Getting Caught Up With Each Other
It’s been a while since I’ve written about what’s going on here on “The Hill.” (”The Hill” being Capitol Hill, Washington, DC. The other thing important to say about it is, “The Hill” is slang for the US Capitol building itself, that sits atop an actual hill.)
Let me give you just a quick summary to get you caught up-to-date:
- The year began with three big events: The biggest was the Inauguration of the 44th President, of course. It was followed just two days later by our National Service for the Pre-born, the annual premiere indoor pro-life celebration and the only full-scale prayer and preaching service held inside the US Capitol complex. My brother, Paul, and I founded this event 14 years ago. It is now sponsored by the National Pro-Life Religious Council headed by Fr. Frank Pavone. The day that got lost in the mix was the Monday preceding the Inaugural, which was Martin Luther King Day. All three kept us very busy.
- MLK Day was filled with folks arriving for the Inaugural ceremonies. Our two facilities–the Ostrowski House Ministry Center and the National Pro-Life Action Center–were overflowing with sleep-over guests. For my wife, Cheryl and me, our two principle guests were Pastor Kenneth Barney and his wife Ellen. I’ve shared a lot of ministry with Pastor Barney over the several years I’ve known him. I’ve been honored by preaching in his pulpit at the incomparable and enormous New Antioch Baptist Church of nearby Randallstown, Maryland. (New Antioch is one of the largest African-American congregations in the metro Washington, DC area.) We’ve also traveled together both in the US and abroad. I asked Pastor Barney if I might have the honor of being his chauffeur on MLK Day, considering the nation would inaugurate its first African-American president the next day. I told him he deserved a white driver for the day! After some hemming and hawing, he acquiesced. We had a lot of fun with it, but it was also a serious exercise for me. “Switching places,” if you will, with what is traditionally an African-American role, was eye-opening and humbling for me. If the pastor didn’t get a lot out of it, I surely did!
- On the Inauguration: By now you’re probably well acquainted with the video of the January 7 prayer and anointing service I did at the doors leading from the US Capitol to the Inaugural stage. This is the path Barack Oabama took on January 20 on his way from being Citizen Obama to President Obama. It got huge viewership. Between the two posts on YouTube, over 160,000 have viewed it so far, with countless others watching on numerous websites that poached it from one or another. In any case, Rev. Pat Mahoney, Congressman Paul Broun and I got lots of praise and criticism for doing it. Some thought it was a sell-out endorsement of a suspicious politician, while others interpreted it as a prayerful rebuke of the incoming pro-choice, pro-same-sex unions chief executive. It was neither. It was simply our best attempt at obeying St. Paul’s mandate in I Timothy 2:1 -2, to pray “for all men, for kings and all who are in authority.” I figure God knows what to do with presidents. Our job is to pray. You can watch my discussion with Pat about this aspect of our now controversial actions by clicking here.
- Among our guests we had a very wide spectrum of opinions about Mr. Obama. Some were here to celebrate the first black president or the change in political culture they believe he brings to the White House. Most were realistic about his policies on abortion and same-sex unions, etc., but they’re willing to either give him a pass or watch to see if he changes while in office. On the other side we had those who came to challenge Mr. Obama, some with graphic photos of aborted babies. My approach in the moment was to suspend my concerns about his policy positions and rejoice with those who see the elevation of a black man as a major step forward for our American civilization. After the initial celebration, however, I am ready now to do our work, which is above all else, evangelization. As missionaries to Capitol Hill, we have to deal with whoever is elected and ends up here–Democrat, Republican, Independent, liberal, conservative or moderate. It doesn’t matter where they come from or what they do, it doesn’t change the message we are charged to deliver to them. So, we’ll do with President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and Majority Leader Harry Reid just what we did with their predecessors and counterparts: Bring them the Gospel and Biblical Truth. We may have to work a little harder at it given the climate, but God is able and we’re up to the challenge!
- On the National Service for the Pre-born (previously known as the National Memorial for the Pre-born), we had a full house in the brand new Congressional Auditorium deep underground inside the spectacular new Capitol Visitor Center. This 580,00 square foot facility was planned initially as a safety buffer between the interior of the US Capitol and the sometimes hostile outside world. the original inducement for the project was the killing of two US Capitol police officers by a crazed gunman in July, 1998. I was there with a group of pastors that day. Since 9/11, though, the project expanded considerably and is now not only a splendid museum to the US Congress, but a secure underground bunker where the Legislative Branch can continue its business even after a destructive assault above ground. We were privileged to one of the few “outside” groups to use this magnificent state-of-art facility for strong witness to the Gospel of Life. (Watch video clips here)
– In the days since all this I’ve been out preaching, giving media interviews and getting geared up for the next big ministry event, the annual US Capitol Bible Reading Marathon. You can read about it at this site under “Upcoming Events.” I hope you and your church can participate with us this year. If there was ever a time God’s Word needed to be proclaimed in its entirety–out-loud–at the seat of the Nation’s government, it is NOW! If you can’t literally get here to pray or read, you can join us live on the Internet. Watch this site for details.
–There will be many “unplanned ministry” opportunities in the days and weeks ahead. We expect at any time for the notorious Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to come down with its decision on whether we will remain “One Nation Under God.” We expect they will do as they did once before and strike down the Pledge of Allegiance as “unconstitutional.” When they do, we’ll be ready to set the courts straight, right up to the US Supreme Court across the street from our ministry headquarters. (We’re busy working and praying on that plan, too.)
I’ll keep you informed about all this and more. In the mean time, thank you for praying for us, standing with us and generously supporting us. You’re as much a part of our ministry team as anyone else and we’re grateful to the Lord and to you for it!
Rob +
