Eight People I Admired Most in 2008

By Steve Strang

As we end this year I want to reflect on eight individuals—seven of whom I know personally—whom I greatly admire. These are the people who inspired me most in 2008:

1. Rick Warren has used his considerable influence more responsibly than almost anyone I've met. For example, in August he was able to get John McCain and Barack Obama together on the same stage for the first time. Each had received enough votes to win his party's nomination (even though the nominating conventions had not yet been held). In what Warren called a Civil Forum, he asked each of them the same questions about faith and values. It became quickly apparent that the candidates had major philosophical differences, although each presented his views articulately. Warren was very civil toward them, and his gracious tone broke the stereotypical image of conservative Christian leaders who get mean and nasty when it comes to politics. If you missed my Strang Report about this event, click here to read it.

Later in the year I had the privilege of attending a Civil Forum that Warren held with President George W. Bush in which the pastor gave an award to the president for the considerable work he's done to help AIDS victims in Africa. If you missed my report on this a couple of weeks ago, click here.

2. Mike Huckabee dared to run for president even though his campaign was under-financed and his conservative values are often considered an anathema by the media and political elite in our country. It's well known that I endorsed Huckabee early in the 2008 presidential race. I personally raised money for him. A year ago this week he was just a few days from winning the Iowa primary—a huge upset. The other upset in Iowa was Barack Obama's win. Of course, we know the rest of the story on his campaign. Mike Huckabee went on to win 7 more states and glean 4 million votes. Had he won South Carolina instead of falling short by a couple of percentage points, he might have gained momentum, won the GOP nomination and won the presidency.

I was around Huckabee enough in various situations to see that he was always consistent behind the scenes as well as in front of the camera. He now has a very interesting program on Fox News Channel on which he continues to champion causes that I believe are important. I hope we have not heard the last of Mike Huckabee in the political process.

3. Sarah Palin. Of all the people on my list, Palin is the only one I don't know personally. I first heard of her in June 2007 while on a cruise to Alaska with Texas pastor John Hagee. He had a meeting with her while we were docked in Juneau. He came back to the ship raving about this sharp, young, female governor. He mentioned her name, but I didn't remember it. So, like many others, I was surprised when McCain picked her as his running mate. But I became a strong Palin supporter just a few moments after I'd learned of her very strong stand on pro-life and other moral principles.

I learned later that Palin has a Pentecostal background, as I do. The January issue of Charisma features a cover story on Palin's faith. I wrote about her in October and so far have received more than 1,450 reader posts, the biggest response ever to my blog. You can read what I wrote by clicking here.

4. Kim Daniels is a speaker, author, pastor and "apostle" in Jacksonville, Florida. Her husband, Ardell, and I have become very close friends. We've also published several of her books as well as many magazine articles. I admire the way she stands strong for what she believes and how she speaks the truth even when it's not popular. In the recent presidential election she took a lot of flak as an African-American because she opposed Barack Obama's pro-abortion views.

I know that she has a remarkably accurate prophetic gift and operates in a powerful anointing when she opposes demonic powers, both in individual lives as well over nations. If you missed what she wrote in my blog a couple weeks ago, you can click here.

5. Scott Plakon is my longtime friend and golfing buddy who was recently elected to the Florida House of Representatives, representing District 37 where I live. When I knew he was going to run for office, I asked him if I could have the privilege of being the first to donate to his campaign. Of all the people I admire, Scott is—unlike most on this list—not known nationally. Yet he is the one I know the best. As a friend he's stood with me during some difficult times; I too have stood by him.

I've known for a long time that he had a dream of becoming a public servant by age 50, after he had established a successful business. In March, when the Florida legislature convenes, he will be a week away from his 50th birthday (even though he looks much younger). Because I'm his close friend I have seen that he did not compromise during his campaign—even though there were opportunities to compromise, and even though there were major compromises on the part of others in local political races.

Scott is a strong pro-life advocate. Part of the reason is that his mother became pregnant with him when she was unwed at age 17. Some encouraged her to have an abortion even though it was not legal at the time. Scott also stands strongly on the other moral values and will do a great job in the Florida legislature. I hope he is a prototype for many other believers who will enter the political process.

6. Jim Garlow pastors Skyline Church in San Diego, the church formerly pastored by John Maxwell. I got to know Garlow through pastor Jack Hayford probably 15 years ago and have watched his life and career. He has done a great job as a pastor. But this year he became a real leader in getting Proposition 8 passed in California. He was able to mobilize pastors who, in turn, mobilized their congregations to pass the amendment—which defines marriage as between one man and one woman. Garlow and his army of volunteers overcame what they thought were overwhelming odds to get Proposition 8 passed by 52 percent. However, he has come under intense criticism by the radical left.

