Here is a short video clip (1 minute and 18 seconds) of the amazing things that took place in the City of Charlotte as the theology of heaven became biography in the streets during the 39th Memorial of Roe v. Wade. Alex Kendrick, star and director of the blockbuster hits Flywheel, Facing the Giants, Fireproof, and Courageous, led us into the battle using the brand new “Citise4Life” stratagem. We are now, “…pleading the case of the fatherless to win it.” Jeremiah 5:28. ~ Flip
Alex Kendrick of the blockbuster movie hits Facing the Giants, Fireproof, and Courageous, will be joining us in the streets as we call for men of courage to face the giant of abortion and “…plead the case of the fatherless to win it.” Jeremiah 5:28.
God bless you all as you lift up the name of Jesus and plead the case of His precious preborn children this week. The gates of hell cannot prevail against you.
Give ‘em heaven in Jesus’ magnificent Name! ~ Flip
Operation Save America will be announcing a new national project to end abortion in America on the 39th Memorial of Roe v. Wade in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. On Friday, January 20, 2011, at 11:30 AM, Rev. Flip Benham and Rev. Rusty Thomas of Operation Save America will conduct a national press conference at “Liberty Square” on the corner of Trade and Tryon to announce a new national campaign to bring abortion to an end in America.
The Lord has greatly blessed us with a special guest that will be joining us for this momentous occasion. Alex Kendrick, from the blockbuster movies, Facing the Giants, Fireproof, and Courageous, has agreed to join us and endorse the campaign. We pray God will use him to inspire Christian men throughout the land to rise up and join the battle for the souls of men, the lives of children, and the future of our nation.
Operation First Abortion Free State
“…they do not plead the case of the fatherless to win it.” Jeremiah 5:28
For too long now, we have waited for election cycles and depended upon pro-life politicians to end the abortion holocaust savaging America. Unfortunately, politicians will plead the case of the fatherless to gain our vote or to raise funds, but they will never plead their case to win it.
It has been 39 years since that day of infamy on January 22, 1973, when our Supreme Court unleashed the floodgates of hell and murder upon this nation. Today, close to 60 million children are dead. For 39 years the Church of Jesus Christ has sat silently by and tolerated a sin that is destroying our nation. NO MORE!
NO MORE, will we sit idly by while little children die. NO MORE, will we wait for the President, the Congress, the Supreme Court, or any political party to save the lives of preborn children. NO MORE, can will we coexist with child-killing. Our national survival hangs in the balance. WE ARE AT WAR!
Operation Save America is embarking on a national campaign called States of Refuge: Operation First Abortion Free State. Currently, there are five states (Arkansas, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming) with one remaining abortion mill. Our purpose is to bring churches and pro-life ministries to each state and allow God to give us the first abortion-free state in America.
“Abortion will come to an end in America when the Church of Jesus Christ makes up her mind it will come to an end – and not one second sooner!” said Flip Benham, Director of Operation Save America. “When the theology of heaven becomes biography in the streets – we win! When the first domino falls – the rest will soon follow.”
Rev Rusty Lee Thomas, Assistant Director of Operation Save America, proclaimed, “Let the liberation of America begin and let the church of the living God lead the way, one state at a time. Operation: First Abortion Free State seeks to apply the axe of God’s truth to the root of this idolatrous tree (abortion) in the hopes that our Lord will hear from heaven, forgive our sins, and heal our broken, wounded land. Throughout this yearlong commitment (January 22, 2012 – January 22, 2013) several Christian/Pro-life ministries will come to these states and, “…plead the case of the fatherless to win it.”’
What: Press Conference
Where: Liberty Square on the corner of Trade and Tryon in Charlotte, North Carolina
When: Friday, January 20, 2012 – 11:30 AM
Contact: Rev. Rusty Lee Thomas (704) 933-3414 or Flip Benham (980) 722-4920
Pastor Bobby Wilkinson led us in our praise and worship during our National Event in Charlotte, North Carolina, in the summer of 2010. Many of you know him. He was also a pastor in our church (Kerygma) before he went on to be a pastor at Providence Church in Denver, North Carolina. God has given him great insight into the call of the church to stand in the gap on behalf of her preborn brothers and sisters. ~ Flip
Many of you know Sheryl Chandler. She has been a faithful sidewalk counselor in the streets of Charlotte for decades. Her ministry in these past four years has really allowed the theology of the church house to become biography in the streets in a marvelous way. God is up to something big in these days. He always is. We just need to have eyes that see and ears that hear.
Enjoy! ~ Flip
“Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.”
