Politics is one of the most challenging topics to bring up in any conversation. Most people have heard since they were young that they should never bring up politics or religion in polite conversation.

Yet today the events of COVID-19, rioting in major cities, the exchange of gunfire across rival groups, and the literal stalking and killing of peace officers, has brought the reality that the fate of our nation hangs in the balance. Sometimes the easy route seems to be retreating to our tribe (our friends and family) and avoiding politics. Often the argument goes like this: “we need to win the world to Christ and politics just gets in the way.”

I understand that some Christians make politics their sole focus in life and that is not good. I have seen many Christians unbalance themselves on any number of causes that matter in the Christian life. But to quote a friend, Joseph Backholm, “the answer to imbalance is not apathy, it is balance.”

Balanced views of your role in your family, your church, your city, and your nation are the major catalyst in building a civil society where God is honored, life is cherished, religious freedom flourishes, and families thrive. This means that you should neither let politics consume you nor run from it.

So, how do we talk about politics as Christians? Here’s how I think about it:

Politics is divided into conversations about partisanship and personalities, and conversations about policies and principles.

Today most political conversation revolves around partisanship and personality. Oftentimes people make decisions about a candidate based upon their personality. As one lady said about a candidate, “He just looks like a nice young man.” The Christian should be guided by a higher process. We are to be guided by the principles that matter most in the eyes of God.

Therefore, the Christian should think in this way:

(Principle > Partisanship)

(Principles are greater than Partisanship)

At Family Policy Alliance of Wyoming, we have looked at the contested General election races in the State of Wyoming. Of those races, there are a number of wonderful candidates we recommend to you. Please take time to consider voting for them and praying for them as the election draws near.

Also, please pray about what amount you would consider giving to Family Policy Alliance of Wyoming on a monthly basis. We are praying for 100 ministry partners who would pray about giving $100 a month to the ministry of Family Policy Alliance of Wyoming. If God places this burden on your heart, please visit our website and click the “donate” button.

Thank you for partnering with us and may God bless our work together

Sincerely,

Nathan Winters
Executive Director

 

The battle for the soul of the nation—I came across this phrase the other day, and I instantly clicked on the link, expecting to read something profound and deeply spiritual. Imagine my disappointment when I realized it was only the slogan for the Biden/Harris presidential campaign.

This did get me thinking, though. There is indeed a battle for the souls in our nation. And it is inherently deeply spiritual—not political—though we certainly see it playing out in the political arena.

Our spiritual enemy is very real and exists to spread darkness over light, master lies over truth, sow seeds of discord instead of peace, create confusion where there was once clarity, burn to ash what was once beautiful, gleefully seize upon disunity in place of unity, declare what is wrong right, enslave those who were free, and seek death over life. We all see this in our own lives and in the nation as a whole.

But as the family of Christ, we already know the end of the story—this enemy is defeated. Christ has already won the spiritual battle through His perfect life, death, and resurrection. He is Light, Truth and the Prince of Peace. He is a God of order and wisdom who trades ashes for beauty. He calls us to be one in Him, and only He has the authority to declare what is right. He sets captives free. And, He has defeated death once and for all, for all of us who trust in Him.

Biden and Harris have it wrong—the spiritual battle has already been won, and that certainly wasn’t the work of any political leader.

But in one sense, they’re also right. As the spiritual battle plays out in the political arena in 2020, there are real battle lines and completely divergent beliefs held by the candidates that could lead our country in very different directions.

There is truth vs. lies

One side of the political debate believes that a boy or man who says he feels like a girl can be a girl—and that he can take girls’ spots on their sports teams or share their showers with them at school. They call those who disagree “bigots” or “haters.” But the truth is, no matter how many hormones he takes or life-altering surgeries he has, a man cannot be a girl. And a man cannot become a girl no matter how many politicians declare it to be so. So, on election day, will we stand for the truth, or for a mountain of lies?

There is right vs. wrong

One side of the political debate believes that children should not be free to pray or express their Christian beliefs in school. This same side believes that healthcare professionals should be forced to participate in abortions or “gender transition surgeries” even on children—regardless of whether the procedure is in the child’s best interest or against the professional’s faith. Yet, for a believer, prayer is like breathing, and our obedience to God’s Word must come before any politician’s agenda. On November 3rd, will we pursue right or wrong?