While Jim was undergoing enormous pressure regarding Proposition 8 and providing outstanding leadership, he was dealing with intense pressures in his personal life. His wife, Carol, learned two years ago that she had more than 100 cancerous tumors and was given a 5 percent chance to live. However, she is doing great today. I admire the way Jim has stood strong with Carol during this difficult period.

7. John Stemberger is an Orlando, Florida, attorney who is president of the Florida Family Policy Council (FFPC). He also led the fight to get the Marriage Amendment on the ballot in Florida. After the FFPC collected 611,009 names on a petition to get the amendment on the ballot, many of the names were disqualified. I was told this was merely a political ploy to keep it off the ballot. Yet under these extraordinary circumstances John got the necessary signatures in an incredibly short period of time.

The battle really began at that point because Florida law requires 60 percent voter support to pass a constitutional amendment. This is the highest standard in any state. John worked tirelessly, crisscrossing the state and brilliantly strategizing to involve African-American and Hispanic pastors, many of whom voted for Barack Obama but who also voted for the Marriage Amendment. It ended up passing by 62 percent. I admire his tireless effort, his strategic brilliance, and his absolute commitment, both to preserving traditional marriage as well as to saving the life of the unborn.

8. Stephen Strader. Last but not least is my long-time friend Stephen Strader, whom I've known since 1967. His father, Karl Strader, was my pastor until I went to college and we've remained close friends over the years. Now Stephen pastors Ignite Church in Lakeland, Florida, my hometown. Over the years Stephen has always had a heart for revival. He was quick to agree to allow Todd Bentley to use his church for revival meetings beginning in early April of this year (even though Bentley had admitted to moral shortcomings in the last couple of years, although he had supposedly been restored to the ministry).

Within days it was obvious that this was no usual revival meeting. The services lasted for hours, with many miracles being reported. The services were first broadcast on the Internet and then by God TV, and people came from around the world. I first visited the services in early May and wrote about my experiences. If you missed it you can click here.

There were things that concerned me about the Lakeland Revival from the beginning, including the fact that Bentley was ministering for many hours a day seven days a week. That inevitably leads to a crash, which happened only a few months later.

In addition, Bentley invited Paul Cain to the platform even though Cain's ministry has been discredited. Bentley also claimed to communicate with the same angel that reportedly appeared to evangelist William Branham. However, Bentley did seem to modify some of his statements when others challenged him, and he took references about the angel off his Web site. Throughout all of this, Stephen was loyal to Todd because he wanted the revival to expand. He also reached out to spiritual fathers to help him "shepherd the revival." His plea convinced C. Peter Wagner and others to bring Bentley into "spiritual alignment" at a widely publicized service in late June. There are those who believe the service was inappropriate, partly because prophetic words spoken over Bentley indicated that the revival would continue. As it turned out, that very week revelations began surfacing about Bentley that resulted in him leaving the revival. In July Bentley announced he was divorcing his wife. You can click here to read more about this.

I admire the grace Stephen demonstrated while he handled enormous pressure and intense criticism. He pastored his church in such a way that it emerged from this revival stronger than it was before. He also kept a humble spirit and a passion for revival even though Bentley left in disgrace. This had to be a huge disappointment to Stephen. I also admire the fact that he was teachable and open to constructive criticism from those in ministry who had concerns about Bentley's theology and practices.

On a personal note, I want to add to this list my immense admiration for Dr. J. Howard Ridings, who passed from this life on April 17. He was my brother-in-law. I actually met him and his wife, Rosella, in 1969—several years before I met Rosella's sister Joy, whom I later married. Howard and Rosella have been very close friends, and Howard in many ways was like a spiritual father to me, especially after my own father died 12 years ago. Howard had a successful ministry as a pastor and missionary for four years in both Singapore and Hong Kong. For the last 10 years I had the privilege of having him on my staff at Strang Communications. For the last 18 months of his life he battled cancer. Several times it appeared to be in remission. But his body finally wore out, mainly from some of the treatments he was undergoing.

At 2 a.m. on Wednesday, April 17, Howard breathed his last and was ushered to the other side. Standing around his bed were Rosella, his son Dean, daughter Denae and their spouses; as well as me and Joy; our sons Cameron and Chandler; and my daughter-in-law, Maya. I loved Howard deeply. I had opportunities to eulogize him both in print and verbally in many ways. But for me this was the single-most difficult and traumatic event in 2008. While my admiration for Howard was not due to anything he did during this year, I wanted to take this opportunity to once again publicly say how much I loved him and miss him.

I invite you to post your comments on my blog. Tell me whom you admired most in 2008 or let me know what you think of The Strang Report, which I launched one year ago.

Happy new year.

