The Following was sent to me by my Christian Friends Matt & Debbie Evans (webmaster - Mark K. Doty) It even includes the Words from the Song by the Cohens': "Friend of Mine/Columbine"

Here is some spiritual news from a youth pastor in Littleton.
Brothers & Sisters in Christ - I write this for your Encouragement....Though until today I was someone on the outside of the Columbine incident -through fellowship with other local youth pastors throughout  today, attending Cassie Bernall's funeral, and attending a citywide Youth Pastor meeting tonight - I have a new appreciation for just how Awesome our God is....

Some Testimony to God's work in Jefferson County/Things you won't hear about in the news:
Funerals - John Tomlin, Rachel Scott, and Cassie Bernall's funerals were very evangelical and evangelistic in nature. All three focused 90% on Christ and 10% on the individual. The gospel was presented clearly in each of the funerals and a number of the local youth made first time commitments to Christ in each of the services. The true faith of the parents and desire to draw others to Christ through the life & death of their children was very evident.
(1.) John Tomiln's Memorial Service (16) - John was a committed believer. He was active in mission work. John's best friend shared at the funeral that although John was a great guy, he was not going to heaven because of that. He was going to heaven because of his trust and fellowship with Christ.This was a reoccurring theme throughout the funeral. There were a number of first time commitments to Christ that took place at the funeral.
(2.) Rachel Scott's Funeral (17) - Rachel was a committed believer who desired to go into missionary work in Africa. Her prom date shared how  her faith and impacted him and those around her in the school. Over 15 first timecommitments to Christ occurred at the funeral.
(3.) Cassie Bernall/Martyr's Funeral (17) - I was blessed with an invitation from a brother youth worker/her youth pastor to attend the funeral. Cassie was totally anti-Christian 2 years ago. She was involved in witchcraft and very suicidal. Her parents forcibly drug her into the youth pastor's office. When she walked out - his reaction was "Wow, she is a lost cause..." Through the prayers of her church's youth group, parents, and youth pastor. Cassie about 6 months later walked back up to the youth pastor and said "You'll never guess what I did today... I gave my life to Christ..." - From that point forward, Cassie was a radical evangelist on her campus. The funeral showed some video tape of her sharing parts of her testimony which were very powerful. It is because of her radical faith on Campus that she was asked if she believed in God - She replied "Yes, I believe in Jesus" (Not I believe in God as the media has reported).. From that she was killed.. I can say that her parents were devastated but proud of their daughter (she looks exactly like her mother). The funeral was more of a celebration of Christ's work in her and through her and a number of girls shared how she had led them to faith... At Cassie's Memorial Service over 75 kids made first time commitments to Christ. At the funeral, the pastor and a member of the musical group presented the gospel twice and offered the "Sinner's Prayer" twice.. - Her funeral was more of an evangelistic event than a mourning of the loss.. I was very touched by the testimony of her friends along with the clear presentation of the gospel (in attendance was everyone from the JeffCo SWAT Team,  Paramedics, District Attorneys' Office, etc).. I feel honored to have been able to witness such an event & watch God work through her death to bring life to others.

OTHER'S WORTH MENTIONING/PRAYING FOR:
John & Steve Cohen - They wrote "Friend of Mine/Columbine" a evangelistic song regarding their school and the need for God's redemption. The memorial service televised internationally on Sunday was opened with the song. They have had the opportunity to clearly present the gospel on Good Morning America and the Today Show (this   morning in fact). I spent about 30 minutes talking to them. John was the leader of the Columbine Bible Club which apparently was very large. His (and his brother's) faith were very apparent and their tender/gentle hearts clearly showed through. As a testimony on how God works in mysterious ways - Virgin Records will be producing their CD free for them (Though it is being sold for $10 ($11.95 w/ Shipping) to support the victim's families.. They are a true testimony of great faith in a young age. [On a side note - They are in a Christian Ska band-I forgot the name]... Their clear articulation of the Gospel on several national (and international) shows is a great witness to their faith & to God's amazing work through this incident..

Craig Scott (15) - Craig was sitting between Isaiah Shoels and Matt  Kechter in the library. Matt was his best friend. Both Matt & Isaiah were shot and Craig played dead, lying in their blood. Craig then led a number from the library out to safety. He then led those from the library in prayer for their brothers & sisters who were still in the school. He shared that one by one his friends siblings came out - but his never did. He lost his best friend and sister. The next day on the Today show he shared his story then affirmed that he would be getting through this with God's help. He clearly affirmed that his hope is in God and that he and his family will make it through. In the midst of his pain - the hope he has was very apparent. My Youth Ministry

Friends - I spent 5 hours this evening at a Youth Leader Gathering at  Foothills Bible Church. We had around 400 Youth Pastors from the local area showed up. I'd ask for your prayers for the youth leaders in the Jefferson County area. I spent several hours just weeping with several of my good friends from seminary who either lost kids or have kids severely impacted by the shooting. I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a member of one of the youth groups I've been involved in.. These youth ministers were devastated and drained but their hope in Christ was very clear. I had the opportunity to minister to and pray with a number of JeffCo Youth Pastors today & was very encouraged.. They are an amazing bunch who are exhausted emotionally and physically & need the prayers of others...

