ABOUT Me
While my name is on most of the literature offered on this site, I cannot claim to have come to know what I know totally by myself. I have had God’s Spirit to guide me through the Word of God and I am sure that I have been influenced by many individuals during my life. At this time there are a couple of articles listed in the Literature section and in the future, there will probably be even more authors besides myself whose articles will be posted on this website. We will just have to wait to see what God has in store. In this segment you will find some information about me but the best way you can get to know me is by reading about what I believe and why.
I have recently completed reading the book, “Churches That Abuse” written by Ronald M. Enroth, published in 1992 by Zondervan Publishing House. This book has greatly affected me concerning Religious Organizations that go astray from the Word of God. Almost all of these abusive groups are lead by one person (usually a man, though case studies mentioned a couple with women leaders.) These organizations are controlled by the leader and their ideas and view of what the Bible says is absolute. It is not enough to say these groups have teachings and practices that are not Christian. They follow practices that are outright abusive, cruel, and evil. The middle leaders between the leader and the members follow the example of the top leader and inflict the directives and punishment on the membership. Everyone below the top leader that are involved by these abusive church groups are hurt by “Legalism, authoritarian leadership, manipulation, excessive discipline, and spiritual intimidation” just to name a few practices that virtually enslave their membership.
In accepting God’s calling me to the ministry, I prayed that God would give me a double portion of His Holy Spirit so that I would never do anything to compromise another’s faith in God through Jesus Christ nor bring shame on the office of the ministry of Jesus Christ or myself personally. He has helped and guided my path so that I have always tried to direct all to follow Jesus Christ and His Word rather than myself or any organization. I do not want a following looking to me for leadership. My calling is to teach and encourage. I have traveled and spoken extensively across much of the Eastern and Southwestern parts of the USA, and several foreign countries. The reason that I am no longer involved in this is simply; I would not compromise the messages God gave me to preach. I chose to obey and serve God rather than men of a man-made church organization.
I would rather that no one spent time getting to know me or about me. I am simply not important. I sincerely caution you to be sure that what you are learning is coming directly from the Word of God, that is what is important. If you believe something that I or anyone else says or writes, you are missing the point. The point is the source of truth can only be found in God’s Word. It is a fact that we are living in perilous times and Satan is working through every person and organization he can influence to bring in or sustain the keeping of wrong beliefs, doctrines, and practices to deceive everyone possible. Many of these errors may seem small or insignificant but they are all important as Satan is getting people ready to accept without question the Anti-Christ. This website is guided by the following scriptural passage written by the Apostle Paul.
12Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,15and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:12 – 17).
Since this passage advises us to ‘know from whom we have learned’, that is the reason I have provided information about myself. Nevertheless, please do not overlook the part of this Biblical passage that says, “You have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” In an appropriate manner and time, I will reveal further information about myself for what it is worth. For now, suffice it, and be assured that I am a Christian by faith striving to obey and humbly serve our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and those He is calling to the faith of Jesus and to know and live by the truth of God. He called me to the ministry over twenty years ago to teach others what He has over the years revealed to me in His Word. At this time, while I might communicate or meet with those of other religious organizations, I am involved in a separate ministry that is not directly affiliated or supported by any other religious organization.
The identity of some individuals of the New Testament was simply their first or given name and the city or region from which that person came from. Some examples are Joseph of Arimathea, Saul of Tarsus, and of course Jesus of Nazareth. I do not intend any deception but I have decided for the present to use that convention. My name is Richard of Decatur. I have chosen anonymity to the public, as I do not seek to promote myself nor gain a following. Who I am is not important. The ideas and concepts I will present on this website are very important because they present the Truth of the Word of God found in the Bible. If anyone really wants to get to know me then please read my articles. What I believe, teach others, and live by is who I am.
As some people begin to read something they are not comfortable with and cannot refute, they search for a way to disregard it without really proving it false. They try to find a label or name for individuals or ideas they do not agree with. Once they establishes a name to categorize someone or something, then they feel comfortable in dismissing such without further thought even though they cannot honestly defame them or refute what they have said or written.
I want those who chance into this website to spend their time considering what they read rather than simply satisfying a curiosity about its author. [What I have to say next is very important.] If any writing does not contain scriptural truth then it will not make them scripturally true if the author is an acknowledged Biblical scholar with lots of degrees attached to their name. The reverse is also true. If any writing is truly scriptural then it will not make them unscriptural if the author is generally unknown and not recognized, in other words, a nobody without extensive credentials from organizations or educational institutions.
