Claim: God supports Huckabee for President
Posted November 5, 2007
By Frank Lockwood
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
IRVING, Texas — New Beginnings church hasn’t endorsed anybody in the 2008 presidential race, but God probably has, pastor Larry Huch said Sunday.
The Almighty, who chose a Goliath-slayer to reign over Israel years ago, apparently has selected an Arkansan to rule over the United States, the Irving pastor repeatedly told his congregation as Mike Huckabee stood nearby.
Huch, saying he believes he has a word from God for the Republican hopeful, quoted a Scripture passage from 1 Samuel that ends with the Lord declaring: “Arise and anoint [David to lead the nation ] for this is the one.”
The crowd, some of them wearing yarmulkes, cheered noisily after Huch’s declaration, and they later stretched their hands toward Huckabee as they prayed for campaignseason favor from heaven.
“I believe that Sen. Huckabee is the David that you’ve brought in to be a head over this nation’s house,” Huch said, misstating Huckabee’s political rank. “And Father, I ask for the blessing on him, on his family, on their campaign, that you will keep them safe, you will give them wisdom, that you will give him favor, for he is giving you all the praise and all the glory.”
An Oct. 18 CBS News poll found that most evangelical Christians still have not heard of Huckabee, the ordained Southern Baptist minister, former president of the Arkansas Baptist State Convention and longtime Arkansas governor.
With the Iowa caucuses less than two months away, Huckabee is now working feverishly to raise his name recognition and to rally his evangelical base, which has yet to coalesce around one single candidate.
Friday, he spoke at the South Carolina Renewal Project Pastors’ Policy Briefing in Columbia.
Saturday, he attended a DeSoto, Texas, fundraiser, which drew about 60 supporters, including a few of North Texas ’ best-known evangelicals.
Before church Sunday, Huckabee had breakfast and watched Meet the Press, grumbling a bit about what he termed “softball questions” that he said Tim Russert, the show’s host, had lobbed at GOP presidential contender Fred Thompson.
“When I did Meet the Press, from the very first question Tim was throwing 98 mph hardballs — whap, whap, whap,” he said.
“You did good, though,” a campaign official told him. “You hit some.”
Later Sunday, he preached two sermons.
His efforts began at New Beginnings, a pro-Israeli, multicultural, Pentecostal-Charismatic congregation a few miles from Texas Stadium.
A 5-foot-tall, gold-colored, electrically lit menorah glowed, and American and Israeli flags flanked the stage as Huckabee stood behind a pulpit emblazoned with the Star of David and preached for about 15 minutes. A thousand audience members, maybe more, applauded over and over as Huckabee described how his family’s apparent setbacks had turned, against all odds, into resounding victories.
For Christians, Huckabee suggested, defeat need not ever be final.
“All things work together for good — not for everybody in the world — but for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose. That’s a unique privilege for those who put their faith in Christ,” he told the 10 a. m. worship crowd, paraphrasing Romans 8: 28.
Then Huckabee compared the future to an Arkansas Razorbacks basketball victory — tape-delayed and rebroadcast, but with the outcome never in doubt.
He compared that broadcast to the end times outlined in the book of Revelation, the apocalyptic final book in the New Testament. “Cheat just a little bit, and just go read the back of the book, because guess what ? In the end, we do win this thing.”
“Whatever the score is late in the fourth quarter, hang on, because when the final whistle blows, Jesus is Lord and that’s what matters.”
Rushing out of New Beginnings in midservice, Huckabee raced north to Plano for the 11 a. m. service at Prestonwood Baptist Church, one of the nation’s largest.
By the time Huckabee arrived, the 7, 500-seat sanctuary was nearly full and the 500 purple-robed choir members were already in place.
At Prestonwood, the Rev. Jack Graham didn’t pass along any prophetic messages from God, but he did offer Huckabee plenty of encouragement.
“[God ] is the one who puts down one and lifts up another, and he is lifting up those who would serve our country and raising up leaders for our nation in this day,” said Graham, former president of the Southern Baptist Convention. “And I believe among those who God is lifting up, his favor is upon Mike Huckabee.”
The massive, largely white congregation greeted Huckabee warmly and listened attentively as he quoted Scriptures from memory about God’s faithfulness and desire to bless those he loves.
With news cameras clicking and television crews beaming his image onto Jumbotron-style screens, Huckabee compared the Christian’s life to a bobsled race. “God has plans for the curves ahead. God plans for us to succeed — not fail.”
Quoting the late singer Ethel Waters, Huckabee added, “God don’t sponsor no flops.”
