Friday, January 29, 2021
To: Friends & Supporters
From: Gary Bauer
Friends, the challenges we face are enormous. To defend our values, we are partnering with various allies, including Lindsey Communications, The Lindsey Foundation, Faith Wins and the Pacific Justice Institute to empower the resurgence of the Church vote. Below is their latest alert. Please share the resources included here with your church leaders and fellow worshippers. – Gary
The Church Finds Its Voice
A Coalition of Lindsey Communications, The Lindsey Foundation,
Faith Wins and the Pacific Justice Institute
to Empower the Resurgence of the Church Vote!
Comm #17: Stronger Than Before
Good morning our most treasured, most honored pastors. Joan here, and the number one thing for you to be dead sure of is that our small CFIV Coalition, our Standing With coalition, plus others all over the country are praying for you, working for you, and rooting for you in a massive way. We wish you could know how unified believers are in the country. This January compared to last, the Church is already stronger.
The media, and its skilled use of rhetoric, do not want you to believe you’re unified. It benefits those who promote a ‘big State/silent Church’ position, to make it seem as though you are not together.
They’ve done a good job recently, but the reason for their aggressive rhetoric is that the Church has power. . . and it scares them. The Big State people want power, and know that you have a Power they’ll never understand. What a threat.
This last year, your voices joined in unity as huge numbers of churches all over the country embraced the Biblical command to see to the selection of leaders. The Church voter turnout was staggering. Mighty. The outcome of the vote was confusing, and the election process has stimulated troubling concerns.
We now have leaders who would like to expand the State. Some wish to restrain freedoms. However. . . Please don’t let anger, upset, and confusion dominate. Look up. You’re about to witness in a powerful way.
We know the immense intensity of prayer that’s gone up over our country. That’s not for nothing. You’re stronger than before and clearly God is preparing you.
Here is what we do now to strengthen unity; 3 things:
Talk to each other. Reach out to your fellow pastors and ministry leaders, and grow those friendships. The left is dividing our house so pick up the phone and hear each others’ voices. Meet together often. Encourage each other to strong, true teaching. When you strengthen the unity of pastors, you strengthen the entire Church in the U.S. Believe it, you matter in this.
Teach family. The family unit must be protected and you are the one to teach its sacred standing to the saints. Do you think the news media, schools, movies, and music are a help? Don’t think so, because they know the massive impact a family has on faith. Strengthen the family. Teach it. Exemplify it. Provide resources to help it.
Help friendship. These lockdowns have separated us all, and this is not the Biblical kind. Be ye separate doesn’t mean from each other! Fellowship is critical. Teach friendship. Strengthen the bonds of friendships amongst believers. Can we still do home groups? Hope so, even if outside.
Church leaders, families, friends. . . these three aspects of Christian life are incredibly powerful. Even totalitarian governments throughout history have not been able to prevail when believers keep a connected life in these ways.
And don’t worry about the news media. There’s a sorting and a sifting going on right now. It’s my belief something big, something good is working its way through. I asked several friends who are national leaders in media, who do we trust right now for true reporting? Here's a good short list:
CBN News
Washington Times
Christian Post
The Federalist
CNS News
One America News
Newsmax
Fox News (with discernment. Their reporting is a mixture right now. I would advise cross-referencing their reporting with these other outlets.)
Friends, last year was the just the start of the Church in America strengthening its voice. Men and women of faith knew they must vote and they did. About as many again are actually still not registered to vote, though, so this year it’s a good thing to address that and continue voter registration events. Biblically, the saints are called to participate in raising up our leaders, so we all need to register to vote so we can use that voice.
Don’t be confused, it’s clear. Don’t be upset, something big is happening. And a word about anger, if you’re feeling it. God gives us the ability to feel that emotion when we know something’s wrong, and it can fuel us to bring light and right to any situation. Our country is so precious as it was meant to be a Christian witness to the world. It has been, it can be, it will be even stronger than before. You make it so.
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And here is an update and thoughts from Coalition member and Faith Wins President Chad Connelly...
Dr. Jerry Falwell has been credited with saying when he was organizing pastors to engage the public arena, "The problem with Christians getting involved is, when we win we quit, and when we lose we quit!"
We definitely have to quit quitting! No matter the outcomes of issue advocacy or local or national elections, the Bible tells us that we must be salt and light! George Whitefield famously said, "Duty is ours, Results are God's!"
God is definitely in control, and there have been zero "Aha!" moments in heaven when HE was surprised by anything. We are always to do our parts in every avenue of life.
I know that in my life there have been things I have wanted badly to "fix" and you come to the conclusion that you just can't fix everything right away. Sometimes you pause, take a deep breath, determine to get better at what you're good at, let some dust settle and then re-commit and double down in accomplishing the things you believe God has called you to.