Steve Strang

Remember the Christians in Bethlehem at Christmas

Last week I included a digital Christmas card in my Strang Report like the one we sent out to our business contacts and friends. This week I am including another card--the one we made with our International Department. I thought you might enjoy hearing me and the Spanish team singing "Feliz Navidad." It’s our way of saying to you and yours, “Merry Christmas.”

Because all eyes are on Bethlehem at this time of year, it is appropriate that the editors of Charisma published a story titled "Christmas in Bethlehem" in our December issue. You can read an electronic version of the Charisma cover story by clicking here.

That cover article and the accompanying articles, "When Muslims Find Jesus" and "The Christmas Promise," mean a lot to me because I visited Bethlehem in the fall of 2007. I was there to participate in the Christian Feast of Tabernacles. I met several Arab Christians from the West Bank, and one of them volunteered to take me to visit Bethlehem Bible College, about which I had already heard a lot.

My trip to Bethlehem was an eye-opener. From my new friends I learned about the plight of the Arab Christians, whose numbers are decreasing. They are under attack from the Muslims; they feel discriminated against by the Israelis; and they feel abandoned by their Christian brothers and sisters in the West.

My trip into Bethlehem on a Friday afternoon--the Muslim holy day--was relatively uneventful, mainly because I was traveling with an Arab Israeli who lives in Jerusalem, works in Bethlehem at the Bible college, and has the ability to pass back and forth. Most Palestinians--Christians or Muslims--must remain within areas governed by the Palestinian Authority. A 24-foot wall with guard towers that is covered in graffiti separates Bethlehem from south Jerusalem. It reminded me of the wall around a penitentiary.

The Israelis constructed the wall because there was so much terrorism coming from the Palestinian areas. The suicide bombings have greatly decreased since the wall has been in place. But that doesn't keep the Palestinians who live there from feeling as if their land is occupied.

The Christians I was with, mostly evangelicals, were somewhat critical of the Israeli army. That seemed odd to me since I was visiting Jerusalem with evangelicals who honor Israel and who appreciate the Jewish people and the Jewish faith so much that they travel thousands of miles to participate in the Feast of Tabernacles celebration.

One of the people I met in Bethlehem was Rev. Alex Awad. I contacted him to see what the current situation in Bethlehem is so that I could include a description of it in this blog. His reply was so interesting that I'm posting it below verbatim. Thankfully, things are improving economically in Bethlehem, but the Christians are still under intense pressure and, as stated earlier, often feel unloved, unappreciated, and forgotten.

I was impressed with the sincerity of the Christians I met in Bethlehem. They obviously are very devout in their love for the Lord or they wouldn't be serving Christ in such a hostile environment. My heart went out to them, especially when I heard that they feel abandoned and forgotten. I promised to do what I could to let people know of their plight. My commitment led to the article in this month's issue of Charisma.

If you would like to help the Palestinian Christians, you can send a tax-deductible donation to our non-profit partner, Christian Life Missions. We will channel 100 percent of the money to Christian families in Bethlehem through our contacts at Bethlehem Bible College. You can give online through PayPal by clicking here, or you can send a check in the mail to Christian Life Missions, P.O. Box 952248, Lake Mary, FL 32795-2248.

At Christmas, let's pray for our brothers and sisters, not only in Bethlehem but also throughout the Middle East, where they suffer persecution that most of us could not even imagine. And, as you feel led by the Lord, I urge you to remember them this Christmas--just as I am--by giving to Christian Life Missions.

Merry Christmas from our family to yours. I hope you enjoy my Spanish greeting card below. Please leave your thoughts and your Christmas greetings on the blog.

Steve Strang

From Rev. Alex Awad
Dean of Students at Bethlehem Bible College

Bethlehem is doing better economically this Christmas than in many yuletides before. Tourists are coming to visit the manger where Jesus was born in big numbers. The old challenge has come back to Bethlehem, "There is no room in the inn." But [the] homes and hearts of the local residents are still receiving people with a lot of local hospitality and generosity. The economic boost is giving the city of Bethlehem a sense of relief after many years of virtual economic collapse. Bethlehem is also very peaceful today. There is no terrorism, no violence, fewer Israeli attacks on militants and civilians. Tourists can walk the streets of Bethlehem day and night without fear of crime or danger.

For all Bethlehem's residents the big challenge is the 24-foot-tall wall that Israel has built to block the residents of Bethlehem from travel to Jerusalem or any place in Israel. The wall makes the residents of Bethlehem feel like prisoners in their city. I have students at Bethlehem Bible College who are not able to travel from Bethlehem to Jerusalem in spite of the fact that they have family members that they love to visit during the holidays. This is only one of the many challenges that the wall presents to the residents of the city. Regardless of the wall, the check points and the watch towers, the folks in Bethlehem will celebrate Christmas with excitement this year. The streets are more decorated with brilliant lights than ever before. The walls that humans build will not stop the light and joy of Christmas [from filling] many hearts.