Psalm 85:10
Happy New Year! I hope you are rejoicing as we close out 2011 and enter 2012. I showered and evangelized 24 moms in 2011 and pray for more ministry opportunities in the coming year. Continuously, we humans open and close years as time marches on, but it’s incredible to think that the Lord knows no such boundaries as time. It’s an amazing thought, to realize that the God of all creation entered our realm of time and space when He came as a man to our world. As you know, I homeschool my two children and this year in history and literature we are studying the ancient world. We will soon place GOD on our timeline, where His first coming distinctly and directly divides our entire measurement of time. I can barely conceive it. We recently studied ancient Greece and their alphabet, which begins with Alpha and ends with Omega. Revelation 22:13 defines Jesus as the “Alpha and Omega; the beginning and the end.” He is truly the first and the last. Everything originates with Him and everything will end in Him. Everything comes from God and nothing will outlast Him. He has no competition. He is the first word and the last word in history, and He controls everything in between. Here is a photo of my kids and me with our Greek alphabet:
Since I last sent you an update, I’ve provided 4 showers and 3 babies have been born. Please read all the way to the end, because I have some very exciting news to share regarding pro-life ministry here in Charlotte. You don’t want to miss this announcement!
1) Lisa Metzger, a gifted sidewalk counselor, met Jennifer early last summer in front of the abortion clinic called “A Preferred Women’s Health Center”. Ugh. (We can’t bear the lies encapsulated in that name, so we just call it “Latrobe” for the street it’s located on.) Jennifer is from Florence, SC and has a 3-year old son named Jalen. Lisa and her family opened their home to Jennifer and Jalen and provided hospitality to them a few times. This is a valuable part of the ministry, as Jennifer was able to witness, likely for the first time, a loving, functioning Christian family.
This photo was taken the day Lisa met Jennifer. Lisa is counseling her, pleading for life, and offering hope and truth, right through Jennifer’s open car window, in front of the abortion clinic. This photo perfectly depicts what we do on the streets.
Throughout her pregnancy, Jennifer experienced a great deal of early labor and was in and out of the hospital several times. I prepared all her shower things quite early, including preemie clothing, thinking she would have the baby around week 34, after the doctors stopped aggressively preventing labor. Alas, she held on…and on…and on. She ended up going well PAST her due date, and then the doctors threatened to induce her! This series of events gets even more interesting, because Jennifer delivered her son, Damir Mason, IN THE CAR on the way to the hospital! What a story! Damir’s cord was crimped and he had to be resuscitated by EMT, but now mother and baby are both fine and healthy, thank the Lord! Damir weighed 7lb 9oz and was 21″ long.
As soon as he was born, Lisa drove 2 hours south to deliver the Truth & Mercy baby gifts to Jennifer. Lisa tells me that Damir means “to give peace” and Mason means “to work with stone”. God turned and softened Jennifer’s stony heart, which was originally intent on abortion, and He gave her peace to let her baby live!
Below is a photo is of Jennifer and Lisa, who is holding the rescued baby. Next is a close up of Damir.
2) In early November, I showered Lily, who had her baby girl, Yaleal a few weeks later. They live in Monroe, so I don’t have pictures of Yaleal yet, but I do have a photo of Lily and her 2-year old son, Christian, who was saved from abortion and showered in 2009. She asked for help with this baby, too. I had never met Christian in person. It was a joy to see him face-to-face!
3) Next, I received a call for help from Ositata and his wife, Vivan, who are from Nigeria. They needed practical help for their 6-month daughter, Kamsey (pronounced Comzee). I showered them with clothing and toys in early December. Vivan was opposed to my taking and showing her photo, or her daughter’s. She is deathly afraid of the demonic practice of voodoo and was apprehensive that people would practice it using her images. She has had very real experiences with it in her native land. This provided a divine opportunity for me to present the Gospel of Christ to them. I also explained clearly and passionately that voodoo would not occur with me or you, my wonderful supporters who would view the photos, but she could not be convinced. People who don’t believe this evil practice occurs need to have a conversation with Vivan or others who have experienced it. Don’t be lulled to sleep, thinking the devil is not real or witchcraft doesn’t happen – and don’t be entertained by its book and movie depictions. It devastates lives and souls. Gratefully, Ositata courageously let me take his photo, but also know that little Kamsey was adorable! Here he is, most appreciative for assistance from Truth & Mercy.
