Rev. Rob Renfroe
This blog is in response to an open letter to me from Dr. James C. Howell.
Dear James,
Hi. Nice to meet you. At least, I don’t think we’ve met. Perhaps I’m wrong since you seem so certain you know who I am and what’s in my heart.
I’ll respond to some of the personal references you made about me below (especially the rumor you are falsely spreading about raising money to “ply” African delegates); but, first, I’d like to address what I believe is most important which is this: you may not like the messenger, but for the sake of the church you and others would do well to listen to the message.
The One Church Plan will devastate the United Methodist Church. It will cause hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of United Methodists to leave the church. It will cause thousands of congregations to leave. It will result in millions of dollars and countless hours being spent in ugly litigation.
How can I be sure? We at Good News polled 150 leading conservative UM pastors, theologians and lay persons. Ninety percent said they would be forced to leave the UMC if the One Church plan passed. Many of these were pastors of some of our largest churches. We have seen this exodus occur in other denominations when they changed their sexual ethics. There is no reason to believe it will be different with us.
Your blog focused on me and my issues, deficiencies, anger – choose whichever word best describes your thoughts. However, you failed to address the issue I raised: the plan the Council of Bishops has endorsed will not keep the church together but will cause it to shatter.
In the video, did I come across a little angry? I believe the majority of bishops have endorsed a plan that denies the clear teaching of the Bible, corrupts our sexual ethics, harms people spiritually, and will divide the church. It’s a plan that would leave millions of us with two possible responses: one, stay in the church and become complicit in leading people into sin; or, two, leave the denomination we have given our lives to serve. How should I feel about that? Slightly concerned, a bit bothered, or a little angry?
What is frustrating is that we conservative leaders have done our best to speak and write publicly and to share our position privately with centrist and progressive bishops so they would know exactly what their plan would do, if passed. And, yet, this is the plan they are pushing.
Why would they do that? In my talk to the Confessing Movement within the Texas Annual Conference, I listed three possible reasons. The first was hubris. I’m not alone in that feeling. Two conservative bishops have told us privately, “they (the centrist and progressive bishops) don’t realize how little people trust them. They are so out of touch they really think they have enough influence to sway the General Conference.” All these bishops need to do is read the Towers Watson study the church commissioned several years ago to see that people in our pews do not trust them. Thinking you are more important than you are and have more influence than you do could rightly be called hubris.
The second reason they may have endorsed the One Church Plan, I suggested, could be ignorance. They are ignorant of our beliefs and how deeply we hold them. We have stated countless times we cannot live in a denomination that denies the clear teaching of the Bible and that the One Church Plan would force us to leave. Either they don’t care (see the next point) or they don’t believe us – which is to demonstrate real ignorance as to who we are and what we will do if their plan passes.
Third, I mentioned it’s possible some bishops hold us in contempt. If you doubt that, here are statements by two of our most progressive bishops.
In his self-described “post-mortem” of General Conference 2012 Bishop Robert Hoshibata called our present position on sexuality “homophobia” which of course makes those of us who support it homophobes. He went on to state that those who voted to support the church’s teachings “demonstrated their inability to incorporate the value of ‘reason’ in their thinking and voting.” That’s how he thinks of conservatives. Not that we interpret Scripture differently. Not that our reasoning is flawed when it comes to sexual ethics. But that we are incapable of using reason when it comes to sexual ethics.
In an article published by The United Methodist Reporter Bishop Minerva Carcano wrote, “Delegates from Africa once again proclaimed that their anti-homosexual stand was what U.S. missionaries taught them. I sat there wondering when our African delegates will grow up. It has been 200 years since U.S. Methodist missionaries began their work of evangelization on the continent of Africa; long enough for African Methodists to do their own thinking about this concern and others.”
Traditionalists are incapable of using reason. Africans are infantile in their thinking. These are contemptuous statements that reveal how some of our bishops think about people who hold views different from their own.
Whatever the reason, the majority of our bishops have failed us. They have endorsed a plan that is not likely to pass and that, should it pass, will devastate the church. We had hoped they would do better. The church deserved better.
What you did not mention regarding my talk is my claim that I have for at least the last eight years written and spoken across the country that it’s time to stop the fighting and come up with a solution that has no winner or losers, no villains or victims, just good people who see things differently and admit it’s time to bless each other and go our separate ways. But centrist leaders and progressive bishops have refused to support such a solution. Instead, they have endorsed a plan that will guarantee the ugliest, most harmful General Conference we have had in modern times. That’s not what I have wanted or worked for. And so, I have no option but to contend for what I believe to be true – just as progressive and centrist bishops and leaders are doing.
