Brother Otis Gatewood Advocates Dangerous Practices
It is seldom that this writer has the inclination to write anything for publication, but this time something must be said. On Tuesday evening, March 11, 1958, Bro. Otis Gatewood spoke at the invitation of the Park Hill congregation, of Denver. His subject was, "Evangelism and Benevolence." Never has it been my experience to hear as much error in one sermon from one who claims to be a preacher of the simple gospel of Jesus Christ. My desire and design is to point out some of these errors that as many as possible might know the extent to which some brethren have gone in preaching and upholding unauthorized and unscriptural practices.
Brother Gatewood opened his speech by letting one and all know that he was waging war on those whom he chooses to call, "antis." He did as is the order of the day and lumped those who oppose the institutional, promotional schemes into one group with the "anti-class, one-cup, anti-college brethren." Thus, he would dispose of, by ridicule and false accusations, the good, solid, faithful brethren who are standing firmly for the Lord's way of doing things by simply succeeding in getting all to think of them as "cranks" and "crackpots." But, Brother Gatewood and all who stand with him are going to find that it isn't going to be as easy as all that. They are going to be faced by an open Bible at every turn of the way.
The second thing that attracted my attention in Brother Gatewood's speech was his declaration that "Liberalism" is no problem among the churches in the United States. He compared this country and the British Isles. He said that our brethren in the British Isles have a very grave problem with Liberalism. And why? Because they have no "Christian Schools." He thus attributes to the schools credit for keeping Liberalism out of the churches in America. Where Brother Gatewood found his definition of Liberalism, we may never know, but this we know, if he is right, he and I have certainly studied different standards. When gospel preachers call upon sectarian preachers to lead in prayer, when they belong to "Ministerial Alliances" and when they take liberties with the word of God as was done in this speech under review, brethren, this is LIBERALISM. When brethren advocate and uphold any practice or teaching that is unauthorized, this is LIBERALISM, the same kind that has spawned apostasy in every age.
Another erroneous assertion had to do with cooperative methods employed by churches in New Testament days. He cited every instance of co-operation mentioned in the New Testament. He said, "There is no such thing as DIRECT SUPPORT." He changed Paul and Barnabas, Epaphroditus and the messengers selected by the churches to sponsoring churches and orphan homes. Two cases of perversion will be noted specifically. Brother Gatewood denied that Phil. 4:14-18 is an example of direct support. His "reasoning" was that it went THROUGH Epaphroditus and that this is the same thing as one congregation sending THROUGH another congregation. He also said that there is the danger of one serving in the capacity of Epaphroditus becoming a "one-man missionary society." I deny this. Whereas, it is entirely possible for one congregation to become the "sponsoring church" for All the churches in the world, it would be a physical impossibility for one man to do as Epaphroditus did and become anything more than he became, the messenger of the Philippian church to take the money to Paul. It did not go THROUGH him, it was sent by him. He was entrusted with the money; not given the power to direct the use of it. 1 Cor. 16:3 was another abused and misused text. In this verse Paul directs the brethren at Corinth to select "Whomsoever" they would to bear the collected funds to Jerusalem. Brother Gatewood allowed as how the Corinthian brethren were permitted by the language of Paul to choose ANYBODY to handle this money. He said, "As far as we know they could have chosen the elders of a sister congregation." Here he found his sponsoring church. Well, if "Whomsoever" gives them permission to choose anyone to handle the funds, would this not allow them to use a MISSIONARY SOCIETY? If not, why not? But, let's take a closer look. Were those selected to "take" the money or were they to "send" it? Read the verse again. Paul says that the "Whomsoever" selected to handle the money will "CARRY" it to Jerusalem. Does this fit the sponsoring churches of today? To get the money to its destination, does not the sponsoring church employ means to get it there. They certainly do not CARRY it and thus simply serve as a messenger of a sister church. But if they did carry it, would this not make the sponsoring church the servant of the forwarding church while serving in this capacity. But, does not the New Testament teach that each congregation is independent, autonomous and equal? (II Cor. 8:14)
In yet another instance of misinformation, brother Gatewood used himself and the churches in Germany as an example of the way that the raising and distribution of funds should be carried on. Let it be said that if he is the example and the rest of us follow him, woe be unto the church in days to come! First, in objection to the example he used, he said that he was selected by the churches in Germany to come to the United States and raise funds with which to build church buildings in Germany. This is another instance of his getting the cart before the horse. In the New Testament the contributing churches were the ones which selected the messengers. (1 Cor. 16:3; 11 Cor. 8 & 9; Phil. 4:18.) But he left the impression that he came to this country and went from church to church, obtaining $60.00 from one, $100.00 from another and $15,000.00 from another until time for him to return to Germany. This he left out: On November 7, 2950 I sat in the audience in Houston, Texas, and heard Brother Gatewood appeal for funds for this very work, and the money was to be sent to the Broadway congregation in Lubbock. Word reached Houston before he arrived that he was soliciting weekly donations and pledges from one and all to be sent to the Lubbock church. I saw one of the cards, but they were not passed out in Houston. However, the appeal was made and the impression left that all funds collected there or sent later would be sent to the Lubbock church and not to Brother Gatewood personally. It's amazing how a little "leaving out" can change the complexion of a thing.
Brother Gatewood includes other things in the work of the church than Evangelism and Benevolence. He chides churches unmercifully unless they are sending boys and girls to school to be trained in Psychiatry, to be Social Workers, Marriage Counselors, etc. He advocates that churches furnish (pay for) this training and then furnish an office in the church building so that the above named works can be carried on as an integral part of the work of the church. In conjunction with this it was advocated that churches SHOULD provide recreation and recreational facilities for their members and others. This, he said, is a work of the church. He said it but he did not prove it. And, he will not prove it the next time he preaches on the subject, because he CANNOT prove it. This is the old sectarian "Social Gospel" concept being paraded before the people of God. In a nutshell, this is an admission that the gospel of the first century is not equal to the modern pressures and needs of the twentieth century. According to Brother Gatewood, much more is needed to convert the world than simply preaching the gospel of Christ. Brother Gatewood exposed himself perhaps more than he realized when he stated that a few weeks before when he was preparing to teach for a week at Harding College, he had called Dr. Norman Vincent Peale to determine how things are done where he preaches. Dr. Peale (a noted modernist and promulgator of the Social Gospel concept) informed our brother that thirty Psychiatrists are employed where he preaches. Ten thousand cases have been brought to their attention within the past year, of which over 900 have been cured. (Oral Roberts would perhaps claim a higher percentage). If Brother Otis would consult the activities of the Peerless Apostle Paul and the practices of the blood bought church of the first century, he would have all the answer that is needed for the spiritual ills of men today. Can you imagine Paul calling one of the Philosophers of Athens of his day and using his advice and practice to bind upon the church in the absence of revelation from above? Verily, the wisdom that is earthly is devilish and sensual.
The evening following that when Brother Gatewood spoke, Brother Kenneth Marrs did a most splendid and very effective job of refuting some of the errors espoused by Brother Gatewood when he preached on "Co-operation Among New Testament Churches." Brother Marrs spoke to only about half as many people as did Brother Gatewood. Brethren, it is indeed later than we think! And no longer can we simply warn in the words of Brother Tant, "Brethren, we are drifting." Verily, WE HAVE DRIFTED and disaster cannot be avoided unless brethren who are thinking, teaching and acting as Brother Otis Gatewood come back to the solid ground of Scriptural teaching and give a "thus saith the Lord" for all that they teach and practice. May the Lord bless us all to have the right attitude toward Him and each other, and may we all have an unbounded respect for the authority of His word.