Bruce Reeves
10 Cedar Hill Road
Conway, Arkansas 72032
501-513-2910
 

Gene:

I am writing to you for the purpose of correcting some of the misrepresentations that I believe you offered on your recent radio program. You mentioned an unnamed woman who had been a member of the Church of Christ for several years with whom we have both studied and corresponded. You said that “they” (I understand you to include me in that term) told this particular woman that she was simply a “Gene Cook groupie.” I have never said that to her, nor do I know anyone who has done so. I wrote to her, feeling that I knew the sister to whom you referred, in order to ask her about your statement. She said the following, “I said that I felt you had "implied" that I was a Gene Cook groupie by saying that I was enamored with his teaching.” I feel that the impression with which you left your audience was that I was somehow unconcerned about her convictions. Such is not the case at all. What I actually said was that “she was enamored with your teaching.”

You also mentioned that there were only “six Baptists there” and the rest were members of the Church of Christ. Perhaps you refer to the limited amount of Reformed Baptists that were present from the church that endorsed you. There were actually more Baptists than that in attendance. We have baptized six individuals who formerly were members of the Baptist denomination as a result of their attendance of the debate. I am very thankful to God for the opportunity to have engaged you in this discussion. I appreciate you having made the trip and your willingness to participate in the discussion. I believe the debate will be profitable for those who take the time to consider those things we studied.

You mentioned the fact that you turned in my direction in order to preach to me about Romans 9. I would have been more than happy to have discussed that text of scripture with you, but of course you did not afford me that opportunity. I believe the word you used regarding your decision to save Romans 9 for your last speech was the term “plotted.” The reason people were so shocked was because of your statement that the God that sends little babies to hell is the God of the Bible. You said, “So when he (Bruce Reeves) stands over here and says, ‘His’ (Gene Cook, Jr.) ‘God is a monster, his God is not fair, his God sends little babies to hell, his God spanks babies indefinitely and there is nothing they can do about it,’ he (Bruce Reeves) is really arguing against the God of the Bible” (Cook-Reeves Debate, Cook’s second negative, June 24, 2005).

Due to the importance of these issues and the good that may very well be done I would be more than happy to meet you in debate in San Diego, California at some point upon the subject of the Calvinistic view of Perseverance of the Saints since you desired to talk about that so much.

Also you may let your listeners know that they may order the DVD’s or CD’s of the debate free of any charge by logging on to our website: www.hwy65churchofchrist.org or listen to the audio recordings at the following site: www.w65stchurchofchrist.org. We also are considering very seriously having the debate printed in book form.

May God be with us all in our examination of His word and in our desire to please Him.
 
Sincerely,
Bruce Reeves
August 13, 2005