HEADING FOR HELL

Read on to the end for an explanation to the title of this post.

It’s been a very busy time around here—thank you to those who sustain us by your prayers! I must constantly remember Gideon because it seems our army at Faith and Action is so small to take on so much. But as the (now old) Gospel song says, “Little is much when God is in it!”

I was one of the first in the country to speak out in support of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace. I had met Gen. Pace some years ago when our Thursday morning breakfast group hosted him. He’s a good, God-fearing man and—needless to say—an excellent military leader. To pan him for saying what we all instinctively know—that homosexual conduct and adultery are immoral—is the height of absurdity.

I thought one of the greatest shames visited on this nation was the forcing of Gen. Pace to back down in a genuflection to the media idols in this country. (I must admire him for not actually apologizing!) He did what his bosses obviously ordered him to do. (I think Defense Secretary Robert Gates is one of the worst picks the President has ever made.) Nonetheless, the General did it with strength and panache. (You’ve heard me say that here in Washington, you must be—as Jesus said—wise as a serpent. I say, sometimes downright snaky!)

Well, the Pace brouhaha kept us consumed for a week as I put out statements, did endless interviews and held a news conference in front of the White House.

I’ve also had my own little stink-a-poo going on as the Washington area affiliate of “American Atheists” has come after me and our Ten Commandments display in front of the ministry house here on the Hill. They’re badgering the Government of the District of Columbia to try and force a review of the legal opinion that settled our right to display God’s Word. Keep in mind these atheists are the folks whose slogan is “Stabbing Religion in the Neck with a Screwdriver.”

Imagine what would happen to us if our slogan was “Stabbing Atheism in the Neck with a Chiseled Cross!” We’d be in front of a judge right now! (Relax Jeff and Jeff, our duty is to pray for you and to love you in Christ—and that doesn’t include stabbing you anywhere—except perhaps in your conscience!)

Speaking of stabbing—and to turn quite serious (and to explain the title of this post)—as you know for years now there’s been a terrible slaughter going on in Darfur, the southern region of the East African country of Sudan. In just a few days, I will leave for the Sudanese capital of Khartoum where I will join a delegation of U.S. religious leaders under the auspices of the Institute on Religion and Public Policy (IRPP). The IRPP was founded and is headed by my good friend Joseph Griebowski, who is not only a man of deep Christian faith but is also a genius. Joe’s organization was recently nominated for a Nobel Prize and deservedly so. (Incidentally, it was Joe who introduced me to Morocco and was the catalyst for our Christian Friendship Mission there.) In Sudan we will meet with President Bashir, virtually every top Sudanese official and religious leaders from Muslim, Christian and even Jewish communities—all in an effort to bring pressure on Sudan to allow a peace initiative to protect the 2.5 million displaced persons in the South.

Please pray for us. I’ve ministered in 37 countries of the world, including some at war, but this is the most difficult and challenging foreign mission I have ever undertaken. Even more so, please pray for the millions of victims of this terrible violence.

If you can, please listen (or now, watch) my weekly missionary field report, Faith and Action Live, for March 21. I report on the big change in reception for our annual Passover / Easter outreach among members of Congress. There’s an ominous turn-for-the-worse here. You need to know about it. God help us!

Over and out! - RS