I hope and pray that Bethlehem's visitors, who come from all over the world, will return home with a renewed dedication to serve Emanuel and to share His story with all their compatriots, just as the shepherds of the first Christmas did.

Tomorrow, Dec. 18, Bethlehem Bible College and the Shepherd Society will sponsor a Christmas banquet for the community. A thousand local people will be invited to attend. Evangelical local choirs will be singing for the praise of Emmanuel, there will be a Christmas drama, the message of Christmas will be preached by a local pastor, and an invitation to accept Christ will be given. A meal will be served, and after the meal there will be more singing and celebration. We pray many hearts will be touched and Christ will be glorified in the city of His birth.

The Shepherd Society, the humanitarian arm of Bethlehem Bible College, will also give food baskets to over 300 poor families in Bethlehem and vicinity. Hundreds of toys [have] been donated to poor children in Bethlehem. Thanks to Christians in the United States, Canada and Britain who provided the funds to enable the Shepherd Society to sponsor both the celebration and the Christmas baskets. There will be joy on earth and joy in heaven as a result of the generosity of God's people.

Christ will be alive through His people in Bethlehem this year, and we hope every city around the world will enjoy His life-giving presence.

---

Christmas Trees 'Round the World

Before the ball drops in Times Square, the Big Apple turns on its holiday charm with the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center.

The Capitol Christmas tree in Washington, D.C., is decorated with 3,000 ornaments that are the handiwork of U.S. schoolchildren. Encircling evergreens in the 'Pathway of Peace' represent the 50 U.S. states.

The world's largest Christmas tree display rises up the slopes of Monte Ingino outside of Gubbio, in Italy's Umbria region. Composed of about 500 lights connected by 40,000 feet of wire, the 'tree' is a modern marvel for an ancient city

A Christmas tree befitting Tokyo's nighttime neon display is projected onto the exterior of the Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka.

Illuminating the Gothic facades of Prague's Old Town Square, and casting its glow over the manger display of the famous Christmas market, is a grand tree cut in the Sumava mountains
in the southern Czech Republic.

Venice 's Murano Island renowned throughout the world for its quality glasswork is home to the tallest glass tree in the world. Sculpted by master glass blower Simone Cenedese, the artistic Christmas tree is a modern reflection of the holiday season.

Moscow celebrates Christmas according to the Russian Orthodox calendar on Jan. 7. For weeks beforehand, the city is alive with festivities in anticipation of Father Frost's arrival on his magical troika with the Snow Maiden. He and his helper deliver gifts under the New Year tree, or yolka, which is traditionally a fir.

The largest Christmas tree in Europe (more than 230 feet tall) can be found in the Praça do Comércio in Lisbon, Portugal. Thousands of lights adorn the tree, adding to the special enchantment of the city during the holiday season.

'Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree': Even in its humblest attire, aglow beside a tiny chapel in Germany's Karwendel mountains, a Christmas tree is a wondrous sight.

Ooh la la Galeries Lafayette! In Paris, even the Christmas trees are chic. With its monumental, baroque dome, plus 10 stories of lights and high fashion, it's no surprise this show-stopping department store draws more visitors than the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower

In addition to the Vatican's heavenly evergreen, St. Peter's Square in Rome hosts a larger-than-life nativity scene in front of the obelisk.

The Christmas tree that greets revelers at the Puerta del Sol is dressed for a party. Madrid's two-week celebration makes millionaires along with merrymakers. On Dec. 22, a lucky citizen will win El Gordo (the fat one), the world's biggest lottery.

A token of gratitude for Britain's aid during World War II, the Christmas tree in London's Trafalgar Square has been the annual gift of the people of Norway since 1947.

Drink a glass of gluhwein from the holiday market at the Romer Frankfurt's city hall since 1405 and enjoy a taste of Christmas past.



Against a backdrop of tall, shadowy firs, a rainbow trio of Christmas trees lights up the night (location unknown).

Our New Digital Magazines and Newsletters

By Steve Strang

This week I'm taking a break from editorializing about problems facing the church or our culture to bring you up-to-date on some of the exciting digital products Strang Communications is providing that I think you'll enjoy. I hope you'll sign up for some of our e-magazines and e-newsletters and also share them with your friends to help us proclaim the gospel digitally.

Before I tell you about them, I want to point out that I’m including below one of the four digital greeting cards we recently sent out to family, friends and customers. My staff put them together. The one below is from our Administration/Accounting/Office Services department. Click on it to see the personal greeting I gave. It's my way to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas.

The Strang Report is one of 10 e-newsletters that we publish periodically. Some are biweekly, some weekly and some monthly. This week we changed the newsletter we've called “Streams of Revival” to “Prophetic Insight from Charisma” and published in it a challenging word from Chuck Pierce about what he believes the Lord is saying prophetically to our nation at this very pivotal time in history. Click here to read.

