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Many in the church today are struggling with secret sins. In fact, studies show that in several areas of their lives, Christians are living by the same standards as those in the world.

I spoke about this problem recently when I was ministering at Lakeshore Vineyard Fellowship in Holland, Mich., pastored by my friend Paul Bradford. I asked the men there to fill out a survey to see how their group compared with the national average.

On the survey, I asked the men if they had bought a lottery ticket, watched a PG-13 or R-rated movie, looked at pornography, masturbated or skipped church within a specified number of months, and if they were divorced.

After we tallied the results, I told them that in every area but one–purchasing a lottery ticket–their responses were equivalent to those given on the nationwide survey. In other words, their tendencies to look at pornography, masturbate, get divorced and so on were on a par with those of men in the world.

So what does this mean? I believe that the standards in the church are eroding before our eyes, and it is as if no one seems to notice. Even great men of God focus on “faith” or “vision” in their weekly messages rather than addressing the sin issue.

It’s hard for many Christians to enter into all that God has for them because they are living double lives–professing God publicly but privately eschewing His commandments. Each time they sin, they fall a bit farther from where they should be and often spin out of control because there is no one to help.

This is true for Christian leaders, too. But it is not God’s plan! The Christian life is supposed to be lived in community with others who know and love us and are willing to confront us when we need it.

Each of us needs at least one person with whom we can be completely honest about anything in our lives–someone who will not judge us but will hold us accountable to walk in the Spirit so that we do not fulfill “the lusts of the flesh.”

Robert Tilton, former pastor of Word of Faith Family Church in Dallas, is a good example of someone who might have benefited from this type of relationship. He was flying high in the 1980s but crashed suddenly in the 1990s, losing not only his ministry and his church but his marriage as well.

When I first met him in 1979, I was impressed by his humility. He seemed to really love Jesus.

As his ministry mushroomed, Joy and I got to know his wife, Marte, and their children. We lost touch with Marte during the downward spiral but several years ago became aware of how God had brought her through the dissolution of their marriage and ministry. Recently we published her book, The Only Way Out Is Through, which chronicles her journey () and shows how God’s grace sustains a person who gets to the top and then loses it all.

Whatever ultimately caused her husband’s downfall, his story demonstrates the need for pastors and leaders to live transparent lives and to be accountable to other godly men and women. This may mean embracing a lifestyle and values that are more in keeping with biblical standards.

Otherwise, there is little to set Christian leaders apart from the world. So many of them have been elevated to celebrity status! Even ministries such as Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) that boldly proclaim the gospel have taken on many of the trappings of secular “celebrity.”

And in some segments, people we look to as Christian leaders have adopted the lifestyle, too, including the habit of floating in and out of marriages. Just look at the list of “evangelical celebrities” who are divorced: Joyce Landorf, Sandi Patty, Amy Grant, Michael English, John Jacobs of the Power Team, and many more.

Yet their music continues to sell; their books continue to sell; people still attend their rallies. And no one says anything to call them to account.

It’s time for us, at every level, to hold one another accountable in love. It’s time for us to give up our secret sins and link up with trusted brothers and sisters in Christ who can help us in our walks with God.

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Stephen Strang is the founding editor of Charisma. His first book, Old Man New Man (Charisma House), is available at .

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Have you ever wondered what God wants you to do for His kingdom? If you haven’t, you’re in the minority because each day, thousands of believers fall to their knees to query Him. “Lord, what do You want from me?” they ask. Or, “What should I do with my life?” And sometimes we wonder if He’s called us at all: “Father, did You really call me to this area of ministry?”

From Noah to David to John the Baptist and the apostle Paul, men and women alike have bombarded heaven with these questions. Some of us–heaven forbid–have even consulted psychics or tarot cards in a futile attempt to search for purpose in life.

What are we actually looking for? Do we query for easy, pat answers that require nothing of us, or are we really looking for the truth? Are we searching for a heavenly lottery, or are we willing to do what God has called us to do in life?

In our 21st-century technocratic society, we are so distracted that we often miss the really important things in our lives. Computers keep us occupied from dawn till dusk. Our families, DVDs, CDs, hobbies and a myriad of other diversions take up the rest of our time. When do we have time to listen to God, let alone respond to His call?

