Why I Stand with Rodney Howard-Browne

When preachers take a stand against religious tradition or government tyranny, there will be believers and nonbelievers that won’t like it. Such is the case with Rodney Howard-Browne, a South African-born revivalist who also pastors The River Church outside Tampa, Florida. Initially, Rodney became known for holy laughter manifestations at his meetings. While that still occasionally happens, the focus of Rodney’s ministry is seeing souls saved.

The first time I saw Rodney Howard-Browne was in Toronto in August 1996. God mightily touched me at those meetings. A few weeks later, Rodney started his church. I never got to visit there until 2002. In the meantime, I attended more Rodney Howard-Browne meetings at my home church in Minnesota and one in Pensacola, Florida. Contrary to popular belief, Rodney wasn’t part of the Brownsville Revival but did pray for Randy Clark, the minister God later used to spark the Toronto Blessing.

For almost two decades, I’ve made seasonal moves to Tampa and attended many services at The River plus went evangelizing with them a few times. In my opinion, this church is more committed to the Great Commission than any other I’ve been to. Every student at their Bible school is trained to be a soul-winner. Pastor Rodney is aiming to complete a 300-city tour before the end of the year. The purpose of this is to preach the gospel and equip believers to do the work of an evangelist.

Another thing I respect about Rodney Howard-Browne is his generosity. Every Sunday morning, his church sends out buses all over the Tampa Bay area to pick up people needing a ride. The River also provides free bags of groceries. After one Christmas Day service, Pastor Rodney fed the entire congregation a lamb dinner. Another free meal was offered the following week on New Years Day.

In recent years, Rodney has talked more about political matters during his services. At first, I wasn’t fond of listening to what sounded like conspiracy theories to me. Soon I realized God was using Rodney to warn Americans about our freedoms being lost if the wrong people are elected. Earlier this year, he gave me a copy of his latest book “Socialism Under the Microscope.”

During the current coronavirus pandemic, most pastors have gone to live streaming only. Rodney’s church had continued public gatherings but added the following precautions...

1) Enforced a six-foot distance between family groups in the auditorium as well as overflow rooms.
2) All the staff wore gloves.
3) Every person who entered the church received hand sanitizer.
4) In the farmer's market and coffee shop in the lobby, the six-foot distance was enforced with the floor specifically marked (even though farmer’s markets and produce stands are expressly exempted).
5) The church spent $100,000 on a hospital-grade air purification system that provided continuous infectious microbial reduction rated to kill microbes including those in the coronavirus family.

All this wasn’t good enough for Hillsborough County. This past Monday, Sheriff Chad Chronister issued a warrant for Rodney Howard-Browne’s arrest. This is the same sheriff who was honored on January 12th during a Law Enforcement Appreciation Day at The River (I was there for that service). Nevertheless, Rodney turned himself in and was released 30 minutes later after posting a $500 bond.

Some have criticized Pastor Rodney for “endangering” his congregation. I find this accusation ridiculous. Pastors cannot force people to attend their churches. Churchgoers come at their own volition. Rodney and his wife Adonica advised congregation members who were sick or fearful of the virus to stay home and watch services online.

Pastor Rodney has also been accused of being a lawbreaker. Many Americans have never taken an oath to defend the Constitution, which is the highest law of the land. Rodney and Adonica did that when they became naturalized citizens of the United States. The First Amendment clearly states our government has no right to prohibit the free exercise of one’s religion and to peaceably assemble.

Christians are to obey authorities except when it would cause them to violate God’s commandments. An example can be found in Acts chapter 5 when the apostles were commanded not to preach in the name of Jesus. Peter responded in verse 29, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” If Jesus, the Apostle Paul, John the Baptist, Esther, Daniel, and other prophets followed every man-made ordinance, none of them would have fulfilled their divine destinies.

