October 1998 Newsletter

WELCOME TO THE GENTLE REVOLUTION

A MIGHTY WARRIOR GOES HOME TO BE WITH HIS LORD

Pastor Mike Haley, a longtime warrior for the Lord and national pro-life leader, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, September 11, 1998. In the week prior to Mike's death, his family and his brothers and sisters in the Lord gathered at his side. At his memorial service, Flip Benham testified of Mike's enduring faithfulness, Keith Tucci preached the message, and Luther Laite, acting as his armor bearer, held Mike's broadsword at his casket. Here are Flip's remarks:

"He who fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for his children it will be a refuge." Pr 14:26.

The first time I ever saw Mike Haley, I loved him. He was listening with such intensity as the Word of God was penetrating his heart. He had come to Dallas, Texas, with several men from his church to lay his life down on behalf of little baby boys and girls who were scheduled to die the next morning at a local abortion mill.

That was the winter of 1989. For Mike, laying one's own life down for the cause of Christ was not optional, it was expected. He did it everytime he preached a sermon. He did it for his Lord. He did it for his wife Sherron. He did it for his children. He did it for his church. He did it for kids he didn't know. He did it for me. Mike was building for all of us a secure fortress.

I asked God why He would bless me with a friend like Mike Haley. The answer was simple - I needed him! It's true. I did need him. He taught me so much by his life and even more by his death. For he knew better than I that, in Jesus, death is swallowed up in victory. Mike Haley died well. Pastor Luther placed Mike's right hand upon the sword friends had brought to him as a reminder that he was still a member of the Church Militant. Mike's hand no longer wields that sword for he is now a member of the Church Triumphant. He is there along with his beloved son Michael David and legions of others who have held true to the testimony of Christ.

He was faithful in little and therefore was found faithful in much. It is my prayer that God will enable me to live and to die as well as my friend, my brother, my fellow worker, and my fellow soldier, Mike Haley. You have given all of us a secure fortress, Mike. You have more children than you know. We will pick up your sword, fight the good fight, and find refuge in the legacy you have left! Thank you, brother! Goodnight for now, we will see you in the morning!

A TRIBUTE TO MIKE HALEY

By Luther Laite September 16, 1998

This last week I had the privilege of being Pastor Mike Haley's armor bearer in the last few hours of his life. Mike Haley's life was Christianity personified or, as Flip often says, "theology that has become biography." Being pro-life wasn't just a movement to Mike or a portion of his life - it was his theme! He personified the "Sanctity of Life" when he mustered all of his energy, in spite of tremendous pain, just to smile at a nurse or a custodian who would enter the room. His life was an offering poured out for the love of his Lord and Savior. He demonstrated the love of God, not with mere words, but with selfless acts of kindness.

A few days before his death Mike had a vision that he was fighting in the Lord's army and his sword was knocked out of his hand. One of the brothers, knowing how Mike had studied the life of William Wallace, brought him a Scottish broadsword. When people would come to pray with him, Mike would get out the broadsword and pray with them. In spite of his weakness and pain he always rallied when there was an opportunity to pray with someone.

I was with Mike on Thursday, his last night. He said he wanted to fight to the end. Because he was in such pain he could only get out two words at a time. I asked him, "Do you still want to fight?" and his answer was, "Yes!" "Then we will fight with you," I said and became his armor bearer at 5 PM that night. By this time Mike was too weak to hold the sword so I held it for him when he prayed with people.

During the night, one of the nurses who came to the room to try to make Mike more comfortable asked him, "Mike, are you ready to go home? Are you ready to go be with the Lord?" When Mike replied, "Yes!" I knew it was time. I held the Scottish broadsword as he gave his last words to his wife. The presence of the Lord was so strong, I fell to my knees. I witnessed God's grace fill Sherron as she worshipped and thanked the Lord for His love and grace. Mike's children came into the room and he prayed for each one. He was too weak to speak or lift his hands so I placed his hand over the head of each of his children. Sherron put her hand over Mike's and she spoke the blessing over them as Mike nodded in agreement. She knew exactly what he wanted to say. With his last amount of strength, Mike prayed a blessing on his children.