If Isaiah were alive today, he might have missed God’s call. He could have easily let the answering machine pick up, or he could have checked his Caller ID and decided to bypass the conversation entirely.

As Christians, we can be certain of one thing: If we are truly children of God, then we are called to His purposes. He is constantly talking to us. He’s gently pulling us–and sometimes even dragging us–from our comfort zones into the “God zone.”

The question is, are we listening? And when we hear His call, are we mistaking it for our own desires? Are we picking up the right line?

God calls every Christian into ministry. Some of us are called to preach, others to teach or prophesy, and some to evangelize. You may be a parent, a receptionist, a chef or a maid. God has called some of you to heal others through medicine, psychology, nursing or dentistry. Your call could be something fascinating or routine. But we are all called in a unique and individual way.

Even the way we are called will differ from person to person. God’s call to Isaiah came in the form of a vision or a dream: “‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.’ Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me'” (Is. 6: 6-8, NKJV).

Your call may come as a gentle prod, a frequent thought or in the form of a person, a job or a project. You might have prayed for your call, or it may have been thrust upon you. And yes, we have all been called to something beyond our own lives.

If we choose to respond, it will require that we give up something. The United States may be considered a free country, but as believers in Jesus Christ, our commitment comes with a price. There must be an exchange in order to enter into His kingdom. That exchange–the price–will inherently include some sort of sacrifice.

Different callings require different sacrifices. Your sacrifice may not be the same as your spouse’s or your close friend’s. You may be called to sacrifice your pride, arrogance or ego, while others surrender their time, talent or their finances. But make no mistake–you will have to relinquish something in order to live the life God has promised you.

You must be willing to give up your will for His will, your thoughts for His thoughts and your way of doing things for His righteousness. There is no way around it: Freedom, in Him, has a price.

In these last days, God is looking for people who will rise to the occasion. Not just ordinary men and women, but extraordinary people who are 100 percent committed to His kingdom and the call of God on their lives.

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When charismatic believers enlist in the United States Navy, there is no way for them to register their religious preference. That oversight is just one of numerous complaints that have sparked four lawsuits charging the Navy with religious discrimination against a wide spectrum of evangelical Christians.

“I was aware of constitutional violations a dozen years ago,” said Jim Ammerman, director of the Chaplaincy of Full Gospel Churches, which represents 7.5 million charismatics and Pentecostals.

“We quit recommending they go into the Navy. I told people they weren’t going to be treated fairly and would get put out after three years. That’s what was happening.”

The Dallas-based organization filed suit in late 1999 on behalf of eight chaplains it had endorsed. The complaint charged that the five men and three women were passed over for promotions and discriminated against in performance reviews. Thirteen charismatics and Pentecostals are among 27 plaintiffs in the suits, which have been working their way through federal courts in San Diego and Washington, D.C.

Also at issue is the Navy’s chaplaincy system, which the plaintiffs say is unfairly tilted toward Catholics and members of mainline denominations. A class-action suit filed last year was consolidated with the Full Gospel case for court action. The U.S. Justice Department argues they should be dismissed. According to a court motion, the suits fail to raise constitutional questions.

“Determining what composition of faiths within the Chaplain Corps will enable it to provide for the Navy’s ministry needs entails more than simply investigating and then mirroring the breakdown of faiths within the broader Navy community,” the department’s filing said.

Regardless of the outcome, Ammerman said the lawsuits have already had an impact. Last year, the Navy altered the composition of its promotion boards, including a line officer and mixed denominational representation. In the past it was common for all five members to come from liturgical groups, Ammerman said.

Ammerman, a retired Army chaplain, also is optimistic because of last year’s appointment of Vernon Clark, an outspoken Pentecostal, as Chief of Naval Operations. These legal challenges have also increased awareness of the situation.

“Everywhere I go, people know who I am. Other endorsers have said, ‘Jim, we’re glad you filed this.’ I’ve [replied]: ‘Liberals do not understand justice, fairness or honesty. But they do understand a bump on the head.'”

In 30 years, Braeswood Assembly of God has gone from a white, middle-class church to a local church to a local bation of racial diversity.

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On Sunday morning, the crowded sanctuary of Braeswood Assembly of God looks like it could have been plucked from the heart of Africa. Many people wear traditional clothes and large, ornate headdresses of bright orange and purple. The worship is passionate and expressive.