I have questions for believers who have judged Rodney for not obeying the laws of the land. Would you have reported Jews in hiding to the Nazis had you lived under their regime during World War II? What if you reside in a Muslim or Communist-controlled nation where it’s against the law for Christians to have gatherings? This conflicts with Hebrews 10:25, “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Rodney Howard-Browne is not the only pastor who has been prosecuted for exercising his First Amendment rights. Last Sunday, a church service in Fort Lauderdale was shut down by four armed policemen. Another pastor in Louisiana was charged with misdemeanors for having services. The mayor of New York City has threatened fines and permanent closure against churches and synagogues (notice he didn’t mention mosques) who don’t practice social distancing. These could set precedents for politicians to come up with other excuses to close down churches. How many Christians are willing to put up with no public meetings if this continues beyond Easter?

Last Wednesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued a 30-day stay-at-home order but classified religious services as Essential Activities (many politicians have labeled liquor stores, marijuana shops, and abortion providers “essential“). Hours later, Pastor Rodney announced a temporary cancelation of services to protect his congregation from death threats his church received and false arrests by authorities. The next day, the Hillsborough County Council reversed its stance and recognized churches as essential despite opposition from the mayor of Tampa who is openly gay.

Whether or not you agree with Rodney Howard-Browne’s ministry, all believers should be supportive of him and other preachers standing up for their Constitutional rights. It’s often been said, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.”

I choose to stand with Pastor Rodney.

“And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.” - 1 Corinthians 12:26

Pearls Before Swine

While I’m evangelizing, the Lord will often direct me to avoid certain individuals. Some Christians think this contradicts Jesus’ command to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) Salvation is available to those who want it. Sadly, not everyone values the things of God.

One day while doing street ministry in Richmond, Virginia, I walked up to what appeared to be a Black Muslim. I perceived the Lord didn't want me talking to this man but witnessed to him anyway. He wasted my time rambling about what he thought the Bible says. I walked away since he wouldn’t let me respond to his misguided claims. 

Then last month, I found out comedian Kip Addota had died. I posted a link to an article about that on Dr. Demento’s Facebook page since Kip’s recordings are often played on Dr. D’s radio show. My post included the comment, “I hope Kip knew the Lord.” That immediately triggered some mocking messages. I felt led to delete my post. Then I remembered what Jesus said in Matthew 7:6, “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” 

A footnote in the Amplified Bible’s rendering of Matthew 7:6 points out “dogs” and “pigs” represent those who despise sacred things. Jesus also said in Matthew 15:26, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” There have been other times when I tried describing spiritual things to people who didn’t appreciate them. They either weren’t saved or immature in the faith.

Amos 5:13 says, “Therefore the prudent keep silent at that time, for it is an evil time.” While our labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58), there are times it’s best not to say anything to people who will bring nothing but persecution. It’s more fruitful reaching out to those who recognize the value of what’s being offered to them.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” - Matthew 13:45-46

God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness - A Review

On Good Friday I saw the third installment of the “God’s Not Dead” movie series. As expected, “A Light in Darkness” begins where “God’s Not Dead 2” left off: A pastor had been arrested for not turning in copies of his sermons as mandated by a city prosecutor’s subpoena. The pastor is soon released but then faces more difficult challenges. His church is destroyed in a fire that takes the life of an associate minister. Then a local college tries to block the rebuilding of the church through eminent domain. The pastor prepares for a legal battle.

Mixed emotions are experienced both by the pastor and a young man who caused the church fire. The movie also addresses a dilemma Christians often face: when to continue fighting for our rights. It appeared this movie would feature a court hearing like its predecessor but takes an unexpected turn at the end. The overall message is that whatever we do for the Lord, love must always be the motive. 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (NLT) reminds us, “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.”

“God's Not Dead: A Light in Darkness” features returning characters from the two previous movies. Among the actors playing new characters include John Corbett, Ted McGinley and Academy Award-winning actress Tatum O’Neal. There’s also an appearance by gospel singer Cissy Houston (mother of the late Whitney Houston).

