NEW - CLICK HERE TO READ "THE MINISTRY OF DR. ROBERT L. HYMERS" BY DR. ROBERT L. SUMNER
NEW - CLICK HERE TO WATCH DR. ROBERT L. SUMNER ANSWER THE CRITICS

CLICK HERE TO WATCH AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BAPTIST TABERNACLE OF LOS ANGELES

CLICK HERE TO WATCH DR. HYMERS GIVE A SERMON AT DR. TIMOTHY LIN'S FUNERAL
CLICK HERE FOR "WHO IS DR. HYMERS?"
CLICK HERE FOR DR. HYMERS' BIOGRAPHY ON WIKIPEDIA

DR. HYMERS ANSWERS THE CRITICS
 

It's sad to see some poor misguided souls trying to trash my reputation on the Internet with no apparent pangs of conscience.  They must have nothing better to do.  This is truly sad.  If I tried to get any of them fired from their jobs, they would throw a conniption fit.  The woman you see below has attacked me for years.  A young Korean man that I have never met has smeared me from one end of the world to the other on the Internet, without a quiver of conscience, though he has never been in our church, has never met me, and knows nothing about me personally.  Another man says I got my doctor's degrees from a Cracker Jack box.  He's so sure of himself he wouldn't even read my Wikipedia article or check the two colleges and three theological seminaries I graduated from.  He ripped the guts out of me and called me a cult leader on the Internet without even meeting me. 

Many years ago I preached a sermon on angels at a church in northern California. I simply gave several points about angels from Dr. Thiessen’s book on systematic theology (Henry C. Thiessen, Ph.D., Introductory Lectures in Systematic Theology, Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1971 edition). I ended with a strong appeal for the lost to turn to Christ. Many responded to the invitation.  But the next day the pastor attacked me in front of several of his elders, saying that my sermon was “cultish” and could lead to “worshipping of angels” (Colossians 2:18). Of course that was nonsense. When a certain type of profane and savage person is confronted with their sin in a sermon, they often call it “cultish”! I left that church. About two years later the famous evangelist Billy Graham published a book titled, Angels: God’s Secret Agents (Doubleday and Company, 1975). Billy Graham’s book contained much of what I preached in the sermon that pastor had called "cultish."  I sent him a copy of Billy Graham’s book with a note which said, “Is this book cultish?” He never replied to me. Not long afterwards this pastor was fired from his church for having sex with women in his congregation. Although I don't agree with Billy Graham on some things, I find little if any fault in his book on angels. It is one of his best books. Those who react to my strong, masculine style of preaching will find fault no matter what I say! 

A preacher who takes a strong stand against abortion and other evils in our society, and preaches a strong Gospel, will be vilified by hate mongers like them.  Every preacher understands that there are bitter, disgruntled people like these.  Perhaps you remember what they said about Dr. Jerry Falwell, Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. and Jr., Dr. John R. Rice, and many other conservative preachers.  But the most vocal hate monger is the woman whose picture appears below. 

In order that you might be in a better position to understand her charges, I have posted below two photographs which were previously posted on her own website, and several quotations which were also taken directly from her website.  I hope these will enable you to evaluate her credibility for yourself.   

Under the pseudonyms of “Scooge” and “Little Miss Attila” Joy Whittemore McCann has attacked me repeatedly on the Internet, since she became a member of a religious "hate group." Because her attacks are religiously motivated, I consider them to be hate speech. She has used veiled words about “guns” and “Huguenots” (killed by the thousands) to harass and stalk me. Since what she said is hate speech, I had my attorney file a report with the FBI about this, asking them to continue to monitor what is said on the Internet "hate group" of which she is a member, as well as her own website.  Here is a photograph of Ms. McCann with her handgun, which she calls "Bathsheba," after a woman in the Old Testament who sinned.  She says her gun "whispers" to her, "shoot, shoot, shoot to kill."