But Braeswood Assembly is in the heart of a Texas metropolis–a world away from Africa. The church in southwest Houston has changed from being middle-class and white to a bastion of cultural diversity. The congregation has
found that embracing diversity leads to sustained growth and revival.

“The Assemblies of God is pretty strong in Nigeria, so that draws Nigerians here, though we have never made a conscious effort to go after a certain ethnic group,” said senior pastor Steve Banning. “When people come to the church they feel welcome because of the diversity.”

Earl Banning, Steve’s father, took the church in 1970 with 120 people and guided the congregation through several key decisions that laid the foundation for diversity and continued growth. One of those decisions was to resist “white flight” and stay in their original location while many other churches moved to the suburbs.

Another decision was to embrace revival, particularly the Jesus Movement and the charismatic renewal of the 1970s and 1980s.

“Talk about a radical shift–from a suburban, middle-class white church to hippies coming in with shorts, sandals and long hair,” Banning said. “But that was when the church began to grow. There wasn’t turmoil. We started a Saturday night Jesus rally. A number of churches took a stand against those movements, but it has been a key for us.

“I think that was the precursor to what happened racially. That openness and compassion set the tone for receiving different races of the world without getting all shook up.”

Braeswood continued to experience regular times of revival and moves of the Holy Spirit. In the 1980s African and Caribbean immigrants began coming in greater numbers as the demography of the neighborhood changed.

Wycliffe Bailey, 53, came to Houston from Jamaica in 1982. A 21-year veteran of the oil industry, he is now the church’s Christian education director.

“When we first attended Braeswood it was a white middle-class church, but I noticed a growing number of minorities,” Bailey said. “Soon there was more than a handful of blacks, mainly foreign blacks. The pastor
felt it was God’s will that the church change. He had an open arms policy to whoever God sent here.”

Today, roughly 65 percent of the Braeswood congregation is African American or from Jamaica or the African continent. Fifty-five countries are represented, including Asian, Indian and Hispanic countries.

Eno Usanga, 26, and his family came to Houston from Nigeria in 1993. They were active in their church there and discovered that Braeswood was a perfect fit, Usanga said.

“I was excited to find a church with that much diversity. Many Africans, Nigerians, Caribbeans, people from around the globe were worshiping together.”

Usanga coaches the drama team, publishes the youth newsletter and plays drums for the Sunday services. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston but found his life’s work at the church.

“You get to do what God gave you a passion for at Braeswood,” he said. “I believe the church is ready for a mighty breakthrough. I see us being a cornerstone for southwest Houston.”

The excitement of many cultures uniting has helped bring steady growth. The church counts 2,500 weekly attendees, and every week 25-30 people come to Christ, Banning said. The church also is unabashedly Spirit-filled.

“It is uncommon to have a service where the gifts don’t function,” Banning said. “We give place for the Holy Spirit. We don’t veil or hide it. We are charismatic and let the Holy Spirit touch people’s lives.”

Reagan Jacks, 54, a computer consultant, came to Christ at Braeswood after going through a divorce and experimenting with New Age religions.

“I’ve lived a dreadful life,” Jacks said. “I was on a spiritual search, but didn’t know it. In my early 40s, my daughter became extremely ill, my father died, I got divorced, and I suffered financial setbacks.

“I walked into Braeswood on Easter 1991 with the intention of giving my life to Christ, without even knowing the full impact of what that would mean. It took me three weeks to stop crying.”

A few weeks later he was baptized in the Holy Spirit. He and his wife now lead the singles ministry.

“I don’t know that I could function in any other environment. All the cultures and languages mesh together as a family,” Jacks adds.

“A relationship with God is the glue that makes this thing work,” Banning says. “What the United Nations can’t do, God is doing.”
–Joel Kilpatrick

Defying regional sentiments, Southland Church in Valdosta opened its doors in 1997 to people of all races.

Don’t tell Aundria Collins that racism in the Deep South is a distant page in history. But don’t tell her God isn’t moving to change hearts. Aundria found a unique racially mixed church in south Georgia–where peanuts, corn, tobacco and cotton were harvested by slave labor until the Confederacy lost the Civil War.

