The unedited text of Mr. Henry's letter, posted with permission, follows:

Re:  "Longtime delegate, lay leader clash at election" (07/04/03)

What a crybaby!

My involvement in Methodism dates back more than 50 years.  I served three times as a lay delegate to General Conference, four times as a lay delegate to jurisdictional conferences, and provide current leadership at the general church level in men's ministries, Scouting ministries, and evangelism.  But I, like Mr Jackson, won't be a delegate to the 2004 General Conference. Read More

United Methodism @ Risk: New book, old diatribes, September 2003 LifeWatch, A quarterly news letter for United Methodists   TO PROPOSE

United Methodism @ Risk: A Wake-Up Call* (Information Project for United Methodists, Kingston, NY), by Leon Howell, has just been released. Written from a decidedly left-of-center perspective, this book offers a review and critique of various "conservative renewal groups" within The United Methodist Church—including the Confessing Movement, Good News, the Institute on Religion and Democracy, Lifewatch, and others.

A paragraph from the book’s preface cuts to the chase and claims: "The ultimate goal of these groups is to control The United Methodist Church. Their strategy is to attain top leadership positions in the denomination. One tactic they use is spreading misleading and inflammatory charges about groups and individuals to United Methodists across the country. They indulge in character assassination and seek to drive the church apart by the use of wedge issues, calculated to cause dissension and division. Their desire is to impose not to dialogue" (p. 4, emphasis added). Not surprisingly, the aim of the book is to deny the renewal groups their alleged goal of taking over the church.  Read More

Dealing with Wolves I, Rev. Wallace Cason, pastor of the Tupelo-St. Mark Charge.

It behooves us as Bible believing Christians to consider all of Scripture carefully when it comes to dealing with those in United Methodist leadership who have betrayed the faith. These claim to be Christian but act, speak and write like pagans. What is God’s word to us concerning them? We have been dealing with them as though they were fellow believers.

But what if many of our church leaders are wolves in sheep’s clothing? Scripture warns us about wolves. In Ezekiel 22:26-27, the Lord says of Jerusalem,

"26  Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, … and … I am profaned among them. 27  Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain."

We have bishops and high-ranking leaders in church agencies who have violated the faith in our name, profaning that which is holy, and who have behaved like wolves, rending and tearing the body of the church. They have pushed the homosexual agenda, pushed reference to God as female, bled us of what could have been local ministry money, denied fundamental doctrines, and in general treated the Bible as though it were merely a book of myths or metaphors to be twisted to their will. Read More

Where in the New Testament do we find conflicts such as exist today in the United Methodist Church? We would be looking for situations in which wolves threatened the flock of God; in which the church hierarchy in power was debating how to apply the commandments of God,   and in which many in the top church leadership dealing were denying the faith by propagating false doctrine or approving sinful behavior. On first thought we might come up with Paul’s meeting with the Jerusalem Council over the question of circumcision of Gentile believers. We will look at that situation. Then we might also recall that some other situations in New Testament times did not have a neat, clean meeting resulting in a perfect compromise. For example, there is Jesus’ double trial and execution by the Pharisees and Romans working together – where the wolves surrounded a victim. In addition there may be other cases to consider, such as the confrontation of Paul with Peter. Let us get our imaginations going, then, by considering just these three scenarios.  Read More

Six Enemies of Apologetic Engagement (Indifference, Irrationalism, Ignorance, Cowardice, Arrogance and intellectual vanity, Superficial techniques or schlock apologetics),
by Douglas Groothius, Ph.D., philosophy teacher and author

How to Recognize a Good Church 

Ten Reasons to Believe

Catalyst On-line Catalyst is a project of A Foundation for Theological Education (AFTE). AFTE has a longstanding interest in theological education and renewal, and is best known for providing fellowships for UM postgraduate students.      United Methodist (UM) seminarians have been receiving Catalyst in their mail boxes since 1973. Since then our aims have remained constant:

NIC VOICE Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) have been updated to include several questions of concern about NIC VOICE that we have received through Send Comments at the NIC VOICE - NIC (Northern Illinois Conference) Voice Home Page.  One of these questions follows:

Q.  Aren’t your web site resources biased toward your view?

A.     In our mission statement, we state that: 

NIC VOICE is a growing network of concerned laity whose purpose is to provide balanced information and dialog within the Northern Illinois Conference of the UMC about Doctrinal Issues raised by the Bishop Sprague Complaint & Dismissal.

