Christian organization says it’s financially in the red
Christian Action League of North Carolina
In his December newsletter, Dr. James Dobson announced that Focus on the Family was cutting more than 200 members of their staff and eliminating 53 positions from their budget that were not filled. He said the nations’ economic downturn had resulted in a mounting deficit of $5 million in the ministry’s last fiscal year.
Renowned pollster George Barna recently reported surveys had found more than 150 million adults had been negatively affected by the nation’s current financial crisis, and churches, as well as nonprofits, he said, could expect to be hit especially hard. According to Barna’s findings, one out of every 5 households had decreased its giving to churches or other religious centers.
“We’re certainly feeling the pinch at the Christian Action League,” said Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the state-level public-policy organization. Creech said the League had waged a costly fight against some egregious forms of legislation that would have passed in the last session of the North Carolina General Assembly. “We were certain our constituents would have wanted us to put up a vigorous fight and would help us replenish the funds relatively fast,” he said. “But none of us could have anticipated that close on the heels of these expenditures would come a deep recession.”
Currently, the Christian Action League (CAL) is more than $15,000 in the red. The deficit produces a hardship for staff and places the organization in a vulnerable position. “We need to recover before the end of the year and most definitely before the North Carolina General Assembly reconvenes on January 28,” said Gregg Barefoot, the League’s treasurer.
Creech says that unlike some nonprofits, the CAL is already operating at a bare minimum. “It’s been amazing by God’s grace what we’ve been able to do with such a small budget,” he said. “There just isn’t any fat. There’s really no where to cut.”
That’s why churches, Advisory Board members, friends and other supporters of the ministry are being asked to financially assist at this time. “Some churches are right now looking at their benevolence funds, taking special offerings, and looking for ways to provide above and beyond what they’ve already so graciously given,” said Barefoot. “Many passionately feel the League’s biblical ministry of “salt” and “light” is just too strategic to the state’s moral climate to let languish. So they’re willing to consider sacrifices.”
At its recent Western, Central and Eastern Conventions, the Christian Action League reported on some of the legislation it expects to have to address in 2009:
- Legislation giving special rights to homosexuals
- Replacing abstinence only based sex education with comprehensive sex education, which essentially promotes the use of condoms
- Legislation that would use taxpayer money to study the merits of legalizing medicinal marijuana in the Tar Heel state
- Modifications to the current ABC system
North Carolina Senator Jim Forrester (R-Gaston), who for five years running has introduced legislation (The Defense of Marriage Act) calling for a State constitutional amendment to allow the citizens of North Carolina to vote on the definition of marriage as “one man and one woman,” says there is no greater advocate for traditional marriage in the state legislature than Rev. Mark Creech. “North Carolina is now the only State in the southeastern United States that has not defined marriage in its constitution. We need Rev. Creech in this fight to protect marriage and the organization he represents needs to be well-funded for what is a formidable fight.”
Churches and individuals desirous of giving their best gift are urged to do so by simply going online to: www.christianactionleague.org and clicking on the button in the right hand margin that says “Donate.” Checks or money orders may be sent to:
Christian Action League of North Carolina
809 Spring Forest Road
Suite 1000
Raleigh, North Carolina 27609