False allegations have recently been made against me by Joy Whittemore McCann on her blog.  She has stated that I am a liar, that I threatened people's lives, harmed people, and accused me of leading a "cult."  But Ms. Whittemore McCann only attended our church for a few months when she was 14 years old, and has not had any direct contact with me, and I have not laid eyes on her, for 35 years.   

Readers should judge for themselves Ms. Whittemore McCann's credibility by considering some of the statements she has made on her website, such as the following. 

(Please be advised that some of her words are very obscene.  I really hate to put these words here because they are extremely vulgar.  I have only put them here so you may evaluate for yourself what kind of person this is who is attacking me.  Please do not read the following statements if her obscene language will offend you.  These are the exact words of the woman attacking me on her blog.)  

"At the age of 20...I joined the Communist Workers Party  (http://littlemissattila.com/?p=15676) ...when I was that age I joined the Communist Workers Party, went to Marxism study groups, and marched in rallies" (http://littlemissattila.com/?p=15313). 
 

"What's the benefit of the Gospel of Mark, other than speed-reading?" (http://littlemissattila.com/?p=15233). 
 

"F*ck Chris Matthews.  Hard, sideways, and without lube.  Fucking asshole.  Oh, and: fuck him some more" (http://littlemissattila.com/?p=13426). [Asterisk in the first word is hers].
 

"...makes me want to slit my fuckin’ wrists. Then I remind myself that homicide, rather than suicide, is the appropriate response" (http://littlemissattila.com/?p=14305).   

"My handgun whispers to me.  It says, 'shoot, shoot, shoot to kill'" (http://littlemissattila.com/?p=13767). 

It is statements like the last two that make me fear that she may hear her handgun "whisper to her" to shoot me.  That is why I had my attorney report her to the FBI and the appropriate police department.  

Here is another photograph of her with her handgun, that she says "whispers to me...'shoot, shoot, shoot to kill.'" 

These two pictures of Ms. Whittemore McCann and her pistol, which she calls "Bathsheba," appeared on her blog site.  Please pray for God to protect us from this person. 

The following article is written in the third person because it is not exclusively the work of Dr. Hymers. It was produced with the guidance of a group of Christian men who worked with Dr. Hymers, helping him to compose and edit it.

Accusations have been leveled against Dr. R. L. Hymers, Jr. by some former members of his church. These accusations come from people who left his church many years ago in “church splits.” Church splits often occur in Baptist and other evangelical churches, particularly those that practice congregational church government.

The phenomenon is so common among Baptists that Dr. Roy L. Branson wrote a book about it called Church Split (Landmark Publications, 1990). This book was endorsed by such well-known pastors as Dr. Lee Roberson and Dr. W. A. Criswell. Dr. Hymers does not agree with Dr. Branson’s view of the KJV issue and some other things, but he does feel that this particular book gives a fair evaluation of “church splits.” Dr. Hymers has never met nor been interviewed by Dr. Branson. The book was written about other church splits and does not mention or refer to the Fundamentalist Baptist Tabernacle or Dr. Hymers. Branson’s book describes Baptist church splits in general and makes no reference whatever to the Baptist Tabernacle. Here are a few quotations from it which help to explain how church splits occur:

1.  Dr. Branson said, “Nearly 90 percent of pastors are fired or leave a church under pressure during [church splits]. Over half suffer one or more church splits. All are faced with severe church conflict many times [during their ministries]. The toll in damage and destroyed ministries, traumatized pastors’ families, and to the overall cause of Christ is enormous” (ibid., p. 15).

2.  Dr. Branson gave the answer to “How? and Why?” these church splits occur: “One pastor who went through a church split said, ‘My enemies called me a dictator. They said I was too evangelistic and preached too hard on certain standards. Also, they accused me of pushing them too hard in certain areas [such as soul winning]. Some said I…had become too arrogant’” (ibid., p. 5).