There is freedom vs. captivity

One side of the political debate works hard to hold men and women captive to a sexual agenda that only leads to physical brokenness, mental and emotional anguish, and damaged relationships. Just ask our friend James Shupe who became the nation’s first legally-declared “non-binary man,” and has now found real freedom in Christ alone. Political decisions have real consequences in real lives. For the sake of our neighbor, I pray we choose freedom over captivity on election day.

There is life vs. death

And of course, one side of the political debate praises death as a “choice,” adding their stamp of approval as lives made in the image of God are destroyed in the womb. Political leaders truly hold life and death in their hands as they make decisions that further the devastation of Roe v. Wade or pass laws that save as many lives as possible. Even worse, Kamala Harris believes every state in the nation should get her “permission” to pass a pro-life law. For me, this decision is clearest of all. On November 3rd, I will choose life over death up and down the ticket.

As we prepare to vote this year, I pray you rejoice with Family Policy Alliance® that the spiritual battle has been won! We do not have to trust in or rely upon any political leader to defeat evil, “save the nation,” or save souls.

But I also pray that we recognize the battle lines that do have spiritual implications for ourselves and our American neighbors we are called to love. So when we vote, let us not vote for any particular political leader, but let us vote for truth, right, freedom and life.

For citizenship worthy of the Gospel of Christ,

Autumn Leva
Vice President of Strategy

 

An online article recently asserted that atheists are the most politically active among all religious classifications in America.

Surprised, I looked it over – and sure enough, they had good data to back up the claim. For example, more than 40 percent of atheists had contacted a public official in the previous year, and nearly that many had donated money to a political candidate. That’s more than any other religious group and almost double that of evangelicals. Even accounting for other factors like education, the trend held.

In decades past, such numbers would have been culturally irrelevant, as atheists comprised such a small percentage of the American public. But their numbers are growing quickly. Combined with agnostics (who had similar numbers on political engagement), they now account for 11.4 percent of the population.

On one hand, perhaps it’s not surprising that atheists and agnostics are so involved in politics. After all, their only “kingdom” is this world. Without the good news of the Gospel, it’s natural that many of them put their hope in human constructs.

But for the Church, these numbers are a cause for concern. While it’s true that our hope is not in this world, it is precisely because of our heavenly minded “Kingdom perspective“ that we should be most engaged on behalf of the people around us.

After all, God established government as a means of “macro ministry“ to ensure that people have the best chance to thrive (Prov. 29:2) and to live in peace (1 Tim. 2:1-4).

Over the centuries, Christians have been deeply engaged in the policies of society – from stopping infanticide in the Roman Empire to ending slavery in the Western world. In America’s system of government, we arguably have an even greater responsibility to engage, as we choose the very leaders who make the decisions.

Thankfully, at Family Policy Alliance, we get to see examples every day of Christians engaging to make a difference – working to save lives, to protect kids from destructive ideas in schools, to counteract the lies of transgenderism, and so much more.

So thank you for being engaged on behalf of your fellow citizens. And thank you for your prayers and support that keep Family Policy Alliance® working to advance biblical citizenship throughout this nation.

Sincerely,

John Paulton
Mobilization Manager

Nehemiah was cup bearer to the king (Neh. 1:11).

This understated description of Nehemiah’s role, found at the end of Chapter 1 in the book that bears his name, sets the stage for an amazing God-given assignment: to rebuild the broken-down wall and the burned-out gates of Jerusalem, which left the Israelites unprotected, exposed and at the mercy of local despots.

Because of his proximity to, and his favor with king Artaxerxes, Nehemiah was given permission by the king to leave his service, return to the land of his ancestors and lead the project to rebuild the wall. No doubt, you know the rest of the story of Nehemiah’s wise leadership to rally the downtrodden Israelites to the difficult work. “Each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other” (Neh. 4:17)—to build their assigned section and, at the same time, defend against marauders who would destroy their effort.

To achieve his mission, Nehemiah had to build a first wall. A wall before any stone was ever laid. That first wall… was the people themselves!

Nehemiah understood well that in order for the job to be completed, the people themselves would first need to stand firm against the opposition and take action to restore the wall and their freedom.

Can we draw a parallel to our times today?  Of course, we can.

