A Time To Give Thanks

As I was pondering this time of year and what to say, I was struck with the words of the song, Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow. Nothing I could say would sum up better what is in my heart at the end of this year A.D. 2006. Thank you Father for all you have done for our family and those of our friends.

I also want to take time to thank you our friends for all your friendship has meant for the several few decades. From those who loved us and struggled with us as young believers, to those who prayed for and supported those 12 years with YWAM to those who have blessed us with their friendship and support since our arrival in Tulsa.

I want to give a special shout out to Roger & Donna Nix, whose basement apartment we called home for our first several weeks in Tulsa, and Donn & Lavaughn Thomas, who let me crash on their couch without notice, when my flight was stranded in Atlanta this year.

Also to those of you who supported Talitha in her mission to Uganda, and those who supported our youth soccer program here in tulsa, and/or the Booker T. Washington Inspirational Network, thank you so very much.

Below are a few photos of our family. Since we are scattered we have to do individual pics. I am also adding a few pics of what we love most, little children. The little guys are from 2 very distinct continents and cultures, but it is mazing how similar they seem.

Blessings and grace and love to all this Christmas season. May 2007 be your best year ever.


Talitha & Brett Lt. JG Zach Huff Chef Eli

Eddie Vickie, Michael &
Michael's mentor, professor
Father John Putka
Tita & Kids in Uganda

North Tulsa Soccer Kids

Where Would Jesus Shop

OK, now I think I am about at my limit. Those who know me well know that I have, or had, a real problem with the WWJD bracelets. Thank goodness that seems to faded away. Also that I have a certain issue with Christians getting so socially active that they seem to lose focus on the fact that the commands and admonitions in the Word are to individuals and to believers, not to governments and unbelievers. Well today I have found a church that has managed to get to me on both accounts.

Pastor Joe Phelps of Highland Baptist Church in Louisville, KY has joined forces with the labor unions, particularly a group, funded by the United Food and Commercial Workers union, and appeared in a Christmas commercial attacking Wal-Mart. I will let the commercial speak for itself, and follow that with a letter from me to pastor Phelps. You can go directly to the commercial by clicking on the title of this article above, or by going to the URL below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWC2W01OnQg

What adds to the sad situation is that pastor Phelps repeats misinformation in this commerical, while a choir hums in the background. The accusations made against Wal-Mart are based upon misrepresentation of the facts and false reporting. I have to wonder what drives some pastors today to go to these extremes in their search for relevance.

I have said enough, on to the letter.

Eddie
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14, December 2006

Pastor Joe Phelps
Highland Baptist Church
1101 Cherokee Rd.
Louisville, KY 40204


Dear Pastor Phelps,

Before I go on, please trust me when I say that I do not have any affiliation to Wal-Mart, do not own any stock in their company, or have any feelings toward them one way or another. I do shop there occassionaly, however.

Your "Wake Up Walmart" campaign reflects what I see as a growing pattern in the body, and among ministers, to want to become socially relevant. Almost as if they feel that by associating with social struggles and issues and "feeling" more, they are reaching the lost and better fulfilling the commands of the gospel. I beg to differ. What you are doing is becoming "friends of the world." The Word says not to be unequally yoked together, believer with unbeliever, yet you pastor have yoked yourself to labor unions which, last time I checked, are not a believing bunch, nor have they anything to do with reaching the lost. Furthermore, we are not to seek to be loved or accepted by the world. In fact when we are hated and persecuted for our faith, is when we are in the best relationship to "the world." Yes, I understand that we are to be hated for righteousness sake, but sometimes that is being opposed to what seems the right thing to do from a carnal point of view. Did Jesus not say "the poor you will have with you always?" And was Mary not despised by the religious for pouring expensive perfume on His feet, that could have gone to the poor?

Beside all of this the major problem, as I see it, is that by expecting and demanding that government and businesses provide more and more safety nets for people, we are asking less and less of the individual. The Word does not say, when you see a man thirsty, have their employer give him drink. Or when you see your brother naked, get The President and Congress to find a way to clothe him. It says, "When You see..". The Gospel always was and always will be a personal message with personal commands and demands, not corporate. It is as you, me, and every individual believer lives up to his and/or her own revelation of the Word and conviction by the Holy Spirit that we will see the change. It is the collective individual actions, from a pure heart, that yield eternal, God inspired, fruit. Demanding or intimidating businesses, the government, or anyone else to do what we are called to do will only make us feel that we do not have a personal obligation. At the least that our obligation is lessened. Remember that Peter told Ananias and Sapphira that God did not require them to give all or any of their gain to the poor. It was all about the heart.

