Pennsylvania Pastors Network Leader Says Lehigh County Must Stand for Constitutional Law After Judge Rules Cross Must Be Removed from Seal

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A federal judge last week ruled that a cross must be removed from the Lehigh County seal in Pennsylvania because it is violates the U.S. Constitution, reported Fox News and several other outlets.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation filed the suit on behalf on four Pennsylvania residents, who claimed the cross was offensive. According to Fox News, U.S. District Judge Edward Smith “made it known in his ruling that he was not happy about the decision he had to make but was following the rule of constitutional law, including the establishment clause, which states that Congress may not pass any laws establishing a religion.”

“It is obvious to me that Judge Smith failed to recognize the truth of the United States Constitution and the historical background of our nation and Lehigh County,” said Gary Dull, executive director of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network (PPN, www.papastors.net), a state chapter of the American Pastors Network. “The First Amendment of the Constitution states that ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…’ Having a cross in the center of the Lehigh County seal is not in any way ‘establishing’ a religion by county founders, leaders or citizens. Therefore, the opinion of Judge Smith is unconstitutional in that it both prohibits the free exercise of people of faith who historically were and are a part of the county and also fails to recognize the Judeo-Christian heritage upon which our nation, of which Lehigh County is a part, was founded. 

“In his own statement, the judge said that ‘the court does not believe the current state of law applicable to this case comports with the text of the Establishment Clause,’ and so in the mind of any sensible person, that ends the argument,” added Dull, who is the senior pastor at Faith Baptist Church of Altoona in Blair County. “For the judge to then rule in favor of the plaintiffs is an act of twisting the wording of the First Amendment in an effort to make it say what it does not according to original intent. The citizens of Lehigh County, whether they are religious or not, must stand up for constitutional law if indeed the integrity of the court system is to remain in compliance with the law of the land. America is a nation of law based upon a Constitution that has lasted for nearly two and half centuries and is not based on the whims and opinions of individual citizens. The best thing any judge or citizen can do to maintain the strength of our country is to follow the law of the Constitution, interpret it accordingly and refuse to allow personal opinion, politics, philosophy, desire or pressure from those who oppose the basic principles of our nation to take away from what America has been about from the time of its founding.”

Judge Smith wrote in his ruling that “While the court does not believe the current state of the law applicable to this case comports with the text of the Establishment Clause, the court is not in a position to reject it. The law, as it currently stands, requires that the court rule in favor of the plaintiffs: the inclusion of the cross lacked a secular purpose both when the defendant adopted the seal and when the defendant refused to remove the cross from the seal, and a reasonable observer would perceive the seal as endorsing Christianity.”

Lehigh County will now have to redesign the seal, in use since 1944, which includes a Latin cross near the center, as well as a heart, bison, silos and other imagery. The seal appears on flags, buildings, letterhead and legal documents, as well as the county website.

APN President Sam Rohrer also spoke with WFMZ-TV in eastern Pennsylvania about the ruling. View here.

Pastor Offers Biblical Perspective on Las Vegas Shooting

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As the investigation continues into the mass shooting in Las Vegas last night, and as Americans continue to wait for word on family members visiting the popular location, leaders from the American Pastors Network  are considering the tragedy from a biblical perspective.

“The mass shooting that took place last night at the Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas is, above everything else, a clear indication of the spiritual depravity of mankind,” said APN leader and Pastor, Gary Dull, who also serves as executive director of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network (PPN,www.papastors.net). “How a 64-year-old man who, according to his brother, never really had an interest in guns was able to randomly shoot at the distance of over 300 yards and kill at least 58 people and injure more than 500 others is truly in accordance with what Jesus Christ teaches about the mission of Satan in John 10:10—to ‘steal, kill and destroy.’

“Yes, this event that is stated to be the deadliest shooting in American history is truly devilish and from the pit of hell,” Dull continued. “There are still many unanswered questions about the background of the shooter, but the fact remains that this was a terrible massacre as innocent people were shot at random by a depraved individual. Many officials have yet been willing to call this an act of terror, but in reality it was a terrorist action. We know that Satan is the chief terrorist of the ages and will do all that he can to bring fear into the hearts and minds of us all. Are we to give into that fear? Not at all. The Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7 that ‘God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love and of a sound mind.’ Therefore, we should determine to not live in fear but live by faith.”

