Interview with Rusty Thomas (1.23.2007)

Christian Activist Pro-Life News: ‘to rescue those unjustly sentenced to death and to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves’

Volume 5, Issue 3 – January 23, 2007

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Dear Friends for Life,

Please join me in thanking the LORD and praying for Rev. Rusty Lee Thomas who has graciously agreed to an interview for the Christian Activist Pro-Life News. Rev. Thomas’ testimony will bless your heart and strengthen your resolve to help rescue the preborn babies. (Confidentially, I have smiled throughout the editing of this interview due to the sincerely delightful and joyous attitude of Mr. Rusty Lee Thomas and the Thomas Nation. May the good LORD bless you as much as He has me with this interview. )

Please click on the links provided for additional information on the many ministries Rev. Thomas is involved in.

May the good LORD bless you as you march forward with victory for Christ’s Crown and Covenant.

No king but King Jesus!

Thank you,
Angela Wittman, editor


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‘to rescue those unjustly sentenced to death and to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves’


Interview with Rev. Rusty Lee Thomas

AW: Please tell us how the LORD led you to become involved in pro-life ministry.

RLT: It was the fall of 1988 when the Lord began to convict me about the sick state of the church, the corruption of our culture, and the demise of America. At that time, I was a pastor in St. Petersburg, FL. Though I was a preacher of righteousness and spoke out against the burning issues of the day, I still was not personally involved in the cultural battle for the soul of America.

That all changed on a fateful day when a good pastor friend of mine, Franco Gennaro, from Tampa, Florida handed me a video tape and encouraged me to watch it. The name of the tape was called "The Massacre of Innocence" by Eric Holmberg. A few nights later, I found myself all alone and decided to view this controversial tape. I was impressed with its format. Initially, Eric takes the time to trace the roots of abortion and child-sacrifice Biblically. He then commenced to delve into the social, political, and cultural fallout that this sin against God and this crime against humanity have produced in our beleaguered nation.

It was the second part of the tape that would dramatically impact my life and change our service to God forever. There were times as a pastor I had spoken out against abortion from the Church pulpit, but up until the time I witnessed this tape, abortion was still just a word to debate. Even though I was saying with my lips "Abortion was murder," I had never acted like someone was truly dying. Somehow the reality of child-killing never struck the proper moral chord that would move me to fulfill my Biblical responsibility to rescue those unjustly sentenced to death and to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves (Proverbs 24:11,12; 31:8,9).

As the tape continued, the conviction of God upon my soul increased. Suddenly, a song came on that was performed by the female rock star Pat Bennitar. It is called, "Hell is for Children." As the song sounded forth, images of aborted babies were flashed upon the screen. It was overwhelming. My soul, heart, and conscience could hardly absorb the evil I was witnessing before my very eyes. Again, abortion to this point was a word that we argued about, but now the hellish reality was impressed upon my mind and I couldn't erase it.

The impact upon me was so great; I had to turn off the tape. I then ran to my bedroom and fell prostrate before the Lord. I'm not talking crying and weeping before God, but a wailing so intense that my physical chest hurt. I just could not for the life of me come to grips with how the nation I loved have descended into this wicked condition that was drowning us in a sea of blood and perversion.

Like Isaiah of old, I was undone (Isaiah 6:1-5). I had seen the Lord and His mind concerning this abomination and have spent the last several years fighting for the souls of men, the lives of children, and for the future of America. Right after the viewing of this video, I helped organize nine "rescues" in Florida. I then moved on to join the national rescue movement. By God's grace, I now serve as Assistant Director to Rev. Flip Benham of Operation Rescue/Operation Save America.

I'm convinced that the law and government that allows for the murder of the preborn is simply a reflection of the heart of Americans. There is only one institution that God has ordained to change the heart of men and that is His word and Spirit operating through the Church of the living God. Child-killing and the gates of hell will always prevail against the Democratic and Republican parties. They will prevail against the President, Congress, Supreme Court, and every other government agency. They will not and cannot prevail against the Church of Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18).

The Church must be brought to repentance and then bring forth the fruits of repentance by fulfilling our Biblical responsibilities to our preborn neighbors. This very thing was accomplished in my life by this powerful video and other convicting measures by the Lord. May it spread to others and as the Church wins the battle on the streets and in our culture, one day we will see that victory reflected in the change of our laws and governmental policies. May God hasten the day.

AW: Which pro-life organizations are you affiliated with?

RLT: Founder and Director, Elijah Ministries (http://http://www.elijahmin.com/); Assistant Director, Operation Rescue/Operation Save America (http://www.operationsaveamerica.org/ ); Founder and Director, Kingdom Leadership Institute (http://www.operationsaveamerica.org/kli/index.htm) Founder and Director, Rachel’s Park Memorial (http://www.operationsaveamerica.org/rpm/rachel); Prison Ministry once a week.

AW: Do you have other projects you are working on that you can tell us about?