I find it interesting, and not knowing anything about your church, I would bet that your church as most Baptist congregations, gives a great deal to foreign missions. As a percentage of your giving, however, I wonder what your giving to the poor in Louisville is. The reason I ask is that I find most often that because Africa, India, or South America have no public safety net, we are quick to help. The poor in the ghettos of America, however, are for some reason supposed to be the obligation of the government and/or "Big business. This mentality subtly creeps into our psyche and after awhile, while we pity the less fortunate, they become someone elses problem.

It reminds me of a revelation I received some time ago on the difference between a conservative and a liberal. A conservative sees hurt and need and asks: "what can I do to meet that need?" A liberal sees the same hurt and need and asks: "what can I do to get someone else to meet that need?" That is not Jesus. If you have people in Louisville that need health care, then what are your body and others doing to meet that need? How about organizing churches to provide a city wide health care fund? If I am not mistaken, I believe that Humana, one of the largest health insurers in America, is headquartered there in Louisville. Maybe your energy would be better spent meeting with them and asking what they could do to work with Wal-Mart, and others, to cover everyone. Wal-Mart is at least providing jobs for those you say have no health care. Without those jobs they would have neither. Maybe you could hire those people and provide them with the health care they need. I know it is a silly notion, forgive me for suggesting it; it is Wal-Mart's or someone elses problem afterall.

I am not wanting to make this personal as I believe you only represent a growing segment of the Church that has given up on asking for individual responsibility in favor of asking for collective responsibility. By going public, however, I have chosen to respond in kind. This post may be found at: Saltinc.blogspot.com

I have much more to say, but will leave it here. I pray that while you and those you have organized hold your candle light vigil at Wal-Marts that you will have a revelation and get my point.

Blessings and grace!

Eddie Huff

Is It Holy War Yet

Before I post my latest musings, I wanted to say a couple of things.

Thank you:

Thank you to those of you who responded to my last email regarding the Booker T. Washington Inspirational Network. Also much thanks to those who have donated to us for the North Tulsa Soccer program and the ongoing work I am doing there. For those who did not receive this email, you can check out the web site at: booker-t-washington.com

Pray for:

Please pray for our daughter Talitha as she and a team from southern California are heading to Uganda and the Sudan for 2 weeks. Who would ever have thought of the day when Uganda was the "safe" place to go. It is hard to believe that it has been 24 years since I led that first YWAM team there in 1982 and 19 years since the last time I was there. How time flies.

Tyler Lennon is leading the team and they are going to Uganda and across the northern border to the Darfur region of the Sudan. They will first have to travel through the rebel "Lord's Army" territory which is dangerous enough, but then into southern Sudan. Please pray for protection for the entire team in this unstable part of the world, and even more importantly for spiritual authority. Also pray for Brett Phillips, Talitha's husband, who remains home, in LA. Some of us know how hard that can be, especially for newly weds.


Latest Musings:

Holy War (revisited)

I do not know how many of you received my 3 part essay from 2004 on Holy war. I wonder who is not yet convinced that we are in a holy war. For a refresher, please go to:

http://saltinc.blogspot.com/2004/12/holy-war.html

This will take you to Part 1 and it and the 2 blogs that follow that one deal with the modern holy war we are involved in.

Let me cite a couple of examples of why we are now at least on the defensive, if not losing, in this Holy War.

Example one:

A few months ago the creators of the South Park cartoon show wanted to depict Mohammed in a pretty innocuous manner. This was, I am sure, in response to the reaction to the Danish cartoons depicting Mohammed and the outcry related to that. The Comedy Network executives forbade them from showing the depiction of Mohammed and blacked out the image. So what did the South Park guys do? They depicted at first President Bush defecating on the American flag and the American people, then Jesus defecating on flag, and President Bush. The word defecating is my own choice so you can imagine their word, if you will. The initial reaction of course would be how crude and sacrilegious, but on closer observation, although I do not favor their means, I got what they were trying to communicate. You cannot show even a caricature of Mohammed in any light without being stopped or punished, but you can heap the vilest of insults upon the American flag, the President of the United States, and even upon Jesus Christ and no one will stop you or even raise and outcry. And those who do are considered a right wing fringe. That, I tell you is holy war people, and Islam is winning.

