Letters

Dear Dave,
I received my first Berean Call in April 1992. I have been blessed by every one. You are one of a handful of men who are confident enough in hearing from the Lord that you cannot be sidetracked from the message He gives you. Through much criticism, you still persist in revealing the Truth the Lord has spoken to you. Your ministry is MUCH needed to counteract the alternative influence of the “modern” church and the world. JW (OK)

Dear TBC,
I have just finished reading A Woman Rides the Beast by Dave Hunt....I have been a Catholic for 35 years...a Bible-believing Christian for 20 years. Everything you write about it is true. I have lived that and I know what it is. Jesus set me free from Catholicism. It is an oppressive and controlling system. I [was] a Catholic for all those years because that system was everything I knew, but I was searching for the truth, and I have found the truth in Jesus and in the Word of God....I am looking forward [to] His second coming. IP (UK)

Dear Dave and Tom,
I have been listening to your programs on psychotherapy. I have been burdened with guilt over a specific issue in my life. I have for too many years been searching for a sympathetic ear at church to help me. I have found none. Your programs finally made me realize my sin of unbelief. I need to go to the Lord Jesus. He’s God. He knows all about me. And most importantly, He loves me....“Trust in Him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before Him: God is a refuge for us. Selah” (Ps:62:8Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
See All...). I only tell Him now. DV (NV)

Hey Gentlemen,
I found your radio broadcast some years ago and was disappointed to hear you naming other ministries as “wrong,” “mistaken,” and “misleading.” Recently, I found your broadcast again on a new station...and found you are still doing the same old thing. This is...just a loving word of warning. When you decide to publicly criticize a gentleman like James Dobson, you are barking up the wrong tree and causing dissension among the brethren. Dr. Dobson has grown over the years from a Christian Psychologist to a Christian Activist. When you guys start speaking out against the forces that are trying to eliminate Christian freedom in this country and taking action to see they are stopped instead of looking down and pecking at those whose work does not agree with your own denominational interpretation you will truly become valuable in the Kingdom. Until then, be reminded of the scripture which says “touch not my anointed.”...God doesn’t need your help or mine.... Just a friendly warning, guys. JF (OH)

Dear Friends at TBC,
I’ve just returned from Iraq, so I’m catching up on my TBCnewsletters! I just want to send a short (but long-time coming) note in response to the comment from the New Jerseypastor. First of all—take heart, for there is no shame in being “reactionary and redundant in your words.” Even Paul said, “To write the same things to you...is not grievous, but...it is safe” (Phil:3:1Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
See All...), and Peter said “I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them” (2 Pet:1:12Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.
See All...). Repetition accompanies good teaching. With regards to accusations that you “go around shooting our fellow soldiers,” I say: Brothers and sisters stop whining, get back to the Bible, and there you’ll find the Word of God calling sin “sin,” and sinners “sinners,” even if those sinners are professing believers. Jesus called the hypocritical religious leaders of the day “thou hypocrites” (Matt:15:7Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
See All..., etc.). John the Baptist called them “generation of vipers” (Matt:3:7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
See All..., etc.). Jesus and John were speaking to those who knew better.

Is it wrong to share by name those who’ve erred, have hurt others in the body of Christ, and have given a poor witness to the world? The apostle Paul called Peter out publicly on his hypocrisy and prejudice—even wrote down the account in his letter to the Galatians (Gal:2:11-15 [11] But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. [12] For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. [13] And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. [14] But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? [15] We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles,
See All...). Paul also shared with Timothy, “all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes” (2 Tim:1:15This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
See All...); “And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus” (2 Tim:2:17And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus;
See All...); “Demas hath forsaken me...Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works” (2 Tim:4:10For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
See All..., 14).  The apostle John said “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not” (3 John:1:9I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
See All...). We Christians need to remember that loving God and others does not necessarily mean being [gentle] or silent [concerning heresy].  Much of the New Testament was written to confront and correct. In fact, the entirety of Scripture has been given to us “for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Tim:3:16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
See All...). More often than not, reproof, correction, and instruction are not always nice, but good and right. I hope that when I err (and I do), faithful Christians come alongside of me and carefully point out my sin....And if my ministry is a public one, I know I risk being confronted in a public way (1 Tim:5:20Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
See All...)....I’m so weary of professing Christians who seem to have bought into some unbiblical, non-confrontational Jesus, ignoring the often-uncomfortable calling of reproof, correction, and instruction the Scriptures calls us to...even if it means calling out people by name. Dave, Tom, and TBCfriends, keep up the strong work!  God be with you and yours. JO (CA)