In Valdosta, Ga., 20 miles over the Florida state line along I-75, Aundria and her husband, Martin Collins, found racism. But God also led them to a mostly white church that is battling racism’s stronghold with a silent campaign to embrace African Americans.

The Collinses, who both are on active duty in the U.S. Air Force, arrived in Valdosta in 1997 on orders to Moody Air Force Base. Their spiritual background is in the Church of God in Christ. They had driven down from their New Jersey home in November 1997 and immediately faced situations they had never faced before.

They had “real estate” problems, Martin said, because of “our color.” And when they
enrolled their children in school, they were surprised when a white teacher suggested pairing their daughter Monica with a black student.

“We told the teacher that Monica is a little sensitive, and the teacher said, ‘We’ll put her with a little black girl,'” said Martin. “We said, ‘She doesn’t pick friends by whether they’re black or white.’ I began praying, ‘Lord, are You sure we made the right decision?'”

Pastor Lee Barnes of Southland Church in Valdosta believes God sent the Collinses and several other black couples his way because his mostly white church prays and strives to be a living bridge between Valdosta’s segregated church–a split that mirrors the city’s society.

Southland is an offshoot of New Covenant Church, an independent charismatic church located on Valdosta’s north side–the predominately “white” side of town. Barnes pastored New Covenant for seven years.

In July 1997, New Covenant’s 600 members were asked to seek the Lord about whether they should stay at the home church or join a church expansion at what today is Southland. Some 190 members left for the new church–and Barnes left New Covenant to pastor there. Southland, whose membership has grown to 600, is located on the south and predominately black side of town.

“We didn’t plan it that way,” Barnes said. “God gave us this former plant building in an industrial area. God just in His sovereignty placed us here.”

How does a white church convince local residents that it’s serious about opening its congregation to all races?

“You can preach until you’re blue in the face that, ‘We don’t look at skin color here,'” Barnes told Charisma. “But if you don’t invite them into your leadership, they think you’re lying. They will see right through it.

“When you see that God has called somebody to lead–let them. If they are called, if they are mature, if they are committed, let them lead.”

Martin Collins, for example, is a leader of one of several home groups organized by the church to bring members into New Testament-style fellowship, and many who attend Martin’s group are white.

Barnes learned firsthand about racism while growing up in Waycross, Ga. He had to ask permission of a white pastor to invite his black friends to a revival. And when a black high school student came to live with Barnes’ family in 1973, while the student’s family worked through some problems, the family was chastised for allowing a black person to stay with them.

“I just determined that we were not going to have that here,” Barnes said. “We treat everyone equally.”

Racism comes in different forms, Aundria pointed out. Her 10-year-old son, Adrian, has been accused by other black schoolmates of not “acting black enough” because he doesn’t speak in today’s rap lingo. And her 12-year-old daughter, Monica, had the same problem.

“We are not black or white. We are a Christian family,” Aundria said. “I praise God for this church. My children’s church friends, black or white, love them just for who they are.”

Mary Frances faced some ridicule when her fellow African American neighbors learned she was attending a “white” church. But when they saw white folks helping her move to a new home, they saw the real Jesus.

“I knew this church was where I was supposed to be because on my second visit a white man came across the aisle to me and said God told him to tell me that God would use me as a bridge,” Frances said.

Two Assemblies of God churches in Sydney are aiding the nation in the aftermath of devastating ethnic violence.

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When the citizens of the fledgling nation of East Timor, northwest of Australia, voted overwhelmingly in August 1999 for independence from Indonesia, they paid the ultimate cost. Indonesian forces made a scorched-earth withdrawal, murdering Timorese and pillaging property of all value. Much of the land, including up to 90 percent of the capital, Dili, was left in ruin.

In the wake of the devastation, two Assemblies of God churches in Sydney, Australia, have linked with a Christian-aid agency to help bring relief to the traumatized nation. Though both churches plan longer-term missions involvement there, economic revival is an urgent priority. Michael Murphy, senior pastor of Shire Christian Centre, found a community in shock on his first visit to East Timor a month after the vote.

“The devastation was like nothing I’ve seen before, and the way the East Timorese had been pillaged was very spiteful,” he said. “I walked through many of the homes, and even the [water] pipes had been taken. Every last bit of value had been ripped from the homes.”

