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WEEKLY NEWS SUMMARY - NOVEMBER 2, 2022
In this week's Intersect, read about:
My Faith Votes Moves People of Faith from Pews to Polls with 100k+ Church Outreach Campaign
“My Faith Votes sent letters to nearly 113,000 pastors in all 50 states, outlining key ballot issues in their states and providing educational resources for speaking to their congregations on these topics. This campaign by My Faith Votes, a nonpartisan organization that mobilizes people of faith to vote in every election, has reached approximately one-third of all churches in the United States with voter resources on issues most important to people of faith as they make their way to the polls this November.” read more at My Faith Votes
THINK.
- We all know people who do not vote. We’ve found that the reasons for not voting generally fall into one of four categories: Uniformed, Lazy or Apathetic, Deceived, and Self-righteous. Those can be harsh realities to recognize. But we’ve also discovered a remedy for each.
- A recent MFV national survey revealed a troubling statistic we were grieved by. Over 40% of Evangelical Voters said that say their faith in Jesus Christ does not influence their political beliefs and their vote. Maybe they’ve never asked the question, “How can God use my vote this election cycle?”
- As Gov Huckabee so powerfully explained at an event we recently held in Michigan, if all we do is think about politics horizontally, we’re in trouble. We often get focused on right and left, liberal and conservative. But we’re not living in a world anymore where politics can be defined horizontally. It’s vertical. It’s a choice between good and evil. The Bible teaches that governments have been ordained and establish by God to maintain the rule of law, restrain evil, and promote that which is good. The word “politics” comes from the Greek word politikos, which simply means "of, for, or relating to citizens". Yet it has come to mean something bad, dirty or manipulative. We have the opportunity to change that narrative.
- Our faith in Christ has something essential to contribute to the world around us, even in this election cycle. There will never be a perfect candidate or perfect party because we live in a sinful world. But Jesus never excuses our apathy or inaction as a response to reality. God commands us to stand firm in our faith despite the culture around us (1 Peter 5:9); to faithfully fulfill our obligations to family and community (1 Timothy 5:8), and to use every opportunity to do good to those around us (Galatians 6:10). He calls for our obedience to Him.
- We must overcome the lies and the excuses that will keep our brothers and sisters on the sidelines because on November 8, Christians have a tremendous opportunity to do good.
PRAY.
Pray for an active and engaged electorate. Pray against apathy and indifference, and instead, pray for Christians to put their faith into action in the voting booth. Before you vote, seek God’s will for your vote. The primary pursuit in any election should be to seek the face of God in prayer. Feel free to download and share this Election Day Prayer Guide for Tuesday’s vote.
ACT.
My Faith Votes is thrilled to partner with Kirk Cameron for the 5th time! You may remember the past events we’ve sponsored such as Revive US, Revive US 2, and Kirk’s American Campfire Revival Tour. This year, Kirk’s Election Special called “Think. Pray. Vote.” will air Friday, November 4 at 8 & 10pm (ET) on TBN or the TBN app. Kirk has brought together several special guests including our Honorary Chairman, Gov. Mike Huckabee, Lt. Col Allen West, Pastor Jack Hibbs and our CEO, Jason Yates. If you don’t get the TBN channel, you can watch for free here.
Biden Paints Oil Firms as War Profiteers, Talks Windfall Tax
“President Joe Biden on Monday accused oil companies of ‘war profiteering’ as he raised the possibility of imposing a windfall tax on energy companies if they don’t boost domestic production. Biden in brief remarks criticized major oil companies for making record-setting profits while refusing to help lower prices at the pump for the American people. The president suggested he will look to Congress to levy tax penalties on oil tax companies if they don’t begin to invest some of their profits in lowering costs for American consumers. The president issued the warning just days before the Nov. 8 midterm elections.” read more at the Associated Press
THINK.
- Note the narrative that the American public–especially the voters–are supposed to believe: It’s the oil companies’ fault that we have such high prices at the gas pump. We must ask, is this the correct diagnosis for our current problem?
- The environmental research institution Resources for the Future explained that the economic shutdowns of the pandemic drastically reduced demand, causing some refineries and crude oil wells to shut down. As the economy opened back up, demand for gasoline increased, but supply was still low, which raised prices.