If we want to restore our nation to one where God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, families thrive and life is cherished, the people who know their God must stand firm and take action today (Dan. 11:32)!

We must be the first wall!

Unfortunately, cracks in our own wall are evident today. Two recent and personal examples give evidence to this:

First, a ministry partner from a heartland state reached out to us to launch an effective state-based organization to advance family values, stand firm against the progressive agenda and allow the Gospel to be proclaimed. To this end, he wanted to host an informational event in a room at his church and have me come to speak about cultural issues and their impact on the family. When he sought permission, the church administration told us, “We choose not to allow our building to be used for any activity or event that is construed as political.”

When we explained we were only going to speak on the issues found in God’s Word, we received no further response to our request. Instead, we must hold the event at a local restaurant and invite the same people.

In other words, this evangelical church silenced biblical speech on the issues impacting their own people in their own community! This is the same treatment many students face at universities when a conservative is invited to campus to speak on the issues.

A second example has to do with a Christian movie we were promoting across our alliance of now 40+ states. Through a friend, I had the opportunity to connect with a Christian actor from the movie and ask if they would be willing to do a short video to engage our ministry friends about a policy issue tied to what was depicted in the movie—which would have promoted the movie itself even more. Initially, the actor agreed to do it. Yet after several delays and repeated inquiries, the actor finally responded that, “they had a long discussion with their agent” and they “feel it is not in their career’s best interest to be tie[d] to politics.”

Our own wall is in need of repair.

I was recently asked by a friend, “what’s the biggest challenge you face in your role in promoting family values across the nation?”  My response was straightforward: “fear, apathy and lack of biblical understanding in the church.” I can understand the apprehensions that many of us feel when we engage on issues that are misunderstood or even seen as divisive. But as Christ-followers, we are called to do nothing less. We must speak out in grace and truth.

That’s why Family Policy Alliance must unleash biblical citizenship within the church in order to be effective in training and electing Statesmen, engaging in elections nationwide, building a strong state-based alliance and promoting pro-family policy.  We must rebuild the first wall…the wall called the Church in order to rebuild the wall in the law and our culture.

Your continued support helps your Family Policy Alliance and our state-allies to engage their local Christian community with sound biblical Truth on the issues as well as promote biblical ways to stand firm and act. Thank you for allowing us to stand as Nehemiah did…to rally the church to be the first wall.

Standing, as part of the wall, with the family of believers,

Paul Weber
President & CEO

Tomorrow, our ally, Focus on the Family, will host “Alive from NY,” an unprecedented pro-life event in New York City’s Times Square. The main focus of the event will be the live broadcast of 4D ultrasounds on numerous digital screens in Times Square.

Events like these are seen as a rallying point for pro-life activists. While it may be true that the assembled masses might be largely conservative, evangelical, Christian, Catholic or—dare we say Republican—we must be careful to not completely appropriate the issue to just those individuals. The culture in America is changing, and events like “Alive from NY” are one reason why.

We have seen our nation becoming more and more pro-life over the nearly 50 years since the Roe v Wade decision was handed down. Slowly, the tide is turning – thanks in part to a constant push to demonstrate what abortion is and to educate the nation on alternatives. Events like “Alive from NY” highlight and broadcast the humanity of a baby in the womb.

The evidence is all there in full color—hands, feet, toes, nose, eyes, ears. It is a strategy that can eventually change the minds of some of the most unlikely people who, after seeing it, cannot walk away denying that it really is a baby.

Depending what polling outlet has released it latest numbers, right now, somewhere around 47% of Americans identify as pro-life. Marist, which has been polling the pro-life issue for decades, noted in February that as many Americans identified as pro-life as pro-abortion for the first time since 2009.

The polling also indicated something new – 34% of Democrats under the age of 45 (whose party notoriously defends abortion rights) identified as pro-life. These numbers were a significant shift from a similar poll just a month or so earlier.

The trend seems to be a pro-life reaction to several news-worthy events early this year in which the prospect of infanticide was seriously discussed by policymakers in a number of states across the nation. Also, New York gutted what pro-life laws it had and passed a wide-sweeping abortion access law. In a similar vein, a number of 2020 presidential hopefuls on the Democratic side have perpetuated an extreme abortion agenda in their early campaigning.

People of all political persuasions are facing the reality that we are talking about preborn humans and once you see that image, like many will tomorrow, the truth becomes undeniable.

