Welcome Back, Stegall?

Pastor Tom Stegall has gone back to his home church to become the new Publications Director.  Notice the following announcement posted on the Duluth Bible Church (DBC) website:

 

"Publications Ministry New Publications Director! DBC welcomes Tom Stegall, GIBS [Grace Institute of Biblical Studies] graduate and former pastor of Word of Grace Bible Church in Milwaukee, WI, as the new Publications Director effective January 1, 2012. Look for new publications in 2012"¹

 

Wait a minute—"DBC welcomes Tom Stegall, GIBS graduate and former pastor of Word of Grace Bible Church"?

• Is this the same Tom Stegall who in 2007 wrote: "The years ahead will require us to define what is the sine qua non of the Gospel"?² But hasn't God already defined the Gospel for us in His Word? The apostle Paul says in Galatians 1:11-12, "For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ."

• Is this the same Tom Stegall who in 2007 also wrote a "Proposed Change" to his church's Doctrinal Statement on the "SOLE CONDITION FOR SALVATION" and removed the truth of Christ's burial from the Gospel?³ But isn't the Gospel by which we are saved something to "hold fast" and not change? The apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:2, "hold fast the word which I preached to you"! 

• Is this the same Tom Stegall who in 2009 used "the amazing triangular testimony" and "virtual mirror reflections" of a pagan symbol to redefine the Gospel to exclude Christ's burial and resurrection appearances?⁴ Again, hear the apostle Paul: "hold fast the word which I preached to you"! (1 Cor. 15:2)

No word of warning by Duluth Bible Church regarding any of this? But what does the apostle Paul say?

"Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears." (Acts 20:28-31, NKJV)

The real tragedy here is that instead of warning the flock, DBC is welcoming the false teacher!

ENDNOTES:

¹ Posted on the Duluth Bible Church website (accessed March 18, 2012), underlining added. Also see the article "NEW PUBLICATIONS DIRECTOR" in the Summer 2011 edition of The Grace Family Journal. The article is written by groundless gospel advocate Pastor Dennis Rokser of Duluth Bible Church, and he introduces Stegall to the sheep by saying: "We are very excited to announce that Tom Stegall has become our new and first publications director at Duluth Bible Church". (Ibid., p. 1.) Rokser goes on to write: "So join us in welcoming Tom to the staff at DBC". (Ibid.)

² Stegall, "THE TRAGEDY OF THE CROSSLESS GOSPEL (Pt. 1)," The Grace Family Journal (Spring 2007): p. 4, bold added, italics his.

³ Stegall, "Proposed Change" to the "SOLE CONDITION FOR SALVATION," Word of Grace Bible Church handout (c. 2007), no page number, bold and caps his.

⁴ Stegall, The Gospel of the Christ (Milwaukee: Grace Gospel Press, 2009), p. 19. For a detailed expose of Stegall's groundless gospel, see my blog post titled: "The Strange Beliefs of Stegall's System" (Oct. 31, 2010).