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November 14, 1997

Dear Dr. Conn and leaders of the Church of God,

My son, Philip Thorpe, is in his fourth year at Lee University and is taking the course in Bible and Theology. For some time Philip has complained that one of his principal teachers was putting forward extreme Calvinism and faithless Theology. The specifics that I recount below are documented from the enclosed tape. These teachings are so odious that I am sure you will need to hear them for yourself.

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On the tape's side one, Dr. Bowdle lays a foundation for his anti-Evangelical teaching. His presentation only flowers at the very end of side one and at the beginning of side two. I am sending you a tape that starts on side two. Notice, that Satan never arises while wearing a red suit and sporting horns. He first speaks celestial truths and then attaches his lies. This deceptive pattern will be employed during the Theology class.

The extreme Calvinism taught here was neither believed nor practiced by Calvin. John Calvin was a man of answered prayers and holy living. The slick modernism presented in Dr. Bowdle's class starts off smoothly, but in the end these ideas create powerless Christians and dead churches. Conversely, you and I believe that prayer will initiate the miraculous and change our Hell bent world. Without the prayers and actions of believers the Gospel will not advance, and millions will be lost. The purpose of Pentecost was to empower believers to accomplish God's commission. Why isn't my son being taught these fundamental truths?

The truth presented by Dr. Bowdle is the immutably of God. God certainly never changes

Side One: We are told that whenever God seems to respond to prayer, we are failing to understand what we have seen. Our prayers never changed what was already planned. When the Scripture says that God responds to prayer and changes his direction, we are only reading "Good Literature." (God is just speaking our language.)

Side Two: Although Dr. Bowdle first stated that God answers the Christians prayer, he does not mean what he says. He later explains, "Our prayers don't change circumstances but prayers only change us." God only does what he already planned and as those immutable plans transpire, God is effecting internal changes in us. If the tape is carefully listened to, you can hear that God does not heal in response to prayer! Unfortunately, the young people seem to be accepting these ideas!

When Pentecostals say that "Prayer Changes Things" we know that God has always heard and answered prayer. God never stopped responding to his people. If we fail to seek and believe God, the world around us will remain lost. If we refuse God's call or election, millions upon millions will go to Hell and many sick people will die before their work and calling are fulfilled. Thus, God's plan of redemption is only completed through the faith and prayers of his people. Without a man to stand in the gap, the good that God has planned (John 3:16) will never be seen. God has placed within us the potential to effect both natural and spiritual changes. Many have failed in their day of testing but I pray that we do not.

The Doctor further says, "I cannot change God's mind by how good or bad I live." This statement would seem to have merit when placed in the context of God's immutability and his imparted righteousness. However, in this teaching, God's enemy has employed a great truth to put forward a mighty deception. I proclaim a hearty, "yes" to God's unchangeableness but also an "amen" to God's immutable demand for holy living and righteous conduct. If I forsake right living, I will again fall under God's eternal decree of sin and death. The Cross is only effective as we forsake our sin in repentance. Holiness is God's standard of living for His people. Christ never imputed or imparted a freedom to sin. We acknowledge redemption as the greatest truth in the Scripture. However, the most documented truth is the law of sin and death. In this matter I cite the whole Bible as my proof text.

When asked about a prayer that was prayed and a miracle that immediately followed, the Doctor stated that he does "not understand the dynamics of prayer." Naturally, anyone that does not believe in miraculous answers to prayer cannot grasp the dynamics of prayer. Why doesn't Lee have a Theology teacher that believes in prayer and knows the changes it will effect? Feigned ignorance of God's promises does not excuse unbelief! If it were not for praying people in the Church of God, I would be burning today. Through Church of God prayer warriors, I was turned around. Please don't allow your students to have Pentecostal truth robbed from them. Please my Brothers, Please!

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Should I Have Sent My Son to Lee? I pastor a Christian Church and thus, could have sent my son to Lynchburg College where his tuition would have been fully paid. However, truth is of higher value than economics or earthly advantage. Rather than compromise, I sent my sons to Lee, while leading my congregation to separate from the apostate Disciples of Christ. Now I weep in grief because my son Philip is taught that prayer doesn't change things and the writings of Moses were just good literature. Such faithless teaching was the reason that I didn't send Philip to Lynchburg College! Who will speak for me and plead my cause? I believe that God still has mighty men and they will speak!

My Brothers, I implore you in tears, please, render righteousness. Get someone to teach my son faith and true Pentecostal Theology. Through the years I carefully trained my son and now have entrusted him to you. Presently, that trust is betrayed! We know that God is watching. Please rise to my defence.

My son has said if it were not for the strong Bible foundation that I imparted to him, he would have lost his faith and calling by way of the modernist teaching at Lee College. Please, this is not why I sent my son to Lee! Philip knows for a fact that several of his friends who have recently graduated from Lee, are presently ministering in the Church of God and teaching Dr. Bowdle's extreme Calvinism. Philip speaks of the doubt and discouragement that has lit upon his class mates since they no longer posses the hope of answered prayer. He relates the fact that two teachers at Lee have put forward Evolution as reality. (Correction: There was only one teacher. JMT) I know this is not what the Church of God promotes!

Today, while going over this situation with my son he added that Dr. Bowdle just spoke about his Sunday School writing in the Church of God. The Doctor said, "sometimes you have to compromise what you believe to appease the reading audience". He further said that the people out in the church did not understand as much as the people at Lee.

