BULLETIN

THE WORD OF TRUTH MINISTRY

228 NORTH EL MOLINO AVENUE, PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 91101-1675

Otis Q. Sellers, Founder David R. Hettema, Director

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Volume 3, No. 7      Jane Sellers Hancock, Editor     January 2012

THOUGHTS FROM THE EDITOR

Jane S. Hancock

We are a small group of volunteers, here at The Word of Truth Ministry—small but dedicated. Although we have an office in Pasadena, it is only “open for business” a few hours a week when David Hettema and Rusty Hancock come in, check the mail, send out orders—and take care of all the other little things that go along with the work. Robert Hammond is in charge of everything that has to do with our Web site as well as staying in touch with our readers who have e-mail addresses. He does that from his home. He also plays the piano for us on Sunday mornings. Joanne Johnson and Milton Hammond have taken on the responsibility—physical and financial—of publishing the Bulletin, which we try to get out four times a year. And I do what I can to write a column for the Bulletin, to read and edit everything that goes into the Bulletin before publication. We do this through e-mail, occasional phone calls, quick Sunday morning chats. All of us participate in some way, when we can, in the stuffing and mailing of the envelopes that include the Bulletin, pamphlets and advertising. My name is at the top of the Bulletin as editor. Therefore when things go wrong, I must take the responsibility.

I am apologizing for the last Bulletin for two reasons. Somehow or other I never did a final read before publication so it wasn’t until we were ready to mail it out that we noticed the errors on Page 2. In David Hettema’s article, a commentary on the first few verses of Isaiah 60, the two words “seventy sevens” had been changed to “77s” which destroyed the meaning completely. We had a quick discussion; all of us grabbed pens and spent Sunday morning making the corrections on each Bulletin. But that wasn’t the only thing wrong. I made an editorial decision to cut verses in Isaiah 60:5-22 from the article. They are not appearing in this Bulletin with commentary. Please read them on your own. So I am not only apologizing to you, our readers, I am also apologizing to him.

 


 

In “Those Turning from the Church Should Turn to Jesus Christ,” No. 4 in the One-A-Day booklet, Otis Q. Sellers says, “. . . the only way I can live out my life as an active believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is to do it apart from all organized religion. This course alone permits me to give Him the preeminence in all things.”

That is the way we live our lives here at The Word of Truth Ministry. Although I will use the word “church,” for communication purposes (like “Sorry, I can’t go with you on Sunday morning; I go to church!”) because that is a word many people understand. I don’t go to a church. I belong to no recognized religion.

I was working with some middle-school students as they studied the Reformation and Martin Luther. All they needed to know was who he was and what he did with the emphasis on just one of his complaints of the church—the selling of indulgences to guarantee salvation. But he had ninety-nine complaints. I wonder how many complaints I could find with organized religion. However, I only need one. And that one is that Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and man; therefore no church, no organized group of any kind can be a mediator between my God and me.

Sellers, early in his ministry, wrote a small pamphlet called The Churches. He wrote this before he had fully studied the Greek word ekklesia on which he later wrote many studies. But even without the background of the meaning of the word ekklesia, “the out-called ones,” he knew that people in the Christian world related belonging to a church, any church, as the road to salvation. Something like selling “indulgences,” right? In one of his examples he suggested that if you were to ask anyone on the street in a city, “Where can God be found?” he would probably direct you to the nearest church, cathedral, synagogue or mosque. Another example: When a sinner first experiences the feeling that something has to be done about his sins, where does he go? Sellers adds, “If such a man ever comes to the point of full redemption and forgiveness, it will be in spite of the church and not because of it.”

Of course he was accused of wanting to shut down every church. This was not true. All he wanted was for churches NOT to claim “the rights, powers, and privileges that belong to Him alone.” And he closes with this verse from John 3:30: “He must increase—but I must decrease.”

Milton Hammond wrote the following about this little pamphlet and its author: “

[Otis Q. Sellers] went well beyond this work in his later years, with divine generation ever beside him, not to destroy organized religion, but to uncover the truth God has hidden in the pages of His Word. Just as he found that the book of Ephesians is really addressed ‘to the saints, the ones being in and believing in Christ Jesus,’ so his whole dedication was to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ in all that he said and wrote.”

Enclosed with this Bulletin is a reprint of The Churches. Extra copies are available for $2.50 each.

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FROM THE DIRECTOR

David R. Hettema

For the past several months the staff of The Word of Truth Ministry has been conducting an inventory and replenishment effort of all Otis Q. Sellers’ printed and recorded Bible study material. Those involved are Rusty Hancock, Milton Hammond and myself, under the watchful eyes of the editorial staff for the Bulletin and all printed materials, Jane Hancock and Joanne Johnson.

Rereading and going over this precious material that has so affected so many lives over the years was and is a refreshing experience. Reading to each other in a group as we have been doing, interrupting the reading to ask a question or to make an enlightened comment deepens the experience for all present. This type of Bible study lifts the understanding level of the group as a whole and gives each person more to take home with them for consideration. We recommend this experience for those Bible Study Groups that meet
together for the purpose of study.