This is in harmony with the recommendations by the Supervisory Response Team's dismissal of charges.  They urged that the laity become involved in the process of "serious theological reflection on issues of Biblical Authority, Christology and the Mission of the Church".

We affirm the historic, orthodox understanding of the Apostles’ Creed and the Articles of Religion, Section III Our Doctrinal Standards and General Rules in the Book of Discipline.   

We have provided a presentation on the NIC VOICE web site NIC VOICE Presentation that offers a voice within the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC) for the view of those whom Bishop Sprague has identified as “neo-literalists”.  Bishop Sprague’s book and speeches reflect the view of those whose biblical interpretation and methodology have been defined as “progressive” or “radical progressive”.

The key sections of the presentation provide a comparison between the progressive interpretation, related doctrinal statements from the Book of Discipline, and scriptures from the Bible in relationship to the authority of Scripture and the four key doctrinal areas.  The presentation also includes views offered by three UMC bishops regarding Chapter Four:  Fully Human Jesus from Affirmations of a Dissenter. 

As noted in an article, “Straining The Limits Of Tolerance:  Christian Truth's Challenge to Relativism, author Peter C. Moore quoting Harold A. Netland's Dissonant Voices: Religious Pluralism and the Question of Truth notes notes that,

“…Far from the usual view of tolerance, which seeks to embrace all points of view as equally valid, he argues that tolerance actually presupposes making a judgment about the content of the other's belief.

You do not tolerate something with which you agree, therefore "toleration . . . has an element of disapproval built into its meaning." To tolerate another religious belief is not to accept that belief in itself, but to accept or endure someone else's holding that belief.”

Bishop G. Lindsey Davis, North Georgia Conference, The United Methodist Church has said,

“…While showing respect for all persons and beliefs, we are nonetheless called to share our faith our Jesus Christ.

Among the world religions, the Christian faith is unique. Paul said it well to Timothy, "There is one God and one mediator between God and human beings, Christ Jesus, himself human, who gave himself as a ransom for all people" (1 Timothy 2:5-6 TNIV).

So, let us not be timid. Let us love, encourage, and bless all our neighbors. And let us offer them, in God's time, true spiritual nourishment. 

We have had visitors from the following countries (new in blue):

 NIC VOICE Letter to Active Bishops of the United Methodist Church

The grass roots laity movement NIC (Northern Illinois Conference)  VOICE concerned about the dismissal of the complaint of heresy against Chicago Methodist Bishop Joseph Sprague and ongoing doctrinal concerns within the United Methodist Church has reached out to all active bishops requesting a response regarding the implementation of recommendations made by the response team in the dismissal.

 Following is the text of the letter in its entirety.  The letters were mailed to each bishop on September 5, 2003 and included 51 authorized signatures by both laity and clergy within the Northern Illinois Conference and other conferences throughout the United States:

NIC VOICE is a growing network of concerned laity whose purpose is to provide balanced information and dialog within the Northern Illinois Conference of the UMC about Doctrinal Issues raised by the Bishop Sprague Complaint & Dismissal.   In the six months since the dismissal, NIC VOICE has been educating laity with our web site and by offering the Watershed Moment Presentation at locations within the Northern Illinois Conference.  The web site has generated interest in the UMC throughout the United States and countries around the world.

During our presentations and through comments to our web site, we are being asked questions regarding the Supervisory Response Team Recommendations. 

So far, we've had to advise that we are unaware of any public dialogue led by the Council of Bishops.  We would appreciate your help in responding to questions about the status of the following two Response Team recommendations: 

1.       Response Team Recommendation 1:

“Bishop Sprague and the complainants participate in a third party facilitated dialogue on the theological and doctrinal issues presented in this case. Further, we recommend this dialogue be open to the public. The purpose of the dialogue would be to discover and explore the points of continuity or disconnect between the traditional and new interpretations of our doctrinal statements.”

Question:  In keeping with the first recommendation, has this third party facilitated dialogue begun?

Question:  If not, when will it begin and what is the format to permit the involvement of laity?

