April 4, 2006
If I had not seen it myself I would not have believed it! I thought the lady was going to blow a gasket! Well, let’s start at the beginning. For those who have followed the story of the permit battle between our ministry and the county for the last 5 years, this will make more sense.
Today, Glen Stoll, Bruce Craig (both managers of our ministry) and I went to the Escambia County Commissioners offices to try to talk with them about resolving the conflict peacefully. All five commissioners were gone, as well as most secretaries but the two that were there told us that the county attorney, Janet Landers had instructed them to not talk with us, we could only talk with her about the case. Janet Landers was in a meeting at the time so… we went up to her office to ask her secretary when we could get an appointment.
As we were talking with her an extremely irate woman came out of a room down the hall and said, (very loudly) “You need to get out of this building immediately!” I was shocked, stunned and surprised at this outburst so I looked around to see who she was talking to. When she repeated it I said, “Are you talking to us?” She said, “Yes, you must leave this building now or I will call security.” I said, “What for? We are not causing any problems. We just came to make an appointment with Janet Landers.” She said, “I am Janet Landers and I am ordering you to leave this building!” I said, “Ma’am, I believe this is a public building and we just came to talk with you. What have we done wrong?” As she came over menacingly and held the door open I thought she was going to push us outside. I had never met her before and my first impression will take a while to overcome!
Understanding that Proverbs 22:24 “Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:” probably applies to women also, I felt led of the Lord to leave. We went downstairs to get the county charter only to discover that Escambia County does not have a charter-so what exactly is their legal right to exist based on? As we were asking the clerk a few questions I noticed two Escambia County Deputies walking in the door at the end of the hall like they were looking for someone. As I was walking out to drive home for my radio program, one of the secretaries from upstairs came franticly running up to the police officers and said, “They are over there!” Pointing at the room we were in. I waved and said, “It’s OK ma’am, we are not hurting anybody.”
Imagine! Being arrested for trespassing in a public building for just asking questions! What a strange county. None of us were arrested but it felt like the Soviet Union for a few tense moments there.
As I drove back and even now, seven hours later, I cannot figure out what would trigger such a violent reaction from Janet Landers. The county started this battle against the Church five years ago. We have tried to be nice in every way possible. (Romans 12:18) We dropped all law suits against them, met with them several times, sent lots of letters and invited them out to inspect many times, yet the situation seems to be worse not better.
Here are my thoughts so far.
1. The county is hiding something they don’t want uncovered. Four of the last five commissioners were arrested (on non-related issues) several months after they voted to persecute us. (This new group of commissioners and lawyers going after us need to read Ps. 105:15 quickly!)
2. Someone in high places in the county hates God’s Kingdom on earth. (nothing new there!)
3. They fear we will sue them for all the countless violations they have committed like: A. none of them having an oath of office as required by law when they started attacking our Church and the law saying they cannot get paid until they have this oath on file. (Imagine if they all had to pay back everything they have gotten from the county for all those years!) See US Constitution- Article 6 Clause 3 and Florida State Constitution, Article 2 SECTION 5.b and Florida Statute 876.05 (2) “Said oath shall be filed with the records of the governing official or employing governmental agency prior to the approval of any voucher for the payment of salary, expenses, or other compensation.” 876.06-9 show the nasty things that should be done to the ones who took the money (and the ones who paid it out) for this one! Or B. them not having the proper parties served when the buildings were ordered closed by force or C. or D. or E … We have quite a list to call upon if need be.
4. Maybe they are worried that the courts farther up the food chain (outside this county or state) will not be part of their “good ol boys club” and decide to clean up the cesspool we seem to have stepped in.
We don’t want to fight these people. We want to build God’s Kingdom by winning souls and influencing them to live for Him. All the kingdoms of this world (including the little Escambia County kingdom) will be carried away like chaff one day (see Daniel 2:35) when Christ sets up His Kingdom. That’s the one I want to work for!
Please pray that they will leave us alone, reverse their orders, drop their charges, pay the damages they have caused, hook up our utilities and come visit the greatest creation ministry on earth (in our humble, unbiased opinion). Based on what I saw today I would say the Lord is working on them!
There is an open to the public meeting of the commissioners every 1st and 3rd Thursday from 4:30- ???. Anyone can speak their mind. Please attend this week if you can and show your support for the Lord’s work and please, keep praying for God to work on these people. They need to be getting thousands of calls, letters and emails from God fearing people. Read Esther 4:4. (I just noticed today’s date is 4-4!) And above all, pray for God to get their attention!
More later.
Kent