What would have happened had Herbert W. Armstrong chosen a different successor? Mr. Armstrong considered several men before deciding on Joseph Tkach Sr. Dave Havir interviews Aaron Dean about the individual men Mr. Armstrong considered to succeed him after his death. Mr. Dean also talks about the council of elders Mr. Armstrong had earlier appointed to choose a successor in the event of his incapacitation or death. For the interview, please see the print version of The Journal.

A former Ambassador College public-relations officer remembers Inez Phillips, who was murdered in Gladewater, Texas, in 1975. Her convicted killer was executed by the State of Texas a few weeks ago in the wake of a strained U.S.-Canadian relations because of the killer's Canadian citizenship. The Journal interviews the man who was one of the three Church of God people who paid a "strange" visit to Mrs. Phillips just hours before her death.

The Church of God International's elders meet in June for the first conference since a major split in early 1998.

CGI elder Orville Bumgardner of Jenkins, Ky., introduces members of the CGI's ministerial council.

CGI elder Ian Boyne of Jamaica has been guest-lecturing in classes about cults and cultism at a seminary in Kingston. The seminarians were researching the Church of God International and its roots in the Worldwide Church of God. Mr. Boyne defends "Armstrongism" and tells the students Armstrongites are more Evangelical than they are.

The chairman of the council of elders of the United Church of God, an International Association, defends the suspension of an Illinois elder who made a controversial presentation on tithing in January.

Letters to the editor in this issue include comments on The Journal's series on tithing; a suggestion for Sabbath-service formats; a message from a prisoner in Soledad; a comment on Bill Clinton as the apostle of hope; a sermon clarification by a Church of God pastor; and much, much more. For the most-read feature in The Journal, please see the print version.

Mordakhai Joseph and Dale Stogner announce the beginning of a videotaped series, "Teaching the Law."

A Dallas real-estate broker reports on the planned sale of the Ambassador University property in Texas to a college in Pittsburgh, Pa.

In editorials and columns in this issue of The Journal, Dan L. White comments on what he believes is the deplorable condition of the U.S. public-school system and suggests alternatives. He also draws analogies between the schools and the Churches of God. Jason Kirkpatrick analyzes, from a teenager's point of view, the shootings at the school in Littleton, Colo. Tim McCaulley says spiritual apartheid is not a biblical concept. Eric Snow answers four critics from last month's Journal, maintaining that discipline in the Churches of God breaks down if they tolerate heretics. Dave Havir says God will always provide a way of escape. Melvin Rhodes believes he has pinpointed the biggest problem in the Churches of God. And Ron Dart wonders if Jesus was a Jewish theologian.

Steven M. Collins, author of the book "The 'Lost' Ten Tribes of Israel: Found!," writes the third in The Journal's series on tithing. This is the essay The Journal originally intended to begin the series, but that all changed when the tithing controversy erupted a couple of months ago in Bloomington, Ill. Because of the Bloomington situation, The Journal first published Garry Pifer's article (in April), followed by Leon Walker's (in May).

Paul Yoos, with assistance from his wife, Christine, writes that Joshua 5 does not hold the key to understanding the wave sheaf. One of the consequences of the old WCG's traditional understanding of Joshua 5 and the way the WCG, since 1974, counted 50 days from Unleavened Bread to Pentecost, was that more changed than just Monday to Sunday. The other change, which most Church of God people are not aware of, says Mr. Yoos, is that in some years Pentecost is not just one day different but a whole week different from the pre-1974 observance.

The half-century-old Bible Sabbath Association announces winners of scholarships for would-be college students.

Church of Christ elder B.B. Harding of Nashville, Ark., challenges Christian Leadership Academy director Alfred Harrell of Hot Springs, Ark., to a debate about the Sabbath. The challenge came after Mr. Harding read a flier that advertised a recent CLA campaign in Texarkana. Dr. Harrell said he is willing to debate Mr. Harding and hopes to do so soon.

Garner Ted Armstrong warns his listeners of end-time events in a campaign in June in Huntsville, Ala.

The United Church of God-Germany reports on German-language publications.

A conference in Little Rock, Ark., aims to build bridges between various congregations of the Churches of God.

In "Notes and Quotes," you're invited to an annual fellowship picnic in Kansas City; the CGOM plans to sponsor four Feast sites; and Garner Ted Armstrong says an invasion from space is coming soon.

In Connections, Darlene Warren talks about serious running.

Connections runs classified ads. Here are some representative ads and prayer requests from the June 30 issue.

From Connections, Jamie Cartwright counsels: Never fear because God can hear.

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