Example two:

Last week Pope Benedict made a speech in his home town Regensburg, Germany and quoted a 14th century dialogue between Byzantine emperor Manuel II Paleologus and an educated and Muslim, Persian. In this dialogue the emperor stated that the only thing new that Mohammed brought to religion was evil and inhumanity. He was referring to Mohammed's teaching of spreading his religion by the sword.

Whether the Pope quoted this to send a direct message or not, I cannot say. I encourage you to read the entire speech at: http://www.cwnews.com/news/viewstory.cfm?recnum=46474
His speeches and writings are always very thought provoking.

What I can say is that since the pope gave the speech 6 Christian churches have been burned as of this writing and a nun has been murdered in retaliation. What is the big news though? "Muslims want, no demand, a papal apology." Are you kidding me? A nun is murdered, churches are burned and they want an apology? And I can bet you that the dominant media and much of the secular west feels they are owed one. Islam is winning

Islam is winning by default. America and the church are either afraid, confused or both. We have pastors meeting and issuing proclamations that the U.S. should not torture, and should save the environment. That is like asking a man if he stopped beating his wife. You assume that he is beating her or in this case, that we are torturing people. News flash, we do not torture people. If it should happen it is always dealt with swiftly and harshly.

Instead of preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, a message that the enemies of God hate and will do anything to stop, these guys apparently want dialogue, want the world to understand us, and realize how nice we are. Islam is winning. Sorry, my frustration slipping out.

We need to realize that Holiness as I mentioned before does not mean purity. It means a total consecration to god and a total separateness from the world. The purity comes from the consecration and separateness not vice versa. No, we are not to move to the mountains and wait for His return. Our thinking and our actions are to be uniquely devoted to God, His Kingdom and righteousness. We are to be a special, unique kingdom of people, devoted to God and His ways. This will not make us popular, and not endear us to those of other faiths no matter how nice we try to be. We do not hate them, we do not wish them harm, but we also do not accept their terms. We, no He set the terms. I am the Lord Your God! Hear Oh Israel, the Lord your God, He is One (and the only) God! I am the Way the Truth and the Life no man comes to the Father but by me!

We need to pray for spiritual leaders who will speak the truth in love, and in power with no compromise. If not, although we will win the war, we will lose some battles and suffer some severe hurt. The choice is ours. Just ask yourself are we in Holy War yet?

Eddie

Quick Thoughts

Hi everyone, I have been out of touch for a bit as I have been pretty busy with various projects.

I just returned from Washington, D.C. on Friday after a week. I was also invited to the White House for the National Day of Prayer Celebration last Thursday. It was pretty interesting to be in the White House and see and meet a lot of people that you have heard or read about. I thought some of you would enjoy the photo of me and a certain former First Lady.

I want to post just a few short thoughts in this blog and ask you to consider these.

Iraq Is Not Viet Nam

As much as the MSM and Democrats would like to make us think that Iraq is the same as Viet Nam, it is not. There is, however, a very grave danger in pursuing this connection and the Democratic Party is playing a very deadly game. If the American public believes Iraq is another Viet Nam, Al Qaeda and the insurgents win. The problem is that while Viet Nam never had the desire or the intent of moving their fight outside of that nation, Al Qaeda does. Therefore, if we lose the will, and withdraw from Iraq while the insurgency remains powerful, it will be a defeat before a culture that worships strength and despises weakness. They will revel in defeating us, and use that victory to inspire and recruit many to their side in an all out effort to spread radical Islam beyond the region. We cannot escape from this.

To the Democrats- “beware of what you wish for, keep on and you may get it.”

Democrats Plan- Impeach Bush!

The Democrats want to regain control of Congress this fall. So, if you are waiting and wondering, what their plan for the Iraqi War, immigration, the economy, high gas prices, or any other issue facing us is, let me break it down for you. It is simple- Impeach the President. That is it. They have no other plan. They have already said this is their plan on a few occasions, and you will begin hearing it more and more as the fall elections approach. Imagine it now, 2 years of hearings on what he knew and when. That should help the economy, fight illegal immigration, frighten Al Qaeda and keep fuel prices low.

So, if you think that voting for them, or not voting for Republicans in the fall, will solve any of our problems at home or abroad, and you feel that just getting rid of President Bush is the answer to all of our problems, please go right ahead.

