• A Sneaky Trick!
  
• Internet Traffic Report
  
• Restoring the New Testament Church
  
• The isms of Legalism
  
• Hook's Points
  
• Family Reunions in Heaven
  
• What I Hear From You
  
• Sing New Songs – And Old Ones, Too!
• Too Simple To Be True?
  

• Cecil, I really enjoyed your recent article on Where Is God? I think about this in a pretty simple-minded way, I suppose, but I relate it to my mathematics, since I am a math professor at a small college in the Houston area. A common idea in math is multi-dimensional space. An object in 2 dimensional space (i.e., 2 space), if it had a mind, would have absolutely no concept of what an object in 3 space would look like. We are like that with God. We are limited to a 3 space world, or perhaps 4 space if you include time. We can’t possibly conceive of a being outside of that world. It sounds like utter nonsense to say that a day is as 1000 years and a 1000 years is as a day to this out-of-our-world being. Hugh Ross, of Reasons to Believe, has just written a book in which he talks about the many dimensions of God. It is very fascinating. -Roger Jay, rljay@infohwy.com

• I arrived at your site "quite by accident" (interesting how spiritual treasures are arranged for us in our path without us asking for them) while using Web-Crawler on a search. I found this to be a pleasant, unexpected oasis. Thank you for your refreshing presentation. I will return. gariepaul@juno.com

• I enjoy getting your Newsletter. I never seem to become tired of what you have to say. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I will be grateful to you for an ETERNITY for having the courage and faith to ask so many difficult and unpopular questions and for re-evaluating so many harmful and hurtful traditions and attitudes. I have found so much more peace from knowing the God of Peace. Praise the Lord! -John Clark, clark@arkansas.net

• Just received your latest pamphlet. You are getting better each time. Praise the Lord. You have provided so much material to study and pray about in just those few short pages. Keep up the great work. Marinan Jackson, marinanhj@juno.com

• Have decided to leave the Adventist Church and am searching for a new church home. tenney@foothill.net

• I received the "FREE" series and read Free In Christ. This is actually the second time I have had the experience of reading this book. The first time was in the late 80’s. I must say it is even better the second time around. Thanks again for expressing many of the things that I have felt and struggled with into words. -Darrell Willis, wileyc@dibbs.net

• Your books are a great help to the church. Your Free In Christ is a masterpiece. May God bless you and your wife for the great work you are doing. -Ed Garner, Little River, TX.

• Being a congregation of the Worldwide Church of God, we have many similarities with the issues you raise in your Church of Christ experience (except that in some respects we were more extreme!). But as the past five years have shown, Christ is merciful and has led a very spiritually proud, legalistic and isolationist denomination into the freedom of his grace. -jeffryan@b130.aone.net.au (Bundaberg, Australia)

• This chain letter is meant to bring happiness to you. Unlike other chain letters, it does not cost you any money. Simply send a copy of this letter to six other congregations who are also tired of their ministers, then bundle up your preacher and send him to the church at the bottom of the list. In one week, you should receive 16,436 ministers, and out of that number, at least one of them should be a dandy preacher. Have faith in this letter, brethren: one man broke the chain and got his old preacher back!

  It’s so good to see someone of like mind! God bless your work, Cecil. I appreciate it more than I can tell you. You’ve heard stories like mine a million times, I figure, so I won’t bore you with mine … but let’s just say … THANKS! sooz@texas.net

• How wonderful for you both to have been honored as you were. No one deserves it more. And a special thanks for letting us be one of those that received a letter and tape. Words cannot express the gratitude and honor that I have for the both of you. You all have smudged up a lot of "rose colored glasses". But praise God, after the smudge was cleared away, we found that we only thought they were rose colored and, in fact, they kept us from seeing the simplicity of the wonderful words of life. - Hazel Buehler, Alvin, TX.

• Thank you for your wonderful ministry. It’s been a blessing for me to learn from your books. -Kim

• As a new Christian (Oct. 96), I am new to Bible study, and just wanted to let you know, first of all, how helpful the information on you website has been. My minister here in Sacramento let me know about you right away. I know I’ve only begun to scratch the surface of the rich store available for me there. I frequently share with others what you have available online and your teachings. Thank you so much for what you do, and for being such an inspiration! -DTLisa@aol.com

• Have you come down off Cloud Nine yet! How marvelous that such tribute could be paid to you two faithful-to-the-leading-of-the-Lord-Christians! Such honor and praise and recognition was and is appropriate and even required from all of us to you. I continue to thank the dear Lord for your superb work, and particularly for its impact upon my life. -Frankie Shanks, Poplar Bluff, MO.

• I’m so happy to have been steered toward these books by a dear friend. I’m no longer in the closet! -Kathy Kinsey, Doxie56@aol.com

• My family recently went through a bad period with the COC that resulted in a very ugly division. Most of the problems had their roots in the maladies you describe in Free I Christ. We witnessed backbiting, violent behavior, theft from the church treasury, preacher crucifixion – you name it. At this time I am attempting to come to terms with what I have learned through this experience. What is becoming more and more disconcerting to me is the realization that what I witnessed is the prevailing method in most of our churches, not just the COC. heritage@galstar.com

