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David's Testimony

Email is a great way to communicate (SOMETIMES)!  

Over the years, I've received a LOT of email.  MOST of it is in the form of personal attacks, rebukes, disputes, etc.  Most of it is also from the ungodly, obscene and vile who want to correct everyone else while their own lifestyle condemns them.

There are still others who somehow believe God has directed them personally to the internet to correct all the Pastors in the world.  They have no respect for anyone, no honor for anyone and certainly no shame in what they say.  There are many who claim the mark of Christianity in their life, yet who speak to the Pastor in a very demeaning manner. 

The truth is that whether you agree or disagree with someone, you should STILL give honor where honor is due, respect to whom respect is due. 

Below are a few of the emails received and the comments, answers, etc to them.  Some of them went back and forth for a while before ending.  These are only a handful and I'll add more as time goes on.

From the Elijah Project: 

I'm not sure why there are those who have taken it upon themselves to surf the internet looking for an argument.  Many of these people have found their way to our website (or so it seems).  In the Five years our site has been up, I haven't received ONE SINGLE email that is worthy of biblical discussion between myself and the one writing.  The vast majority of emails are personal attacks and rebukes, none of which have been on a solid biblical foundation.

An overwhelming number of people seem to think that they can send "one liners" along with one scripture and that is supposed to suddenly, irreversibly discount and eradicate literally YEARS of study, research and teaching.  More often than not, the one line, one scripture theolgians contradict themselves very quickly when confronted with scriptures they can't explain.  This usually results in these people getting angry.  I suppose they have a hard time with anything other than their own personal doctrine.

I hate to even have to say this, but folks, if you can't write more than a 1 minute, 1 line, 1 scripture email, you should be ashamed of yourself,  especially when your meager attempt is to refute literally hours of teaching.  When you've thoroughly studied the subject for yourself, why not try again?

With that said, here are a few examples of the emails we receive on a daily basis. Some folks love me, some folks hate me!   I'll included both types here.  Expletives will be hidden (yes, expletives, even from some who call themselves Christian.

Some People Love Me

Greg writes, Thank you for your website teaching on the NIV vs KJV. For some time now I have been wrestling with the NIV because I have found many poor translations and omissions. I have always used the KJV. Recently in Sunday school the teacher asked us to memorize some Bible verses from the NIV. I wanted to go along with it for unity. But the first verse was Romans 1:17; "...The just shall live by faith". The NIV use "righteous" for "just". While the KJV sometimes translates both "righteous" and "just" from the same Greek word, I understand that in context with the whole book of Romans and the Gospel, "just" is the better translation in Romans 1:17, because "just" implies Christ's righteousness. The nuance on beauty is lost in the NIV. I protested to the teacher that Romans 1:17 is one of my favorite verses because of it's historic significance to the reformation, and one of the verses that rings with truth, as it did for Martin Luther, when he studied Romans, and God moved him to "protest" the false doctrines of the Catholic church. 

I was prompted by God's spirit when the error sounded like an alarm in my ears, and did not ring with the beauty of God's truth, when the NIV was read. I have been researching the NIV. I have found many good websites. I like yours the best. I will pass it along to my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ

Pastor, I love you and your congregation for being my brothers and sisters in Christ, and for your teaching on the Internet. I am greatly edified by your work that you have done in Christ.

Michael wrote "I'm writing to let you know that your lesson/study (The Godhead) was a blessing to me and those that I shared it with. It was search a blessing, I made it into a power point slide presentation. I shared it with my pastor and It will be taught to our church. Your study will be taught to many. I also want you to know that I agree with you. In order to understand the Baptism, we must first get an understanding of the Godhead. I'm hoping one day that I will get a chance to meet you and the church family. God bless and keep up the good work."

Michael, you are always more than welcome here anytime at all.  Please feel free to use any material you find on this site.

"Thank you for an encouraging, positive Christ glorifying site. Blessings be upon you as you stand against the rising tide of apostasy. May God so inspire your creativity that you would reach thousands for the Kingdom of God."