RLT: Our current projects consist of sponsoring Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson's visit to Waco, TX. The following is the itinerary and schedule of events:

Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson is coming to Waco, February 23-26, 2007
Schedule of events
Press conference

Time: Friday, February 23rd, 2007, 10:00 AM Location: Planned Parenthood, 1121 Ross Ave. Waco, TX

Rev. Peterson has written and spoken extensively about the roots of abortion which is racism. God uses him to expose the artificial racism that lines people pockets and secures their political power, while tackling the real racism that has led to black genocide by the likes of Planned Parenthood. To those who live in Central Texas please plan on coming to this press conference to stand with our courageous brother as he exposes the hidden works of darkness perpetrated at Planned Parenthood. 

Pastor's luncheon
Time: Friday, February 23rd at noon

Bill Thrasher from our very own KBDE AFR radio station has graciously agreed to sponsor a pastor's luncheon and leaders meeting in honor of Rev. Peterson's visit. If you are a local pastor or Christian leader in Waco please contact Bill Thrasher at (254) 772-1900 or Rusty Thomas (254) 715-3134 for details.
Prison ministry

Texas Youth Commission, 116 Burleson Road, Mart, TX 76664, Saturday, February 24th, 2007 

In our initial conversation, Rev. Peterson was very interested in our prison ministry. I talked with him at length concerning the challenges of our black young men in prison. They desperately need role models, historical examples, and the power of God to transform their distorted and corrupted souls. He agreed and then went the extra mile and volunteered to come and speak with them personally. The prison system opened the door and Rev. Peterson will get to speak to both units. This is not a mandatory meeting. It is, however, being made available to all the young inmates. Please pray that many will take advantage to sit under the mantle and much needed message brought by Rev. Peterson.

Church services

Church on the Rock, 4720 N. 19th St., Waco, TX 76708 Sunday, February 25th, 2007 at 10:30 AM & Church of the Open Door, 900 N. Loop 340, Waco, TX 76705, Sunday, February 25th, 2007 at 6:30 PM 

My Pastor, John Wachsmann, and my good friend, Pastor Ronnie Holmes, both opened their pulpits to Rev. Peterson while he is in Waco. Please pray, pass the word, and invite folks to come to these important Kingdom meetings for Waco. 

Rev. Peterson’s Resume 

Rev. Peterson is the Founder and President of the nationally recognized nonprofit organization BOND, the Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny, whose purpose is "Rebuilding the Family By Rebuilding the Man". He is also the author of the bold and highly-popular book, "SCAM: How the Black Leadership Exploits Black America." Rev. Peterson is also a nationally-syndicated radio host, TV host and highly sought-after speaker. 

Jesse is frequently seen on major TV networks such as Fox, CNN, and MSNBC, consistently leaving his liberal counterpart in knots. His unflappable, can-do attitude and absolute commitment to truth are the perfect medicine for a value-challenged society.

An exceptionally charismatic speaker, Rev. Peterson is a hit among audiences nationwide. Among his popular titles: "Rebuilding the Family By Rebuilding the Man," "From Rage To Responsibility," "Stop Reparations Now!" and "We Shall Overcome Civil Rights Leaders".

Character is the most important word in Rev. Peterson's vocabulary. Born on a plantation in Midway, Alabama, Rev. Peterson is this generation's Booker T. Washington. Jesse practices what he preaches, operating the BOND Home for Boys, a character building after-school program, and many other activities that benefit men and their families. His organization is a prototype for a bold new approach to solving our ever-increasing urban crisis.

RLT: Besides this I'm formulating a document called "A Father's Covenant." It is designed to call men back to their Biblical role, headship, and position in God's Kingdom. We are also available to speak God's word in Churches, conferences, and seminars. Our ministry also makes available a week long, intensified, discipleship training called the Kingdom Leadership Institute. It is designed to identify, train, and send forth the next generation of leaders to restore America to its Biblical and Constitutional jurisdictions. We are also looking to partner with Churches and Pro-life ministries to establish a Rachel's Park Memorial in every state of the union.

AW: For those who are praying for and seeking ways to be involved in pro-life activism, how do you advise they get started?

RLT: As far as preparing for Christian/pro-life ministry is concerned; one must get his life, marriage, and affairs in God's order. Child sacrifice has been and always will be Satan's crown jewel. Throughout history and the Bible, whenever the Evil One raises his ugly head, children die. (On our website, there is an article I wrote called "The Battle" that addresses this issue at length). When one attempts to intervene and prevent the destruction of the innocent, one can expect spiritual warfare to take on a whole new meaning in one's life. If our lives, families, and churches are not in divine order, the enemy will exploit those openings to neutralize, paralyze, and circumvent our obedience to rescue those unjustly sentenced to death. The Church instinctively understands the cost of getting our houses in order to end the slaughter on the innocent and thus far, she has not been willing to pay it.

AW: Do you see the pro-life movement as being multi-faceted and in which ways?

RLT: Yes I do! Abortion is one of the exposed areas that allow Satan to savage our nation in this generation. In this sense, like Nehemiah and Ezra's time of old, the walls of America are being knocked down and our gates are being burned. Regardless of one's calling and ministry, this exposed area demands our time and attention. Therefore the question is not where are you on the wall to rebuild our defenses against an enemy that seeks our destruction, but are you on the wall. Are we doing something (prayer, reaching out to unwed mothers, activism, post abortive ministry, street activity, writing editorials, working for pro-life candidates, etc.) to end the American holocaust that is invoking God's judgment upon our collective heads.

