Christian Action League
TAYLORSVILLE — Pastors, Christian Action League Advisory Board members and others eager to learn about the organization’s work and share in a time of worship gathered Thursday evening at Little River Baptist Church in Taylorsville.
The event, the CAL’s Western Convention Annual Meeting, followed a similar gathering held Tuesday in Hope Mills for the ministry’s Central and Eastern North Carolina supporters.
Participants at both sites rallied as they were inspired by “God’s Requirements for the State,” a message from the Rev. Mark Creech, CAL executive director.
“These meetings are our chance each year to worship with Christians across the state who serve as the Christian Action League’s eyes and ears,” said the Rev. Creech, who called on advisory board members to share “fellowship, passion and strategy” as the ministry looks ahead to 2010.
He challenged the crowd to rethink the role of government through the lens of Romans 13 and consider how Christians can engage in the culture war to turn the nation back toward God. He outlined four duties of civil government and laid much of the blame for our nation’s current problems squarely on the doorstep of the church.
“We pastors have been so disengaged from the process that we’ve created a vacuum that has been filled by those doing evil,” he said. “Somebody’s standard, somebody’s value system is going to be imposed. Whose will it be?”
Taking some of his message from the writings of Dr. D. James Kennedy and a sermon by Terry Johnson, the Rev. Creech railed against abortion, warned of the dangers of government “investing” to “stimulate” the economy and debunked the notion of a “wall of separation” between church and state.
Creech’s sermon followed legislative updates from Tami Fitzgerald, the organization’s lobbyist/attorney, and Luanne Williams, director of communications.
Fitzgerald gave the crowd a play-by-play look at how some of the year’s worst legislation, such as the gay rights activists’ School Violence Prevention Act, wound up getting passed, while the Defense of Marriage Act, which polls show has the support of three out of four Tar Heel voters, never saw the light of day. Williams discussed privatization of liquor sales, medicinal marijuana and video poker, three issues likely to be taken up by lawmakers next session.
Host pastors — the Rev. Michael Boarts at Highland Baptist in Hope Mills and the Rev. Jeff Chapman at Little River — offered Scripture and short messages to open the meetings.
Boarts used Galations 1:10-12 to urge parishioners to ask themselves four questions: Whom are you trying to please? Do you consider yourself a slave of Jesus? Who’s point of view do you live your Christian life with? And does your Christianity come from a God-filled heart?
Chapman took his message from Acts 4:13 and told the group that the greatest testimony anyone could have is that others would be able to see that he or she, like Peter and John, “had been with Jesus.”
The Rev. Greg Barefoot, a member of the Christian Action League Board of Directors, moderated the meeting in Taylorsville. Fellow board member, the Rev. Curtis Norris had the honors in Hope Mills. The worship services were followed by a brief business meeting of the Advisory Board in each district.