January 5, AD 2010

Emergence of the Remnant
Frank Allnutt

Something extraordinary happened on Fox News’ “O’Reilly Factor” last night.

Long time Washington journalist Brit Hume appeared on Bill O’Reilly’s show and was asked to comment on Tiger Woods. “I think Jesus Christ offers Tiger Woods something that Tiger Woods badly needs,” Brit told O’Reilly, who was visibly taken aback. “If Tiger Woods were to make a true conversion,” Brit continued, “we would know it. It would show through in his being. And he would know it, above all. And he would feel the extraordinary blessing that that would be. And it would shine because he is so prominent. It would be a shining light. And I think it would be a magnificent thing to witness.”

O’Reilly sometimes refers to “the Church” and to “Christianity” with apparent comfort, but Hume unabashedly transcended the news media safe zone of institutional and religion rhetoric to focus on his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Hume, a Fox political analyst, served until last fall for 12 years at Fox News Channel as Washington managing editor and “Special Report” host. He has been a journalist for four decades. Last fall, he cut back his involvement at Fox in order to devote more attention to what he called the “three Gs”—God, grandchildren, and golf.

While being interviewed by O’Reilly, Hume dared venture into almost taboo territory for cable TV news. But there is more to it than that: Hume’s remarks were the latest in what may be the beginning of a trend that could mark the emergence of the Christian remnant.

I’ve watched Tea Party rallies on TV, I’ve heard and read about the growing, so-called “conservative movement,” I watch conservative political pundits on Fox News and read articles by conservative columnists on World Net Daily. Most of those conservatives talk and write about fiscal, political and social conservatism, but few engage in discussions about moral conservatism—Biblical morality. And even fewer talk or write about Jesus Christ.

For years I have been praying for God to raise up more Christians who will focus on the number one problem in America—not government, not the economy, not the environment, not illegal immigration, not even terrorism, but people whose hearts are not right with God, and the mission of Christians to reach them with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Perhaps I am beginning to see God’s answer to my prayers.

A few weeks ago, a group of more than 150 Christian leaders signed The Manhattan Declaration—A Call to Christian Conscience.”

The signers, according to the web site, are “Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christians who have united at this hour to reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good, and to call upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike, to join us in defending them. These truths are: the sanctity of human life, the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife, the rights of conscience and religious liberty."

Around the same time I came upon The Manhattan Declaration, I began noting some Christian columnists were sounding the call to take a stand for Biblical morality—and for Jesus Christ. Two of those columnists are Janet Porter and Dave Welch.

In her column today, Janet Porter writes: “What if God looked down on an America that deserved His judgment and saw a remnant crying out to Him at our nation’s capital?

“What if this remnant were made up of Christians of all denominations who love God enough to actually obey Him? And what if this remnant came together to humble ourselves, pray, seek the face of God and turn from our wicked ways – individually and as a nation?

“What if when we gathered, we repented of our nation’s sins and welcomed God back into every corner of our country?

“What if we proclaimed some things our founders had to say, like Abraham Lincoln who in 1861 said, ‘It is the duty of all nations, as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God and to recognize the sublime truth announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.’” (Janet Porter, “Will You Be Part of God’s Remnant,” World Net Daily, January 5, AD 2010.)

(Janet Porter is president of Faith2Action. She is organizing a Christian event at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on May 1, called “May Day—A Cry to God for a Nation in Distress.” Her articles appear in World Net Daily.

The other columnist, Dave Welch, recently wrote in his column:

“The first business of the Christian and every church is to make disciples and teach those disciples all Christ commanded us, starting with our own hearts and homes. If the 300,000-plus churches in this nation were doing so adequately, evil and sin would not be abounding, and the escalation of injustice would be vanquished.

“While we rise up to stand boldly against the destruction of our laws, our culture and our Judeo-Christian foundations, let us begin with heart checks as to our own complicity by silence or weakness. Then we must humbly determine our willingness to give everything we have to reassert the only principles that have ever produced the blessings we enjoy.

“Only then will our military personnel, our law enforcement and our families be given the just protection and support against evil that is vital to our survival.” (Dave Welch, “The Christian’s complicity by silence,” World Net Daily, December 1, 2009.)

(Dave Welch is the founder and executive director of the U.S. Pastor Council and Houston Area Pastor Council. His Christian world-view articles appear on World Net Daily.)

Maybe you have asked yourself: “What can I do?” I’ll answer by quoting Dave Welch from above: “[Start] with our own hearts and homes...let us begin with heart checks as to our own complicity by silence or weakness.”

Now, let me ask you: When is the last time you had a heart exam—a spiritual heart exam? You can start examining your own heart right now—simply click here.