TYRANNY FROM THE WHITEHOUSE
Expert on Leadership Says Obama’s Style Reminiscent of King George
Waco, Texas—With 58 percent of Independent voters expressing a negative opinion of the federal government, a Waco area pastor and author of a new book on kingdom leadership principles says President Obama’s leadership style is reminiscent of the tyranny of King George. Citing recent polls from Gallup and the Pew Research Center, Rev. Rusty Lee Thomas, founder of the Kingdom Leadership Institute, claims, “In many ways, President Obama is acting more like King Obama.”
A CRISIS OF LEADERSHIP
An ABC News/Washington Post poll conducted by telephone August 13-17, 2009, found, “Views of the country's direction have soured; 55 percent say it's seriously off on the wrong track” while an August 12, USA Today/Gallup poll found 69 percent of Americans are “closely following news accounts of town hall meetings.” Commenting on the findings, Thomas said, “Fundamentally, the crisis of our time is one of leadership. This crisis is seen in our town hall meetings, the Tea Parties, talk radio, Third Parties, the debate over socialized health care, voter cynicism, and a general discontent. It is seen in President Obama’s drop in approval. All this speaks to a crisis of leadership.”
TYRANNICAL LEADERSHIP
Citing the Obama Administration’s pro-abortion policies, support of the radical homosexual agenda, assault on the Federal Defense of Marriage Act, promotion of the “Fairness Doctrine” that targets conservative talk radio, and its attack on Christian liberties through the Hate Crimes bill as examples of tyranny, Thomas said, “Civil government is due our taxes, prayers, tribute, and submission to lawful authority. It is not due our faith, conscience, or thoughts. It has no divine right to regulate our faith, determine our beliefs, or punish our thoughts. The question Americans must now ask is what should our response be to this tyranny?”
KINGDOM LEADERSHIP
Thomas is the founder and director of the Kingdom Leadership Institute, a Christian parachurch organization that specializes in worldview training and Christ centered leadership. He hosts the popular KLI camp, a weeklong leadership program for youth. He is also the author of, The Kingdom Leadership Institute Manual, based on the Bible’s principles of leadership. The back cover to Thomas’ new book reads, “Life is not a playground. It is a war zone─a clash of ideas, philosophies, values, and worldviews. It is a violent struggle for the souls of men and the destiny of nations.” According to Thomas, the destiny of our republic is at stake. “During the tyranny of King George, the cry from the American colonies was, ‘No King but King Jesus!’ The fight for independence was over who was Lord and whose laws reigned. It is the same today. Will we bow and pledge our allegiance to King Obama or will we stand and affirm our allegiance to King Jesus? The demand for righteous kingdom leadership is upon us. “
Published by Tate Publishing and Enterprises, The Kingdom Leadership Institute Manual: Raising Up Leaders a Time Like This Demands identifies and equips the next generation of “righteous leaders.” The Kingdom Leadership Institute Manual addresses the crisis of leadership in post-election America from a biblical and historical standpoint. A perfect supplement to homeschool curriculums, for Bible study class, small groups, or individual study, it retails for $18.99 plus tax. For a complete listing of retail locations, book signings, book readings, and how to order your book on-line, visit Elijah Ministries online.
ABOUT ELIJAH MINISTRIES
Elijah Ministries is dedicated to imparting the biblical worldview necessary to advance the Kingdom of God on earth. It publishes a monthly newsletter and email updates on the current social-spiritual issues of the day. It works in partnership with other pro-family organizations to restore America to her Christian heritage. Founded in 1985 as a teaching ministry, Elijah Ministries has grown to include the Kingdom Leadership Institute, Rachel’s Park Memorial, and Reformation Weekend.