2.       Response Team Recommendation 2:

“The Council of Bishops take immediate steps to enter into serious theological reflection on issues of Christology, Biblical authority and the mission of the Church. Further, we recommend this process be open to the public and bring to the table persons to represent the wide range of theological thought present in our denomination. Further, we recommend the Council develop means to invite the entire Church into similar study and reflection. In effect, this process was begun when several bishops made public responses to Bishop Sprague’s lecture at Iliff.”

Question:  In keeping with the second recommendation, has the Council of Bishops proceeded with a public “serious theological reflection on issues of Christology, Biblical authority and the mission of the Church” specifically related to the doctrinal issues raised in the complaint? 

Question:  If not, what are the plans to proceed on this and how will the Council “develop means to invite the entire Church to similar study and reflection”? 

We would appreciate your thoughtful responses to these questions, which we intend to share with our network and those who have signed this letter.  For your reference, the Supervisory Response Team document and additional information about NIC VOICE is enclosed in the print copy that you will receive by mail, and links are provided for you in this email.

In the name of Jesus Christ,

---

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.  Come see the place where he lay.  (Matthew 28:6)

Learn More About Jesus' Resurrection and Gift of Salvation

Individual and Corporate Prayer

Send Expression of Concern to UMC Bishops

Send petitions for accountability to General Conference

Continue to stay informed

Schedule a presentation of "Watershed Moment" using the downloaded PowerPoint presentation at your church or at a public facility to invite churches in your area

Network to inform laity and with other laity and laity/clergy led groups by sending the NIC VOICE newsletter or Press Release!

Hold a small group series or summer adult education study using the resources you will find at NIC VOICE and focus on the key doctrinal issues

WATERSHED MOMENT

 It is important that we not allow the passing of what Bishop Ough’s Supervisory Team has characterized as a "Watershed Moment" without examining their dismissal of recent charges brought against Bishop Sprague.  More importantly, presentations and discussions such as this forum will allow United Methodists throughout the Northern Illinois Conference and beyond an opportunity to decide for themselves what they believe to be the Biblical Truth about the doctrines that are at the root of this controversy.  

In the fall of 2002, the UMReporter published a series of articles contrasting excerpts from Chapter 4 of Bishop Sprague’s book with the published response of Bishop Whitaker. 

In addition, various renewal groups officially within the UMC, as well as other groups not officially connected, have covered various aspects of this controversy on their web sites.  They have published information and opinions about the complaint that was made by a group of laity and clergy late in 2002, and the subsequent dismissal in February of 2003.  These groups provide a forum for this and other issues of concern within the UMC.

NIC VOICE is a growing network of concerned laity whose purpose is to provide balanced information and dialog within the Northern Illinois Conference of the UMC about Doctrinal Issues raised by the Bishop Sprague Complaint & Dismissal.

Questions or comments about NIC VOICE may be directed to:  nicvoice@nicvoice.org.

NIC VOICE offers the laity within NIC churches an opportunity to become more INFORMED:

• Upon invitation from a NIC church or group, NIC VOICE will provide a speaker to conduct a  presentation entitled "Discussion of Theological and Doctrinal Issues in the UMC Raised by the Bishop Sprague Complaint & Dismissal", or
• You may choose to conduct the presentation 'in-house', using the NIC VOICE Watershed Moment Presentation, at a single meeting or in a series of studies on these key doctrinal issues of:
  • Christology (Trinity, Virgin Birth, Deity of Jesus)
  • Resurrection of Jesus Christ
  • Salvation through Jesus Christ Alone
  • The Atonement of Jesus Christ

• To subscribe/unsubscribe, go to http://www.nicvoice.org/newsletter.htm  

• If you don't have Web access, send your name and email address to: nicvoice@nicvoice.org  or contact us:

• For past issues, visit our archives at http://www.nicvoice.org/newsletter.htm  

Tell a friend about NIC VOICE.  It's free!  If they do not have e-mail access, you can print this newsletter and distribute it (see REPRINT AND FORWARD POLICY below.)

DISCLAIMER

NIC VOICE is sponsored by a laity-led network in the Northern Illinois Conference of the United Methodist Church dedicated to providing balanced information and dialog about issues of concern relating to the Bishop Sprague Complaint & Dismissal.  This group has sole responsibility for the content of this letter.  

NIC VOICE provides original content on our web site and may distribute information from other sources.  NIC VOICE exercises no more editorial control over such information from other sources than does a typical public library, bookstore, or newsstand. The views and opinions expressed in such information do not necessarily reflect those of NIC VOICE.

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