An Open Letter to Ken Silva

There is no joy, or at least there shouldn’t be, in correction of another believer and especially a pastor and elder. That Pastor Ken Silva is a pastor and an elder is self evident and he serves the Connecticut River Baptist Church as pastor. Let me also say that he was the person whose writings first illuminated me to the movement known as “emergent” so I am grateful that he was used in my own personal life. I do not know him personally, but I have communicated with him via e-mail a number of times.

I am an ordained Baptist preacher not presently in a paying position who has written a blog now for several years and I generally see the doctrinal and presentation dangers exhibited by the seeker/purpose/emergent movements that are rapidly changing the way the church addresses truth itself. When I began my blog I did not even know what a blog was but was encouraged to adjust my e-mail articles into blog form by a brother in Christ. He paid for the set up himself and I am grateful.

I do not remember how I came across Slice of Laodecia but when I read some of the articles I became aware that there were others who were disenchanted with the direction of much of evangelicalism. I am sure to their present dismay two of my articles were posted on that site. So I began the process of being a “blog watchman” which varies in intensity and tone depending on the person. After a few months I noticed that Ingrid, the former manager of Slice, was posting personal and harsh articles about almost everything and anybody, some with so little to do with the general theme of doctrinal falling away that I made my concerns known to her. I was reproved by Ingrid herself which then led me to re-evaluate a woman’s role as a blog manager that corrects ordained men. I still believe that a Christian woman can teach and post doctrinal issues but not personally attack or correct an ordained elder. That is unbiblical.

Well Slice disappeared and then came CRN. Pastor Ken had been a regular contributor to Slice and he now became the editor of the Christian Research Network blog. When Ken became the main writer the tone and communicative style became even more aggressive and disrespectful and sometimes outright immature. I have seen unbelievable things said in Ken’s posts and comments around the blog nation. I have contacted him several times concerning this issue and he continues to claim that I am obsessed with the issue of humility. He is absolutely right, I am very concerned with all of us remaining expressively humble in the midst of the ongoing battle over Biblical interpretation and authority.

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And so after much prayer and concern about how we represent the Lord Jesus even when speaking His truth I am writing this open and public letter.

Ken, you have been given a forum to address issues of great importance to the body of Christ and many people need to hear some of the facts about many of these issues, but you have let yourself and your demeaning and name calling style obscure what you are saying. I have also been guilty of some of that (I.e. Spiritual Pedophiles) but God has shown me that I cannot sacrifice Christlikeness on the altar of doctrinal truth and correction and as a matter of fact Christlikeness is doctrinal truth. You cannot use certain statements and events in the life of Christ to justify your words while you ignore the overwhelming number of verses that call us to be “clothed with humility”.

There must be a balance which is a journey that continues to lead all of us to the very heart of humility, the cross. You did not discover truth yourself, God showed it to you and you cannot creatively wrap that truth in demeaning, condescending, and self promoting words and expect people to listen, especially those who need to hear it. And being an ordained pastor does not give you or anyone else license to ignore common courtesies when expounding doctrinal errors even to the offender himself. There is a dramatic difference in being a voice of strong conviction and a dialogue bully.

You are prolific in your research and writing, but you continue to turn a deaf ear to what those who love you as a brother and even agree with your general direction are attempting to share with you. I ask you not to respond but take these and other words before the Lord and listen to Him. I have no unique access to God’s throne but I know He has brought me down to see that I am nothing while still allowing me the privilege to speak forth the Word of Life even in correction. This Spiritual struggle is no competitive game, the stakes are high and the people on all sides are precious to God even if some have been deceived. In fact, demeaning a deceived person is akin to making fun of a blind person who trips over a rock. Even in rebuke we must remain humble and careful in our words and tone, and we must always have the person‘s interest in heart because that is what glorifies our Lord. Winning an argument and a “come and get me” attitude is all flesh and of no Spiritual use. To see what we truly believe we see and then to speak to it is a gut wrenching experience and should never descend into a flippant “tit for tat” conversation.

Our hearts should be broken not only about the falling away, but our own powerlessness. And if indeed there is no change in your tone and haughty hyperbole I will continue to encourage blogs to remove CRN from their blog links. We serve Christ alone and He must increase and we must decrease.

This post is prayerfully for your good and the glory of God from one who is nothing but on a very slow journey to be like Him.

In Christ,

Rick Frueh