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FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING MEDIA RELEASE
Or to schedule an interview with Rev. Rusty Lee Thomas,
contact: Kendra Thomas, Administrative Assistant, Elijah Ministries
(254) 664-3881/ email: Kendramarian@yahoo.com
For more information on Elijah Ministries, visit our home page: Elijah Ministries
Book cover art
ENDORSEMENTS
“Rusty Thomas’s passionate voice cries in the wilderness of America. His message carries a clarion call that challenges our young to advance the Christian faith and the liberty it secures for our nation.”
William J. Federer, American Minute
Bestselling Author, America's God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations
“My good friend Rusty Thomas doesn't just have a passion and a cause, for passion and cause’s sake. He has a passion and a cause to the see the kingdom of God advance on earth as it is in heaven, as Christ exhorts believers in the Great Commission. Rusty's work over the years standing at the very gates of hell proclaiming God's truth has been a beacon of hope in a culture bereft of the good news. Now, Rusty has assembled his wisdom and insights learned over all these years into book form to help encourage and equip the next generation to ‘take every thought captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ’ and ‘having done all to stand’ strong in the day of battle.”
Douglas W. Phillips, Esq.
President of Vision Forum, San Antonio, Texas
“Rusty Thomas’s KLI Manual is a great tool to help awaken our young people to take bold action on behalf of God's truth. I highly recommend it!"
Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson
Author, Scam: How the Black Leadership Exploits Black America
Founder and President, BOND, Los Angeles, California
“What does it mean to be a Christian? The Apostle Paul adjured us to have ‘the mind of Christ.’ Unfortunately, in today's culture too many of us don't think like Christians. Instead of Christians being the salt of the earth, we have allowed the world to become the salt of the church. It is time we began in earnest to teach our children how to think and act like Christians. No one addresses these issues better than my friend, Rusty Thomas. His new book, based on his work with young people in the Kingdom Leadership Institute, is sure to change the way our children view the world. He is on the cutting edge in the battle for the hearts and minds of Christian children.”
Coach Dave Daubenmire
Author, A Season Ordered By the Lord
Founder and President, Pass the Salt Ministries, Hebron, Ohio
“Today in America, we are engaged in a battle for the very heart and soul of our nation. There are no political remedies, economic bailouts, or educational solutions that will fix us. We are fighting against the devil himself, and the only way to overcome him is by the blood of the lamb, the word of our testimony, and by not loving our own lives so much as to shrink from death (Revelation 12:11). When one perceives the battle in this light, it will change the way he goes about his God-given task. What one perceives the battle to be will determine how he fights it. We serve the kingdom we see (John 5:19) and become like the god we worship (Jeremiah 2:5, Psalm 115:8). The manual you now have in your hands will enable you to see the battle for what it really is and then to fight and win by storming the gates of hell with the gospel of Christ. The gates of hell cannot prevail against the Church of Jesus Christ. My dear friend, Rusty, has learned this lesson well. He has lived it out himself and helped others to bring the theology of the church house into the streets of cities across our nation. He has witnessed firsthand the power of God to tear down the devil’s strongholds.”
Rev. Flip Benham
National Director, Operation Rescue/Operation Save America
RUSTY LEE THOMAS Father / Minister / Author
AUTHOR BIO
Founder and Director of Elijah Ministries, Rev. Rusty Lee Thomas is a nationally-recognized public speaker, author, radio guest, and founder of Elijah Ministries and the Kingdom Leadership Institute. He has appeared on American Family Radio’s program, Today’s Issues. His writing has appeared in publications around the world, and his work has been profiled in Vanity Fair, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and WorldNetDaily. He is a published columnist for Home School Digest.
A veteran pro-life leader, Rusty is the assistant director of Operation Rescue/Operation Save America. He is the founder and administrator of one of the first memorial parks to the unborn in the nation, Rachel’s Park Memorial. He is also as associate pastor to the Gospel of Life Ministries.
Thomas is the author of The Kingdom Leadership Institute Manual: Raising Up Leaders a Time Like This Demands, a spiritual “field manual” for winning the cultural battles of the day. He resides in Texas with his wife Kendra, thirteen home schooled children, and two grandchildren.