As stated, I consider what I have to say and write is very important or I would not waste my time or yours in writing it. For most who may read literature in this website, they may find some of it a bit disturbing as it may go against what they have come to believe. I hope you all will study each piece of literature using your Bibles (rather than some tract or literature from other religious organizations) and by praying to God as you honestly attempt to learn something new or simply try to refute what I have written. My greater hope is that God will grant you the wisdom to understand new truth when you are unable to refute it and accept it because it is truly of God and not just some individual. If you still disagree after searching the scriptures, you will still be the better for having spent time reading and studying God’s Word.
The Truth stands on its own merit. Truth is independent of who presents it. Only the Truth of God is everlasting and will endure forever. While truth has never really needed a human champion, we find throughout the Bible, examples of individuals called by God to do a particular work. From Moses to the Judges to the Prophets to the Apostles and Writers of the New Testament we find mortal, fallible, yet truly meek individuals who said under strong conviction, “Here am I LORD, send me.” Elijah reached a point in His ministry that God had to help him realize that he was far from being alone in sounding the truth of God. Some religious organizations think they alone are sounding the Truth of God. As for myself, I know that I am just one of possibly thousands who are striving to teach the truth of God the best they know how within the means and circumstances of their life. I reach out in support of them so that together, we can teach God’s Truth and restore in those whom God is calling “the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). Let us not forget Jesus’ concern about the condition of mankind when He returns recorded in Luke 18:8, “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?”
Let me assure you that you cannot believe something is Truth simply because you think that the person or organization that said it is of God. You must be careful because Satan uses half-truths to try to deceive everyone. Remember the temptation of Jesus before He began His earthly ministry? Satan quoted Holy Scripture, but he used them out of context to try to mean something that was never intended and was not true in the circumstance and time, Satan was trying to apply it. There have been many in the past, future, and even now, who present themselves as righteous servants of God but their true fruits reveal the opposite.
12But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. 13For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works (2 Corinthians 11:12 – 15).
15“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20Therefore by their fruits you will know them (Matthew7:15 – 20).
My life has often been blessed and sometimes cursed by experiences in many different religious organizations. Even from my youth I have studied God’s Word to find its truth. I have now realized that most errors and false ideas found in religious organizations are based primarily on traditions of the past. No matter who started it and how many years an error has been presented and passed down as a truth, it remains an error. Yet, so many never question what they believe nor attempt to find out if a doctrine, practice, or belief they have followed is a truth of God or an error of man.
I have spent many years within and without various Christian churches of different faiths. Except for one church in which I was ordained to the ministry, I have been a spectator or a very low-level teacher and not involved in any church office. What I now believe goes against one or more of all of those churches’ enumerated core beliefs of my past.
Here is a fairly complete list of church denominations where I have attended several services as well as got to know fairly well several members and ministers. These are not in order of when I attended them nor for how long. Just as they came to mind.
* Indicates that I was a member at one time but am no longer a member.
# Indicates that I was in regular attendance for at least several months.
Baptist Churches (Southern, American, Free Will *, & Independent#)
MethodistChurch
Assembly of God#
Church of God
Church of Christ
Lutheran Church
Several Independent (somewhat Charismatic) Churches#
Roman Catholic Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
SeventhDayAdventistChurch#
Worldwide Church of God (WCG)*
Several other splinter churches from
either the WWCG or the
A few others that were Independent Churches#
I believe cults flourish because many church doctrines are not substantially based on the Bible. Because of the errors of a church’s traditions from the past, which develop into false doctrines, their membership is often easy prey for cults. This is the primary reason we all really need to check the source for all our beliefs. If any of our beliefs are not substantially based on several applicable scriptures, we will be facing serious problems if not now, some time in the future and possibly much sooner than later. Members of cults are quite good at quoting scriptures that prove certain of a church’s beliefs and doctrine are not based on the truth of God’s Word. Sometimes, this results in those who are facing this kind of attack to leave the church and join the cult or simply walk away from all churches disillusioned and facing a crisis in their faith toward God all alone.
This is a terrible situation because all church organizations and groups have been ultimately created and maintained by humans. While these humans initially might have been lead by God, over time and after multiple secessions of leaders, errors have crept in. It is time we all realize that this has happened to all church organization. If it is a group of people or an organization and has leaders, it is a man-made church and it will have faults. Realizing this, no Christian should simply leave one church organization and join another that they think is perfect having only true doctrines and no faults. Yes, some do better concerning doctrines that are more closely aligned to the truth but there will still be errors if you dig deep enough. “Do not jump from a frying pan into the fire.” Also, do not overlook the possibility that some problems you face in any church organization are the result of people problems rather than doctrinal errors.
