Most of you have received this press release (attached) from Troy Newman’s group in Wichita in response to Randall Terry’s “Complaint” filed in the Federal Trademark Commission.  The usual suspects from the California contingent are circling their wagons around Troy to provide cover for him.   “He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”  Proverbs 28:13.  

Jeff White, Ken Reed, Joe Slovenec, Cheryl Conrad, and Cheryl Sullenger are all struggling desperately to rationalize, justify, blame others, or just plain conceal the sin in their camp.  These are the same ones who would not stand with Operation Rescue leadership in the fall of 1993 and call the premeditated shooting (murder) of abortionists, “sin.”  None of the above named have been an active part of the leadership of “Operation Rescue” since that time – they were set aside because of their rebellion against “Operation Rescue” leadership. Note that all of them have the word “former” attached to their title.  At least they have been truthful in this area.

Joseph Foreman was removed from the leadership of “Operation Rescue” because of his repeated rebellion against leadership (Randy and Keith) long before that.  Patrick Mahoney and Katie Mahoney are simply being Pat and Katie Mahoney.  Nice folks, but that is about it.  Pat has not been a leader in “Operation Rescue” since the Spring of 1994.  He has certainly been involved in events with us but always as his own man.  Pat is for Pat.  We did invite him to “Operation Rescue’s” 10th anniversary of the “Summer of Mercy” in Wichita, in 2001.  That was out of deference to the tireless work he had done during the “Summer of Mercy” in 1991.  He was the MC of the evening rallies in 2001, and did a great job.  He was, in no way, a part of the leadership team.

I do not know Susan Peters nor do I know what role she played in “Operation Rescue.”

That leaves us with Keith Tucci.  When I saw his name on this press release it literally took my breath away.  I was stunned that Keith would sign on with those who did everything in their power to wrest away the leadership of “Operation Rescue” and its mailing lists from him.  Those in the California contingent wanted the name “Operation Rescue” for themselves.  They pursued it - the name - rather than Jesus, and they pursued it with a reckless abandon. They have never stopped.  They want it more than life itself.

Keith was the second “Director” of “Operation Rescue” after Randall Terry.  Keith, from the very beginning, provided the Biblical character and theological tenacity to keep Rescue on the true path of repentance.  He steered us through the murky waters of “justifiable homicide” and, though it divided the group, he kept us on the strong theological bedrock of the Bible.  More than anyone else, Keith kept those in the leadership of the Rescue Movement (Randall, Jeff, et al.), from imploding as a result of their own sin.  It was a daunting task.  The drinking, smoking, foul language, jockeying for position, greed, and pride was smothering a movement birthed by God Himself to bring an end to child-killing.  “Operation Rescue” failed at its God given task because of its own sin.  It was not because of FACE, RICO, lawsuits, justifiable homicide, timid pastors, weak churches, ad nauseam, that we failed.  It was our own sin. 

Keith did everything in his power to keep us centered on the fact that abortion was a Gospel issue.  He always put Jesus first and lived his life that way.  He is the one who kept both Randall, Jeff White, and the California contingent in Biblical check mate.  So, why did Keith add his name to this press release?

Keith believes that Randall should not be suing the guys he (Randall) raised up to do things just like this.  The ends justify the means, Machiavellians.  Unfortunately for Randall, they are following this worldly philosophy better than he and are now attempting to steal the name, “Operation Rescue.”  They have already stolen the mailing lists.   

A point of distinction between the California contingent and those of us who continue to follow biblical precepts: the ends never justify the means in God’s economy.  As a matter of fact, God is more far concerned with the means we use than the ends we achieve, for it requires from us - faith in Him.  

When I asked Keith why he would sign a press release with these eight signatories, he told me that he didn’t think it was a big deal – that Randall shouldn’t be suing them because he is as bad as they are.  When I reminded him, however, that his signature on this press release was lending legitimacy to Troy Newman’s claim to the name “Operation Rescue,” he responded immediately by saying that he did not say that, nor was that his intent.  He sent us this statement clarifying his signature on the (attached) press release on May 29, 2008, at 10:26 PM EST.

Thank you for your understanding.

Keith Tucci

When I asked Keith if he believed Troy’s use of the name “Operation Rescue” was sin, he responded with an emphatic, “Yes!”

This brings us to Randall Terry.  I was recently asked by a friend, if I would consider having Randall Terry join us at the National Event in Atlanta this July.  After all, it will be the twentieth anniversary of Operation Rescue exploding onto the national scene and it would be good to have all three (Randall, Keith, and Flip)“Operation Rescue” leaders there.  This was my response to him.  The principles in it may also be applied to “Operation Rescue,” the movement.

