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Tag: #churchandpolitics
2024 Pennsylvania March For Life – a Family Life News recap – 9/26/24

2024 Pennsylvania March For Life – a Family Life News recap – 9/26/24

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2024 Pennsylvania March For Life

A Family Life News Recap

Hear highlights from the Pennsylvania March For Life, where an estimated 6,000 people gathered on the steps of the state capitol building, to pray, rally and march. This annual demonstration give witness to the year-round efforts to protect unborn children from the practice of abortion.

With highlights from speakers on the stage, plus exclusive Family Life News interviews with attendees and pro-life leaders, this special edition of “Faith Under Fire” offers you a recap of the issues and motivations which are important to those who rallied in Harrisburg on Monday, September 23.

(c) 2024 Family Life Radio Network  (c) 2024 Family Life Radio Network  (c) 2024 Family Life Radio Network  (c) 2024 Family Life Radio Network  "Gen Z For Life" Pennsylvania March for Life 9/23/2024 

The Pennsylvania Family Institute’s website and related social media posts have additional highlights, commentary, and videos.

The full one-hour video of all the Rally presentations is available here:  www.PAFamily.org

Within this video is a speech by Dr. Eric Hussar, a Lancaster County physician who is State Director for the American Academy of Medical Ethics. He gives real-world stories of women who started a regimen of abortion-inducing drugs, but later would regret that decision and explored how pregnancies can often be saved, if the scared and fragile woman seeks out abortion-reversal treatments through their own physician or through a pro-life pregnancy resource center.  [https://youtu.be/iLzJma3TA8o?t=2172]  [The Lozier Institute has further information on the medical research about the Progesterone treatments.]

PAMarchForLife2024-DanB-PFI  

Note: Family Life Ministries has compiled information about Pregnancy Resource Centers and care centers throughout Pennsylvania and New York State.

Visit that map and get contact information here: www.FamilyLife.org/listening-area/pregnancy-resources/

 

Inside Out – Navigating Election Season as a Faithful Christian – 9/25/24

Inside Out – Navigating Election Season as a Faithful Christian – 9/25/24

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Navigating Election Season

The “Inside Out” Podcast from Family Life News

 

How can Christians show Jesus’ radical love in the social, religious, and political climate? Martha’s guest Jeff Jones reminds Christians that our primary allegiance is to King Jesus, and He’s not up for reelection. Jones is lead pastor of Chase Oaks Church in Dallas, Texas, and coauthor with Mike Hogan of the book Rebranding Christianity.

 

 

How can Christians show Jesus’ radical love as we approach the November election? “Really, it’s an incredible opportunity to be distinctive,” says Jeff Jones. “Not to take our cues from the world that is very polarized and angry and there’s a lot of misplaced hope and vitriol.”

Jones is the lead pastor of Chase Oaks Church in Dallas, Texas, and coauthor with Mike Hogan of the book Rebranding Christianity. He points out that a believer’s model is Jesus, and He reached out to those who disagreed with Him. “As Christians we get to show a better way. In fact, it’s not just that we get to, we’re commanded to. We’re Jesus-followers, and so we take our cue from Jesus and how did He relate to the world, how did He relate to people who disagreed?” he says. “If we can just shift from sort of culture war mentality to mission field mentality–that’s a major shift–but it’s shifting from fear dominating us to love dominating us. What would it look like to relate like Jesus, who moved toward people in love, especially those who disagreed with him?”

And it’s especially meaningful to remember Jesus’ prayer for unity among believers, recorded in the Gospel of John.

 “In a divided world, to see a united church where we can remember ‘hey that’s what we agree on–and that’s Jesus and His mission and His truth, and our hope is in Him,’” Jones says. “And what an opportunity to do that this fall and really stand out as believers, if we’re willing to do that.”

Recognizing our primary loyalty can help Christians avoid getting tangled in partisan rhetoric. “Our allegiance is to King Jesus, which is above all this other stuff. And our hope is in Him,” Jones says. “We await a Savior from there, not here. Our hope, our focus–all of that—as we go into these elections: let’s remember who we are, and where our hope is. And then we don’t have to be afraid. Because it really doesn’t matter who gets in or who doesn’t get in. King Jesus is not up for reelection.”

Learn about Jeff Jones and the book he’s coauthored, Rebranding Christianity. He contends that the Christian “brand” is losing relevance and influence in the U.S.  A key reason is that Christians, who represent the brand to the world, fail to display what Jesus wants us to be known for — radical love. Jones says the next five to ten years will either deepen the decline or witness a movement to become more of who Jesus called us to be.