It’s a nice rhetorical trick to say, “I’ve heard a rumor; here it is; but surely, it can’t be true.” You get to do damage to the person you’re slandering but can deny that you actually made an accusation. The rumor you are passing along but “can’t believe is true” is that I am raising money to “ply” African delegates with “favors.” Since the publication of your open letter, you claim in the comments section of your blog that this rumor “sadly, has been confirmed as true.”
You provided no new evidence. You presented no additional facts.
Here are the facts: Good News and the other renewal groups have not and do not need to ply delegates in Africa with favors to sway them to vote for a traditionalist plan. The idea they could be influenced or “bought off” by financial gifts says much more about the one making the claim than it does about them. Our African brothers and sisters are persons of great integrity, thoroughly committed to a traditional sexual ethic, and have recently been taking their rightful place of leadership within our global denomination. I can assure you their consciences are not for sale. At no time has Good News, the other renewal groups, or I given money or provided any kind of material assistance to African United Methodists with the expectation they would support our position on marriage and sexual ethics. Their support for a biblical view of marriage and sexuality was never in doubt.
I feel certain I did not refer to anyone in my talk as a hypocrite. At least, a word search of the text I used for the talk you referenced does not indicate I did. I do not believe those who differ from me regarding sexual ethics are hypocrites. I believe, in general, they are good people who see things differently than I do.
I’m not offended you find me lacking in the fruit of the Spirit, only amazed that someone who doesn’t know me or my ministry, and who seems not to have read how I believe we should relate to LGBTQ persons has such powers of discernment from such a great distance. I have been called so much worse by others who champion tolerance (hard-hearted, evil, bearing nothing of the Spirit of Christ – just look at some of the comments your blog evoked), that your analysis is rather tame.
But how I relate to individuals who are in need of the church’s ministry (straight or gay) is very different from how I feel called to address leaders in the church who I believe are leading the church astray. Not that I’m in their company, but I wonder how you would have responded to Paul’s “anathema” upon those who were leading the Galatians astray, or to Jude’s tirade and name calling of those who were liberalizing the church’s sexual ethic in his time, or to Jesus’ lambasting of the Pharisees with words such as “brood of vipers,” “white-washed tombs,” and “hypocrites.” Would you have questioned if there was love in their hearts? Would you have told them that it must be difficult for them to live in their own skin? Or that once you were like them, but, thank God, you’re not like that any longer?
I will take you up on your offer and continue to try to understand you and others who hold a different position than I do. As I said in my talk, I don’t want to fight anymore – not with you or with anyone. What plan can you propose that will bring unity to the church and stop our painful struggle? I’d welcome your proposal.
All the best,
Rob Renfroe
President
Good News
Dear Rob Renfroe,
Thank you for your thoughtful response, and for defending the principles of Methodism laid by John Wesley. More important, thank you for defending the Holy Scriptures.We are deeply saddened by the very thought of the demise of the UMC; but, we pray on for God’s Intervention. Corinthians speaks well for your actions:
1Co 4:10 ” We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute.
1Co 4:11 To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless,
1Co 4:12 and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;
1Co 4:13 when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.”ESV
Well done Brother in Christ.
Rob – You are the most misunderstood person in the UMC. I am proud to call you friend and will proudly stand by you in public. #seeyouinstLouis
You are apeaking the truth and standing on solid ground when you oppose the “one church plan”‘. Thank you for doing what is right founded by the exalted word of God!!
You held out the opportunity for Christian conferencing, even to the end of your blog. I commend your restraint. Being accused of buying votes must have truly stung and yet you didn’t return spite for spite, You modeled well how Christians should engage one another when disagreeing. I wish it were more common. Thank you.
just to clarify… I didn’t accuse. There is a widespread rumor, which many believe and are certain is true (and no one has suggested it’s “buying votes”) – and so for Rob to dispel it is a healthy thing for the church. I have to say that I wonder why Rob and others don’t see One Church as a space to continue doing what they’ve been doing, to teach what they teach, and then to ponder their brothers and sisters, made so by Jesus himself, and pray for them as they’ve not seen truth just yet. The mission of the broader church then isn’t dented and we bear witness to a cynical world that we aren’t like every other divided group in a rancorous society.