The original “God’s Not Dead” is still my favorite of the trilogy. The third one hasn’t done well at the box office compared to other new faith-based movies like “Paul: Apostle of Christ” (which I saw the week before) and “I Can Only Imagine.” Nevertheless, it’s encouraging to see the name of Jesus lifted up in theaters instead of being used as a cuss word.

“And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” - John 12:32

God's Not Dead 2: A Review

Twenty years ago I worked for World Wide Pictures, the film ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. I saw firsthand how movies can be a powerful tool to reach people with the gospel. Many pastors who showed one of Billy’s films in their churches testified of individuals getting born again and/or recommitting their lives to the Lord. While it’s unfortunate many faith-based movies have been rather cheesy, others with higher quality productions have surprisingly done well in secular venues. The 2014 release “God’s Not Dead” grossed over $60 million on a $2 million budget. 

Yesterday I saw “God’s Not Dead 2.” Many of the characters from the original reappear in this sequel including the Newsboys. The main protagonist is a public high school teacher named Grace Wesley (played by Melissa Joan Hart). Grace is confronted by her superiors for quoting Scripture in response to a question one of her students asked regarding Jesus. Refusing to apologize for her faith, Grace is taken to court. She is represented by a lawyer who isn’t a believer himself but helps defend her First Amendment rights. The movie features appearances by Mike Huckabee, Rice Broocks, Lee Strobel, J. Warner Wallace, and a very aged Pat Boone who is now in his eighties.

While I personally prefer the original “God’s Not Dead” movie, this sequel is still worth seeing. It clearly points out how in today's culture, everything is tolerated in the name of inclusion except for those who express their faith in Jesus. Critics may complain of “God’s Not Dead 2” showing Christians having a persecution complex. Yet in this age of political correctness, God-fearing people have lost their jobs and businesses because of standing up for their beliefs. The closing credits include an extensive list of real life legal cases similar to the one shown in the film. There’s also a final scene that will likely be the subject of “God’s Not Dead 3.”

Let this movie inspire you not to idly sit on the sidelines as godless agendas try to take over society but to be a bold witness for the Lord.

“Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” - 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

The Promise of Persecution

Leonard Ravenhill once said, “You can’t develop character by reading books. You develop it from conflict.” While God is not the one who brings calamity into people’s lives, sometimes He allows challenging situations to manifest so we develop a greater trust in Him and become more Christ-like.

2 Timothy 3:12 promises, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” If you are truly living for the Lord, then you should expect people to occasionally call you names like “religious fanatic”, “Bible thumper”, and “Jesus freak.” (My brother-in-law thanks people who call him the latter). Unfortunately some believers who are not grounded on the word of God will draw back when persecuted. Jesus talked about this in Mark 4:17, “and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.”

How should a Christian respond to persecution? Our natural human tendency is to answer likewise when people act ugly towards us. But Romans 12:14 says, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” 

One minister I know often jokes about “Percy” (his nickname for persecution) being an employee on his payroll. The Apostle Paul wrote about taking pleasure in persecutions in 2 Corinthians 12:10. But that doesn’t mean we are to be Christian masochists and purposely look for opportunities to be persecuted. When I’m out street evangelizing, sometimes the Lord will instruct me NOT to talk to certain people. Some folks are so hardhearted; they won’t be receptive to the gospel no matter how you present it to them.

Unless the Lord instructs you to remain at a particular place for a season, persecution may be a sign that it’s time to leave. One day a man who had invited me to stay in his home for a season suddenly started criticizing my ministry. Rather than waste time defending myself, I went out and won more souls for the Lord. Romans 12:21 says, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” The next day I moved out of this man’s house. As Mike Murdock says, “Go where you are celebrated instead of where you are tolerated.”

Other times, you might need to stay and confront the persecution. I once lived with a professing believer who had serious personal issues. He would often get drunk on beer and then hurled strange accusations against me. In response, I sang songs about the blood of Jesus and the man backed off. 

