SPECIAL PRÉCIS ON A SENT ONE: THE MARK BENDER STORY (WITH VIDEO)

1. THEOLOGY

THE SCRIPTURE. “In the year that King Uzziah died, [in a vision] I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and the skirts of His train filled the [most holy part of the] temple. Above Him stood the seraphim; each had six wings: with two [each] covered his [own] face, and with two [each] covered his feet, and with two [each] flew.

And one cried to another and said, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory.’ And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then  said I, ‘WOE IS ME! For I am undone and ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’

Then flew one of the seraphim [heavenly beings] to me, having a live coal in his hand which he had taken with tongs from off the altar; And with it he TOUCHED MY MOUTH and said, ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity and guilt are taken away, and your sin is completely atoned for and forgiven.’

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us?’ Then said I, ‘HERE AM I; SEND ME.’

And He said, ‘GO and tell this people, Hear and hear continually, but understand not; and see and see continually, but do not apprehend with your mind. Make the heart of this people fat; and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn again and be healed.’

Then said I, ‘Lord, HOW LONG?’ And He answered, ‘Until cities lie waste without inhabitant and houses without man, and the land is utterly desolate, And the Lord removes [His] people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. And though A TENTH [of the people] remain in the land, it will be for their destruction [eaten up and burned] like a terebinth tree or like an oak whose stump and substance remain when they are felled or have cast their leaves. The HOLY SEED [the Elect Remnant] is the stump and substance [of Israel].’” – ISAIAH 6:1-13, AMPC

COMMENTARY. “Isaiah’s Vision included his CALL to be God’s Messenger to His people. [After he confessed his unworthiness, then cleansed by the Seraphim of the Lord who applied the ‘Live Coal’ to his mouth and lips], Isaiah was given a Difficult Mission-‘To TELL people who believed they would be Blessed by God that instead they would be Destroyed by God because of their DISOBEDIENCE …

God told Isaiah that the people would listen but not learn from His Message because their hearts had become CALLOUSED [‘insensitive and cruel disregard for others’] and hardened beyond Repentance. God’s Patience with their CHRONIC REBELLION had finally been exhausted. His JUDGMENT was to abandon them to their Rebellion and Hardness of Heart. Why did God send Isaiah if He knew the people wouldn’t listen? Although most of the people would not Repent and reap Judgment, a SMALL PORTION would listen.” – DONALD A. BEERS, General Editor, Life Application Study Bible, 2022, pp. 1458-1460; edited

1. BACKGROUND

THE CONTEXT. When my wife Suzette and I were saved about the same time, separately (SK, 1978; DK, 1979), we literally met on the front rows of Lincoln Neighborhood Church (AG) in Stockton, California on Easter Sunday, 1981. A whirlwind courtship found us marrying 90 days after meeting, dating, praying, and gaining confirmations, on July 4, 1981.

All that to say that our lives together also experienced rapid advancement for the Lord’s work when THREE EVENTS catapulted us into the Great Struggle of the Last Days.

1. HOLY SPIRIT’S INFILLING. Sometime during the January 1981, I was filled with the Holy Spirit while running my then-standard distance of about two miles every other day. As I inquired about the validity of this doctrine, I literally prayed – while still running – “If it is of You, Lord, hit me!” Hands shot up in the air as I was enveloped in God’s Presence for about a minute. Doubting immediately that it was real, I asked God to “Hit me!” a second time. And He did.

• DENIAL OF SELF. Some of you already know my testimony of being addicted to alcohol from about age 17, and though I was drinking much less when I married Suzie, I was still tipping cups of wine fairly regularly. One evening in March 1982 while waiting for my wife to get ready for a dinner with Saudi student of mine, Fahad Meleki, University of Pacific where wine would be served, I sensed that ‘Presence’ again and heard a Word from Him: “Son, if you wish to be truly free, step over The Line.” I know instantly what He meant, and replied: “If that is You, Sir, I will open my Bible randomly, and if it speaks to this matter clearly, I’m done drinking.” DANIEL 1:8 – “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” My full-on Deliverance was instantaneous.

