Liberties of All and Tax-Exempt Status of Non-Profits—Colleges, Adoption Agencies, Others—At Risk

/0 Comments/in , /by

American Pastors Network President, Sam Rohrer recently spoke with KDKA Radio’s Mike Pintek about some of the pressing issues and pertinent ramifications of the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on same-sex marriage.

Rohrer, who is also President of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network (PPN, www.papastors.net) said the Court’s recent 5-4 decision will eventually force churches and other religious organizations to either compromise their faith convictions or face the specter of losing their tax-exempt status.

“Everyone should be aware that there’s more than a moral consideration to this marriage ruling. Because the Court usurped and stepped over their Constitutional authority, vis-à-vis the matters of the 10th Amendment—the ability for states to make laws that are within their jurisdiction and to rule them all out of order—is a violation of civil law, the Constitutional law!” Rohrer said on the Pittsburgh radio program. “I would submit that every aspect of freedom as we know it, being the range of the First Amendment or the Second Amendment or any of the Amendments, have now been violated by the actions of this Court because they’ve made themselves the law over and above the Constitution. So, every aspect of what we consider civil freedom or religious freedom has been jeopardized by the action of this Court.”

Rohrer went on to say that those working to defend and protect religious liberty may look to the freedom of religion clause of the First Amendment—but the First Amendment may protect religious freedoms only to a point. The Supreme Court essentially overruled the 10th Amendment by overriding the laws already set forth by the states and voters within those states. Therefore, Rohrer says, all other Amendments are open to attack as well.

“Do we not think, therefore, that any of the other Amendments are not equally jeopardized?” Rohrer told Pintek. “Just as Justices Thomas and Scalia indicated, there was no jurisdiction for the Court to rule; they had no power; they had no right. And yet they exercised their will in trying to make this kind of application when, in this case, it has nothing to do with any kind of historical precedent. And as Justice Scalia said, there is no precedent in the history of the Court to rule such kind of an action on this type of a matter, which, in the case of marriage, has been established, as (Justice) Roberts said, for millennia.”

Rohrer added that he would expect litigation against religious colleges that decline to provide housing for same-sex couples, faith-based adoption agencies that have policies against matching children with same-sex couples, and eventually, pastors and churches who will not perform or host same-sex weddings.

Additionally, even if litigation is not successful, the government could attempt to revoke the tax-exempt status for those organizations that do not comply with the new Court opinion, Rohrer added.

“All of these are absolutely legitimately predictable because of the nature of the ruling,” he said. “It will be a matter of ‘you cannot discriminate against, therefore, you must permit.’ This is how it will go; you can see it. The ramifications of this law are broad and deep. The fact of the matter is, the very people who think this is a win will find out that their own civil freedoms have been jeopardized by the actions of this Court. It’s just the nature of the ramifications of undoing law as we have had them in the Constitution. This is a big deal,” Rohrer concluded on the Pittsburgh and surrounding area radio program.

The Next Step: After SCOTUS Ruling, Pastors Must Put Truth into Action

/1 Comment/in , /by

One Sunday church service has come and gone since the Supreme Court’s landmark decision on Friday that legalized same-sex marriage in America. Many pastors from the pulpit reflected on the ruling, asked their congregations to pray for the nation and wondered how the ruling would affect them directly.

The American Pastors Network (APN, www.americanpastorsnetwork.net) is lending help on how pastors and churches can move forward after the ruling, with plans to protect their religious liberties in the future—and without forgetting that Friday’s ruling deeply impacts the freedoms of all Christians.

“Friday’s Supreme Court ruling was hardly a cause for rejoicing,” said APN President Sam Rohrer, who also serves as President of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network (PPN, www.papastors.net). “In reality, it is cause for alarm, not only in how a handful of judges without the moral authority can arrogantly attempt to redefine an institution created by God and recognized through millennia, but these same judges can unlawfully plunge a knife into the heart of the Constitution they are sworn to uphold. The majority of Americans have yet to fully realize the extent to which all our Constitutional freedoms have been undermined.”