4) Also in early November, I showered Illse, a pregnant woman Katherine Hearn met in front of the Latrobe Ave abortion facility. Illse’s story twists and turns, but suffice it to say, she was pregnant and in need of practical help and spiritual counsel. Thankfully, she chose life for this baby. She has two young children, Alex and Selene. Truth & Mercy showered her abundantly with 2-years of clothing, a changing table/dresser combo unit, pad, cover, car seat/stroller combo, bouncy seat, johnny jump-up, sling carrier, high chair, tub, Boppy pillow, crib sheets, bedding set, blankets, hooded towels, washcloths, head support, sleep positioner, toys, books, movies, photo frames and album, hangers, diaper bag, shampoo, powder, lotion, baby wash, pacifiers, and a very generous supply of diapers and wipes. She was overwhelmed and extremely grateful for the baby items.
After Illse went through her lovely gifts, Katherine took us all out for pizza and as the kids played, we talked seriously about the Gospel. Sadly, Illse seemed detached and disinterested, but I pray the Lord will move upon her heart in the future. She has certainly been told about God’s plan of salvation – His love and mercy – and it has been clearly demonstrated to her in a manner she will likely never forget. I pray that she will read, understand and believe the message in the Gospel materials I left with her. May God open her eyes to His truth.
Her baby, Melanie, was born weighing 7lb on December 5. Here is a photo of Illse taken on her shower date and a photo of Melanie, a few days old.
I next will shower Ashley, Trina, U’Leasa and Shaquana. All are having GIRLS! For many years, the boys far outnumbered the girls (roughly 5:1), but recently, girls are making a comeback!
I’ve provided 24 lavish showers this year, which is fairly typical. All 24 of these women have had an encounter with the living God, both in word and deed. They have all been shown His love and mercy. Thank you for equipping and supporting Truth & Mercy so that I can sow into these precious lives. May God receive all the glory and praise.
Now for the BIG news! For the last year, I’ve been working with a dedicated group of pro-lifers as we develop a new ministry, which is really a MOVEMENT. We call this organization Cities4Life. Our vision is to connect and unify all the pro-life work being done in Charlotte onto one website. This way we can easily direct pregnant women to the site and thereby to the particular assistance they need. We also desire to bring in new pro-life Christians to serve in various ways. The site will be a common link to all the prolife efforts. We hope and pray that this model will be replicated in cities all over the country.
Christians can easily navigate the site and find an area in which to serve. Everything is clearly described, from front-line street ministry, to medical care, to pregnancy centers, adoption agencies, housing, baby showers, and more. Go to Cities4Life.org for more information.
Our mission is Proclaim. Provide. Protect. Pray.
PROCLAIM: Our purpose is to glorify our Lord and Savior and proclaim His Gospel and His truth. We expose the evil lies and deeds of the abortion industry. We proclaim that abortion is the violent killing of the unborn. We proclaim this message peacefully and nonviolently in front of area killing centers and throughout our culture.
PROVIDE: Our purpose is to glorify the Lord by providing tangible support to women and families in need, as Scripture commands. This support is in the form of medical care, baby items, housing, adoption services and pregnancy care services and Biblical counseling.
PROTECT: Our purpose is to glorify the Lord by seeking and supporting Godly measures to protect the unborn in our city, state and nation.
PRAY: Our purpose is to glorify the Lord by bringing our prayerful presence to the streets as well as to our churches and homes. We pray for mercy on the unborn children scheduled to die. We pray for the eyes and hearts of parents and abortion providers to be opened to God’s truth. We prayerfully support those who proclaim His truth and those who seek legal protection for these vulnerable lives.
David Benham, of Benham Companies and Benham Real Estate, is our visionary leader. It was his goal to see this movement materialize and he has largely funded it to this point. He organized the first dinner, held last January, where he cast the vision before hundreds of Christians. Throughout the year, our small team has met, discussed and labored to make it happen. For me personally, it’s been and honor and a thrill to be a part of this committee.
You are Invited
I desire for you to come to our second annual dinner, to be held Friday, January 20 at 7pm at the Embassy Suites Hotel near Concord Mills Mall (5400 John Q. Hammons Drive NW, Concord NC 28027). You will hear more about this incredible launch, meet several moms, dads and babies who have been saved from abortion and ministered to and provided for, and perhaps most exciting to many, Alex Kendrick will be our keynote speaker! He is the co-producer, co-writer and star of the hit Christian movies Courageous, Fireproof and Facing the Giants. He will bring an inspiring message about having courage to defend the lives of the unborn. You can hear his dinner invitation to you at http:/www.Cities4Life.org
The dinner is free, but be aware that it is a fundraiser. After you hear about this exciting new endeavor, you will likely be pleased to give, but if not, the dinner is still free. Pre-register quickly at Cities4Life.org/events. Registration officially opens Jan. 2, but for now, you can pre-register to hold your spot(s). If you want to bring others, for now, pre-register by listing “your name + XX others”. You can register as many as 10 to a table. After Jan. 2, the C4L folks will email you with more information about the dinner.