- But that’s not the only contributor. The New York Post commented, “Critics have repeatedly noted Biden’s own efforts to curtail oil production last year as part of an environmental agenda, including an attempt to impose a moratorium on new oil and gas leases on federal land, canceling the Keystone XL oil pipeline project from Canada into the US and banning oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.” Radical environmental policies scare investors and discourage production.
- In addition, the Post reported, “Biden announced this month that he would release another 15 million barrels of oil from the US Strategic Petroleum Reserve in December — for a total of 180 million barrels from the SPR this year — after the Saudi-led OPEC+ cartel snubbed his outreach and moved to cut production by 2 million barrels per day.” Former Texas Governor Rick Perry commented, “The fact is OPEC+’s announcement wouldn’t have impacted American gas prices if our country was energy independent. The energy crisis in Europe is a stark example of the consequences of sacrificing energy independence to meet aggressive green energy targets.”
- How would Biden’s proposed windfall tax affect the economy–and our lives? “The United States has implemented such a tax before, in 1980, and it resulted in lower domestic production and higher reliance on imports. Punishing domestic production is the last thing we’d want to do in the current crisis,” warned the Tax Foundation back in March after a bill proposing this very tax was introduced in Congress. Why would it result in lower production? “If there’s a tax targeted at picking off those supposedly excess profits, there’s little reason to accept all the risks associated with investment and new production in the first place.” The article concludes, “Ultimately, politicians might see oil company profits as a well to drill for money. But it’s a high-risk industry, and high returns in some years balance out huge losses in others. Punishing the high returns (with the high risks still in place) would be a huge mistake when energy has become a central concern for the United States and its allies in global affairs.”
- Congress has the power to tax, according to Article 1 of the U.S. Constitution. Elections have consequences. The President said we will hear more about this from him after the election, hoping to incentivize voters to choose the members of Congress who will vote for his proposed tax. With inflation top of mind for voters and increased energy costs hurting Americans, is that a wise decision for Biden?
PRAY.
Pray for your friends, neighbors, and anyone who is struggling financially right now. Pray that the church would let our light shine before others as we help those in need, so God would be glorified. Pray that wisdom and prudence will prevail in our public policy, and that voters will be informed of the truth as they cast their ballots next week.
ACT.
Economic policy is an area ripe for one-sided political rhetoric, but informed voters are less susceptible to being deceived, and will know which policies to cast their vote for. With that in mind, I encourage you to take this free economics course by Hillsdale College. In video lectures, you will learn the principles of the free market and why it, rather than other models, works to produce prosperity and human flourishing.
With One Week to go Before Election Day, Several Senate Races are Polling at Near Ties
“Republicans need a net gain of just one Senate seat to win the majority in the upper chamber, and the polling averages are showing a number of tight races. All are within margins of error, and in the end, election night could be anyone's game.” read more at the Washington Examiner
THINK.
- Tight Senate races will decide the control of a chamber now narrowly held by Democrats – as well as the direction of America itself. The battle for Senate will likely come down to AZ, GA, PA and NV…4 of the 9 states that My Faith Votes has specifically targeted with voter outreach this year. In the last 3 weeks of this election, we’ll have served 65 million digital ads and sent over 600,000 hand-written and prayed-over postcards and letters to motivate and equip “low-propensity” voters.
- While the national races are getting all the attention, we need to be paying attention to state legislatures at stake this year. State lawmakers adopt policies, impose regulations, and issue decisions that have more relevancy and impact in voters’ day-to-day lives than those that come from Congress. State lawmakers are the primary decision-makers across an array of concerns, including education, health care, infrastructure, elections, land use, sales taxes, firearms, and utilities, while controlling more than $2 trillion in yearly balanced-budget spending. After June’s Supreme Court repeal of Roe v Wade, that realm of responsibilities now includes regulating abortion access.
- In an analysis by Quorum States, state legislatures introduce 23 times more pieces of legislation than Congress does annually. The average state lawmaker either sponsors or signs onto 33 measures, with about four being adopted each session.
- At the state level, 132 ballot measures in 37 states and elections for 6,279 of 7,383 state legislature seats across 46 states are on the ballot. And there are thousands more elections that will be determined at the local level.
- It’s not just the United States facing significant elections. Israelis went to the polls for the 5th time in 4 years. When American Christians consider our foreign policy, there is no other place or people in the world of more significance than Israel and the Jewish people. As Christians, we believe that friendship with Israel is more than a wise, strategic decision in our fight against terror —it’s also choosing God’s blessing for our nation as we support His chosen people. Therefore, we should pray for the new government elected in Israel, that the Congress and Administration of the United States will work in collaboration and support the good of Israel and its people.