We have covenanted together to uphold Mike's standard and provide a covering and protection for Sherron and children. His children will know the great exploits of their father. Even at the end, with only a gesture of his head or a look in his eyes, Mike poured out blessings to all that came. Mike showed the reason human life is precious. When his life was fractured and difficult, he still brought the glory of God to others. Mike's last 72 hours were a living sermon, better than many pastors will ever preach. I know I will never be the same. Gifts may be given to the Haley family: Mrs. Sherron Haley 8128 Fireside St. North Richland Hills, TX 76180

PRESSING THE GATES: METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCH, DALLAS

Following Jesus' admonition that "the gates of hell" will not prevail against His Church, several Dallas area Christians brought the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the gates of the largest homosexual congregation in the nation on Sunday morning, August 23, 1998. The Cathedral of Hope in Dallas, Texas, is a part of a larger heretical sect called the Metropolitan Community Church (MCC). MCC was begun in Los Angeles in 1968 and has spawned groups all over the country. The underlying philosophy of this cult is that homosexuality is an inborn, unchangeable characteristic blessed by God.

We came to this "church" with our faces low to the ground, the truth of the Gospel in our hearts and a love for those enslaved in homosexual sin. Pastor Mike Piazza welcomed those of us from Operation Rescue into the service. We were easily spotted because we carried Bibles with us - this was certainly not the norm. At the end of the service, the Lord's Supper (in name only) was celebrated. Men and women, many of whom had struggled long and hard with homosexual desire, moved from their pews and went forward to take communion. They were led to falsely believe that Jesus understood and even endorsed their sinful desires. Homosexuality and the Christian faith were now one.

I watched as hundreds came forward, believing the lie, and Pastor Piazza met them there with a large smile. I could not help but think that the very same spirit that inhabited the shell of Pharoah and inhabited the shell of Adolph Hitler was now inhabiting the shell of Michael Piazza - a murderous, bloodthirsty spirit that had come to rob, kill, and destroy. Hundreds were being led to their spiritual and physical death, being deceived by one who called evil good.

Is God's love for the homosexual unconditional? Yes. Is God's mercy given unconditionally to those continuing in homosexual sin? No. "He who conceals his sins does not prosper but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy." Pr 28:13. Mr. Piazza is concealing the sin of homosexuality to the fatal hurt of his congregation by calling it inborn and good. In the name of what he calls "love", Mr. Piazza is participating in the ultimate cruelty. He is keeping precious human beings, for whom Christ died, from confessing their sin and experiencing the mercy of God. Confession is the condition upon which mercy is dispensed. Godly confession in Mr. Piazza's church cannot be tolerated. If it were, it would expose him as a false prophet. The Cathedral of Hope would be better named The Cathedral of Despair.

PRESSING THE GATES: GUILTY OF SUBMITTING TO GOD IN MADISON, WISCONSIN

On Good Friday of this year Will Goodman and Chris McKenna peacefully and prayerfully laid their lives down in the waiting room of a child-killing center. They became "living parables" of Jesus' love for His preborn children. Both were arrested and, on August 20, 1998, were found guilty of "trespass to a medical facility." Both plan to appeal.

Chris and Will represented themselves in court. They viewed the court setting as an opportunity to evangelize the Gospel of Life. "There have been several times in history where true justice and the law have not coincided... We have the right and the obligation not to uphold unjust laws. Due to the scientific facts of life and the reality that nobody else was going to protect these children, we acted out of conscientious objection and went inside where the abortions are done," stated McKenna in their defense.

After a verdict of guilty was handed down, Goodman issued this statement: "Now more than ever, we must sincerely examine our consciences to discern if we are passively cooperating with the evil of abortion and if we are doing all that we can to end this crisis. Jesus Christ calls each of us to holiness. One aspect of that universal vocation is that our actions become consistent with the tenants of our faith. It is with humility that I thank God for the opportunity to protect life and promote His truth. We do this for the love of Jesus, His Church, and especially those most abandoned by our culture."

PRESSING THE GATES: GOD IS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL, ATLANTA

Michael and Michelle Wolven have been faithfully bringing the Gospel of Christ to the gates of hell at their local high school in Marietta, Georgia, for some time now. They have brought with them large posters of babies killed by abortion, Scripture signs and Gospel tracts. The horror of the truth concerning abortion has so infuriated school and city officials that they found a judge to issue a temporary injunction to stop all Gospel activity on the public sidewalk in front of the Marrietta High School. This blatantly unconstitutional act must not remain unchallenged by the Church of Jesus Christ. Our common enemy has become very good at using the court system in his furious attempt to censor the Gospel of Christ from every public forum.

Several of us are going to Atlanta to survey the situation and see if God is calling us to battle. Please pray!

PRESSING THE GATES: GOD IS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL, LYNCHBURG

By Rev. Knodel

We got to see a mighty victory for the Lord last Monday (9-14-98), In Lynchburg, Virginia. A number of us here in Lynchburg considered Flip's incarceration a travesty and mentally began preparing for this fall and the new school year. Could we hide in our churches even as the devil presumed that the Christians of Lynchburg were too timid to challenge his control of our schools? What would become of OR's seeding efforts on behalf of Christ here in Lynchburg?