Rev Rob Renfroe:
Thank you for a response to criticisms you face from those of us who believe we should maintain a diverse and unified denomination. I don’t think there is an amicable solution to this dispute, speaking only as a lay leader in our connection and certainly not with someone with theological chops to counter some of what you say.
However, I am pretty good as a political person and I see where this issue plays out in the highly political environment we face going into a special General Conference next year. You will succeed in defeating a One Church plan. Traditionalists who support your view of Scripture will also fail in gaining support for a more aggressive enforcement of our “inccombalitability” language.
So we are headed for schism, one way or another. I think the issue now is what terms define our pending divorce?
I think you are capable of starting a new, traditional Methodist movement, let’s call it the Traditional Methodist Church. You will need to define how your departing congregations buy their property and thus release Trust Clause obligations… none of this “affiliated autonomous congregation” stuff. You leave, you have to make the UMC whole with property and with clergy pension obligations. Clergy supporting your departure will have to take a lump sum distribution of their pension assets and go with whatever you propose to set up in your new denomination.
Go in peace. I suspect there will not be “millions” of Methodists or “thousands” of congregations who will follow you but you have every right to establish a new denomination where LGBTQ people are not considered compatible with Christian teaching. BTW, have you tried that idea on anyone under age 30?
You will quickly understand why we are losing our prophetic voice among the next generations.
But… as I said… go in peace and serve the Lord. Just get out of our hair so we can go on making disciples who will transform the world.
With grace to you and those who must depart,
Mike McCurry
Thank you for exposing the racism and xenophobia of the Progressive Left.
Dear Rob,
My husband and I stand behind you. We have been in ministry for 34 years and have been attacked for our conservative teachings of the scripture and standing by the discipline of the UMC.
We will continue to pray for the church and hope that people turn back to The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and realize that we are heading down a wrong path and need God’s guidance more than ever.
Thank you for taking such a strong stand. You are our voice when we feel as if we cannot voice our thoughts.
Blessings to you
Rob:
You did a great job as you usually do. I commend your organization of thought and your graciousness to this person who had none. Thank you for your stand on Scriptural Authority. I will take my stand in love as well. I also believe The One Church Plan will be the downfall of our Church families. Again thank you. Shalom my brother.
Rev Renfroe stated his position clearly, did not use a cheap shot of unsubstantiated rumor, and did not provide a link to his newest book like Dr. Howell. Further, the tone did not seem condescending, like the open letter addressed to Rev. Renfroe.
The main reason I left the United Methodist Church last year was the denominational leaders’ lack of focus on Jesus and their failure to stand on the authority of Scripture. WCA, I believed, was on the right track, but I couldn’t wait another two years to live the abundant life in Christ and worship Him in the Bible way. #JesusIsTheSubject
Wonderful and grace filled response. Thank you for your ministry and leadership. God’s Word stands true
Thx for standing for truth
Rob I commend you for taking the stance you have taken. I met you at your talk in Huntsville and told you then how much I appreciate you for doing the difficult work you’re doing. You’re taking a lot of heat from the liberals for standing on traditional Christian moral grounds. Thank you for helping lead us. Your comments are spot on. You have my continued support. God bless you.
This was a great response. The further we go into this mess, I am so amazed at the people who I have always regarded as wise, educated Christian leaders who can’t understand why traditionalists can’t compromise on this issue. When I read Paul’s letters to Timothy, it strangely feels like they are addressing our current times. I am so in agreement with Rob that we should orchestrate a peaceful separation, because he’s so right…..a schism/split is inevitable. It needs to be the conservatives that leave, because if the traditional plan actually wins, the turmoil will be disastrous in terms of blatant violations and intentional rebellion, along with very nasty retaliatory actions that will be such ugly press for the UMC.
Rob, when a member of my congregation comes to me with a rumor about another member and wants me to act on it, I call it by its true name (gossip) and require that the party named in the gossip be part of the conversation if it is to continue. The UMC still has a judicial system, and if there are questions of conduct, that is the venue to sort them out. I am sorry that you were treated so disrespectfully, and pleased that you responded so gently. I will say that I am on the WCA mailing list, but have never received any request for a bribe for African delegates.