Dull added that as the world watches the facts develop from this tragedy in the days to come, pastors across America will consider how to bring the event into a biblical perspective for their congregations. Dull says that consideration will include several concepts:

  1. It is the total depravity of mankind born into sin that leads to this type of action of killing and injuring so many.
  2. Christian citizens should not live in fear but fully trust in the Lord to face such events with courage and strength.
  3. Churches and pastors must be about the ministry of evangelizing the lost, as this tragedy would not have occurred if the shooter had known Christ as his personal Savior.
  4. Events like this are a part of the “perilous times” that 2 Timothy 3:1 states will come and will continue to increase in the “last days” before the return of Jesus Christ.
  5. All must be ready to meet the Lord by knowing Him as a personal Savior and serving Him according to His will.
  6. Believers must encourage one another with biblical truth in light of such events, so as to be able to properly represent Christ to the world that struggles to find answers in times like these.
  7. Americans must pray for one another, for the citizens of our nation, for the families of those who were killed or wounded in the attack, for our political leaders and law enforcement officials as they deal with the situation, and for the Church of Jesus Christ to stand tall as the “pillar and the ground of the truth” in times such as these.
  8. Christians should ask God if there are further spiritual lessons to learn in light of this terrible event and order our lives accordingly.

The Time to Repent Is Now: God is Sending a Message Over These 40 Days; Is the Church Paying Attention?

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The time period of 40 days has great significance in the Bible, figuring into the lives of Jesus, Jonah and Hosea, among others.

The world is in the middle of an important 40-day period of its own, says American Pastors Network President Sam Rohrer, who hopes America, the church, pastors and believers are listening to the message God is sending.

“This week, through October 1, is the National Week of Repentance, and these 40 days between the eclipse watched by much of North America and September 30 have great significance,” Rohrer said. “These 40 days are a time for prayer, especially in the wake of many natural disasters and unrest. Periods like these were also common in the Bible, where God gave his people warnings and implored them to repent.

“So we must ask, ‘What should be happening in our country?’” Rohrer continued. “‘How should the American people be responding?’ We can tie these important questions to everything we see happening in our world—from hurricanes to earthquakes. God is indeed trying to get our attention. And everything fits within the context of taking heed of this warning, repenting and getting right with God. The American Pastors Network’s urgent message is: ‘Wake up, Church!’ Do we understand? Are we hearing and is it leading to repentance?”

Rohrer added that pastors especially should be encouraging their people to listen to God’s message, ask “What are you saying, God?” and get on their knees to repent.

“The verse 2 Chronicles 7:14—‘If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land’ (NIV)—was used widely during the presidential election of 2016,” Rohrer said. “But now, many have forgotten. The post-election message was that our nation had a short period of time—a small window of opportunity—to steer the ship right. What will the church do in that window? Go back to sleep or further engage? These past few weeks have been a very tangible wake-up call. We must look up and understand, and know that what happens in this country hinges on the people of God. Are they hearing, are they watching and are they responding?”

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Rohrer and his fellow hosts of APN’s radio ministry, “Stand in the Gap Today,” which airs on 425 stations nationwide, have been addressing these timely headlines and their tie to biblical times.

“In Isaiah Chapter 5, the prophet Isaiah proclaimed judgment on the Jerusalem of his day,” Rohrer said on a recent “Stand in the Gap” program. “Could his words be the final words of judgment on America of our day? His message was one of final judgment. No more warnings. No more time. God said, I’ll destroy your nation because you’ve rejected my commands and despised My holy name. Therefore, My fearsome anger will come against you and no nation will stand against Me. In that day, Israel deserved God’s judgment. We in America should look in the mirror and consider our sins in light of Israel then: materialism; apathy; ignorance; moral relativism; addictions of all types; bribery and corruption; rampant dishonesty. Is not God clearly warning our nation?”

