4/22/2000 Take A Stand! Newsletter

Melanie and I wish you the very best Easter and pray that God answers your every prayer!

I am ministering in a "Sonrise Service" Easter Sunday morning in a beautiful serene outdoor setting here in East Texas. Wherever you are we pray that you will sense the Lord's presence as we remember His death, burial and glorious resurrection. What peace it is to know that though the battle still rages here on earth He defeated death, hell and the grave for all who would trust in Him! Amen!

We wish a special greeting to all of our new subscribers. Thanks for joining us here at Take A Stand! Ministries and www.ericbarger.com! Since it's been five weeks since the last Newsletter there's a lot here so take your time and digest it well!

Each day we continue to work writing, researching and of course praying as we see the Lord shape the future of our ministry. I cannot express how excited I am in what I sense He is doing! PTL!

The next newsletter will contain some of my new materials on Spiritual Warfare. Frankly, I am bubbling inside as I sense the Lord give me new relation on this expansive topic. Some of what I am composing is fresh thought that I honestly have never heard a hint of in any of the reading I have done on the topic over the last 17+ years. I am more than excited and long to share it with you and will do so soon. Watch for it in the coming weeks.

Nearly every day I am able to minister to those needing answers for faith around the world. Our web site continues to blossom and our readership grows. Thus far in 2000 more than 150,000 documents have been viewed or downloaded from www.ericbarger.com!!! We have seen an especially fruitful ministry to some in Singapore and the far east as the Lord has used our ministry to touch and reignite the flame of God in fertile hearts - ALLELUIA!

Be sure to check out the new Home Page Design at www.ericbarger.com too. From there we've added a special "first time visitors page" and you'll recognize the "Site Directory" as it is similar to the old home page. Let us know how the new design navigates for you. We REALLY want to know what you think! Thanks!

We have gotten some very touching, heartwarming letters through the years and are grateful to God for every correspondence. I want to share what is perhaps the most rewarding letter we have ever received with you. I was so blessed and touched by this note that I have waited to feature it in an appropriate newsletter, and this is it! It reads:

Dear Mr. Barger,

Yesterday I received a email message from Michael Hyatt's email list. Always I am anxious to read his messages but I was busy and quickly scanned the message until I came to the name ERIC BARGER. I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw your name and the link to your website. Many memories came quickly flooding back to a time many years ago when I was sitting in a small local church and I was blessed to be able to hear several of your messages regarding rock & roll music.

Immediately I went to your website to see if this was indeed the young minister that I remembered hearing and I was delighted that indeed I was correct.

Mr. Barger I have always wanted to share with you how your special ministry changed our lives here in our home. My husband and I had just begun our little family. I had a small infant and a 2 year old son at the time. We sat on the edge of our seats listening to the important message that you shared.

That night our lives changed dramatically. I was born in to a Christian family so being a Christian has always been part of my life but music too was an important aspect of my life and my husband. When we left the church we went home and sat down in front of our record collection and we began to make an assessment of our listening habits. One by one we went through each and every record. By the time that we were finished we had eliminated approximately 75% of our collection and destroyed them by fire. To our amazement some of the really bad recordings were very difficult to destroy. We tried to break them, melt them, tear them but only through fire were we successful in our seek and destroy mission. We earnestly prayed and asked God to guide our decision as we made our choices. We completely changed the way we brought any music in to our home.

When we decided to buy a new stereo system we bought a huge system that we could enjoy but first we asked God's blessing and anointing so that we would still continue to remember to make right choices and decisions regarding what we chose to listen to.

Today our son is approaching his 19th birthday, our oldest daughter is 16 and our youngest is 12. We have raised them to have much dedication to listening to the music with a spiritual ear and to discern those messages that they should eliminate. Our children know you and your principles very well because they have heard their mom and dad recite your thoughts over and over to them throughout the years. They have even become avid, spiritual listeners and "thinkers" when it comes to the Christian radio stations. When they hear things on those stations that are problematic - the kids have become activists and actually contact the stations to register their personal concerns! You can imagine our pleasure in hearing them recite Bible passages and quotes which affirm there deepest concerns regarding music.

I have always wanted a chance to say thank you for helping us to change our views and for helping us to raise strong, beautiful and wise Christian teenagers. God used your message to transform our family not only in the present but in the future of our children! I am anxious to take some time and sit down and read every line of your website. I have already shared with my children that I found your website and they too are anxious to meet the minister that they have heard about for so many years. I hope that you come back to the Northwest some time so that we can say thanks in person.

