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.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
An Open Letter from Bishop Robert J. Pruitt
General Overseer; Dated: 01/17/2006
TO: All State/National Overseers of The Church of God
FROM: General Overseer, Robert J. Pruitt
SUBJECT: Discipline
DATE: January 17, 2006
Dear Overseer:
Greetings to each of you in Jesus’ precious and holy name. It is my prayer that all is going well with you and your family in this brand new year.
With all the signs that are happening around us, we must surely be nearing the soon return of our Lord and Saviour. Let us do everything that we possibly can to reach out to this lost and dying world and become a safe harbour for all God’s sheep to gaether into. Until the perfecting process has been completed we will continue to war against the enemy of our souls. The Apostle Paul stated in Ephesians 6:12-14, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers, of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand, Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth….” This certainly is sound biblical advice for this day and hour in which we live. It is true now as it has always been, it is not “flesh and blood” that we war with, but we have a common opponent and his name is Satan.
This recent turbulence that we have found ourselves in “tries men’s souls” and it is the enemy’s good pleasure to cause confusion, variance with one another, and discord to appear inside the Body. But dear saint of God, we should never be guilty ourselves of causing division and discord between one another. The devil has opened the door fully it seems to deceive many. This door that has recently been opened, that some have chosen to walk through, has allowed and un-ending temptation to bite, devour, criticize, say all manner of evil against one another without even flinching, while all the time thinking we are saving the Body of Christ. My friend, this is the wrong approach, brothers should not constantly be criticizing one another. The Bible clearly states in Matthew 7:1-5, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”
This business of our Church members and sometimes ministers availing themselves to the “soap box” of an independent church website or maybe an individuals website to voice their opinions against a member, minister, or the collective Church of God is wrong. In fact, this constitutes a public offense. This is an offense against the Church, which brings reproach on the Body of Christ through unholy living, spreading false doctrine, or bringing division in the Church. Such offense is usually dealt with without delay. Paul warned Timothy to withdraw himself from those who consent not to wholesome words (1 Tim. 6:3-5). To the Romans he wrote, “…make them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them” (Rom. 16:17). The Church must realize that discipline is not punishment. Punishment has the past in mind; it is retributional. Discipline has the future in mind; it says, “we love you to much to allow you to continue repeating this offense. Exclusion sets the stage for restoration by showing the severity of this kind of offense” (Minister’s Policy Manual). I am asking you as Overseers to lovingly admonish these that avail themselves to this pulpit, warning them that their participation with this website or another similar website is creating a sowing of discord and division within the Church, and if they insist in continuing their participation, they will lovingly have to be disciplined. This division must not continue.
Brethren let us avail ourselves unto our Help; He knows exactly what direction ths Ship is heading in. Please continue with me in prayer that the Lord will work out all confusion and distress. A few have suggested a general meeting but I do not feel that this type meeting would be advantageous for the Church. If you as Overseer feel that it would be productive to have Brother Nabors to come to your area and sit down with you, your ministry or your membership to conduct a question and answer session, I would be more than happy for him to come to help clarify any decisions that have been made from my office as General Overseer or Brother Nabors office as Administrative Assistant or any decisions that has been made here at General Headquarters. The Bible clearly states; “good understand giveth favor;”
I want to assure you that you and your families are in my thoughts and prayers daily. May God bless you.
For Christ and The Church of God
Robert J. Pruitt
General Overseer
RJP/gb
________________________________________________________________________________
Copyright (c) Bishop Danny L. Carter & The Church of God in IN, KY, OH | Created & Maintained by Chad D. Carter & OnCoursePublishing.com
