I drove my friend Mike Day, AKA Mikey, to Chattanooga today in his truck again. We went by Covenant Presbyterian and it was a reminder of the people at that institution that I still desire to reconcile with. But the institution protects the institution and will not defend itself when Scripture is presented to them. It remains my hope that still one will break ranks and yield to the command in Matthew 5:24 with another who is willing. As I stated before, I feel like Fritz Erbe just with a nicer hole.

Unlike those in the PCA, I have been in dialog with a Mormon who has continued in the conversation and seems a bit willing to at least point to his references. My comment and challenge to him is below. I set it before you as a model of someone who I suggest has matured as a follower of Christ and willing to stand by it. This is the challenge I set before Jim Cross, Render Caines, and Chris Bitterman, but it seems they don’t trust enough in the Scripture to contend with a man seeking reconciliation. Perhaps it is fear or pride that keeps them away, but I remain willing to reconcile.

I will send this email to our kids in home they will at least read today’s message. When I have asked them if they are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, not one responded. This closing of communications seems to have been well taught in the PCA and Cross family. But we are not dead yet, so reconciliation remains my goal.

With the presupposition that the Scripture is true, there are those “religions” that have either distorted the Scripture or wrote their own from whole cloth. This would be a natural occurrence as the Scripture describes the character of man. In my past I have done some study of many religions as I wanted to know the truth, and it was in my late 20s that I finally proclaimed to be a follower of Christ. However, was there a denomination that was right, or was it the Jehovah’s Witnesses, or even the Mormons? Even more, was Islam or atheism true? After decades of study, and wrestling with God (Genesis 32) as I suggest we are commanded to do, I am now ready to give an answer for the hope in me (1Peter3:15) and will do so willingly.

I did some study on Jehovah’s Witnesses, and have had brief interactions with them, but I will leave them to those who are more prepared. In the same way I have done some study of Mormonism and there are so many that take that on much better than I. To a greater degree I have done study on Islam, have read the Quran, and continue to try to interact with them when opportunity arises, but again they remain a secondary focus. Or as your wife states I have picked my battles.

For me my focus is on those who claim Christ, but it is either a pseudo-Christ or only applicable for an hour on Sunday. This is where my heart is, as within those people are those that need the correction and encouragement that we are commanded to give, and I also seek to be on the receiving end of this as I remain imperfect and only truly loved by those who will offer a serious exchange.

In very general terms, Islam claims Christians are polytheists as from their perspective they state that we claim the father, Mary, and Jesus as Gods. The Roman Catholic Church's veneration of Mary does not help this. However, it has been well understood that the father, the son Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are one God in three persons. Mary is just a created being who was ironically created by her own son. While Islam has it wrong on their understanding of the Trinity, they are correct on that there is only one God, which is the orthodox Christian position and at odds with Mormonism.

However, I do consider you also a human being created in the image of God, and worthy my time. If you are willing to have an open frank public respectful dialog on the issue of the Lord Jesus Christ being the only God and creator of all things who stepped into His creation versus your perspective as guided by Mormonism, I am willing. Are you interested?

I love you Dorothy-Jane!