I am so sick of hitting Christian websites that have sold their soul to the one world religion movement.  They say they believe in Jesus but turn around and say they believe in every other pagan deity around the world.  They speak of love but what they really mean is acceptance and tolerance of even the vilest of the vile.  Keep it up.  I know you must get attacked every day over this site, but keep it up.  I'm praying for you."  Jerry B.

Hello, I just wanted to say This is a nice site. I can understand your teaching like nobody else.  It is very deep, yet so simple.  It reminds me of the "simplicity that is in Christ".  Thank you so very much for sharing your gift from God.

I think that your webpage is wonderful. I have a renewed interest in bible study thanks to you.  I could spend hours on your site. Thank you.

Judy M. said: "You don't pull any punches do you?  I like that.  The teaching is straight forward and laid in a bottom line style that only leads to more hunger for God's word.  You certainly make me think for myself.  I must confess that I was angry a couple of times because your teaching was not consistent with what I had been taught for years.  I set out to prove you wrong and wound up proving that I was the one wrong.  I could not dispute the Word of God and it's clarity.  I don't know how you ever have been able to put the bible together like you do, but it is rare, very rare indeed. 

The way you let the bible explain itself is simply amazing.  Thank God for you Pastor. 

C. Sharp wrote, saying: "Well I started to write in anger to tell you off concerning baptism".  After the first few pages I was mad, really mad and I labeled you a heretic and counted you as less than a brother in Christ. 

I read over and over the material, hoping I was not the one who was wrong.  I fasted and I prayed (something that interestingly I have never done before, the fasting part).  I sought God with tears and this literally cause me great stress.

I went to my Pastor with printed copies of your teaching.  He said it was garbage and that I needed to get rid of it before it "destroyed" me.  I began to think about that.  I thought to myself "Why would I even need or want to be baptized if it wasn't necessary?"  What purpose does it serve?  If it was an outward show of what was inside, who is going to know that?  After all, I can't walk down the street and look at someone and say HEY there's a fellow who was baptized.  An outward show?  Who sees my "public profession" other than the believers who were there when I was baptized.  My Pastor talked about someone who was baptized in the bathtub!  What possible purpose could this serve?  There was no "public profession there!  All this got me thinking.  There had to be more to it.

As I studied and prayed and fasted, A light came on in my heart and the scriptures made perfect sense.  I can't believe I had been 'duped' all those years.  When I had a perfect understanding I asked my Pastor to baptize me in Jesus name and he refused.  I found another church.

Thank you so much. You are truly an instrument of God to open my eyes.  Thank You."

Larry wrote: "I am not a highly educated man, with only a high school education. I have a hard time understanding much of the bible because I can't put it together.  I've listened to preachers for 20 years but many of them preached about money and wealth and good health and naming what I wanted.  I grew up poor and have never had a desire for much money.  Through prayer God has always helped me and I can make ends meet with money left over to save. 

I read your teaching and I find that I can understand it.  It is easy to read and easy to understand.  I don't think I ever saw you say one time that I need to get more money, I need to be healthy and all that.  I did see you say that I need to trust Jesus and that I need to just love him.  I'm glad for preachers like you that don't buy into todays modern church but who preach the old fashion way."

Acts 5:38-39  "And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God."

Kerry wrote, saying: "I want you to know I will be praying for you! Your ministry is much needed and appreciated here in North Carolina.  This area has a great passion for Christ but lacks substance in it's teaching and foundation.  I would love to see you teach the basic doctrines of the faith as Paul mentioned in Hebrews 6:1-2 "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment." Thanks for your site.

Good idea, Kerry.  I'll write to let you know when these teachings are up.  Oh, by the way, I'm not so sure it was the Apostle PAUL who wrote Hebrews (I do have my opinion, but that is for another teaching on another day.  Thank you for your encouragement and support.

Some People Hate Me!

James wrote, saying: "You really think you're something don't you?  You think you have all the answers?  Then answer these questions:  Can your God make a rock so big that he can't lift it?  Can he make a stick with only one end? 

