An Open Letter to the Elders of Auke Bay Bible Church
And to the Saints of Juneau Who Love the Lord Jesus Christ
To Mick Ewing, Eric Hotchkiss, Larry Walsh, and Mark Morris,
Grace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I write after many months of silence, prayer, and reflection. This letter does not arise from bitterness or personal grievance, but from fear of God and love for His church. My conscience is bound to Scripture, and my desire is to speak truthfully and soberly before Christ, who judges every shepherd and every man.
The Responsibility of Elders Before God
Christ has entrusted elders with the care of His flock, and that trust carries a weight that cannot be measured by personality, preference, or church tradition. Scripture commands that an overseer “hold firmly to the faithful Word” so that he may exhort in sound doctrine and refute those who contradict it (Titus 1:9). Elders are to watch over the souls of the flock as men who will give an account (Hebrews 13:17). This means your authority is real, but it is not autonomous. It is accountable at every point to Christ and to His Word.
Why This Cannot Be Treated as a Private Matter
It has been repeatedly stated that this should have remained a private matter. But Scripture does not categorize doctrinal error, public worship practices, or corporate disobedience as private. These matters shape the gathered life of Christ’s people and therefore belong to the light, not the shadows.
Paul confronted Peter publicly because his actions misled others and compromised the truth of the gospel (Galatians 2:11–14). In the same way, Paul commands that elders who persist in sin must be rebuked “in the presence of all,” so that the rest may fear (1 Timothy 5:20). These principles stand because the purity of Christ’s church is never a private matter. When the teaching and practice of the church are involved, the issue is public before God whether men acknowledge it or not.
I came to you privately. I opened the Word. I asked for discussion. I sought witnesses only after the matter was repeatedly not heard. Yet at every point the response was dismissal, postponement, or a reframing of biblical concerns as personal preference or “fit.” Scripture requires private correction to begin privately when the sin is private, but Scripture also shows that when a matter concerns public teaching, public worship, or the conduct of elders, it cannot be confined to secrecy. When private appeals are refused, and the issues involve the whole church, privacy ceases to promote peace and instead becomes a shield against the accountability God requires.
The Issues That Were Raised and Left Unanswered
I brought forward concerns that Scripture addresses directly:
The leadership and teaching roles assigned to women in the gathered assembly
Women reading Scripture and speaking publicly without the head coverings Scripture commands
The unwillingness to evaluate music and lyrics by biblical standards
The disregard for the early church’s pattern of weekly communion
The doctrinal confusion and error contained in the church’s eschatology
These were not matters of personal style or taste. They were appeals from Scripture. Yet no biblical answers were given. Instead, the response was to suggest that I did not “fit,” that these concerns represented theological “flavor,” or that the church’s established doctrine made examination unnecessary.
But Scripture is not subordinate to any doctrinal statement.
Scripture is the authority over every elder and every congregation.
When correction is dismissed as negativity, and when biblical questions are deflected by appeals to personality or tradition, the problem is not tone. The problem is an unwillingness to submit to the Word of Christ.
The Sin of Resisting Correction
Proverbs teaches that the one who listens to life-giving reproof “will dwell among the wise” (Proverbs 15:31), and Scripture commands leaders to “test everything; hold fast to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Yet attempts at correction were repeatedly treated as meddling or divisiveness, and the focus was shifted from the Scriptures themselves to assumptions about my motives or doctrinal background.
But the authority of God’s Word is not determined by theological categories or traditions. Truth is not a flavor, obedience is not a personality fit, and holiness is not a matter of preference. If a Baptist rejects head coverings simply because he is Baptist, he is unfaithful. If a Methodist rejects elder plurality because his tradition prefers a single-pastor model, he is unfaithful. And if any church dismisses Scripture because it conflicts with long-standing customs, that church is unfaithful to Christ.
Elders must answer Scripture because Christ Himself examines them.
A Warning to the Flock and Those Considering Attending
I do not write this lightly, but Scripture requires warnings when the flock is exposed to danger. Romans 16:17 commands believers to keep their eyes on those who cause stumbling contrary to the doctrine they have received and to turn away from them. When tradition replaces doctrine, when correction is silenced, and when leadership protects itself instead of submitting to Scripture, the health of the congregation is endangered.
If you are part of ABBC or considering it, examine everything by the Word of God. The Lord will judge every shepherd who mishandles His people, for teachers will receive a stricter judgment (James 3:1). The Lord is the one who removes lampstands, and He often sends warnings before He does.
A Call to the Elders to Repent
I do not write these things because I despise you, but because Christ commands correction and because I fear for your souls and for those under your oversight. You must return to the Scriptures and submit yourselves to them. Doctrine cannot be treated as personal taste, and correction cannot be dismissed as personality. Appeals to “fit” cannot replace obedience to Christ. The pattern of insulating yourselves from accountability and refusing witnesses stands in contradiction to the commands of God. I urge you to repent and humble yourselves before the Lord, lest He remove your lampstand. He is patient, but His patience does not excuse disobedience.
A Word to Believers Who Are Discouraged
Many faithful Christians in Juneau and beyond have grown weary of churches that dismiss correction and follow tradition instead of Scripture. The Lord sees your grief. Do not abandon Christ’s bride, for He has not abandoned her. Christ is purifying His church, and every exposure of error is part of His sanctifying work. Scripture even says that divisions must occur so that those who are approved may be evident (1 Corinthians 11:19). Hold fast. Christ reigns, and He is refining His people.
Final Appeal
I do not seek vindication. I seek obedience. Remaining silent when the Word is resisted would be sin. My conscience is captive to Scripture, and I must speak plainly. To the elders: you may reject me, but you cannot reject the Scriptures that were placed before you. To the saints: cling to Christ, test all things, and walk in the truth without fear.
May the Lord grant repentance, protect His flock, and glorify His name in Juneau.
For His glory,
Ken Duffy