Through the years, Charisma magazine has established itself as a trusted source of news. Several years ago we started sending out news electronically on a periodic basis under the name “Charisma News Service.” Most recently we’ve sent out news updates that appear on our Web site under the name “Charisma News Bulletin.” We’ve also included revival-related news stories in what was formerly titled “Streams of Revival.” We’re now calling our digital news publication “Charisma News Online.” It is currently e-mailed to 50,000 subscribers, and we’d like to double the circulation by getting as many people to sign up as possible. I sent out the first edition to the entire Strang Report list with a brief explanation, so you have probably seen it by now. I hope you enjoyed reading it and will want to sign up. If you would like to read it again, click here.

Ministry Today magazine, under the leadership of editor Marcus Yoars, is now digital. Our first issue was the November/December issue, and the response from both advertisers and readers was fantastic. We sent it out to compiled lists of 100,000 people, and the open rate has far exceeded industry standards and our wildest expectations. Click here to see the digital version. You can read it on your computer screen by turning pages just as you do with a print magazine. There is no cost to receive it regularly; you merely have to subscribe.

Next month Charisma magazine will also be offered digitally. It is not available yet, but you can click here to sign up for it.

Each time we send out an e-newsletter, we provide a way for you to sign up, but I’m using this opportunity to call to your attention all the newsletters that we produce:

Power Up. This is one of our largest e-newsletters. Each week it contains a devotional message with a spiritual insight I know you’ll appreciate and is an off-shoot of SpiritLed Woman magazine. To read the most current edition, click here.

New Man eMagazine. Several months ago we made the decision to no longer publish New Man in print, but you can click here to receive the eMagazine every week with the same kind of great articles we had in the print version. Subscriptions to the digital version have nearly doubled since we started producing it. If you’re a man or there’s a man in your life, you may want to subscribe to this.

If you’re Spanish-speaking you ought to get our Boletín de Vida Cristiana with exciting news and views of what’s happening in the Christian Hispanic community. This e-newsletter is so popular that the digital subscription list actually is larger than that of the print magazine, Vida Cristiana.

Please notice the advertisement for gift subscriptions to Charisma magazine for Christmas. Charisma is a great Christmas present to give to those you love. Every year more than 10 percent of our subscription list is made up of gifts from readers like you who want to share with family and friends the teaching articles, prophetic insight and news analysis. Also, by subscribing to Charisma, you become part of the Charisma family and a part of what the Holy Spirit is doing in the world today.

As always, we invite you to leave your comments. Perhaps you can share what you think about our digital version or give us ideas on how we can grow our lists. My vision is to grow all our digital lists to 1 million. One of the most effective ways to do this is to get “viral marketing” going by encouraging people to send our e-newsletters to their neighbors, friends, family and co-workers.

Next week I’m going to share a very special Christmas message, and the week after I will share with you a list of the people that I respect most in 2008.

Steve Strang

---

Apostles and Prophets Grapple With What is Happening

December 11, 2008
By Steve Strang

It comes as no surprise that this is a time of great transition. In light of the economic downturn and the recent election results, which were different from what many conservative Christians prayed they would be, Christian leaders are meeting, and the question of "What's happening?" tops the agenda.

Last week I had the privilege of attending an invitation-only roundtable hosted by Rick Joyner. I have attended this annual meeting periodically since the early ’90s. What God is saying as a result of the election was one of the main topics of discussion, and I'll write more about it later.

The big event this week was the meeting of the International Coalition of Apostles (ICA), which takes place every December. This year the group met in my hometown of Orlando. It is the third time I have attended. In some ways the meeting was as it has been in former years. C. Peter Wagner, the founder of ICA, told me that people who attend say that every year is better than the one before. To him, this year was pretty much the same. However, the topics ranged from the Lakeland revival with Todd Bentley to a number of economic issues (which are actually brought up every year), and of course the election.

The high point according to many people was the message given by Apostle Kim Daniels from Jacksonville, an African-American minister and author who is well-known to the Charisma audience. She served on a panel about the supernatural and gave her views of what the supernatural is--a godly supernatural which is on the straight and narrow, or a carnal or fleshly supernatural which is the broad way.

In that setting she brought up the election. She was one of a relatively small percentage of African-Americans who supported John McCain because of the abortion issue, and she has defended Charisma and its editor, Lee Grady. Both have been attacked by some in the African-American community. She felt that many of the apostles and prophets, including those in attendance at the meeting, were stifled from speaking out what they believed God was saying because of fear of intimidation and making people upset. She broke that off them in a very dramatic way and received a standing ovation.

There was whispering among a number of the blacks who were in attendance, both those who came from Africa as well as African-Americans, yet interestingly no one challenged her or asked any questions during the question-and-answer period. Kim had such authority it was as if no one would oppose her.