You break logical laws when you object to these questions. If God could make a rock so big that she could not lift it then he doesn't have all power.  So how do you defend that?? Answer that question and I might  take your religious sermons seriously.  I doubt you can or will respond to these questions but you are the one that put out such a website for the public to see.

My response: 

Where to start, where to start?  Let's see, I believe your first misguided question was "Can God make a rock so big that he can't lift it?" and you followed that by stating that if he could, the he is not Omnipotent (all powerful).  I would assume that you will also state that if God "couldn't" make such a rock, he is also then NOT Omnipotent.  You have forgotten (or deliberately overlooked OR perhaps you are simply ignorant of the nature of God) that not only is God Omnipotent, he is also Omniscient and IS the epitome of wisdom.  As such (and to answer your first question):  YES, God could create such a rock, however, he is wise enough NOT TO.

Now for the second question:  Can God make a stick with only one end?  Again, the question itself lacks wisdom.  God does not create "sticks".  God creates trees.  A stick is a branch or portion of a branch that has BROKEN off a tree.  I suppose, however that if you really wanted to keep the argument going then I would have to say YES, he could and in fact does create a stick with only one end.  It's called a branch and is attached to the trunk which is in turn attached to the ROOT.

Since you seem to be having difficulty finding real things God Can't do, let me give you one:  GOD CANNOT LIE.  Jesus said "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" in Luke 13:3, and Luke 13:5.

Since God cannot lie, this is a true statement. 

The question for you now remains, "will you repent?"

Thanks for your questions.  Is there anything else I can do for you?  Pastor T.

(By the way, James never wrote me back.)

Bill wrote, saying: "You and your kind are so typical of hatemongers today.  You try to push your bull**** beliefs off on everybody else and it is just wrong to do that.

This is the kind of s***a*** teaching that only breeds hate.  Why don't you open your mind to real freedom and understand that God loves us all.  Your religion wants to keep prayer and such other nonsense in schools where it doesn't belong.  What I am trying to say is that religion has no place in our schools. To force your belief upon us all is unethical and ignorant.

You act as if there is only one way to interpret the bible.   We can only interpret the words of God.  Who are you to say whose interpretation is more correct than somebody else's, that one form of worship is better than another?

It is You and people like you who make this world so full of hate and anger.  Perhaps if you'd quit promoting your hellfire and brimstone gospel the world would be better off.  You're a bigot and a liar and there is no truth in YOU.  It is people like you that are the cause of all our freedoms being removed.  You say you believe in free speech then you promote your so called religious s***.

Like I said, God loves us all and there isn't you can do to take that away from me.  There are many roads to heaven and I don't even think you've found one of them yet.

It is interesting to see that you have somehow gotten to our website.  Either you hate Christians enough that you spend your time surfing Christian websites, or you are sincerely looking for some truth.  In either case, Sir, I will be praying for you.

I noticed you stated that it is "unethical" for me to force my beliefs upon you (which, by the way, I haven't done since you, quite apparently and voluntarily came to this site!)  You talk about freedom and mention that I promote "hate".  I'm not quite sure where you get that, but here is something for you to contemplate:  You tell me we should all have love, we should tolerate each other and respect each other in order to promote freedom.  You then turn around and want to take MY freedom from me?  Do I NOT have the same freedoms afforded to me as you have?  Is MY freedom to speak, teach, preach supposed to be stifled in order for yours to be openly purported? 

I believe what you are really trying to say is this:  "You religious people need to stop preaching the gospel so I can feel good about myself, with no conviction or sense of moral wrong about myself.  I mean after all, if the gospel DID reach me, I might actually get saved and then have to CHANGE my life of sin into one of righteousness."  Isn't that, sir, what you are really trying to say?

It is interesting to note that you feel free to visit a Christian website, to write an email such as this stating that you have free speech but I should not.  Hmmm.   Can we say "double standard"?

James and Brad wrote, saying: "You are the modern-day Pharisees. Jesus' message was one of love and tolerance. You preach just the opposite. If He was here right now, he would tell you so Himself."