In a number of states, it is exciting to see these shifting attitudes showing up even in public policy successes.

In New Mexico, a radical abortion bill like New York’s was expected to easily pass earlier this year. Enough Democrats opposed it on final passage in the New Mexico Senate, and the measure failed.

In Arkansas a number of Democrats joined pro-life colleagues to pass an 18-week abortion ban.

Last year, a pro-life constitutional amendment was placed on the ballot in West Virginia after more than 25% of Democratic lawmakers voted for its consideration. Then it was approved by voters in a state where Democrats hold a slight majority.

These are a few examples, but in state after state, the pro-life message is generating more bipartisan success for life.

Time after time, the battle is won by a loving and truth-filled message—one that touches a heart and eventually, over time, changes a mind.

We know the truth about life and the humanity of a baby in the womb. We know the power the ultrasound image holds. That image affects human hearts personally and has led not only to great public policy successes across the nation, but also (and most importantly) has resulted in countless lives saved. That is what makes all of the years of toil, prayers, advocacy and grassroots activism worth it!

Please plan to watch “Alive from NY” online from 2:30 to 4:30 (eastern time)  tomorrow – you can find the information you need on the Focus on the Family website.

For life,

Robert Noland
Communications Manager

Changing Public Sentiment and the Fate of Roe v Wade Precipitate a Wave of Pro-life Success Across the Nation

As many state legislatures are beginning to wind down for the year, it is apparent that the pro-life movement is winning on many fronts. The proverbial starting gun went off when we witnessed the complete evisceration of all protections for preborn babies and their mothers by the New York legislature on January 22nd and the celebratory environment that ensued. Then, Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia advocated for a legislative proposal which would have expanded abortion access without virtually any limits, including allowing infanticide.

Those two events ignited pro-life forces and activists across the nation were fired up! With pro-life legislators going to work in multiple states, we have seen the success of pro-life legislation unlike any year previously.

Fueling all this activity is also an anticipated change at the Supreme Court once President Trump has the opportunity to appoint an additional Justice. While no one knows what will happen, many believe that Roe v. Wade will eventually be challenged in court. Presumably, a Court more ideologically conservative than the one in 1973 could render a verdict returning the regulation of abortion to the states, as it was prior to 1973.

That anticipated change would have no meaning but for the nearly 50 years of pro-life activism that is largely responsible for an immense sea-change in the minds of Americans on the issue of abortion. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services Center for Disease Control, abortion in the US hit a record low in 2015 (the most recent year for which statistics are available). Regrettably, the record low number is still 638,169 lives ended. It is hard to celebrate such an “accomplishment” knowing what each of those numbers means. Yet the movement has pressed on – looking to the progress of the advancing pro-life shift in our culture and what that means for each one not aborted.

We have witnessed major accomplishments this year on the pro-life front in multiple states. Among those accomplishments are some miraculous events that stopped bad bills from becoming law and in other states, pro-life majorities finally delivering pro-life legislation to pro-life governors for approval.

Here is a laundry list of what has been going on in 2019:

New Mexico has a very liberal government – the House, Senate and Governor’s office are all under Democratic control. An abortion bill even more radical than New York’s was proposed that would have removed the state’s only abortion restrictions. Many assumed it was a safe bet for easy passage. Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico®, along with pro-life activists, pastors, churches and other statewide organizations went to work. They visited with lawmakers, emailed, called, prayed and rallied (one of the biggest pro-life rallies in New Mexico history occurred in the Capitol earlier this year). They would not stop. Ultimately, they were successful in putting together a bipartisan coalition of New Mexico Senators that defeated the abortion bill!

Vince Torres, Executive Director of Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico wrote: “After the final vote was announced, we found ourselves silenced in disbelief at what had just transpired—the people of New Mexico had gone up against the abortion industry giant, and the people had won!”

Georgia – Our ally, Family Policy Alliance of Georgia®, was an integral part of a coalition that successfully passed what is being called the most pro-life legislation in the nation in the form of a heartbeat bill, which prohibits abortions after the point by which a preborn baby’s heartbeat can be detected. Executive Director Cole Muzio described Georgia’s heartbeat legislation as the bill that the “pro-life community has been waiting for” and that the strength of the bill would “echo far beyond the borders of our state.” The Georgia heartbeat bill is currently on the Governor’s desk, and he has pledged to sign it. Georgia has become ground zero for abortion activists this year. They know this is a tough bill and they are working overtime to intimidate and threaten the state to prevent its enactment.

