Thursday, July 6, 2006 — Evangelical Pastor Alan DiDio and Encounter Christ Church of Albemarle are planning an offensive against Satanic worship and drug addiction in Stanly County.
The campaign will be launched at 10 a.m. Sunday at the church on Lois Lane, just off U.S.52 and Snuggs Street.
DiDio said he has spoken with some residents who have been involved in such activities in Stanly County and has been told Stanly County is No. 1 in Satan worship spot in North Carolina.
And North Carolina is the headquarters for cult activity for the nation, he said.
Most people react with surprise when he tells them this.
He said most people think of people dancing around a fire, or with black and white makeup on their faces.
“These people are not rebellious teens running around chanting ‘Hail Satan’ and spray painting satanic symbols for all to see. They are community leaders, doctors, lawyers, housewives and possibly even preachers. There are many false and ignorant claims about Satanism. The majority of those who call themselves Satanists are law abiding and moral citizens. They are the average Joe who blends into society.
“But the devil is just as likely to wear a three-piece suit as horns.”
While there are those who kill and have committed horrendous crimes in the name of Satan, he said those are the ones that capture the headlines. He said there are underground groups who do kill, and yes, there is animal sacrifice in some groups. But these groups are few and very secretive. He said he has been told that these cult groups keep the public’s attention focused on sacrifices and lunatics while the top players steadily continue infiltrating churches and community organizations.
DiDio cites as evidence of “satanic, pagan and occultic activity” the fact that there are “churches on every corner. This is representative of the demonically inspired division in the Body of Christ in this community,” he said. “Churches spawned by greed, lust and offense are never birthed nor blessed by God but inspired by demonic activity.”
He said the Hollywood version of satanism is as inaccurate as its version of Christianity.
Drug addiction is also rampant here, he said, and one out of five pregnancies in Stanly County ends in abortion.
“There is literally a battle for the soul of the community and the church somehow has forgotten to show up,” he said.
DiDio said there is a battle brewing and for too long the dead in Christ have controlled the church at large.
“Those of us who are on the other end of the spectrum have been trying to reach out to them but all for naught. They have continued to spurn the moving of the Holy Spirit. They have rejected the message of the Holy Scriptures and they have failed to live up to their responsibilities as a Holy Church.”
DiDio said the question is not if an incident like Columbine will occur, but when.
DiDio said the solution to this problem is for the Church to take her place in Stanly County.
“This is not to say that there is no hope or that every church is bad,” he said. “This is simply a call for all Christians in Stanly County to awake out of your slumber.”
“Join the ranks of those who are committed to laying down their lives for the city and their family so that our children can walk in the blessing of God.
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