By Bob Wilkin
Forty years ago, I sent the letter that follows these introductory paragraphs to thirty people. It was the very first Grace in Focus article. I knew these people were concerned about clarity in evangelism. Most were DTS graduates. One was Zane Hodges, a retiring DTS professor.
During the first few years, GES was largely known for what we were against—Lordship Salvation. Then, around 1990, the board mandated that we become known for what we were for. We began to write and talk about the simplicity of faith, the promise of everlasting life to the believer, the Judgment Seat of Christ and eternal rewards, motivations for obedience, and explanations of tough texts.
At our 2006 annual conference, GES found itself at a crossroads. Half of those at the conference believed that to be born again, one must be convinced that by faith in Jesus Christ he is given everlasting life/salvation that is irrevocable.i The other half disagreed. They considered assurance to be a discipleship issue. The result was a split. Since that time, GES has continued to maintain that assurance is of the essence of saving faith.
For forty years GES has searched, refined, and proclaimed God’s promise of everlasting life to all who simply believe in the Lord Jesus for it and the promise of eternal rewards to believers who endure in faith and good works.
This year we celebrate our founding, cherish our growth, and press forward with the clear and simple message of eternal life by faith alone and eternal rewards by faith plus perseverance in faithfulness.
Here is the first letter I sent out:
Hi. For those of you who don’t know me my name is Bob Wilkin. I am a Dallas Theological Seminary Grad (Th.M. 1982; Th.D. 1985). I taught at Woodcrest College (formerly Dallas Bible College) last year until it folded (on 12/31/85) and I have been hired to teach at Multnomah School of the Bible beginning this Fall. I am writing because I have a burden for the purity of gospel proclamation today and I understand that you do as well. I have a few ideas which I want to share with you.
I believe that it is time for a new organization. Specifically, I believe that it is time for the establishment of a society made up of those of us who believe in a non-Lordship Salvation view of the gospel. Whereas the Evangelical Theological Society has as its doctrinal statement an affirmation of inerrancy, this society would have as its doctrinal statement an affirmation of salvation as a free gift of God which is only conditioned on simple faith. I have included below a proposed doctrinal statement which I have written. I would like to have your suggestions on how to improve it.
Like the Evangelical Theological Society, I envision this society having regional meetings two or three times a year. At those meetings likeminded believers united around a burden for the gospel could fellowship, discuss new books and articles which have come out on the gospel, and present and discuss original papers by our members. Once a year we could have a national gathering of the society as well.ii
A possible name for this new society which has come to my mind is the Grace Evangelical Society. Again, I would like your suggestions on a name for this society.iii
I think that this society, unlike the Evangelical Theological Society, should be made up of both Christian professionals (educators, pastors, parachurch workers, etc.) and laypeople. Anyone with a burden for the gospel of grace could be included. What do you think of this idea?
I also envision this society producing a quarterly or semi-annual journal.iv It would be dedicated to publishing articles defending a free grace view of the gospel. It could also include book and article reviews and listings of ministry openings and those seeking positions.
For the time being I think that we should have a monthly newsletter.v I am willing to do it unless someone has another suggestion.
My hope is that we could have regional meetings in January of 1987. Hopefully by that time we can have developed enough of a membership to make that feasible. I, for one, would very much like to attend such a meeting. I also hope that by September of 1987 we could have had our first national meeting.
Well, what do you think of this idea? Are you interested? If yes, please let me know. I’ll put you on the mailing list.vi I would also like to have the names and addresses of others whom you know whom you believe would be interested in this society as well. Don’t forget to include any suggestions which you have. If you have any announcements for the July newsletter, let me know that too. Also, please let me know if you (or your secretary or someone in your family or church) would be willing and able to address and stuff envelopes once a month. I will provide the mailing list and the monthly newsletters until we can establish some national officers or some other arrangement.
Bye for now.
In His Grace,
Bob Wilkin
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Bob Wilkin is Executive Director of Grace Evangelical Society. He and Sharon live in Highland Village, TX. He has racewalked twelve marathons.
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i They weren’t saying that one had to continue to believe in the promise of everlasting life to maintain that life. But they were saying that one had to believe it at some point to be born again.
ii While we had several regional meetings in Dallas before 1995, the first national conference was held in Irving, TX in 1995.
iii In January of 1987 there were three regional meetings held (Portland, OR, Dallas, TX, and Chicago, IL). Each meeting discussed the name of the organization. At the Dallas regional, the name Grace Articulation Society was proposed. It was quickly rejected when someone pointed out that the acronym would be GAS.
iv The first issue of the journal came out in Autumn of 1988. Dr. Art Farstad was the first editor.
v The newsletter came to be called Grace in Focus starting in September-October 1995. It became a 16-page magazine in 2012, a 32-page magazine in 2014, and 48-page magazine in 2016.
vi They responded! By January of 1987, just six months later, the mailing list had grown from thirty to over 1,000.
