Restore America again offers challenges, motivation

By JOHNFORTMEYER
CNNW publisher
TUALATIN — If any of the more than 500 people who attended the third annual Restore America conference went away feeling unchallenged or unmotivated, it wasn’t the fault of the featured speakers.
As with the first two conferences, a full slate of nationally known speakers energetically and passionately addressed a wide range of the most pressing issues Christians need to consider in today’s America.
“Most of us would like to be quiet Christians living our lives in peace, and as a witness to our neighbors,” said conference organizer David Crowe in his opening comments. “But sometimes we have to take a stand.”
And a multitude of issues on which to take a stand were outlined during the Feb. 22-23 conference at Rolling Hills Community Church. They included abortion and euthanasia, the threat of radical Islam, the influence of secular news media and entertainment, the homosexual rights debate and the role of government in daily life.
Marshall Foster, founder and president of the Mayflower Institute, a non-profit educational foundation that seeks to teach and reclaim America’s godly heritage, spoke both Friday night and Saturday afternoon.
Addressing “America’s Real National Treasure,” he identified it as a God’s Spirit working through His people as a blessing to the nation. That is what America has long been based upon, and what it desperately needs to reclaim, he said.
“A bold, aggressive, loving kind of Christianity that believed in the sovereignty of God and grace for all people — that’s what America was founded upon,” Foster said.
He said a fresh commitment to the Bible by believers is essential.
“The most powerful weapon for the transformation of a society, is the Word of God applied to that society,” he said.
As society fails with every other method to try to solve its ills, the light of Christ simply shines more brightly, Foster said in his second talk.
“History proves that Christianity is the only thing that works,” he said.
David Gibbs III, an attorney with the Florida-based Christian Law Association, gave a heart-rending personal account of what it was like to represent Terrie Schindler Schiavo in her last days of life. In his book Fighting for Dear Life, Gibbs tells about his efforts to save the brain-damaged woman who in 2005 died as a result of complete withholding of food and water for 13 days. The court-ordered killing dominated the nation’s news headlines.
“Our Founders understood that if you don’t defend life, there is no other liberty,” said Gibbs. “But we’re never going to defend life unless we develop what I call the ‘heart of God’ for less-than-perfect people. It’s worth it, because people like Terrie matter to God.”
Jonathan Flora, writer and director of A Distant Thunder, a critically acclaimed film about partial-birth abortion, was joined on the platform by his wife, Deborah, an actress and former Miss Colorado who starred in the drama. They explored the extent to which today’s popular culture “changes hearts, minds, polls and opinions.”
The decline in American values is clearly evident in the immorality portrayed in far too many TV shows and movies, the Floras explained. They said it is important that Christians produce the kind of high-quality entertainment that captivates audiences and communicates God’s values.
It is not unlike the parables that Jesus used in his earthly ministry, they said.
“What are our parables of today?” said Deborah. “Our films and TV shows. If we aren’t willing to use these tools, other people will.”
What America produces in terms of entertainment also affects its image throughout the entire world, said Jonathan.
“Our No. 1 export is our culture,” he said.
They also called on Christians to themselves be discriminating in their choices of entertainment, and thus “send Hollywood a message with your dollars.”
“Be educated,” said Deborah. “If a movie has reprehensible values, don’t go see it.”
David Kupelian, vice president and managing editor of WorldNetDaily.com, said much of America’s woes can be traced to today’s secular news media.
“No matter what the topic, our information comes to us through the filter of the news media ... If we had an honest press, this country would be transformed.”
On the positive side, he said, today’s “new media” is allowing truth to reach a multitude of people. Especially effective are web sites and blogs.
“Our best stories on WorldNetDaily come from you,” he said. “This is a different scene, folks. This is not ABC, NBC, CBS.”
Charlene Cothran, a former lesbian activist, said her testimony of deliverance from homosexuality through Jesus Christ cannot be ignored by pro-gay forces.
“They can’t deny that change is possible,” she said. “I stand today as a living epistle of change.”
The big advances being made by the pro-homosexual community can be traced, she said, to a “loss of spiritual power in the Church” because Christians have been overly concerned about not coming across as offensive.
While such descriptions as gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered are bandied about in an effort to de-sensitize the culture, the name of Jesus needs to be lifted up all the more, said Cothran.
The truth must be shared in love, she said: “Just standing up and being a light in the darkness can change people’s lives. The truth can change lives.”
Kamal Saleem, a Middle East native and former radical Islamist, spoke about his powerful conversion to Christ. He said multitudes in the Islamic world are being confronted with the truths of Christ as they literally experience Him in their dreams.
“Jesus is appearing all over the Muslim world,” he said.
But Saleem also soberly called on Americans to recognize that the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 were “a declaration of World War III against the West.”
“America must wake up!” he cried. “If we don’t wake up, the nightmare will become real.”
Syndicated columnist Star Parker, who as a young woman was seduced by drugs, crime and welfare abuse, told how she found that Christ — and not government programs — was the answer.
She said that even though the number of active, concerned Christians isn’t necessarily large, with God’s help they can be immensely effective for positive change.
“It doesn’t take a majority to prevail, but an onfire minority that is intent on setting brushfires in the minds of men,” she said.
The Gospel of Christ will triumph, said Parker. “Ultimately, as we war, we know we win,” she said.