Pastor of Set Free Christian Fellowship Unfairly Portrayed by Ex-Members

I have been attending Set Free Christian Fellowship for over five years, and I was very disappointed to read the article “A Matter of Faith” (May 26). I’ve known Pastor Phil personally since that time, and he is one of the most generous and loving pastors I have ever seen.

I know many people who have lived in the discipleship homes, from today, when the membership is at 4,000, back to when there were only 250 people at Set Free and almost half lived in the homes. It seems you have managed to find a handful of disgruntled people who have twisted and turned every good thing being done at Set Free into distorted untruths.

I wonder what kind of discipline people feel would be required at a group of homes filled with people who have had little or no discipline and are trying to stay off drugs, out of the streets and out of jail?

The majority of the people who have lived in those homes and been given a roof over their heads, food to eat and a chance to change the direction of their lives have expressed deep thanks and gratitude to Jesus Christ for the love Pastor Phil extends to the heartbroken and downtrodden. Have you spoken to only 29 people with a vendetta or the masses whose lives have been changed?

I was saved at Calvary Chapel 19 years ago when it was just a big tent church. Set Free is just as radical today as Calvary was in those tent days when it was filled with hippies trying to stop smoking pot and dropping acid. They called us Jesus freaks back then.

Why is it that whenever someone tries to make a positive change in this world and it’s working, something ugly jumps up trying to stop it?

MARILYN ALEXANDER, Santa Ana