The Church in America must develop a two-fold strategy that entails a short term and long term vision. We must seek to ultimately change the laws of the land to reflect God's will concerning the sacredness of life. At the same time, however, we must also understand that a law changed five to ten years in the future holds no hope for a baby scheduled to die today. Therefore it is incumbent upon the Church to develop, both prophetic and mercy ministries to reflect God's heart, message, and will for the least of these.

AW: What type of legislation do you think pro-lifers should work on getting passed?

RLT: History records in bloody detail what happens when certain people groups are denied the status of personhood. Laws that once protected their lives were removed by judicial fiat or by a dictator’s decree. As a result, certain classes of human beings became a prey to injustice bent on their extinction or enslavement. This was true in Nazi Germany. Hitler considered Jews "sub-human" and were thus shipped off to his infamous death camps. This same pattern of injustice can be observed when it comes to American slavery. America judicially denied that our black brothers and sisters were fully human according to the Dred Scott Supreme Court Decision. Thankfully, America today condemns that godless, unjust, and merciless legacy. America stands united with one voice and declares, “They were wrong back then!” The problem is can America say that we are wrong today when it comes to abortion?

Based upon this historical record, it behooves Christian/pro-lifers to implement a strategy of legislation that deals directly with the "personhood" status of the preborn child. Within the Roe vs. Wade argument itself, this important concept is acknowledged by Harry Blackman, the Supreme Court Justice, who penned the tragic ruling in favor of abortion. He wrote, “The appellee and certain amici argue that the fetus is a "person" within the language and meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment. In support of this, they outline at length and in detail the well-known facts of fetal development. If this suggestion of personhood is established, the appellant's case, of course, collapses, for the fetus' right to life would then be guaranteed specifically by the Amendment.“ Based upon this premise, naturally the abortion industry has a vested interest to remove the notion of personhood as far from the preborn as possible. If that is the enemies of the cross strategy, then the Church is obligated to defend the personhood of the preborn children. As we do and surely must, then the whole basis of Roe vs. Wade collapses about the merchants of death like a house of cards.

AW: Please tell us a little about your wife Kendra, and your children.

RLT: First, I need to confess that I've been doubly blessed as a man and husband. God has been very gracious to me. With my first wife, Liz, God granted us twenty fruitful years of marriage and ministry together. He blessed our union with 10 wonderful children, five girls and five boys. (We not only preached pro-life, but we practiced the message as well) Two years ago, the Lord took my bride on earth to become His bride in heaven. I became widowed with 10 children to raise on my own as a home school father and self-employed minister.

In answer to our many prayers, God raised up another special lady to step in and become a helpmate to me and a mother to my ten children. Her name is Kendra. Together we became a modern day version of Yours, Mine, and Ours. She has two beautiful daughters who are 4 year old twins. Combined, we now have 12 children. As another sign of God's blessing upon our union, number 13 is on the way. Interestingly enough, the child is due on my birthday, June 12th. If it's a boy, Kendra desires to name him after me, Rusty Lee Thomas Jr. I never dreamed of doing that to one of my sons. She, however, seems to think it is important to pass on my name to one of my sons.

AW: How does Kendra support your work for the preborn babies?

RLT: Our philosophy when it comes to family and ministry is you can't export to others what is not working at home. Kendra has provided the much needed help to bring our family's vision and mission back to serving God's purposes through our lives. She keeps the home fires burning brightly, cares for and educates the children, plus seeks to be a helper to what the Lord has called me to do and be as His servant.

Obviously, it would be a stretch for any woman to go from mothering 2 children to 13, but she is willingly to die to herself, in order for God's purposes for our family and ministry to move forward. If it wasn't for her commitment to her role as a woman, wife, and mother, I could not pursue the call upon my life. I thank the Lord for bringing us together for such a time as this.

By the way, Kendra has been in the battle for the babies for a number of years. She is an accomplished author as well and has written a fine book called "Abortion Rites: How Feminist Spirituality Is Reframing The Abortion Debate." This book traces the occultist, spiritual roots of modern-day feminism and their sacrament, abortion. Folks can read her well documented book online at http://www.operationsaveamerica.org/.

AW: How can our readers help and pray for you?

RLT: As all self-employed ministries the lack of prayer covering, financial support, laborers, and resources are a constant struggle. Most of our work is in the culture amongst God's enemies and thus we are completely dependent upon those who support us with their love, prayers, and monthly giving. On the other hand, most Christians either choose a large family and a small ministry or a large ministry and a small family, by God's grace we have chosen both. It is demanding, challenging, and yet greatly rewarding. God is faithful!

IN KING JESUS' SERVICE,

Rusty Lee Thomas

Elijah Ministries
www.elijahmin.com

P.O. Box 3126
Waco, TX. 76707

Editor’s Note: Please visit: http://www.elijahmin.com/biography.htm for more of Rev. Thomas’ testimony.