Dear Friends,
A significant part of what it means to be made in the image of God is to love something so much that you’re willing to die for it.
This weekend, we honor those who loved us and our country enough to fight and die for both us and the nation. They, and their families, follow in a long tradition of men and women who saw all the greatness and exceptionalism of which our nation is capable, and in service to it they signed a blank check pledging everything up to and including their lives.
And by giving their lives in service to our great country, those we remember today have ensured that we and the founding truths that make America a singular beacon of liberty in the world would also endure. Many of us will likely join our voices together in singing the National Anthem at some point over the next few days. When we do so, we are remembering these men and women and all the hope and possibilities their sacrifice represents. Their actions have made this “the home of the brave.” So, when we lift our voices together singing The Star-Spangled Banner, let us do so with the mindfulness that we carry forward and honor the memory of those who died in its shadow.
May God bless you and your family this Memorial Day. And may He continue to protect our country and the brave men and women who serve it.
Sincerely,
Joseph Kohm III
Director, Public Policy
Being a mother is never easy, but being a mother in today’s world comes with its own unique challenges. The value of women is being challenged by radical gender ideology, schools are telling our kids dangerous messages, and modern culture is silencing Christian values.
To celebrate Mother’s Day this year, Autumn Leva and Amanda Banks, colleagues here at Family Policy Alliance, discuss their experiences as mothers, how they’re raising their daughters, and what encourages them when they encounter difficulties. Don’t miss this encouraging, hope-filled, and helpful conversation!
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Have you checked out our NEW podcast? We pick the brains of newsmakers and experts to break down what’s happening now on the issues YOU care about. With new episodes weekly, you’ll be up to date on all things that affect your family. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Google Podcasts.
At Family Policy Alliance, our vision is a nation where God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, families thrive, and life is cherished. To stay up to date on the fight to protect families and learn how to take action, follow us on social media!
See you in the comments section! 
Emma Rarden
Communications Specialist – Producer
P.S. Family Policy Alliance made a FREE comprehensive guide to protecting your children in the classroom. To learn how to protect your rights and your children’s rights, go to Back to School for Parents to get your FREE copy today, so you can have peace of mind while your child is in the classroom.
Over the past few years, we have witnessed a concerning, unprecedented effort to erode parental rights at all levels of government from local school boards to massive federal agencies, each in its own way.
The matter has not escaped the attention of the 118th Congress which began in January of this year. In recent weeks, Family Policy Alliance has shared with you some of the good bills that members have introduced and passed, such as the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.
Today, we are pleased to update you on important movement on the parental rights front
At the end of March, FPA was present with members of House leadership as the House passed H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights. The bill is led by Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA) and cosponsored by more than 120 members of the House, including members of the House Republican Leadership-a strong showing for parents!
The Parents Bill of Rights Act would:
- Establish transparency by requiring schools to provide parents with access to curriculum,
- Notify parents of outside speakers invited to address their child,
- Provide notice and consent of any medical examinations, and
- Clarify the rights of parents to inspect any materials provided to their child in the classroom or in the library, among other rights and requirements.
Congress is right to address these roadblocks experienced by parents. H.R. 5 is a positive step in ensuring that parents have full control of their child’s education and upbringing.
Continue to pray for wisdom for our leaders as they defend the rights of parents in the halls of Congress. FPA will continue to fight for your family and keep you updated on what is happening on the ground in Congress!
Stay Tuned,
Ruth Ward
Director, Government Affairs
As you watch TV or scroll through social media, it becomes pretty clear that we live in a culture that does not follow Christ. But, we still have to relate to that culture every day. And for those who are parents, you bear the weight of helping your children grow up in this culture while learning to follow Christ.
How can we help kids see the world around them through a Biblical lens? Our guest in today’s video is one of the best people to answer that question. His name is Dr. Jeff Myers, and he’s the president of Summit Ministries, a ministry that specializes in teaching young people about biblical worldview. He talks about navigating an un-Biblical world with a Biblical worldview, a perspective that he shares with wit and wisdom. If you’ve ever found it challenging to navigate our culture or wonder how to help the kids in your life see the world through a biblical lens, you won’t want to miss this conversation!