Thank you! Concise, compassionate, complete on an emotionally complex issue! My heart is broken that it has come to this but taking a stand is imperative. Rev. Maxie Dunam, a man I love and respect, once said that at its root this is about the authority of scripture! I agree! May God keep our hearts tender but our theology firmly and unswervingly rooted in the Word of God!
Wow! Everything you said is absolutely true…we left the UMC over a year ago over similar views we did not share with UMC. I’m sorry to see this had to be written, but so happy there are people within the church willing to stand their ground and say what needs to be said! Well done!
God bless Rob Renfroe. Rob has spoken truth to a group intoxicated by their own arrogance and power – the Council of Bishops.
Thanks Reverend for you thoughtful response. As a retired military officer, I am appalled by the lack of leadership displayed by the UMC COB. I hope they are at least thinking of how to handle the loss they are advocating and provide a graceful departure for those who think differently than they. If not, the harm will not just be to the reputation of the UMC, but to Christ’s Church as a whole. As it is, too many see the mainline churches as adrift and with no conviction other than filling seats and collection plates.
I would think that it is time for the Methodist congregation to purge the centrist and liberal bishops. If there is not a movement back to the church of Acts soon, the Methodists will go the way of the dinosaurs. The response of using ‘reason’ is a way of telling us to write the Word in a politically correct way.
Excellent response Rob (as usual). You continue to amaze those of us who are weary of this fight and often feel that we are losing ground. Your words encourage and provide us a way forward where others have massively failed to do so. May God continue to bless you in your ministry and leadership.
Well said, Rob. The kind of love & restraint witnessed in your response could only happen through the power of the Holy Spirit. Thanks for your steady leadership & know our prayers are with you and Good News for the days ahead…
Rob, I have read & listened to your remarks for decades. Many times I have been struck by the reasoned, peaceful tenor with which you speak. Your carriage, even when evinced with anger, has been gentle. Thank you for your leadership.
It is interesting to note that James Howell has now deleted his comment in his own blog’s comment section where he said the rumor “sadly has been confirmed as true”.
Keep up the good fight brother Rob! My wife and I are praying for you and standing with you. I have had many lay people tell me that if the One Church Plan is passed or if homosexual practice is ever endorsed by the church they will leave the denomination. There are plenty of other denominations to choose from.
One asked why don’t those who want to change us leave and form their own denomination.
Andy Maxwell
Pastor Forsyth UMC
Forsyth, IL
Thanks Rob, I was surprised by Jim Howell’s initial letter. He chastised you for being angry and bitter while at the same time being angry and bitter himself. This whole debate is making us all a little crazy. Thanks for hanging in there and fighting the good fight!
I watched the agony of the EUB split during the merger to become UMC. 1966. I grew up EYB with sweet ushers having Hershey chocolates for me as a young child every Sunday. An act of kindness and love that left an impression. Those same people stood up in the congregational meeting and said “those Methodists are going to Hell. We will not have anything to do with them.” And also watched the disruption of congregations buying back their property, etc and all the anger and bitterness that lingered. At the young age of
16, I knew that for me that was not the compassionate God I worshipped. I have come to believe that religious institutions, like all institutions these days, need to change as all evolves to deeper Love. Yes. May each go their own way in Peace and Non-Judgment. The New will create thriving Life for both belief systems
Signed: former UMC pastor’s wife for 20 years
I WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT YOUR EFFORTS,BECAUSE YOU ARE INSPIRED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Thank you, Rob, for being a shining beacon of light in the darkness.
Why is Africa the Americans’ punching bag. The conservatives hate us with a passion as people who come from Shithole churches as their president called our countries shitholes it means his followers in the church call our churches shitholes also.
The progressives calls us homophobic and backwards as well as non thinkers.
When the two ends don’t agree Africa becomes the victim. The traditionalist confessing movement and godnews is gathering African delegates in Nairobi so that they tell them how to vote. Sometimes bribe is not paying money it can be treating people as colonial entities.
The issue of homosexuality is not something on our table for debate right now as an Africa problem.
When in 1972 this was introduced in the book of discipline we had very few African delegates.
I have served in Africa UMC to the position of Secretary General for my central conference I do not remember any moment homosexuality was on our agenda.
Non of the African conferences has ever face an LGBTQ person seeking ordination. Actually most of us do not understand what most of those letter on the acronym stands for.
It is my thinking that you people in the USA sort out your divisions.
