April 1998 Newsletter

WELCOME TO THE GENTLE REVOLUTION

JAILED IN LYNCHBURG

By now I am sure you all know that Flip Benham and John Reyes have been sentenced to a year in jail and a $500 fine. Six months of that sentence has been suspended, but the judge has vowed they will serve every minute of the six months. I want to assure you that the name of Jesus is being lifted up at the gates in Lynchburg, Virginia. On November 10, 1997, God picked up His book bag and went to E.C. Glass High School. Flip, John, and 300 Liberty University students stood on the sidewalk and witnessed to the kids as they were entering school. They held signs, prayed, passed out literature, and proclaimed that Jesus is Lord. There were five students who came to know our Lord that day. A school official came over to Flip and told him he needed to get off of school property. We have been told to leave school property before when we have truly been on a public sidewalk. Believing this to be the case, Flip did not move until the police showed him he truly was on school property. He immediately complied with the police officer. There were no arrests or citations given that day. They prayed, dispersed, and went home.

Several weeks later, the Commonwealth Attorney for the City of Lynchburg convened a grand jury and indicted Flip and John with disorderly conduct, parading without a permit, and trespassing. They found witnesses to lie saying that Flip and John blocked the doors to the school and that they had seen them inside the school. None of this is true. The police department testified that they were orderly, compliant, and obedient. The first two charges were dropped, but Judge Richard Miller found them guilty of trespassing. Why didn't they get a citation that day for trespassing? Evidently, the police did not feel that there was a crime committed. The Assistant Commonwealth Attorney said nothing in her statement to the press about a crime being committed. She said she wanted to send a message to future demonstrators that they are not welcome in Lynchburg, Virginia. From what I can see, their crime was speaking the truth in a nation where the culture of death has taken over.

Flip is doing well. When I talk to him on the phone, he sounds encouraged and is quick to encourage me. I am sure there are many who are going to meet our Lord in the Lynchburg City Jail. I do not sense any battle fatigue in his heart. On the contrary, he is full of Jesus and pressing on toward the prize. He wants me to thank you all for your letters and prayers. He also wants you to know how much he loves you. John is finishing up this semester at Liberty. He is doing great. Let's pray that he does not have to spend one day in jail. I know that if he does, he will honor our Lord and Jesus will honor him. By the time you get this letter, we will be returning from Lynchburg. We are going to hold this city accountable for this atrocious attack on the Gospel of Jesus Christ and its persecution of the Lord's messengers.

THE TRUE LAW OF THE LAND

I am so incredibly amazed at what the Lord has allowed me to be a part of the last two years. I have seen His mighty hand at work in miraculous ways. I know the few days spent in our nation's capitol will not make the U.S. history books, but in God's recorded pages they are there. We received our marching orders at the evening rally. We were going to the Supreme Court to pray on its steps and declare that it is truly not supreme. We were prepared to be fined $50, but we wanted to stand at the gate of our nation and pray for its renewel to righteousness. We certainly were not prepared for what we encountered.

It was raining as we left Union Station the next morning. Huddled under too few umbrellas, we briskly walked the few blocks it took to get to the Supreme Court building. As we approached the 45 police cars lined up alongside the building, my heart began to sink. Along with the police cars were three or four paddy wagons. I still do not think I understood what was going on until I rounded the corner and saw the bright yellow barricades blocking the steps with hordes of policemen in riot gear. I can't recall what my exact thoughts were, but that morning I knew something extremely significant was happening and I began praying for God to have mercy on this nation.

Some of us were singing. Others were praying. We were all sorting our thoughts and emotions. As I looked at this incredibly majestic structure and thought of the power it represents, it seemed so ominous. One thought was shared by all: "The Government of the United States of America may be the most powerful government on the earth, but it is not God!" I kept staring at the beautifully crafted lettering at the top of the building which reads "And Justice For All" and I thought, "Where is the justice for the millions of babies that have been murdered in this country?" I heard Dorothy Boyette say, "The water running down the granite steps could very well represent the blood of the unborn." The water from the rain was rushing rapidly down around our feet and we could all picture what Dorothy saw. I stood with my brothers and sisters, soaking wet, in front of policemen who knew this was an overreaction on the Supreme Court's part, and publicly repented for my apathy and my silence. I prayed for the Church to arise and proclaim while we still have the freedom to do so. I also prayed for mercy on a nation that has been blessed so greatly by God and yet has turned its back on Him. "Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me..." Ezekiel 16:49-50. I fear this nation needs to repent of the same sin that destroyed Sodom. It is the Lord that has raised this nation up and it is certainly in His power to bring us down. Dear God, have mercy on us.