In another letter " It's amazing how you people can use the Bible to justify just about anything you want, like slavery, genocide, and the persecution of anyone who doesn't think, act, or look just like you. You want to turn the whole world into one big ant colony. Wouldn't God be bored with that! Why do you think He made so many different peoples and cultures? You are the fools! You are evil and shall not prevail. Hallelujah!"

And in yet another "You people did everything in your power to encourage this by preaching against us in your sermons, and making us the scapegoats for everything bad that happens in America. But I seriously doubt you have the moral fiber needed to make this admission. You can hold any to any belief you want to, as long those beliefs don't cause you to trample on my rights."

Love and Tolerance:  Catch phrases to attempt to brainwash Christians into believing they are not "loving and tolerant" if they stand against sin. 

I wonder how he interprets Matthew 3:7, Matthew 12:34, Matthew 15:7,  Matthew 23:33, Luke 11:44 and others?

I wrote back and forth to this person several times.  The issue of "rights" kept surfacing again and again.

The last reply I sent was this:

"Please refer back to all my letters, I have never asked you to accept "dogma" nor anything else that I teach.  I, however, simply do not accept statements that I am intolerant of anyone. I have tolerated MANY things in my lifetime, many with which I did not agree, however, I DO pray for my enemies, for those who "despitefully use" me and for those who hold differing opinions.

It is very apparent that because I DO believe homosexuality is sin, that you are arrogantly opposed to my beliefs.  I in fact have a RIGHT to believe that.  If my belief "offends" you, then so be it, but I have a right to believe it.  None of us have a RIGHT "not to be" offended.  For example, I hate and detest cursing and foul language, however, if someone wants to use that, it is certainly within their rights.  That doesn't mean that I have to tolerate it or to even be around it.  It certainly doesn't mean that I can't speak against it.  I have that right.

You are basically saying that if I call homosexuality a sin, then I have violated your "rights".  I will tell you this.  If someone chooses to be homosexual, that is their CHOICE, but I HAVE THE RIGHT NOT to have it taught nor propagated as "normal" to my children.  That is MY RIGHT.

You claim righteousness?   Really now....by whose standard?  Have you read 1 John 2 lately?  How about your hatred toward me?  Is THAT righteous?  You say righteousness was there all along?  That contradicts the entire Word of God.  Any contradiction of the Word is NOT righteous, it is deceit.

If you would like to sit and discuss the issues further, I'd love to hear what you have to say.  I'd love to hear your interpretation of the Word of God, to see in black and white, your basis for belief.  You state that I am evil?  On what do you form that hypothesis?"

His final reply:

"Well! I guess you opened my eyes! So you are a human being, after all! Hallelujah! I can see now that I have stereotyped you somewhat. I apologize for doing so. I'm so used to being lumped into a category myself, I guess I just naturally lump others into one out of self defense. Thank you for the lesson. I guess we can agree to disagree.  We'll talk again. You have my goodwill."

That was 2 years ago.  I haven't heard back from him.

Edward wrote:  "From the teaching on your site, it is apparent that you hate homosexuals.  I don't know what your problem is pal, but I've got more than a hundred people that are planning to come to one of your services some day.  What will you do then?  I dare you to preach against us then.  You self-righteous a**h***.  You people want to hate?  I'll show you just how to hate.  You just be aware, we're coming.  And if you mention one thing against homosexuals, there will be trouble and we'll keep you in court until you rot. You pig."

Thanks for your interest in our church services.  You and your friends are welcome to visit any time at all.  I think you have some very misguided notions concerning our church.  Do I stand against homosexuality?  Absolutely.  Do I preach it every service?  Not hardly.  I will preach the message God give me though and I won't water it down to appease anyone.  If you happen to be there during one of those messages in which I stand against sodomites, then so be it.  I would highly recommend a Sunday evening service rather than Sunday morning, they tend to be a bit more "exciting".  Thanks for your interest in our website.

I'll add more as it keeps coming in :)

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