By M.H. Cavanaugh
Christian Action League
September 11, 2015
WILKESBORO – Brian Miller, pastor of Goshen Baptist Church in Wilkesboro, says he and his family were on vacation last week in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, when they decided to attend a protest against Planned Parenthood. Something profound happened to Miller during that protest. He was struck with the conviction that Christians needed to do something about social issues like abortion besides talk.
“Anybody can talk about it, but if people don’t do something, nothing changes. Churches, pastors, and Christians in general have to get involved,” said Miller.
Miller said upon arriving home from vacation that he was approached on Sunday by one of his church’s deacons, Curtis Jarvis. Jarvis had been following the case of Kim Davis, the Rowan County Clerk in Kentucky who was thrown in jail by a federal judge for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Davis cited her religious objections and the authority of God for her act of civil disobedience. Jarvis suggested that he and Miller drive to Kentucky in support of Davis and attend the Religious Liberty Rally with Mike Huckabee at the Carter Detention Center in Grayson, Kentucky, scheduled for Tuesday.
Miller and Davis made the long trip of more than 250 miles to discover thousands had decided to do the same. Miller said that there was a long line of traffic approaching the Detention Center where Davis was being held and the rally would take place. He and Jarvis had to walk approximately 3/4ths of a mile to get there. He said he estimated the crowd was about 5,000 standing shoulder to shoulder and everyone was exuberant with cheers that Davis was released the same day as the rally.
“Parts of it were like a revival,” said Miller. “The speakers were great. Most of them only spoke briefly. There was music – a choir singing. And there was little opposition. I bet there weren’t more than ten people there in protest against the rally,” he said.
When asked what stood out about the rally, Miller said, for him, it was when one speaker, whose name he could not remember, was highlighting Davis’ past. The speaker explained that Davis had come under criticism as a hypocrite because she had been married four times and divorced three, according to court documents.
Davis has twice married her current husband. She gave birth to twins five months after her first divorce, but the twins are actually the biological children of her third husband. Her twins were later adopted by her second husband after he and Davis were married.
“She had a sinfully checkered past to say the least,” said Miller. “But what her critics don’t realize, like the speaker pointed out, all of that was before her conversion to Christ. The difference came 4½ years ago when Jesus came in. The media don’t report that stuff, but it’s Jesus that makes the difference,” he said.
Miller was referring to the account of Davis giving her life to Christ. The Rowan County Clerk explained in a statement provided by her legal counsel that when her mother-in-law passed away, she had only one dying wish and that was for Davis to attend a church service. When her mother-in-law passed, Davis obliged.
“Following the death of my godly mother-in-law over four years ago, I went to fulfill her dying wish,” wrote Davis. “There I heard a message of grace and forgiveness and surrendered my life to Jesus Christ.”
“I am not perfect,” Davis continued. “But I am forgiven, and I love my Lord and must be obedient to Him and to the Word of God.”
Miller says that as a pastor he is deeply committed to getting his church engaged in changing the culture for Christ’s sake.
His church is currently planning to attend the ‘We Stand With God’ Rally, which will be held in Raleigh, October 17th on the Halifax Mall behind the state legislature building.
More than 10,000 people gathered for the ‘We Stand With God’ Rally held in Columbia, South Carolina last month.
Miller also said he wanted to thank Dr. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. Referring to a speaking engagement featuring Dr. Creech during Sunday morning and evening services last July at his church, Miller said, “Dr. Creech came and lit the fire. At Goshen Baptist Church we are firmly committed to leading people to faith in Jesus Christ, but we also see the need for equipping and engaging believers to changing our world and nation for Christ. We cannot afford to be silent or sedentary; it must be as the hymnist said ‘onward Christian soldiers marching as to war.’”
Goshen Baptist Church is a partner with the Christian Action League, which supports its work as a part of their missions giving.
To arrange a speaking engagement with Rev. Mark Creech for your church or event, contact the office of the Christian Action League at 919.787.0606.
Terms for speaking engagements are easy.