In October 2000 Shire joined Sydney’s largest church, Hillsong, in a fund-raising run that brought in $50,000 to help the East Timorese economy. Among the runners were 30 paratroopers of the 3rd Royal Australian Regiment, who, along with other Australian Defence Force units, carried out a highly acclaimed peacekeeping deployment in East Timor.

Shire and Hillsong work closely with Sydney-based Opportunity International Australia, a Christian overseas-aid organization that manages the funds raised. Opportunity’s “micro enterprise development” program offers small business loans to the developing world’s poorest people. Opportunity staff survived an office bombing and so far have helped more than 600 East Timorese build businesses as diverse as fishing, tailoring, carpentry and hairdressing.

Among the beneficiaries is Ana da Silva, whose story typifies many. When pro-Indonesian militia burned down her home and hairdressing salon in Dili, Ana and her family fled to the harbor, where, with thousands of others, she begged for a boatlift to safety. There the militia singled out her teen-age son, falsely accused him of belonging to the resistance and murdered him before her eyes.

Eventually returning to Dili, Ana’s business assets amounted to a crimping iron and a hairdryer. A first Opportunity loan of 5 million rupiah ($550 U.S.) enabled her to rebuild her salon, and with a second loan she bought hairdressing chairs and hair products. Up to 90 percent of loan recipients are women, said Simon Lynch, Opportunity’s managing director for East Timor and a Shire congregation member.

“In East Timor there has been a lot of loss of life among the male population, but we’ve also found out over time that the women often carry the brunt of the poverty, and generally the money that’s earned in businesses run by women tends to get spent on the family,” he said.

Opportunity’s clients are organized into “trust banks,” groups of up to 30 who are asked to co-guarantee each
other’s loans. They meet regularly to make repayments and receive training and mentoring. The default rate, Lynch said, is less than 1 percent.

Marketing manager Nicole Partridge said Opportunity aims to give the needy a “hand-up,” not a “handout.”

“Loans help them establish responsibility and accountability for the money. If they want to expand the business and get a loan from a local bank, they have a credit rating–we can give them references.”

Like Murphy, Hillsong’s senior associate pastor Jonathan Wilson has made several visits to East Timor and has spoken with loan recipients. Pleased with the benefits flowing through Opportunity, both men are now thinking beyond economics.

“We’ve been looking at starting a church plant in Dili, possibly an English-speaking service. Many of the people want to learn English,” Wilson said. “We would be looking at something that would reflect the heart and spirit of Hillsong Church.”

Hillsong Church, known for its worship songs, had held seven previous fund-raising runs, enabling Opportunity to fund 35,000 small businesses in Ghana, West Africa.

Organizers have run afoul of Jews and charismatics since they opened the attraction in Orlando

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Zion’s Hope, a nondenominational organization headed by converted Jew, Marvin Rosenthal, opened the doors to its Holy Land Experience theme park in Orlando, Fla., in early February amid a wave of controversy.

The $16 million replica of ancient Jerusalem captivates park-goers with a huge facade of the Herodian Temple, hand-carved Qumran caves where the Dead Sea scrolls were found and re-enactments of the Messiah. Now a Baptist preacher, Rosenthal says he created the Holy Land Experience as a “living biblical museum” and as a constant reminder of the life and times of Jesus Christ.

Several Jewish leaders, however, protested the opening of central Florida’s newest attraction,
condemning what they believe is an outright deception of the park’s true intention–which they say is to trick Jews to come into see Old Testament historical exhibits. Once inside, they’re trapped by overt gospel presentations aimed to convince Jews of Jesus’ divinity.

“If [Zion’s Hope] is an organization dedicated to celebrating their tradition, then I think [the Holy Land Experience] is a wonderful thing,” said Rabbi Dan Wolpe of the Temple Ohalei Rivka. “If it’s dedicated to proselytizing those who don’t accept their tradition, then I think it’s a terrible thing.”

On opening day, a few protestors stood outside the attraction with bull horns and posters. They shouted, “Stop the destruction of the Jewish people!” and sometimes referred to park owners as “Nazis.”

Rosenthal says his message has never been misleading, and he maintains that the accusations represent an attack on religious freedom. “In all our literature, we made it crystal clear that we point to Jesus Christ as the Son of God and Savior of the world,” he said.