• I just stumbled on Mark Dunagan’s "review" of your and Bro. Ketcherside’s work. As a human being, I feel I must apologize for Bro. Dunagan’s lack of study and love. What is it with the fellow? (I know, of course.) I know that such statements must, or have, hurt your heart. Please know, however, that many appreciate your teachings and will bless your name in eternity for turning us back to the Bible, and especially, our Savior Jesus Christ whom the Bible clearly points us toward. Having read both The Twisted Scriptures and Free In Christ, I could perceive the misdirection of Bro. Dunagan. Adherents of "Old Testament Christianity" feel naked without the LAW and have knitted one of their own. Most of their "necessary inferences" are just commandments of men that have been "stitched" together to hide their shame. They need a new and better garment – Gal. 3:27. hightower@fwst.net [I know nothing of this brother’s writing. We are distressed, not when persons disagree, but if a bad attitude is demonstrated. -CH] (Link added by Vic -VP)

• I invision men like you and Rubel Shelly as lighthouses in the dark and dismal world of legalism. I know your books are very liberating and informative. It’s men like Carl Ketcherside, Leroy Garrett, and you who have made a great difference in the reformation of Churches of Christ. I believe that there is a strong reformation taking place, and it is for the better. LRobe22475@aol.com [Thanks, but I don’t belong in the list with those great teachers.]

• Having come from the Midwest and having seen the turmoil caused by Carl K. I am surprised that some who have "broad thoughts" would trust him with their spirit. I am grateful for the opportunity that you provide with listing some of his writings, but while I may seem to be a conservative, I strive to be Biblical and much of what I see in various writings and topics are NOT Biblical. Sorry, but while we can talk and entertain many ideas and discussions, and should, I cannot place my spirit in some of the writings that I have read. It would be lost for sure. Thanks. -Stanley Adams, Memphis, TN stanley.adams@met.com

• I think you have a great work. Godspeed. May God’s grace and mercy be with you always. -Uri, Tomsk, Russia metro@church.tsk.ru

• I am a young preacher (just started in Feb. 97) that is disillusioned with the pattern hermeneutic. There are many inconsistencies with pattern theology. Yet, as I travel forward in my quest for truth, the more scared I become of what that truth might really be. Legalism is so safe – because I am always right. I am thankful for your efforts and would appreciate any advice and guidance offered. May God forever bless your efforts to remain free in Christ! -Steven Hopping, Rosamond, CA hopper@ibm.net

• Legalism and petty bureaucracy are words which should never, in my opinion, be associated with the family of God. I am overjoyed to see someone using such a new and powerful tool as this to combat the very real threat those terms signify. Please, for the sake of all Christians and non-Christians, keep it up! -Michael Turner, Warner Robins, GA.

• "Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it’" (Jer. 6:16). Sir, while some Christians are trying to make the narrow path a wider one by bulldozing God’s Word out of the way, I am thankful that there are "legalists" that clearly understand the words of Jesus and of the apostle Peter. Jesus said the truth could be known and that it sets free. Peter said that God has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness in His Word. If the truth be known, legalists are so-called because they are still reading and studying their Bibles so that they might rightly divide the word of truth. Those calling names are often too lazy to do proper Bible study and are content to accept the words of mere men which will lead them down the broad way that leads to destruction. -Brent Pollard, Blairsville, GA. gp@stc.net

• Looking for a place to be able to look at the possibility that the past may have assumed some things that are not scriptural. Not to take away from those that have gone before, but to be able to better serve those that are yet to come. -David Foley, Spokane, AK, dfoley@ieway.com

• Love your ministry! Have read all your books! Keep up the good work. See you in heaven if not before. Jeff Atnip, Germantown, TN, Jeatnip@fed.ex.com

• Someone sent me an article from you on leadership. Have enjoyed your books in the past. I am glad that I have your net spot. Thank you for your efforts. I praise God for your life and ministry as I am sure you do. -Tom Douglas, Valparaiso, IN thomasd@niia.net

• I am absolutely shocked, astounded, amazed and relieved that there actually ARE free thinking individuals out there! Especially in the "Church of Christ" denomination, of which I am myself a member and an evangelist. I thank you VERY much from the bottom of my heart for this page! -Dennis Anthony Dimitrov, Cottonwood, AZ flash@verdenet.com

• Haven’t fully explored your site. So far, so good. Bravo. -Larry Chapman, Dartmouth, NS Canada shoots@ns.sympatico.ca

• I really like the comments you make and it has helped with the way I now look at myself. I now know it’s OK to be different and that my brothers may not understand me but that’s OK. I need to continue to pray for them and hope that someday we can see others who have believed and obeyed the same gospel as we have, that they are part of Christ’s church and not some name on the top of a building. Thank very much – a brother, Tony Macias Jr., San Antonio, TX Tony EMJr@aol.com

• Hi there – Here’s Rodrigo. I’ve just finished to surf through your pages. Great site you got there. Keep on going. -Rodrigo, Santiago, Chile vraptor@hotmail.com

• I had read Leroy Garrett’s book, The Stone-Campbell Movement, shortly after becoming a Christian in 1983. Lately, I have been studying and praying more about where I need to be to more effectively serve the Lord. Some of the Church of Christ issues (which seem to me to be opinions) have stood in the way of reaching people who need to be saved by Christ. A recent divisive issue is splitting our congregation. I have been looking for information about other "restoration" church assemblies, such as the Christian Church, that may provide a better way for me to reach the lost. I am not unhappy nor am I a part of the feud. My commitment is to Christ. I have Joy to sustain me and I realize that every group will have problems to deal with. But there is a difference between problems because people differ and problems that hinder the spreading of the gospel. After all, Paul said he "pleased all men in all things … that they may be saved." (1 Cor. 10:33). To me this means that MUCH was tolerated for the cause of Christ. Unfortunately, I do not see this attitude being lived, nor considered, where I am today. I will continue to follow Christ wherever He leads me. I would appreciate your prayers and comments/suggestions. -Randy Means, Flower Mound, TX rmeans@juno.com

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