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Brother Warnock’s Ninth & Tenth Weeks in a Row By Jeff Belknap Although another brother broadcasted the Beech Creek radio program in brother Warnock’s stead on March 21st, when Weldon resumed broadcasting on March 28th, he continued his weekly pattern of airing the church’s “dirty laundry” over Southern West Virginia’s local air waves, and did the same again on April 4th. As stated before, these repeated carpings about “the preacher in Southern WV” and “the church of Christ in Beckley” where he stated he preached “for ten years” are broadcasted to far more unconverted people than brethren. Links to the transcripts of brother Warnock’s ninth (3-28-04) and tenth (4-4-04) broadcasts in a row which address this controversy are provided at the bottom of this article. During the last several weeks, brother Warnock has gone on record teaching the same erroneous doctrine articulated by brother Ron Halbrook. Several weeks back, Brother Warnock also mentioned my “brazen” challenge to brother Halbrook (Written Debate Invitation For Ron Halbrook) and, since Ron did not respond to the offer, he PROMISED to take Ron’s place. Weldon stated: “…And there’s a brother, a preacher in Southern West Virginia, who’s on the computer challenging a brother like Ron Halbrook for debate. Yeah, he’s been brazen. I want, I want a debate, and chided him ‘cause, brother Ron because he won’t debate. Well, Ron decided that’s not the – the best, ha, ha, as far, as far as he’s concerned, but I tell you what, I’ll do it.” (emp. jhb). Weldon E. Warnock, [2-22-04 Radio program (WJLS 99.5 FM, Beckley WV) sponsored by the Beech Creek church of Christ, Meador, WV.] Play Clip! Unfortunately, his broadcasts have made it clear that he is now refusing to do what he emphatically said he would do. After all his talk for several weeks, yea months, about wanting to debate that “preacher in Southern West Virginia” who “causes dissention in the church, and unrest in the church, and confusion in the church,” as well as “havoc in the church,” Weldon is now avoiding taking Ron’s place in the debate I had offered him, by adding prerequisites that he knows to be impossible, and by insisting on changing the focus of the original proposition as conditions for him to honor his word. He stated in his April 4th broadcast: “And he sent me some material and a letter and some debate propositions, and he wanted to debate through a couple religious journals. And I’d be willing to do that providing we can have a public discussion in Beckley. I’ve wrote him back and told him that and he may have gotten it Saturday, might not get it until tomorrow, but that’d be fine with me to have a written discussion in a couple religious journals, or maybe we could even get more than that to carry the exchange, but that’s after we have a public, oral debate or discussion on marriage, divorce and remarriage in Beckley, WV. And I pointed out that the propositions would have to be rephrased to include pre-divorce fornication.” (emp. jhb). Weldon E. Warnock, [4-4-04 Radio program (WJLS 99.5 FM, Beckley WV) sponsored by the Beech Creek church of Christ, Meador, WV.] Then on April 5th I received his March 31st letter sent USPS that he mentioned in his April 4th radio broadcast. Within the letter Weldon wrote: “To have a written exchange on the MDR (sic) will be fine with me providing you and I have a public, oral debate at Beckley first. The propositions you sent would have to be rephrased to include the pre-divorce fornication.” (emp. jhb). Though I have told brother Warnock more than once (and as another member here verified for him), the brethren at Beckley have expressed their wishes that a debate not be held in Beckley. So his supposed agreement to debate in writing only after an oral debate in Beckley is a facade. It’s as good as a promise to give someone a million dollars if they don’t breathe for 24 hours. After all of Weldon’s emphatic proclamations for several months over the public air waves that my teaching is “indefensible,” “ludicrous,” “radical,” “extreme,” “invalid,” “sophistry,” “fallacy,” “nonsense,” and “one of the most irrational, absurd positions that’s come along in a long time,” he is turning down a wonderful, ready and waiting opportunity to expose my ridiculous position within Gospel Truths and Preceptor! After all the bluster, we find out that Weldon is all bark and no bite! His placing of what he knows to be an impossible condition upon acceptance to a written debate, is irreconcilable with his previous claim that “I believe strongly what I preach, and nobody’s going to get by with calling me a false teacher.” It flies in the face of his own words, which he articulated in the same broadcast, “Now, let’s see if a fellow has enough courage to step up to the lick log, and just defend what he preaches. You’re not going to call me a false teacher, you’re going to get in a debate, if you’ll have it and don’t run from it, now.” (2-22-04). Moreover, he now says that if he were to debate me, the propositions “would have to be rephrased” to include a different issue than the topic which I invited brother Halbrook to debate. Weldon, like his fellow associates of this error, is trying to turn the attention away from the more extreme, less emotional scenario of post-divorce “putting away” for post-divorce fornication, to the less extreme and more emotional scenario of a second “putting away” for pre-divorce fornication. However, that’s not what Weldon promised to debate when he gave his word to accept the debate proposal that I offered to Ron Halbrook. The proposition in my invitation to brother Halbrook represented the same scenario that brother Weldon advocated in Searching the Scriptures in 1985 and 1986, and what he has recently advocated numerous times on his radio broadcast. Play Clip! Although I readily admit that both positions stand or fall together, the advocates of the