ROANOKE TIMES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 16, 1993                   TAG: 9306160333
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short


STANDING FOR WHAT THE CHURCH BELIEVES

I CANNOT speak for or against the history of Colonial Baptist Church, because I do not know what the church stood for or against 30 years ago. I am not a member, but am proud to know its pastor, the Rev. Don Eade. I live in the area where the church is located and have visited services and talked with Eade. There is not one angry or hateful bone in this man's body. He is a true Christian gentleman.

If David R. Bobbitt (June 9 letter, "Church building tyranny of hate") knew Eade, he would know this man is full of love and not hate. Bitterness emanates from Bobbitt's letter. It is cram-packed with cliches, such as "fundamentalist right," and comments that would have us believe that the church should be neutral. Yet, the Bible teaches those who follow it that its disciples should be the "light of the world, a city on a hill."

I'm confident that Eade is leading his people to "speak the truth in love." Christians are not to hate people but rather sin, and the leadership of this church teaches and lives this conviction.

There are many in society like Bobbitt who would tell those of the faith to be faithless and to leave their convictions in their churches and homes. Those of the faith should stand for what is right, or else they will, like society, fall for everything. EDDIE J. EASTERLING BLUE RIDGE



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