I have considered this very thing since I first talked to Randall a few months ago.  At this point I cannot see God’s hand at work leading us to invite him.  It is certainly tempting for me to bring him in – probably because I like him a lot.  But it would not be “love” to simply overlook a number of issues (still drinking beer, divorcing Cindy, conveniently becoming a Catholic, raising money in the very same deceitful way Jeff and Troy do, being the unwitting father of the California rebellion, ad infinitum).  These things require true repentance.  Though the gifts from God and calling of God may be irrevocable according to Romans 11:29, the calling can be denied.

As you well know, the gifts from God are given to enhance the calling of God, not vice-versa.  That is what you and I, and so many others, saw and heard 20 years ago in Atlanta, Georgia.  The gifts of God were at work in Randall to enhance the calling of God to rescue those being led away to slaughter.  We were ready to die for this call (deny ourselves, pick up the cross, and follow Jesus).  The call was to repentance before God and to action on behalf of the preborn.  This calling cost all of us who heard and followed the clear trumpet sound, and it benefitted others.  This is the way things work in God’s economy. 

I have found, and so have you, that pursuing the irrevocable call of God always costs us and benefits others.  If you read Randall’s “Complaint” it is easy to see this flow of costing him much and benefitting others.  I have also found, and so have you, that simply pursuing the gifts we have been given by God costs us very little and benefits us very much.  Where we are with Randall on this continuum is beyond my ability to know, lest God give me revelation, which He has not.

Certainly Randall is looking for vindication, but perhaps this time it is more for the benefit of himself than for the benefit of others.  The work he has done in exposing the malfeasances of Jeff White and Troy Newman is true and good.  His gifting is at work.  The lambs will be protected from the chicanery of these wolves as they are exposed.   Thank God!

But, to have Randall come back and address God’s people in Atlanta, would require the brokenhearted repentance of a man, once used powerfully by God, who lost his way for a time and is now returning to the fold.  The gifts and the calling of God are indeed irrevocable but Randall denied his great calling.  Until this is confessed before God and before all who were birthed into the battle through the powerful preaching of Randall Terry, I see no way of his addressing the saints in Atlanta, Georgia.

I conclude with our attempts to bring discipline, reconciliation, and restoration into the life of Troy Newman.  Our work with the pastor and elders of Heartland Community Church in Wichita, Kansas, has never ceased since Troy was removed from the leadership of “Operation Rescue” in the summer of 2002.  We have met with Troy, we have met with Troy and his Pastor George Granberry, and we have met with the Board of Elders of Heartland Community Church.  Troy had been a member of good standing in this church for six years until the elders of Heartland Community recently began to examine some of his ethical miscues.  He resigned his church membership this past Tuesday, May 27, 2008. 

Troy has stated on more than one occasion that he was an elder in his church.  This lie has been exposed by his Pastor and the Board of Elders at Heartland Community.  He has been caught in a series of half truths and two of the elders of Heartland Community have been calling him to account.  God is cornering him and exposing his sin though the leadership of his own church, so he resigned from his church and is running from the light.  Troy is scrambling for cover.  It is our prayer that he will find none. 

Now he has no ecclesiastical covering beside his “so-called” Board.  That Board is made up of Jeff White and a few others of the California contingent.  This Board is using this young man to get for it what it has always wanted – the name “Operation Rescue!”  Please watch the attached video (scroll down to “Anti-Abortion Leaders Fight in Court”). 

Troy needs the Father’s love and discipline in his life right now.  Not a bunch of folks signing press releases to protect him from being exposed by the Light of the world – Jesus.  Not some Board that sees him as nothing more than a piece of meat to get for it what Jeff White wants (the name “Operation Rescue”) to fill his (Jeff’s) insatiable appetite.  Troy’s whole identity is so wrapped up in a silly name, “Operation Rescue.”  He believes it to be his source of income, identity, and value.  It is not, and it never will be.  Troy simply needs to tell the truth about himself (confess), and find the peace that comes from knowing that his sins are forgiven through the blood of Christ, and that His heavenly Father is pleased with him.  In losing his life (the name “Operation Rescue”), he will find true life in Christ.

P.S.  For those caught up in the Pro-life lie (idolatry) that if one is saving babies he can lie, cheat, steal, and kill to bring an end to abortion, and still remain in the good graces of Almighty God – you are perilously close to denying Christ.  Those that believe in “justifiable homicide” and those in the California contingent believe this to be so.  This pragmatic (ends justifies the means) philosophy is a lie from the pit of hell.  Character matters to God.  Do you honestly believe that God would have you break one or all of his commandments to achieve His will in ending abortion?  Before you answer, you may want to consider well your reasoning.  Saving babies is not going to get you into heaven any more than dying in Jihad is going to get you 72 virgins when you die.  They are both lies from the world, the flesh, and the devil.

More on this later!