Frank Chase Jr’s Montage of family, and Book False Roads To Manhood


Frank Chase Jr, Author, and Family

How to Resign From Tithing

Dear Pastor;

Grace, Mercy and Peace be unto you on this day of our Lord. Several weeks and months ago, you were informed of my theological shift from tithing to grace giving. After 30 years of tithing and pondering this matter in my heart and studying both camps who argue for and against tithing, I told you of my personal decision. Since that time, I have been buried in study about this topic and have concluded that the tithe teaching lacks scholarship and cannot be biblically proven in the New Covenant beyond a shadow of doubt. The tithe teachers in the body of Christ who force or mandate tithing would not withstand a cross-examination on a witness stand by a counsel of scholars, Elders and theologians who have studied to show themselves approved and rightly divided the Word of Truth.
Because of my position on this matter, I realize that it has created some conflict and probably more so to the bottom line of the church. Certainly, I am aware of that. But because of my conviction, study and the Holy Spirit, I can never return to tithing under the dispensation of Grace we now live in. Again, my thoughts and heart have changed because of revealed truth. The journey to find truth on this matter started 30 years ago. I must admit that I am overjoyed the Holy Spirit can and does teach you when you seek the truth from your heart. Because tithing is no longer my position, it is unethical for me to continue in ministry and leadership. Based on your teaching and position that leaders in your church must tithe, it is unethical for you to keep me in leadership. As I have told you in the past, if I become a hindrance to you or your church and the doctrines you set forth, I would withdraw myself from all functions and duties of leadership. As a result, I requested to be put on Sabbatical until we came to a conclusion of this matter. Over the ongoing weeks and months, I’ve come to the realization that an impenetrable impasse is blocking this matter from being solved.

Now after six months, I now realize through prayer and great trepidation that my time at XXX Church has come to an end because of forced tithing methods that are wanting. When I decided to change my theology on tithing, I did it with knowledge that I would be at odds with much of the Christian community who are simply ignorant of the biblical and secular history, the land, the language, and the literature of the Jewish Levites and Priests for whom tithing was established in the Old Testament financial system because they had no land inheritance in Canaan. When I disagreed with you, I did it in the spirit of the Berean Jews who, with great respect for Paul, did not accept Paul’s message right away but choose to search the scriptures to see if what he said was true. Since I’ve been on sabbatical, I’ve searched the scriptures, read books, examined history on this tithing issue and have found that tithe teaching as propagandized in the Body of Christ today is categorically unscriptural and is tantamount to spiritual and financial extortion akin to mafia tactics. Since I do not agree with tithing, I cannot in good conscience continue to exist at XXX Church knowing that a major difference exists between you and I on this issue. After 30 thirty years of being deceived, here are my thoughts to the body of Christ.

My purpose for changing my mind goes to the core of a metateneo (The greek word for Repent) experience. In the spirit of the Jewish Rabbi/Student relationship, my shift also represents what most Jewish Rabbis taught their students and that is the practice of learning how to challenge, debate and argue well with their Rabbi on Torah issues. A student who never questions what their Rabbi says would not be considered an excellent student. In the spirit of my Jewish Savior Yeshua, I’ve entered this debate because this is how Jews studied and how teaching was done. By me offering my points and your offering your counter points over the bully pulpit, we will both learn more truth on this subject. As it stands today, you and I have come down on opposite sides of this argument. In my mind that is OK among theologians. As you continue to read, know that my thoughts on this issue are only directed at the doctrine of tithing and the lack of study by those who try to teach something they have never given serious study.

In all, this situation is not so strange. It reminds me of the incident in Acts 15: 36-41 when Barnabas and Paul came into sharp dispute over the reliability of John who is also called Mark. Because of the appearance of our sharp disagreement about grace giving in the New Covenant vs. mandatory tithing under the Law of Moses in the Old Covenant, it is proper etiquette that we part company like Paul and Banarbas for now in the interest of peace and as Hebrews 12:14-15 says: 14Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled. I know people will say, tithing was before the law, but make sure the people also know that Abraham was not commanded to give it, and what he tithed came from the spoils of war. Plus he was already made rich based on a promise God made to him not because God commanded him to tithe. There is no biblical record that Abraham tithed any of his personal wealth and the nail in the coffin is that the Bible records that he only tithed once and no other text records he ever tithed again. Using Abraham as proof text is somewhat weak to build a foundation of tithing for the New Covenant. I know people will say that tithing is an expression of devotion by sincere people but the fact remains, it is still a ceremonial law and an ordinance that was nailed to the Cross. Therefore tithing is low-realm, obsolete and defunct and the pontificators of tithing ultimately introduce weakness and confusion in the minds of believers.

