August 28, 2008
In this issue:
Will Churches “Saddle-up” after Saddleback?
Regardless of what one thought of Saddleback Church hosting its forum for the Democratic and Republican Presidential nominees or of the questions asked, one thing was made clear. Before the whole watching world, a church got involved in politics and not only does the church still exist, but it still has its tax-exempt status.
Churches can do much to inform congregants about public policy and elections. |
If ever there was a test case for an Evangelical, Anglo-Saxton Protestant church to be brought down by the IRS, the ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and State, this was it. The reality is that churches have a whole lot more freedom to engage their culture than many in church leadership realize. Churches can do much to inform congregants about public policy and elections.
Saddleback proved it’s not a question of “Can a church get involved?” but “Will my church get involved?”
Saddleback showed the way. Now will any churches in Tennessee saddle-up and, individually or collectively, host some candidate forums for state legislative candidates and/or Congressional candidates? FACT stands ready and willing to help should any express an interest.
It was recently reported that 3,400 pastors in California participated in a conference call to discuss the amendment that will be on California’s November ballot that would define marriage as between one man and one woman. Apparently one pastor at a major church took the proverbial bull by the horns in rallying pastors in that state. Now some pastors in Florida, which also has a marriage amendment on the ballot, are trying to rally pastors as well.
One thing all churches can clearly do that would be important is to encourage voter registration. |
While Tennessee does not have issues like marriage on the ballot, our General Assembly deals with a wide range of important issues that impact the family. So these elections are important too. But those who care about the traditional family cannot have their voice heard in Nashville if they don’t vote. And you can’t vote if you are not registered.
One thing all churches can clearly do that would be important is to encourage voter registration. Encouraging voter registration can be as simple as making an announcement about the need to register or update one’s registration or putting the announcement in a bulletin along with the election commission’s web site or FACT registration web page. But a church can do much more than a mere announcement to register to vote, it is even permissible to have a voter registration drive. This could be a special table in the foyer to assist people before and after the worship service, or even making the information available in Sunday School classes.
The deadline for registering to vote in November is October 4th. It will be here before you know it. If you want to know how to hold a voter registration drive, check out our website or let us know (info@FACTn.org).
So You Think the First Amendment Is All We Need?
Some churches don’t want to engage on the moral issues of our day for a number of reasons. But a recent decision by the California Supreme Court showed that churches won’t have to go looking for trouble in the days to come; it will come looking for them.
The moral of the story is that when sexual practices become a civil right, first amendment free exercise rights may have to give way. |
I’m referring to the high court’s ruling that two Christian Doctors working in a Christian-based fertility clinic violated the California Civil Rights law because they refused, on religious grounds, to artificially inseminate a lesbian woman. Even though the Doctors referred the woman to another Doctor who presumably would perform the procedure, that was not enough.
The moral of the story is that when sexual practices become a civil right, first amendment free exercise rights may have to give way. The Family Research Council hosted a forum on this very topic with some of the top legal scholars in our country. The conclusion: Be silent today and in a few short years churches and Christian schools and colleges may find there is no “right” to free exercise in the area of sexual behavior or, if there is, the loss of tax-exempt status may be the price paid for religious liberty. When it comes to the so-called homosexual agenda, it is a case of “speak now or forever hold your peace.”
FACT knows that there are many in Tennessee who want to support the traditional family and who care about cultural and religious liberty issues. They may, for instance, want to head up a voter registration effort or see their church host a candidate forum. But they don’t know where to begin or how to do it.
If that’s you, then we’ve got some great news. Dr. David Shelley has just joined FACT as our Director of Church and Community Relations and his full-time purpose is to help those who want to make a difference know how to do that effectively. It is called our “Friend of the Family” network. We hope you will check it out.
David Fowler
President, Family Action of Tennessee