Dr. John A. Huffman, Jr.
St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church
600 St. Andrews Road
Newport Beach, CA 92663-5325
Dear John:
I want to compliment you on the recently completed series of sermons featuring the Biblical truths of the Apostles Creed. Additionally, I want to thank you for bringing in Dr. James R. Edwards for our recently completed Adventure In Faith 2004 featuring messages on the challenges facing the Christian in this current world. In the coming months a different challenge will be facing Christians here in the Orange County and specifically the Newport Beach area. A new Mormon temple will be dedicated with much fanfare this coming spring in Newport Beach. Many of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint authorities will be present during the dedication giving their explanations of what the Christian faith is all about.
Attached is the recent newsletter of the Utah Gospel Mission featuring information on the forthcoming Newport Beach temple. In addition the newsletter exposed a Baptist minister Greg Johnson and Dr. Robert Millet of Brigham Young University in a harmonious dialogue. These two men were also featured in the February 2004 issue of Christianity Today on page 18. I was at the January 10th dialogue where the first hour was spent complimenting each other for being nice. It became apparent that Greg Johnson has become adversely affected from rubbing elbows with the religious power brokers of Utah. Dr. Millet has been using Greg to construct palatable answers for Mormon blasphemies that he hopes will be accepted by Christians in general. After the dialogue was over, I was able to briefly show Dr. Millet statements from the National Geographic Society and Smithsonian Institute deriding the historical claims of the Book of Mormon based on archaeological evidence. In response he simply asked me for evidence of the resurrection of Jesus Christ and with quick talking brushed me off.
What can we do at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church? Did we not have Dr. Walter Martin speak at St. Andrew's back in the 1980s? I would recommend that we bring in a Christian apologist who has not compromised his faith in Jesus Christ for a series or a single question and answer session on Mormonism. My recommendation would be Kurt Van Gorden who has been lovingly reaching Mormons for Jesus Christ of the Bible (Hebrews 13:8). He is a good communicator who has done many sermons and talks on Mormonism. Additionally, an Christian apologetic group named Ex-Mormons for Jesus based in the city of Orange can supply ample literature on the many non-Christian aspects of Mormonism. John, this is an opportunity to cut through this age of tolerating evil and error with the truth.
In Christ,
Deacon-area 46