Kentucky – The state of Kentucky experienced major pro-life wins for the last three years. After laboring for so long under divided control of the state government, pro-life governor Matt Bevin was elected in 2015, and pro-life majorities in the House and Senate followed along soon after. Since that time, pro-life legislation has passed every year.

Our Kentucky allies, the The Family Foundation, was integral in the enactment of a number of pro-life bills including a heartbeat bill; a bill that bans abortions based solely on a fetal abnormality, sex, or race; and a reporting law requiring that medications given by a physician with the intent of causing an abortion must be reported as an abortion and included in the statistical reporting.

Virginia – Virginia Governor Ralph Northam’s comments about the radical abortion bill proposed there can at least be partially credited with igniting the pro-life fire this year. That legislation would have allowed infanticide in cases of failed abortions. Our Family Foundation of Virginia allies went to work and ultimately defeated not only the abortion bill but also a very dangerous Equal Rights Amendment bill that would have opened the floodgates on a multitude of abortion and gender issues.

Victoria Cobb, President of The Family Foundation of Virginia, noted voter involvement for their success: “Despite the introduction of a horrific, New York style birthday abortion bill and the appalling comments made by Governor Northam supporting post-birth infanticide, the cause of life did move forward this year. Nearly 7,000 people gathered at the Virginia March for Life to express their outrage and the legislature responded by removing all funding in our state budget for abortions on low-income women who have an unborn child with a disability diagnosis.”

North Dakota – The work of Family Policy Alliance of North Dakota® was the major driver behind the enactment of two important laws there this year. The first ensures that women seeking a chemical abortion know that the abortion may be reversible if they change their mind after taking the first abortion pill. A second North Dakota law now bans dismemberment abortions, a brutal practice that involves tearing a preborn baby apart. Mark Jorritsma, Executive Director of Family Policy Alliance of North Dakota® noted that elections have consequences, and North Dakotans are reaping the benefits of electing not only a solidly pro-life delegation at the federal level but also a solidly pro-life state legislature.

Kansas – Kansas was the first state in the nation to pass a resolution condemning the New York abortion law enacted earlier this year. Family Policy Alliance of Kansas’® Director of Advocacy, Brittany Jones stated, “Kansas is one of the most pro-life states in the country. The New York abortion law is a horrific reflection on the state and its values. The New York law does not reflect the values of Kansans. Even as several more states consider following New York’s lead, Kansas is proud to be a state that cherishes life and provides some of the strongest pro-life protections in the county.” The work continued in Kansas when an abortion pill reversal bill similar to North Dakota’s was passed by both chambers and now sits on Democrat Governor Laura Kelly’s desk.

Arkansas – Arkansas has seen a litany of pro-life bills enacted this year. So far, the following have either been signed or sent to the governor for a signature: legislation requiring abortionists to be board-certified, an 18-week abortion ban, a Safe Haven act to give alternatives to abortion, chemical abortion reversal information bill, legislation prohibiting aborting children with Down Syndrome, and lastly a bill requiring abortion complications to be reported.

Jerry Cox, President of the Family Council, noted: “The pro-life legislation Arkansas passed this session literally will save lives. The eighteen-week abortion ban will save 170 unborn children every year. If all of our pro-life legislation is enforced, we estimate that by the fall of next year, some 1,000 – 1,500 children will be alive because of anti-abortion laws we’ve helped pass since 2015. About 400 of those kids will be heading off to their first day of preschool or kindergarten. That’s something Arkansans should be proud of.”

South Dakota – The South Dakota legislature passed six pro-life bills including requirements that an ultrasound be offered to women seeking abortions, as well as reporting requirements for abortionists. They also approved two resolutions – one condemning the New York law and another calling on Congress to defund Planned Parenthood. In a reliably pro-life state, the effect of the New York legislation was noted by Family Heritage Alliance Executive Director, Norman Woods, “South Dakota has traditionally been a very pro-life state. Nearly every year the Legislature makes improvements to our life statutes but this year we saw more progress made than usual, arguably sparked by the insanity we witnessed in New York and other states. Even after these 6 bills had gained traction and were heading through, the body still wasn’t done. The passage of [the resolutions condemning New York’s abortion law] left no questions in people’s minds as to where our Legislature stands on the issue of life.”