I have written before that I think African-Americans--and all Americans--can be rightfully proud that we have elected our first African-American president. But many of us feel that biblical stands on the issues take priority over someone's race in determining whom we will support. Of course it's always risky to talk about politics; that's why many people say there two subjects you never discuss in polite society--religion and politics--because they are so divisive.

It's well-known that most African-Americans are Democrats. And had Hillary Clinton won the nomination for the presidency, as many of us thought a year ago she would, undoubtedly a large number of them would have voted for her. So I don't think it's just a matter of Obama’s being black. However, there is a divisiveness in Christian circles as a result of the election that Daniels spoke to eloquently at the ICA meeting and that earned her a standing ovation.

The session was videotaped, and if you’d like to watch it, you can order a DVD from Fresh Video, P.O. Box 5020, Woodland Park, CO 80866-5020. You can call toll-free in the U.S. at 1-800-687-6077, or order online at www.freshpublishing.com. The DVD costs $20. When you order it, you will get not only what Kim has to say, but also the comments from Chuck Pierce, Che Ahn, Greg Brown and Stephen Strader. It is the session that included the discussion about Todd Bentley. I got permission from Peter Wagner to make this available to the readers of the Strang Report.

Recently Kim Daniels wrote a blog that is posted on our charismamag.com Web site under the title "Somebody Say Amen." I am including what she has to say here because though it's not exactly what she shared at ICA, it does give her perspective, which I believe needs to be considered by the body of Christ.

As usual, you're invited to add your comments to what I've written or to what Kim wrote in her blog.

Steve Strang


It Is Not About Obama's Faith!
By Kimberly Daniels

This column is a response to all the ministers who have shared their concern that the faith of President-elect Obama has been challenged. My position on this issue is very simple. I believe that the church, in general, has gotten away from the simplicity of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I agree that we cannot judge the heart of a man, but "keeping it simple" will allow us to know those with whom we labor.

Keeping it simple will also sharpen our ability to test the spirits that rule over us, to discern whether they are of God. Then, whether the leaders are saved or not, we will know how to pray for them.

We do not pray only for saved leaders. We pray for all leaders! It is important to have discernment when we pray, or we may become guilty of praying amiss. It would be a terrible thing to pray for leaders as though they are saved when they are not. We would be guilty of having blood on our hands!

Ephesians 4 says that five-fold ministry gifts are called to perfect (mature) the saints so that they will not be blown to and fro by every wind of doctrine released by cunning and crafty men waiting to deceive them. As an apostle of Jesus Christ, it is my responsibility to challenge anything that would hinder the unity of faith.

I am not speaking of a temporary, carnal unity that is undergirded by the opinions of men and motivated by a false love. Ephesians 4:15 commands us to speak the truth (in love). Love is not the root; truth is! Truth is true all by itself, but love that is not rooted in truth is a lie.

If we cannot get this principle, foreign spirits and demonic ideologies will penetrate our gates. Jude exhorted the church to earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints. He said that certain ungodly men had crept into the church unnoticed (grew up with believers and pretended to be like them but were not), turned the grace of God into lasciviousness (lust and perversion) and denied the Lord Jesus Christ (see Jude 3-4). It does not matter if we proclaim to be Christians (which means “like Christ”); certain acts cause us to automatically deny God, whether we admit it or not. We cannot be “like Christ” and believe that there are other ways to God besides Jesus!

Most of the ministers I have dealt with who say they are disappointed about how Obama’s faith has been questioned are black. I have a few questions for them: Where are the prophets in the black church? Prophets do not just pray; they decree and declare the will of God! Where are the apostles? They do not flow with the status quo but deal with principalities and come against anything that would exalt itself against the knowledge of God!

Where are the teachers who will teach sound doctrine that will not tickle men’s ears? Where are the evangelists who will save souls, get them filled with the Holy Ghost, cast the devil out and minister inner healing? Where are the pastors who will protect the flock from wolves and lions, even if it costs them their reputations?

God showed me that lines have been drawn in the spiritual realm. Many in the church have crossed these lines and received doctrines of devils that promote secular humanism and New Age religion disguised as Christianity. There are off-brands of Christianity in the world we live in that are nothing less than antichrist.

I have never questioned President-elect Obama’s faith. It is very clear that he is a man of faith. But I get concerned when people compare his faith to the faith of a born-again believer. Our faith could be considered equivalent to his only if Christianity were redefined.

Will we, as believers, stand by and allow the foundation of our faith to be broken into pieces and put back together in whatever way the New World order demands it should be? Radical Islamic groups have zero tolerance for any diversion from what they believe. They believe what they believe to the point that they love not their lives unto death. This is ironically what God commands His people to do in Revelation 12.

