching them to practice the same authentic truths He taught His first disciples—remains the commission of His Church.

We are dedicated to fulfilling the biblical mandate to preach the truth of God’s coming Kingdom to the entire world. Our congregations are found throughout the world, and we welcome all who desire to learn about and practice the teachings Jesus Christ gave to His first disciples.

How we proclaim the good news around the world

In addition to Discern magazine, we produce a wide variety of other biblical and Christian living resources to help fulfill our mission of preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God.

To maximize our effectiveness, COGWA launched the LifeHopeandTruth.com website in 2012 with the goal of making the true gospel accessible around the globe through the Internet. LifeHopeandTruth.com now contains thousands of pages of content explaining the many truths of God’s Word. Millions of people around the world access the Life, Hope & Truth website every year.

We invite you to explore the site’s massive library of biblical content. The site features six silos (God, Bible, Life, Prophecy, Change and Relationships) that help organize and simplify browsing through our material. You can access the vast array of content by browsing or by using the search box at the top of every page.

Additionally, you’ll find a regularly updated blog with posts covering biblical themes, world news, social issues and other topics related to living God’s way in today’s world. If you’d like to be notified when new content is posted, visit our Subscribe page.

Our website is also available in Spanish (VidaEsperanzayVerdad.org) and French (VieEspoiretVerite.org).

LifeHopeandTruth.com also features a Learning Center filled with in-depth content designed to help you become a better student of the Bible. This section includes:

• Booklets and Study Guides. We currently offer more than 25 free booklets and study guides explaining key biblical topics in great depth. Many of our booklets are also available in audio form on our Audio Books page.
• The LHT Bible Study Course. This is an interactive personal study course that systematically guides students through 11 core biblical themes and teaches skills and strategies for personal Bible study. The course is also available in Spanish.
• Journeys. These collections of daily readings are designed to guide you through important biblical concepts, from the problem of evil to the armor of God.
• Parents & Kids Resources. Our Encourage, Equip & Inspire program includes scores of lessons designed to aid parents in teaching God’s Word to their children.

In addition to our written content, we also offer video and audio content on multiple platforms:

• Life, Hope & Truth Presents. Our biweekly flagship video program features experienced ministers presenting a range of biblically based topics in an engaging and authoritative manner. This program can also be viewed on the Life, Hope & Truth YouTube page.
• Verse by Verse Podcast. This podcast features short insights and explanations of various verses in the Bible. New episodes are regularly posted on all major podcast platforms.
• Answers From the Gospels. These short videos provide concise explanations of biblical questions that can be answered from the Gospel accounts of Jesus Christ’s life.
• Other video series. These cover a variety of biblical topics in short and approachable video segments. You can watch videos on the 10 Commandments, Feasts of the Lord, Life After Death and the Sabbath.

Just as Jesus sent out His disciples with the command “freely you have received, freely give” (Matthew 10:8), so we make all of our material available free of charge.

Biblical beliefs

We believe the Bible teaches that the Church that Jesus built will maintain the beliefs of the New Testament Church. The biblical church:

1. Uses the name Church of God (Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 10:32; 11:16, 22; 15:9; 2 Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 2:14; 2 Thessalonians 1:4; and 1 Timothy 3:5, 15).
2. Bases its doctrines on the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
3. Teaches and practices obedience to the 10 Commandments (Matthew 19:17; 1 John 2:3; Revelation 12:17). Jesus said that many who profess His name would “practice lawlessness”—ignoring or disobeying God’s laws (Matthew 7:21-23). This is why we emphasize the necessity of obeying God’s 10 Commandments.
4. Observes God’s weekly (seventh-day) Sabbath and the annual biblical festivals (Exodus 20:8-11; Leviticus 23; Mark 2:27-28; 1 Corinthians 5:8). While most churches today celebrate holidays like Christmas and Easter, we abstain from these humanly devised religious holidays (Deuteronomy 12:30; Matthew 15:9; Romans 12:2).
5. Teaches the necessity of growing in God’s character (Matthew 5:48; 7:20; 2 Peter 3:18). Some churches teach a “come as you are” version of Christianity, but we emphasize the need to continually grow in godly character, just as Paul stressed in Ephesians 4:13.
6. Genuinely loves one another and shows that love through service (John 13:34-35; Galatians 6:10; 1 Peter 1:22).
7. Is driven by the mission to preach the true gospel to the world and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 24:14; 28:19-20).

To learn more about our beliefs, download our booklet Fundamental Beliefs of the Church of God, a Worldwide Association. For more insight into the Bible’s teachings on the characteristics of the true Church and its history through the ages, download our free booklet Where Is the Church Jesus Built?

How we care for the church

Our weekly Sabbath services are primarily educational in focus and typically feature two scripturally based messages. Every Saturday, we hold scheduled services in more than 200 congregations worldwide.

In addition to keeping the weekly Sabbath, members of the Church observe God’s annual festivals, which progressively explain His plan of salvation for mankind (Leviticus 23). You can learn more about these special observances in our free booklet From Holidays to Holy Days: God’s Plan for You.

The Church of God has historically placed a heavy emphasis on education—including educational opportunities for youth, young adults and adults.

Foundation Outreach International

COGWA also supports humanitarian projects throughout the world by supporting a nonprofit organization called Foundation Outreach International (FOI). FOI operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, making it tax-exempt in the United States.

As explained on FOI’s website, “The mission of Foundation Outreach International (FOI) is to provide aid, support, and volunteers for humanitarian and educational projects around the world. The emphasis is on projects that build character, develop leaders, and promote a better quality of life, especially for youth and young adults.”

You can learn more about Foundation Outreach International, its mission and the humanitarian efforts it sponsors at its website, foundationoutreachintl.org.

For more information

This article is adapted from our booklet Welcome to the Church of God, a Worldwide Association. Download a free copy for more information. If you have any questions, feel free to use our “Ask a Question” service or contact our pastor nearest you using the information on our “Congregations” page.