The Role of Christian Women in Evangelism

Dated July 10, 2012

 
I became involved in mission work in Nepal in 1999 and have just completed my sixth trip over there. I had not been over for several years and since my last visit years ago, several bad things have occurred which will be addressed on this website.
 
Apparently two questions, one concerning the woman’s role in evangelism and one about social drinking have become very divisive and contentious issues. I received several e-mails about these questions and notification of an upcoming debate between two “Bible schools” over these issues. I determined I needed to travel to Nepal and address these questions personally.
 
I arrived in May of 2012 and went to work, traveling over a large area of Nepal and teaching and defending the truth. Everywhere I went except HBI (Himalaya Bible Institute) I was well received. But HBI is a contentious group set out to divide the body of Christ with their false teaching.
 
Perhaps here I should stop and state God’s positions on these issues. I will state them in debate form (propositions) so they will be clear and concise.
  1. “The Scriptures teach that a Christian woman can teach a man as long as she is submissive and doesn’t exercise authority over him.”
  2. “The Scriptures teach that social drinking (of alcohol) is a sin and a Christian should not participate.”
I will address in this article the issue concerning women teaching men. Ernest Burnette brought this heresy to Nepal after stealing HBI from Jim Waldron who founded it and the Crossville Tennessee congregation which sponsored the work. The position at HBI is that a woman can never, under any circumstance, teach a man. I know that because they sent me a question on facebook:
 
“Does Bible allow a woman to teach the word of God to a man? Please answer the question after reading I Tim. 2:12.
  1. No, Bible doesn’t allow.
  2. Yes, Bible does.
  3. I don’t know but I want to know.
The one they ALL marked (leaders at HBI) was the first. I take the second.
 
I will address this later in a future post but for now I will share with you where I am at present. I sent an e-mail to Ernest Burnette about two weeks ago and requested a debate to publicly discuss this issue. As yet, he has not responded. I have posted the letter and hope if for some reason he did not receive the e-mail, that one of his cohorts will see this and contact him. Meanwhile I am seeking him out through letters and phone calls. If you read this and know him, encourage him to meet me in this discussion and make it available for study.
 
Presently I will be doing the following until I hear from Mr. Burnette.
  1. Send out letters exposing his radical and false teaching across the brotherhood.
  2. Post updates about HBI and its three leaders and the damage they are doing to the church in Nepal, including how Ernest Burnette “seized control” of HBI.
  3. Deal with questions of immorality surrounding the school’s leadership.
  4. Expose those who would take the same position as Ernest Burnette, whether individuals, congregations, or organizations.
I will deal with this question more extensively as time goes by. The question of social drinking I will address in a later post.
 
In His Service,
Bob White

Letter sent to Ernest Burnette:

 
Ernest Burnette,
 
Recently I went to Nepal on a mission trip. When I announced my upcoming trip, several people wrote and asked me the same two questions, one about social drinking and one about women teaching men. It turned out that HBI and the Bible school in Kathmandu were having a debate on these two issues. I sent brief responses and promised to teach on these two topics while in Nepal, which I did.
 
On my facebook page I told my friends of my efforts to stop false doctrines being taught. I mentioned that your doctrine forbidding women to teach men was causing much division. I mentioned that I had found some teaching that a woman cannot even teach her sons. I then said that I did not know whether or not you held this view, but I felt it had grown out of your doctrine.
 
Sagar immediately attacked me on facebook and said I was a false accuser, that they did not teach such. I pointed out I did not say he did and suggested he reread what I posted. Instead, he began to call people in various locations and tell them I had falsely accused him (which was a lie) and warning them not to listen to me.
 
When I returned near Naurngarth, I was to meet with him and, I thought, cordially study our differences to see if a consensus could be reached. Instead, I was ambushed with a debate setting and a large audience. That was fine because it gave me an opportunity to expose them to the truth. From my view, the event went very well. They asked questions and I answered. I asked ONE QUESTION which they refused to answer. Their doctrinal weakness was very evident and the cause of Christ was well served.
 
The day I left Kathmandu for home they went to my Nepali home congregation and told them I was a false teacher and they should not listen to me. They had learned to at least wait until I left because they could not defend their teachings with me present to answer them. Now they have formed a personal vendetta against me which is unfortunate. However, they are right about one thing. Either they are false teachers or I am.
 
This brings me to the point of this letter. You and I need to meet and publically debate the issue. I consider you a heretic and you should consider me in the same light. One of us is on our way to hell. I want us both in heaven and I believe you feel the same about me. A debate, recorded and printed for all to study, can only do good and not evil.
 
We could have equal rights to publish or, even better, put the material into the public domain for all to use in teaching and study.
 
I will be waiting for your reply.
 
Cordially,
Robert W. White