SPECIFICALLY:
Larry - Larry is a seminary classmate who runs a outreach center for troubled youth called "Tuesday at your Mother's" - He has local bands come in and play and is geared towards the troubled youth in the area. Tuesday before last Eric Harris was at his coffee house/concert. The band playing broke a string on their guitar and it took 30 minutes to fix - The lead singer clearly presented his testimony and the Gospel in that 30 minute period. In fact, one of the band members had a word that someone "Was going to kill someone or had just killed someone" and asked them to come forward for prayer - no one did. My brother Larry is wrought with guilt over the fact that he had Eric Harris at one of his services just 7 days before their killing spree and he feels he didn't   minister properly to prevent the tragedy. Please pray for Larry's peace & for his ministry to troubled youth. He still has several of Eric and Dylan's crowd that show up to his coffeehouse/concerts...

Jeremy - Jeremy is a seminary classmate who is the Youth Pastor at Foothills Bible Church - Almost the entire youth group attended Columbine. They lost John Tomlin & are really hurting. Jeremy needs strength in ministering to his youth (Also Rusty - Youth Leader at Foothills)...
Clement Park - After Cassie's Funeral - I spent some time at Clement Park with some youth pastor brothers. I was encouraged to see that about 90% of the notes left were clearly evangelical and expressed the need to turn to Jesus and His atoning sacrifice. If you are in the local area - I would say this is a sight your children should see.. I noticed a number of parents with middle school and elementary age children using this as a "teachable moment"... I heard a number of people sharing the gospel with visitors (though L.Ron Hubbard folks were there passing out materials also)

Jefferson County - The minute I drove into Jefferson County - I felt the clear presence of the Holy Spirit at work. The city is ripe for the harvest. I've heard testimonies of 10's to 50's at a time turning to Christ at each of the various memorials and services. The gospel is being clearly resented at every event. The churches are united in service and effort / the sense of community among the believers is amazing. The churches are being supported by the community in amazing ways. At the youth pastor event we had more food than everyone could eat and take home.. Local restaurants are giving away thousands of meals to the churches.. God is working through secular organizations and businesses for His purpose. At the youth event - Group Publishing/Youth Specialties donated hundreds and hundreds of youth material books/etc. They had more than  everyone could take.----

I'm writing all this to encourage you in that our Lord and Savior works in mysterious ways. Through the death of believers like Cassie, John and Rachel - He has brought new life to thousands.... I've seen the Gospel presented on CNN (& CNN International - Live) a number of times.. Even more so on the local stations.. Amazingly - Often by youth.... The church in the area is united, the believers focus is on Christ (it's amazing how fast priorities change in a situation like this) and the city is hungering for the Gospel..Christ is clearly working in infinite ways through this incident...

Please pray for the churches/ministers and for the pre-Christians in Jefferson County and Praise God for His Amazing ways... And please be encouraged by the amazing workings of our Lord through tragedies like this...

God Bless,  Hansel

Steve & John's Song - Getting national airplay
"FRIEND OF MINE"
Columbine, flower bloom, tenderly I sing to you.
Columbine, roseblood red, heartbreak overflows my head.
Columbine, flower bloom.
Columbine there's hope for you.
Columbine, friend of mine.
To your gain, on the mark.
With your love, love again.
Comfort peace and sweet release come from you.
Where, it's true, I hide myself in you.
Can you still hear raging guns ending dreams of precious ones.
In God' son, hope will come, his red stain will take our pain.
Columbine, friend of mine.
Peace will come to you in time.
Columbine, friend of mine.
Turn a page, to your gain.
Keep your heart on the mark.
Comfort us with your love.
Love again.
Christ of grace attend this place we look to you.
Honor you.
Fix you in our view.
Columbine, flower bloom.
Tenderly I sing to you.
Columbine, roseblood red, heartbreak overflows my head.
Columbine, friend of mine.
Peace will come to you in time.
Columbine, friend of mine.

Jonathan and Stephen Cohen

Andrew Pruett: PERSONNEL ASSISTANT HQ AFRC/SVXH ROBINS AFB GA DSN: 497-1334 Please, don't hesitate to call me with any questions or comments!!
Subject: Testimony in the Face of Death

April 20 was Adolph Hitler's birthday. It was also a day of death at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado. Two students, members of a gang called the Trench Coat Mafia, smuggled over 30 bombs into the school, then with an array of guns went on a killing spree that left twelve students,one teacher dead, and ended in their own suicide. At least three of the dead were committed Christians.