One month later, Rosenthal made headlines again when he revealed that he endorsed anti-charismatic hiring practices. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Rosenthal said charismatics need not apply for any positions at the attraction, not even for jobs as hot dog vendors at the park’s Oasis Cafe.

“We are not charismatics,” he told the newspaper. “We love them. We appreciate them. But we would not offer them a job.”

Applicants must sign a doctrinal statement that excludes Pentecostals and charismatics. And one local Pentecostal pastor complained that members of his church who applied for jobs at the park were told they could not work there because of their doctrinal beliefs.

However, Holy Land Experience spokesman Gregg Halteman told Charisma that charismatic or Pentecostal employees who work at the attraction “will not be fired for their beliefs.”

National media attention has boosted the park’s already record-breaking attendance. For $17 a ticket, park-goers can travel 3,000 years back in time, where they can see a six-story replica of Herod’s Temple–half as big as the original–but spectacular in architectural design.

Visitors also can stroll through a scaled-down version of the Via Dolorosa or reflect on the resurrection of Jesus at a replica of the Garden Tomb.

The bustling Jerusalem Street Marketplace houses quaint gift shops where shoppers purchase clothing, books and souvenirs as first-century soldiers scurry by.

Orlando resident Jean Fleming, who is not Jewish, says the Holy Land Experience was both entertaining and informative for her. “I felt like I was in ancient Jerusalem in Jesus’ day,” she said.

Holy Land Experience executives are preparing for the opening of more venues on the 14-acre site, which is only minutes away from Orlando’s major tourist corridor. Already, thousands of Christian groups are flocking to the park, and its organizers believe it will be another regular stop for Orlando tourists visiting Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World.

“Enthralled by the fascinating exhibits, we believe our guests will find their comprehension of the Bible becoming deeper and more meaningful,” Rosenthal said.

Voz Cristiana, a high-power Christian radio station is reaching the Caribbean and Central and South America

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A listener in Mexico City tunes across the shortwave bands and hears a station broadcasting the gospel with a signal that seems to be as strong as a local station.

In Argentina, Venezuela and Cuba other listeners do the same, tuning into Voz Cristiana (Christian Voice), radio’s newcomer in Latin America that is making an impact across the continent.

Voz Cristiana broadcasts in Spanish throughout the Americas from studios in Miami and a large shortwave transmitting station in Chile. Its programming is also heard on several dozen local AM and FM stations throughout the region, delivered there by an extensive satellite system. The shortwave outlet will begin broadcasting in Portuguese to Brazil later this year.

The station’s parent company is Christian Vision, established 11 years ago by businessman Bob Edmiston, a member of the Assemblies of God in England.

“Christian Vision was founded as a charitable trust focused on evangelism and helping already-existing Christian ministries,” explains Juan Mark Gallardo, Voz Cristiana’s general manager. The organization is funded by profits from Edmiston’s business activities.

After several years of providing grants to ministries, Edmiston had a dream in which he saw fruit trees with harvesters picking the crops. In his dream, the Lord told Edmiston to shake the tree, which he did, causing all of the fruit to drop off at once.

Gallardo said that the founder interpreted the dream as a message from God that he had been helping others to harvest, but now it was time for him to be involved in direct ministry of “sowing for the worldwide harvest,” in the words of the organization’s slogan. The result has been the development of the Christian Vision network of radio stations and satellite affiliates carrying Christian programming.

“We are serving a combination of people,” Gallardo said. “We reach non-Christians who are seekers at the same time that we are helping people who are Christians to deepen their faith.”

Gallardo explained that many listeners throughout Latin America have grown up in a Catholic background and have some knowledge of Christianity even if they have not made a personal profession of faith in Jesus Christ.

“We are reaching them with a professional style of broadcasting that includes music, news, sports, a total blessing without preaching at them,” he said.

The station’s daily schedule involves a wake-up program in the morning, youth-oriented shows, a program for men and several shows for women, including The Woman of Today, hosted by Norma Pinzón.

“The program serves to build the basis of the family that the Lord established in His Word,” Pinzón said. “We demonstrate that with Jesus, we are able to have a happy home.”

Pinzón was an actress and radio personality in Colombia and Miami before beginning work at Voz Cristiana when it went on the air three years ago. Today, the response is enormous.

