Special Note: The information contained in this section of the website deals with internal matters specific to members of The Church of God. If you are not a member of The Church of God, please avail yourself to the other pages listed at the left. If you need to experience a relationship with Christ, please visit the Spiritual Help page of the site. Thank You.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Letter from Bishop Miguel Esqueda
Former Regional Overseer: California, Arizona, Nevada;
Former National Overseer: Mexico
Dated: 07/20/04
...to Bishop Robert Pruitt, General Overseer of The Church of God
July 20, 2004
General Overseer, Bishop Robert J. Pruitt
Administrative Committee, All State and National Overseers, General Coordinators and Committee Presidents.
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Praying that you and you’re wife are in good health. I take this time to thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve and work in the Church of God for almost 10 years as State and National Overseer for CA, AZ, NV. At one time as Overseer of all Spanish churches in the whole United States, and Interim Overseer for all Central America. I thank all the overseers worldwide for having cooperated with me in different parts of the world, where I served also in representing the office of the General Overseer in times of crisis and in more pleasant situations. I have the privilege to organize the church in the country of Belize, even under life threatening situations. I was arrested and handcuffed, at times was harassed and assaulted with automatic weapons and all this in serving Christ and the Church in the country of Belize. To God is the Glory! God gave me the privilege of organizing the Church in Guatemala. In Honduras I was privileged to administer the covenant to Brother Donaldo Acosta and many ministers, and the Church was established. I represented you’re office in Guatemala, Belize, Nicaragua, Honduras, Costa Rica, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia. And God gave me the opportunity to organize many churches in the United States. By His mercy and His mercy only I was given the great and undeserving privilege of addressing the General Assembly in two occasions to God be the Glory and Honor Forever!
I was appointed to Mexico, a country with all it’s doors closed to me, not knowing a soul but God helped me and supported me in every step I took in that country. General Overseer, this is not personal but let me share something with you. I gave my everything to serve God and the Church, at times with not one cent in my pocket in the middle of the road I would see the Hand of God and how not just once but many times God took me from town to town, city to city, with not one ounce of gasoline in the car or the truck I was driving. I saw it with my own two eyes and those that where with me would just cry and praise the name of our living God. I believe I deserved a better treatment fair, clear, clean and transparent. James Nabors treated me worse than a criminal. Brother Pruitt I am not a criminal. A criminal is given a fair treatment and I was not given that. That has been a witch-hunt against my ministry and me.
Brother James Nabors came to California without my prior knowledge and had meetings without my presence, while I was still their Overseer. He says he could not find me. How strange he was not able to find me to talk to me, but was easily able to find me to tell me he had removed me. At this time I proceeded to call you and ask you what was going on and so I proceeded to thank you for everything and communicated to you that James Nabors had removed me and then you told me to follow through with the conventions as planned as State and National Overseer. And if you recall I asked you, “are you sure you want me to serve?” and you said, “continue with you’re meetings, and may God bless you in the field.” Ten minutes later brother James Nabors called me very strangely and said, “Call Brother Pruitt again.”
I proceeded to call you with all the respect I owe you and you informed me that Brother Nabors had appointed other brothers as overseers for CA, AZ, NV and Mexico. I gave you my sincere thanks and that it was all ok. I ask you Bishop Pruitt is this clean and transparent? Is this a “witch-hunt?” Why the urgency? James Nabors went to Mexico and all he did was divide a country that was in harmony. Deceiving and telling people of mountains of letters and videos from complaints of the country of Mexico. General Overseer, this is not the truth. I ask, can Brother James Nabors show these letters and videos? People in Mexico are requesting to see all these facts that allegedly Brother James Nabors has in “his power” and I quote in his “power” as he says. I want to assure you that not one member or minister from Mexico has written a complaint in a letter or video. I ask myself who is speaking the truth. I want to notify you that there are now over 2000 members in Mexico. This man that was appointed to Mexico and that you have never met neither had James Nabors. Jose Guadalupe Banuelos has entered the country of Mexico threatening and harassing members and ministers that he will revoke their license with orders from Brother James Nabors. Calling our people ignorant and uneducated. On June 23, I called you and expressed to you my concerns for the country of Mexico and that I had been receiving information that since the new appointment the country was in chaos and was divided and as a friend, I asked you for a favor, and if you recall I begged you to let me go into the country and that in 8 days I would gather all the people and I would turn in the church membership and leadership to you with not one division. You then informed me that Bishop Nabors had just informed you that his visit to the country of Mexico was a success and that all was at piece in the country. Once again he has lied to you and has deceived you and has manipulated all the information. Is this Theocracy? I want to inform you and surely Brother James Nabors is aware and has a copy of a letter where the leadership of Mexico was gathered together in a meeting without my knowledge when I was no longer the Overseer and unanimously agreed for all pulpits to be closed for James Nabors and Jose Guadalupe Banuelos until James Nabors makes restitution to the country for slander and defamation of character and for the arrogance he has displayed and has raised clouds of doubt about my character and integrity, and for not being competent in representing an office that is worthy of a man of God. Jose Guadalupe Banuelos will have to apologize for calling the 2000 members plus of Mexico that do not consider this whole process theocratic and has called them ignorant. General Overseer they may be poor, some may speak dialects and live in Mayan country but my friend they are not ignorant. General Overseer, I asked to help you and you rejected my help. My daughter sings a song that says, “I’m alone in a battle field, and at times I may feel alone, and seem that alone I could win. But I can’t. But then I hear a voice that says the battle is not yours it is mine.” General Overseer, no man has the authority to tell our sweet people [that they’re] ignorant or try to intimidate them or make unwise remarks [like] “If it’s only me and the representatives from Headquarters, that’s enough to have our Convention.” Please don’t treat them the way I’ve been treated. Don’t hurt them. Love them. This is why I have made this decision in support of our good people in Mexico. I cannot run away from the calling, and I have been forced to make this decision our of Love to them:
As Legal Representative and having all Power of Attorney under the legal statues and constitution of the Unites States Republic of Mexico, this 20 day of July of 2004, all churches and pulpits are closed to James Nabors and Jose Guadalupe Banuelos and shall be expelled immediately in LA IGLESIA DE DIOS DE LA BLIBLIA A.R. Mexico.
These two men have taken it upon themselves to override all General Assembly rulings. General Overseer there are many things not written and that soon enough, you will find out. James Nabors has over inflated the power and authority the appointment has given him. I want to leave it clear General Overseer that James Nabors never looked for me in California until he notified me that he had removed me, knowing before hand where the Church was and where my membership was and where he could find me; he met with ungodly men in California men that you General overseer removed from office.
General Overseer James Nabors has made a mockery of you’re position; has transgressed against most if not all assembly rulings. Jerry Wilda has threatened my pastor in revoking his license and disbanding the church on the spot if the church did not comply. Where is the Love?
Bishop Robert Pruitt, that doors are open to you in Mexico that those few men of God that I believe still exist. May God keep you.
General Overseer I Love you in the Lord.
Miguel Esqueda
________________________________________________________________________________
Copyright (c) Bishop Danny L. Carter & The Church of God in IN, KY, OH | Created & Maintained by Chad D. Carter & OnCoursePublishing.com
