HGTV fired, but God inspired the Benham brothers to stand

Mike Griffin, Public Affairs representative for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, stands with David Benham, left, and Jason Benham in Liberty Plaza across from the Georgia State Capitol. Tanya Ditty/Special

ATLANTA — People gathered by the hundreds in Liberty Plaza across Capitol Avenue from the Gold Dome on Jan. 23 to stand for life and march for life. The people gathered believing that public opinion drives public policy, which in turn fuels political action.

The rally at Liberty Plaza was only one of multiple such rallies in Georgia and across the nation. Over 58,000,000 babies have been killed since the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. Millions of people have become not just weary, but filled with righteous indignation over this American holocaust and are standing, marching, and praying for political leaders to take notice of their angst and pass legislation to put an end to this great American tragedy.

The program prior to the march was filled with champions for the sanctity of life and Mike Griffin, Public Affairs representative for the Georgia Baptist Missions Board, was the emcee for the occasion.

Testimonies and music to mobilize

Betty Noble, an assessment and research consultant active in her church and a volunteer for Choices Pregnancy Care Center in Flowery Branch, gave a stirring testimony on the sanctity of life and the importance of being open to adoption.

There was heartwarming music from worship artist Kurt Scoble and a meaningful prayer session led by Bound4Life Atlanta, a group seeking to mobilize 10 million young people to covenant to pray for the ending of abortion. These dedicated youth believe God will end the culture of death through prayer and fasting.

The keynote speakers were the Benham brothers – David and Jason Benham. The Benham brothers are twins from North Carolina, graduates of Liberty University, former professional baseball players, authors, speakers, and nationally acclaimed entrepreneurs.

A crowd gathers in Liberty Plaza at the State Capitol for the March for Life Jan. 23. TANYA DITTY/Special

Losing a TV show, but not their voice

The Benham twins developed a multi-million dollar business empire, which ultimately attracted the attention of Home and Garden Television (HGTV) in 2014. They were asked by HGTV, the seventh-most-watched cable network, to accept a contract for a reality television show called “Flip it Forward.” The show went into production and was expected to debut in October 2014.

However, a few months before the show's launch HGTV pulled the plug on the real estate reality show. The reason? Gay rights activists accused the evangelical hosts of being anti-gay and pro-life.

At the pro-life rally in Liberty Plaza the Benham brothers stressed the importance of the pro-life movement in national politics. The twins “grew up very strongly pro-life.” Their father, Philip “Flip” Benham, was the one who baptized the Roe (Norma McCorvey) of Roe v. Wade in 1995.

For those not familiar with McCorvey’s role in the infamous Supreme Court case need to understand that since that fateful ruling, she has pledged her life to overturning it.

Pro-life Jane Roe

McCorvey, though pro-choice at the time, was a very confused 21-year-old with one child, facing an unplanned pregnancy and seeking a divorce from her husband. In that context a young pro-abortion, feminist attorney used McCorvey’s case as a means of attempting to overturn the Texas law making most abortions illegal.

The attorney took the case all the way to the Supreme Court, which invalidated every pro-life state law in the nation protecting unborn children.

Interestingly, McCorvey had three daughters and never had an abortion. However, in large part to Philip Benham’s influence in her life, she is a pro-life advocate and dedicated to reversing the Supreme Court case that bears her fictitious name, Jane Roe.

Jason Benham has stated, “It’s one thing to be against abortion, but it’s another thing to be pro-life. God bless these crisis pregnancy centers that are offering life-giving solutions to so many women today. They’re giving them an opportunity to have their baby and they’re giving them hope.”

Whatever the cost

The Benham Brothers have written a book, Whatever the Cost, that chronicles their journey with HGTV and relates how they died to their dreams and resolved to stay true to their faith – Whatever the Cost.

Tony Evans, pastor of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship and president of The Urban Alternative, says of the Benhams, “ have decided that the applause of heaven is more important than the recognition of men.

“They have rejected the false notion that the sacred and the secular are two independent realms to be kept separate from each other. Rather they have verbally and visibly demonstrated that God is the ruler over all of life and is not to be divorced nor marginalized by those who dare claim Him as Lord.”

Every abortion is murder. Mother Teresa once said, “Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching its people to love but to use violence to get what they want.”

We must preach, pray, stand, and march for a growing love for each human person from conception to natural death.