 On its daily one-minute radio feature, “Stand in the Gap,” APN recently commented further on the same-sex marriage ruling: “Last Friday’s Supreme Court ruling, which embraced same-sex marriage in America, is just one more symptom of the sin epidemic that is running rampant in our nation. When a person or a nation rejects God and succumbs to this fatal attraction with sin, there is always a heavy price to pay! Proverbs 14:12 says, ‘There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.’ The only Cure for this epidemic is Jesus Christ! However, if we truly want to cure America, we as believers must paint an honest picture of what happens when people or a nation reject the Truth of God’s Word. ” 

Rohrer, along with Gary Dull, APN board member, executive director and vice president of PPN, and Dave Kistler, president of the North Carolina Pastors Network (NCPN, www.ncpastors.net), co-host “Stand in the Gap Today,” a daily one-hour radio program*** heard on stations throughout Pennsylvania and via satellite. Each day, the hosts discuss current news topics and welcome guests, and over the past few days, the SCOTUS marriage ruling was front and center, as some of these questions were explored:

  • How do we bring clarity to the chaos created by the Court?
  • How should we respond to the fact that the SCOTUS cannot make law, but only render an opinion?
  • What is the practical difference between what is ‘legal’ vs. ‘lawful’?
  • What is the impact of understanding the separate jurisdictions of ‘moral law’ and ‘civil/constitutional law’?
  • How should we view the matter of ‘civil disobedience’ vs. ‘biblical obedience’?
  • Can we just simply ‘move on to economic issues,’ as many would like? Should we measure Presidential candidates on how they respond to these rulings from SCOTUS on Obamacare and marriage?
  • What if states, governors, state Supreme Court justices and others push back against the SCOTUS opinions?  Should this be encouraged? What happens if they do? What happens if they don’t?

***To listen to this program please click HERE

Rohrer also recently spoke with Perry Atkinson for The Dove’s program, “Focus Today,” stating that both the King v. Burwell/Obamacare and marriage rulings effectively dismantled the rule of law and the Constitution.

 “(SCOTUS) has, in fact, plunged us into a moment of crisis—a moment that would make anyone say, ‘What provision of the Constitution is any longer sacred?’” Rohrer said. “‘What provision, if any, stands with predictability that cannot be overturned, at will, by the handful of the majority of the Court?’ They have done great harm, and that is unfolding as we go forward.”

Attorney Jeff Mateer of the Liberty Institute, who was a featured speaker at PPN’s “U-Turn” conference this spring, attended SCOTUS’s oral arguments in April and called same-sex marriage “the issue of our generation.” He has been working closely with APN and PPN to offer support to pastors as religious liberty questions regarding the ruling arise.

 APN released the following statement Friday after the ruling:

“This landmark decision had deep biblical, historical and constitutional roots, and unfortunately, our justices chose to redefine marriage for the entire nation, ignoring other constitutional rights and opening the door to a dangerous infringement on religious liberties. The fact that this issue even made it to the Supreme Court of the United States was an indictment against American Christians and against American churches. Even though some churches have sought to blend into the culture rather than change it, this ruling serves as a wake-up call for pastors and churches who are committed to being the salt and light of our society and standing up for truth.

 “This is just the beginning, and as the culture continues to change—and move even further away from the truth of God’s Word and from our constitutional roots—it is crucial that pastors and churches know the truth, speak the truth and live the truth, doing all they can to preserve God’s Word and protect the religious liberties of Christians across the nation.”

 

Court Contradicts Constitution

/4 Comments/in , /by

The fundamental rights of the U.S. Constitution were at the core of today’s Supreme Court announcement of its long-awaited landmark same-sex marriage ruling. And the Court chose to declare that gay marriage was indeed a fundamental right, thus stripping states and voters of their rights to make their own marriage decisions.

Sam Rohrer, President of the American Pastors Network  and the Pennsylvania Pastors Network , says the ruling puts churches and pastors in a difficult position.

“This landmark decision had deep biblical, historical and constitutional roots, and unfortunately, our justices chose to redefine marriage for the entire nation, ignoring other constitutional rights and opening the door to a dangerous infringement on religious liberties,” Rohrer said. “The fact that this issue even made it to the Supreme Court of the United States was an indictment against American Christians and against American churches. Even though some churches have sought to blend into the culture rather than change it, this ruling serves as a wake-up call for pastors and churches who are committed to being the salt and light of our society and standing up for truth.

