It is true, in the world, “might is right.” The rich and the powerful will prevail over the poor and the weak, but that is in the world. Christ had a new way, the Christian way. In the world, if you have the power to destroy your enemy, you are expected to use it, it is one of the many gifts of the Prince of Darkness. Consequently when truth cannot be squelched it must be eliminated. We Christians know this, and we expect it, but Truth cries aloud in the streets; a singular voice many times, and weak, but with a REAL purpose, that has nothing to do with value as defined by this world.

Richard Abanes cannot defeat Ken Silva, because Ken is walking in the light of truth. Truth is on his side, so he must be silenced by other means. If truth is put down one place, it will pop up somewhere else; persecution is to be expected. Richard, using his reputation in the world as leverage, is attempting to shut down Apprising Ministries web site. The world always shows its hand eventually. When sweetness, gentleness, and gifts do not work, reasoning and words result. Then the threats and intimidation are not far away, and this followed by force if necessary. Those watching from the sidelines need to watch closely both sides, and discern for yourselves what these actions reveal. When we promote Christ there is a cost involved, and Christians understand that their service to the King will eventually result in great sacrifice. When that sacrifice comes we do not resort to the world for resolution, we give thanks to God that we were found worthy to deliver to Him the reward of His suffering.

I am not really surprised at seeing this type of action come out of Richard Abanes toward Ken Silva over at Apprising Ministries. I was actively engaged in the fight to expose Rick Warren and took a personal dislike of his ways and means of promoting his Purpose Driven agenda on the ignorant sheep of God’s flock. I was especially agitated to see the way a member of his congregation, Richard Abanes, was allowed, and encouraged by Rick’s inaction, to bulldog anyone who had a conflicting opinion, even a member of the same church who wrote a complimentary biography about Warren. I desisted from writing, and wrote an apologetic letter to both Richard and Rick stating my error for allowing my flesh to guide me into areas that effected my relationship to my Lord. That apology stands, as written, but it, by no means, insinuates that I agreed with them, at all.

This action against Ken Silva is uncalled for and irresponsible by one who claims to be a brother. I had never read the article, A Pastor’s Assessment Of Richard Abanes, to which Richard points, and expected it to be full of slanderous lies, but found nothing of the like. Richard, in this action is revealing much about himself and his relationship to the Lord, and his understanding and belief of God’s Holy Word. What is detected here is the actions of a man of the world in all the glory of protecting filthy mammon. He should not take a brother before Caesar as the Heathen do. At the least he should turn the other cheek and at the most sacrifice all for the One in whom he says he believes. Isn’t that what unbelievers are looking for in a Christian who professes the high ground of Life in Christ. Richard is a man, not just any man, but a man who has written many books on Christianity, who claims a high degree of knowledge of Christian ethics, and the ways of Christ; will he now in this action show that he is no more than a mere businessman making a move to protect his turf, like the Heathen. Is Richard stating by his actions that he is not only in the world, but of the world? The article to which he points is the run of the mill, back and forth, give and take of argumentation, that goes on regularly over the internet. I have read and heard much, much, worse coming from those whose sites Richard frequents. This looks very much like the acts of man afraid of losing worldly gain, of which every Christian knows belongs to the Lord anyway.

I would think that any Christian with an ounce of discernment should be able to see through this act of desperation from a man loving the things of this world. There should be red flags going up like roman candles at the actions of Richard Abanes. If this is the end result of the Purpose Driven Life then I would suggest that it is an ill advised purpose and not Christian.

I publicly take a stand with Ken Silva against this assault and declare that Richard Abanes, if he is a Christian, make a public apology and repent of this gross injustice to a Christian brother.

Steve Blackwell
www.IndyWatchman.wordpress.com