Glorifying God in the Tragedy and the Triumph

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 A rare eclipse across the U.S., two major hurricanes in Texas and Florida, a pair of deadly earthquakes in Mexico, a terrorist attack in London, wildfires in the West, and violence and unrest in St. Louis.

What kind of message is being sent to the world—and how are Christians responding?

The daily radio ministry of American Pastors Network, “Stand in the Gap Today,” which airs on 425 stations nationwide, recently addressed these world events and asked if God is trying to get the world’s attention.

“America and the world have seen much tragedy and turmoil over the past several weeks,” said APN President Sam Rohrer, “and while it would be easy to become downtrodden and defeated, we know that, ultimately God is in control and He will work through His people for good. Jesus never promised that the life of the believer would be easy or without strife. In fact, exactly the opposite is true. When we have faith in Christ, sometimes we are tested—by our circumstances, by our fellow man and even by natural disasters. But our challenge as Christians is to glorify God in the triumph and the tragedy, and to be His hands and feet as we work for good in this world.”

Listen to the program “God Will Be Glorified” here.

Along with other Christian leaders, Rohrer also offered a prayer for those weathering the storms through Charisma News.

“As a Christian,” Rohrer said, “I am ultimately praying that ‘God’s will be done’ through these storms. As Jesus Himself prayed while in the garden just prior to His crucifixion, ‘Lord let this pass, but if not, may Your will be done.’ In the face of all circumstances of life, be they blessings or judgment, the believer’s prayers must follow this same model. The reason is that because God is Sovereign, and because He controls the weather—either by causing or permitting events to occur—we must look to determining His reason. In the case of our nation where we have rejected the God of heaven, proclaimed His truth to be void and proclaimed evil to be good in so many ways, it should not be hard for us to look to the God of heaven and ask of Him how we as a nation should respond.”

A Christian Response to the Memorial Debate

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The Charlottesville, Virginia, area is still working to heal after a racially charged and violent protest where one woman was killed more than a week ago. That eruption caused other cities to consider removing statues, monuments and other pieces of history that may cause conflict.

The American Pastors Network has been paying close attention to these unsettling events around the nation, and praying about how APN state chapters can provide a positive presence.

APN President Sam Rohrer says that leaders for the newly organized Virginia Pastors Network (VAPN, www.vapastors.net) have worked to serve as intermediaries during this tumultuous time. Likewise, leaders for the North Carolina Pastors Network (NCPN, www.ncpastors.net) have also been impacted, after Duke University recently removed a vandalized statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee from the front of Duke’s chapel in Durham, N.C.

“Pastors and churches simply must serve as peaceful and grounded voices of reason in these turbulent times,” Rohrer said. “Both Christians and those who may be far from God will look to the church for its response about ways we can come together to begin the healing process in our fractured communities. It is a critical time for churches to come together and for pastors to stand for truth.”

Rohrer added that every memorial holds a powerful teaching moment for children and young Americans. When they ask, “what is this?” and “why is this here?” it is an opportunity to recognize how the sinfulness of mankind always produces a tension between human beings.

“It is the ideal time to teach how—through Jesus Christ the Redeemer of mankind—all people, regardless of color, nationality or station in life, can realize their intrinsic value before God,” Rohrer said. “Isn’t this the ideal time to demonstrate that no one race, color or people group have any singular claim to truth? Isn’t this the very time to teach that unity is achieved at the foot of the cross when we agree with God about Jesus Christ and that He alone is the Way, the Truth and the Life?

“So what should we be asking?” he continued. “Why do we have memorials? Why must we oppose their removal? Mustn’t we take a deep breath—everyone—and ask for God’s guidance at this time? What does God say about memorials? What must we as Christian citizens do if this mindless dash to destruction is to be stopped? As we look back, what perhaps have we as Christians done to prepare our culture for such a dangerous time? Memorials, when erected by the support of the people or culture at any given point in time and out of respect for those people in that time, should remain. To attack a legitimately erected memorial is to attack our fathers and grandfathers and to say that we know better today than anyone before us thought was worthy.”