Author with family
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
o What are the three marks of Kingdom leadership?
The three marks are as follows: courage, biblical worldview, and vision. When it comes to courage, I remind the reader of two important truths. First, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but doing what is right in spite of our fears.” Second, “Courage, as a Christian virtue in its rawest form, is a willingness to die if necessary for the cause of Christ. In other words, if forced to choose between one’s life and one’s faith, true courage would inspire the choice of faith.” Christians must get over the suffering and death issues in order to effectually advance the cause of Christ in our poor-fallen world. The second attribute for a Kingdom leader is Biblical worldview. In other words, a leader must view the burning issues of the day through the grid of God’s word, rather than a humanistic standard. Many Christians in America are more influenced in their worldview by their family background, ethnicity, education, political party system, or other profound influences in their lives. The challenge is to hold up those influences to God’s word, if they agree, honor and cherish them, if they don’t, they must be disregarded. Only a Biblical worldview can help a leader successfully navigate through the challenges of life by fitting into God’s reality, rather than hurling themselves against it. The third virtue is vision. God’s word warns, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he” (Proverbs 29:18). Without vision from inspired leaders, people cast off restraint. They wander from God’s protective covering and end up in a moral freefall. They become spiritually and morally naked, which makes them vulnerable to enemies from within and from without. Jesus warned that a person can have perfectly functional eyes and yet not perceive reality. Leaders afflicted by this state, end up becoming the blind leading the blind. Thus both leader and follower wind up in a ditch.
o What was your primary goal in writing your book?
First, I felt an obligation to pass on to the next generation all the precious truths that I had learned fighting the battle for the souls of men, the lives of children, and the future of our nation. Secondly, the book was written to reform the church to restore America to its righteous foundations. The premise being: you cannot have a tyrannical state, without the church first veering from the truth and thus fail in its mission.
o Why did you choose the theme of Christian chivalry and knighthood?
Authentic manhood has been greatly damaged by the rise of feminism in America. It has helped to reinforce in the inherent weakness of men, which are passivity and irresponsibility. I chose the knighthood model to hopefully help men reclaim their masculine identity, manly responsibilities, and return to the male Christian ethic, which places women and children first. In other words, men are at their best laying down their lives for God, family, and country. The goal is to inspire men to move from being predators to becoming protectors, defenders, and proper coverings of women and children once again.
o In your book you mention, “The crisis of our time is one of leadership.” Explain. The underlying premise of the book is established upon this fundamental truth: God judges and restores nations based upon leadership. When the sayings and doings of a nation are against the Lord, the consequence is the nation is turned over to weak, inept, and wicked rulers. The culmination of this travesty is discovered in Isaiah 3:12, which states, “As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.”
o How would you describe President Obama’s leadership?
Obama is God’s man. The Lord placed him as President of the United States. Unfortunately, it is not for America’s welfare. He is a sign of God’s judgment and displeasure upon a nation that is gone a whoring after other gods and the vain philosophies of men. Obama is God’s ex-ray into the heart of our nation. He personifies the condition of our civil government that has betrayed their sacred truth by codifying evil into law and defending the indefensible, such as, the evil practices of abortion and homosexuality. He is also the Lord’s rebuke to His church that has drawn nigh to God with their lips, but their heart and obedience is far from Him. Obama claims to be a Christian and yet supports policies that violate the commandments of God. It is the height of hypocrisy and our Lord reserved his hottest anger and most biting criticism against it. America is being subject to tyranny and unjust laws as a consequence of our idolatry. Thus, Obama has become the head of a new idolatrous cult, otherwise known as the federal government.
o You also mention, “Life is not a playground. It is a war zone—a clash of worldviews competing for the souls of men and the destiny of nations.” Can you elaborate?
