Good morning, esteemed pastors and ministry leaders. Hope you all had a blessed Easter and got to enjoy the celebration more like in normal (non-covid!) years. Joan here, and we had a kids’ egg hunt followed by our annual 1,000 egg hunt for ‘the big kids’, and revelled in the freedom.
We’re thinking a lot lately about freedom. We definitely don’t want to lose our basic freedoms, but sure enough, there are forces at work that are chipping away at just that. Our precious liberty! To speak, to gather, to defend.
And how, exactly, is this able to happen!?!? We just hear it everywhere. Folks are taken aback at a seeming tsunami of government rolling over our freedoms. And they’re asking what is to be done.
So, here’s what the big government folks don’t want you to know..... it really doesn’t take much to move the needle away from the tsunami. And in fact, it’s happening as one by one, needle-movers speak.
Write the letter ( it’s really impactful), make the personal call, send in the op-ed, speak your freedom-loving mind.
It’s the ‘much’ that is enough!!
Your personal voice carries giant weight because you’ll speak in step with what God has instituted in this particular country. Our constitutional republic honors God first and you are our national voice.
I was in elementary school in Los Angeles when the Supreme Court ruled in 1962 that we couldn’t pray anymore in the morning. Prayer and faith was to be culled out. Two individuals had filed suits, and...voila!
We kids were shocked when we heard. We thought it was the dumbest move ever. (Hey- we weren’t wrong as it turned out. Stats show a massive tanking in SAT scores, literacy, high school completion, etc. etc. etc. after 1962). But my point is that it was just a couple of people who set this off! They squeaked and their wheel got the grease.
We kids wished the Church would have ‘squeaked’.
If men and women of faith had broadly spoken out, the tragedy of 1962 might have been averted.
We’re learning it doesn’t take much to move the needle and it doesn’t take many. All over the country, pastor voices are now emerging to stand for freedom. Their ‘much’ is enough to have effect.
The Church has always led here in America. Your voice is a good voice. Thank you for using it.
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And now, on the topic of how it doesn’t take much to move the needle, here’s Coalition member and President of the Pacific Justice Institute, Brad Dacus with some advice on how to do that with confidence...
It seems that almost weekly there is a new media story detailing a church or pastor confronted by local authorities because of their decision to assemble as a group of believers. Each one of these occurrences are unique and have their own set of surrounding circumstances—but they underscore a new wave of government interference and infringement in America that has not been seen or experienced in our lifetime.
In order to equip and legally prepare pastors for the potential of an unwelcome government interaction, Pacific Justice Institute recommends the following actions:
Ask for help.
Any pastor or faith leader can reach out to Pacific Justice Institute for legal counsel (www.PJI.org), and if there is potential for legal action, Pacific Justice can be named as your legal counsel and aid in your defense WITHOUT CHARGE. Health department officials and government attorneys will often contact pastors directly, and pastors by profession are usually ready to speak. Yet, there is much wisdom in responding with a prepared statement after practical, legal counsel has been received.
Know your rights.
The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution states that there cannot be an unreasonable search without probable cause and without a warrant being issued. If a government official appears on church property without presenting a warrant, do not let them in. Communicate this with your church teams to let them know that it is only fair and right for the government to go through the correct legal process.
Be kind but wise.
If a health department or government official will not leave church property and continues to ask questions, be kind but don’t feel the pressure to answer their questions, especially if the official has suddenly appeared on the property without notice. Let them know they can leave a notice or set up an appointment to talk to your legal counsel. When in doubt about what to say in these circumstances, no answer is the best answer. Jesus instructed us to be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. This discerning approach applies to interactions with a potentially hostile or argumentative local or state official.
Prepare a statement.
It is common for local or county officials to send a notice prior to conducting a site visit. If you have advance knowledge of their visit, be sure to prepare a statement that can be reviewed by an attorney prior to dispatch.
These practical legal tips can equip you to increase preparedness and proceed with confidence in the face of uncertainty and tension. Let Pacific Justice Institute know how we can continue to partner and stand with you and your ministry during these unusually challenging times.
Once again there are options and you do HAVE rights.
Running the Race,
Brad Dacus
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Sharing his thoughts now is Chad Connelly of Faith Wins and Church Finds Its Voice coalition member;
Throughout American history, Pastors have led in their communities with pertinent lessons on how the issues of the day related to the Bible's instructions. There is no doubt that many pastors have abandoned that portion of their Matthew 5 salt and light obligations in these days in their zest to be politically correct, and maybe not always Biblically correct.
When pastors engage and teach their congregations to think, act, and vote Biblically, America wins and grows. When the godless lead our cities, states, and nation, America deteriorates. Scripture tells us in Proverbs 29:2, "When the righteous are in authority; the people rejoice, but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn."
Pastors and faith leaders need to recognize is the ability they have to influence the people in their pews on the issues of the day. In turn, their congregations need to realize the true influence they can have on elected officials.
A recent poll was done of state legislators around the country.
When asked “Please tell me the credibility that each organization has when you are considering public policy opinions and decisions,”
Corporate lobbyists had a 61.5% credibility,
Chambers of Commerce came in at 74.2%, but
Local constituents had a 91.7% credibility rating.
YOUR influence matters! YOUR VOICE matters and our nation NEEDS you and your leadership now more than ever! God Bless you,
-Chad
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Kielle here with you and praying for blessing, strength, wisdom and courage for you all as we push forward through times that can feel very uncertain. I want to encourage you to be the “much” in the “it doesn’t take much” to let your voice be heard and gain traction in protecting our precious freedoms. I can share personally that making the calls, writing those emails, or sharing with others how to effectively reach elected officials on a particular issue does in fact make a big difference! Elected officials work for you...it is their job to listen to you in order to represent the wishes, thoughts and desires of their constituents accurately. Hold them to it!
We stand with you and are praying for you!
-Joan, Brad, Chad and Kielle - Your Church Finds Its Voice Leadership
*Please share and forward on to your networks!