Facing conflict in its state, leaders for the Virginia Pastors Network are aware of the great duty to help unite Virginia’s people—both inside and outside the church—in times of unrest and uncertainty.

“It is important for Christians to be leaders, not only in helping stabilize unrest in society, but in shaping society as a whole—to reflect godliness as a culture,” said VAPN President Steven Harrelson. “Our nation today is very reactive and volatile. Christian leaders have the responsibility to speak truth boldly and in love. I am convinced that the one thing that will unite men and women of every color is Jesus Christ—the One who loves and died for all mankind without prejudice. Bible-believing Christians have been divided on matters of color for long enough, and it is time to stand and show the world what Jesus meant when He said, ‘Love one another as I have loved you.’”

As other cities and states consider the removal of what may be viewed as controversial or offensive, NCPN President Dave Kistler, also a co-host on APN’s “Stand in the Gap Today” radio ministry, said that while healing and reconciliation are needed, scrubbing history is not the answer.

“What is so disturbing about the Duke decision, as well as all other removal decisions across the nation, is that it is all being done based on flawed thinking,” Kistler said on a recent “Stand in the Gap Today” radio broadcast. “First, it is being done based on political correctness. In an effort to be more socially accepted, we are throwing away the very history of our nation. Additionally, the attempt to connect the multiplicity of confederate statues across the land to their erector’s racist motivations is a brazen stretch. Acknowledgment of one’s history is not equal to approval of the same. What will be offered next on the altar of political correctness?”

American Pastors Network: Election in Kenya Impacted by Local Pastors, Biblical Voting

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APN Volunteers and Partner Pastors Instrumental in Mobilizing Christians to Vote for New President Uhuru Kenyatta; Although Hand of God on Election, Christians and Pastors in Kenya Need Prayer

Last week’s election in Kenya proved to be a statement on the power that Christian voters can have on the outcome of the direction of their nation.

Uhuru Kenyatta was elected the President of Kenya after garnering more than 8.1 million votes (approximately 54 percent). After Kenyatta, who campaigned on Christian beliefs, beat his opponent, former Kenya Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, violence and protests broke out in Kenya, with Odinga’s supporters claiming the results were “hacked,” according to several news reports.

The American Pastors Network  has been watching the Kenya election closely because many voting issues greatly impact pastors, churches and Christians in the African nation.

APN President Sam Rohrer said the American Pastors Network provided encouragement to members of the Kenyan Pastors Network leading up to the election, praying for them and helping them to mobilize Christian voters.

“Leading up to this election and still today,” Rohrer said, “the freedom of Kenyans, Kenyan pastors and the ability to freely preach the Gospel is currently under threat. Had Uhuru Kenyatta not been elected, Islamic, pro-abortion, pro-LGBT and anti-Christian policies would have advanced. Our Kenyan brothers and sisters, and especially our fellow pastors, asked for fervent prayers before and during the election—that the right man would be elected, that the opposition would concede and that violence would not erupt as in other elections. We continue to pray for these matters, as the coming days and weeks will be crucial for Kenya to be able to move forward under a man of God and other leaders who desire to model the country after the founding documents of the United States of America.”

Rohrer added that a U.S.-based APN volunteer who was on the ground in Kenya helped to create and execute several initiatives to encourage values-based voting last week. Kenyatta, feeling the effects of these efforts, led a public prayer before the election, thanking Christians and pastors for their commitment and stating that he would give God the glory if victorious, according to reports from the APN volunteer.

“Pastors there are praying in faith that God will raise them up as a nation to be the leader to all of Africa, that the relationship with the U.S. can be strengthened and that God would enable APN to assist in the final establishment of a Kenyan Pastors Network in order to train leaders and teach pastors the biblical principles needed in both church and government,” Rohrer added. “The involvement of APN in Kenya is similar to work we’ve been blessed and honored to do in Ukraine, where pastors and government leaders are yearning to bring biblical and American constitutional principles to the country.”