The battle that rages for the souls of men and the destiny of nations is described Biblically as a war between two seeds, the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman. The seed of the serpent obeys the lies of the Evil One, which keeps them bound to their natural state, which is to be a law and god unto themselves. In other words, they live life based upon their terms, religious or otherwise, instead of the terms set forth by the God who created them and the Savior who died for them. The strategy of this camp for world domination is to adopt the failed agenda of the Tower of Babel, which is to reach into the heavens and vainly attempt to dethrone the God of heaven and earth and replace Him with totalitarian statism. This explains why all the “isms,” such as Communism, Socialism, and Nazism, which crush freedom and promote tyranny, all have as their foundational premises the vain philosophies of atheism and evolution. The seed of the woman, however, repents of being a covenant rebel, humbly bows before the majesty of God, and receives Christ’s salvation by faith and publicly declares, “not my will, but thine be done.” It is this seed line that underscores the vital nature of our Lord’s admonishment, “You must be born-again to enter or see the Kingdom of God.”
o Patriarchy is a dirty word in today’s culture yet you use the term often in your book. What is biblical patriarchy?
You cannot write a book on leadership and avoid the name or its implications for the family, church, and our culture. According to Weldon M. Hardenbrook, “The biblical term patriarchy is derived from two words in the Greek language. ‘Patria’ is taken from the word pater, father, which means family; and ‘archy,’ which means, beginning, first in origin and to rule. A ‘patriarch’ is a family ruler. He is the man in charge.” I not only agree with the definition, but also add my amen to Mr. Hardenbrook’s exhortation, “But whether we use this word (patriarchy) or not, without its recovery, without its function being made known and its reality working in society, there is absolutely no clear positive way to redeem the male identity.” This particular chapter challenges men to return to their God-ordained position, role, and function to restore divine order and the blessing it provides for women, children, and society.
o In keeping with that question, you also wrote a chapter on Biblical femininity. Can you briefly comment on this chapter?
The two main reasons for these chapters are to reveal the inherent weakness within men and women, which is ignored to the detriment of families and society. The other purpose was to point out the confusion generated by the misunderstanding between function and value as it pertains to women. As stated previously, the sin nature, which manifests in men, typically leads to passivity and irresponsibility. Men are typically passive when it comes to God’s righteousness and aggressive when it comes to wickedness. When the going gets tough and manhood is required, men tend to take off and become irresponsible. For women, the inherent weakness within them is to manipulate, control, and dominate men. The combination of passive males and dominating females has created the sexual confusion that is running rampant in this generation. In value, Christ loves us all the same. Men are not superior and women are not inferior when it comes to the salvation of the Lord. There is, however, a marked difference when it comes to function and the distinctive roles God established between men and women. The divine order is God is the head of Christ, Christ is the head of the man, and man is the head of the woman (1 Corinthians 11:3). I know our modern day era chafes against this revelation, but it is true nonetheless. Most of the dysfunction in our families can be traced to ignorance of the inherent weaknesses manifested through gender and violation of God’s order in the marriage covenant.
o In society we hear a lot about freedom─ “freedom of choice,” “freedom of sexual orientation,” “freedom from want.” In your book you define freedom differently. What is the correct definition of freedom?
Our Founding Fathers believed that there were two main enemies to freedom, licentiousness amongst the citizenry and tyranny in civil government. Both are manifesting under our watch. Biblically and historically in America, true freedom was not the allowance to do what we want to do, when we want to do it, and with whomever we want to do it with. Freedom in this case leads to anarchy, which unchecked leads to tyranny. The freedom they fought and died to secure is the freedom to do what is right. John Adams clearly stated, “Our Constitution was made for only a religious and moral people. It is entirely unsuitable for any other.” George Washington asserted that religion and morality were the firmest supports for liberty. Let not any man claim himself a patriot who would undermine them.
o You also explore the issue of education in your book. You look at it more from a jurisdictional perspective. Could you explain?