 

#InsideOut
An Insider’s Insights into the Secret Service – FLN – 9/19/24

An Insider’s Insights into the Secret Service – FLN – 9/19/24

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Retired FBI & Secret Service Agent Tim Miller

A Family Life News Interview

With two close-calls on the life of Donald Trump within two months, retired Secret Service agents are speaking out about the dangers to elected leaders, political candidates and their families.

One of those with an insider’s insight is Tim Miller, who had twin careers in the FBI and the Secret Service.
Family Life News Anchor Bob Price talked with Miller from his Florida home, just five miles from the golf course that made international news this past weekend.

Tap “play” on the podcast player for an extended version of this exclusive interview.

LionHeart Security Experts

Retired Secret Service agent Tim Miller now operates an international security enhancement firm. He uses his decades-long experience to provide training and consultations to help churches, schools and businesses to stay safer.

Podcasts of the Family Life Noon Report and the Family Life 5 O’Clock Report are available each weekday from www.FamilyLife.org/newspodcasts.

 
Capital Connection – the Big Issues in PA, NY, and the USA – 9/06/24

Capital Connection – the Big Issues in PA, NY, and the USA – 9/06/24

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“Capital Connection” on Family Life

It’s the “season premiere”, as our roundtable with resident experts about the happenings in Albany and Harrisburg are back

 

The Capital Connection Crew is back and discussing politics, with just two months to go until the election.

Jason McGuire is the executive director of the New York Families Foundation [NewYorkFamilies.org]

Michael Geer is the founding president of the Pennsylvania Family Institute [PAFamily.org]

Among our topics today, they’re talking about a new initiative to get more people of faith to the polls on November 5.

Now that the summer break is over, Capital Connection resumes our Friday broadcasts during the Family Life Noon Report, on air, on app, and via multiple streaming platforms. We also podcast these conversations at FamilyLife.org/newspodcasts.

Resources, links and info about subjects covered in this podcast:

  • “Capital Connection Live”, two public events in NY and PA, with Michael Geer, Jason McGuire and Bob Price on stage for a full evening of discussion and analysis — FamilyLife.org/events
  • The March for Life in Pennsylvania, Monday, September 23 — MarchForLife.org/Pennsylvania/
  • Take the Pledge to register to vote (Christians at the ballot box, and in early voting) — National Family Policy Alliance and the Christians Engaged organization
  • Voter registration deadlines are October 21 in Pennsylvania, and October 26 in New York State. Registration — and updating your name, address or political party (important, if those apply) — can be done at your local country election office, when you apply for or renew your driver’s license, or online through the state government website. Links from many advocacy groups also connect you with this process. Mailed-in applications in both states must be received on or before the deadline date.

 

 
Vote Your Faith – Chris Leader on an effort to boost Christian turnout at the ballot box – 9/05/24

Vote Your Faith – Chris Leader on an effort to boost Christian turnout at the ballot box – 9/05/24

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A Christian leader, named Chris Leader, is on a 100-day countdown to encourage evangelical Christians to register to vote this fall.

The “separation of church and state” isn’t in the U.S. Constitution, not in that form anyway.  But Chris Leader says many people of faith separate themselves from political and social involvement. His effort “Vote Your Faith” is trying to change that.

In this conversation with Family Life’s Greg Gillispie, Leader explains how some Christians are being intimidated, so they avoid voting, politicking, or even speaking out on the issues in the nation and in the local community. He points to Biblical motivation to get registered, plus how a better turnout of Christian voters could quickly solve many of the current problems in our culture.

Vote Your Faith offers inspiration, resources and tools to help improve the ratio of faithful Christians who participate in campaigns and elections. (Some surveys show that 25 to 33 percent of evangelicals stay away from the polls on Election Day).

 

 

As of the date of this Family Life Newsmaker Interview (9/05/2024), Chris Leader is about one-third of the way through his 100 Day Countdown to November 5th . He posts a new commentary each day.

Here are links to those (soon to be) 100 commentaries and the Vote Your Faith website.

 

 

 

 
Family Life Noon Report – Zooming out to Bigger Views of Election Issues- 9/02/24

Family Life Noon Report – Zooming out to Bigger Views of Election Issues- 9/02/24

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Zooming Out to Bigger Views of the Issues surrounding this Election

A Special Edition of the Family Life Noon Report

Labor Day – 9/02/2024

The proverbial “start” of the election season traditionally kicks in Labor Day Weekend. As American culture slides past the holiday and into the school year, voters are within a couple of months of Election Day. While much of the public has been plugged in to this year’s unique campaign, others are just now ready to begin to explore who and what will be on the ballot.