3.  Dr. Branson was asked if the split could have been avoided. He answered, “Oh, no! ‘There were some folks who would never be happy until they had everything their way. Nobody could please them… There was one man…in particular who [was] the ringleader and [orchestrator] of the [split]…He was very open to anyone who complained about the preacher. When the split came he was their spokesman’” (ibid., pp. 6, 7).

4.  Dr. Branson said, “The pastor is accused of being shallow and not ‘feeding the sheep.’ One of the greatest [errors] promoted [by those who cause church splits] is that evangelistic preaching means neglect of sound teaching. A greater untruth could not be imagined if eternity were spent trying to invent one. It is contradictory to the admonition to all preachers, II Timothy 4:5, ‘Do the work of an evangelist’” (ibid., p. 171).

Dr. Hymers has remained the pastor of the Baptist Tabernacle throughout these splits, and the church has recovered, in spite of many attacks against him by the critics who split the church. Dr. Hymers feels that the above points gleaned from Church Split shed light on many of the difficulties facing pastors today.

Dr. Hymers preaches the Gospel, as the sermons on his website clearly show. His sermons are given word for word on the website each week in fourteen languages, and are read by thousands throughout the world.

Some of the critics from the church splits have published slanderous and malicious charges against Dr. Hymers, but none of these accusations have been documented from the sermons on his website at www.sermonsfortheworld.com. For instance, they have accused Dr. Hymers of anti-Semitism. They call him the “Fuehrer” and compare him to Hitler. These defamatory accusations are blatant falsehoods. Again and again, across the years Dr. Hymers has showed good will toward the Jewish people in general and the State of Israel in particular. His support of the Jews is the same as that of thousands of Bible-believing Baptist preachers in America and around the world.

Dr. Robert L. Sumner was in the ministry for over 65 years. He worked with Dr. John R. Rice for many years at The Sword of the Lord. He was the editor of The Biblical Evangelist for more than 40 years. Dr. Sumner was a highly respected Baptist minister, known by conservative Baptist pastors nationwide. He lived with his wife in Lynchburg, Virginia. He was also the author of several books on the cults. Many considered him to be an “expert” on this subject, though he didn't like using the term. Dr. Sumner knew the Baptist Tabernacle well. We end this article with a statement by Dr. Sumner made in the November/December 2008 issue of his widely read magazine, The Biblical Evangelist. In an article titled “False Charges,” Dr. Sumner said,

      Since I have written books and/or articles about many of the major cults of our day (Worldwide Church of God, Mormonism, The Way International, Jehovah’s Witnesses, etc.), some would call me a cult expert. While I don’t claim that, I do very definitely know my way around the cults.
      God allowed me to be present – in the process of spending four days evaluating the ministry of Dr. R. L. Hymers, Jr., and the Fundamentalist Baptist Tabernacle – at the very time the Los Angeles Times article was printed with its attack…on them. I returned later that year and interviewed several of the former members and heard their allegations, with only one member of the church present (as a witness to later affirm or deny my accuracy in quoting them). I also interviewed at random many current members – anyone who wanted to talk to me. I concluded at that time that all the charges, including abuse and anti-Semitism, were untrue.
      Because of the nature of humans, divisions in churches often happen that end in split-offs from the body and it appeared to me that all the allegations being made in this case were of that nature.
      I have been available for many years on the Board of Reference of the Fundamentalist Baptist Tabernacle and willing to respond to charges of cultic behavior on the part of Dr. Hymers or leaders at the Tabernacle. While my name and phone number has been accessible for all these years, the critics have never contacted me. Certainly none has ever offered me any proof of their charges.
      (Dr. Robert L. Sumner, “False Charges,” The Biblical Evangelist, November/December 2008, p. 15).

BOARD OF REFERENCE FOR THE BAPTIST TABERNACLE AND DR. HYMERS

Our attorney is Jeremy J. Osher, Esq., 222 N. Sepulveda Blvd., Suite 2222, El Segundo, CA 90245.  Phone: (310) 322-2220.

For further information about Dr. R. L. Hymers, Jr. and the Baptist Tabernacle you may phone our Board of Reference,