Education in the Latin means to “pour in and draw out.” When we examine the condition of our youth culture, I believe it is prudent to examine what is being poured into our children by the state-run schools and what is being drawn out. I believe many of our societal woes, such as, illiteracy, moral depravity, and loss of saving-faith that is running rampant in this generation can be traced back to government schools. Most believe, however, that the sources of failure in public education are due to lack of money or the need for better teachers. We have spent billions of dollars pursuing this course of action. Has the quality of education improved? Not hardly, and for one main reason, education at its core is not just a matter of money or teachers, it is a jurisdictional issue. In other words, nowhere in the Bible does God ordain the state to teach our young. Education does not fall within the parameters of their civil functions. The primary government responsible for the education of our children is family government. Parents and not the state are responsible before God to train up their children. When Americans submit their children to the state to educate in their stead, untold damage results: unruly children, parental despair, national calamity, and a major issue for the church, 85 % of Christian young people renounce their faith by their first year in college. What other business can remain solvent, if they failed 85 % of the time? And yet most of America and the church refuse to connect the dots between public education and the failure of our families, church, and nation.
o In your book, you describe your family. How many children do you have? Do you homeschool? What is life like with so many children?
I am a Kingdom man seeking to raise a Kingdom family for the glory of God. We have a multi-generational vision to advance God’s Kingdom in the earth. As a result, we have been blessed with 13 children. From the very beginning, we decided to homeschool our children based upon the teaching found in Deuteronomy 6, which states, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Based upon this passage I state in the book, “loving God is the greatest commandment and the greatest application of this commandment is home education.” Life in the Thomas Nation is never boring. There are many challenges in seeking to raise godly children in today’s world, but it also very rewarding when we see them fulfill what the Apostle John wrote, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth (3 John 4).”
o How can people contact you? The best way to contact us is through our website Elijah Ministries.
TALKING POINTS
o The Bible teaches that when a nation forgets the law of God, God forgets our children (Hosea 4:6). As it stands, the American culture is influencing our children; they are not influencing the culture. Their bodies may be sitting in our church pews but their bodies and minds belong to the secular world.
o The Barna Research Group, a market research firm that focuses on faith and culture, reveals the Mosaic generation, those between the ages of eighteen and twenty-four, are “more than twice as likely as all other adults to engage in behaviors considered morally inappropriate by traditional standards. Their choices made even the Baby Boomers─never regarded as a paragon of traditional morality─look like moral pillars in comparison.” Traditional morality is dying.
o “Less than one-half of one percent…in the Mosaic generation have a biblical worldview.” The biblical worldview that framed our country is being dismantled. o And what about Christian young people? The Nehemiah Institute surveys Christian children in secular and Christian schools, comparing their worldviews. According to the Nehemiah Institute, eighty-five percent of youth from Christian homes who attend government schools do not embrace even a nominal biblical worldview.
o These same young people register on the worldview scale one step away from socialism. They register on the lower half of humanism, which is one step away from socialism.
o The majority of Christian youth who attend private Christian schools register in the top half of a humanistic worldview.
o Socialism is being erected on the ruins of freedom. The Obama Administration is merely enacting the “core values” that have been taught in our public schools and colleges for decades.
o President Obama is a product of a secularized America and a sign of God’s judgment. God judges and restores nations based upon leadership (Judges; Isaiah 3:12). Fundamentally, the crisis of our time is one of leadership.
SEGMENT IDEAS
o Interview Questions
o Life is Not a Playground: It is a War Zone
o Why President Obama is a Sign of God’s Judgment
o The Character of a Leader
o Three Marks of Kingdom Leadership
o The Mission of the Kingdom Leadership Institute
STORY ANGLES
o Quiverfull: The Trend Towards Larger Families and the Growth of Conservative Evangelical Christianity in America
o The Return of Biblical Patriarchy
o What Ever Happened to Operation Rescue? The Movement’s Leaders Now
o A Bakers Dozen: A Blended Family and a New Baby Makes Thirteen
o Beauty From Ashes: How Two Hurting Families Became a Testimony of God’s Redemptive Love
o What is the Kingdom Leadership Institute?
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