I'm convinced God has called me to work to build relationships with pastors in each state, equip them and teach them to empower their people to maximize the Christian vote and influence at the local, state and federal levels.
There is no doubt that God's people NEED to be engaged in our nation at every level of government and in every aspect of our lives. We intend to make sure of that happening! God is not done with you, or us, or the United States of America!
-Chad
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And now the legal perspective from coalition member, Brad Dacus, President of the Pacific Justice Institute...
In Psalm 2, David poses the question, “Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord.”
As we process what is taking place in America in this post-election aftermath, we can identify with the psalmist. We are living in an angry and hostile society with the majority of our elected leadership setting themselves against God and seeking to silence the voice of God’s people. Daily we see new examples of leaders pursuing an agenda that is contrary to Christian values:
- Millions of dollars of new funding for Planned Parenthood.
- Attempt to coerce pro-lifers to fund and promote abortion.
- Christian colleges facing loss of accreditation if they support biblical marriage and sexuality.
- The LGBT agenda as a top international “human rights” focus, as was the case when Hillary Clinton was in charge of the State Department.
- The U.S. Department of Education and Department of Justice again forcing shared locker rooms and bathrooms in schools and workplaces nationwide.
- The Department of Health and Human Services led by an avowed enemy of religious freedom, California’s current Attorney General, Xavier Becerra.
- New Momentum for the deceptively titled “Do No Harm” and “Equality” Acts - squelching the practice of faith in Christian-owned business, schools and Christian radio stations.
- Radical appointees to the federal courts.
- Raids of courageous journalists who expose destructive entities like Planned Parenthood -- a tactic used by the Attorney General of California at the time, Kamala Harris.
- Weaponization of the IRS to shut down conservative nonprofits (Conservative groups and ministries experienced this in the Obama-Biden Administration).
- A new federal push to limit or ban needed Christian counseling.
Challenges like these, a result of the recent election, will only thrust our nation into further moral darkness. But, for Christians, there is good news in the midst of this frustrating and dark season! We are called by God to be the light! And the darker the night, the brighter our lights can shine.
Jesus gave us this promise in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
So yes, while we face trying days ahead, we can be of good cheer. We can embrace the hope that comes from Jesus, and we can emerge stronger than before as overcomers through His strength.
This is not a time to let up, shut up, or give up. As believers engaged in a spiritual battle, we are not fighting for victory— we are fighting from victory. With this assurance, now is the time to share the truth of the Gospel to others and then to engage our churches to stand firm in biblical truth.
Encourage involvement in local elections. Encourage Christians to run in local elections, to stand against censorship of conservative voices, and to advance anti-voter fraud reform. Facilitate volunteerism as poll workers and watchers, and do what you can to lead a generation in the active pursuit of biblical truth and justice.
We must stand for the liberties that have made this country great. And we must prepare for what is ahead in the midterm elections, praying for a resurgence of conservative voices in the House and Senate.
The work before us is great, but there is also reason for hope and gratitude:
- The Supreme Court is friendlier toward free speech and religious freedom then ever seen before.
- The closeness of the last election offers hope that the extreme radicalism of the new administration will result in the election of more constitutionally-minded candidates in the 2022 midterm elections.
Keep the faith. Stay engaged. And, prayerfully stand for our God-given freedom in these important days! Together, we can emerge stronger than before.
-Brad
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“Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” -Jeremiah 17:5, 7
What profound -- and timely! -- wisdom from the book of Jeremiah. Kielle here with you, and I’m thankful for sound, biblical wisdom more than ever just right now.
If you’ve been feeling like I have these past few weeks, there have been more emotions than I can name swirling inside of me, from frustration to hope, from indignation to motivation, from confusion to seeking. But where I’ve landed is where I always want to land. . . not on the wisdom of man, but on the truth of the always-faithful, never-changing word of God.
Thank you, Lord, for giving us an instruction manual to navigate such disconcerting times of life! If we are seeking truth, it only comes from God. If we are yearning for real and accurate information, it’s in His Word -- all of it -- everything we need, and you, our pastors and faith leaders, have the great commission to be translators of the good word!
There is a sifting happening in our nation and as believers. This is your time to amplify the truth -- God’s word -- with clarity and strength. Help those who are seeking to find the right ways to channel these God-given emotions into actions that will have tangible effects.
You’re called to decipher the word of God, which is the same no matter what is happening around us. Hold to it, take joy in it. . . it will keep you strong. That’s what you’ve been doing this last year and you can see what’s happened. . . you’re stronger than before.
We stand with you and are praying for you!
-Joan, Brad, Chad and Kielle - Your Church Finds Its Voice Leadership
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