Ohio – Just last week, Governor Mike DeWine signed into law the nation’s latest heartbeat bill. On the legal front, the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld the Ohio law allowing them to decline funding the abortion industry. The law was enacted in 2016. In an 11 to 6 decision, the court ruled that the state was not required to pay for abortions. We hope that this ruling will clear a path for similar rulings on other cases related to the funding of Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers. Our allies at Citizens for Community Values worked to pass the 2016 legislation.

Heartbeat bills continue to receive attention in a number of states – Mississippi enacted a heartbeat law earlier in the session and similar bills have passed through one chamber of the legislature in Missouri and Tennessee and have been introduced in Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, South Carolina and West Virginia.

Even in reliably blue states where pro-life successes have not been realized, the pro-life movement is alive and very active. In Illinois for example, when a New-York style abortion rights bill was proposed, thousands of pro-life activists showed up in the capitol one day. So many that the Capitol was filled to capacity and many more were turned away at the doors!

Family Policy Alliance is pleased to work with allied organizations in 40 states – to find out if your state is one of those, go to our Allies page for the contact information you need. Reach out to them and get in involved in your state!

It is through active participation and activism that we are able to see the results of nearly 50 years of pro-life work making a difference in so many fronts – turning the tide of history and saving lives.

Standing for life,

Robert Noland
Communications Manager

1 Cor 15:58 – Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

 

Our theme verse at Family Policy Alliance® is from the book of Daniel (11:32): “The people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.”

It’s amazing what happens when we faithfully do that. Sometimes the results are very encouraging – even in the midst of chaos around us.

In fact, that aptly describes this month’s election. The pundits had predicted all along that it would be a bad year – maybe even a disaster – for those of us who care about life, family, and religious freedom.

But with your help – and with that verse from Daniel on our lips – Family Policy Alliance stood firm and took strategic action on key races where voter data and on-the-ground reports indicated that we could have an impact.  You helped make possible more than a million communications with voters in those targeted races!

And the results were encouraging. On a night that brought lots of sobering news, Family Policy Alliance won nearly two-thirds of targeted races. Since most of those were state-level races that don’t get as much attention, let me share a few highlights of how your support for Family Policy Alliance paid dividends.

Electing Statesmen

As you may know, our sister organization, Family Policy Foundation®, trains on-the-rise Christian legislators and candidates at the annual Statesmen Academy®. Some of those Statesmen alumni need help winning difficult elections.

This year, we provided assistance – ranging from mailers to digital ads to phone calls – in 17 key Statesmen races. Thankfully, we won 14 of those races. That’s an 82 percent win rate!

Of course, many Statesmen didn’t need our help and won their elections. So all combined, more than 50 trained Statesmen alums will be serving in key elected positions in January!

Big Wins in the States

But your support also allowed us to invest in other key state-level races. For example, you may have heard about the very tight race for governor in Georgia. Democrat Stacey Abrams received massive support from Hollywood for her ultra-progressive agenda. Her victory would not only have meant bad news for the people of Georgia, but it would have been a big national win for the pro-abortion and anti-religious freedom agendas.

Family Policy Alliance of Georgia® jumped in early during a primary runoff – helping conservative Brian Kemp when he still badly trailed the moderate Republican. After he won the primary, we continued our support – helping him pull out a come-from-behind victory, avoiding a runoff by just two-tenths of a percent!

Your support also helped pave the way for a host of strategic wins in a number of other states. That means pro-family champions will be headed to state capitols in Bismarck, Boise, Columbia, Santa Fe, St. Paul, Topeka and more.

Surprising Beauty in Ashes

In some cases, what the media may have reported as good news for the Left actually had a surprising twist. For example, despite Family Policy Alliance of Kansas® winning 9 of 15 races, the overall media narrative was that Republicans had big losses in the state House.

But a closer look shows that 15 of the 18 Republicans who lost their House seats had voted against the Adoption Protection Act. That was the FPA-supported legislation that was the biggest religious freedom victory in the country this year. So much for the idea that pro-family, pro-life and pro-freedom laws are bad politics!