In this half-hour special from Family Life News, we zoom out beyond the daily and weekly twists and turns of the candidates and their campaign. Today, we delve into some of the bigger issues about the election:

  • Pennsylvania’s role as one of this year’s most prominent “swing states” to select the president and majorities in Congress
  • One political scientist’s take on the detriments and benefits of the Electoral College system
  • A call for Christian voters to step up better, to cast early ballots or show up at the polls November 5  (Other interest groups have better turnout percentages)
  • While individuals have full freedom to participate in politics, churches actually do not need to “separate” church and state
  • The history of congregational involvement in politics, and cautions about specific partisanship
  • If election results this fall have an obvious lean, will there be a mandate?
  • If key races are close (or fought in court), will the people trust the results?

Bob Price and Greg Gillispie have extended interviews with these expert guests:

  • Dr. Mark Caleb Smith teaches political science at Cedarville University, and is dean of the college at that Christian school.
  • Jason McGuire is executive director of the New York Families Foundation, heads up New York Family Action, and is a commentator on “Capital Connecton”.
  • Kim Roberts researched IRS regulations on charitable organizations and talked with leaders in how faith groups and politics intertwine. Her articles are posted on MinistryWatch.com.
  • Also, “Breakpoint” commentator John Stonestreet talks about the role of Christ’s followers in shaping elections and public debate. He is president of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview.

Click/tap each photograph for additional interviews with these guests, plus their biographies, or scroll through additional podcasts at www.FamilyLife.org/newspodcasts.

All Family Life News podcasts are available for listening, subscribing, downloading and sharing. Go to FamilyLife.org or use the Family Life Now app.

 Smith

 McGuire

  Roberts

  StonestreetNewspodcasts

 

An update:  In the conversation about IRS regulations about churches which receive charitable contribution status, our guest mentioned the Johnson Amendment (starting at :19:37 in this recording). Now, the National Religious Broadcasters organization is leading other plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit against the IRS, contending those 1950’s-era regulations seek to place unconstitutional restrictions on free speech and freedom of religion. This new article from MinistryWatch.com explores the issues surrounding this complaint from the faith-based groups.
Churches and Political Actions – Kim Roberts – 8/29/24

Churches and Political Actions – Kim Roberts – 8/29/24

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Churches and Political Actions

A Family Life Interview with Kim Roberts

Many churches and denominations can be labeled as supportive of one side of the political spectrum or the other. Others avoid politics at all costs.

Part of the reason congregations avoid actions and speech related to electoral politics is fear of risking their non-profit status. However, federal law and IRS regulations do not silence Christian entities which want to promote voting and motivate their people into political action.

Family Life News asked reporter Kim Roberts to detail her research into what is and isn’t allowed when churches and campaigns overlap. Christian individuals can always be active with promoting or opposing a candidate, but when it comes to 501(c)3 organizations, they have to stay non-partisan about candidates. Yet churches and other religious ministries are free to speak out on public issues that weigh on the ballot box. There are no IRS consequences for churches to hold candidate forums, carry out voter registration or get-out-the-vote efforts, or offer rides to the polls. In fact, as you will hear in this conversation, the Church throughout history has been vibrant and vocal in the political and social issues around them.

Kim Roberts, a reporter for the Christian journalism organization Ministry Watch, also discusses how local, state and national candidates reach out to churches, in order to influence their members to vote a certain way. Also, political and culture-fight organizations are finding ways to motivate people of faith to elect certain candidates or stand for particular political issues.

Kim Roberts, MinistryWatch.com

Kim Robert’s detailed article “Church and Politics: What’s Allowed?” is available from www.MinistryWatch.com.  She also has other reporting on many faith-based events and issues.

Among the resources for congregations and church leaders — and other groups — she mentions in this podcast:

  • An IRS document, detailing the distinctions for 501(c)3 organizations on partisan politicking (not allowed) and lobbying (allowed)
  • Election guides for congregational planning from the NAACP and the Alliance Defending Freedom
  • Turning Point USA’s TPFaith efforts to motivate political and cultural action by conservative and mid-spectrum Christians
  • Black Church PAC’s plans to carry out a massive voter mobilization effort this fall
  • A political science professor’s observation that it is extremely rare that the IRS revokes a church’s charitable status, even if they carry out activities that lean solidly toward one candidate or one political party
Inside Out – Loving the Christian Nationalists – 8/28/24

Inside Out – Loving the Christian Nationalists – 8/28/24

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“Loving Christian Nationalists”

The “Inside Out” Podcast from Family Life News

What are the best ways to love our Christian nationalist friends? Martha talks with pastor Caleb E. Campbell about the topic Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor

 

Christian nationalism promises both security at a time when many Americans feel insecure and powerless. But Phoenix Pastor Caleb E. Campbell points out that only Jesus Christ holds real power and offers true security. That means that people who follow the crucified and risen Christ have good news to share with their Christian nationalist friends.