- Elections will be determined by those who show up to vote. Can we count on you? As these elections define the future of America, Christians can tip the scale.
PRAY.
Pray for the election process to be fair, impartial, and free of manipulation. God established government and delegates this authority to mankind to accomplish His will on earth. Pray for election officials and poll workers. Pray that integrity and uprightness would guide those overseeing the elections. Pray for accuracy when the votes are counted. Pray for the mechanics of the vote to be carried out in fairness and without hindrance or unnecessary drama.
ACT.
It’s time to put faith in action and VOTE on November 8! Get your personalized sample ballot & voter guide, all right here: My Voter Hub. Want to see candidate comparison guides for key states? You can find those downloadable guides here. If you’re on social media, be sure to post a picture after voting and include the hashtag #ThisChristianVotes and tag @myfaithvotes
Coach Kennedy to be Reinstated at Washington School after Supreme Court Prayer Ruling
“After winning at the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year, Washington state public high school assistant football coach Joe Kennedy will be reinstated after being dismissed in 2015 for praying on the field after games. A joint stipulation filed in court on Tuesday by attorneys representing Kennedy and Bremerton School District states that the coach will be reinstated to his former position as an assistant coach by March 15, 2023.” read more at the Christian Post
THINK.
- Praise God for bringing Coach Kennedy’s nearly-seven-year battle full circle. Now he can return to coaching and keep his commitment to God to give thanks after every game. In addition, public school employees across the country have the freedom to do the same and do not have to hide their faith. His victory impacts many of our brothers and sisters in Christ around the nation.
- Because Coach Kennedy stood for his rights, misunderstandings about the First Amendment have been corrected. "Both the Free Exercise and Free Speech Clauses of the First Amendment protect expressions like Mr. Kennedy's,” wrote Justice Neil Gorsuch. “The Constitution and the best of our traditions counsel mutual respect and tolerance, not censorship and suppression, for religious and nonreligious views alike."
- Many of you prayed for Coach Kennedy and his case. My Faith Votes joined the amicus brief (an argument submitted to the court from interested parties) with more than 70 organizations and individuals affirming that personal prayers are protected by the First Amendment and to claim otherwise would severely restrict the fundamental right to private religious speech.
- In related news, a California county judge recently ruled in favor of a Christian baker who declined to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple. Cathy Miller has been engaged in a legal battle for five years, and her fight may not be over if the state’s Department of Fair Housing and Employment decides to appeal. As to why she didn’t bake the cake she stated, “I prayed very hard, and I asked the Lord to give me wisdom,” Miller said. “And I just started visiting with them, and I told them I couldn’t do their cake … I said, ‘I’m sorry, I can’t hurt my Lord and Savior. I can’t participate in this union because … God says it’s a sacrament between a man and a woman.'”
- We can draw inspiration from these fellow Christians, and others like them. As polls show fewer Americans identify as Christian, our fellow citizens need to see us living out our faith in our places of work, since many will not step foot into our churches. This might mean praying in public or refusing to bow to the present-day idol of the sexual revolution.
- “But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.” But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” (1 Peter 3:14-16)
PRAY.
Heavenly Father, we praise You that we can share our faith and walk in obedience to You, even though we may have to fight for that right. Thank You for our brothers and sisters who are an example to us. Equip me to walk in the power of the Holy Spirit and be bold in sharing my faith and worshiping You with my life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
ACT.
Join My Faith Votes and Alliance Defending Freedom for an online Election Eve Prayer Event. You’ll learn a biblical perspective on important ballot issues, such as Religious Freedom, from experts like Lieutenant Colonel Allen West, Jason Yates, Matt Sharp, Debbie Chaves, Kate Anderson, and Matthew Thrower. Then they’ll take each issue to God in prayer. There’s no better way to prepare your heart and mind for Tuesday’s critical election. Mark your calendar for Monday November 7 at 7 PM CT and visit www.myfaithvotes.live to join the livestream.
My Faith Votes—is a nonpartisan movement that motivates, equips and activates Christians in America to vote in every election, transforming our communities and influencing our nation with biblical truth. By partnering with national faith leaders, My Faith Votes provides resources to help Christians Pray, Think, and Act to create an America where God is honored in the public square.
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