“We are receiving around 500 letters a month here, mostly in response to our shortwave broadcasts and the streaming audio on the Internet,” Gallardo said.

Christian Vision also operates a shortwave radio station in Zambia and is developing a large station in Australia that will reach all of Asia and the Pacific.

Some of the U.S. Navy’s toughest tough guys are turning to Jesus thanks to a tenacious San Diego pastor

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Danger loomed as Lt. John MacDonald parachuted into San Francisco’s 3Com Park last fall as part of the entertainment before a 49ers football game. As he and his partner flew their steerable chutes, they got entangled at 4,000 feet.

The lower jumper cut away, deployed his reserve and landed safely. Meanwhile, MacDonald tried steering free, then cutting the other chute away. The interference was speeding his descent.

Though neither maneuver worked, a strange calm filled him. He shrugged, “You know what? If this is it, then OK. I’m saved.”

After a quick prayer, he suddenly had an idea. Peeling off a shoe, he kicked at a bracket on his ankle. Breaking a buckle, he released it–and the other chute. He landed safely.

Still, that brush with calamity isn’t the most important thing God has done in his life the last year. The Navy officer calls his acceptance of Christ astonishing.

“I’m 31 years old, and I was pretty set in my ways,” said MacDonald, who became convinced of Christ’s reality after hearing pro football lineman Tony Boselli share his testimony in San Diego. “I used to say: ‘I don’t need church. That’s for people who are weak.'”

Now stationed near Virginia Beach, Va., the Naval Academy graduate is just one of several dozen highly trained warriors who have joined the church in the last two years.

That is just a fraction of the 800 SEALs on duty at Coronado Island, Calif. But the charismatic pastor who has played a key role in this spiritual awakening calls it amazing because of their rugged training and self-reliance.

SEAL–Sea, Air, Land–teams perform risky aquatic missions, including hostage and prisoner rescue. New trainees must endure a six-month underwater demolition course, known as BUD/S, that weeds out three-quarters of the applicants.

Greg Wark, founding pastor of Morningstar Church in LaJolla, Calif., sees this regimen as perfect preparation for Christianity. A born-again SEALs’ concept of commitment, Wark said, is better than the average believer’s.

“They say, ‘I’m going all the way with Christ,'” Wark said. “They almost have the mentality of Old Testament martyrs. In terms of discipleship they view a relationship with God as vitally important.”

Ironically, when Wark helped start the church, his mind wasn’t on Navy enlistees. Meeting near the University of California at San Diego, the Morningstar church’s initial goal was reaching college students.

But soon after coming to the area, a friend invited him to a SEAL-related filming session. Riding in a pickup truck, Wark asked a SEAL how he shed the memories of grueling field encounters after coming home.

Shooting him a condescending smirk, the soldier grunted, “All I need is a beer and a buddy.”

“I said, ‘Lord, give me these men,'” the pastor recalled. “I went along with my business and soon began seeing BUD/S students in church.”

He encountered others on the outside. When he met Jeff Bramstedt at a local gym, he shared a supernatural insight: God was going to place him in front of many people who would revere his words.

“Cool,” he replied as he turned back to the weights. “Anything else?”

That touched off several months of weekly phone calls. Bramstedt resisted the overtures, but after setbacks in his personal life he summoned the pastor. Soon after, the sky diver accepted Christ at a coffee shop.

Wark’s word of knowledge came true last December at a juvenile-detention facility. After the SEAL spoke, 17 inmates raised their hands to signal a desire to accept Christ.

Steve Decker, a 14-year veteran who received the gift of tongues a month after getting baptized in a swimming pool, has been overcome several times by the awesome nature of Christ’s sacrifice for his sins. Decker felt bad about his disobedience but could sense the Lord saying, “I forgive you and still love you.”

“It was like the Lord was saying, ‘This is intimacy with Me, and it’s just beginning,'” he said. “I’ve felt a closeness with God. That’s the most amazing thing He’s done.”

These reborn soldiers are preparing to share their faith publicly. While the starting date isn’t set, Wark and several men are planning outreaches soon to public schools.

A three-man team will parachute onto school property, talk about making positive choices and invite students to an evening meeting where they will give their testimonies.

“Because of their stature, kids want to hear what they have to say,” Wark said. “I’ve asked God to raise these men up as leaders.”