As an involved pastor, I thought that some preparatory study was necessary. So I enrolled in a crash course called "Combat Evangelism 101" (CE 101) that was being taught in the early summer of 1998 in Orlando, Florida. Taught by Dr. Benham, Professor of Applied Spiritual Battle, the course involved declaring Christ across the churches' DMZ (demilitarized zone) to hot zones such as Disney World/Orlando, Barnes & Noble Bookstores, various abortion mills, and the Orlando City Hall. I got to see some of OR's "finest" taking their faith to the streets and proclaiming Christ in the face of enemy fire. After the authorities captured Professor Benham and temporarily made him a POW, I got to study under veteran professors Rusty Thomas (U.S.M.C. retired) and Pastor Bill Shanks (military chaplaincy).

My lessons became practical on the 14th of September 1998. In a combination maneuver, people from my church and various other pro-life organizations, met at 0700 hours in front of E.C. Glass High School. We positioned our street posters and prepared to pass out our tracts to the arriving students. It didn't take long for the firefight to break out. Within minutes after establishing our position, the police cars began arriving. We wheeled in the heavy artillery, the preached Word of God.

Our fellow soldiers were giving out tracts to arriving students. Every tract that made it into school became a talking point for the day. Their significance was multiplied by their scarcity. Instead of the "outside" evangelist having to peddle the gospel, now it was the students themselves, showing each other "what those people outside were talking about." CE 101.

Since getting involved with ORN this past spring, I have never felt freer with the gospel. Against the evils of our day, I have never felt more effective. The godlessness at E.C. Glass High School had been unchallenged for years until Flip's visit. I had been here for 17 years and had not known what to do. Flip's visit, witnessing, incarceration, and subsequent "combat" tutorials have changed all that. I say, "Praise be to God!" and I would invite faithful preachers in our land to join the battle and experience the gospel joy to be found in living out one's faith in Christ.

THE BETRAYAL OF THE PRESIDENT

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." John 15:12

Mr. Clinton's four-minute speech on Monday night, August 17th was a monologue of betrayal. He has betrayed us and we, the Church of Jesus Christ, have betrayed him. That's right! You and I have played a part in the betrayal of the President of the United States of America.

God is using this American tragedy as a sign and a portent to us and to the whole world that we do not love as Jesus does. We have moved from biblical love into the moral anarchy of tolerating every sinful behavior by forgiving everybody of everything without confession or repentance. Rev Billy Graham was in such a hurry to forgive Mr. Clinton that he pronounced forgiveness before a sin was ever confessed. Rev. Phillip Wogaman (Mr. Clinton's pastor) and Rev. Jesse Jackson kindly condoned Mr. Clinton's every dalliance by reminding him that Jesus loves him and forgives his every "mistake". This is not biblical love. It is hate.

"The kisses of an enemy may be profuse, but faithful are the wounds of a friend." (Pr 27:6). Rather than kissing this President and betraying him, we need to become his friends and love him as Jesus does. Most of us are hesitant to do this because what Jesus did in loving others seems so unloving. He loved enough to wound even his own disciples with the horror of their own sin. He is a radical surgeon going to the very root of the problem - sin. It is doubtful God can use anyone greatly that He does not wound deeply.

Our idea of love is to tolerate any behavior, no matter how perverse, in a nonjudgmental way. But this is not love at all. The Bible calls it hate (Lev 19:17). We are guilty of hating President Clinton and therefore betraying him because we are afraid of appearing condemning. The ministry of confrontation and condemnation is anathema in today's "feel good" church. But where there is no condemnation of sin, there can be no confession of sin. Where there is no confession of sin, there can be no forgiveness of sin.

Romans 8:1 is one of the most wonderful verses in the Bible: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus ...". The little word "now" is revealing. It implies that condemnation had to come first, before one could find forgiveness in Christ. Someone had to love us enough to confront us with the hopelessness of our own sinful predicament that we might reach out and ask Jesus to have mercy on us and save us. The instrument God uses to confront us with our sin is His Law. God's Law is the teacher that leads us to Christ. The Law is merciless and true in its judgment. It has never misdiagnosed anyone. We are left naked and condemned when it has done its awful work. It leaves no hope for us apart from the one solution God has provided - His Son!

Today, we as a nation want to hide from or bend God's Law to suit our own purposes because it seems so harsh. It doesn't appear loving at all. We don't want to be condemned and we don't want anybody else to be condemned either. So we tolerate everything and love no one. We must learn again what it means to love others as Jesus loved us. Otherwise, we may be betraying more than our President.

Keep pressing the gates in Jesus Name,

Flip Benham
Director