Thomas G. O’Neal
P. O. Box 723
Bessemer, Al. 35021-0723
February 15, 2000
Mr. C. G "Colly" Caldwell, President
Mr. Ferrell Jenkins, Chairman, Department of Biblical Studies
Florida College
Temple Terrace, Florida 33617
Dear Colly and Ferrell:
Since I wanted to write to each of you after attending the lectures and what I wanted to say was much the same to each of you, I am writing to you together. It is with a very heavy heart that I write these lines. A few years ago I would have never thought that I would ever be writing this letter to you.
When brother Jim Cope retired as President of the college, Colly was my choice for the next President as you know. I later learned that you were also brother Cope’s choice.
On May 15, 1991, I wrote Colley saying , "Ever since I heard you were the new Prez of the college I have intended to write you and wish you well, but until now have not gotten around to doing so.
"Brethren are fortunate to have you there. I wish you well in your new efforts, knowing that it will take a lot of time and devotion to the task. If I can ever be of any assistance to you, please let me know and I will do my best.
"There were be long nights and sleepless ones as decisions are being made. If you will always make them on the basis of what is right, you will find brethren will stand with you. A politician will have a hard time living with himself.
"I am glad you selected Ferrell Jenkins as head of the Bible department. He will be a great addition to the school. He, like you, is well respected by brethren. I feel like this is the best decision you will ever make in regard to the school and I trust time will prove this to be so.
"The younger generation of men must be grounded in the N. T. with a fight for truth and an urgency of the gospel. I don’t think F. C. is a preacher factory, but when young men are there the opportunity must be used.
"To you I extend my love, support and my hand as you undertake a new challenge..
Brotherly,
Tom"
On May 20, 1991, Colley responded by saying in a hand written letter,
"Dear Tom,
Thanks for your note. More than anything we want to keep this operation true to the Book --- in every way. I appreciate your ideas and suggestions. Stay close to us.
Our love always,
Colly"
On May 15, 1991 I wrote Ferrell as follows:
"Dear Ferrell:
Every since I learned you were appointed the new head of the Bible Department at F C I have intended to write you and wish you well, but until now I have not gotten around to doing so.
"I think probably the very best decision Colly will make is in bringing you back to the college as the head of the Bible Department. You have the mind, disposition and background to do an excellent job.
"I recently obtained your outline on marriage and it is right to the point. It is simple and complete as anything I have seen on the subject.
If every I can be of help to you, let me know and I will be glad to do what I can.
"To you I extend my love, support and my hand as you undertake your new work.
Brotherly,
Tom"
For sometime I have had some concerns, even great concerns, over the direction the school was going. Men who have been weak on various issues or out right in error have been on the lecture programs. Men with good personalities have appeared and been brought in at various times to teach Bible classes. However, they have not been men with a depth of Bible knowledge. No Cope, Cogdill and Pucketts. I have heard others express concerns over things that they saw and heard.
Brother Jim Cope said at Lipscomb years ago that the little school he was becoming connected with in Tampa would in time go the way of all others – into apostasy. In this lectureship, Steve Wolfgang told the audience this and warned you that you should listen to men like Dan King and Harry Osborne. Steve further said if someone you disagreed with were to offer some criticism of the school that you should listen to them for you might even learn from them.
Brother Jim Cope wrote, April 20, 1949, brother Yater Tant when he was preparing to come to Tampa as President of the college saying, "We purpose to profit from constructive criticism of loyal brethren without counting them our enemies when they disagree with us in matters of judgment. We deserve their rebukes should we err in matters of faith" (Communique, April, 1997, page 4 and 5). Is this your attitude now toward those that might disagree with you? In this same letter, brother Cope said, "let the following be once for all known and understood: if Florida Christian College must surrender any principle prompting its founding and existence in order to obtain entrance into any secular or educational accrediting organizations, those organizations can go their way and we shall go our own. We do not propose to sell principles for popularity even if it means the closing of our doors never to open again." Brethren, is this still the attitude of the your administration?
While I was at the recent lectures what I heard told me there was no way to identify a false teacher other than his character; you could not learn this from what he taught. One lecturer I was reliably told said you could not identify a false teacher, but just be sure you were not one. Twenty-five years ago you would not have preached this. Yet, now you will let it slide without a word of correction. You know had Cogdill, Cope or Puckett heard such, you would have had a hard time keeping them from having somewhat to say about it. If what I heard was so, you could invite either Billy Graham or the Pope of Rome to teach at the college. Rubel Shelly has bought this and the church in Nashville when he preaches is helping sponsor Billy Graham later this year in Nashville. One of the speakers got a big laugh when he declared that when he began his study for his lecture that he found out he was a false teacher. Brethren, it might have got a big laugh, but it is not a laughing matter. Souls are at stake and some are going to be lost in hell over this. It is too serious a matter to be laughing. What all this means is that the lectures are losening the Biblical standard little by little. A few years ago you recognized this and said, "Too many pulpits and publications are using pop psychology and pseudo-wisdom, the wisdom of this age, as a solution to human problems. We would like to help turn our thinking back to the wisdom which comes from above" (Ibid. , Jan. 1992, page 1). Brethren, do you do this by saying that a false teacher can only be learned by his character and not by what he teaches? There are two wisdoms, one from above and one from this earth. Is the only way to learn which is which is by the character of him who teaches?
I heard one from the Bible faculty lecture on preaching to the spirits in prison. Pathetic! If someone had gone there to learn what the passage teaches because they did not know, they would have left still not knowing that the passage teaches. Is this a sample of the quality of instruction that the Bible teachers are doing?
Colly’s comments Thursday night as he introduced Robert Jackson were not appreciated by several of us. Saying that brother Jackson would speak on two subjects since he only spoke about 25 minutes got Colly a laugh. Saying that he would speak on "The Day of the Lord" and "The Age of the Earth" appeared to me to be designed to put down the question concerning the age of the earth as an unimportant matter. Last year Hill Roberts spoke and much criticism by friends of the school was heard. I am sure he did not present all of the material that he has in his "Lord, I Believe" seminar. However, his material was made available to those who attended the 1999 F. C. lectures. Anything less than a complete repudiation of his material indicates the direction you are leading the school. When brethren see this you are going to find that you are going to lose a lot of support for the school. You will keep the big money for big money always goes with apostasy. But those parents who sacrifice, some even to the point of borrowing money, so their children can attend will not support you. Why should parents sacrifice to send their children there when they can get their faith shaken in a state university? I take this year’s lecture program to be a significant turning point in the history of the school. The sad thing is that things will probably get worse each year in the future and not better.
To me, the general program this year was a slap in the face at every faithful brother in the nation. This year’s program puts every young preacher who attends there under suspicion. Brethren will be asking young men who have attended F. C. questions about their faith and rightly so. Why would brethren want to bring into a congregation a young man who has studied under some of the teachers there only to have him teach the young people within the congregation what he has been taught at F. C.?