Those who can not find reason to stay together and they wish to leave The United Methodist Church they can leave. I don’t think in Africa we are bothered about who is leaving. The UMC numbers in the USA are going down anyway in both progressive and conservatives churches. So you are busy already leaving.
My interactions with Americans tells me that some are leaving because the UMC is even debating about homosexuality so they are very conservative and they can’t stand the debate and some churches in Mississippi have already left for that reason.
Some are leaving because we have the incompatibility language in our book of discipline so they can’t withstand it because they are so progressive so to say so far I have not heard of any congregations who left for that reason but many families and individuals have left.
So both you are leaving and you will continue to leave no matter what.
On the other hand our churches in Africa are growing in lips and bounds because our focus is preaching and being in mission Evangelism is a daily activity no matter the discussions in the USA.
So please all sides can you let us focus on mission as you have decided to focus of fighting.
But here is my point we in Africa shall be The United Methodist Church no matter what you decided at your general conference.
That is not going to affect our local churches we shall be The United Methodist Church period.
You may cooperate on voting whichever way through colonial control, or bribes or whatever other evils you can use to win or loose votes.
In Africa we shall be The United Methodist Church. We did not participate when you wrote the language don’t drag us that it’s now dividing you.
But leave The United Methodist Church standing with our cross and flame and many other heritages.
So friends on both sides of the American divide you would do us favour if you stop using the name of Africa to make scores in your wars. Americans naturally like wars, dominating, control,intimidation,and all other racist propaganda which is now being brought into the church.
My thought was the one church plan was going to help you Americans stay together respecting your differences but looks like no one likes it on both sides.
Then I realized that all this debate is not about being church or Christ.
It all about power and control and there is fear also of the growth taking place in Africa with a plan to push us out through false love, false support, false partnerships, false connections, false cooperation.
This trick was used for Latin America before and now they are out. Then racism was used as the issues but real issues was power and control as Latin America was the Center of growth then.
Now Africa may be the target to push out and homosexuality is being fronted as the issue.
Some
Of us are seeing beyond the curtains.
For now I urge my African brothers and sisters to be in prayer and watching. Thank you
Rob, having served on the Good News Board for several years I continue to pray for the kind of insights that can give us hope for a united future. As a historian, I can tell you that splits rarely if ever cause revival. Revival sometimes cause splits but splits rarely if ever cause revival. I am as orthodox as you are, believe me, but I want the mind of Jesus.
I pray for you and the kind of Church that embraces all her children. Please read beyond Romans 1:27. I’m included in that list, as are you.. I’m praying for grace and hope..
Pray for me.
Mike Mcurry – your parting line “get out of our hair” was UNCALLED for.
If the one church plan is passed it will definately loose my family and Im a life long member of the UMC . That will be the last straw for me. They should support GOD’s word always and not mans sick mind
Dear Rob Renfroe,
Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for saying out loud what I have felt in silence. I have left my local United Methodist Church after being a faithful member all of my adult life; choir member, Sunday School teacher, church council member. My husband was the president of the United Methodist Men’s group for our church. Both of our children were raised in the UMC. But we can no longer listen to, or stand to watch the “bishops” of this church ignore the beliefs and feelings of the local members. As if we are ignorant, silly, children, to be taught one thing our entire lives and then one day, told to suddenly “believe” something else. To go against the teachings of the Bible, for no other reason than because the bishops say so! So that they will appear to be more kind, or more reasoned, or more liberal, or better educated. My heart breaks for the United Methodist Church. I know they believe they will bring in more young people by being more “liberal” and open minded. It won’t work. Young people, like my children, are attending non-denominational churches that don’t mince words. Stop living in sin. That’s what they’re preaching at the mega-churches, and the young people are coming in droves. They’re having to build bigger and bigger churches, while the mealy mouthed churches are looking at empty pews. My son has taken to attending traditional Catholic mass, so that he doesn’t have worry about someone suddenly “re-interpreting” the rules. I have great hope in Jesus Christ. I have great love for the Church. I have great love and respect for the teachings of John Wesley. But I have only a deep, deep sadness for the future of the United Methodist Church.
Reverend Renfroe, thank you for a thoughtful response to an open letter from someone who is filled with as much hubris as some of our bishops. While Dr. Reverend Howell states he stands for one thing his words reveal that he actually stands opposed to the authority of scripture and is in fact guilty of what James says in James 4:4-5, ” 4 You adulterers![a] Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him.”