Improving the U.S. Senate

You also helped us engage in several U.S. Senate races – most notably in North Dakota, where Family Policy Alliance’s on-the-ground presence made our work especially strategic.

Family Policy Alliance of North Dakota® identified 35,000 pro-life North Dakotans who are inconsistent about getting to the polls, especially in non-presidential years. They reached those voters with live phone calls from volunteers, with mailers, and with targeted digital ads that featured a strong video exposing the radical pro-abortion record of the incumbent senator, Heidi Heitkamp.

The result was a resounding win for Kevin Cramer, who previously served on the board of the organization that became Family Policy Alliance of North Dakota. Pro-lifers around the nation will benefit from having a new pro-life champion in the U.S. Senate!

Facing Attacks and Tough Challenges Head On

Naturally, those engaged in this arena will face strong opposition. For example, Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico was directly attacked by the Democratic Party of New Mexico and labeled “Far-Right Social Crusaders.” The reasons they gave? We support protecting the religious freedom of adoption agencies, and we oppose drag queen storytimes for children in libraries.

But we turned these attacks into victories by publishing these statements. As a result, we received an outpouring of support from Christian Democrats who publicly rebuked their own state party for attacking our organization and Christian values.

Of course, we know that there will be plenty of challenges in this coming year – in Washington, D.C., and in many state capitols. But we know that, just as with this year’s election, our job as the people of God is to “stand firm and take action.”

It was for such a time as this that Focus on the Family allowed Family Policy Alliance to spin off as an independent organization – to be able to grow and to more effectively take action. Will you continue to stand with us – or join us for the first time – as we move into 2019?

After all, as this election showed, good things happen when we stand firm and take action.

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” -Matthew 7:13-14 (ESV)

Dear Friends:

Over the past two weeks, I have spoken with several pastors and people of faith about the dramatically shifting political climate in our state. There is certainly no question that New Mexico is changing. The question is, is it changing for the better? And my guess is that most of you would agree that it is not.

Following recent attacks on our organization by the far-left, I had several Democrats reach out to me and express frustration with the direction of their party and our state. Some cited the abandoning of traditional and cultural values, including the centrality of the family. Others mentioned a lack of tolerance in the party for those who do not toe the line of the far-left. And many spoke of the troubling influence of radical progressive politics, largely perpetuated by Democratic leaders who are trying to turn New Mexico into the next California.

This begs the question—Is 2019 the year we become New Mexifornia?

To be frank, I believe the outcome of the November election will determine the answer to that question. And the outcome of the November election will be based on whether or not people of faith like us get out of the pews and to the polls.

New Mexico is at a crossroads, and make no mistake, our core issues of life, family, and religious freedom hang in the balance.

Will New Mexico go the route of California—a state that consistently opposes the sanctity of human life; a state that constantly enacts laws to erode the family; and a state that is unrelenting in its attack against people of faith?

Or will we choose another path?

 Friends—this November, I hope you will join us in pursuing another path and direction for our state…

To this end, Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico is committed to working hard and ensuring that Christians have a voice in politics and policy. However, in order for us to continue our work, we need your financial support and, thankfully, one of our ministry partners has stepped up in a big way to make your year-end donation go twice as far.

From now through the end of the year, your financial gifts will be DOUBLED, thanks to a $25,000 matching grant provided by a local New Mexico family. So, if you support our efforts and believe in our vision, please CLICK HERE and make a donation today!

Thank you!

Vince Torres
President and Executive Director

Dear Friends:

On behalf of our ministry, I want to thank you for your prayers and financial support. Eight months into this position, I am both proud and humbled by our accomplishments and we could not do our work without faithful ministry partners like you.

One of our greatest successes so far took place two weeks ago in Dallas where we helped host the 2018 Statesmen Academy—a weeklong conference for on-the-rise Christian legislators and aspiring policymakers. This annual event provides attendees with an enduring fellowship of mutual encouragement and accountability, spiritual strength, and political wisdom. This year we were blessed to have two of our New Mexico State Representatives in attendance—Rebecca Dow (District 38 – Grant, Hidalgo & Sierra) and Rod Montoya (District 1 – San Juan).

Representative Rebecca Dow was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives in 2016. She is a graduate of Oral Roberts University and the founder and director of AppleTree Educational Center, a faith-based, non-profit, and one of Sierra County’s largest employers. Rebecca and her husband, Aaron, live in Truth or Consequences and have two children.

