September 2000 Newsletter

September 2000

Theology Becomes Biography at the Gateway to the West

For seven glorious days the Church of Jesus Christ moved upon the gates of hell in the streets of St. Louis. The gracious hospitality of the saints who prepared the way for us was everywhere evident. The spiritual and physical battle that ensued was a marvel to behold. The gates were lifted up and the King of Glory entered in. Several people we met on the streets gave their hearts to Christ. One abortion mill closed altogether. The only other abortion mill in St. Louis, Planned Parenthood, was surrounded by police and police barricades. It looked like what it really was - a crime scene! Planned Parenthood was shut up tighter than a drum and served only as an armed fortress surrounded by hundreds of praising, praying, preaching, Christians.

We know of seven babies that were saved by the direct intervention of sidewalk counselors. There were many more turnarounds (abortion bound mothers who see the signs, the police, the barricades, the Christians and just turnaround). Hundreds of thousands of people saw the large graphic illustrations of what abortion really is. Christian and secular airwaves were filled with reports of real Christianity in action. Seventeen people were baptized in the Drury Inn swimming pool. Several of our kids were given the opportunity to speak and amazed us at their depth and passion for Christ. The cross of Christ was effectively passed to the next generation. The St. Louis police, initially concerned, became allies as they witnessed our integrity and desire to serve Christ. Area churches, especially those in Granite City, rose up to take our place at the gates when we left.

It never ceases to amaze me that if we, by faith, storm the gates of hell, our God pushes the enemy back (Psalm 44: 1-8). He is looking for His people to give him an opportunity to act. A full report of the St Louis event will be in our next newsletter. It is on the web: www.operationsaveamerica.org/stlouis.

The praising, praying, preaching Church of Jesus Christ at the gates of hell in St. Louis

Treachery at Willow Creek Church

"A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way … They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. 'Peace, peace' they say when there is no peace. Jeremiah 5: 30-31, 6: 14.

Bill Hybels, pastor of the fastest growing evangelical church in America, allowed himself and over 5,000 pastors attending his Leadership Summit 2000 to be used by the President of the United States of America to whitewash his (Bill Clinton's) sin. God has strong words for prophets like Mr. Hybels. "Because they lead my people astray, saying, 'Peace,' when there is no peace … 'I will tear down the wall you have covered with whitewash and level it to the ground … I will spend my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash." Ezekiel 13: 10, 14, 15.

For more than an hour Mr. Hybels questioned President Clinton about his faith, his conversion, his failure, and subsequent recovery from some "mistakes". The five thousand pastors, and thousands more who were viewing the interview on closed circuit TV, gave Mr. Clinton a standing ovation when the interview was over. Never once did Mr. Clinton mention his sin - only some 'mistakes'. Never once was he asked about the other 'mistakes' he has admitted to in court but never confessed or repented of. Never once was he confronted concerning his unflagging support for the killing of millions of children in their mother's wombs. Never once was he questioned about his adamant support for the radical homosexual agenda. No, he was simply affirmed in his 'Christian walk' and reminded that he was a great president. What a travesty!

The Law of God that was given to lead people to repentance and to Christ (Galatians 3:24) was forsaken by Mr. Hybels as too harsh and judgmental. It was replaced by a gentler, kinder Gospel that speaks only sweet words of forgiveness for those who have sinned and plan on doing it some more. Mr. Clinton brilliantly played Mr. Hybels and evangelical church leaders like a drum to receive his religious whitewash. Unfortunately, thousands of other pastors were quickly and unwittingly seduced in the process. They left the summit believing that Mr. Clinton was a true brother in Christ working toward the same ends as they. Mr. Clinton left the interview, feeling that all things were right between him and God. Why would he be led to believe such a thing? The prophets of God declared it so!

Mr. Hybels and the pastors at the Willow Creek Leadership Summit pronounced peace upon Mr. Clinton and his 'Christian walk' when there was no peace. In so doing they now share in his guilt: "Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt." Leviticus 19:17.

History, A Forgotten Lesson

On January 25, 1934 Adolf Hitler summoned hundreds of the pastors and leaders of the churches in Germany to a personal conference in Berlin. He was concerned about a possible split among the pastors concerning his policy over the German church. He chided and cajoled them, reminding all that the economy in Germany was in great recovery and that he needed their unified support. He told them, "You confine yourself to the church. I will take care of the German people". In his inimitable way, Hitler mesmerized the pastors and the way was paved for the silence of the church during the Nazi holocaust. The pastors bowed to Hitler and, in bowing to his broken cross - the Swastika, they turned their backs on the cross of Christ.

Martin Niemoller, who along with Deitrich Bonhoeffer founded the Confessing Church in Nazi Germany, rose up in opposition to Hitler during this meeting. His statement is profound and needed in this day. "We are not concerned with the churches in Germany. Jesus Christ will take care of them Himself. We are concerned with the heart and soul of our nation." With that courageous statement in the face of a tyrant one would have expected a standing ovation from the men of God. Instead, Niemoller was ushered out of the meeting by several pastors and soundly rebuked for rocking the boat and ruining all of the good work and relations that were built between the church and Hitler. It was the men of God who silenced the very voice of God. Sound familiar?