Our dinner date is not a coincidence. January 22, 1973, was the day the dreadful Roe vs. Wade decision was handed down, and during the past 39 years, over 58 million unborn children have been slaughtered. Throughout this January weekend, we will be remembering life, celebrating life and proclaiming life at 3 distinct events.
Remember Life:
On Friday Jan. 20, from 11:30am-1pm at the downtown corner of Trade and Tryon in Charlotte, we will gather to remember the lives lost in our city and nation the last 39 years. We will have a memorial service and dedicate ourselves to protecting lives in the future. This is a hallowed time of repentance, prayer, worship, and testimony.
Celebrate Life:
We will hold the Cities4Life dinner that Friday night, Jan. 20 at 7pm, rejoicing in the lives the Lord has spared and provided for, through the ministries of various pro-life groups, including Truth & Mercy.
Proclaim Life:
We will gather at A Preferred Women’s Health Center the following Saturday morning, Jan. 21 from 9:30-11am. The address is 3220 Latrobe Ave, Charlotte NC 28211. This will be a peaceful time of prayer and proclamation. We worship Jesus right on the sidewalk in front of this center. We reach out to men and women entering and exiting the building. We proclaim the Gospel message, which alone has power to change hearts and minds…and lives!
Please come and pray, proclaim, provide and protect life!
Sheryl Chandler
Mark and Lisa Metzger bring their family (9 children) out to the to the gates of hell every Friday and Saturday as often as they can. They are joined by another home school family Robbie and Jeanette Wilson (6 children). The miracles God has wrought through their presence at the abortion mills here in Charlotte has been astounding. Here is one little miracle for your encouragement. Enjoy! ~ Flip
This is Damir Mason (left) and his mother Jennifer (rith with Lisa), at their baby shower! Damir means “to give peace” and Mason means “works with stone”. God worked with an apparent heart of stone, which was set on aborting the child within, knitting together the hearts of Damir and Jennifer! God also gave Jennifer PEACE in her decision to choose life! How beautiful! Jennifer’s story of LIFE is below.
A young woman from Hemingway, SC came to abort a child thought to be 8 weeks. After choosing life, she found out that her baby was actually 16 weeks. If she had gone through with the abortion at Latrobe she could have experienced horrible complications since they were unwilling to verify the baby’s age via ultrasound and would have either given her pills to induce abortion or performed surgery on a baby who was much farther along than they had thought. While inside of the mill, she had asked to speak to someone about the abortion procedure, but was told that she could not talk to a doctor, nurse or even a counselor about the procedure. Instead, the front desk personnel described the “painless and quick” procedure of abortion using a highlighter and pencil! There have been two ambulances since February, seen at this facility. Please pray that the truth about the physical danger of abortion is made known to these women.
A text received from Miss Jennifer, who chose life for her son: “I saw you 3 days ago. I was going to give my baby up and I’m happy I didn’t do it. I want you and the people that you were with to know that it meant the whole world to me to know that you all care about me, not even knowing me…[if it weren’t] for you I would have done a really bad thing.”
Yes, Muslims do believe in Jesus, but not the Jesus of the Bible. They refuse to believe that He was crucified, buried and raised from the dead. If Jesus is not raised from the dead then we are still in our sins and our faith is in vain.
In the ten years since the horror of 9/11 we have learned a lot about the “religion” Islam. Our media and our government have portrayed Islam as a religion of “peace.” President Obama and President Bush have said the same.
But is it? Is it simply a “peaceful religion” hijacked by extremists, or is it a monstrous and murderous worldview that makes people demons, filled with hate and devoid of reason?
My gift to you on this tenth memorial of 9/11 is to remind you of the violent ways of Islam. And to open your eyes to the hand that is wielding it. You may be surprised.
Over the past ten years, we have been privileged to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to several mosques across the country. This summer we stormed the gates of hell at the largest mosque in Central Florida and we noticed something very odd. They had just put up five signs, sponsored by the Islamic Society of Central Florida, on the large fence surrounding the mosque. It was an attempt to “Americanize” Islam and make it appear, well, …. Nice.
Only Jesus is God. Apart from Him there is no other. Muhammad is a false prophet.
