Tuesday, August 10, 2010
by Fran Ingram, member of Dove World Outreach Center for 20 years.
So the world wants to know: Who are you people? That’s what we are asking you. Who are you?
In Joshua, Chapter 5, the Angel of the Lord, with sword drawn meets Joshua just before the battle of Jericho. Joshua challenges the Angel. "Are you for us or for our enemies?"
"Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." (verse 13,14) Joshua realizes his mistake. What the commander cared about was whose side was Joshua on? Jericho could have been spared if they had not rejected God and his people.
So on the one hand, it is not relevant who we are. However, who we are now is a challenge to the whole world.
Dove World Outreach Center is a Christian organization located in Gainesville, Florida. We do not have a formal membership roster, but currently have about 50 members. It has always been, and now is even more so, a place led by strong leaders who are not afraid to speak the truth and to courageously stand by their convictions. We have lived and traveled around the world and have many years of experience in Christian ministry as Pastors and teachers, in evangelism, in caring generously for people in need, and in running small businesses that support the ministry. We live simply, work hard, and have a deep respect for the Bible, the Word of God. We are forever humbled and thankful that Jesus, the Son of God, died on the Cross for our sins. We believe that speaking the truth boldly outside the church walls is God’s call on the Christian church today.
Much of our ministry experience has been in Europe where we worked among many types of people, including Moslems, leading many to Christ. We have watched with dismay the decline of Christianity over the last four decades in Europe and now also in America, along with the global rise of Islam and its impact on the West. Europe has already lost freedom of speech on this subject, but we still have some room and time here in America to raise awareness and warn.
Moslems are fond of debate and discussion. They do not appreciate the fact that usually we simply preach. But we follow what they teach, say and do. They are open and aggressive with their beliefs and propaganda, and news reports around the world are full of the fruit of Islam: lies, violence and oppression.
We also follow the work of many men and women of courage who are putting their lives at risk to expose the evils of Islam, though their styles and methods differ from ours. Some are ex-Moslems, now Christian: Walid Shoebat, Nonie Darwish, Mosab Hassan Yousef, Nabil Quereshi, Simon Deng. Other ex-Moslems are: Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Wafa Sultan, Ibn Warraq, Brigitte Gabriel. Then there are many Christians, Jews and atheists writing, speaking and publishing on websites: Geert Wilders, Mark Steyn, Norman Podhoretz, Chris Logan, David Wood, Robert Spencer, Pamella Geller, Bill Warner, David Horowitz, Daniel Greenfield, thereligionofpeace.com, Creeping Sharia, Answering Islam, Acts 17 Apologetics, and many more.
From my vantage point as assistant leadership in various roles at Dove World Outreach Center, I have watched many people come and go over the years. A bold message of repentance and righteousness is initially attractive to many but is not popular over the long haul. This is not a church where you sit and receive for long. You are challenged to give and serve, to love God with all your heart and pay the price for that. Many professed to being called to the vision and the place, but when the going got tough...
Now that we are outspoken about Islam, we may literally be paying with our lives. But we know Christians all over the world suffer and die for their faith, especially in Islamic countries. And little is said or done in their defense. Why should our lives be more valuable than theirs? We can also make an impact now on the world our grandchildren will live in.
The accusation hungry media has recently republished old criticisms of the Senior Pastors from vocal former members of the church. I have my doubts that any of these individuals would be willing to step forward and have their lives and conduct publicly scrutinized, as have Dr Terry and Sylvia Jones. This is the cost of bold Christian leadership today. I also know that the claims of these accusers are groundless. There has been no fraud, tax evasion or abuse. All the leaders of this organization are men and women of integrity who conduct their lives with the highest moral and ethical standards. The question that any of us may be doing this for personal gain is the most absurd. We have a lot of enemies.
Jesus told his disciples that they would be hated for his sake, and that even families would be divided. Christians throughout history have experienced this truth, especially when they were not willing to compromise their faith to please men and ‘save’ their own lives through a false peace. In Christianity today there are surprisingly few leaders with his conviction. We are calling them to take a stand.
There can be no compromise with the devil. Moslems we love and care for, but Islam is plain evil. The Koran cannot be respected or revered, nor should it be. We are fully within our Constitutional right to burn Korans here in America on our own property. The FBI and Police have come by to warn us of threats and danger, and to suggest that we not hold the event, however they confirm our right to do so, and said they knew we would not back down.
The reaction to this plan is daily evidence that the stronghold of Islam has gripped the world with fear and anger. This is not coming from us. It is in the hearts and minds of the world. Moslems claim that Allah will protect his book. We aim to demonstrate to the world what Allah is - a false God.
One closing thought: we do serve the God of Elijah. You?
Elijah on Mount Carmel (1 Kings 18)
16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. 17 When he saw Elijah, he said to him, "Is that you, you troubler of Israel?"
18 "I have not made trouble for Israel," Elijah replied. "But you and your father's family have. You have abandoned the LORD's commands and have followed the Baals. 19 Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table."
20 So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him."
But the people said nothing.
22 Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only one of the LORD's prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. 23 Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire—he is God."
Then all the people said, "What you say is good."
25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire." 26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it.
Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.
27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. "Shout louder!" he said. "Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." 28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.
30 Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come here to me." They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which was in ruins. 31 Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Your name shall be Israel." 32 With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs [a] of seed. 33 He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, "Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood."
34 "Do it again," he said, and they did it again.
"Do it a third time," he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.
36 At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 37 Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again."
38 Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.
39 When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!"