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As one of the leading experts in his field, Dr Myers has a Doctorate of Philosophy from the University of Denver and is the author of 14 books. He’s also a faculty member for our sister Foundation’s School Board Academy.
PLUS: Use code FPA23 for $100 off Summit Ministries’ 2-week Student Conference this summer! Registrants who sign up before March 31 will also receive $200 off. Anyone 16-22 years of age is welcome to learn why the Biblical worldview is true. Attendees leave not only seeing everything around them through a Biblical lens, but they are equipped with the factual knowledge to back up the truth.
At Family Policy Alliance, our vision is a nation where God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, families thrive, and life is cherished. To stay up to date on the fight to protect families and learn how to take action, follow us on social media!
See you in the comments section,
Emma Rarden
Communications Specialist – Producer
P.S. Have you checked out our NEW podcast? We pick the brains of newsmakers and experts to break down what’s happening now on the issues YOU care about. With new episodes weekly, you’ll be up to date on all things that affect your family. Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Google Podcasts.
What is the first thing that comes to mind this Presidents Day weekend?
If you were honest, is it the furniture sales? Or perhaps the deals on new cars?
Whatever came to mind, I’d encourage you to take time this Presidents Day to reflect on the lives of two of our greatest presidents – George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
These two men understood the intricacies of humble leadership and saw our country through some of the most difficult and divisive times. In no way would they have claimed to be perfect leaders. Yet, they leaned on prayer and fasting as their rallying cries for unity.
President Washington, for whom the holiday was originally named in 1885, certainly modeled prayers for our nation and its people throughout his prayer journal:
“Give me grace to hear thee calling on me in thy word, that it may be wisdom, righteousness, reconciliation and peace to the saving of the soul in the day of the Lord Jesus…Bless my family, kindred, friends and country, be our God and guide this day and forever for his sake, who lay down in the Grave and arose again for us, Jesus Christ our Lord.”
President Lincoln declared a national fast in 1863 and prayed in his proclamation:
“And whereas it is the duty of nations as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions, in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord.”
In a time of division, let us heed the examples and prayers of Washington and Lincoln and look to our Creator for divine wisdom. Each human being on this planet is created in the image of God with inestimable value and in great need of God’s mercy. When we see or speak to or pray for one another, let us view each other through that lens. We can disagree, but at the end of the day, we should be unified in prayer for our leaders, neighbors and families.
Thank you for standing with us for biblical truths. I am encouraged to know that this weekend I will be joined by many of you as we pray together for our leaders and our nation. May you have a blessed Presidents Day weekend with your family.
To God be the glory,
Ruth Ward
Director Government Affairs
Did you know? Today, only 42 percent of the country believe “somewhat” that the current generation will be better off than previous generations. Only 1 in 4 public school students can name George Washington as the first President of the United States.
How did we get here? Tim Goeglein, author of the new book, Toward a More Perfect Union: The Moral and Cultural Case for Teaching the Great American Story, believes it’s due to poor teaching of the American story at home and in the classroom. Today’s youngest generations do not understand or appreciate American excellence because they never learned proper American history to begin with.
What is the solution? In our newest live video, Tim Goeglein, Vice President of External and Government Relations at Focus on the Family, joins Craig DeRoche to talk about how restoring faith in the American dream begins in your local homes, communities, and churches. It starts with you.
Tune in on Facebook, Twitter, or YouTube
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Not on Facebook? Watch on YouTube or by clicking the image above!
Tim Goeglein’s new book is available online at any major book outlet; however, we encourage you to order from www.faithfultext.com! Use code “FAITHFUL15” at checkout to get 15% off your whole order.
See you in the comments section,
Emma Rarden
Communications Specialist – Producer
P.S. Have you checked out our NEW podcast? Conversations with Craig, produced by Family Policy Alliance, is your go-to podcast for all things family policy. Craig DeRoche picks the brains of family policy experts to break down what’s happening now. With new episodes weekly, you’ll be up to date on all things that affect your family. Listen on Spotify, Apply Podcasts, or Google Podcasts.