At the end of Huckabee’s message, the congregation gave him a standing ovation, then waited while Graham gave an altar call and invited people to join the church.
Afterward, worshippers stopped by the church’s bookstore to peruse copies of Huckabee’s books Quit Digging Your Grave with a Knife and Fork and From Hope to Higher Ground. They said they liked what they’d heard from Huckabee.
Marlane Minton, a trial consultant from North Dallas, hasn’t been impressed with the other presidential hopefuls.
“Most of them don’t have core values, and Mike Huckabee does, and he’s not afraid to talk about them,” she said.
The nation needs a change in direction, she said. “I’m afraid we’ve strayed so far from the founding fathers, but [Huckabee ] will bring us back home where we belong as a great nation.”
Jim Mayden of Plano was also impressed with Huckabee. “If he sticks with his convictions, I’ll probably vote for him,” Mayden said. “If he waffles or gravitates from his core beliefs, I probably won’t vote for him.”
In an interview before Huckabee’s appearance, Graham said Huckabee “is far and away the best communicator on either side, Republican or Democrat. It’s not even close.” Plus, he said, Huckabee is right on the issues.
“He shares the values that many of us share in the evangelical churches.... He’s a broadtent conservative that has a message I believe can coalesce evangelicals and conservatives of all kinds in this nation.”
Huckabee has struggled to raise money and to attract supporters throughout much of this campaign. But in recent days, his poll numbers have risen, especially in Iowa, which holds the nation’s first caucus in January.
Some polls have shown him in a virtual tie for second place there.
Friday, the president’s brother, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, told a Dallas audience that Huckabee should now be considered a top-tier candidate, one of five candidates capable of winning the Republican nomination.
“He’s a great speaker.... He’s got a great sense of humor. But he should be taken seriously,” Jeb Bush said, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Bush’s praise coincided with Huckabee’s arrival in the Dallas area and boosted spirits among Huckabee’s supporters here.
After struggling for months, donations are finally beginning to roll in. The campaign reported that it raised $ 1, 034, 486 in October, more than in July, August and September combined.
Mike Buster, executive pastor at Prestonwood Baptist Church, recently agreed to help raise $ 100, 000 for Huckabee and says it’s not hard to find donors now.
“I’ve raised $ 30, 000 in the last three days,” he said Friday. During a phone interview, he picked up a stack of checks and read the dollar amounts aloud: “$ 4, 600; $ 1, 000; $ 200; $ 4, 600; $ 100; $ 2, 300; $ 400.”
Asked if he’d reach his $ 100, 000 fundraising goal by the end of the year, he replied, “Oh, by the end of the month. There’s an amazing momentum just in the last two or three days that has swept the country. I’m sensing it.”
Huckabee, who hasn’t run any television ads in Iowa, has become a viable candidate, supporters say. Buster wondered aloud what will happen once the candidate has funds to compete. “What he’s done with so little money, that’s what’s amazing,” Buster said. “Now the money’s starting to roll in.”
Some of that money rolled in Saturday night at the De Soto, Texas, home of Lindy “Buddy” Pilgrim, former Pilgrim’s Pride president. Dozens of people paid $ 600 each to get their picture taken with Huckabee and to receive autographed copies of his latest book. Three attendants handled valet parking for the well-heeled donors.
A welcome mat reading “I am Blessed Coming In. I am Blessed Going Out.” greeted visitors.
The event raised $ 70, 000 at the door, a campaign official said, but the total take could approach $ 100, 000.
Inside, no alcohol was served. A well-worn New International Version study Bible lay on the coffee table, its binding torn. A picture of Jesus the good shepherd sat on a nearby easel.
At the door, Pilgrim welcomed guests and heaped praise on Huckabee. “He’s unwavering; he’s unapologetic, and he’s on the right side of the issues. He’s a man of outstanding character and integrity and clarity of message,” Pilgrim said.
In the entrance, televangelist Kenneth Copeland said Huckabee’s chances of victory are “big. Big.”
“Why ?” a reporter asked.
“God,” Copeland replied. The prosperity gospel preacher predicts evangelicals will rally around Huckabee.
“If you ever get all this bunch stirred up at the same time, it makes a big difference, and I think it’s stirring time,” Copeland said.
As a photographer snapped pictures, Plano investment adviser Bo Ward told Huckabee, “We’re praying for you.”
“I appreciate that,” the candidate replied.
Ward said it’s important to him to have a Christian in the White House. “I’d just like to know that the guy who is leading our country believes Jesus is our savior,” Ward said.
Does he think Huckabee will win ? “Absolutely,” Ward said. “You’re not going to give money to a loser.”