“The means of American Christian Nationalism are in direct conflict with the teachings of Scripture which call us to love our neighbor as our self, to take up our cross, not the sword, to practice the fruit of the Spirit and First Corinthians 13 love,” Campbell says. “And the fruit of that is that we bear witness to the Kingdom of God not as culture warriors, but as ambassadors to the Kingdom.”

“What they claim that they want is a righteous country. They want a place where justice rules. Those are good ends. But the means by which they’re arguing we should pursue those ends is not a cross-centered posture, but a sword-centered posture,” he adds.

This doesn’t make Christian nationalists the enemy, Campbell says. This makes Christian nationalists the mission field. “We are to set the table of hospitality, study the culture, and show the inconsistencies of their currently-held convictions.”

But we must go on mission knowing that loving, listening, and talking with Christian nationalist friends may not change their minds and hearts. “We can’t change anybody. Only God can do that. So my job is not to bear the responsibility of changing someone. Rather, my invitation is to be faithful to Jesus in the conversations that I’m invited into, or that I invite others into.”

Campbell reminds us that at the core of the Christian faith is this hope: change is possible.

“I firmly believe that there are people that the Spirit of the living God will use our words, our relationship or our hospitality to bring about the fruit of repentance in their life,” he says. “The frustrating part is, sometimes it’s going to take a long time, and oftentimes I won’t be there to see it,” Campbell says. “And so I’m going to entrust that to God’s hands not mine.”

Caleb E. Campbell is the author of the new book Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor.

 
Elections: Christian voter turnout falls short at the ballot box – 8/27/24

Elections: Christian voter turnout falls short at the ballot box – 8/27/24

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Elections: Christian voter turnout falls short at the ballot box

One public opinion poll says one-third of Christian voters stay home on election day and don’t cast ballots.

A Christian social advocate says people of faith who choose not to practice what he calls their “Biblical Citizenship” are instead handing over their influence to other groups who do not share the same values.

Executive Director Jason McGuire of the New York Family Foundation says other constituencies have voter turnout that tops 90 percent for every election.

 

This week (8/27/2024) Family Life News is airing (and podcasting) a series of extended interviews giving a deeper dive into this year’s elections, beyond the individual candidates and campaigns.

In this conversation about Christians’ roles to shape government, McGuire also talks about:

  • Biblical mandates for faithful interaction with voting, campaigns and social action
  • Why some Christians believe they should avoid all of politics and partisanship
  • How Christians should consider an entire ballot and its consequences, not just the presidential choices
  • What a proposed Constitutional amendment in New York State could mean for Christ-centered citizens, people who hold traditional values, and all of their neighbors too
  • An effort to increase Christian turnout for early voting and on November 5 locally and in all 50 states, and how to sign up for non-partisan e-mail reminders

 

City On The Hill – Part Two – Today’s young Christian and cultural leaders – 8/12/24

City On The Hill – Part Two – Today’s young Christian and cultural leaders – 8/12/24

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The next generation of young leaders — or, perhaps said more accurately, the incoming generation of young leaders — gets leadership development and hands-on training from the annual summer project called City On The Hill. The Pennsylvania Family Institute brought together 57 high school and college students for worship, workshops and a simulation of a state senate session with debates and legislative proposals.

This podcast features Part Two of our conversation with two of those participants, Jacob Reece and Amiya Montijo.

In Part One, we focused on the activities of that week of Biblical worldview and leadership development. [ It aired 8/01/2024 on Family Life. Listen to, share or download it here. ]

In this new interview, Greg Gillispie asks these guests about what is true for young people who have grown up in today’s culture. They offer their personal perspectives of hope, reassurance and commitment, coming from today’s Christian young adults.

Jacob Reece is a pre-law student from Blandon, PA. He also interned this summer with PFI.  Amiya Montijo is a 2024 high school graduate. She has attended COTH across multiple summers.

Information about the 2025 City On The Hill — the 25th anniversary — is available on their website.

 

 

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