Family Policy Foundation wants to wish you a Happy New Year!
As we once again turn the page leaving last year behind and looking into the new year, we anticipate changes on the cultural and political fronts not only in Washington, DC, but also in statehouses across the nation. Along with those changes comes a shift in the focus of our prayers and what we see emerging in the coming weeks and months.
Here are just a few of the things that we are praying about as 2023 gets underway.
Congress
Having just come through the 2022 elections, we now have a different political landscape that is sure to affect cultural and social issues across the board – we pray in a good way.
As new leadership will soon emerge in Congress, we are praying that the leaders chosen would be godly men and women who will seek to lead in ways that honor biblical truths in all aspects of their work. We know that the leadership in both Houses of Congress will be tested with difficult tasks and decisions. We pray that they would have wise counsel and reliable discernment that leads them to the right decisions regarding the business of our nation on issues like abortion, marriage and religious freedom, among others.
Statehouses
The same leadership decisions will be occurring in statehouses all across the nation as well. We pray that godly men and women would be selected in every instance. We anticipate progress on a number of vital issues in many states this year.
Abortion After Roe
It will be in statehouses where we see renewed efforts to protect life since Roe v. Wade was overturned last June. We pray for wise and well-formulated efforts in this regard. That men and women of faith would stand up and adopt smart, effective policies to continue to move us toward a nation where abortion is unthinkable. We also pray that those who would seek to expand abortion would fail and that the truth about the abortion industry would be exposed in these efforts wherever they occur. To find out more about the current status of abortion in your state visit AfterRoe.
Protecting Minors
We are also praying about efforts to protect minor children from dangerous, unapproved, untested, unaccountable and unwarranted gender transition procedures. Every year, more and more confused children are compelled into life-altering procedures that often leave them scarred, regretful and physically debilitated and mutilated.
Along with our allies in the state family policy councils, we are launching efforts in many states to prohibit procedures to mutilate healthy body parts of young children in the name of the transgender agenda. We pray also for laws or regulations to hold medical professionals accountable for the grave harms done to children.
Visit Help Not Harm to learn more about this issue.
We pray for progress on these and other issues that greatly impact our culture and that godly wisdom and biblical standards would be upheld across our nation and in our culture.
Prayerfully,
Robert Noland
Director of Audience Engagement
PS – to receive prayer updates like this one, please sign up for our Under God, One Nation prayer team.
New law targets faith-based organizations just before Christmas
BREAKING NEWS: President Biden just signed H.R. 8404 into law, codifying same-sex marriage in federal law.
How is this different from the Supreme Court’s ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges?
First, this new law goes much further than the Supreme Court ruling. While the Supreme Court ruling recognized same-sex marriage, the new law threatens religious freedom in new ways. Here’s what our CEO and President Craig DeRoche had to say:
“For the last two years, we’ve seen repeatedly how the Biden Administration pits itself against the American people. Today, President Biden has gone even further by positioning himself against people of faith at Christmastime.
“The so-called religious freedom protections contained within this bill are little more than fig leaves. In reality, this bill could force faith-based adoption agencies to close, silence anyone with a moral objection to same-sex marriage, and target those who dare to disagree.
“While the Biden Administration and their allies in Congress made this signing ceremony about equality, they fail to understand that Americans with sincerely held religious beliefs on marriage will not waiver in their convictions –regardless of the passage of this new law. In the name of acceptance, the Biden Administration has chosen to alienate millions of Americans.”
The second difference from the court ruling is that this law will be harder to undo. If you’ve followed the pro-life movement, you know that it took us nearly 50 years to get Roe v. Wade overturned (and we still have much more work to do in the states). However, that was “just” a court case that could be overturned by another court case. Today, President Biden has signed an actual law passed by both chambers of Congress.
Imagine if Roe v. Wade had been made a federal law.