Dear Rob: I watched your address and read the response mentioned in this article. God bless you for your leadership. I have also enjoyed the articles explaining the three “plans.” It seems that the one allowing for 3 jurisdictions is actually just creating three distinct denominations (or more probably, two). I derive this from the masterly summaries.
I was an U.M.C. pastor for almost 20 years, but due to circumstances lost my credentials (due to taking another job and missing a deadline…long story, not pertinent), and then lost my marriage. About 5 years in, I decided to “come out,” and am now spending my senior years ministering to a house church (traditional), an independent-inclusive church, and serving as a hospital chaplain. I miss the ole’ UMC, but do not miss the fight over gay, trans, et. al rights. You would think that I would be against your ministry, but sir, I appreciate what you are doing. While an UM pastor, I upheld my ordination vows and Doctrine of the church, and that is all you are doing. May God bless you and may true Charity grow in both camps as you work your way to what will surely be two churches, each called to a different mission.
This statement in your text is what we all should realize.
It’s time to stop the fighting and come up with a solution that has no winner or losers, no villains or victims, just good people who see things differently and admit it’s time to bless each other and go our separate ways.
The hard truth is that this has been ripping at the inner souls of UMs for decades. We need to move on. The only proposal that makes sense is the traditional, but until the church leaders uphold church law, that won’t move us forward.
Suspend the trust clause, allow each congregation to go its separate way and be done with it is the only solution that will end the debate within the UMC. Although, I believe that it won’t take long for the newly formed denomination to be attacked from within, just as the UMC has been for many years.
Thank you for your good work.
The stance of the progressives who are demanding change, as exhibited by Mike McCurry’s comment, just baffles me. The progressives are demanding change in the BOD- not the traditionalists- so why is it the progressives act as if the traditionalists are the ones who must leave? It seems to me if the progressives aren’t happy, and fail in forcing the changes they desire, they should be the ones who have to leave.
Glad I am a Baptist!! We are conservative!!!
Here is what I think Jude would wrte in a letter 2000 years after his 1st one: An imaginary 2nd Letter of Jude 2000 years after the First.
Dear Friends, and to all true believers in Christ Jesus, the anointed one, our
redeemer, who by His grace has redeemed us, has provided for us eternal life in
heaven through faith in His life as fully God and fully man, the complete and exact
image of the one and only creator God who loved us in the past, loves us now, and
will love us in the future just as your beloved teacher and fellow follower of our
faith eloquently preached in a heartfelt message on May 5, 2018. Mr. Jim T.
explained that no one, nothing can stop God from loving. Yes, God is indeed love,
but not all love is God!
I wanted to write you a letter about our shared salvation which we have in Jesus
the Christ and the hope we share in many things, in particular the hope we have of
seeing our loved ones who have died when Jesus comes again. That day is nearer
than when I first wrote to you. However, there has recently been a crisis in your
beloved Methodist churches in American and in particular in Illinois and Indiana
where you, my beloved brothers and sisters, worship and glorify our great and
awesome God.
The main reason I wrote to you in 67 A.D. was to warn of false teachers coming
into the church. I’m writing you today to tell you there are many already here and
have become bolder and are insisting everyone agree with their false ways of
doing. Their beliefs have intensified especially the past few years with the things
they do being “worser and worser.”
Many of our fellow Christian believers are succumbing to what sounds like love,
but is not the love that Jesus, or Paul, or Peter, or Little John and all the other God
inspired writers wrote about. False believers are saying and teaching things which
are not true love; what they proclaim sounds true, but it is not. Sadly these false
teachers think what they are doing is good and compassionate, but they are things
God does not like. These false leaders are somewhat different today than in my
first letter to you. They believed in the teaching of Gnosticism which has been
explained to you clearly by your scriptural coach and Sunday School teacher Mr.
Jim T. This belief was popular in that first century when I wrote my first letter to
you.
Today many do not know or ever heard of Gnosticism, but they are doing and
believing what it teaches. False teachers today are doing the same thing by
abusing the free grace that God gave us to do good, by doing bad stuff. This false
doctrine has multiplied greatly in your Methodist churches. Many of your
members are sincere, honest, moral people who are allowing themselves to be
duped by what sounds good in the name of love and tolerance towards others by
not witnessing to the true gospel they knew, but now have forgotten
A perfect example of failing to witness to the true gospel was on May 6, 2018
in your Bible study Sunday group when Mr. Jerry R. failed to support the true
gospel. He kept silent to the truth that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and
there is no other way but through Christ to the Kingdom of God when good works
were being considered to be included as a way to heaven. Please pray for Mr.
