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Get Tickets Now for our 2020 Virtual Event with Abby Johnson - September 17
Our annual in-person dinner is SOLD OUT! But you can still join us for an inspiring evening with ABBY JOHNSON by purchasing a $10 digital pass to watch the livestream event. The $10 pass is good for you, your family, or even a small "watch party" from the comfort of your home! The livestream event will start at 7:15 PM next Thursday, September 17 and will include Abby Johnson's full keynote address.
There is a limited amount of digital passes available - get yours today! You will get access to a livestream link for the September 17 event, as well as a recording after the event.
 
PULPITS & POLITICS Ep. 3: What should Christians do besides just voting?
I'm pleased to share with you the third video in our PULPITS & POLITICS video series about Christian political engagement.
We brought pastors together earlier this year to speak with one of our elected officials (Rep. Jim Nash of Waconia) about what biblical citizenship looks like. The resulting conversations became a series of seven videos, which we're releasing one at a time for our supporters.
The third video features Pastor Ben Bolin from Calvary Church in New Prague. The title is What should Christians do besides just voting? That's a question many people are asking right now - maybe you, maybe someone in your family or in your church. In addition to discussing what Christians should do in the political sphere besides just voting, Pastor Bolin and Rep. Nash also discuss how Christians can live out citizenship worthy of the gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:27) in the political arena. Click here to watch the video. If the video is helpful to you, FORWARD it to a friend or family member! Over the next few weeks, we'll be sharing the rest of the videos.
Just as a preview, here are the questions we'll be exploring over the coming weeks:
- Should Christians seek to serve in elected office?
- What are common misconceptions about politics and politicians?
- How is politics a calling for Christians?
- What is the cost of being a Christian politician?
Grieving for the Children We've Lost
Tomorrow, September 12, is National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Babies, a day set aside to grieve the terrible toll of abortion in the United States as pro-lifers gather at gravesites and memorials for babies who have lost their lives to abortion. The pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute reported that in 2017, 862,320 abortions were committed in the united States, meaning that 18% of pregnancies in the U.S. that year ended in abortion. In Minnesota alone, nearly 10,000 babies lose their lives to abortion every year. Last year over 80% of those babies were killed after a fetal heartbeat was detectable, and three survived the abortion procedure only to die shortly after.
By taking a day to grieve the tragedy of abortion, we recognize and remember the humanity of the babies who have been lost. In honoring their brief lives, we call attention to the horror of abortion and commit to fighting for life by reminding ourselves and our culture that each abortion is not merely a statistic but the destruction of a child’s life. Because of abortion, nearly 10,000 babies in Minnesota last year lost their lives before they had the opportunity to see the light of day.
And yet, as we grieve, we do not grieve without hope. The pro-life movement is having an impact, both in the U.S. and internationally. Last year, Life News reported that abortions in the U.S. had hit an all-time low since legalization and that the total number of abortions in the U.S. had decreased by 24% over the past ten years. This is very good news! At the same time, there is still much work to be done, and the abortion industry is currently pushing for one of the largest expansions of abortion since Roe v. Wade as they work to remove FDA restrictions on the abortion pill.
[Read the whole piece by Patience Griswold at The Family Beacon]
Deadly Lies: How Assisted Suicide Fuels the Suicide Epidemic
The uncertainty and anxiety surrounding COVID-19 lockdowns has brought renewed attention to another crisis in the United States—an alarming uptick in death by suicide. Between 1999 and 2018, the national suicide rate increased by 30%, and last year it was found that 24% of Minnesota’s 11th graders had seriously considered suicide at some point. Recent months have escalated this tragic trend, with a June survey from the Center for Disease Control finding that 11% of respondents had seriously considered taking their own lives in the past 30 days.
Sadly, as our nation faces this sobering trend, the attempt to fight suicide in some is being undermined by a movement that is enabling and encouraging others to end their own lives. Physician-assisted suicide is currently legal in nine U.S. states, two of which legalized the practice in 2019. Last year Minnesota legislators held an informational hearing on a bill that would have legalized assisted suicide in our state. Despite the claims of assisted suicide proponents, assisted suicide is not compassionate. It denies real help and care to people who desperately need it, offering them the means to end their lives, rather than providing a helping hand as they walk through suffering.
Devaluing life in this way leaves hurting people vulnerable to the lie that their lives are less valuable and runs contrary to efforts to fight the suicide epidemic that is ravaging the U.S. Unsurprisingly, overall suicide rates have been found to increase when assisted suicide is legalized. Furthermore, when assisted suicide is legalized, the so-called “right” to die often becomes a duty to die, with 64% of patients who seek to end their own lives citing fears of becoming a “burden” to their family and friends as one of their reasons for requesting assisted suicide, and insurance companies denying coverage for expensive treatment options but offering to cover assisted suicide. Earlier this year, this mindset led a bioethicist to assert that “legalizing assisted dying would avoid [a] waste of resources.” Elderly populations are especially vulnerable to assisted suicide and already have the highest suicide rates of any age group in many parts of the world.
[Read the whole piece by Patience Griswold at The Family Beacon]
Our nation is in need of repentance, and thankfully we have a God who loves to hear us and forgive sins. Rep. Tim Miller (R-Prinsburg) and Rep. Julie Sandstede (D-Hibbing) are organizing the upcoming National Day of Repentance (September 26) for just this reason.
Did you catch that? A Democrat and a Republican are coming together during election season to pray with us for God's mercy over sin, including the sin of abortion. That's a big deal. We hope that this event can transcend mere political affiliation and bring people of all stripes together for prayer and supplication to God.
Why a Day of Repentance? Two simple reasons: our sin, and God's promises. During this time of testing in our nation, we need to approach the throne of grace. And when we approach God in repentance, He hears and forgives. We take our inspiration from 2 Chronicles 7:14: "For if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
Click here to learn more about the September 26 event in St. Paul
Educating and Equipping Parents on the Transgender Trend
Get Your Copy of the Minnesota Parent Resource Guide! The Parent Resource Guide sheds light on the consequences transgender ideas have on kids' lives, while equipping parents to play a positive role in creating a truly welcoming school community.
Responding to the transgender trend with truth and compassion starts with the Parent Resource Guide. Get your copy HERE today and invite a friend to do the same! Click to order your copy today:
Support MFC When You Shop Online - now on mobile!
Did you know that when you shop with Amazon Smile, Amazon makes a donation to Minnesota Family Institute at no cost to you? This is one of the easiest ways to support our mission of advancing life, family, and religious freedom in Minnesota! Now available in Amazon's mobile app!
Thank you for sharing Minnesota Family Council’s vision for strong families and communities through Christ. As we approach a momentous election, we need your support now more than ever. Click here to give now. We are grateful for your partnership with us through prayer and financial support.
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