It will take time to change hearts and minds on this issue. But, we are hardly the first Christians in history to have to stand out from a distinctly un-Christian culture. In fact, we are specifically called to be a light in the darkness and salt on the earth (Matthew 5:13-14). Here at Family Policy Alliance, we see this as a continued opportunity to live that out.
What can I do to help?
At Family Policy Alliance, we are always looking for ways to protect your religious freedom, whether that’s by standing for First Amendment rights at the federal level or working with Family Policy Councils in the states. If you want to help ensure religious freedom for generations to come, please partner with us. We take care to steward each gift well to help advance our vision of a nation where God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, families thrive, and life is cherished.
And, stay in prayer. Our nation is at a critical juncture. Even as the Biden Administration and its allies use federal policy to advance radical agendas, across the states family values are gaining traction like never before. Please pray for the continued success of these efforts.
Prayerfully,
Autumn Leva,
Sr. VP, Strategy
While families across the nation are dealing with economic hardship and other real problems ahead of the holidays, Nancy Pelosi and the lame duck Congress are instead focusing on the advancement of radical ideas across the board – Congress needs to hear your voice now.
Even though she is on the way out as Speaker, Nancy Pelosi’s House has is in session and she plans to force a vote, yet again, on the same-sex marriage bill this week.
Please reach out to your Representative today!
If passed by Pelosi in the House, the same-sex marriage bill will be on its way to President Biden for his signature thsi week.
In its current form, the legislation will have many, if not all, of these consequences:
- Further implicates federal law in a false definition of marriage, potentially including in ANY marriage.
- Threaten religious individuals and organizations with harassing and costly lawsuits.
- Open the door for the federal government to force everyone, including religious organizations, to affirm same-sex marriage and more.
- Shut down faith-based adoption and foster-care agencies, which would be a devastating blow to the many children already in need of placement in forever homes.
- Silencing—or even potentially punishing—Americans who believe marriage is the union of one man and one woman by labeling that belief as “discrimination” on the same unacceptable level as racist views.
As this lame duck session of Congress moves ahead, your representative desperately needs to hear from you, urging him or her to oppose the bill—and calling on them to tell Nancy Pelosi to stop this harmful bill from being a top priority.
We may only have hours remaining to impact this bill!
With urgency,
Autumn Leva
Vice President, Strategy
We are just two weeks away from the official launch of the School Board Academy—Family Policy Foundation’s newest training program for pro-family elected officials.
As we shared earlier this fall, FPF has developed a unique course to equip and empower conservative school board members to protect children from radical curriculum and dangerous policies, preserve parental rights, and honor God through their service. The School Board Academy is the first-of-its-kind national training program taught by top legal and policy experts from a biblical worldview.
In preparation for the official launch of the School Board Academy in December, we held a pilot training for a select group of school board members November 15-17. During 7.5 hours of live, online training, participants were taught by 15 expert instructors. The partnership of our national and state allies—including Alliance Defending Freedom, The Heritage Foundation, First Liberty Institute, Pennsylvania Family Institute, Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, and several others—is humbling, and empowering for our attendees.
These partners, along with senior leaders at Family Policy Alliance and Foundation, provided critical training and resources on curriculum options, controversial issues, model policies, worldview, and more. (For a complete list of instructors and the course outline, see our website.)
Melissa, a school board member from West Virginia, said the pilot training allowed her, as a “lone board member with a faith foundation, to not feel alone and to have training that aligns with the Constitution and my conservative values.”
David, a school board member from Washington, remarked, “Very, very, very highly qualified presenters have been gathered for this Academy. On behalf of the future of America, thank you!”
As so many of you have supported the development and launch the School Board Academy, please accept David’s thanks and that of the entire Family Policy Foundation team. Your financial contribution and prayer support make this training program possible.
As we look expectantly toward the December 13- 15 official launch, we thank God for the opportunity to equip and empower pro-family school board members.
Gratefully,
Amanda Banks,
Vice President, Education
P.S. If you would like to help deliver impactful training to conservative school board members, click HERE to provide a student scholarship or make a donation of any amount. Thank you for your partnership!