But I told you so.


Fear Not The DaVinci Code

I realize that many believers are up in arms over the release of the film The DaVinci Code. The Catholic Church seems to be the most exercised over the release. I say relax, and do not fear it. In fact those of us who are believers should see it as an opportunity. To quote Joseph, “what you meant for evil (Dan Brown) God meant for good.”

The book has already sold over 40 million copies, and the film may reach an additional 10 million new people that have not already read the book. But look at it this way, many of those reading the book or watching the film will want to look more deeply into the matter. What believers should be doing is praying for God to increase that interest and hunger, which the film cannot fill, and asking for an opportunity to share the truth with these people, in a spirit of love. Of course this means we need to know the truth ourselves and that means preparation and study. Get to work people!!

I look forward to the discussion and the outcome. Remember, God is a big God, and He can take care of Himself, we can only help or get in the way.

Blessings and grace to all!!

Eddie

One Man's Blasphemer Is Another Man's Prophet

This one is kind of a tough one for me. What am I speaking of, here is the scoop.

Last week the creators of the Comedy Central cartoon hit, South Park, had planned to show an episode meant to deal with Islamic terror, through tyranny, in the form of a simple depiction of the Prophet Mohammed. The episode involved a discussion between the network executives of Comedy Central and the creators in which the creators were saying you cannot censure a depiction of one faith if you are not going to do it to all. The main statement made to the execs was, "censure one and you have to censure all." Meaning, censure a depiction of Mohammed then you have to censure any and all other religious depictions. In this piece they simply had Mohammed hand a football helmet to the "Family Guy." It was silly, no actually it was pretty stupid, but no real insult to the faith was depicted. Nevertheless, the network ended up blacking out the depiction of Mohammed.

Now this is where the story gets interesting and and the real controversy arose. As the network executives balked at showing a depiction of Mohammed, and made them black that scene out, the creators and writers featured a depiction of Jesus. Of course it was not just a simple depiction of Jesus defecating ("crapping" is the word they used) on an American flag and President Bush. Of course prior to that they had depicted President Bush defecating on people. It just spun out of control. Guess what? No blackout of that scene. Do you get the point?

Of course many Christian groups immediately screamed bloody murder. Unfortunately, I believe they missed the entire point. In fact South Park has made a statement that most pastors will not make, and in a dramatic fashion they will never make. And obviously no media or network executives have said one word, nor do I expect them to.

Was it rude, was it crude, was it insensitive; you bet it was, but did Comedy Central, or any one that had the power to stop this from being aired try? No, they did not, but a much less offensive depiction of Mohammed led to an immediate full frontal assault and a blackout.

The South Park guys have exposed a couple of things. First, is the fact that one could publicly commit the most base of acts upon our God, our Flag and our President, with absolutely no repercussion. Secondly, that we are a nation that is afraid. No one wants to admit it, but we are afraid. Do you think the Comedy Central executives really care one bit about Arab sensitivities? What they care about is Islamic death squads killing them in their NY and Malibu homes. This is a sad, but necessary commentary on the state of America and the world.

In a related matter just a few weeks earlier Isaac Hayes, who had been the voice of a regular character on the show quit the show supposedly in protest over an episode poking fun at Tom Cruse and his Scientology beliefs. Hayes, also a Scientologist, left the show in protest stating that he was offended at the shows attack upon religion. The creators asked the very relevant question of, where was his outrage when they had numerous time poked fun at Christianity, various Christian ministers and church groups. Isaac Hayes, whose music I love by the way, is just one of thousands of American hypocrites, who feel it is okay to attack what is not theirs, but are offended at any offense to their own sensibilities. This has to stop or it will not end well.

While I still find their methods crude and rude, and to tell you the truth, I have never watched one episode of South Park and never watch Comedy Central in general, I feel that I want to applaud South Park creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, for their exposing what we all know but too many are afraid to speak of. That is that we are afraid.

I know I find myself at odds with friends and others of my own faith, who do not believe as I do on this matter. But I believe God has and will continue to use those outside the body to speak His message, when his appointed messengers will not. Many in the American media and government have no regard for anything to do with Christianity or Judaism. Add to this the fact that they and others, even many ministers of the Gospel, are afraid of the Arab world and Islamic terror; at the least they are afraid to speak out against radical Islam and the danger it poses at home and abroad and we get a strange silence. As long as we are afraid, all talk of what we want to do in the Middle East or the Arab World is just that, talk. They, in the Muslim world, know that we are afraid, and now we know it too. The only real question that remains is; what are we going to do about it?