These signs, however, are very revealing. Islam is doing its level best to cover its real identity and appear to be a peaceful, kind, and tolerant religion. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our media and government are part of this scam. Islam is a wolf trying to look like a lamb.
There is just something about Islam that turns precious people, whom God created in His own image, into wild grinning beasts that attack whatever moves. Islam is not just a religion, it is a nation. And every mosque is a headquarters for war. It has a political and religious philosophy where the church rules the state, a military plan called Jihad, and a governing ordinance called Shariah law. It has one god, Allah (not the God of the Bible), one prophet, Muhammad (an illiterate murderer and pedophile), and one cause – to dominate the world under the name of Allah. It is known as the nation Islam. It is a spawn of the devil and a breeding ground for “hate.”
Adherents to Islam, known as Muslims, have a sworn allegiance to their false god, Allah; to their false prophet, Muhammad; and to their false book, the Quran. No matter where Muslims are located geographically, they may never assimilate into another society. If they do, they become worse than an infidel and a fatwa is issued for their death. Their allegiance must always remain first and foremost to Allah and his prophet Mohammed.
There is no way that a true Muslim can become a good American citizen. To do so would be to deny Allah and his prophet Muhammad. The only time it is permitted to act like or become a citizen of another country is to be involved in Taqquia (one is allowed to lie to further the cause of Allah). Yes, Muslims can and do lie in the name of Allah. Sound like a religion from hell to you?
Muslims don't really believe this. They hate Jews, Christians and all that do not bow to Allah.
Yes, Islam is a nation birthed in the very pit of hell, through the drug induced visions of the prophet Mohammed in 622 A.D. It has brought untold chaos, murder, mayhem, slavery, and violence into the world. It is the devil’s instrument to rob, kill, and destroy. It is filled with fury and its drug of choice is hate. Hate is the driving force of Islam. It causes people to strap bombs to themselves and blow-up innocent men, women, children, and infidels. It causes mothers to surrender their children to do the same. God put it very succinctly in Proverbs 8:36, “…all who hate me love death.” Islam hates God.
Yet the devil that drives this religion of hate remains Almighty God’s devil. He is on a leash and can only go so far. Today, God is using Islam as His chastening rod to turn America back to himself. Surprised?
Yes, God can use even His enemies to accomplish His grand purposes. Islam is the rod God has chosen to bring His justice and judgment to America that she may repent and return to Him. But only those with eyes to see (not CBS, ABC, NBC, or Fox News) can see this truth. The tragedy of 9/11 was to bring us to repentance.
That’s right! America has turned her back upon the God of the Bible. Mayor Bloomberg is not inviting the God of our Founding Fathers (Jesus) to the tenth anniversary memorial of 9-11 in New York City . What does God have to do with anything? This God-hating Mayor; rabidly pro-abortion, pro-homosexual, and pro any religion but Christianity, is a frothing supporter of a mosque to be built two blocks from Ground Zero. God’s kindness over these past ten years has been meant to bring us to repentance. Instead, we have slapped Him in the face.
Quoting from the Quran. This is so utterly absurd and historically inaccurate that if defies all logic.
Yes, America has forgotten the One who has blessed her in so many ways and made her great and freer than any nation on the face of this earth. Today, we are living in a nation that is murdering God’s children (abortion), calling that which is evil good (homosexuality), and prostrating Christianity to the level of every other religion (Islam). These three; abortion, homosexuality, and Islam, are physical manifestations of the gates of hell. They are the most visible manifestations of God’s judgment upon us all.
If God is our problem, then we have a mighty big problem. Neither the Republican Party nor the Tea Party can get us out of this fix. Our enemies are now ruling over us, our wealth is being completely drained, we have become a laughingstock to the world. The smallest of nations can put us to flight. Oh, what to do?
The answer is simple. Children can understand it. We adults can’t because we say, “It’s complicated.” But it is not complicated at all. God makes it very clear in His Word, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14. This is God’s promise to all who call upon His Name. So what are we waiting for? Let’s join together in public repentance and cry out to the only One who can save us. If God is our problem there is hope, for He desires mercy, not sacrifice. Matthew 9:13.
But note this. We must turn from our wicked ways before we can expect any help from Him. We must confess that God is right and that we are wrong in three crucial areas: abortion, homosexuality, and Islam. If America is ever to be healed, these three sins must be publicly repented of.
This was showing on the mosque marquis. Which Jesus? The one in your imagination and Quran or the One true God of History found only in the Holy Bible?
Neither Republicans nor Conservatives want to deal with these sins. We know where Democrats stand. But our supposed “friends” shoot us in the back every time they are elected. They are pretend salt. They will not stand for Christ and have never found a cause for which they are willing to die.
