My response back to Rosalie one week later

July 21, 2000

Rev. Rosalie Rivenbark

The Way International
Box 328
New Knoxville, OH 45871

Dear Rev. Rivenbark,

While we appreciate your invitation to visit headquarters, this is not practical for us at this time. My concerns clearly have nothing to do with "coming to see" how things are at headquarters. Having spent my interim year there in 1978, I saw then what a beautiful and peaceful place it was. I am sure things are fine at headquarters. It is reckless to bury our heads in the sands of denial when our ministry is in demise. Lets not make that ever so common mistake that organizations make when they are failing. It seems odd that you said "this is the only way I know that could resolve your concerns". Are you in essence saying that if we do not visit headquarters our concerns will not be resolved? Does the Word not work everywhere? Do you not have other communication methods available such as e-mail or telephone?

Come and see what? Maybe things are fine at headquarters, but that is not the case on the field. As Dr. always taught, the life of the ministry is on the field in the household fellowships. Without them there is no reason to have a headquarters! We are only two people out of many in the household who feel the same way we do. It would be more profitable if the Board of Trustees were to discuss these and other matters with the entire household with a view towards concrete and godly solutions.

The concerns expressed are not Internet driven and certainly not meant in any way as defamations. On the contrary, I want to see this ministry grow and prosper rather than shrink and fail, and that will require a change of course. I laid out specific areas where I have honest questions, can you not respond specifically in kind?

Rosalie, at times it almost seems as if leadership wants the ministry to perhaps just become a small handful. I have no problem with that except that it would be best to know the direction we are moving in so that we could work together. That mission will be accomplished in a few years according to our current growth rate.

If Rev. Moynihan will allow, I would also like to extend an invitation to you and the board of Trustees to visit us here on the field to have an open discussion with all the household believers in Florida with a view towards concrete and godly solutions. We would be willing to house and feed you and would pay for your round trip plane fare.

In closing, I would like to say that I would like to help the ministry as I am sure others do. I am not against its success. I have always enjoyed fighting for a cause even if it gets me in trouble. I hope you will allow us to help out in these times when we feel we could be of some benefit.

In Christ,

John R.

Tel # removed

PS: I composed this response yesterday with plans to mail it Monday. Interestingly, tonight (Saturday) we have been put on spiritual probation and are not allowed to come to our local fellowship anymore. I do not want this. Unlike others I am not walking away. I desire to be given the chance to continue to come. We would like to be allowed to still come to fellowship and to help out where we can. I told Rev. Paul Giles I would ask you if it is ok and he did not seem to object to me asking you. This is not a good situation and I would like to reconcile it as soon as possible. I am of the belief that through productive and biblical discussions this can be resolved in another way such that we could still be allowed to come as we desire to. If not, I am sorry that things have had to end up this way.

----end of correspondence----