Jerry for he is remorseful. He knows he failed to witness to the true fact he
believes, thus giving strength to false teaching.
Leaders, teachers, pastors, bishops are abusing, in great numbers, the free grace
of God as a license to allow and/or enjoy sexual activities that God clearly stated
through His word, especially in the New Testament book of Romans, what these
wrongdoings are—sins are what they are. False teachers proclaim what they are
supporting as good, but they are not.
Yes, it is true what brother Mr. Jim T, quoted from written 2600 years ago, that the
world was a mess similar in some ways as it is today. Hundreds and hundreds of
years after creation the world became evil; so evil that God destroyed a whole
bunch of people and animals. We can see from cave drawings of those years all
kinds of sexual sins and perversions, even with beasts, were prevalent. Today we
can see these same events happening now on computer screens.
I wrote you in my first letter long ago what God had in store for those people who
dishonored God, and that those who do these wrong doings today can expect no
less than what happened to those I reminded you in my first letter in verses 6- 16.
If you do not remember, look it up.
False teachers are actually fulfilling Scripture before your eyes in many ways
besides sexual sins. For example, I Timothy 4:1-3 says that in the end times some
will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of devils
(v. 2), speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own consciences seared as with a hot
iron (v. 3) forbidding to marry (in other words saying sex outside of marriage and
with whomever they desire, male or female is ok and good). Some are
commanding laws to abstain from certain food such as meat, which God (v. 3) says
is OK.
These false leaders act as though what they believe in their spirit has no
connection to what they do with their bodies. You may remember, if not you can
look up what Paul, a bond servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, said in
chapter one in his letter to all who are called saints. Romans 1 explains what is
happening in the United Methodist churches in 2018. In verse 21 Paul writes some
who knew God, but did not glorify (worship) or give thanks to God, became futile
(empty, vain, foolish, useless and confused) and began to have foolish thoughts of
what God is and as a result their hearts were hardened.
Paul continues, “they changed in their life the glory of the awesome God who
saved them to the glory of honoring themselves and other humans, relying more
and more on their own thoughts and ideas of right and wrong rather than what
God says.” ( v. 24). Therefore we see what has come to fruition in the lives of
many. God allowed them to seek after the lusts of their hearts and as a result they
dishonored their bodies with one another and did vile and degrading things with
each other’s bodies. Thus they have traded the truth of God for a lie and have
begun and continue worse to enjoy things God created, instead of God. Trusting
more and more in things as human, they slowly moved from not believing Jesus
was both human completely and God completely to believing God was only for the
poor and the ignorant, believing that humans can solve all problems.
The truth is these people, Jesus said, are no longer God’s children receiving all His
promises of peace, heaven, etc, but are now the children, because of their trust in
themselves, of Satan. But still they who do these sexual previsions call themselves
children of God.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, I remind you to look at what Paul said it would be
like when human intelligence is trusted more than God. That time is here in
abundance and it is rapidly spreading. Romans 1:20, “Women have turned against
the natural way to have sex and instead indulge in sex with each other (v 27) and
of course men continue more and more of not having normal God given sex to
procreate and to have sex with women, instead they burn with lust for sex with
other men and with boys. Paul writes as a result of this sin, they suffer within
themselves the penalty they deserve. I am sorry friends, but at this time I do not
know what all that suffering they deserve implies.
Friends, you may recall how I described these false teachers in my first letter to
you all and the condemnation of what happened to those long ago who refused to
honor and obey God. In my first letter, I called them grumblers, complainers,
walking according to their own lusts and they bragged, at the same time they
flatter others to gain their own advantages. Look around, you will see rude,
conceited people who brag about what they do is right and good. They proclaim
those who disagree are ignorant and unloving and they are presently insisting on
laws to approve of their way of living. False teachers, leaders, pastors and bishops
are attempting in 2018 to change the doctrine and constitution of the Methodist
church and have already succeeded in some of the churches of your Christian
friends. These unbelievers are asking to become teachers, preachers and leaders
to our children, teaching them godless ways, and they do this in a loud, demanding
manner, insisting others should honor the rights they feel they deserve. By so
doing they are calling evil good and good evil, which has been prophesized, would
occur in the latter days. Their false love is about to create hell on earth to those
who disagree. There is no shame in what they openly do; that which they once
kept secret. (v. 13)
The problem today, friends, is that some of us, by not doing anything to prevent
this, are actually (Romans 1:32) applauding and encouraging those who would do
those godless things they promote.
