Family member criticizes ministry

"Meades, set my daughter free!"

Lake City Reporter, Opinion/Editorial/January 18, 2001
By John Cooke

After traveling from Arizona to Florida to visit my daughter, grandchildren and brother, I was sadly disappointed. Somehow, their religion (Meade Ministries) has turned out quite opposite from the Jesus portrayed in the Bible. While Jesus held his mother in high esteem, Meade Ministries elder Gary Cooke (my brother) has turned away his 85-year-old mother, who came to see him on her birthday.

Also, shame on you, Tom Hendrickson (my son-in-law), and my daughter, Chris (Cooke) Hendrickson (Meade followers). My two grandkids are the ones that are being cheated because they have been denied access to any of their family. Aunts, uncles, grandma, grandpa, cousins, all have been shut out of their lives.

Chris, Tom and Gary, as well as all Meade followers, should read the Holy Scriptures for themselves. Don't let the man "Meade" tell you what it says. Those words are meant for all to receive on their own.

In Matthew Chapter 15, Jesus talks to the Pharisees and teachers of religious law about the traditions of the elders (i.e. inner purity--check your own versions of scripture) and says unto them, "And why do you, by your traditions, violate the direct commandments of God? For instance, God says, "Honor your father and mother," and "Anyone who speaks evil of father or mother must be put to death." But you say, "You don't need to honor your parents by caring for their needs if you give the money to God instead."

And so, by your own tradition, you nullify the direct commandment of God. You hypocrites! Isaiah was prophesying about you when he said, "These people honor me with the lips, but their hearts are far away. Their worship is a farce, for they replace God's commands with their own manmade teachings "(from the New Living Translation).

Will the followers of Mr. and Mrs. Meade, by their tradition, commit themselves to everlasting torment because they failed to test the spirits that corrupt the very Word of God?

Will Mr. and Mrs. Meade be able to counterfeit the good work of men like Billy Graham or be tragically exposed to society like Jim Jones? Meades, set my daughter free!