The final chapter of the book of Hebrews gives an important command to believers.
“Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.”
– Hebrews 13:3
This command has been vital throughout the last two thousand years of church history. Today, ministries like Voice of the Martyrs and Open Doors help equip believers to be aware of the threats and suffering our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world still face.
Thankfully, in our nation, we have not seen the level of harassment and suffering experienced by believers around the world, but it would be wrong to think it is not happening at all.
I want to call your attention to a special group of believers known as the Nashville 11.
On March 5, 2021, these men and women performed what is called a “rescue” at an abortion death mill in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. Some in this group were arrested that day on charges of trespassing. After these charges were ultimately resolved by a local court, this group of faithful believers went back to work and their other ministries.
However, eighteen months later, the FBI raided the homes of Tennessee residents Paul Vaughn and Chet Gallagher to let them know they had been charged by the federal government with violating the FACE Act.
The other nine defendants were served papers or informed by phone that they were also being charged.
The trial of the Nashville 11 started on January 23, 2024. Six of the defendants were charged with “Conspiracy Against Civil Rights” and violation of the FACE Act. These six include Chet Gallagher, Coleman Boyd, Heather Idoni, Paul Vaughn, Cal Zastrow, and Dennis Green.
Heather is already serving time in prison for a rescue in Washington, D.C. She is being transferred to Kentucky to await sentencing. Chet will undergo sentencing soon. Dennis, Coleman, and Paul have been sentenced to six months of home arrest and other punishments, including several years of supervised release and fines. Cal will serve six months in prison starting October 15. He also faces charges in Michigan.
Five other defendants have been charged and found guilty of violating the FACE Act. This group includes Eva Edl, James Zastrow, Eva Zastrow, and Paul Place.
Edl, a survivor of a Yugoslavian Communist concentration camp, said,
“I’ve seen this before, when I was little.”
Eva Edl will be sentenced soon. James has been sentenced to three months of home detention. Jim, Eva Zastrow, and Paul have been sentenced to several years of probation each.
If you have kept count, you will notice only ten names. The final member of the Nashville 11 is Carolyn Davis. She has been sentenced to fifteen months of probation. However, perhaps because of the intense pressure placed on her by the federal government, Davis agreed to testify against the other ten as a state’s witness.
She has also agreed to serve as a witness for the federal government in other cases involving abortion. We pray for Carolyn’s repentance and restoration as this situation brings to mind the story of Demas (2 Tim. 4:10).
The federal government under the Biden-Harris administration has weaponized the FBI against certain Americans who are viewed as threats to the “sacred right” of abortion. In 1993, Congress passed the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act to level a heavy penalty against anyone who would participate in rescues at abortion death mills.
The Sixth Circuit Court recently stated this opinion:
“The United States submits that the FACE Act should be broadly interpreted to include all forms of physical obstructions to clinic access, even where those obstructions are temporary, incomplete, or do not employ particular tactics.”
The FACE Act has been a significant deterrent to believers participating in the rescues at abortion death centers. First-time and non-violent offenders could be fined up to $10,000 and face up to six months in prison, stopping short of felony charges.
However, the Biden-Harris administration is using still another wicked tactic to protect the killing of the unborn by charging some rescuers or protestors with “Conspiracy Against Civil Rights.” This charge carries an even more severe penalty—up to ten years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
How should we respond as believers? Let me suggest several next steps.
First, please be in prayer for the Nashville 11. Church members of two of the defendants have produced an informative website that shares their story. Spend time reading about and listening to the individual testimonies that are shared.
Second, I believe the upcoming election will be crucial in helping to maintain at least a modicum of freedom for people of sincere belief. If Vice President Harris wins the presidency, we should expect to see the federal government continue to go after those who resist the agenda of death and darkness.
Remember, it was then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris who decided to raid the home of David Daleiden, in which his personal laptop and multiple hard drives were taken.
Third, I would bring to your attention the still urgent need for Christians to be witnesses outside of abortion clinics and seek to bring the gospel to women and men who are right on the verge of committing a most wicked and serious crime before God.
You can still minister outside of abortion clinics. If you would like more information about this need, Love Life is one group that actively ministers outside the busiest killing center in Illinois.
Let us stand in prayer and common purpose with our brothers and sisters on the front lines of a great spiritual battle.