They will never stand upon the Word of God. They run from it. They just want the election in 2012 to be about the economy. Just listen to Charles Krauthammer, Karl Rove, Dana Farina, ad nauseam. They want our vote but they don’t want our voice. Our government, no matter who is elected, is not able to save us from the judgment of Almighty God and the disaster that is coming, “for our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:29. He has more disaster than our government has relief. Government cannot save us from God.
The rise of Islam in our nation over these past ten years has been meteoric. It has garnered for itself the most protected and “favored religion” status. Much the same as homosexuality has become the most protected and “favored life-style” in America . And the abortion industry has won for itself the most protected and “favored business” status. Indeed the enemies Of God’s church are ruling over her. Jesus told us this would happen if the salt lost its savor. Matthew 5:13. God is using all three of these enemies of Christ as a rod to chastise the sorry estate of His church and our nation. But we can repent. And true repentance will look like this:
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, …See what this Godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done…” 2 Corinthians 7:10-11.
1. We must declare that all children born and pre-born are living human beings at biological beginning and therefore have an innate right to life and are to be protected under the color of law. “Personhood!”
2. We must declare that homosexuality is a sin against God, our own bodies, and our fellowman. It brings destruction to those who practice it, and destruction to nations that approve of it.
3. We must declare that the willful prostration of Christianity to the level of every other religion is a sin that cries out to heaven and is a violation of the very 1st Commandment given by God to Moses. This syncretistic idea that all religions are the same is an affront to the only One and True God, Jesus Christ.
True repentance will be lived out like this: Personal Intervention
We are always at the abortion mills bringing the Gospel of Christ to the gates of hell and intervening on behalf of children being led away to slaughter. We are also at “Gay” Pride events wherever and whenever they may raise their ugly heads, bringing the theology of the church house into the streets and allowing it to become biography. We love those enslaved in homosexual sodomy enough to tell them the liberating truth that only Christ can set them free. Finally, we have been bringing the gospel of Christ headlong into the gates of hell at local mosques and Muslim gatherings. Jesus Akbar!
This past Wednesday morning, August 31, 2011, we attended the celebration of Eid UL Fitr (the end of Ramadan fast) held at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Uptown Charlotte. Thousands of Muslims gathered at this convention center in Uptown to honor their false god Allah. We gathered to honor the only true God, Jesus. We carried signs and brochures into the battle. One sign read “Jesus Is the Truth,” the other, “Islam is a Lie.” As we began to preach about the God (Jesus) who made this nation great and free, the rage and hatred in the hearts of these “peaceful” Muslims began to manifest. Freedom of speech is not treasured in Islamic Shariah law.
From out of the abundance of their hearts, their mouths began to speak. “You are a Jew! You are gay! You are stupid! You are a homeless person! You are a clown!” I must say that I was astonished at their blatant anti-semitism and ad hominem (name-calling) attacks. They pushed, jostled, and bullied, trying to make the meanest “Arab street face” possible, but the preaching of the gospel continued. Richard Pope was on the other side of the building from me “givin ‘em heaven in Jesus’ name.”
Richard has been a great friend to this ministry, to his city, to his nation, and to Jesus’ precious preborn children. He was attacked and knocked unconscious while preaching the gospel of Christ on a public sidewalk outside the NASCAR Hall of Fame. His crime? Bringing the Word of God to those lost in the bondage of Islam.
After the event was over and most of the Muslims had left, a Charlotte policeman came up to me and informed me that Richard had been knocked out and was in an ambulance. Isaac Yoder and I immediately made our way around the huge NASCAR building to the ambulance. They would not allow us to see or talk with Richard until they were relatively sure he was OK. When he finally got out of the ambulance he was still a bit woozy but he recounted his story to us.
“I was preaching and the next thing I remember, I was on the ground in front of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. I wondered why I was there. I called my daughter on my cell phone and asked her why I was at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and she said, ‘Daddy, you are there for the end of Ramadan fast. Don’t you remember? Are you all right? It was then that I got my bearings and realized that something happened to me. I was told by witnesses that a man stopped his car, got out and came up on my blind side and punched me for all he was worth. I never saw a thing. He then ran back to his car and took off. The police got his license plate number.”
“I feel so honored to be walking in the same steps as the apostles, disciples, and those in the great cloud of witnesses, who ran the race of faith before me.”