Let me make myself perfectly clear. If a person of their free will decides to give a percentage of their income then of course that is their decision based on Grace and not out of fear of a curse ripped from a text and given new meaning. But as soon as giving is called a tithe that’s mandated, forced, or becomes a requirement based on Malachi chapter three or Matthew chapter 23 or some other dubious implied command from the Bible, it represents poor hermeneutics and sloppy exegesis. Tithe teachers who hold Malachi 3 to the heads of God’s people like a 357 magnum and pull the trigger with a curse upon them have committed the greatest betrayal of GRACE and the work of Christ on the cross that almost rivals Judas’ betrayal of Christ with a kiss. Of everything I’ve witnessed over thirty years, no one has ever been able to explain why there are ghettos and inner cities still full of generations of tithers who remain one paycheck away from the soup kitchen. Ok, I get it, the answer has always been, they did not put their seed in the right place. Saying we’ve been blessed by tithing does not make it true Biblically. We are blessed because of the New Covenant Principles of giving, not paying tithes. None of the epistles or letters written by the Apostles instructed or exhorted New Covenant believers to tithe, not as a law, a principle or even as a voluntary practice.

In the Old Testament tithing is compulsory and does not translate to grace giving under the New Covenant. The tithe teachers throughout history have taught tithing on a weak foundation of proof text or proof texting methodology. By definition and the verses, I’ve heard used to extract tithes from people using slick fund raising techniques over my 30 years do not understand that, “a proof text is a verse or short passage from the Bible used by someone as part of his/her proof for a doctrinal belief he wishes to substantiate to others. However, since verses and passages may rely extensively on the context in which they appear for correct interpretation, pulling these verses out their context and having them stand alone in “proof” can at times be very misleading. In addition, a set of such proof texts can completely ignore other passages which, if added to the mix, might well lead to an entire different conclusion. Someone who relies strongly only on a list of proof texts in order to make a doctrinal argument may have a very weak case for his argument. Noting that a religious teacher relies heavily on proof texting is viewed in theological circles as very negative in evaluation.” For example, after my examination Malachi 3:10 and reading the whole book in its context, the infamous verse used by many to support their tithing position fail to realize this book is not talking to or suggesting any Gentile or New Covenant believer to tithe but it speaks only to certain Israelites in the promised land. Even if tithing was actually commanded in the New Covenant (Which it is not), how can anyone teach 10 percent and not teach the other 20 percent outlined under the law. I bet no leader in Today’s church would demand 30 percent of people’s income and then ask for a free will offering to boot. In fact, if we follow this logic, to obey any part of the law and not do all of it, you are guilty and accountable for all it. For tithe teachers to prove a doctrinal point, proof text methodology is essential because it allows them to ignore the context of the whole book or chapter.

According to the Jewish Mishnah and the Tulmad writers, tithes were always defined as everything eatable (food), and everything that was stored up or that grew out of the earth. In the Old Testament money was not a titheable commodity only crops, produce and cattle. For 1600 years after the tithe was established it remained a food item up to Mat 23:23 of Jesus’ time. And upon careful examination, the Pharisees extended the tithe of the Mosaic Law in the Tulmad to include spices of anise, cumin, and mint, which was never a part of the original Law of Moses or the first five books of the Bible.

Biblical History and secular history on this subject is replete with examples of the tithing wars among Christian leaders that have raged over the centuries. In history, even Martin Luther Stood for salvation by grace and not confessing to a priest. We hail him for his stand, but we pass over, ignore and fail to declare the whole counsel about the man’s tithing beliefs and that he preached against tithing way back in a sermon on August 27, 1525? The title was How Christians Should Regard Moses. Here’s are some excerpts from Dr. Kelly’s book on what Luther said about Law and Grace which can be found on the internet, “The law of Moses binds only the Jews not the Gentiles. Here the Law of Moses has it place. It is no longer binding on us because it was given only to the people of Israel. And Israel accepted this law for itself and its descendants, while the Gentiles were excluded. Moses has nothing to do with us. Well will not regard him as our lawgiver–unless he agrees with both the New Testament and the natural law. For not one little period in Moses pertains to us. But the other commandments of Moses which are by nature, the Gentiles do not hold. Nor do these pertain to Gentiles, such as the TITHE and others equally fine which I wish we had done.”