God richly bless you, your family and your current ministry for you have truly blessed us in a most wonderful and enduring way.
Lloyd, Sharon, Brandon, Christina, & Brienne (from Washington State)

Some of you know that Melanie has experienced a long ongoing battle with chronic fatigue. You may also be aware that recently she underwent a series of tests at the Baylor Hospital Heartplace. I am grateful to relay to you that though the tests turned out relatively positive this is but one phase the health problems she has endured. Thankfully we were able to raise the money for the special tests as our home church came to our aid. But we remain without health insurance for the moment and also, due to being off the road, we are without the benefit of the income from the Take A Stand! seminar speaking engagements - our main source of income.

My friend, being off the road, we are in much need of your financial support. I cannot tell you how grateful we are for any gifts and offerings that come in right now.

Please do not be offended that I share this with you but I need to let you know in emphatic terms about the gravity of the situation.

ELIAN GONZALEZ... No matter where you come down on the issue of Elian Gonzales, the young Cuban boy who floated to freedom and watched his mother die trying to assure him a better life here in America, there is one thing for certain - The Clinton crowd has no respect for anything but themselves! Choosing Easter weekend to raid the house in Miami's "Little Havana" is an affront to all who respect Christ. SHAME ON YOU JANET RENO! Isn't it enough that if the courts so rule this young boy will surely face some sort of incarceration and deprogramming at the hands of Fidel Castro?

My mind will forever hold the unsettling memory of the little boy screaming in terror as machine gun-toting INS agents kicked down the door of the Florida house this morning screaming threats and holding guns to the occupants heads. (Click here for picture) But my remembrance of the scene will be nothing like the anguish and permanent mental scares that Elian will experience. If you haven't done so already, please read the story "Why Elian Lost" by Chris Ruddy at Newsmax.com and see accompanying photos. This is what America - the land of the free and the home of the brave - is coming to and it is NOT what the left-stream media, such as CNN (known generally as the "Clinton News Network") is reporting.

The Bottom Line: This is not about fathers "rights". I believe in the family unit as strong as anyone living today. What seems lost in the mix here is the fact that Elian's mother lost her life trying to give her son freedom from Castro's Cuba. If she had lived we would never have heard the name "Elian Gonzalez". With all the talk the government and news media has trumpeted that the "family unit must stay together" have we lost any thought as to the political implications Elian represents to both Clinton and Castro? This issue is about the safety and well being of the child - something the Clinton crew are least concerned with. Have we forgotten the video tape of Elian telling the world "I don't want to go back to Cuba"? I guarantee Castro hasn't. This six year-old has doubtlessly become a symbol of freedom and hope to the oppressed in Communism's grasp. He cannot be allowed to remain so for the sake of Castro's iron rule.

In reality, Clinton had to seize Elian to assure that enough time is given to "change his mind" about asking for political asylum before his court hearing in May. What is sure to happen to Elian over the next few days and weeks used to be called "brainwashing". It will start here in America and be completed if and when Elian is returned into the hands of Cuba's mad-man dictator. Any other result than sending Elian back to Castro's waiting arms could further harm Clinton's attempt to "normalize" relations with Castro and cause his administration further embarrassment, as if he hasn't done enough already.

WEB SITE ALERT... Dr. Lorraine Day, renowned surgeon, author and life-long agnostic turns to Christ! Her battle with cancer and her search through the New Age for a remedy resulted in her being brought face to face with a demonic force. The result: She called on the name of the Lord and now testifies to the healing and delivering power of God! This site is a must for anyone battling Cancer, Aids or the New Age Movement!

LETTERS TO US... Our last two TAKE A STAND! Newsletters have resulted in much mail and reaction! The March 5 Newsletter and the follow up on March 7 dealing with Catholicism and works-based religions and the March 15 Newsletter article and information on Mormon-Christian reconciliation are both hot topics that certainly polarize and leave few without definitive positions to hold. Read the responses and/or review the articles that inspired them as well as other mail here!

A WORD ON WEB HOSTING & DESIGN... You may have seen the banner below on other pages in our site and wondered just who "Toasthost" is? I am proud to endorse this Christian owned and operated company who now hosts www.ericbarger.com! Owned by Joshua Decker, son of our good friend and colleague, Ed Decker of Saints Alive will give you the utmost in both web design and web hosting. I encourage any of you with an existing web site or those of you who have considered starting one to click on the banner and contact Josh.