We previously told you that the well-sourced and excellently produced movie “Enemies Within: The Church” was a clarion call for Christians in America. So when Trevor Loudon had his microphone cut off and was forced off the stage yesterday, our only surprise is that no one realized this was a fulfillment of his own prophecy. Loudon, along with movie Producer Judd Saul, have made it very clear that some institutional leaders, pastors, and seminaries in America are actively attempting to silence the message of their movie.
On Saturday April 30th, Loudon and the team behind the movie, were sponsors of the great speaking line-up at the Cultural Engagement Summit held at Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. For months the event had advertised publicly that the movie would be the event’s closing feature at 6PM. Event organizers brought in a diverse collection of speakers, pastors, politicians and advocates to address moral erosion within the political and Christian worlds. The inaugural summit was well received by attendees and the messaging was concisely delivered: CRT, ESG, and Marxist doctrines are corrupting the church and in turn all of American society. That messaging is 100% in alignment with the revelations found in “Enemies Within the Church”.
Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?” Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me!”
Number 22.28-29 NIV
The almighty creator of the universe uses amazing people and things to deliver his promises. He moved the shadow of the sun, caused an ass to speak prophetically (Numbers 22.28) , and used numerous pagan Magi to speak and fulfill prophecy. His mastery of His creation is as a potter with clay. So why then do we let people disparage how an omnipotent God would deliver a modern day message of repentance to the churches in America?
Why are we surprised when the Lord uses atheists like Jordan Peterson or James Lindsey to instruct Christians and non-Christians alike in how to return to the original truths found in the Bible? Why would it ever seem out of character then for God to assemble a team of wise people to produce an amazingly factual and seemingly prophetic documentary about the rot and stink of corruption in our churches today? Who are we to limit what vehicle our sovereign Lord of eternity would choose to tell his people that our ways have gone astray? Why would we find it at all strange to see wise men like Trevor Loudon telling church leaders that if they don’t correct their weak teachings that socialists are going to have our church removed?
Enemies Within the Church producer Judd Saul says he was “very surprised” when he was contacted approximately one week before the summit and informed that the movie would not be allowed to be shown.
One week. When making staffing a travel arrangements, a week isn’t much notice, but it appears Citizens for America contacted Enemies Within the Church as soon as they found were informed of the movie. Citizens for America offered a refund of the event sponsorship fee. However, Enemies Within the Church would have still been out their travel reservations. Judd Saul informed CCOT Director Matthew Nowlin that after offering a refund, Chris Hughes asked Enemies Within the Church to still participate in the conference. Trevor Loudon was still supposed to speak, Enemies Within the Church would maintain their booth, and the trailer for the movie would be shownn.
In a conversation with CCOT director Matthew Nowlin, Loudon stated that he arrived at the seminary with Chris Prosch and spoke with the Seminary President, Dr. Mike Spradlin. Loudon personally asked Dr. Spradlin if would reconsider his position and allow Enemies Within the Church to be shown, and was told that the position was final. Shortly after this conversation, Loudon was informed that the trailer for Enemies Within the Church could no longer be shown.
You can listen to what remains online of Trevor’s speech, with excellent talking points from Jon Harris, here.
CCOT staff Matthew Nowlin and Shawn Graham spoke with Trevor Loudon and Chris Prosch in the late afternoon preceding Loudon’s speech. At that time, Loudon made it clear that he was not sure he would be allowed to speak. But as his speaking time arrived he indicated that he was pleased to be allowed a chance to promote the messages contained in the movie. Once on stage, Loudon spoke about how the movie came to be removed from the event schedule. CBN leadership signaled to cut the live stream of the event. At the same time Loudon’s microphone was silenced. Once he escorted Loudon from the stage, pastor Timothy Pigg took to the stage to speak harshly about Loudon and described him as” rude and ungrateful” for the hospitality of MABTS. Many of the crowd at the even were standing and shouting for Pigg to let Loudon finish his talk. One women in the crowd clearly shouted, “believers can disagree but let him finish!” Clearly, those in attendance felt that silencing Loudon was uncalled for and inappropriate.
In a conversation the afternoon of Sunday, May 1, Loudon told Nowlin that after he was escorted from the stage, security informed him that he and Enemies Within the Church staff had to leave. Loudon countered that they had a contract, and that there were people who wanted to buy their DVD. Loudon further informed Nowlin that after 20 minutes, security returned and told him they would be allowed to stay until the event ended.
Mid America has traditionally been a wonderful seminary; CCOT has frequently and recently recommended it as one of the few faithful seminaries left in America. This makes what happened with Enemies Within the Church especially bitter to us. The seminary’s very recent actions seem inconsistent with the position of the school in the past – after all, Mid America took much criticism for showing this movie only a few months ago. Further, the decision to cut Loudon’s microphone and to remove him from stage when his speech was almost over strikes us as counterproductive. Absent a clear statement by the seminary, one can only speculate about what caused behavior that can at best be described as inconsistent.
At Conservative Christians of Tennessee we advocate for our listeners, partners, and readers to find ways to share the truth. We encourage the message of the Law and the Gospel, and are open in our belief that many denominational groups are suffering from infusions of marxist dogma and idolatry. We were glad to see Dr. Chris Hughes bring his one day Cultural Engagement summit to Memphis. Thank you, Dr. Hughes! Further, we want to thank all of the speakers who stood up and called for Christians and all citizens to return to our nation’s Judeo-Christian founding principles.
Pastor Timothy Pigg rebuking the crowd
We don’t claim to understand all the details of how this situation came to be. Unfortunately, in this event, the seminary and denominational organization do not have our confidence. We have no idea who told pastor Timothy Pigg to do what he did, but he acted clearly with group support from the event staff. That alone is the fulfillment of what Louden was saying. There are enemies within the church that are trying to keep this message from getting out. No amount of finger wagging and claims to adhere to the wicked “11th commandment” of evangelicalism will make that go away.
As you speak truth, know this: pious people will always default to “you were being rude”. But it is long past time for people in these churches and denominations to start flipping tables.