John Tomlin, sixteen years old and described by fellow students as a regular guy, was shot as he sat reading an automotive magazine in the library. Michelle Oetter said of him: "John had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And I do, too. And I know that he's in heaven right now. I know I will see him again."

Another student, Rachel Scott, seventeen years old, had just days before performed in the school play, cast in the role of an outcast, a student searching for herself in a world of peer pressure and popularity contests. As always, Scott, who read the Bible as enthusiastcally as she did stage scripts, rose above expectations. She was pretty, confident, and had a reputation for warmth, distancing herself from petty rifts in high school hallways. She had told many people that her ambition was to be a missionary, perhaps in Africa. She wanted to help relieve the suffering. Rachel was also shot to death in the library. Her pastor, the Rev. Barry Palfer, is convinced that her unshakable faith cost Scott her life.

Cassie Bernall walked into Columbine High School last Tuesday morning a promising student. She was carried out more than 24 hours later a Christian martyr. "Do you believe in God?" one of the heavily armed gunmen asked the shy blond girl, reading her Bible in the library while her school was under siege. Hesitating a moment, she replied in a voice strong enough to be heard by classmates cowering under nearby tables and desks, "Yes, I believe in God,". The gunman in the long black trench coat laughed. "Why?" he asked mockingly. Then he raised his gun and shot and killed Cassie. In her death, Cassie has become both symbol and prophet, her martyrdom seemingly foretold in a poem she wrote after church services last Sunday, just two days before she was killed. It was discovered on her desk by her younger brother, Chris, Tuesday night, when it became clear that she would not be coming home. It reads:

"Now I have given up on everything else. I have found it to be the only way to really know Christ and to experience the mighty power that brought him back to life again, and to find out what it means to suffer and to die with him. So, whatever it takes, I will be one who lives in the fresh newness of life of those who are alive from the dead."

When Cassie's grandmother received the news of how she died, she exclaimed: "My God, my granddaughter was a martyr." The last assignment Cassie completed on this earth was a reading that was to have been discussed at a youth group meeting the night she died. The book is called, "Seeking Peace." In a chapter entitled "No Life Without Death," the author quotes the Gospel of John: "Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But when it dies, it produces many seeds."

In a commentary on these events, talk show host, Alan Keyes had this to say: "Satan may have been in that room, but he wasn't able to prevent one of the most incredible witnesses of faith that I have heard in a long time. That child was a true martyr, and let us praise God for her soul, her courage, and her faith in the Lord. We should say a prayer of thanksgiving to God for such a soul, for although the forces of evil are indeed at work in the world, we need to remember from time to time that what they threaten us with in physical death is not the worst fate that we can suffer. The worst fate that we can suffer is to be separated from our God. Especially moving to me in the description of the death of this girl is not her "yes," but the moment of hesitation that preceded it. It means that she went into her heart and searched herself for the truth, and she came out with a witness before God in the face of death. If we understand its importance, such witness of faith can become an inspiration not only to us and to our children, but to our country as well. The martyrdom of the young lady presents to us the truth about what we should be doing to counteract this cowardice. Many guns are pointed at us, and we need to imitate her courage in  facing them down.

Over here, a preacher won't speak out because he is afraid of losing his 501c3 status. Over there, a politician won't speak out because he is afraid that the Washington Post will call him a right-wing religious nut. Someone else won't bear witness in the family because he is afraid he will be considered unsophisticated, which is why another young person won't bear witness in the school, because then he won't be part of the "in" crowd. In so many ways we are afraid to bear healing witness to our neighbor because we are threatened with the death of mere things that we care for, much less our physical life. The threat to kill our 501c money, or our political careers, or just a laugh at us, is enough to make us ashamed to bear witness to God in this world. What we really need is the spirit that that young lady found, enabling her to look for the truth in herself, find it, and bear witness to it. We need to look for the truth in ourselves, and then in the face of every threat, we need to stand for that truth until our nation is healed."

(This report has been extracted from articles in the Boston Globe, the Washington Post, and World Net Daily. Please pass it on if you feel it might inspire others to stand true to Christ.)

JIM WEST

Subject: Dr. Dobson On The Columbine School Shootings:

Date: 04/26/99

Dr. Dobson Responds to the Shooting at Columbine High School

On Tuesday, April 20th, the world was shocked by the news that at least two young gunmen entered Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, and began blasting their way through the halls using a variety of guns and home-made bombs. They killed 12 of their peers and one teacher, and seriously injured more than 20 additional students before turning their guns on themselves. It is the worst incidence of high school violence in the history of our country. Our hearts go out to those who lost family members and friends in this   tragedy, and to the many more who must live with the memories of that terrible day for the rest of their lives.  It is extremely disturbing to realize that the massacre in Littleton is but the latest in a long line of similarly violent incidents, in Springfield, Oregon, Paducah, Kentucky  and Jonesboro, Arkansas, among others. Why are such utter horrors becoming almost commonplace across the American landscape? It's my belief that the commentators and talk show hosts often miss the mark. The problem is not the availability of guns, nor is it the "southern culture" that was blamed after the shootings in Jonesboro. The issue is not with what is in a child's hand, but with what is in his or her heart.

