Greetings,

I have been in Athens since December and swimming at the YMCA. I did so one Sunday and found out the pool was closed as a church meeting was in session. Since that time I have had a few dialogs and became aware that some people I knew attended.

After a dialog with a friend I decided to check into you and perhaps show up this morning. When I read the bio of Walt Alexander what stood out was “Walt enjoys reading, hiking, backpacking, & all things coffee.” We are together on hiking or even race walking. So please feel invited by me to share a hike. Either something modest, or a bit more aggressive, such as my favorite Big Frog Mountain. I have been to the top 6 times and serious theology dialogs are always a part. However, we are not on the same page with coffee, so I will stick with tea.

But then I checked some doctrine and listened to a sermon. A quick note from a software guy, I did download the sermon, but you do not make it easy for the novice to do so. I recommend you consider doing that.

In a review of the document “Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage”, what I saw was an example of eisegesis. Conclusions were drawn from verses that require reading in an objective that the text does not give. This concerned me.

Then I listened to “Genesis 32-33 // Wrestling With God”. While I was encouraged that there was context given such as the setup in chapter 31, the verse that the title alludes to, verse 30, was ignored. While rational people could disagree, I contend this is a wonderful example of a Christophany. I wonder if you agree. Considering your use of messenger and angel, which is not used in the text, my guess is you might not.

I did have two dialogues with people there today before my swim, one was pleasant and the other was unfortunately less so. Both parties are aware that I have set a challenge for many, so allow me to set it before you, or any of your leadership. Given the thesis: “The Bible is true and the institutional church is a fraud”, are you willing to engage me in a private or public dialog? If I am wrong, will you correct me “with complete patience” (2nd Timothy 4:2)?

If we share the Scripture as our reference, and if you subscribe to 1st Peter 3:15, I am asking what your hope if based on. Can you respond with gentleness and respect? Most that I have sent this before simply go silent. How about you?

A few years ago I made the detailed case from Scripture on video at: http://Kozlowski.org/2021-04-25+1. Am I wrong on any point? Do you understand the weight of the question for you, your congregation, and me?

My objective is not to be contentious, as I have dug deep into 1Co 11:16 and the meaning of “philoneikos”. My hope is to know our Creator all the more and live in obedience to Him. I have found out the reality of 2nd Timothy 3:12 in my life. It is why I started the ShofarLeaks project (http://ShofarLeaks.com) as it has cost me everything in this world. What I have seen is a bit of compromise in the Christian community leads to a whole lot of theft, consider the common purse in Proverbs 1, and pointing that out can cost you dearly. But it doesn’t stop at money as I am perhaps only one or two people removed from those who pulled the trigger to kill the Good Samaritan, Mr. Tomal, in the Collateral Murder video, hence ShofarLeaks. The intermediaries were church leadership. It has had an impact on me.

So very serious things. However, if you or anyone in leadership or the congregation would be interested in a hike, or simply sitting down for dialog, my name is John Kozlowski, and my email is John@Kozlowski.org. I am easy to get ahold of.

Respectfully,

John Kozlowski