Representative Rod Montoya was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives in 2014 and has served as House Republican Whip for the past two years. Prior to being elected, he was the Chief of Staff for Lt. Governor John Sanchez. Rod spent many years in the coal mining industry and is now a real estate broker.  He and his wife, Pearl, have four children and five grandchildren.

Statesmen Academy classes are taught by experienced Christian legislative leaders, both from the state and federal level. Instructors this year included retired U.S. Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma; Congressman Daniel Webster of Florida; Senator Paul Gazelka, Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate; Dr. Matt Spalding of Hillsdale College, and Clark Forsythe of Americans United for Life. Academy topics ranged from the theological (“Christian Statesmanship in Practice”), to the historical (“The Founders Intent for American Politics”), to the practical (“How to Rise in Leadership”).

The number of current and aspiring legislators that want to participate in the Statesmen Academy continues to grow, and believe it or not, we are already working to identify and recruit next year’s class from New Mexico—men and women who will be trained and equipped to begin transforming our government from the inside. As Christians, we know that politicians are not the ultimate solution to our problems. However, they are certainly a part of the solution and we need more, not less, Christians serving us in public office.

The Statesmen Academy is just one example of your financial support at work. In addition to training legislators, we are engaging in elections, developing good public policy, and mobilizing Christians to speak out in support of life, family, and religious freedom. So, if you share our vision and passion to change New Mexico, please consider setting up a recurring gift today of $25, $60, or $100 to support our efforts.

Thank you in advance and God bless you and your family.

In Christ’s Service,

Vince Torres
President and Executive Director

Photo by Stephen Theis, father-in-law of the executive director of  Delaware
Family Policy Council, an ally  of Family Policy Alliance.

by Autumn Leva, Director of Policy & Communication

“Let there be light,” and then there was light. And it was good.

God separated the light from the darkness, and there was “day” and “night.”

God made two great lights — the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. And God saw that it was good.

There are some truths that are so self-evident that even we humans, try as we may to ignore them or claim that “truth is relative,” can’t obscure them. We see this play out during those times that unite our nation, touch our soul, and leave us forever changed.

This week’s eclipse was one of those times. Millions drove for miles to be in the “path of totality.”

The Guardian reported viewers’ reactions such as “life-changing,” “worth everything” and “awestruck.” At the end of the total eclipse, one person said, “I’m not religious but I think it’s something very like when God says, ‘Let there be light.’”

Indeed.

God made light and darkness, the Sun and the Moon, and called them “good.” He governs their paths perfectly, so that we neither freeze nor burn. The heavens declare the majesty of God. We saw this week that this is a truth that cannot be obscured.

Just as the awesome heavenly display united us as a people and boldly declared the truth of God’s authority and majesty over Creation, there are other more sobering times that bring us together and reinforce truths.

Charlottesville was one of those times. We saw racism on display, and we reject it as evil. Just like we rejected the Holocaust and brought its architects to justice.

Good and evil. Light and darkness. These themes wage against each other in varying forms in each generation with Truth always on trial and yet always prevailing, eventually.

In our time, Truth is on trial once again as it relates to:

Try as we may, these are truths that cannot be obscured. And, these truths are why Family Policy Alliance exists. Our alliance strives to be your family’s voice declaring these truths at state capitols around the country, and we work to advance public policy that reflects these truths.

Even in elections, we work to train and then elect state and national leaders who will not just talk about these truths in order to win an election — but will truly live them out whether they serve at your state capitol or in Washington, D.C. And, we also equip pastors and church leaders to speak these truths to a nation searching for meaning, answers and Light.

In other words, our heart is to help you, your church and your elected leaders be the light in the often dark world of politics and policy. If you too believe that that our laws and elected leaders should reflect unshakeable biblical truths, we hope you’ll partner with us. The easiest way is to make Family Policy Alliance part of your regular monthly giving.

Also, if you’re already connected with us by email, please make sure we have your street address. When something important happens in your state, like a major pro-life bill or legislation that could limit your parental rights, we send special alerts specific to your state and district. Accurate addresses help us make sure these alerts go to the right place. Make sure your address is correct here.

Imagine, as we all work together to restore biblical truths to the laws and politics in our state — we can then say with one voice “and then there was Light.”