December, 1998 Newsletter

WELCOME TO THE GENTLE REVOLUTION!

There is one Scripture this Christmas season that, more than any other, reveals the theology of Operation Rescue and why we call what is happening in our lives and the heart of our nation, the gentle revolution. We pray this Scripture will be a blessing to you and become a reality in your life. We pray it will be a blessing to America and become a reality in her life.

"The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." John 1:14.

That first Christmas morning we peeked into eternity and witnessed, with our own eyes, theology becoming biography. Jesus was birthed, the Word was made flesh, and our eyes beheld God Himself. He clothed Himself in flesh to rescue us. There was no other way! In order for justice to be met, the enemy defeated, and true love to be evidenced, the eternal Word of God had to become flesh to save us. Theology burst into history and we beheld His glory. This marvelous truth invaded my wife Faye's heart and my own 23 years ago. That gentle revolution turned us right side up and gave us a reason and purpose to live. His biography continues to be written in and through our lives and the lives of believers all over the world. Indeed, our lives are given to us to be a living display of the Christmas miracle every day. Thank you, King Jesus!

MERRY CHRISTMAS GENTLE WARRIORS FOR OUR KING!

from left to right: Lori & David, Tracy & Craig, Abigail, Faye & Flip, Jonathan, Jason

1999 BIBLE READING SCHEDULES

There is no greater gift one could give our Lord than to be in His Word everyday. There is no greater gift a father could give his family nor a man give his nation than to drink deeply from the well of the Holy Spirit. "…Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." 2 Corinthians 3:17. If the wonderful theology that birthed us into His Kingdom is ever to become biography in the streets of our land, it will be because we are in His presence daily. God never called us to be activists. He called each one of us to be "living epistles" known and read by all men that He might "re - present" Himself to a world that is lost and dying. God desires to touch His world. His Spirit desires to touch the material universe. His chosen way to do this is through the lives of those who acknowledge His Son Jesus as Savior and Lord. It is our turn now!

"Martyrs have given their lives that we might have this precious Book in our hands. Kings have feared this Book, knowing it had the power to change hearts and lives. Yet, today, we who have the Scripture readily available neither treasure it nor even seek to know the fullest extent of its power. We have been deceived into believing it is simply a book of devotion and doctrine and we do not recognize its power to change the character of a people and the character of a nation."

Glen A. Jaspers, Restoring America's Heritage of Pastoral Leadership.

OPERATION SAVE AMERICA, BUFFALO AND ROCHESTER, NY, APRIL 18-25, 1999

The enemy of God's children has thrown the gauntlet down in Buffalo, New York. Through the unholy alliance of the U.S. Department of Justice, the abortion industry, and the local and national media, he has once again manifested himself in an attempt to paint every Christian who brings the Gospel of Christ to the gates of an abortion mill as a murderer. Janet Reno, in her never-ending desire to silence the Gospel, is launching yet another "Task Force" to find a pro-life conspiracy to blow up abortion mills and shoot abortionists. This despite the fact that both the FBI and BATF have already conducted investigations and have found not one iota of evidence of a conspiracy.

There is no conspiracy but, buoyed by the November election results, Miss Reno is using the murder of abortionist Barnett Slepian to further stigmatize and isolate gentle Christians living out their faith at local abortion mills. Those allowing their theology to become biography are being shamed back into the church house. This gutteral attempt to use shame as a vehicle to put salt back into the salt shaker must be met with certain fierceness by those who love Christ. We must never allow the Word of God, which became flesh for our sake, to be made words again.

My prayer is that you, like Christ before you, will endure the cross and despise its shame and join us in Buffalo, New York, where theology will again become biography at the gates of hell.

CALL TO THE GATES IN BUFFALO AND ROCHESTER, NY, APRIL 18-25

Pastor Bob Behn, Director of Last Call Ministries in Buffalo, New York

America is facing a crossroads in her history. It is a dangerous yet glorious time! I believe that God is calling His people to unashamedly stand for Him. Personally, I have seen enough of the blind leaders leading blind people. We have an answer. His name is Jesus! We want you to help us proclaim this answer in the streets of Buffalo and Rochester, April 18-25, 1999. "Operation Save America" is a call to Christians from around the nation to run to the roar. Theology will become biography in the streets of America once again. "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve … But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15.

We invite you to join us for "Operation Save America" and allow your theology to become biography in the streets of Buffalo. Bring your children and allow them to see true Christianity lived out in the lives of their parents, pastors, and peers. Let us become "living parables" to our nation. When words fail God speaks in "living parables". Now is not the time for despair but a time for righteous action in the Name of Jesus Christ.

