Terri Schiavo Battle: the Evangelical Church is Missing in Action

Terri Schiavo Battle: the Evangelical Church is Missing in Action
By Flip Benham in St Petersburg,Florida

Where is the Evangelical Church in the fight for Terri's life? The Church has not shown up for this battle at all – at least not at the gates of hell. Oh, they have voted for Republicans, sent e-mails to their congressmen, and have filled the phone lines in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C. That's all good, but the battle will never be won in the courts and legislatures. If that is not obvious to us now, it should be!

Circuit Court Judge George Greer stands in the face of the entire Florida State Legislature and Florida Governor, Jeb Bush. He stands in the face of the entire U.S. Senate and House. He stands in the face of the President of the United States of America, and with a clenched fist says – this woman is going to die and there's absolutely nothing you can do about it.

Unfortunately, that is what we do in the United States of America. The Congress and the President have assuaged their consciences by saying they have done everything they can, as have the Florida legislature and governor. Outrageously, this holds true for the Church of Jesus Christ. We will not be able to say we have a clear conscience before God because there is one thing we have not done – storm the gates of hell in the name of Jesus and unsheathe the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. For whatever reason, we don't believe the Sword of the Spirit will work anymore. We have fooled ourselves into believing that the only avenue by which a Christian may engage the enemy is politics. What a gross deception! Our God is able. He just doesn't have anyone willing to stand with Him on this earth. We talk about it, we pray about it, we sing about it, we preach about it, we teach about it, but we never unsheathe the Sword of the Spirit in the strong name of Jesus. This is to our shame and to the detriment of people unable to defend themselves like Terri Schiavo. The Church needs to repent of her sorry state, show up at the gates of hell, and hold forth the words of life. We are the only ones ordained by God to do so. Not the government – the Church of the Living God!

God has given us the opportunity to love Terri, and we have chosen to allow her to be killed. Our children understand how wrong that is. Why don't we? There were six children who laid their lives down so that Terri might live. They did unsheathe the Sword of the Spirit. Twenty other adults did the very same thing. If you have watched the news coverage, you know that even the media stood up to take note. That's right! There were a few who didn't say ‘our hands are tied.' They continued on in the battle. They identified with Terri's suffering and lifted up the name of Jesus.

We know that no matter how bleak things seem, the gates of hell will come down. God didn't save His Son from the cross, even though He could have. He allowed the suffering of Jesus in order that His glory and love might be made known. Through Terri, those who laid their lives down on her behalf presented this very message to the world. This is her legacy. Although she may die, she will live. But how are we going to answer for her death? Where are we in the battle for her life, and the future of our nation?