Rohrer also noted that this election marked the first time in Kenyan history that Christians encouraged other Christians to vote. In fact, the Christian impact was so strong in the days before the election that a well-known liberal leftist poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into the campaign of the opposition to counter the efforts of local pastors and Christians.

Gary Dull, executive director of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network (PPN, www.papastors.net), has traveled to Kenya and said the election there has serious ramifications, both in Africa and worldwide.

“There has been a movement among government officials in Kenya to vet pastors concerning their ability to lead churches and preach to their congregations,” Dull said. “In fact, a bill has been authored in this regard. Many pastors in Kenya believe this proposed law is an effort to reduce the preaching of the Gospel in that nation, which may result in a larger influence of Islam throughout the country. It is crucial that believers in America pray for our fellow believers in Kenya during this time when the freedom of religion is being threatened in that great African nation.”

Dull added that prayers are also crucial for the ongoing post-election unrest in Kenya and for the safety of Christian missionaries there.

Open Doors USA estimates that about 82 percent of Kenyans are Christian, but that Islamic oppression remains very high. Kenya is No. 18 on the World Watch List, a tool to track and measure persecution around the world.

Charlottesville Incident Demands Answers to Crucial Questions about Unity in America

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“The deplorable circumstances in Charlottesville should indeed get the attention of all Americans. Yet, in the midst of this event, for which both sides share blame, these questions must not be overlooked: What has happened in America to produce such increasing hostilities and anger among our people? And can unity be achieved just by our leaders demanding it?

In reality, we didn’t get to this place by accident nor overnight. The rejection of moral truth, healing and transformative power of redemption and forgiveness available only through Jesus Christ is where it started. The coarsening of society is assured where life in the womb is cavalierly discarded, where God’s plan for the family and human sexuality is jettisoned, where a ‘selfless others focus’ is replaced with a ‘selfish only focus,’ and where duty is replaced with ‘rights.’ Such it is today.

Is unity again achievable? The answer is yes. But, for some, even this statement may be dividing—yet it is nonetheless the truth. Unity is not the goal but a by-product. Unity never demands full agreement in all things by all people. Yet what unity does demand is an agreement on a common body of truth. In the United States, that common body of truth was found in the Judeo-Christian scriptures, where there is God who created life and then ‘endowed certain unalienable rights’ to the people, who ‘under God’ agree with God that He is perfect; that mankind is sinful and not naturally good.

But that redemption and healing through faith in Jesus Christ alone can transform the mind and the heart, and heal families, communities and the nation. No one race, no one color, no one nationality has a claim to this truth. Yet, true equality, true justice and true unity can, in fact, result when people from all walks of life agree with God on these truths.

Any nation or people who believes these things can experience peace, security and unity. Our nation once did—not ever perfect, of course—but overwhelmingly embraced this view, and God blessed it as no nation ever before it. We will now, in this time of increasing need, either look to God and agree with Him and do what He says and regain the freedom we so love, or we will look to ourselves, to government or to some man or woman and descend into the abyss of slavery and totalitarianism. There is no other choice.”

-Sam Rohrer, President

American Pastors Network

To interview Sam Rohrer, contact Beth Harrison at 610.584.1096, x104, media@hamiltonstrategies.com, or Deborah Hamilton, 610.584.1096, x102.

To read an article from Lifezette containing more information and quotes from this statement, please click HERE.

Pennsylvania is Near the Top of the List for Sanctuary Cities & Counties

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The state of Pennsylvania has one of the highest number of sanctuary cities and counties in the country—fourth on the list, in fact—behind only Oregon, California and Washington, according to a list from the Center for Immigration Studies.

APN President, Sam Rohrer, frequently discusses issues of immigration and refugees on the popular daily radio program, “Stand in the Gap Today.”

A “sanctuary” city that protects illegal immigrants who may be committing crimes does not equate to the church “sanctuary,” where those who take refuge can find peace.

Rohrer says immigration and the policies surrounding sanctuary cities, including the possibility that these cities could be cut off from federal funding, should be issues that are important to pastors and churches.

How Can Christians Be Salt and Light When They Don’t Believe The Basics of the Bible?