Professing Themselves To Be Wise

Did you get to read the article below in USA Today or on various internet sites? It is a prime example of ignorace and stupidity the intellectual community is engaged in today. I do not consider myself a biblical scholar, but this is an easy on. The average middle schooler that has any knowledge of the Gospels could handle this one.

First I reprint the article, followed by my letter to USA Today's editorial board.

Eddie
--------------------------

Jesus May Have Walked On Ice?
By Jim Loney- Wed Apr 5, 9:20 AM ET


The New Testament says that Jesus walked on water, but a Florida university professor believes there could be a less miraculous explanation -- he walked on a floating piece of ice.
Professor Doron Nof also theorized in the early 1990s that Moses's parting of the Red Sea had solid science behind it.

Nof, a professor of oceanography at Florida State University, said on Tuesday that his study found an unusual combination of water and atmospheric conditions in what is now northern Israel could have led to ice formation on the Sea of Galilee.

Nof used records of the Mediterranean Sea's surface temperatures and statistical models to examine the dynamics of the Sea of Galilee, which Israelis know now as Lake Kinneret.
The study found that a period of cooler temperatures in the area between 1,500 and 2,600 years ago could have included the decades in which Jesus lived.

A drop in temperature below freezing could have caused ice thick enough to support a human to form on the surface of the freshwater lake near the western shore, Nof said. It might have been nearly impossible for distant observers to see a piece of floating ice surrounded by water.
Nof said he offered his study -- published in the April edition of the Journal of Paleolimnology -- as a "possible explanation" for Jesus' walk on water.

"If you ask me if I believe someone walked on water, no, I don't," Nof said. "Maybe somebody walked on the ice, I don't know. I believe that something natural was there that explains it."
"We leave to others the question of whether or not our research explains the biblical account."

When he offered his theory 14 years ago that wind and sea conditions could explain the parting of the Red Sea, Nof said he received some hate mail, even though he noted that the idea could support the biblical description of the event.

And as his theory of Jesus' walk on ice began to circulate, he had more hate mail in his e-mail inbox.

"They asked me if I'm going to try next to explain the resurrection," he said.
---------------

To: USA Today Editorial Board


Regarding the article on Doron Nof, "Jesus May Have Walked On Ice," this is actually pretty hillarious. It also shows the lengths to which those who do not want to believe will go to try and explain away the person & power of divinity. It also confirms the scripture which states, "professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." Romans 1:22

My question is why go through all of the hassle of trying to explain away the miracle vs. just discrediting or rejecting the validity of the texts? It is much simpler, believable, and honest to just say it is legend and a story added by a biblical writer.

Here are the problems with Nof's thesis.

1) Surely the people of Palestine in 31 A.D. knew what ice was, if it is common at that time and someone would have commented on this.

2) What were the disciples and Jesus doing out on a partially frozen lake? Did they have winter garb on or were they out in freezing weather in robes and sandals?

3) Nof says that, "A drop in temperature below freezing could have caused ice thick enough to support a human to form on the surface of the freshwater lake near the western shore" and that, "it might have been nearly impossible for distant observers to see a piece of floating ice surrounded by water."

The problem is that, the disciples were not distant. According to the biblical account, the disciples had rowed a great distance before Jesus walked out to them on the lake.

>"When they had rowed three and a half miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were terrified.<" John 6:19 NIV

Then Jesus asked Peter to come out of the boat and he did, and also walked on water, thus we would now have to have 2 pieces of floating ice.

When Nof accepts the biblical account that the incident occurred, he accepts that the account is valid, but he merely tries to explain why it happened in an acceptable non-supernatural way. Unfortunately this explaination is harder to swallow than accepting the miraculous account.

Eddie Huff
Tulsa, OK

Has Your Mind Changed?

A few weeks ago a dear friend sent me a simple little email which stated, " This Man Needs Your Prayers." I had no idea who "this man" might be, but wanted to be faithful in praying for someone in need. The post had a link so I went to it and it took me to the photo of President Bush to the left with an admonition to pray for him. Some of you may remember how I urged those who read this blog and that I send emails to pray for the President and the election 2 years ago. Now 2 years later, however, that fervor seems to have dwindled, even in me. What happened?

