Archive for month: August, 2016

The American Pastors Network, the largest national network dedicated to equipping pastors to be a voice for truth in the public square, is welcoming a new state pastors network to its growing organization.

This week, APN is launching the Kentucky Pastors Network (KYPN, www.kypastors.net), a carefully selected group of pastors in Kentucky who are joining together to “Stand in the Gap for Truth.”

“The American Pastors Network has been standing in the gap for truth around America and is growing again through the new Kentucky Pastors Network,” said APN President Sam Rohrer, who is also president of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network (PPN,www.papastors.net). “We know that pastors there will be an invaluable support to one another as they engage their congregations to stand for truth and freedom and effect true change in the culture.”

Leading the Kentucky network as its president will be Pastor Randy Smith, who grew up in the Bluegrass State and was called to ministry at an early age. He has served in prison ministries, traveled on mission trips to Haiti, prayed in front of the White House and championed the position of Kentucky clerk Kim Davis for her religious liberties. Smith also ran for State Representative for the 99th District in 2016, losing by just 176 votes.

“I now feel God has moved me to a point in time to rally the Christians in Kentucky to continue to stand, and be ready to stand when the time comes to fight against the ungodliness of overreaching activist judges and politicians,” Smith wrote on the KYPN website. “I look forward to reaching out to pastors and Christians all across the state, of all denominations, to join myself, Pastor Steve Hickerson and Pastor Tom Redman as we lead Kentucky to ‘Stand in the Gap for Truth.’”

Hickerson will serve as KYPN’s vice president, and Redman will serve as secretary/treasurer.

APN focuses on a concerted effort to grow its state pastors’ network initiative through a plan to welcome pastors in all 50 states who will serve as State Network Organizing Representatives. The ultimate goal is to develop free-standing state chapters of pastors and leaders in each state. These state networks will focus on their particular states and carry out the mission and purpose of the American Pastors Network, which include:

1. Identifying, encouraging, equipping and educating pastors and church members to “Stand in the Gap for Truth”;
2. Being a voice for truth and an advocate for pastors in the public square by providing Bible-based and constitutionally consistent analysis and recommendations on matters of public policy; and
3. Strengthening the biblical relationship between pastors and elected officials through various private and public meetings for prayer, study and policy discussion.

Current chapters are already doing the important work of providing timely, in-state leadership on issues impacting local families and congregations. Examples of their efforts include speaking out in the defense of marriage and standing up for religious liberty.

In this presidential election, perhaps more than any other, voters are making up their minds about the candidates based on a wide variety of issues—some social, some spiritual.

But regardless of which matters ultimately help voters decide, the how is abundantly important.

This headline-making election season has been a frequent topic of discussion on “Stand in the Gap Today,” the daily news and commentary radio program from the American Pastors Network and PA Pastors Network President Sam Rohrer says it’s imperative that Christians not only vote, but vote with a biblically based checklist in mind on Nov. 8.

“Voting truly does have a lifetime of accountability,” Rohrer said. “The faithful cannot simply choose a name on a whim or go along with what the polls are dictating. Rather, voting must be a carefully considered, prayerful and serious decision. Our prayer is that every Christian will base their voting decisions on biblical principles and wisdom, rather than emotion or what the polls might say.”

Decades ago, Rohrer created his “Voting Integrity Checklist,” a series of questions he developed for himself to use during nearly 20 years in office. It helps not only to ensure votes of integrity, but to also permit voters to have confidence in how candidates may conduct themselves while in office. Ultimately, a number of Rohrer’s fellow legislators adopted this simple checklist, with the application to evaluate potential candidates on how they measure up to a carefully prioritized list of considerations.

“The more a candidate’s views and positions mirror this list,” Rohrer said, “the more constitutional and moral their decisions in office will be.”

According to Rohrer, questions to ask when progressing through the “Voter Integrity Checklist” include:

1. Is it moral?
2. Is it constitutional?
3. Does it preserve individual freedom and responsibility (vs. strengthening government control)?
4. Does it preserve and strengthen the traditional family?
5. Is it in the best interest of the general public (vs. only special interests)?
6. Is it necessary?
7. Should it be done on the federal level?
8. Is this an effective and efficient way to do it?
9. Do we have the money to pay for it?

Rohrer’s “Voting Integrity Checklist” stemmed from his teenage years, when a pastor shared with him a five-point checklist for making tough decisions. Rohrer carried and used that checklist through high school and college, through 15 years in business, and onto the floor of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, where he modified it to meet the demands of legislative votes.