Letters

Dear TBC,

God bless you, and thank you for your ministry. This is more of a personal lament than anything. Truth is all but dead in this country, and I’m beginning to think it’s going that way in the Body. It’s so disheartening when you try to talk about truth and all you get is accused of judging....I really try to be prayerful, caring, accurate, and without hypocrisy. But people don’t want to hear it. All that matters anymore is people’s intentions. As long as they are “loving,” it doesn’t matter what they teach or do. They should just hand us baskets full of flowers as we enter the church so we can toss the petals in the air and chant nonsense. After all, it’s how we feel that [supposedly] defines truth. Is this really what Jesus died for? PE (email)

Dear Dave,

I have read your book, What Love Is This? I was raised in Reformed Theology..... I put my wife through this teaching for over 50 years of marriage. She never was, nor was I, taught the gospel as you have presented in your book….Through the teaching of [a non-denominational church] we went through the Bible verse by verse. This is how I came to know all about Jesus and to be born again….We are both in our late 70s. We praise God for over 59 years of marriage. If it weren’t for Jesus and being obedient unto His word we would have never made it. When we both die, we know where we are going—to heaven, without a doubt. JT (CO)

Dear Brother Tom,

Your [news]letters on “Consumer Christianity” have really hit home. I thought it was just me. Maybe I was becoming too critical or nit-picky, but my heart was grieving, I was starving….Ineeded encouragement to press on.... Being in the music end of things, I found that worship has become almost “ugly” to me. A lot of times suffering through the whole “production” onstage, fighting every moment to worship my Lord and King….I looked at the congregation…not many singing…I looked at the band…I couldn’t sing. I prayed, “Lord, all I want to do is praise you…you are the reason that I sing, have joy….Lead us, Holy Spirit.” [Our pastor had] brought in his own band…fired the worship leader…. The songs were great, and all have a lot of talent, but much was sacrificed to have perfect entertainment. They wanted “seeker-friendly-looking” people onstage, too….I was guilty by association. Worship is more than music. It’s a way of life, a way of being. Thank you for confirming some things for me. LT (WA)

Dear Dave,

I’ve started reading What Love Is This?...If the Lord tarries, this book will definitely become a classic. [You] certainly did a tremendous job of research, as is evident at the end of every chapter, and brought out arguments that any honest person would have to accept if he is looking for the truth. Having worked in the land of Calvin for the past 57 years, just a short distance from where he was born, we have witnessed firsthand what his doctrine did to the Reformation. France is filled with dead Reformed churches, many of which are now closed. Calvin had very little to do with the Reformation. It was going full blast before he ever came on the scene. Farrel was the great French reformer who led thousands to Christ and evangelized the city of Geneva to the extent that he turned the Catholic cathedral in that city into a protestant church—which it still is today. Though Calvin eventually became the pastor of that church, his “main contribution” to the Reformation was his theological writings, which finally killed off the great movement of the Spirit. AS (SC)

Dear Tom,

Okay, so “consumer Christianity” is bad, and we need to return to that “old-time religion” with long church sanctuaries, nailed down pews facing forward, stained glass, an elevated pulpit, and a divided chancellery with piano on one side and organ on the other. Oh, and no modern technology in video projection; only hymnals. And 30-minute sermons just choked-full [sic] of sound biblical teaching. Congratulations, you’ve alienated most of the very people we’re trying to reach….Shame on you guys for hitting the Calvinists, saying that they’ve missed God’s love, and that He cares for all men, when you turn around and hammer the contemporary church for being relevant to the masses. Purpose Driven ministries are fulfilling Jesus’ mandate in Matthew 28: 19, 20. I know, I’ve been to Saddleback Church. I’ve listened carefully to the teaching; I’ve observed the ministry, and none of this is a ploy to pagan human values. I know because I’ve served five biblical churches. Remember: “They don’t care what you say, or teach, until they know you care.” You should know this by now. TB (AZ)

Dear Berean Call,

I was very blessed by your March newsletter. It was truly an eye-opener. I believe that Christians who see the deception/delusion that is currently taking place must be fully awake and alert, for there has never been a time such as this. The Lord’s return must be very near. The thing that alarms me is that so many believers are still sitting in churches that are apostate. Will the Lord call them out? Will they listen to His call? I don’t think I ever read one of your newsletters yet that gripped me likethis one did. If this is going to be a worse thing than what Hitler did, is the church (the true believers) in North America prepared for what is coming?? HL (email)