second “putting away” doctrine have steadily wanted to run from discussing the more extreme and less emotional “application” of their position. Nevertheless, once again, Weldon publicly taught his post-divorce “putting away” doctrine for post-divorce fornication in his tenth week in a row broadcast. Weldon stated: “Or if he puts her away and then goes and marries somebody else, he’s guilty of fornication. I’m talking about an innocent person, now. I’m not talking about two who decide they don’t want to live together anymore, get a divorce and one waits on the other to commit fornication in order then to remarry. I’m talking about an innocent person who’s been put away by a man or a woman, who’s been put away, and then later, goes out and remarries, may have his eye on (laughs) somebody when the divorce takes place, the innocent party may remarry on the basis fornication.” Weldon E. Warnock, [4-4-04 Radio program (WJLS 99.5 FM, Beckley WV) sponsored by the Beech Creek church of Christ, Meador, WV.] Yet, strangely enough, Weldon is not interested in having a public discussion of this scenario which he has so often repeated, but instead says that the proposition “would have to be rephrased to include the pre-divorce fornication.” Wonder why? More Disparaging Comments by Brother Warnock Just when I thought Weldon could no longer shock me any longer, I must admit, he has astonished me again. In my last article, I revealed the identity of the brother (Billy Ray Ford) who had written a recent encouraging reader response, due to Weldon’s broadcasted doubts about the letter’s truthfulness (See Brother Warnock’s Seventh & Eighth Weeks in a Row). In response, Weldon spent a considerable amount of time on his broadcast (to the unconverted of Beckley and its surrounding communities) in expressing critical comments about that brother in Christ on the radio (4-4-04). Yet, Weldon has expressed great displeasure with me responsibly documenting his old and new PUBLIC TEACHING (with transcripts and sound clips) on my website, which is designed for and advertised solely to brethren. Amazing! Because of my recent experiences with brother Warnock’s misrepresentation of the facts (articulated in my previous articles), I sent the transcript of brother Warnock’s most recent words (about him) to brother Ford, who expressed his sincere sorrow over Weldon’s recent actions. Within the letter, I asked if brother Ford desired to make any comments. He sent me the following note: “Dear Jeff, Trying to draw on my years of experience with human nature, my love for God and for my fellow man. I do not believe (doubt) I would be able to say or write any thing that would help Weldon Warnock. I know he is well thought of in many circles and pray that some more knowledgeable than I, like Brother Connie Adams can help him. Weldon misrepresented me, judged my motives, made statements that are false, and so far out that I even hesitate to answer; however, I will mention a few in order to try to bring him to his senses. I did not say I could not answer his argument concerning the Jewish women. I told him that Mark 10:12 answered his argument. When I brought up Solomon, I had reference to the fact of regardless of how wise a person becomes, he can still embrace false teaching. Weldon has embraced false teaching concerning the plight of one that has been put away (divorced) for any reason having the God given right to remarry and be pleasing to God. I am truly sorry that he doubted that I cried when I found out he was airing these internal problems to the public, plus the false position he has taken. I have not disfellowshipped Weldon yet, and pray I will not have to, but when I do, I will not invite him to stay at my house. All of us know what is to be done when a Christian is living in adultery and will not repent. All those who would fellowship one who teaches others that they can must be disciplined. I Corinthians 5:11 Praying some good can come! Billy Ray Ford” I appreciate brother Ford for his godly attitude, and it is a remarkable contrast from what Weldon has done on the radio. Charges of Misrepresentation Brother Warnock makes mention of an “honorable” oral debate in Beckley. However, during his several months of broadcasting before the denominational world and the “unchurched” throughout both of the Virginias, Weldon has displayed everything but “honor.” Although Weldon has previously affirmed that another brother sent him my previous articles (which specified his numerous misrepresentations), he continues to make-believe that he is unaware of what I have specified. That is not what I call honorable behavior. Additionally, as I mentioned in my last article (which Weldon acknowledges receiving), I specifically revealed that the location within those articles of Weldon’s misrepresentations were under the self-explanatory sub-headings of “Weldon’s Misrepresentations” (see: Brother Warnock’s 19 Year Progression of Error) and “His Misrepresentation of the Facts and Emotional Cases” (see: Brother Warnock's Fifth & Sixth Weeks in a Row)]. Also see Brother Warnock’s Seventh & Eighth Weeks in a Row. Yet, even after Weldon’s acknowledgement that he has also received the last article (which re-directed him to the location of my specifications of his misrepresentations), at the bottom of his short March 31st letter to me, he included a post script that stated: “P.S. I am still waiting to receive the so-called misrepresentations of you.” Unfortunately, the ramifications of Weldon’s repeated denials that he has received specifications of his misrepresentations is, in effect, another misrepresentation. When will it end? • Broadcast: Transcript of Weldon E. Warnock’s Radio Program (3-28-04) • Broadcast: Transcript of Weldon E. Warnock’s Radio Program (4-4-04) • For numerous sound clips of Weldon’s recent radio broadcasts, click Audio Clips and scroll down. |
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