The same spirit that inhabited the shell of Adolf Hitler now inhabits the shell of the President of the United States of America. He is totally unaware of it. The prophets of God have not told him the truth. The same spirit that mesmerized the church leaders in Hitler's day has mesmerized the church leaders in our day. The blanket forgiveness and approval of this President at the Willow Creek Leadership Summit is a physical manifestation of the bewitching. It has made them cowards in a day that calls for great hearts.

God, give us men like Martin Niemoller and Deitrich Bonhoeffer. Give us men who fear nothing but you. Give us men who stand firm upon your Word when the subtle compromises of a liar tempt us to waver. Give us men who can distinguish between right and wrong, holy and unholy, black and white, and not allow the world to force them into accepting a strange shade of gray. God help us to love our neighbor (our President) not by accepting sin but by confronting it and allowing the blood of Jesus to cleanse rather than repeating the sin of 1 Corinthians 5.

Who Stands Fast?

Detriech Bonhoffer lists 6 common ways evil masquerades as good in the book "Letters From Prison." You will find them immensely insightful in this election year and realize that nothing has really changed.

"The great masquerade of evil has played havoc with all our ethical concepts. For evil to appear disguised as light, charity, historical necessity, or social justice is quite bewildering to anyone brought up on our traditional ethical concepts, while for the Christian who bases his life on the Bible it merely confirms the fundamental wickedness of evil.

1. 1. The reasonable people's failure is obvious. With the best intentions and a naïve lack of realism, they think that with a little reason they can bend back into position the framework that has got out of joint. In their lack of vision they want to do justice to all sides, and so the conflicting forces wear them down with nothing achieved. Disappointed by the world's unreasonableness, they see themselves condemned to ineffectiveness; they step aside in resignation or collapse before the stronger party." This most clearly depicts our educational system of the day. It is an object lesson in futility.
2. 2. "Still more pathetic is the total collapse of moral fanaticism. The fanatic thinks that his single-minded principles qualify him to do battle with the powers of evil; but like a bull he rushes at the red cloak instead of the person who is holding it; he exhausts himself and is beaten. He gets entangled in non-essentials and falls into the trap set by cleverer people." In the pro-life movement, this person would be one who considers blowing up abortion mills and shooting doctors the solution to the problem.
3. "Then there is the man with a conscience, who fights single-handed against heavy odds in situations that call for a decision. But the scale of the conflicts in which he has to choose - with no advise or support except from his own conscience - tears him to pieces. Evil approaches him in so many respectable and seductive disguises that his conscience becomes nervous and vacillating, till at last he contents himself with a salved (ointment) instead of a clear conscience, so that he lies to his own conscience in order to avoid despair; for a man whose only support is his conscience can never realize that a bad conscience may be stronger and more wholesome than a deluded one." This is most clearly depicted today by the good man without moral absolutes. (Secular Humanism).
4. "From the perplexingly large number of possible decisions, the way of duty seems to be the sure way out. Here, what is commanded is accepted as what is most certain, and the responsibility for it rests on the commander, not on the person commanded. But no one who confines himself to the limits of duty ever goes so far as to venture, on his sole responsibility, to act in the only way that makes it possible to score a direct hit on evil and defeat it. The man of duty will in the end have to do his duty by the devil too." As depicted in Nazi concentration camps by prison guards, "I'm just following orders," so it is depicted today by policemen at abortion mills, "I'm just doing my job."
5. "As to the man who asserts his complete freedom to stand fore-square to the world, who values the necessary deed more highly than an unspoiled conscience or reputation, who is ready to sacrifice a barren principle for a fruitful compromise, or the barren wisdom of a middle course for a fruitful radicalism - let him beware lest his freedom shall bring him down. He will assent to what is bad to ward off something worse, and in doing so he will no longer be able to realize that the worse, which he wants to avoid, might be the better. Here we have the raw material of tragedy." This is most clearly depicted today in the Republican Party. Conservatism is pretend salt.
6. "Here and there people flee from public altercation into the sanctuary of private virtuousness. But anyone who does this must shut his mouth and his eyes to the injustice around him. Only at the cost of self-deception can he keep himself pure from the contamination arising from responsible action. In spite of all that he does, what he leaves undone will rob him of his peace of mind. He will either go to pieces because of this disquiet, or become the most hypocritical of Pharisees." Most clearly depicted today by the modern day Evangelical Church.

"Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not (1) his reason, (2) his fanaticism, (3) his conscience, (4) his duty, (5) his freedom, (6) or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God - the responsible man, who tries to make his whole life an answer to the question and call of God. Where are these responsible people?" This is most clearly depicted by the Christian who stands alone upon the standard of God's Word.

Let's Finish It! - Return to Wichita, 2000 Summer Event

Please plan your schedule now to join us in Wichita, Kansas for the tenth anniversary of the Summer of Mercy - Let's finish it! July 15 - 21, 2000.

"It has been 10 years since some bold-hearted men came to Wichita, Ks and turned our world upside down. They are coming back! George Tiller continues to advertise around the world as the best known third trimester abortionist. Shouldn't that be enough to rally the body of Christ?" Donna Lippoldt - Wichita, Kansas. If you would like to help Donna organize this event please call - (316) 744-9030.

Keep pressing the gates in Jesus Name. God will show up.

Flip