Has your mind changed with regard to social issues, the war in Iraq, toward the President, or the world in general? If so, ask yourself why. My theory and I think it is a very plausible one is that a constant barrage of media propaganda and attacks upon righteousness is beginning to have an affect. I say this because I see the polls, but also because I listen to the conversations of those around me. How is this happening? Why is public opinion changing so dramatically? It is called mind shaping and goes on all the time. Here is an example. Today I read the same AP wire article on different internet servers. Both AOL and Yahoo ran the same story of a father who went to Iraq to avenge his son's death but who now believes it was a mistake and wants to come home. There is not thing wrong with that, but you have to ask yourself, why would AOL & Yahoo, who are competitors, run the exact same article, by the same anti-war, radical environmentalist writer, and on the same day? There is a clue found in one short paragraph from the article.

"Today it's Joe who mans the M-240 atop a Humvee, warily watching the sides of the road, an unlikely Army corporal at 48, a father who came here for revenge, a Christian missionary on a crusade against Islam, and a man who, after six months at war, is ready to go home."

Did you catch that reference to a "Christian missionary on a crusade against Islam?" Later the man even states that he does not like the people of Iraq or Muslims. I do not know about you, but as a former missionary, the reference to his being a missionary offends me. I of course sent a note to the writer, Yahoo & AOL asking what missions organization the man represents. I know of none that send their people on missions of vengeance and who do not like the people they are sent to minister to. I explained that this is what I call a 2fer. In one article both the U.S. Iraq policy and Christianity are combined and attacked. This writer already has a problem with both, and has written numerous articles attacking each seaparately. To those who already have a problem with either, the message is that this war is a Christian Crusade and supports the notion that those evil Christians led my that arch Christian George W. Bush are behind sending men like this on a mission of vengeance. You see, every time we let this stuff go unchallenged, it allows them to feel they have gotten away with it and sadly, to some extent they have, becase each time there will be more and more people who allow these caricatures to form their opinions of Christianity and of our national policy.

My point in all of this is that we need to circle the wagons. The information we receive and how we receive it does determine our beliefs and values. We must stay in prayer, in the Word, and in fellowship in order to maintain a godly perspective on things. We also need to share that perspective.

I agree with my friend's admonition, and ask you to join me, more now than ever, in praying for that man, George W. Bush, as well as the rest of the leaders of our nation and others. I also ask you not to remian silent on things we know to be true and right.

Tita & Brett's Wedding

Ladies & Gentlemen I present you Mr. & Mrs. Brett Phillips

An Open Letter To Rick Warren

Below is a letter I have sent to Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church. While this letter is addressed to Pastor Warren, I do not want to single him out as the sole target of my writing. He is simply the most visible current evangelical leader and, therefore, to some extenet represents the state of the Church. The contents of this letter could be sent to hundreds of pastors and ministries through out this nation.

I also do not want it construed that I am attacking Pastor Warren's person or overall heart for ministry. His is a fantastic work and I commend him for this. I just feel that this particular vision of his Global P.E.A.C.E plan is misguided for the reasons expressed in the letter. I will continue to pray for Rick Warren and the many other high profile, and lesser known ministries in this nation that they would see that as America goes, so goes the world. Let us heal our land and see that healing spread throughout the entire earth.

--------------------------------------


3, February 2006

Pastor Rick Warren
Saddleback Church
1 Saddleback Parkway
Lake Forest, CA 92630


Dear Rick,

I have wanted to write this letter to you for some time, but I also wanted to be sure that I wrote it in the right spirit and actually understood why I felt as I did. I believe that I can now do that. Several months ago I learned of your Global P.E.A.C.E. plan. In looking into the plan I did an internet search and found several sites attacking you for various reasons, including some persons you had working with you and other issues. I was finally able to find and also look at the plan on your own website and watched the video of you and your wife presenting the plan at Saddleback Church. As a former YWAM missionary having worked in missions for 12 years, some of it in East Africa, I am always thankful for additional help and resources in that great area of need. However, I do have a few problems with the plan and its focus. About the same time that I heard of the Global PEACE plan, I also saw you interviewed on CNBC. In that interview you were asked and admitted that you were no longer going to get involved in social issues. By "social issues", I assume you meant abortion, the gay rights debate and other such socio-political issues. This answered a question that I had been asking for some time. How with all of the dynamic ministries and ministers in Southern California can it be such an anti-Christian bastion? It appears that spiritual leaders there have given up the fight.