Our update as of September 7, 2011, is that the NASCAR Hall of fame has the video tape of three Muslim young men between the ages of 18-20 watching Richard for about 15 minutes. They talked to him and warned him that if he kept it up he was going to get hurt. It appears that two of them went to get their car and, when they drove up to the front door of NASCAR, the one left behind attacked Richard from his blindside.
He ran to the car and it sped off. This is obviously a “Hate Crime,” yet the Charlotte Police Department is treating it as if it were nothing. I assure you that if the shoe had been on the other foot….hmmmm!
If one is a Christian and heralds the claims of Christ at a Muslim gathering, he is an Islamophobe spewing “hate speech.” If one is a Christian and proclaims the name of Jesus at a “Gay Pride” event, he is a homophobe and quoting the Bible is considered “hate speech.” If one is a Christian and brings the gospel to the gates of hell at an abortion mill, he is a hate-filled stalker, shoving signs and literature into the faces of innocent folks desiring to kill their children. America has been turned upside down. That which is evil is being called good.
Is it any wonder then, that ten years ago nineteen men with box cutters brought this nation to its knees as they crashed airplanes into the World Trade Center , the Pentagon, and into the ground in Shanksville , Pennsylvania ? Over three thousand people were killed on that fateful September day – 9/11/01. That is approximately the same as the number of children killed every day by abortion. Was this a coincidence or was it the hand of God?
“See, the Lord is coming out of His dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood shed upon her; she will conceal her slain no more.” Isaiah 26:21.
God has not been silent about the wholesale slaughter of His preborn children. Can we hear Him now?
Has our risen Lord and Savior Jesus not been patient with us? His delay in bringing His judgment of total annihilation upon America should not be mistaken as His approval of what we are doing. We are not getting away with anything. The Bible sums it up best in this way, “Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?” Romans 2:4.
Richard Pope, a great friend of this ministry and of Jesus’ precious preborn children, was knocked out while preaching the Gospel of Christ on a public sidewalk next to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. We were bringing the Word of God to those lost in the bondage of Islam.
This past Wednesday morning, August 31, 2011, we attended the celebration of Eid UL Fitr (the end of Ramadan fast) held at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Uptown Charlotte. Thousands of Muslims gathered at this convention center in Uptown to honor their false god allah. We gathered to honor the only true God Jesus. We carried signs and brochures into the battle. One sign read “Jesus Is the Truth,” the other, “Islam is a Lie.” As we began to preach about the God (Jesus) who made this nation great and free the rage and hatred in the hearts of these “peaceful” Muslims began to manifest.
From out of the abundance of their hearts their mouths began to speak. “You are a Jew! You are gay! You are stupid! You are a homeless person! You are a clown!” I must say that I was astonished at their blatant anti-Semitism and ad hominem (name-calling) attacks. They pushed, jostled, and bullied, trying to make the meanest “Arab street face” possible, but the preaching of the Gospel continued. Richard was on the other side of the building from me given ‘em heaven.
After the event was over and most of the Muslims had left, a Charlotte Policeman came up to me and informed me that Richard had been knocked out and was in an ambulance. Isaac Yoder and I immediately made our way around the huge NASCAR building to the ambulance. They would not allow us to see or talk with Richard until they were relatively sure he was OK. When he finally got out of the ambulance he was still a bit woozy but he recounted his story to us.
“I was preaching and the next thing I remember, I was on the ground in front of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. I wondered why I was there. I called my daughter on my cell phone and asked her why I was at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and she said, ‘Daddy, you are there for the end of Ramadan fast. Don’t you remember? Are you all right.?’ It was then that I got my bearings and realized that something happened to me. I was told by witnesses that a man stopped his car, got out and came up on my blind side and punched me for all he was worth. I never saw a thing. He then ran back to his car and took off. The police got his license plate number.”
“I feel so honored to be walking in the same steps as the apostles, disciples, and those in the great cloud of witnesses, who ran the race of faith before me.”
Richard got sick to his stomach later that evening – more than likely a concussion. He went to his doctor today and I have not heard back from him yet. Please keep him in your prayers. ~ Flip
As can be seen by this report in the Charlotte Observer, our city is totally collapsing the First Amendment rights of its citizens with manufactured city ordinances and statutes. These ordinances and statutes are conjured up, well beneath the radar of Christians in Charlotte, in the clandestine confines of Charlotte City Hall.
We never know what is legal from one day to the next because the law; well, “…it just keeps a changin.” Preachers who bring the Gospel of Christ into the streets of Charlotte find their civil rights tossed to the ground as police keep informing us of new changes in city and county policy. It is a way to keep us corralled and shut us up. It is a way to silence the Gospel proclamation.