These false teachers say many loving sounding things and preach tolerance of and
to everyone; they appear to have love and compassion and are fooling many who
are not rooted and abiding in the truth, Little John wrote about. But, rightly so,
Romans 2:2-5 says only God can really judge them. It is not our job to do so (v. 5).
(v. 7) On that day we all long for, God will reward or punish every person for what
that person has done. The people that continue to do right and live for God’s glory
and live for the heavenly life that has no end – God will give them eternal life. This
is the gospel truth preached from the beginning of time.
In verse 4 long ago I, Jude, wrote to you that God showed His condemnation of
ungodly people who pervert the free grace of God into lewdness, unashamed,
indecent, unbridled lust and unrestrained immorality. I once again remind you of
something you once fully knew from people who knew that Jesus, who saved
people out of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe and so on
through verse 16. If you have forgotten my message then look it up. It is the
same as I wrote you nearly 2000 years ago.
I close my 2nd letter to you on May 6, 2018. Friends, believers in Christ Jesus,
followers of His way, and in particular members of the United Methodist Church
across your own country and especially my fellow workers in Christ in the states of
Illinois and Indiana. Your board of Bishops are working on plans to implement into
your church beliefs, teachings, and methods that I believe will harm the
transformation of the world in making disciples of Christ and defeat john Wesley’s
encouragement to do good and to do no harm.
Contrary to the Scriptures we hold dearly, many of the LGBTQ in the church are
seeking the rights of homosexual, lesbians, and transgender to have the right to
preach, teach, or lead this perverted gospel of theirs which we clearly laid out is a
bad, ungodly belief, a bad doctrine that if adopted will lead the way out of the
promise of heaven into the death of God’s punishment and His Wrath.
These people hold beliefs that sound good, but are not. Believing that all people
are children of God, which 2nd John’s letter, Paul’s letters, and Jude feels and Jesus
Himself states that not all have God as their father, some have Satan as their
father. They believe and tell us love is God and God is love and therefore He will
not punish anyone and will definitely not assign anyone to hell if there is a hell,
which many of them believe there is not.
False teachers and leaders believe in trusting themselves as to what is right and to
do whatever feels good they do. They believe there are no absolute truths, let
alone believing in a man who taught 2000 years ago. They tell us this is a different
age, a different time. They tell us there are many ways to heaven, and sadly some
of them believe that there is no heaven or hell. They tell us that if there is a
heaven the way to get there is doing good that others can see.
These false teachers, ministers, leaders and bishops are compiling a plan called
“The Way Forward”. This group tells us Christians who are opposed are narrow
minded, selfish and hypocritical
Some hate us because we say Jesus or Bible, or speak of salvation, or repentance,
or sins. They plan to have this new sexual teaching adopted by the UMC in 2019 –
less than a year away.
As I wrote to you earlier in verses 20-21 of my first letter, I encourage you to build
up, to pray to wait for Jesus’ return, the one who gives eternal life, for in this way
you keep yourself safe in God’s love. 1st John 3:3 adds all who have this eager
hope and expectation purify their heart. Be sure not to neglect the gathering
together for He is able to keep us from falling.
I encourage you to take to heart in 1st Timothy 6:12 “Fight the good fight for the
true faith. Take hold of eternal life to which God has called you, which you
confessed before many witnesses.
In closing, I repeat to you. Do not slander or criticize and do have mercy on those
who doubt the truth. Merciful people do not only help with physical needs, but
also share the spiritual food that they have.
We must be aware of those:
Who deny Christ was both fully God and fully human,
Who believe they have a license to do whatever they feel like, with an it if
feels good,do it attitude,
Who are selfish, proud, disparaging and bitter in demanding their own way,
Who are divisive and fault finding of gospel truths,
Who believe all sexual activities are God approved for them to do what they
desire.
As Diotrephes took the warning of beware of false teachers too far, false teachers
today are taking to love one another too far.
May you always stand up for Jesus.
Thank you Rob for all you do. J
Does the current leadership of the UMC really believe that they can tip their wings into the Episcopalian death spiral and come out unscathed?