You did agree that since the New Covenant standards are higher than the Old Covenant and if you ever accepted grace giving, the minimum standard would be ten percent at the start. In the final analysis, I would have to reject that as incorrect because after Calvary there is no biblical text to support any exact percentage as at starting point in the New Testament. The principle of interpreting New Covenant Giving starting at ten percent sounds good, but it is pure assumption. The New Covenant is filled with “free-will giving principles only. Because of that, giving could range from 0 to 100 percent based on what a person has, not what a person does not have; not under compulsion or reluctantly but by ability and by the Holy Spirit’s prompting.

After thirty years of tithing, my heart aches at the carnage of mixed messages the tithe teaching Community has left behind and the many shattered lives and new converts who will be damaged by this grace less teaching in the future.

As I continue in search for truth, I submit this resignation with no malice because I know that tithe teachers need forgiveness too for they know not what they do. For we all are in need of the Grace of God when disputes arise.

Shalom,
Dr. Frank Chase Jr

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How the book, False Roads To Manhood got published!!!

Hello, all,
Many of you have never read the story of how my book become published. It’s was a nightmarish and exciting journey of discovery that lead to D.E.S.T.I.N.Y. It’s not the complete story, but it’s a story of Determined Effort So Tenacious It Negates Yuck. It’s how, I overcame obstacles to see this book materialize from dream status to a published book. Share the story with your friends. I hope you find it interesting.

Let The Journey Begin

 The journey began for False Roads To Manhood back in 1997. With a stubby pencil and a spiral note book, I took a seven year journey into the heart and soul of manhood to write and publish my first book. What started as an idea and a thought began to surface as words on paper from my heart. These are my storied events behind publishing my book.
  
By the year 2005, I completed the hand written manuscript but realized I needed to type the book. So until I bought a computer, I started a research journey by reading other books on the subject matter. I discovered during the writing process that anything you write must be verified with corroborating evidence. Later, I finally bought a computer and began typing my draft manuscript. Over the seven year period, I almost quit several times. I also took breaks to research how I was going to publish my book.
 
I finally finished the book and realized that I needed an editor. We looked around and I located my first editor at a local college in Huntsville who worked for the English department. I inquired about her to get information. We met and talked about editing my book and she agreed to help. We poured over the book with edits, changes and rewrites for months and sometimes we had long meetings to go over what she thought I should revise or rewrite. Finally after a long period of time, I thought I was ready. But after some recommendations that I should get a second edit done, I relented and began searching for another editor. This time my journey took me to Sally Stuart’s book, with a listing of editors, publishers, literary agents and magazine publishers. I searched through the book and my eye caught the name of a particular editor. My wife cautioned me at that time that I should take my time before deciding on a second editor, but I wanted to get done and published as soon as I could.

We contacted the lady by email, had phone conversations and we asked her for a sample edit of the book to examine her work. Then we asked for recommendations from her and they all checked out to our satisfaction except for one who said he would not use her services again because she focused too much on the small stuff. Against my wife’s wishes, we hired her and the editing process began all over again. We sent the editor one chapter at a time as she requested. For months, I was making changes and talking on the phone with her. She began to tell me that she could get my book into publishing houses if I retained her her as my literary agent.  I began to notice as time progressed that she seemed more concerned about getting paid than editing my book. I made all the edits I thought should be done and from the surface, it looked like I had a well edited book.  With her continued high pressure sales tactics, I agreed to review her literary agent contract.  But before we signed it, I took it to a lawyer and he told us that it was written in her favor and he changed it so it would be mutually beneficial to me, the author and to her, the literary agent. We sent the revised contract back to her, and she was highly indignant that we changed her contract and she decided it was not in her best interest to represent my book as a literary agent. Well, needless to say, after all her editing was done we paid the last check.