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What does it mean to be “born again”? Do Christians truly understand this concept?

According to research from the American Culture & Faith Institute (ACFI), many Americans call themselves “born again,” but fewer than 30 percent provided answers that would support that claim. And if so many think they are born again, why aren’t these Christians impacting the culture, asks the American Pastors Network.

“If a majority of Americans think they are born-again Christians, one has to wonder where the cultural disconnect is, as the moral fiber of our nation continues to erode,” said APN President Sam Rohrer, who is host of the APN radio ministry, “Stand in the Gap Today.”

This summer, “Stand in the Gap Today” hosts have discussed these findings on two separate programs with George Barna, renowned social science researcher and head of ACFI.

In pondering life after death, the ACFI research found that just 30 percent of those surveyed say they are born again with the reasoning that “after I die I know I will go to Heaven because I have confessed my sins and accepted Jesus Christ as my savior.” Another quarter say they don’t know what will happen when they die.

“Some shocking findings of this survey indicate that many—75 percent—believe that mankind is not made up of sinners and that man is basically good,” Rohrer said. “Just barely more than half believe that Jesus lived a sinless life, and 42 percent believe that Satan is not real, but more a symbol of evil. Based on these findings, how healthy can we say the American church really is? How can salt be salt and light be light when we don’t believe those things?”

(To listen to the “Stand in the Gap Today” programs on this topic here and here.)

“According to these numbers and what we know from history, in real life, many, if not most of those who say they’re Christians are really not Christ-followers,” Rohrer said on the program. “We’ve also heard, for example, that up to 80 percent of Congress is Christian, but I look at that number with some skepticism. Just like there are Republicans In Name Only—RINO—there are also many Christians ‘in name only.’”

Rohrer also pointed to Matthew 7:22-23, where Jesus said, “Many will say to me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?’ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (KJV).

“There is perhaps no more clear example than these words of Christ Himself to perhaps describe these survey findings, which are evidence of what some Christians believe about themselves and what is actually real and true.”

Will Pastors Act on Pulpit Freedom Based on New Legislation?

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Republican lawmakers who have vowed to fulfill President Donald Trump’s campaign promise to repeal the Johnson Amendment haven’t done so yet, but legislators are now trying to add a provision that would deny money to the Internal Revenue Service to enforce the 63-year-old law, according to the Associated Press.

The House Appropriations subcommittee passed the bill late last month.

The American Pastors Network has commented frequently on the Johnson Amendment and will be closely watching the progression of the new bill.

“Pastors’ voices had been largely silent on the most important cultural, societal and political issues of our time,” said APN President Sam Rohrer, “because of a fear of repercussions stemming from the Johnson Amendment. This bill to protect the tax exempt status of churches may help return decades of freedom to churches and enable pastors to freely speak truth about social issues from the pulpit, but pastors must make the commitment to take on the most pressing societal matters. A government law will not remedy all the issues in today’s church, nor will another law completely solve why pastors have not been preaching the whole counsel of God.

“The path to pulpit freedom may have begun to be paved, but it’s up to pastors and churches to preach boldly,” Rohrer continued. “For some, the Johnson Amendment has been a convenient excuse to shy away from tough issues. The challenge before the pulpit has always been fear, and that’s the challenge of any leader. The Johnson Amendment has been the fear factor for some, but if it is indeed limited in its scope, the real test will be if pastors will take up the biblical charge to speak on the issues important to those in the pews.”

The Associated Press also reported that Republicans say the law is enforced unevenly, leaving religious leaders uncertain about what they are allowed to say and do. Opposition to repealing the Johnson Amendment exists as well. This spring, 4,500 nonprofit groups signed onto a letter to congressional leaders asking them to preserve the law.

Former President Lyndon B. Johnson introduced the law in 1954 when he was a Democratic senator from Texas as an avenue to prohibit tax-exempt charitable organizations, such as churches, from participating in political campaigns or in supporting or opposing candidates. If the IRS determines that a group has violated the law, it can revoke its tax-exempt status, the AP also reported.