In Theorists work against their faiths

I feel I must respond to the In Theory question on the Faith page on Feb. 4-5 ("Ministering to the military").

(Clergy were asked: "The number of mainline military Protestant chaplains has reportedly decreased recently as evangelical Christians have enlisted in the chaplaincy. Critics have reportedly complained that some evangelical chaplains are preaching to service men and women that the only way to salvation is through Jesus -- a claim new chaplains say is only natural, adding that restricting the impulse to preach about Jesus would be a restriction of religious freedom.

Are you concerned about how service men and women are being ministered to, and do you think the influx of evangelical ministers, if it's disproportional to other faiths, could be detrimental?")

First I must commend Pastor Jon Barta for his biblical stance concerning the message of the gospel. On the other hand, I cannot understand why Skip Lindeman, of Church of the Lighted Window in La Cañada Flintridge and Thomas Witherspoon, of Unity Church of the Valley, desire to be in ministry at all. Lindeman illustrates his position with a story concerning the author Will Herberg, who contacted American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr about becoming a Christian. Niebuhr, who died in 1971, sent Herberg back to his Jewish faith. Subsequently, Herberg did not convert to Christ, but remained a Jew. Herberg, who died March 27, 1977, is in hell right now, because he took Niebuhr's unbiblical advice. Jesus says, "He who honors not the Son (Jesus) honors not the Father that sent him," John 5:23, and again the Bible says, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved," Acts 4:12. Where is Christ in Judaism?

Witherspoon's philosophy is just as bad. He would rather chaplains "comfort and inspire men and women of all faiths," rather than try and win them to Christ. I would like to know how he gets around the Great Commission: "All authority has been given to me in heaven and earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," Matthew 28:19-20.

These young military personnel are one step away from eternity every day, and all Witherspoon has is to be a "living example of goodness." Therefore, chaplains need to present to their comrades Jesus, for He is God, offered to them as Savior if they will believe on Him. Jesus did not die on a cross and rise again from the dead for sins, I Corinthians 15:3-4, for men to fluff it off as irrelevant. He did it to draw all men to himself. I suggest that Witherspoon and Lindeman both repent for their foolishness, or resign as ministers of the gospel that they've apparently have both forgotten.

* MICHAEL FLEMING is a resident of Tarzana and an interim pastor at First Southern Baptist Church of Glendale.