A further matter is that Dr Bowdle may be exercising a grudge against Philip because of his Wesleyan faith and Pentecostal stand. Ever since the Doctor discovered what Philip stood for, he has failed him. Philip has noted that Dr Bowdle has not been consistent in deducting points from different students tests. Philip has verbally compared his answers with others and found that he has been penalized when others were not. I cannot prove this because, Dr Bowdle's tests are not fully returned for examination and comparison. Only a brief look is allowed and then the student's essays are kept by the teacher.

(Correction: Since writing this letter, Philip gave me documented evidence showing that, the student must embrace the teachings of Dr. Bowdle or certainly fail. Thus, passing the course requires a total denial of Evangelical faith! Philip's wrongful treatment was not merely the result of prejudice but was also a planned conspiracy to destroy his faith in the Scriptures. Sorry for my oversight. March 8, 1998, JMT)

Why would a teacher refuse to release the students essays? Is he afraid that someone will learn the subject material and thus be able to include it in a future essay? Whatever may be his intention or fear, the Doctor is certainly not an effective teacher. In my view, Dr Bowdle seems to give whatever grade suits his fancy and no one can verify him right or wrong. Thus, Philip studies many hours but is given a very low failing grade. Philip does very well in everything else. He is extremely bright and most diligent. I know the young man. He learned to read Hebrew just for fun. He learned electronics on his own and thus, plans and builds working projects. He is a Bible student and theologian par excellent and is far ahead of Dr. Bowdle in understanding as well as knowledge. Our tape of Dr Bowdle's class proves that Philip knows more about Theology and unquestionably believes more of the Bible than Dr. Bowdle.

Now, after years at Lee I can see that Philip may have wasted his time and a great deal of money. He may never graduate because of Dr Bowdle and what I perceive to be his intention to damage Philip. Dr Bowdle is the only one that teaches Philip's required Theology class. I know Satan plants his servants to destroy young ministers. Dr Bowdle might just be such man. I implore you to look into this matter. Philip attended community college last summer and says that the sinners there were far better people and teachers than the so called Christian Dr Bowdle. In the secular college Philip was shown total respect, caring, fairness and was never told that God does not answer prayer! I can clearly see Satan's foot print all over this situation.

1. I demand that Dr. Bowdle be immediately replace by a Holy Ghost filled teacher who believes in healing prayer, the inspired Word of God and will repair the damaged faith of your students. Do not wait until the end of the semester but act now! Give Philip a fair teacher and a Christian with faith. You promised as much in your literature. Philip's academic problem would vanish if his faith were not unjustly assaulted. This is hurting his total college experience. The doctor is teaching doctrines that oppose the pledge that all teachers endorse. He is non-Evangelical and non-Pentecostal in Theology and should have been removed many years ago! How much damage has he already done to your Church?

2. I request that Philip's account be reimbursed for the classes that he has failed or dropped under Dr. Bowdle. His Theology was not what you pledged. We were totally mislead by your literature and have not receive the services for which we contracted. It would be most unjust if you do not redress our losses.

3. If for some reason you are unable to address this situation, please make the necessary refunds and allow Philip to take the required classes through external studies. If Philip is not given another teacher and is expected to sit under this man, he will have to leave Lee without graduating. This will be a great loss to us and to you.

My final subject is broached in all sincerity. If for some reason you do not have a Spirit filled teacher in Theology and History call me to help. I graduated from a Pentecostal Bible College and also have a D.D. that was most assuredly not purchased with money or compromise. I received it in recognition of my Bible Institute work in nominal churches and because of my strong Pentecostal stand. In addition to Bible survey, I specialize in Theology and History and also do some writing. I can deliver you students with Pentecostal vision and Holy Ghost hunger. I will teach Church of God doctrine. I teach Church History from the unique perspective of the anointed believer rather than the dead apostate. Today, an Evangelical reading of Church History does exist but is sorely neglected. Please brothers, do not think I am unqualified when the so called qualified teacher imparts nothing but doubt and anti-Pentecostal doctrine! On judgment day who will be qualified before Christ? If we do not wake up we will become as backslidden as the Methodist Church. The Methodist have lost their faith and anointing through their unbelieving College professors! I have viewed their sad situation first hand. Here is the point of attack, today is the day of battle!

I close with a sincere prayer that a good outcome will be realized in this matter. I believe that prayer prevails and does change things. I am confident that God still has great Church of God leaders in this generation. I hold no position or reputation to influence them. However, I know that these leaders believe in the power of prayer and they love the truth of Scripture! Amen!

Enclosed with each letter is a tape of just one of Dr. Bowdle's classes.

Truly yours, as a son of your ministry,

Pastor Jim Thorpe, D.D.

C.C. to the following:

Paul L. Walker

R. Lamar Vest

G. Dennis McGuire

T. L. Lowery

Bill F. Seeks

Larry J. Timmerman

H. Loran Livingston

Roland E. Vaughan

Delbert D. Rose

Donald M. Walker

James E. Dill

Danny L. May

Carl H. Richardson

F. J. May

Victory M. Pagan

Dan R. Dempsey

Tony D. Scott

Timothy M. Hill

Wallace J. Sibley

Horas S. Ward

Aubrey D. Maye

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Cecil N. Brown

Raymond E. Crowley

T. Bryan Cutshall

H. Bernard Dixon

Bill W. Higginbotham

Edward P. Hollowell

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N. Don Medlin

Quan L. Miller

Enrique Orellana

M. Darrell Rice

Bobby G. Ross

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Donald M. Walker

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