One of the most egregious ordinances conjured up by the Charlotte City Council is the city’s “sound ordinance.” I was arrested for being in violation of this last Saturday afternoon. Note: we always apply for sound permits as required by the city. The “sound ordinance” reads that we are not to exceed 75 decibels recorded on a decibel meter when it is held ten feet in front our speakers.
This is so utterly ridiculous. The ambient sound (street noise common in the general area) at Trade and Tryon streets registers between 65 – 90 decibels on the decibel meter. The ambient sound in the city of Charlotte is in violation of this absurd noise ordinance. But it sure does provide the city a circuitous way to control what can and cannot be spoken. If one can control the volume of free speech, he can control the content of what can and cannot be heard. How clever.
“We can do away with free speech without anyone knowing that is what we are doing.”
I have had to appear in court on several occasions for violating this city ordinance and never once have been found guilty. Please understand what this means. Even though I am acquitted, the city accomplished what it really desired. It got me off the streets of Charlotte for the day. Hmmmmmmm.
Why is it that the homosexual community in Charlotte can get sound permits for sound as loud as it wants while Christians are shackled with permits that allow them to speak no louder than 75 decibels? Just so you know; many times a passing city bus registers over 100 decibels on a decibel meter when one stands ten feet away from it.
“The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.” Psalm 12:8.
Click here to read the report by Cleve R. Wootson Jr. in the Charlotte Observer.
Keep shining for our King,
Flip
Several Christian Ministries in the city of Charlotte booted up this past Saturday morning, locked and loaded with “Jesus Loves You” bottles of water, bright red “God Has A Better Way” t-shirts, and armed with the sharp double edged Sword of the Spirit, to allowed the theology of the church house to become biography in the streets. Why? Because those who hate God’s Word and love death (Proverbs 8:36)were granted a “Festival Permit” by the city of Charlotte to legitimize and outrageously display a sin that God calls an “abomination.” Homosexual sodomy is a sin that destroys precious people who practice it, and cities and nations that approve of it. Our city fathers never should have allowed this.
That’s right! This total debauchery was billed as a day for the Charlotte “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered” (LGBT) community to proudly parade its sin like Sodom in the streets of our city. And proud they were – many proclaiming that they too, were Christians. News flash: one cannot be a Christian and a practicing homosexual at the same time. It is impossible, “…they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting Him to public disgrace.” Hebrews 6:4-6.
The context of these verses in Hebrews is talking about those who were once walking with God and now, because of their backsliding and choice to live in sin, are removed from the grace and mercy of God. So many enslaved in sexual sin are deeply conflicted and cannot make things right no matter the smooth words of those attempting to justify or rationalize this horrific sin. The “Hound of Heaven” continues His dogged pursuit of those who call evil good and good evil, because He loves them. He does not desire that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9).
It was Biblical love that brought us to the streets of Charlotte this Saturday to expose the horror and hopelessness of the sin homosexual sodomy in the absolute belief that Jesus can save the most wretched of sinners. How did we know this to be true? We each looked in the mirror that morning and saw the most wretched of sinners staring right back at us. If Jesus could and would save a wretch like me, He can and will save anyone who humbles himself and calls on His wonderful Name.
Almost 700 Christians joined us in this battle for our city and for the souls of those enslaved by this horrible and very proud sin. The Gospel of Christ was proclaimed at the head of the noisy streets. At the head of the public square it was heralded. In hundreds of conversations and divine appointments, Jesus was shared. And, when it was all done, God did indeed find a few that were willing to stand in the gap on behalf of the land. Thank you Jesus!
Oh, by the way, I was arrested at 4:30 PM for violating the noise ordinance in my city. When a city decriminalizes one behavior (homosexual sodomy), it won’t be long before they criminalize another behavior (Christianity). What a glorious time to be alive and lay it all out for Christ! ~ Flip
Adam Tennant has written a tremendous piece that paints a vivid picture of what the “world” thinks of us, who live out the Gospel of Christ in the streets of our cities and expose the unfruitful deeds of darkness, and what many in the church think of us as well. In this article you will see a short three minute video of Stephen Furtick doing his own little rant on “haters.” Furtick is the pastor of Elevation Church, and Emergent fast growing church with four different campuses in the Charlotte area. He can preach some good messages but he is completely “jimmy-jacked” when it comes to shining the light of the Gospel on sin. Stephen Furtick is the real “hater.”
“Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt.” Leviticus 19:17.
Enjoy! ~ Flip
Here’s the link: How Should Christians Deal with the Things That God Hates?