I finally got up enough nerve to let my friends look over the book and even a professional counselor. I started getting negative feedback that I did not want to hear. To confirm their suspicions, I asked my co-worker to look at my book and he went through the entire book and found many errors that should have been caught by the second editor. I finally realized that my haste to get done with editing turned into waste.  I was devastated, shocked, disappointed and angry. I really did not know what to do with my book after that. I asked other co-workers if could they take time to edit it and they couldn’t.

My wife and I thought since we had been signing up on web sites and getting writer information that I should attend a writer’s conference. We found one in the state of Tennessee. It was an eye opening experience and that’s an understatement. Unbeknownst to me, I started talking about my book at one of the breakout sessions with other writers and published authors. It so happened that someone asked me who edited my book after each of them had the chance to go over my manuscript. I said the name Bonnie and everyone slumped their head down as if they were praying. They finally told me they knew the person that edited my book and she was a very good sales person but her skills in editing were atrocious. She had a PHd in English. If you had saw my face, it was as if I needed a defibrillator to bring me back to life. I learned a lesson that day. You can hang out a shingle in any book and identify yourself as an Editor, Doctor or anything, but it doesn’t mean squat unless you verify and verify and re-verify over and over again, someone’s credentials. At the conference, I met an acquisition editor from a major publishing house who told me to send her my manuscript after we talked what my book had been through. I sent her my manusrcipt after the conference. Some time later she told me in an email that my manuscript was not what they were looking for. That was my first rejection.

Can you hear that sucking sound? It was my money flying out of my pocket. As a result of that debacle, I had to figure out a way to save my book from the trash heap of finished, I quit!  My wife and I spoke about a third editor but she was not hearing it. I wanted to try one more time before I retired or quit with the whole book.
 
I went on a hunting trip for another editor and I’m not sure, but I believe I found a third editor on the internet. We made first contact with her. We grilled her and asked for a sample editing of one of my chapters. After we got the finished work back, I was shocked to see red all over the place. The second editor did catastrophic damage to my book.  We phoned the third editor and after talking with her, we signed with the third editor to repair what had been death editing to my book. Until this day, I still use and recommend this editor. She rehabilitated my book back from dead on publishing arrival.  After months of working with her, we finally got to a point where the book was ready for a publisher. I was spared the agony of defeat by this third editor.

Now the manuscript is completely edited and final in 2004. And the next phase took me to a place I’d never been before. I started drafting up book proposals and sent one to a book proposal service because publishers no longer accept unsolicited manuscripts from authors. I was not going to give up on my dream of being a published author. But after my book proposal sat on the website waiting for acquisitions editors and publishing to contact me, time ran out. I saw my money take wings and fly away on that effort, too.

I proceeded to mail out inquiry letters and book proposals every where and every one was returned rejected out of hand. So after many rejections, I decided to self-publish. I did not go with any self-publishing companies but went a step further. I wanted to be a publisher and an author. We found another local person to accept my book to do layout based on one of my co-workers recommendations. Again, we made first contact, and did our usual investigation of her abilities and after much talking and praying, my wife and I signed with her. I decided to print 350 copies. She worked the book layout, assigned ISBN number. I filed my book with the Library of Congress. After about two to three months, I feverously began to look for a person to design my book cover. We asked my wife’s friend who designed covers to do the honors. She agreeed and we took about three months to go over my ideas for a cover. At the same time we set up my first book signing event and the pressure was on for the publisher to finish on time. She did finish on time and we had the first printing done, but we lost 50 copies because the printer was not a professional printer of books. We had the book signing and it went well. I deigned my first bookmarks and flyers using Micro-Soft publisher and gave them out to everyone. I sent out emails to all my friends. I started getting interviews on TV, and radio regularly. And I appeared in local newspapers. I also had a lot tips from friends.  The first printing sold out and we gave some books away. However, after I started getting my paperwork together to become a publisher, I happened to find and sign up on the internet as a publisher to order my own ISBN’s. I  then searched my publisher’s ISBN that she assigned to my first printing and found out it was fake.  Again, I was devastated and hurt. I wanted to sue her, but my wife encouraged me to let go of the whole matter.   Then I found out the printer who cut my first book made it bigger than a 6 X 9. I was furious and questioned the publisher but she could not give me any answers.