So the next time you are persecuted, keep in mind that the battle is never with flesh and blood but wicked spirits manifesting through people whose lives are not submitted to the Lord. As long as you are not opening doors to the devil, receiving persecution is probably a sign that you are doing something right.

“Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” - Matthew 5:12

It’s a Wonderful Life?

Some Christians don’t like it when they hear other believers witnessing to sinners by saying, “God has a wonderful plan for your life.” (Personally I prefer to use the term “awesome.”) Recently I saw a video produced by an evangelistic ministry that questioned how one could tell somebody who would later perish in a terrorist attack that God has a wonderful plan for his life.

First, God is not looking to shorten people’s lives. Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” I’ve heard numerous testimonies of people who escaped tragedies like 9/11 because they listened to the leading of the Lord.

Opponents of the “good plan” doctrine will cite examples of Christians who have been imprisoned, tortured, or killed for their faith. It’s true that 2 Timothy 3:12 says, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” Forerunners like the Apostle Paul and Martin Luther certainly experienced a lot of that. Except for John, all of the original apostles were martyred.

Still. that doesn’t negate the fact that God wants us to have blessed lives here on earth. Jesus points out in Mark 10:29-30 that persecution comes alongside the blessings he wants to give us…

“Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.”

Regardless of the present state of the world, a person totally submitted to the Lord can literally have “heaven on earth.” Other Scriptures promising a good plan from God include…

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” - Jeremiah 29:11

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” - Ephesians 3:20

“But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’” - 1 Corinthians 2:9

Verse 12 from this same chapter says, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.” The New Living Translation of this verse reads, “And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.”

Here’s a question for the “wonderful plan” critics out there; you wouldn’t like it if you saw one of your kids suffer or being persecuted? Why would our heavenly father be any different? Jesus takes it personally when one of the brethren is persecuted (see Matthew 25:40 and Acts 9:4-5).

God does allow challenging situations to occur in our lives so that we might grow in faith and mature in Christian character. Back in October 1996, the Lord led me to move from Minnesota to Toronto, Canada. I left the Midwest with $120 and had no idea where I was going to live. After staying in a hostel for four nights, I found myself one day out of money and my gas tank low on fuel. Rather than panicking, I sat in my car and meditated on James 1:2-4…

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing."

Later that day someone offered to buy me dinner and also gave me some money. Eventually I found a place to live.

In 2001, I briefly lived in Pensacola, Florida with a professing Christian who had many personal issues. A few times the devil used this man to make harassing comments at me. I responded by singing songs about the blood of Jesus and the man left me alone. One night I politely asked my roommate to turn down the TV since I was trying to sleep. He suddenly got angry and ordered me to move out of his house. Not having a car, I didn’t know what to do. Suddenly, a mutual friend of ours showed up at the door. The Lord had directed this woman to drive to the man’s house. She was able to calm him down but he still insisted I find another place to live. So this woman drove me to a friend of hers who agreed to let me temporary stay at his house until I returned to Virginia. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

Is it necessary to tell someone you’re ministering to about suffering for the faith? Perhaps that would be advisable if one were in a nation where preaching the gospel is illegal. On the other hand, there are many people in so-called Christian nations who have suffered enough through drug addictions, health issues, and financial problems. They need to hear about a God that wants to deliver them from their bondages so they can live a long victorious life here on earth. Look at Psalm 91:14-16…

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.”

This is not meant to criticize Christian martyrs. There is a special reward available for individuals who lay down their lives for the gospel’s sake. Revelation 2:10 says, “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” But if you know your authority in Christ Jesus, God can deliver you from even the most impossible situations. The Apostle Paul overcame various calamities until he declared in 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Despite whatever tests and trials that may come up, God has a good (and wonderful) plan for whoever submits their entire lives to Him. But remember: it’s His plan, not ours.

“‘If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land. But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword’; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” - Isaiah 1:19-20