• DIRECTOR OF JOURNALISM. After reluctantly sending a letter to Regent University (then CBN University) in 1983 at the suggestion of my Mom, got a call in March to interview in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Got a job as an Associate Professor of Communication Studies that fall and was subsequently appointed as Founding Director of the Institute of Public Affairs Journalism in 1984. This led me to become a regular speaking at the Blue Mountain Christian Retreat in New Ringgold, Pennsylvania (Pop. 253, Sep. 2026), where I would meet the subject of this Special Report, Summer of 1987.

All of this as Subtext for how the Lord weaves our journey together before we even came to know Him!

1. STORY

THE MAN. “My name is MARK BENDER. My Dad was a Preacher my whole life, Mom was a stay home Mom. I was born February 14, 1958, in Saxton Pa. I went to 6 different schools until I graduated, June of 1976. I was married on June 25, 1977. I preached 20 years in 3 different Churches. I also was a Dealership Tech for a while. I’ve been out here in Somerset Co. For 36 years. I had 3 children. I lost Nicky about 6 years ago. I have 3 grandchildren, 2 from Jessica who’s been married 10 years, one with Valerie; she and her daughter live with us, makes Grandpa very happy. I am 68 years old.

My health has been better, I managed to tear up my body pretty good. Both shoulder rotator cuffs gone, left arm, 3 out of four tendons gone, right arm 4 tendons gone, 8 bad discs, left hip gone, both knees are bad, diabetic, high blood pressure, left foot numb, arthritis, mainly hands. The truth is GOD is so good, He gave me a real high pain tolerance so it’s not as bad as it sounds. I move a little shower, hunched over a little, but if I take it slow I can still do what I need too

“I think it was July 7,1987, I think it was Thursday, but I have a hard time remembering my name anymore. I think it was just to the left of the podíum, 2nd step, where you were giving your Testimony. With your help, I gave my life to the Lord. Because of that, there are more than 12,000 souls going to Heaven. Thank you so much. I will always trust what you say. Thank You again!

Thanks to you and GOD, I have had a very decent life. I spent 25 years as an Ordained Pastor, was involved with around 30 Evangelistic events, traveled to África several times with the “Machine Gun Preacher” [Sam Childers]. Was in África when the LRA [Lord’s Resistance Army] was active in the area, Uganda and Sudán. Slept with an RPG under the bed and an AK47 next to the bed. Did a lot of preaching there and did a Preachers Conference in Gulu, Uganda. I just wanted to tell you what your serving the LORD has done.

After you [i.e., Jesus Christ] changed my life, things started off slowly. About 1997 it started getting exciting. It started off with Dad turning March For Jesus over, which turned into JESUS DAY which turned into an all-day event. A Pastor who never let anyone in become our Home Base for this event which just kept growing year over the years. 

Next, we were the Homebase for a Community Celebración. Our Church was the headquarters for Rails to Trails. I told the Church we would have food free for everyone. Well that went over horrible. They were afraid the venders  would be angry. Well, it was just the opposite, they were thrilled and they hid money all over the basement. That went on for a couple of years.

I became involved in a Promise Keepers group. They were very interested in Spiritual Warfare. We started praying and removing demonic influences in business and schools all over the County.  The group grew and opened doors with other Churches. We were asked to come to Churches and spiritually clean them out. Oddly enough our best reviews came from the Churches we cleaned out. At the same time we were having healing service on Sunday morning. That turned into having an early service the HOLY SPIRIT was in charge of miracle signs and wonders.

We then started doing community events. The first big one was Heaven’s Gates, Hell’s Flames. Filled a 600-seat auditorium every night. Having 50 to 60 salvacións a night. It started a bit of a Revival. There were Bible Studies popping up at work all over the place. Also, congregants had never heard the Salvación Message. Healing and Salvación become weekly events. It all opened the local schools up to increasing events.

You are so essential to all of this, without your faithfulness none of it would have been possible. Most of the fruit of your life will never be known on this side of Heaven but what joy will be had when you get to the other side and you hear, ‘Well done My good and faithful servant. Now enter into the great rewards you have earned.’ I’ll be in the audience worshipping the GOD that made you possible. Thank You so much, Brother. – M.B.