We have possession of a great treasure of God’s truth from Sellers’ written and oral teaching. To those who rejoice in these truths it is a responsibility to teach what we do know and to continue to study what we do not understand for sure yet. Just like Paul exhorted Timothy in these two verses:

“Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Tim. 4:1-2).

I offer a challenge to my fellow believers, you who love to study and seek new truths from God’s words. There is much to understand and teach about the first days of the Kingdom of God in this earth. God’s words concerning the coming of His kingdom have been spoken by Him through the Prophets, written for us to believe and in faith watch for their fruition. Consider as He describes the power and thoroughness of His words:

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and does not return there, but waters the earth and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater: so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isa. 55:10-11).

Continue to study His words concerning His kingdom and the salvation of this world; seek for God’s approval. In that time to come, when God governs the earth, it may be that what you are learning now will be what God wants you to teach to others then.

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THE INTERNET CORNER

By Bob Hammond

Internet Site. The Word of Truth Ministry Web site, www.seedandbread.org, continues to attract between 10,000 to 12,000 individuals each year, but equally significant, the amount of “bandwidth” used has risen and held around 5 gigabytes, with this year forecasted at approximately 7.5 gigabytes. What this means is that people are not just “logging on,” but they are staying to read the FREE materials we’ve offered there. However, there’s plenty of room for expansion. Let your friends and relatives know about it. A friend of the Ministry said a while back that we have one of the best-kept secrets in the world. It wasn’t intended to be a compliment.

We certainly don’t know what help these studies are to the people who view the Web site; the fact that more are dwelling there is a good sign; only the Holy Spirit knows if any of this “seed” is falling on good ground or not. Our job is to sow this seed, and people are receiving it; that’s about all we can do.

 

Cyber Attack. In October our site was attacked, and literally every file was deleted. It was the most vicious attack our web developer, Cindy, has ever seen. We were “backed up” though and the site was only down for about a week, thanks to her rapid recovery efforts.

Audio Studies. Cindy has revised this section of the site, and it now clearly shows each title of the 570 MP3 CD studies by Otis Q. Sellers, and which disk each is associated with. To view them, go to the Web site, click on “Audio Studies,” then click on “Complete Table of Contents of CD’s,” and there it is. Thanks again, Cindy!

A Note of Thanks

 

Thanks to you all for your timely responses to our call for financial assistance. We appreciate your efforts in this time of uncertainty.

 


 

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth.”

John 4:24, NKJV

 


 

BIBLE STUDY SATELLITE GROUP LOCATIONS

In Southern California (Los Angeles Area):

The Word of Truth Ministry, 228 N. El Molino Ave., Pasadena; Sundays from 10:45 a.m. to 12 p.m. Mr. David Hettema presides; Dr. Milton Hammond alternates. Hettema may be reached at (626) 794-0819 (he has his own phone number now). Hymn “sing-a-long” before service. “We continue studies based upon the Biblical records of our Bible, and written/spoken words of the late Otis Q. Sellers.”

In New York (New York City Area):

The Chelsea Studios, 151 West 26th Street (Room No. 609), New York City, the last Sunday of each month from 2 to 4 p.m. Mr. Luis Casillas, moderator. Contact Mr. Mike Steele by e-mail: quickby@juno.com. “We use O.Q. Sellers’ Seed & Bread leaflets (found on www.seedandbread.org) as a guide for our discussions.”

In New York:

Endicott, No regular schedules. Contact Mr. Robert Briggs at (607) 748-4870 for information.

In New Jersey:

430 Boulevard Ave., Pitman, Mondays from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Mr. Sam Marrone presides as host and may be reached at (856) 308-3820 or by e-mail at andthewordwasgod@hotmail.com. Marrone notes, “Bring your Bible and a hunger for the Word.”

In Texas (Houston Area):

5847 Chinaberry Drive, Houston, Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 or 1 p.m. Mr. and Mrs. Don Black are hosts and may be contacted at (713) 462-2250. “We usually listen and study one of Otis Sellers’ tapes.”

In Minnesota (St. Paul Area):

622 Selby Ave. (Room above Mississippi Market Food Co-op), St. Paul, Every other Friday, 6 p.m. Mr. Nathan C. Johnson presides and may be reached at (651) 737-0144 (work). Johnson encourages: “Please contact me, and come enjoy your time around God’s Word with our group.”

In Oregon:

Portland, No regular schedules. Contact Mr. Bob English at (503) 357-8449 for information.

In South Carolina:

3800 Cottage Path, Sumter, the second Sunday and the last Sunday of each month from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mr. Allen Tolbert presides and is assisted by Mr. James Johnson. You can contact Tolbert at (803) 469-7190 in South Carolina or Johnson at (704) 864-4212 in North Carolina. “Bring your Bible and come believing God’s Word.”

