, Wichita! Wichita! Wichita!
I am appealing to the brethren at Wichita, Kansas, to take a good look at the condition as it exists in the church there. I am sure the good buildings, big programs and projects, and rapid growth which has come mainly from people who have moved into the city, have blinded many of you. I want you to open your eyes to your condition.
I know something of the history of the church in Wichita. A few years ago the "sponsoring craze" took hold of you. Cleveland Ave. sponsored Lowell Davis to China and Nebraska. You wrote letters to many churches to send money to you, so you could send him abroad. Money came in and you promoted him in these fields; and may I say in passing there was a question as to his soundness on the premillennial doctrine. Other men and projects were promoted, among which was the Mid-West Children's Home. This last mentioned project became the work of the Riverside church. The name of the home was changed to Maude Carpenter's Home (because of a gift from sister Carpenter), and it was declared "loud and long" that the only way this could be scriptural was for the home to be the work of some church under the elders of that church. You brethren remember all of this too well.
But recently, a change has been made. The home has been taken away from the Riverside church and put under a board of men. I am sure that I know something of the events that led to this change. No doubt, the teaching that Guy N. Woods did in a meeting at Wichita had a little to do with it. He declared that elders could not be over this home as elders. Now look at the confusion in the minds of people. Reuel Lemmons in September 5, 1961, Firm Foundation says you shouldn't have made the change. He says it must be under elders as it was when it started. Rue Porter, editor of Christian Worker, says it doesn't make any difference, for these homes are just methods; and since the Lord didn't give the method, all are right. Robert Wagner, preacher for the Riverside church can fix it all by his "accountability" theory. If people are sincere, doing the best they know, they will be saved; is his idea. This allows him to be more charitable to you brethren than you are to him. You have withdrawn the Riverside church and this preacher from the "Cooperative Combine" (this being the best term I can think of to apply to your set-up). The ad of this church was deleted from the "cooperative" newspaper ad. How did you get it out? Who had the authority to remove it?
Please, brethren, take a look. Guy says the home must be under a board, Reuel says it must be under the elders of a church. Rue says it makes no difference, and Robert's position would cause him to say that all of you are right if you are sincere. What a "mess" your human wisdom has gotten you into!
Now I am asking again, are there not brethren in Wichita who will open their eyes and see the departure? No eldership has a scriptural right to sponsor a brotherhood project, city wide, county wide, state wide or nationwide No board of men has the right to form an organization and maintain a home or anything else through which the church does its work. No man can say (uncle Rue included) that sponsoring churches and organizations are methods: and no man can say that sinners will be saved if sincere. All must "observe all things whatsoever I commanded you," to be saved eternally.
Why don't you brethren open your eyes, and insist upon some changes in the congregation where you are members. If the change cannot be made, for the sake of your souls, you had better cut loose from "sponsoring churches," "human institutions," "the method heresy," and "accountability" theories. Why not have a congregation of God's people who worship in "spirit and truth," who will do its own benevolent and evangelistic work; who will teach the members to be charitable; who will stay out of "cooperative combines;" who will have elders who know that they are to oversee only the work and resources of the congregation over which they have been made bishops? A return to Bible authority for all of your practices is your only remedy. The "pot" calling the "kettle" black will not solve anything, and you should be able to see by now that you have many pots and kettles.
I have written this because I love you, and I want you to think.