Affectionately called "the Colonel" by his congregation, he was a dispensationalist theologian who wrote over a hundred books and conducted over 10,000 sermons on various theological topics during his 55 years as a pastor.
Thieme's undergraduate work was at the University of Arizona at Tucson where he majored in Greek, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa[3] after graduating with honors in 1940.
After World War II, Thieme resumed his theological studies at DTS, where he graduated magna cum laude.
Thieme's doctrinal study and unique vocabulary were based on a methodology he called ICE: Isagogics, Categories, and Exegesis.
Exegesis, as defined by Thieme, involves studying the grammar, syntax, and etymology of the original languages of Scripture, so that one is not relying on intermediate translations which may obscure or lose meanings.
Thieme would then cite his responsibility under 2 Timothy 2:15, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth."
The status of the subject is irrelevant, as one need only express positive volition toward Jesus Christ to receive eternal salvation.
God the Father imputed all the sins of the human race, past, present and future, to Christ on the cross and judged them, thus completing the work of salvation.
Thieme said an individual has the option of expressing positive volition privately, forming the sentences in thought, telling God the Father he is trusting in Christ for salvation.
Consequently, at least every Sunday, he would emphasize what did not need to be done for salvation: Thieme held that these actions, while some of them might be commendable from the human viewpoint, are an intrusion on faith.
The Greek verb metanoeo, translated "repent" in the Bible, when used in connection with salvation, means to change one's mind about Christ and believe in him at the point of Gospel hearing.
God knows the thoughts of every individual, and is not constrained by geographical isolation or linguistic barrier in his dissemination of the salvation message to those who desire a relationship with him.
[14] Thieme taught that believers in Jesus Christ grow spiritually from the daily intake of Bible doctrine communicated by their right pastor.
Thieme identified the scriptural mandates and objectives of the spiritual life as belonging to a single system of power and love.
After his resurrection, ascension and session, Jesus Christ provided the operational system to his royal family on earth for them to glorify him.
[17] Through use of the rebound technique, the spiritual recovery procedure of 1 John 1:9, the believer is restored to fellowship with God, becomes filled with the Holy Spirit, and enters into the divine system.
They underscore the importance of consistent exposure to expository Bible teaching throughout the believer's life on Earth, under the principle that "man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" (Matt.
[18] In his book Christian Integrity, Thieme covers the divine system in great detail, with its priority, purpose, policy, objectives, and authority.
To this end, Thieme created numerous teaching aids and contemporary metaphors for communicating the mechanics of the spiritual life.
[13] Thieme considered it his job as a pastor-teacher to study and teach Bible doctrine daily in order for positive believers to grow to spiritual maturity and receive their supergrace blessings.
Through any number of distractions, or reaction to some person or circumstance, a believer at any stage of spiritual growth may neglect or reject Bible doctrine and enter into a frantic search for happiness to fill the resulting void.
As self-directed efforts to obtain happiness prove futile, the frustrated believer develops aberrations in his emotional pattern and his attitude toward Bible doctrine becomes increasingly negative.
[15] The cycles of discipline begin with a loss of individual freedom and economic recession, and if unchecked by the spiritual recovery of enough believers, they continue with the breakdown of law and order, military defeat, and culminate in the destruction of the nation.
[20] Thieme's teachings have been the topic of critical books and papers by Stewart Custer,[24] Robert Walter,[25] Joe Wall,[3] George King,[26] and D.
[27] Thieme's ministry was primarily for believers in Jesus Christ who attended regularly, since classes typically involved verse-by-verse analysis, building upon previous lessons.
He would frequently acknowledge members of the U.S. Armed Forces in attendance, expressing gratitude for the tremendous sacrifices made to preserve the freedom of assembly enjoyed at Berachah Church.
By January 2007, many of his books had been translated into several languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, German, Hungarian, Romanian, Korean, Chinese, Thai, Visayan, Ilonggo and Russian.
OGWN currently supports missionaries in the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil, Thailand, Korea, the Philippines, Africa, England, Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Moldova, and Kazakhstan.
"[31] The New York Times referred to Thieme as "notable for his pulpit attacks on 'do-gooders and liberals,' 'power-mad labor,' welfare recipients, homosexuals, gun controllers, rock music, feminists and the 'satanic' United Nations.
"[32] The titles of Thieme's tapes were also featured in stories questioning Quayle's adherence to such beliefs, including "Slave Market of Sin", "Satanic Plot No.