2/24/2017Dr. Gray,Greetings in the precious name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.I am writing today to share my heart concerning your return to Baton Rouge for the purpose of restoring the effectiveness of World Evangelism Bible College. While I certainly do not claim to be speaking for the entirety of the alumni, I do think, based on conversations with many, that my thoughts at least reflect the thinking of the majority. When you made your announcement a few days ago, it caused a shock-wave of excitement to spread throughout the alumni community. But with those feelings of hopefulness came an equal amount of questions and many reservations. Considering the alumni’s feelings from a historical context might help to shed light on these concerns. When Brother Swaggart made his tearful confession on February 21, 1988, the student body of JSBC remained remarkably calm. I credit this mature reaction to the solid training we had received from leaders like yourself. The students had their eyes on Christ, not men. There was shock and sadness, but there was also a great resolve to carry-on. The overwhelming consensus was that Brother Swaggart would surely submit to the same discipline he had preached was essential when a minister is found to have serious moral failings. We expected there to be tough times, but the vast majority of students and professors were ready to stand with the Swaggarts. After all, most felt that the college was really not that connected to JSM to begin with. It did not seem that Brother Swaggart was trying to micro-manage it. JSBC was rapidly developing into a self-sufficient entity. While it might have born Jimmy Swaggart’s name, he had delegated its development and function to those who were gifted in such administrative tasks. The uniqueness of JSBC was viewed as a rare treasure worth preserving. As the next couple of weeks went by, it began to quickly appear that something was terribly wrong. Strange and unknown speakers at FWC began to be brought in, peaching a type of message that was obviously meant to prepare the hearts of the hearers for a radical shift in philosophy. Soon thereafter, the rift with the Executive Presbytery of the Assemblies of God began in earnest. Our hope for a bright future began to fade as we were daily bombarded by JSM with what amounted to anti-AG propaganda. College staff and students alike earnestly tried to reason and plead with the Swaggarts. A letter to Brother Swaggart signed by a huge number of professors promising to work for free for a time, even if it meant working side jobs to support their families, if Brother Swaggart would submit to Springfield’s ruling, was brushed aside. Rather than thank the professors for their offer, Brother Swaggat came to chapel, turned to the professors seated on the platform behind him and said, “I know many of you will leave, but the best ones will stay”. Student leaders who also tried to reason with the Swaggarts were met with the same rejection. One group of students meeting with the Swaggarts pleaded with them, telling them that that unless Springfield’s ruling was adhered to, at least three-fourths of the students would not return in the Fall of 1988. Though the tone of these students was very respectful, they were subjected to screams of rage and demands of an apology. It seemed that, in the final analysis, Brother Swaggart felt we all needed him much more than he needed us. His subsequent relapse into sin a couple of years later, as well as revelations brought forth in the Gorman vs. Swaggart trial, and his blaming of his failures on an “inadequate revelation of the cross” have left a long-lasting distrust of the Swaggarts in the hearts of many alumni, even to the point of casting doubt on the sincerity of his confession. I do not think there are many in the ministry these days who believe God cannot restore fallen leaders, even those whose sins are grievous. Furthermore, it is obvious that our beloved Chancellor was struggling with some serious issues at the very time God was raising up JSBC and calling hundreds of us to Baton Rouge. God knew the present and the future and still chose to establish that institution. I for one do not regret my time there. It was one of the most impacting seasons of my life, in spite of the tragedy that befell us all. If there is a chance that the ship of JSBC sunk in shallow water, and can still be salvaged, then I want to be a part of that! But what so many of us need to know, and are hoping that you can shed light on is, has anything changed? Does Brother Swaggart have any regrets on how he handled things back then? Does he really grasp how much we loved him and how taking heed to our pleas might have prevented the depth of loss that did occur? Or does the same old double-standard still prevail? Is it still “his way or the highway”?Dr. Gray, I hope this letter will be received in the spirit in which it was intended. The hopes of many of us are with you and Sister Gray. But we are equally concerned for your well-being. If you are successful, it will help to heal old wounds and dispel any feeling that our efforts at JSBC were in vain. We know God is a God of restoration. Thankfully, none of us get what we deserve, on account of God’s mercy. I appreciate you taking the time to read and consider my thoughts and look forward to more dialog in the future.In Christ
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