But we have not reached the point at which Christians will have to give their lives for their faith—yet. Can’t we at least lose our reputations if we do not have to lose our lives? Jesus was of no reputation! To walk in the anointing of God from now until 2012, we must become of no reputation--like Christ.

I do not understand why ministers are saddened by others’ challenging Obama’s faith as a believer. He claims to be a Christian—so it is OK to line up his faith next to the Word of God. President Bush and all other leaders are subject to the same scrutiny, especially when they make it an issue in a political race. Many people questioned Bush’s faith, but not one black minister came to me complaining.

In any case, the important factor is not whether Obama is a believer. He has the right to be a part of the faith of his choice. He does not have to be a Christian to be the president of the United States. My focus is on the fact that the devil has slowly and methodically deteriorated what it means to be a believer in America today.
· Preachers have condoned initiations into secret organizations such as fraternities, sororities, Masons and Shriners in the name of Jesus.
· Ministries have taken it upon themselves to include acts that God that chose to exclude (homosexuality, fornication and adultery) as being acceptable to enter His kingdom.
· Religious people have interpreted the Word of God in a way that lends support to doctrines of devils. They claim:
* There is no devil and no hell
* God loves everybody, and whoremongers and homosexuals will inherit the kingdom of God
* If a woman makes a mistake and gets pregnant, she has the right to kill the baby
* God is a God of love, and He sanctions marriage between members of any sex as long as the two partners love each other.

These doctrines not only conflict with the faith of the believer but also are abominations in the eyes of God. The God that I serve is a just God! If the things listed above are all right with God, then it would mean that God is unfair. He would have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah and repent for flooding the earth.

God is rigidly righteous (see Ps. 11), and His children are held accountable to live in holiness. Without holiness we will not see His face. If we do the things listed above, we are not holy! It is the responsibility of the priests to teach the people the difference between what is holy and what is common or unholy (see Lev. 10:10; Ezek. 44:15).

In closing, I would like to say that not everyone is a child of God! I am not anyone’s judge, but the Word of God is. Jesus told some people that their father was the devil and that they did his work (see John 8:44). It sounds nice and religious to say that we are all children of God, but it is a lie.

Salvation is about making a choice for Christ alone! God will separate the wheat from the tares, but until He does, we must have enough discernment to come out from among them. We must judge trees by the fruit that they bear.

It is simple: An orange tree bears oranges and a grape vine brings forth grapes. Signs will follow believers, and the souls of the heathen and the hypocrite will weigh in the balance. I agree that we need reconciliation, but let us put first things first. The priority agenda in the church should be reformation.

If Martin Luther King had not spoken out from streets and the churches, we would still be under Jim Crow. If Martin Luther had never pushed the doctrine that “the just shall live by faith,” everyone would be Roman Catholic. I will continue to sound the alarm for the sleeping church to awaken. I will also continue to seed the mind of the wicked with truth that they will not be able to deny in the midnight hour.

I will be praying for our country and our new administration, as I always have--prophetically! I pray that President-elect Obama will get to know God like never before. I also pray that he will be sensitive enough to give God more thanks at his inauguration than he did when he was elected.

Kimberly Daniels is founder of Spoken Word Ministries and Rhema Way City Church in Jacksonville, Florida. Visit her on the Web at kimberlydaniels.com.

World AIDS Day

December 4, 2008
By Steve Strang

To celebrate World AIDS Day Monday Rick Warren honored President George W. Bush in Washington as the one who has done more to eradicate AIDS than any other world leader. Along with my son Cameron and daughter-in-law Maya, I was privileged to attend an invitation-only Saddleback Civil Forum at which the best-selling author presented the outgoing president with the International Medal of Peace for his contribution to the fight against AIDS, including his establishing the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

The forum gave me an interesting view of the world of HIV/AIDS relief, but even more, it let me see how Warren and his wife, Kay, are not only bringing the light of the gospel to those working to solve what's been called a pandemic but are touching lives in a way I wouldn't have expected.

We have covered the AIDS problem many times in Charisma. (To read an article that appeared in print, click here; to see an online article, click here.) And as a board member of World Relief for several years I was familiar with that organization’s efforts in helping HIV/AIDS victims and orphans in Africa. With my younger son, Chandler, I visited World Relief's work in Africa in 2003--a trip that allowed me to see up close and personal the terrible tragedy and suffering on that continent.

At the time PEPFAR was just getting started. Only 50,000 HIV/AIDS patients were receiving treatment to fight the virus, but a goal was set to help 2 million HIV patients in five years. PEPFAR has exceeded its mission, the president told the group in Washington.

Our Charisma News Bulletin reported on World AIDS Day. You can read that report by clicking here.

At the forum I ran into a few old friends who have a concern about helping the poor. It was good to network with them. I was proud to see my son Cameron move so easily in those circles and to observe the obvious respect he has from many.

