PRESS RELEASE
Project Strait Gate:
https://whtt.org/straitgate/index.php?id=14&news=1
Homepage: https://whtt.org
Contacts:
Charles Carlson, Phoenix 480 947 3329
Bob Singer, Los Angeles, 818-571-1748
PROJECT STRAIT GATE: WE WILL SEEK DEBATE OUTSIDE THE CHURCH ON THE WAY
Seven ladies and four men took up pickets on street-exposed sides of “The Church On The Way” Sunday morning, December 3 during both services. The Vigil aroused sometime bitter conflict and hot words from and to departing church members. Among the signs displayed were:
Blessed are the Peacemakers
Choose Life, Not War
Who Would Jesus Bomb
No More Wars for Israel
Project Strait Gate explained its purpose in a letter to Pastor Jack Hayford dated November 30: The Church on the Way, is “undeniably a tacit enablers, if not overt supporters, of Israel’s present occupations of Gaza, the West Bank…”
…Churches like this one are making “Christians a laughing stock word worldwide” and “The warmaking church is an apostasy and an insult to the name of Christ… Jesus is the peacemaker, He bombs no one.”
Inside the service Pastor Jack Hayford spoke briefly about the demonstration and distributed an antidote flier called, “Where Do We Stand?…concerning the commentary and critique presented by the group planning The Vigil.”
The flier signed by the “Elders” states: “Outside the sanctuary today, you may have noticed some individuals picketing or distributing literature opposing The Church On The Way…The distinct sense of duty we hold toward honoring the Jewish people and Israel are based on instructions of God’s Word (Romans 9-11), and we hold no apology for the Biblical stance…”
Project Strait Gate answers:
Pastor Jack Hayford’s scriptural references provide no real support for today’s State of Israel, or for war in general, and in fact refer entirely to different, unrelated “Israelites” of the Bible.
Even if one imagines the writer (Paul of the Bible) to be talking about a state that would exist 2000 years later, there is nothing in the three chapters Hayford site that would allow a follower of Christ to sit idly by while women and children are executed, much less to cheer on those who do it, or fund the slaughter. Nor can a follower of Christ turn his head and pretend not to see it.
To the contrary, Paul speaks throughout Romans 9-11 of the corruption of ancient Israel and of its sorry apostate condition in the First Century. Paul also says racism is dead under the new covenant, Ch 10: 12, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him.”
Pastor Hayford’s hand-out goes on to say that the church believes in praying “equally” for (Jews) Palestinian and Arabs. We say this is like saying you pray for the turkey before thanksgiving dinner. And the attendee’s attitude at this Church did not reflect evenhandedness; many said: “This Church is for Israel.” Not one reportedly said anything about they prayed for Arabs.
Project Strait Gate local leader Bob Singer calls for a debate: The entire New Testament shouts: “Blessed are the Peacemakers;” Jesus would bomb no one. We will come back to hold Pastor Hayford accountable for his teaching on January 7th 2007, when Project Strait Gate will asking him to debate founder Charles E. Carlson” on the sidewalk outside the church, with media invited.
Question: “Is the political state of Israel the fulfillment of biblical prophesies?” -End
PDF file: Where Do We Stand? Concering the commentary and critique by the group planning “The Vigil” By The Church On The Way, By Church On The Way Undated (Dec 3, 2006)
Word file: Carlson letter to Hayford, November 30, 2006
