Pastors, business leaders called

to spark positive political action

By JOHN FORTMEYER
CNNW publisher
    TUALATIN — While last month’s state and national election outcomes frustrated many evangelical Christians, there is still much cause for them to positively influence the voting process, 65 pastors and business leaders were told here Nov. 17.
   “You are the ones who are to lead the way,” David Crowe of Lake Oswego-based Restore America told the pastors who attended a special breakfast at Rolling Hills Community Church.
    Dale Ebel, the church’s senior pastor, agreed as he encouraged believers to bring the truths of Christ to not only the political world but business and academic circles as well.
   “We have a privilege, in this great country, to extend the Kingdom of God,” he said.
    The breakfast served two purposes. It provided Crowe’s analysis of the challenges and opportunities presented to the evangelical community through the recent election. It also allowed him and others from Restore America to promote the organization’s second annual regional conference, to be held at Rolling Hills Feb. 23 and 24.
    Last February’s debut conference drew 640 people from four states with a focus by nationally known speakers on how to increase Christian voter participation and thus promote traditional and family policy issues. Crowe said Restore America hopes to see at least triple that attendance at the upcoming conference.
    Crowe said nationally about 40 percent of eligible voters took part in the election, compared to 52 percent in Oregon.
    A comparison between the numbers of yes and no votes on 2004’s Oregon Measure 36, which banned gay marriage in the state, and this year’s Measure 43, a parental notification on abortion proposal that failed among voters, indicates election participation among traditional values-minded evangelicals was lower this year, said Crowe.
   “I can tell you that I got calls from around the state from people lamenting the fact that their churches wouldn’t do voter registration this year,” he said.
    In many cases, Crowe said, the problem was not with the pastors, but church governing boards who had an unjustified fear of their churches losing their federal 501c3 tax status.
   “Somewhere along the line we have to determine whether we are either going to fear God or fear man,” he said.
    On the positive side nationally, said Crowe, proposed bans on gay marriage passed in 19 of 20 states this election.
   “When you bring a straightforward, fundamental traditional values issue to the voters, they get it straight,” he said.
    Crowe said there will be efforts locally to organize a council of pastors and Christian leaders who can offer a “collective voice” for the evangelical community on political issues, “so we can have a voice at the table.”
    While some in today’s society don’t want the evangelical perspective “at the table, we have to invite ourselves back in,” Crowe added.
    Between the previous evening and that morning, four Christian business leaders pledged $25,000 in matching grants to help fund the upcoming conference. None of those who pledged were solicited or approached for matching grants, and they responded on their own initiative, said Crowe. He said every contribution received between now and the end of the year doubles in value. For details, go to www.restoreamerica.org.