Be very careful. The more a church group tries to present itself as the ‘One True Church’ or ‘One that has a complete and perfect understanding of all God’s Truth’ should be flags to warn Christian to flee away from them. If you are currently in a church or interested in a church and find its members have an elitist attitude and that they are special because they have been specially called by God while all other churches are of
If a group has been formed as a ‘splinter group’ from a previous group (sometimes called the Parent church) this should raise warning flags. If the Parent church was abusive and had cultish practices, the splinter group probably will do much the same if not now then at some point in the future. Any church that has a top leader that engages in perversions or lavishes excessive luxuries on themselves and select others, exhibits ‘bad fruit’ and the text of 2 Corinthians – 15 and
Perhaps you might be surprised to know that I believe that there are true Christians in just about all Christian churches and possibly in many cults. No one fully knows the extent of God’s forbearance of a person’s sins done through ignorance and His application of righteousness through faith in
My integrity has never allowed me to enter a church and then try to undermine their ministry by putting questions in the minds of their members. If I find someone who is not satisfied by what their church teaches and asks me questions that pertain to my beliefs, only then will I tell them what I believe and the scriptural basis for it. A number of my articles have been published (under a different name) in newsletters or websites of various groups or churches in the past. I have continued to study God’s Word and continually write what He reveals to me in His Word by His Spirit. I will admit that I have come to some new beliefs from those I had years ago. This has come from what I learned from studying God’s Word without having to abide by any religious institutional thinking or coercion limiting the scope or finding.
I cannot dismiss the possibility that God might reveal a new truth or change my understanding of a truth that I have already written in an article. If that occurs, I will post an update. I have pondered how to take these truths to others for some time. I have now decided that a website on the internet may be one of several portals for me to send the messages God has revealed and wants His people to know at this time. It is also possible that someone who reads and contacts this website will have information from their own personal Bible Studies that will provide scriptural answers to questions I still have not found the answer.
To those first viewing this website, I would like to say a hardy, “Welcome.” If you love to read and search the scriptures as I do, we may become close friends. In learning the real truth based solely on God’s Word and not traditions, you will begin a journey over a path you have not yet fully traveled. A path that will lead you past errors and false ideas based on Traditions. Much of the path is spiritual but you will find that once you replace error with truth, your physical life will be changed as well. You will find that I keep repeating over and over, Go to the source of all truth.
There is only one way to know the truth and live by the truth.·
17Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through
Everything we believe and practice must be according to the Truth of God’s Word and based on a living faith in
Perhaps you have not realized it yet but
[Please be careful, because what I have just written is often stated by abusive church groups to try to deter or cover up their wrong doings. Check for the facts about all church organizations you might consider becoming a part of. Do not overlook what books, news articles, and what other churches say about this organization. Where there is a lot of smoke there will probably be some fire eventually.]
I will say that you will generally not find new truth by talking with the minister of the church you have been attending for several years. This does not mean your present church is different from others. This applies to every single religious group found in Christianity today that I know. I am fully convinced that many if not most of the clergy while honestly trying to follow the tenets of their faith are themselves victims of error handed down since their religious organization was established. They like members have been indoctrinated to follow Traditions that are actually not based on scriptural truth. While they may think they have scriptures that support their beliefs they do not realize these scriptures were taken out of context and were isolated without regard to surrounding verses that often refute what they are told the particular verse or part of a verse says. It is as if they started with an idea or concept and then sought to piece together various verses that seem to support it. I have talked to a number of ministers in various and separate religious organizations who admitted to me that they knew some things they were preaching were not the truth but they had to continue to preach these errors or be forced to leave their church organization and lose their position and pay.
When it comes to a doctrine or belief, we must find several scriptures that not only support it, they must be applicable, or we must dismiss them as false. The Biblical example of providing a witness (supporting evidence) to an event requires that there be at least two or three first-hand witnesses. Here are six scriptural passages that reveal this truth.
6Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness (Deuteronomy 17:6).
15“One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established (Deuteronomy ).
15“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. 16But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established’ (
1This will be the third time I am coming to you. “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1).
19Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses (1
28Anyone who has rejected
If you personally cannot find two or three scriptures that agree on some Biblical belief, that belief may well be false. I say ‘may well be’ because of the possibility that you simply are not able to find more than one verse. Be careful in this case and read the entire chapter or perhaps several chapters to see if that particular verse really says what you thought it said. Also, check several versions such as the King James Version (also the New King James Version), the American Standard Version, the New Revised Version, the Amplified Bible, and the New International Version to mention a few. Then check the words in the verse using the Interlinear Bible that shows each verse in the original Hebrew or Greek along with an exact English translated word. Next, you can use Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to find other verses where the same words were used to better understand what each word means. Finally, use Strong’s Dictionary to find the meaning of the Hebrew or Greek word that was used in the original text and translated into English.
Once you find real Truth, hang on to it. Never, never, ever, let go of it! Do not stop with just one truth; find another, then another, etc... Let us keep going until we meet our Lord in the sky.
I am