By Mike Willis
The strength of a paper such as Guardian of Truth depends solely upon the quality of written material which appears in its pages. Guardian of Truth will be useful to the Lord and His people only so long as its pages contain articles which are true to the Book. The articles which are true to the Book must be written in such a style that they are readable and easily comprehended by the common man. Articles which are so scholarly that they bore the common man will not be read; articles which are so ambiguous that one cannot recognize the sin which is being condemned or the righteousness which is being commended are worthless. Consequently, writers are needed who present the truth of God’s word in an understandable, readable, and unambiguous manner.
For 25 years our editors have constantly tried to see that our staff of writers is composed of such writers. However, as the years have passed, many of the stalwart defenders of God’s truth have ceased to write for us. Connie Adams left our staff to become editor of Searching The Scriptures. James P. Needham left our staff to edit Torch. Roy E. Cogdill’s health problems have prohibited his production of new articles for publication. James W. Adams left our staff to edit the Gospel Guardian and has not had time to do journalistic writing since the merger of the Gospel Guardian with Truth Magazine. A paper cannot lose men of this caliber without being hurt by their absence.
The staff which has been left for Guardian of Truth has been somewhat weighted toward the younger age group of preachers. This is not an embarrassment to us inasmuch as men such as Ron Halbrook, Daniel H. King, Steve Wolfgang and John McCort would grace any periodical’s pages. However, each of us would recognize that men such as Hoyt Houchen, Earl Robertson, Irvin Himmel, Irven Lee, Bill Lavender, O.C. Birdwell, Bobby Witherington, and Jimmy Tuten give the paper a maturity which is not available from those of us who have less experience. Consequently, I have felt the need to add several men of more maturity to our staff and, toward that end, have invited Bill Lavender, Hoyt Houchen, Bobby Witherington, Johnie Edwards, and Irven Lee to join us (since being selected to edit Guardian of Truth).
With this issue of Guardian of Truth, we are happy to announce the addition of another writer to our staff. He is Weldon Warnock. I do not think that we could choose a better man for our staff than brother Warnock. He is a seasoned veteran in the Lord’s service. His reputation as a faithful gospel preacher is known far and wide. The local works which he has done through the years commend him to us. They are his epistle known and read of all men. To those who might not know Weldon Warnock, let me introduce him to you.
Biographical Sketch
Weldon grew up in Carter County, Kentucky which is in the northeastern part of the state. He attended a one-room school at Lower Grassy, Kentucky during his first three or four grades. He graduated from high school at Grayson in 1950. He was on the high school basketball team, playing about thirty to thirty-five games a season.
In April of 1949, Weldon obeyed the gospel at Sciotoville, Ohio under the preaching of Fred E. Dennis. Shortly after that, he decided that he wanted to preach the gospel. In the summer of 1950, he met James R. Cope at a lectureship in Parkersburg, West Virginia and brother Cope made arrangements for Weldon to attend Florida College. After four years at Florida College, he began full-time work with the Grant and Summit church at Portsmouth, Ohio. While at Portsmouth he met his wife Betty. They were married in November, 1956. They have one daughter named Julie who has recently finished her school work to be a registered nurse.
Since his first work at Portsmouth, Ohio Weldon has worked with churches in New Martinsville, and Paden City, West Virginia; Lawrenceburg, Tennessee; Bowling Green, Kentucky; Columbus, Mississippi; Xenia and Akron, Ohio; and presently at Gainesville, Florida. In the past several years, he has been conducting eight to twelve gospel meetings each year throughout the northern and southern states.
After being out of college for several years, he decided to return to school for a couple more years of study. While living at Bowling Green, Kentucky he was able to attend Western Kentucky University where he majored in psychology. Weldon is a regular writer for Searching the Scriptures and has been a frequent contributor of articles to Guardian of Truth. He has written a commentary-workbook on the book of Revelation for the Guardian of Truth Foundation that is now in its third printing.
During his twenty-seven years of preaching, Weldon has particpated in eight debates. Two have been with J.W. Holcomb on women teachers and the artificial covering. He debated Roosevelt York, a Holiness preacher, on the Godhead, miracles and instrumental music. At Bowling Green, Kentucky, he engaged W.T. Russell and H.C. Vanderpool in debate, both Baptist preachers. He later met Vanderpool at Louisville, Kentucky. While in Xenia, Ohio (Knollwood church), he debated Ted Lewis at the Dayton Convention Center on miracles. He teamed up with James Cooper and Wayne Chappell in a debate with three preachers in Cincinnati on Holy Spirit baptism and speaking in tongues.
From the time he began located work, Weldon has been involved in radio and television work. He began the Bible Forum broadcast on WAVI in Dayton, Ohio that is still on the air and continues to be well received. In Akron, Ohio he began Religious Talk on WHLO that continues to have good response. While in Akron, Weldon also conducted a TV program that had a large viewing audience for a religious telecast.
For the past few years Weldon has been making tours to the Bible lands and Europe. He has toured Israel extensively, along with Jordan, Egypt, Greece, Rome, Turkey and other places in Europe. He says the trips have enhanced his appreciation and understanding of the biblical record.
As A Gospel Preacher
I have had the privilege of working with brother Warnock in a couple of gospel meetings at the Knollwood congregation. His presentation of the gospel is simply outstanding. Like the apostle Paul, brother Warnock is determined “not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). His style is such that the common people hear him gladly. His sermons reflect the depth of serious study of God’s word but they are reduced to such simple terms that even the babes in Christ or alien sinners have no trouble understanding him. The crowds which attended the most recent gospel meeting at the Knollwood congregation were the best which we have had in the six years that I have been associated with the Knollwood congregation.
Conclusion
Brother Warnock will have a free rein to write on any subject he pleases. However, he has previously expressed interest in writing a column to keep us abreast with developments in the world of religion in general. After Weldon gets settled in his new work in Moundsville, West Virginia, that column will begin. Until then, we will be publishing articles from him on a variety of subjects of a more general nature. I think that our readers will be delighted to have the addition of Weldon Warnock to our staff of writers. Be looking for his column regularly.
Guardian of Truth XXVI: 6, pp. 83-84
February 11, 1982