July 2004

July 2004

Righteousness Prevails as Men of God Stood
Two assaults flow out of child killing in Wichita
by Steve Mashburn

Can righteousness endure in the land of forgetfulness? - Psalm 88:12

The "Walk" team was in Wichita, KS for Memorial Day. On Saturday, May 29th, the Wichita Police Department once again tried to silence the Gospel of Christ on the public streets and sidewalks. OSA – Wichita obtained a parade permit well in advance, jumping through every hoop the City asked. One lone security guard for Mr. George Tiller was determined to stop the Gospel from being proclaimed. The police, in a city that protects a killer, gladly helped him. Two assaults would ensue: one assault on a pastor and another assault on the liberty of all.

Christians take their stand as security guard threatens to run them over.

ASSAULT NUMBER ONE

OSA erected the barricades and blocked off Bleckley Street between Kellogg and Orme where a parade permit gave Operation Save America control of the street between the hours of 9:00 and 11:00 AM . Yet, as the service began, Tiller security guard John Rayburn was determined he would do whatever it took to disrupt the Memorial Service for veterans and aborted babies – including violence. Rayburn walked down to Kellogg and to the barricades while Pastor Mark Hollick followed.

Rev. Flip Benham pleaded with police officers to walk the short half block saying, "That guard is an angry bully and he is dangerous. I’m begging you. Please go down there and stop him. He has a history of this. I tell you that bully is intent on harm. Please go down and prevent him from causing harm." The officers knew Rayburn has no authority beyond the property line of "Women’s Health Care Services," Mr. Tiller’s abortion mill, as they have ordered Rayburn to get off the property of Choices Inc. and to stay on Tiller’s property in months past.

The officers ignored Flip’s pleas. Rayburn then moved the barricade and as soon as Pastor Mark Hollick moved the barricade back in place, John Rayburn put both his hands forward and violently slammed Pastor Hollick back at least 10 feet. It was all Pastor Hollick could do to keep from falling down on the pavement. As Pastor Hollick walked back toward the visibly angry John Rayburn, he pulled out both his can of mace and people-prod (a version of the electric shock cattle prods designed for riot control). He held the can of mace up in Pastor Hollick’s face. Rev. Benham who was still pleading with the police officers said to them, "See there, I told you he would do this! Now do your duty and arrest this man."

The police officers were so arrogant in support of George Tiller that they refused to arrest Rayburn claiming, "We did not see it." Several of the 110 Christians gathered for the Memorial Service had video cameras and informed Flip that they had the entire incident on video tape.

When Flip told the officers, "We have it on video tape," Police said, "Let’s see the video tape." After the officers viewed the tape, which included Flip’s warning of John Rayburn’s intent and the violent assault, they still refused to arrest Rayburn. In spite of the officer’s denial, the video shows an officer did see it. Though they would not honor their oath and do their duty, these officers asked us to give them our video tape. We are not stupid and refused their request. After all, the evidence indicts them and vindicates us. We will soon have this video on the web so you can decide for yourself.

Had this been any other citizen other than an employee of infamous abortionist George Tiller the officers would have body-slammed them to the ground, cuffed them and hauled them off to jail. This police department, however, is determined to cover the sin of abortion and violate the constitutional rights of any citizen, especially Christians, who dare oppose this heinous evil of child killing. Since OSA had a parade permit, it was clear that this was all about silencing the Gospel on the public streets.

The Memorial Service began with the finishing of the presentation of colors to honor the veterans of foreign wars, the bagpipes playing Amazing Grace, pledging allegiance to the Christian and American flags, and the Bible. A beautiful worship service led by the Spirit One worship team helped usher in the presence of God. Pastor Hollick emphasized how the earlier assault, violation of our parade permit and subsequent refusal of the police to arrest the security guard was all about silencing the Gospel.

ASSAULT NUMBER TWO

Flip Benham no sooner began to deliver his message when several police officers began asking people to move as they ushered a black paving truck & trailer through the barricades and up the street. As the truck approached northward, a number of men refused to move. We had a parade permit and this deliberate attempt to disrupt the Memorial Service and silence the Gospel could not be allowed to proceed.

More men of God, including a number of veterans, stepped out in front of the truck determined that our right of assembly under the permit would not be violated. Suddenly, John Rayburn angrily got into the truck and began to drive forward, threatening to run over the men if they did not move.

The men of God stood as others prayed and Flip rebuked the officers sharply for allowing this and demanded that they stop this madman before he killed the men in front of the truck. The people stood in shock as these brown shirts, with WPD badges, did nothing. Flip kept pleading with the officers to stop the truck before more innocent blood was shed in the street on this Memorial Day.

Finally, at the last second, an officer stepped forward and stopped John Rayburn from driving over the men in the street. Flip kept pointing out that this unconscionable act was a deliberate attempt to silence the Gospel of Christ saying, "It is this place (George Tiller’s abortion mill) that is disturbing the peace in this city and no one else."

The men of God stood in the street with more joining at the driveway. Ten squad cars arrived and a stand-off ensued as Flip told the Christians and the officers, "This truck in not going into that driveway now. If officers feel they must arrest peaceful Christians who have a permit to be there then let the arresting begin! The time to stand has come. We will not back up any more."