In Florida:

9082 Chatsworth Cascades, Boca Raton, Wednesday and Saturday at 7 p.m. Mr. Frank Bonano presides. You can contact us at (561) 367-3316 or (561) 883-5018. “We use The Word of Truth Seed & Bread leaflets.”

 


 

WE GET LETTERS

“Otis [Sellers] was faithful to God’s word, no matter the cost. He may be the best Bible teacher this side of the Acts Period.”

“My life changed direction after I met [Otis] Sellers. My biblical understanding and love for God and His Word increased because of Sellers’ teachings.”

“We think of the work, past and present, of the Seed & Bread and Word of Truth staff, and we are grateful above most earthly treasures for it. Thank you.”

“I listen to a local Christian radio station and when I hear some of the teachings I lift my voice and say, ‘Oh! Thank you Lord for The Word of Truth Ministry and for the truth I have been blessed with.’”

“Until I see all of you—keep proclaiming the very eminent manifest Kingdom of God and remember me in your approach to the Throne of Grace.”

“I wish God’s richest blessings to each of you who continue to make these truths known. I look forward to each letter that describes the ongoing work at the Ministry with accounts of new believers, whose faith is born of truth. How great Thou art in these declining days.”

 


 

Bible Study Audio Disks

By Otis Q. Sellers, Bible Teacher

The entire Tape Libr
ary (TL) series, consisting of numbers TL-001 to TL-570, is available on MP3 compact disks. A complete subjects list may be obtained from our Web site, www.seedandbread.org, or the home office in Pasadena, CA, or writing/e-mailing:

The Word of Truth Ministry
Mrs. Gwen Staiger
121 Wood Oak Dr., Joshua, TX 76058
E-mail: gsrecorder@sbcglobal.net

 


 

READING THE WORD OF GOD

By Joanne L. H. Johnson

What do you do to read or hear the Word of God? Do you do it in the quiet of your own home? Do you go to a church to hear a preacher expound upon one or two verses? Or, if you are lucky, maybe hear a whole chapter read and explained out of one of the books of the Bible, like at one of the evangelical churches? Do you get together with a few friends and read the Bible together and attempt to explain to each other what it means? Or have you found any of Otis Q. Sellers’ booklets or Seed & Bread and read and discussed those out loud, like we’ve been doing lately at The Word of Truth Ministry headquarters in Pasadena, California?

Perhaps you do none of the above, but have you tried to listen to recorded studies, like those presented by David R. Hettema or Milton B. Hammond, with the old LA Tapes Bible Studies or the newer Sunday Morning Bible Studies on compact Disks?

The Word of Truth Ministry regularly publishes a list of groups in the United States (see Bible Study Satellite Group Locations in the quarterly WOTM Bulletin) where believers go to share in Bible study. These are independent groups that base their fundamental studies on the truth of the dispensation of grace, the kingdom of God and God’s future purposes.

Have you ever sat or stood up and read out loud from Scripture so that other people might hear and want to join in? Others don’t get much Bible study, so there may be a hushed silence when you read. Perhaps they hear it and come over to question you and then you will have an opportunity to give your testimony. If this is the only Word of God that they will ever get, then so be it.

Another thing you can do while you read is to translate the old English (if you have a King James Version) into modern English. You can also use words or phrases interpreted by Otis Q. Sellers from his many studies in Seed & Bread and the TL-Series disks of different words and phrases from the Greek and Hebrew. We want everyone to know the truth revealed in the Word of God—truth that some may never have heard. This is our desire.

Reading the Scriptures aloud or repetitively helps everyone understand the Bible better. The more you are familiar with Scripture, the more understanding, knowledge and wisdom you will gain concerning God’s Word. Just read the Bible.

Maybe you will not understand everything you read, but that is not that important. There are things that you may read for years and years, and yet do not fully understand. However, once in a while things that were a little obscure become crystal clear. So, never give up on reading your Bible.

Maybe you have a concordance. Use it to locate specific words in use in other places in Scripture to help with understanding the usage of those words in the Bible. Sellers used different concordances, like Young’s Analytical Concordance and Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, when he published his The Word of Truth magazine and other booklets. One big help nowadays is found on the computer Web site www.blueletterbible.org (Home Page). You can use its concordances and other versions of the Bible, like the New American Standard Bible (NASB), the New International Version (NIV) and the New King James Version (NKJV). This Web site also has an audio feature, so that you can listen to any version of the Bible that is found in the Web site.

We can access the whole Bible and many helps like Sellers’ TL-Series on MP3 compact disks. If you do not feel like reading it, you can listen to it. Hearing the Word of God is just as good as reading it.

We, who are believers, love the Words of God when they are read in their correct contexts, unlike the readings of so many churches that some of us have been to or listen to on the radio. Read for yourself subjects of interest in the Bible. Use Sellers’ Seed & Bread leaflets and booklets, or listen to Sellers’ cassette tapes or the MP3 compact disks. And look up the verses Sellers refers to for extra understanding and let God’s truth come upon you. And let God’s Word go with you and bless you as you read it and/or listen to it.