But the most interesting part of the trip was to meet David Miller from New York at a luncheon Warren held for a few leaders.

David sat next to me, and before I had an opportunity to ask, he began telling me his story. He was infected with the AIDS virus 18 years ago and became an activist. He has been involved in the radical AIDS group ACT UP and bragged that he’s been arrested 219 times. He ranted at the stigma AIDS had in the 1980s in the larger society and among church people in particular. And he seemed genuinely pleased with what Bush and Warren have done to help provide medicine for those suffering with AIDS.

But that’s not what impressed me. Miller is totally secular and by his own admission is a radical who not only resented but almost hated Christians. He was single-minded in his focus on AIDS, and he saw no concern from the Christian community.

I took no notes as we ate lunch in Washington. But what Miller said made a deep impression on me. He told how he had confronted Warren at an AIDS meeting and demanded to know what Warren or other Christians had done to help people struggling with AIDS. Instead of retaliating or just making a quick exit, Warren asked him if they could talk.

Their exchange led to a two-hour conversation in which Warren listened to what Miller had to say. It also resulted in the development of a relationship that has become a friendship. But here’s the most incredible thing to me—Warren later led Miller to Christ and baptized him in water.

That was two years ago. Miller used a few words in his conversation I won’t repeat here. In other words, he’s still a little rough around the edges as far as church-folk are concerned. But I could sense in him a genuineness that came from having actually met the Savior.

He talked about how important “faith-based” ministries are now in fighting AIDS. It’s part of what Warren calls a three-legged stool. The first leg is government and non-governmental charitable organizations; the second leg is business; and the third leg is the faith-based community working with the other two.

I’m sure Rick Warren regularly reaches out to people. I know he has led many people to salvation. So his reaching out to Miller probably isn’t that unusual.

But it struck me that more of us should be doing what Warren is doing--trying to use what influence we have to change the world and remembering that there are people around us who need Jesus. If we will just show them love—and share the truth of the gospel with them--many will come to believe.

Below is the news article about World AIDS Day. You can learn more about Warren’s fight against AIDS by clicking here.

______________________________________

World AIDS Day Marked Worldwide

From governments to church leaders, officials worldwide pledged to continue combating the spread of HIV/AIDS.

[12.01.08] Across the globe on Monday leaders of churches and nations promised to help fight the spread of HIV while observing World AIDS Day—an international campaign launched in 1988 to improve HIV/AIDS awareness and education.

“Today is World AIDS Day, a day we reaffirm our commitment to fight HIV/AIDS at home and abroad,” President Bush said.

Before heading to the Saddleback Civil Forum on Global Health on Monday, where he would discuss the global AIDS epidemic with Rick Warren and other evangelical leaders, Bush announced that his President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was succeeding.

“[It was] one of the most important initiatives of my administration,” he said. “PEPFAR is the largest international health initiative dedicated to a single disease … and it is bringing hope and healing to people around the world.”

Launched in 2003 with the goal of helping to treat 2 million HIV patients in five years, PEPFAR had exceeded its mission, Bush said. “The American people, through PEPFAR, are supporting lifesaving treatment [worldwide],” he said. “We've also supported care for more than 10 million people affected by HIV, including more than 4 million orphans and vulnerable children.”

With an estimated 33.2 million people worldwide infected with the HIV virus, including 2.5 million children, the United Nations Joint Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) reports that about half of the millions infected last year are 25 years old or younger.

In addition to measures that Chinese and South African officials took on Monday to reduce the stigma attached to people who are HIV-positive, one major U.S. denomination announced its own plan to help dispel negative stereotypes.

To encourage support for World AIDS Day, the head bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will be voluntarily tested for HIV/AIDS at an upcoming convention.

Conceived by the ELCA committee on Ministry Among People in Poverty (MAPP), the bishops’ actions will be presented as an opportunity for the church to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS “prevention, testing, treatment, care, stigma and discrimination.”

The committee also encouraged bishops “to be supportive and involved with local events on World AIDS Day, Dec. 1.”

“By personally engaging in and supporting actions on World AIDS Day … ELCA bishops can help encourage all people to ‘know their status’ by being tested and help break down the stigma surrounding the disease,” ELCA leaders said in a statement.

Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop and president of the Lutheran World Federation in Geneva, Switzerland, said the willingness of African religious leaders to publicly declare that they’ve been tested is helping to lessen stigma associated with the disease.

“I believe ELCA bishops being tested will be a similar act of accompaniment and encouragement for ELCA members and global companions,” Hanson said. “This decision by ELCA bishops is one more sign of this church's commitment to respond to the HIV and AIDS pandemic.”
—Paul Steven Ghiringhelli


As usual, add your comments to the blog.

Steve Strang