That day, we stood in the rain at the barricades until they came down. Many of us were able to kneel and pray on the granite steps that had been forbidden hours before without even being fined the $50. God honored the faithfulness of His people. I pray the incense of our prayers was a pleasant fragrance to Him. We prayed for the babies. We prayed for the mothers. We prayed for the doctors and workers. We certainly prayed for our President and the government he represents, but mainly, we repented for the Church of Jesus Christ not standing on our Father's Word and allowing the enemy to enter the gates of our nation.

ABORTION MILL BOMBED IN ALABAMA

I know that you were as horrified as we were when we learned of the abortion mill being bombed in Alabama. Our prayers go out to the family of the off-duty policeman that was killed in the explosion. Violence is never our weapon against the evil in our nation today. "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds..." 2 Corinthians 10:4. I know that the policeman heard of the saving grace of Jesus Christ. There have been many gentle Christians that have stood outside of that abortion mill and proclaimed the love of God. The strongest weapon we have against the enemy is to proclaim the Way, the Truth, and the Life. It is our job to speak God's Word to a dying world. If we are not at the abortion mills, how are the mothers and the workers going to hear of the redeeming power of Jesus? Even though the world may paint us as violent terrorists, we must despise the shame and cling evermore tightly to the cross. We must follow our Lord Jesus and lay our lives down so that others might live. This applies not only to the babies but to the mothers, workers, and doctors as well.

GOD IS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL

by Rick Reynolds

HALLELUJAH! We are winning the battle! Thousands of young people have given their lives to Christ. Many girls are deciding that the only real choice is life. Hundreds of young men and women have committed to save sex for marriage. IT IS AWESOME! People are asking, "Why the high schools? Why don't you people just stay at the abortion clinics?" The Bible says in Jeremiah 1:7-12, "...You must go to everyone I send to you and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you ... Now, I have put my words in your mouth ... for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled." We can no longer stand at just one corner of the street, but rather we must take to every street corner and proclaim that Jesus is Lord. This is not a time to relent but rather the time to pursue. God is not just going back to school, He is taking the whole school over. In over 200 cities across America by way of the public sidewalk, God is taking His Gospel inside, outside, below, behind, above, and across our public high schools. Thousands of gentle Christians have committed to win our kids to righteousness through Christ. Teachers have been given boldness and are deciding that the most important thing they could teach their students is JESUS. It is time that The Church of Jesus Christ make her voice known. Revelation 12:11 says, "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." There is a gentle revolution happening and, believe me, the war has already been won.

OPERATION PUSH BACK IN ORLANDO, FLORIDA

"Through you we push back our enemies; through your name we trample our foes." Psalm 44:5. Make no mistake! Our National Event in Orlando is still on. It is our prayer that Flip is back with us by then, but if not, God has raised up strong leadership within Operation Rescue National. Plans are being made as we speak to hit every gate for which the enemy is contending. We will be most concentrated on the area abortion mills. We will be at Barnes and Noble. We will also be at Disney World on their National Gay Pride Day to dispel the lie of homosexuality and proclaim that there is a Jesus that can set you free. We will simply hit every gate and command them to be lifted up that the King of Glory may enter in. Hotel accommodations are in the works and we will let you know the details as soon as possible. We are looking forward to seeing you there.

In His service,
Kristene O'Dell
Assistant to Reverend Benham

UPCOMING EVENTS AT THE GATES:

GOD IS GOING BACK TO SCHOOL

March 3 - June 1998
For a "God is Going Back to School" packet
please call: 972-494-5316.

NATIONAL RESCUE EVENT

May 31 - June 7, 1998
We will crush the head of the enemy by the blood of the lamb, the word of our testimony, and not loving our own lives so much as to shrink from death.