Three primary components seem to account for the tragedies we are witnessing in our schools. First, the breakdown of the family has had a profound effect on the current generation of young people. While the suspects in the Littleton incident appear to have come from intact, respectable homes, the fact remains that thousands of teens are growing up in an environment that is lacking parental involvement. In a society where thousands of families are broken by divorce, and where the parents in many two-parent homes must both work full time, children are becoming more isolated and disconnected from their roots. Is it any wonder that some of them vent their frustration and anger in an explosion of senseless violence?

Second, our culture has experienced a radical paradigm-shift in recent decades. Our Judeo-Christian value system has been replaced by a post modern philosophy which states that there is no God and that absolute truth does not exist. As a result, many of our sons and daughters no longer recognize the difference between "right" and "wrong." Pat Buchanan said it best: "At Littleton, America got a glimpse of the last stop on that train to hell she boarded decades ago when she declared that God is dead, and that each of us is his or her own god who can make up the rules as we go along." Americans must be made aware that our country's sense of justice was founded upon biblical values and the principles of deep-rooted faith -- a belief that has all but disappeared from our schools and courts.

Third, our teenagers are fed a steady diet of murder and mayhem by today's media-saturated "culture of death." In the days since the shooting at Columbine High, everyone from Hillary Clinton to Larry King has decried the constant barrage of killing and gore being churned out by TV, movies, music, Internet websites, and video games. Our children are exposed from a very young age -- in the name of  "entertainment" -- to the most horrible of images. Investigators in Littleton found violent and hateful content on a suspect's website, and literature and CDs glorifying death were carted from the young men's homes. Interestingly, a major Hollywood studio has withdrawn all video copies of the movie Basketball Diaries (a film in which a student clad  in a black trench coat opens fire on his classmates) from stores nationwide, and an April 30th concert in Denver by death-rocker Marilyn Manson has been canceled. While these token responses indicate that at least some in the entertainment industry are re-evaluating the impact of their harmful "art," it comes as a hollow and meaningless gesture for those who are mourning. For them, it's too late to escape the havoc wrought by the entertainment industry's  profound and troubling influence on the current generation of young Americans.

The people of Littleton have been added to a rapidly growing list of citizens who have experienced firsthand our society's "anything goes" attitude and its disastrous effects on young minds. Let's vow today to set the highest standards of ethics and morality for our children, and to protect them, as much as possible, from the darkness around us. We can't make America perfect, but we can make it a much better and safer place through prayer, sensitivity, and a renewed commitment to the principles upon which this republic was founded. The bloodshed at Columbine High School is certainly not what our forefathers had in mind when they sacrificed so much to give us our freedom.

To the many people who have been affected by the violence of recent days, our hearts go out to you. The losses you have suffered represent wounds that will never fully heal. My prayer is that the events in Littleton will mark the end of an era for our nation. May those who were killed remind us, even in their untimely deaths, of our need to renew our commitment to the principles of righteousness, to make our families our first priority, and to seek the guidance and direction of Almighty God as we move forward into the 21st century.

Sincerely, Dr. James Dobson

Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado, was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's sub-committee. What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful. They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. It needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert! These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying in the wilderness. The following is a portion of the transcript:

"Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers." "The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason forth murder could only be found in Cain's heart. "In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death.

Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent." I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy - it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem that expresses my feelings best. This was written way before I knew I would be speaking here today:"

"Your laws ignore our deepest needs, Your words are empty air. You've stripped away our heritage, You've outlawed simple prayer. Now gunshots fill our classrooms, And precious children die. You seek for answers everywhere, And ask the question "Why?" You regulate restrictive laws, Through legislative creed. And yet you fail to understand, That God is what we need!" "Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, soul, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and reek havoc." "Spiritual influences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation?"

"We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws." Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. The real villain lies within our own hearts. Political posturing and restrictive legislation are not the answers."

"The young people of our nation hold the key. There is a spiritual awakening taking place that will not be squelched! We do not need more religion. We do not need more gaudy television evangelists spewing out verbal religious garbage. We do not need more million dollar church buildings built while people with basic needs are being ignored. We do need a change of heart and a humble acknowledgment that this nation was founded on the principle of simple trust in God!"

"As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, He did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America, and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School, prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA- I give to you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone! My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!"