I finally had had enough of people messing over me and started my own publishing company to re-publish my book all over again. In the second printing we found a professional book printing company and printed a second printing with a new ISBN and the book was the right size. However, after we printed the second printing, I was told by a traditional publisher that they could tell my book was self-published just by looking at the layout. I asked them how they could tell and they said the margins and gutters were wrong. But even in that painful discovery, I pressed on selling books. Well, about the same time, I was approached by a co-worker who found out about my book and suggested that I needed a website to promote my book. I was not the least bit interested, nor was I going to spend another dime. Well, he persisted and then offered to set me up a web site at no charge, but I said I would pay him something. I ended up paying him more than what I intended. And there’s story behind that.  Well, after the site went up and was running, book sales increased. But then when the second set of book sold out I was once again at a crossroads as to whether to let the book die and I move on with other things in my life or republish the book with a different more professional cover.

Because I believed I could do it myself, I officially set up my LLC and began the new process of republishing my book with a different subtitle than the original with some content changes.
 
Again, on the suggestion of another author, I contacted his web site designer an we negotiated a contract and she built my new web site and, layed out my book again. Guess what? I actually had a forth edit done. Can you hear the money saying bye Frank Chase Jr. My new web site designer took some of the material from my old orginal site and built a new site. I provided all the information to be posted on the site and to this day, some of it never made it online. The revised book was backed financially by me borrowing a large some of money from my retirement plan to do over. I was involved in designing my company LOGO for FC Publishing, LLC. I choose from three designs for my new book cover based on what I envisioned in my mind. After months of going over draft logo designs, book cover designs and website designs, I finally settled.

At this juncture, I was also encouraged to check out a marketing person on the advice of an author friend. I did contact her and she gave me her credentials. I went forward because my author friend said she was OK. I signed with her to develop a press kit and to do my book marketing efforts and book tour schedule. But at one point in the process, she asked me to make a check payable to her instead of her company, and I did so with no thought of anything happening. Well, I discovered that she had bad blood with my web browser. They were once friends. My book got caught up in the cat fight after their relationship went sour, and I ended up losing thousands of dollars because the marketing person skipped town with my money without delivering anything but one or two book blurbs. To make matters worse, I learned that my marketing person, swindled money from other Huntsville, AL authors. I was ready to kill and I tried everything in my power to recover my money but it was a total loss.  So what do you do? You develop your own press kit and I did.
 
So in the end, I learned that self-publishing is a tough business and I’m glad I did not give up. I leaned more about publishing from my mistakes than I did if someone else did the job for me. Things have turned around some since I started using more professional services instead of fly by night charlatans.
 
I market my book using professional press release services and marketing services and I still do my own marketing using Micro-Soft publisher. With my new printed book, I had professional book marks done, and palm cards too. I also have business cards with my book cover on one side.  Marketing a book takes money, and you have to be wise as a serpent where and when you spend your money. As far as marketing, I’ve set up book blogs, joined author websites and any website that allows you to post your books and information. I also write articles which provide an avenue to expose my book to other audiences. I’ve always said, If I had accurate knowledge I could have avoided many mistakes but I do not regret none of the experiences because no one can ever take away what I’ve learned about publishing and the continued leaning I’m experiencing as an author and a publisher. I learned during the process that you can get sample edits from many publishing places and in some cases, the more sample edits you get, your entire book could be edited without you paying a dime, but I would not advise doing it because all editors are not the same. So, you’ll end up having to meld all the sample edits into one sound edit. There are vultures out there waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting novice author. They will promise the world, and the best defense is to verify first and let trust be earned by those who want to publish your life’s hard work.

I market my book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and many author websites and blog sites. I participate in book signings and speak at book clubs and still appear on TV to talk about my book.  Self-publishing is a rewarding experience, but it does take away from your time in writing new projects. I’ve submitted my book to self-published book contests with Writer’s Digest. Self-publishing requires a lot of your time and energy in marketing and surfing the net for opportunities to expose your book. You must choose the best road that fits your personality. So why is the acronym D.E.S.T.I.N.Y important in this discourse. Publishing a book requires Determined Effort So Tenacious It Negates Yuck.  If your book has a destiny, you can’t allow nothing or no one to stop you from pressing on. Self publishing is a rewarding experience because you are in charge of everything. In fact you become an Entrepreneur.