I am a black American, AKA African American. Actually I am Mulatto, but for all intents and purposes I am Black. In 1981 I left the U.S. to become a missionary overseas. While there, I had someone ask me why I did not come back and minister to Americans. My answer was that I did not believe I could make a difference in America. I wonder if that is not the same conclusion you have come to. Oh, I realize that you have one of the biggest churches in America and a "mega" ministry, but are you really making a difference? In his book, Scandal Of The Evangelical Conscience, Ron Sider asks the question, "Why are Christians living just like the rest of the world?" He indicts Christians, and I believe rightly so, for not being substantially different from their "unsaved" neighbors in areas of morality, taking care of the poor, and for exceeding those same "unsaved" neighbors in the area of racism. Survey after survey seems to indicate that Professor Sider is correct. But I digress. Back to the Global Peace initiative. I have read the "Plan," and it covers all of the right standard bases, and some new ones, such as working with national political leaders. On the surface it looks good, but I would like to present you with some things to consider. Your P.E.A.C.E. plan envisions making a great difference in the world, but what about Southern California? Last year I wrote a few articles asking where the prophetic voice was in California after the various legal and legislative decisions affecting moral issues there. I asked how a state with as many large churches and renowned pastors could allow the Cross to be taken off of the seal of Los Angeles, or to see a city to allow gay marriage in the face of overwhelming public support for the traditional family unit. Where is the authority of the church in these matters? Have we conceded these areas? You believe that your plan to reach foreign leaders and nations will revolutionize the world. I do not feel I am going out on a limb to prophesy to you that it will not. I have been to several Third World nations and have seen the leadership, and the rank and file citizen. It is not possible to transplant an American system into a society that does not have the basic and essential American values. Unfortunately America is quickly losing those same values, which will make the task that much more difficult. Another issue that is close to my heart is the whole idea of the “White Man's Burden.” Your plan implies that it is our responsibility to save the Third World. This thinking has been around for hundreds of years. In fact if you will read much of the history of the evangelization of Africa and other tribal oriented nations, you will find that the way the nations were reached was by converting the King or leader and in one fell swoop the entire tribe or nation was converted. This was fine until a new leader arose who was bought or influenced by someone with another ideology and then the change to that region or ideology ensued. We still see this particularly in South and Central America. I also believe that we see the after affects of this politically in Black communities in the U.S. . A particular political party influences the so-called black leaders and the sheep follow. This is not true influence and it surely is not evangelism. I realize that this is not what you are envisioning or proposing, or that you wish to see this happen, but I predict it will if you use a top down approach. Which brings me back to the U.S., and a vision for it. I am of the opinion that if you want to save the world, save the United States. Whether we like hearing it or not, it or not, I believe God has chosen this nation for a particular purpose. As God told Moses in Deuteronomy 9, not because we are better than the rest of the world does He do this, but to show His glory through us. We are the last, best hope for seeing mankind live as God intended us to. Our influence both good and bad cannot be underestimated. In my travels south of the border, to Europe, and to Africa there is one thing common to all, they marvel at the United States of America. This cuts both to our secularly and our spiritual influence. For this reason I say that if America loses its Christian freedoms and voice it will not matter who you work through or what you do, there will be no great response in those lands. The main reason that we have a voice now is that we exemplify all that the kingdom of God can be on this earth. I urge you, if you really want to make a difference, to concentrate your efforts, your large financial resources, and your vast network of pastors and church relationships on reaching Compton, Watts, Inglewood and East LA. From there move up the coast to San Francisco and on up to Oregon and Washington. Urge others to concentrate on reaching the large cities of the mid-west and east coast. I believe that if you want to reach the world, begin reaching this nation in a fresh way. I mean really reaching them by cutting to the heart and the soul; unafraid of being considered intolerant, bigoted, or out of touch. The truth and the power of the Holy Spirit is on our side.

Am I advocating abandoning world missions? Of course not, I hope you and other churches send many more missionaries out. What I am saying, however, is that I believe a greater emphasis should be made in reaching the un-reached people groups in the U.S. Inner city kids, rural skin heads, the girls that have “Gone Wild”, and the men and boys who cause them to do so. In the face of these, I think Third World evangelism almost seems easy. I just ask you to consider these things.

Blessings and Grace!


Eddie Huff