RICHARD AND BARBARA BENTLEY

3589 Keystone Circle, Oceanside, CA 92056

(760) 940-9285

July 1, 2002

TO THE
UNLEAVENED CHURCH

Attention: John Morey
                Jim Mauer
                Jack Langford
                Robert Grove, et al

 

I addressed this letter to the "Unleavened Church" because of what one of your leaders, Jack Langford, said to us some years ago at Fred Grant senior’s home. I quote Jack, "We will drive all the leaven out of the assemblies." In response to his statement I asked, will this happen quickly or will it be a long drawn out process? His reply, "We will do it quickly!" I must therefore presume by this time, that you leaders who are responsible for the markings that have separated Christian brethren and families, now have an unleavened church. Your church is truly unique as it is the first organization to be unleavened since our Lord began building His church about 2000 years ago. 2 Timothy 3:1-3

When Berl Chisum asked of my concerns I told him that the leaders to me were more like cowboys, driving the herd, than shepherds, leading the flock, and some even wore cowboy boots. 1 Peter 5:3 I continued with 2 Timothy 3:3, they promoted, "Without natural affection.." and misused the of the word of God. Matthew 10:34-37 has been misused by Russell Ross, 12/29/85, Santa Maria camp, Phil Holst, 6/29/86, Alhambra meeting, Robert Grove, 5/85, San Luis Obispo camp, and 8/24/86, Alhambra meeting, Jack Langford, 10/5/86, KBRG radio, John Morey, 10/5/86, Alhambra meeting, and 11/16/86, Alhambra meeting, and I am sure it has been misused many more times when I wasn’t present and after I left your group that continually violates the Word of God. They misused the Matthew 10:34-37 verses to justify their dividing the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:13-16, 29-33

An honest reading and "rightly dividing" of Matthew 10 reveals Jesus speaking to His 12 disciples to whom He gave power against unclean spirits, and to heal and commanded them to not go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans but to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel, preaching the kingdom of heaven is at hand." He sent them forth "as sheep in the midst of wolves .. but beware of men" .. you will be persecuted .. "and the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And you shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endures to the end shall be saved." "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, the daughter against her mother, the daughter against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be those of his household. He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me."

Is this, or is it not, our Lord speaking to his disciples telling them that those who receive their word of the kingdom will be persecuted by the unsaved and unrepentant Jews, including their own family members? Some of this is still in effect today. When a Jew becomes a Christian and is rejected by family members. The above, in no way tells Christians, members of the body of Christ (who believe they are more spiritual), to persecute their Christian brethren and family members who they judge to be less spiritual. 2 Corinthians 10:12 Such perverse teaching desecrates the body of Christ and causes the "Love of God shed abroad in our hearts" to change to "without natural affection" and "the love of many to grow cold." Matthew 24:12, Romans 5:5-11, Ephesians 6:1-4, 2 Timothy 2:15-17

Is it just a coincidence that so many leaders misused Matthew 10? Was it of the Holy Spirit?

It is no wonder that a brother, who acted in a somewhat leadership capacity, stated up front of the Alhambra meeting, "If you are marked your dead." Berl tried to correct this brother by saying they didn’t really believe that but many who were unjustly marked have experienced that kind of treatment, when they have been sick or a family Christian member has died and in many other incidents.

John 13:34-35; Colossians 3:14; 1Peter 5:5 & 8; 1 John 1:9, 3:14-15, 23, 4:7-8,11,20-21, 5:1-2,16; 3 John 9-11

RichardBentley

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