Ten minutes passed by and police officers ordered the truck to back out of the blocked off section of Bleckley Street until after the service. Flip asked the veterans, most of whom were standing in the driveway, to step forward. Rev. Rusty Thomas prayed for the veterans (Flip included) and for our nation. Rusty quoted Gen. George Washington’s words from Valley Forge recalling that all the veterans of America’s wars sacrificed not for themselves but for the Unborn – they gave up their todays so that future generations might have a tomorrow. He then prayed this Scripture:

"Collect your thoughts, yes, unbend yourselves in submission and see if there is no sense of shame and no consciousness of sin left in you, O shameless nation not desirous or desired! The time for repentance is speeding by like chaff whirled before the wind! Therefore consider, before God's decree brings forth the curse upon you, before the time to repent is gone like the drifting chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord comes upon you--yes, before the day of the wrath of the Lord comes upon you! Seek the Lord -inquire for Him, inquire of Him, and require Him as the foremost necessity of your life, all you humble of the land who have acted in compliance with His revealed will and have kept His commandments; seek righteousness, seek humility -inquire for them, require them as vital. It may be you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger." Zephaniah 2:1-3, the Amplified Bible

Rusty closed his prayer with, "This day is for remembering and we in America have forgotten much!"

After Flip delivered his message the saints followed Judgment the horse, Mercy the donkey, and the RV playing Christian music in a parade several blocks around the neighborhood and back. When we returned, it was obvious why Tiller’s security guard and the police were so anxious to move that truck inside the abortion mill. The sound of the paving equipment was deafening. It would have drowned out even the loud sound system on the RV, let alone the battery operated sound system present for the service. Their motivation to silence the Gospel of Christ is irrefutable. That they would do this during a Memorial Day Service honoring veterans is unconscionable.

The silencing of little baby boys and girls in their mother’s womb inevitably leads to the silencing of the Gospel of Christ in the streets. Tolerance of the killing of children will just as surely kill our freedom. By robbing the innocent of their inalienable right to life, we sacrifice all of our God-given rights. May 29, 2004 , in Wichita will be a day remembered in which this fact was illustrated with undeniable clarity. May we never forget that this day men of God stood for King Jesus willing to pay the cost for freedom and prevailed. God help us as stand on future days.

LOSING EVERYTHING AND GAINING IT ALL

Mon, 31 May 2004
British Olympic Star Opts Against Having an Abortion
London , UK (LifeNews.com)

British hurdler Tasha Danvers-Smith had her life centered on her Olympic dream, when she was shocked to discover she was pregnant. As the unplanned pregnancy devastated her hopes, she briefly considered an abortion, before deciding that she could not kill her child.

As an Olympic medal hopeful and sixth-ranked runner in the world, missing the 2004 Olympics meant more than missing a dream, it meant financial difficulty and uncertainty. "The timing could not have been worse. If I had run at Athens it would have meant greater financial security, more recognition. There is nothing negative that can happen when you have a shot at an Olympic medal," she told the Telegraph.

"I cannot lie, I considered an abortion. On the one hand you look at the situation and say, 'I can have a baby and incur more costs, more problems.' We don't even have a house yet...And I am the major breadwinner." However, Danvers-Smith and her husband and coach Darrell Smith decided that life was the right choice. "But this line from the Scriptures kept coming into my head: 'For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?' For me, the whole wide world was the Olympics. At the same time, I felt I would be losing my soul. So then I knew. For me it was not going to be an option. And as soon as I decided that, I felt so happy. Even though I know it is going to be a struggle financially and that I am sacrificing my medal hopes."

Danvers-Smith said that watching the 2004 Olympics may be "too dreadful" to bear, "but when December comes and the baby is born, I know I will feel a lot differently."

NEW GRANDSON FOR THE BENHAM FAMILY

Craig and Tracy Kean (Flip’s oldest daughter) have struggled over the years with infertility. They miscarried a baby this year. Below is a note from the two of them announcing the arrival of their adopted son Camron.

Thank you for the continuous prayers over the years. After 9 years of marriage, God has given us a handsome baby boy. We adopted Camron Matthew Kean on May 5 th, two weeks before Tracy was supposed to be due with the baby that was miscarried in October. Had that not happened, we would not be the proud parents of Camron. God’s plans are not always what we expect, but His timing is always perfect. God had been preparing us in the waiting. Thank you for the many words of encouragement, prayers, and love4 for us through the mountaintops and valleys over the last several years.

NATIONAL EVENT – COLUMBUS, OHIO – JULY 17-24, 2004

By the time you get this newsletter, you should be preparing to leave for Columbus. We know this will be an anointed time as our "Walk" team enters Ohio. The local team has been laboring to get everything in place so that we might storm the gates of Columbus and advance the Kingdom. If you have any last minute questions or you need transportation from the airport, please call the com-center at 614-759-5196.

If you are still in need of hotel arrangements, the info is: Best Western - $40.00 (double room, full breakfast included) 614-864-1280

Keep storming the gates,

Flip