More information will be coming soon! If you desire to contact Pastor Bob Behn, you may write or call, Last Call Ministries, P.O. Box 189, Buffalo, New York 14225. (716) 862-9390

A PASTOR RETURNS TO THE GATES OF HELL

Pastor Brad Gelman, Chicago

Dear Pastor Flip,

It has been several months since I spoke with you on the phone regarding my involvement in pro-life activities. To refresh your memory, I was the youth pastor who in college (1987-1991) was very active in pro-life activities. After developing a relationship with Seth Spangle and discussing his involvement with Operation Rescue, I asked the Lord to speak to me and I invited the Holy Spirit to once again place the Lord's burden on my heart. We talked briefly on your "theology of the gates" as well as the need for men to stand up for Christ and the unborn on the sidewalks outside the abortion clinics.

My area of service these past years has been in reaching America's teens, from middle-class suburbia to inner city gang bangers. I worked for several YMCA's before leaving that career to enter my present ministry at a local church in the south suburbs of Chicago.

Friends of ours (the Spangles) invited my wife and me and our 8-month-old baby Silas to accompany them to an abortion clinic in downtown Chicago. Not quite knowing how to conduct "sidewalk counseling", I just made myself available to pray. After ten minutes of being on the scene, I turned down the alley of the clinic and recognized a teen who had been in my previous youth group. After some questions, it was apparent that he had brought his girlfriend to the clinic for an abortion. Now, I don't believe in fate. I know that our omniscient God arranges situations for His perfect plan and glory. After talking to this young man, I encouraged him to go back into the clinic and get his girlfriend. He asked me to accompany him and I willingly obliged.

In the reception area, we both approached the check-in window. Separated by a thick piece of glass, the young man inquired if his girlfriend had the abortion done yet. The worker said no. He asked if he could speak to her. The worker again replied no. Shock and anger set in at the refusal and my young friend began to scream loudly that he was going to see his girlfriend in the reception area or he was going to break the glass partition and see her by force. At this time, the dozen plus men in the waiting area had clearly taken notice. The worker finally relented and told him to calm down and that she was going to get her. Because I was wearing my clergy collar, the worker hissed at me and told me that I couldn't be in the clinic. I calmly replied that I was this young man's pastor and that he requested that I accompany him.

Five minutes later his girlfriend came out and we escorted her out to the hallway to talk. Confused and scared, she told us that she didn't want to go through with the abortion, but was desperately seeking her boyfriend's support. At this point our two wives took over and began counseling this young lady. A worker dressed in hospital scrubs came out and for several minutes was completely silent. While she was silent, my wife and her friend continued counseling behind the enemy's lines. After a few minutes, the worker became irate and grabbed the young lady's arm and told her to come back into the clinic, while sticking her finger in my wife's face and threatening to call the police.

At the sight of this worker grabbing his girlfriend's arm, her boyfriend ran back into the hallway and proceeded to confront the worker with much intensity and a few inappropriate phrases. In the heat of the commotion, another clinic worker and a guard came into the hallway and told all of us to get off the clinic's property.

The end result of the day's conflict was that the Holy Spirit strategically intervened in the lives of many people. We later learned that the young lady was on the abortionist's table, with an IV already started. Her baby was scheduled for murder in minutes when God intervened!

For me, this first adventure to the gates of hell in over ten years proved to be an incredibly dramatic answer to prayer. Since then, my wife and baby have returned to this clinic several times to pray and counsel. As a graduate student at Moody Bible Institute, the Lord is beginning to open doors for me to speak to entire floors of students about getting into the battle. Moreover, my new youth group is very interested in accompanying me to the clinic. As a foot soldier in this life-and-death battle, I sincerely request that the Lord continue to use me at the gates.

Well, Pastor Flip, there you have it! You have my permission to do whatever you see fit with this awesome testimony. I hope to meet you soon. I'd love to help organize an "Operation Push Back Chicago". The invitation is open, my friend. My heart has been turned to the children (Malachi 4:6).

It is amazing what happens when the Word of God becomes flesh at the very gates of hell. Only those who press the gates will see them lifted up and the King of glory enter in. The battle is won as we press the gates in Jesus Name. Come to Buffalo and allow God to revive your heart and renew your vision.

May the Word of God become flesh in each of us in ever increasing glory that the gates of hell will no longer prevail in our nation.

Keep pressing the gates in Jesus' Name,

Flip Benham

Director

UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE GATES:

26^TH MEMORIAL ROE V. WADE January 21-24, 1999

"GOD IS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL" March 1, 1999

"OPERATION SAVE AMERICA" April 18-25, 1999