THE MACHINE GUN PREACHER. Sam Childers, known as the Machine Gun Preacher, leads a mission focused on rescuing kidnapped and orphaned children in war-torn regions of East Africa. Childers is a former biker and outlaw who converted to Christianity and dedicated his life to humanitarian work. He and his wife Lynn run the Angels of East Africa children’s village and orphanage in Nimule, South Sudan, along with facilities in Uganda and Ethiopia. He earned the title “Machine Gun Preacher” because he carries a Bible in one hand and a rifle in the other to protect vulnerable children from violent rebel militias and lords like Joseph Kony. His organization has rescued and cared for hundreds of children, providing food, housing, and education.

1. CONCLUSIONS

THE LESSONS. I ended up landing on an excellent Commentary by the Editors of Got Questions online theological journal (ret. Sep. 7, 2026; edited). This following another disappointing review of loads of Evangelical Fluff about the meaning of this powerful – and yes, demanding – QUESTION FROM GOD to us all, beloved:

“Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” (6:8).

• CONTEXT. “After a 52-year reign of relative peace, King Uzziah of Judah died of leprosy in 739 BC (2 Chronicles 26:16–23), the same year Isaiah began his Prophetic Ministry. In a Vision Isaiah saw the Lord, ‘High and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple’ (Isaiah 6:1). The Lord had a Message to deliver to the Nation of Judah, and He expresses His desire for a Messenger in verse 8. Isaiah’s exclamation ‘Here am I; send me’ marked the very Beginning of his Ministry; the Priest was now a Prophet, and the Lord’s Message for Judah eventually became the Book of Isaiah.”

• CONFESSION. “Before Isaiah could say, ‘Here am I; send me,’ he had a PROBLEM that had to be addressed. Isaiah 6:5 describes how Isaiah was made aware of his own unworthiness: ‘Woe to me! … I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.’ Standing in the Lord’s Presence, Isaiah is made painfully aware of his sin, and he is broken about it in the same way as were Job (Job 42:6) and Peter (Luke 5:8) when they were confronted with the presence of the Lord. ‘God was Preparing Isaiah for his Cleansing and Commission.’”

• COMMISSION. “After Isaiah acknowledges his sin, a Seraph takes a burning piece of coal from the altar, ‘touches Isaiah’s lips’ with it, and says,‘See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for’ (Isaiah 6:7). Some details are important here: Isaiah could not remove his own guilt, the atonement is made possible by the Altar—the Place of Sacrifice—and the PURIFICATION is specifically applied to the point of Isaiah’s sin—his lips—making Isaiah acceptable as a Minister of God’s words.”

• CONSEQUENCE. “‘It is only AFTER Isaiah is cleansed of his sin that he says, “Here am I; send me.’” Prior to that point, he saw himself as an unworthy messenger; once he was forgiven, he immediately desired to serve the Lord in whatever way possible. The Lord asks, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’—He wants willing volunteers in His service—and a grateful and enthusiastic Isaiah doesn’t hesitate in taking the opportunity: ‘Here am I; send me, Lord!’ And for the REST OF HIS LIFE, Isaiah [faithfully] serves the God who had forgiven and saved him.’”

DK’S TAKE. The Implications here are among today’s most pressing and urgent in the White Evangelical Church community. Having Replaced the Jesus-breathed, self-denying ‘Sacrificial Gospel for the America’s greedy, self-promoting ‘Prosperity Gospel,’ I conclude with just THREE LESSONS to take straight to our Prayer Closets in the rawest of sincerity.

For the sake of Impact and Authority, I chose the Words of Christ in the following Instructions. For the sake of both efficiency and accuracy, I render each Scripture below in the New King James Version.

1. HUMILITY. “Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever HUMBLES himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.’” – MATTHEW 18:2-4

• HOLINESS. “SANCTIFYthem by Your TRUTH. Your word is truth.As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” – JOHN 17:17-21

• WHOLENESS.  ^“Jesus said to him [the Pharisee lawyer], ‘You shall love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, with ALL your soul, and with ALL your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” – MATTHEW 22:37-40

CODA. Therefore, all members of God’s Holy Seed, THE ELECT REMNANT are given to RADICAL OBEDIENCE for these perilous Last Days. Thus do we honor a Modern Ensample [“A pattern or model for imitation”] in the person of my beloved, humble, and intrepid PASTOR MARK BENDER.

To whom I say in closing, “with tears,” as Dr. Francis Schaeffer used to often say it:

‘My man!’  DK

MEDIA

YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/gi3x9D_nXQc