Friend to Churches Ministries, 3166 Wildwood Circle Massillon, OH 44646. Phone: 330-837-2568

I make a point of trying to report any victories that Christians or Americans in general have had. I do this for one simple reason. I want to encourage our people instead of discourage them. I want to be a help, not a hinderance. I want to increase the morale of Christians rather than destroy it. A friend is supposed to be a help and I want to be a friend.

Imagine if two enemy soldiers could sit down casually and discuss the progress of a war that their respective armies were fighting. "Soldier A" asks "Soldier B" the question "How are things going?" Imagine his delight if "Soldier B" responds, "Terrible! Your army defeats us in every battle, we lose more ground everyday. Your army is unstoppable."

Obviously such a report would greatly increase "Soldier A's" morale. He might have been about to quit but would now be encouraged to fight on...even harder! We Christians are the only army I know of that loves to report our defeats. We look at everything from a "loser's" perspective. We magnify any and every "victory" that our opposition achieves. We are even willing to help our enemies by spreading any negative news about our cause across the country in our books and periodicals.

Think about it! The liberal, bias news media is ready and willing to report anything that the hate-filled homosexuals, the intolerant environmentalists and the vile New Agers do in a positive, victorious light. They don't need our help too!

We are so dedicated to depression and defeat that we are even willing to report anything good that happens for our side in some negative light lest any of us should begin to have any hope. In fact, we so relish the thought of losing that we literally "Snatch defeat from the jaws of victory."

Take, for example, the 1989 fall of Communism in the former Soviet Union. All my life I heard that Communism was bad. Preachers preached that it was of the devil and had to go. We said that the Berlin Wall had to be torn down. Yet, in 1989 when these very things happened many preachers refused to claim a victory for our side of any sort. Instead they cocked one eyebrow and confidently confided, "I think the fall of Communism was a trick of the devil." Now look! Either Communism was of the devil and we were wrong for ever preaching against it or the fall of Communism is of the devil and we need to start demanding its reinstatement. But BOTH can't be "of the devil"! But that's us. Scared to claim a victory and ever ready to paint any situation as black as we can. I say the fall of Communism was of God! I think it was a major defeat for the devil. And yes, although I don't expect Russia and the Eastern European countries to stay open to the gospel indefinitely, there are going to be a bunch of people in Heaven from those countries due to these few years that they have been open. Can't we rejoice in that? Can't we rub some Liberal's nose in their defeats. Sometimes we Christians act like we believe that it is impossible for the devil to lose. Only God can lose. I refuse to believe, accept or preach that!

I find that there is no lack of sources of bad news among Christians. Look, I know that there is much "bad" going on out there and that there are people who wish us death and doom. But do I have to help them? Do I have to spread their message for them? Doesn't Dan Rather & Co. do a good enough job?

I know that you can't live with your head in a hole in the ground. You can't pretend that everything is rosy and that we are in the midst of a national revival. But even the Germans & Japanese won some victories during WW II and reported them in such a way as to increase the morale of their troops. Can't we report on any of our victories in an effort to increase the morale of our troops?

That is what I try to do. I know that there are many bad things going on in this world. But I have taken a lesson from the news media. They never over emphasize their defeats and are always quick to proclaim a victory. Why? Because they want to encourage their troops. They want to inspire them not to give up. To be bold for their wicked cause. I will acknowledge our defeats but will not dwell on them. I will broadcast any victory we have that I know has hurt the devil and his crowd. I want to encourage our troops. I want to inspire them to do more for our righteous cause. Bad news makes you want to quit. Good news makes you want to keep on going. It's as simple as that.

I don't want to get to Heaven and meet some Christian who tells me, "I quit on the Lord because after reading your newsletter I felt that there was just no hope." I would rather meet someone who says, "I thought that we were losing on every front and then I saw in your newsletter that we were winning a few and so I kept on going for the Lord."

What do you want to be known for?