“This is just the beginning,” Rohrer added, “and as the culture continues to change—and move even further away from the truth of God’s Word and from our constitutional roots—it is crucial that pastors and churches know the truth, speak the truth and live the truth, doing all they can to preserve God’s Word and protect the religious liberties of Christians across the nation.”

Attorney Jeff Mateer of the Liberty Institute, who was a featured speaker at PPN’s “U-Turn” conference this spring, attended SCOTUS’s oral arguments in April and called same-sex marriage “the issue of our generation.”

For the case, the Liberty Institute filed a brief on behalf of the National Religious Broadcasters, Billy Graham and Franklin Graham, Samaritan’s Purse, In Touch Ministries, along with several seminaries and theologians, stating that “for millennia,” we have believed in marriage between one man and one woman—and there has never been another definition of marriage. Mateer added that today’s decision will eventually violate the religious liberty rights of many and intrude on the workings and beliefs of the church.

50 Pennsylvania Teachers Educated About Islam—A Dangerous Endeavor at Taxpayer Expense

/1 Comment/in , /by

Fifty educators in a Lebanon, Pa., school district recently attended a daylong training event about Islam and Arabic culture during an in-service workshop that came at taxpayer expense.

According to WND.com  (article HERE), the training session included a comparison of U.S. and Arab education, a visit to a local mosque to learn more about the Islamic religion and the participation in an Islamic prayer service. Teachers and administrators removed their shoes at the mosque and mingled with the congregation, discussing God, Islam and Christianity.

The seminar might seem like a harmless learning experience to the casual onlooker, but American Pastors Network  President Sam Rohrer says events like these underscore the increasing threat to our constitutional freedoms represented by the insidious  infiltration of Islam into America’s schools and communities.

“Slowly but surely, Islamic ideology is creeping stealthily into classrooms and local governments across America,” said Rohrer, who also serves as the president of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network (PPN, www.papastors.net). “What may appear to be an altruistic and innocent isolated incident is in reality part of an aggressive and dangerous strategy to undercut the biblically based and constitutionally guaranteed freedoms in this nation. Pastors and churches must wake up and begin educating their congregations of the extreme danger that Islam poses to Christianity and freedom as we have known it.”  

God’s Definition of Marriage is Unchanging

/3 Comments/in , /by

The American Pastors Network  is responding today to the controversial statements of well-known pastor and Christian speaker Tony Campolo about the acceptance of gay couples in the church.

Campolo released a statement yesterday on his blog that after “hours of prayer, study, conversation, and emotional turmoil,” it’s time for the church to fully accept gay couples.

“For pastors or other leaders within the church to extend unconditional grace and love to all who walk through the church doors is Biblical and Christlike,” said APN President Sam Rohrer, who also serves as the president of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network (PPN,www.papastors.net). “However, to accept sinful behavior of any type when God does not is unbiblical, not Christlike and is itself sin. When the church leaders become an advocate for sinful behavior under the guise of extending grace or love, they subvert the very mission of the Church, deny the reality of sin, despise the Gospel and God’s plan of redemption, and incur the judgment of God. In the end, God’s Word and His standards for life, for actions, and of course for human sexuality have never changed because God does not change, and neither can His authoritative Word.”   

Campolo wrote that his position has changed over the years, now realizing that, rather than solely for the purpose of procreation, perhaps God intended marriage for “married partners to help actualize in each other the ‘fruits of the spirit.’”

“Our existence on Earth isn’t to self-actualize and legitimize,” Rohrer continued. “It’s not about us. It’s about God’s ultimate design and plan for all eternity, not the instant gratification of living on this earth. God specifically designed men and women in His likeness, with very specific chromosomes and DNA that guide their purpose in life. The choice of sexual preference is where sin enters, and to claim that God has changed His mind about marriage is blasphemy and a fearful position in which to place oneself and those around them.” 

Campolo went on to say that, “as a social scientist, I have concluded that sexual orientation is almost never a choice and I have seen how damaging it can be to try to “cure” someone from being gay.”

Both APN and PPN offer pastors numerous online resources that help clergy choose sermon topics and find information for other church ministries. With some free and some paid resources, topics include marriage, abortion, apologetics, creation, the culture war, economics, education, the environment, history, homosexuality and Islam, along with many others.

***This article was published on CharismaNews.com on 6/9/15 titled:“Tony Campolo, Don’t You Tremble at God’s Word?”

 

Countdown to SCOTUS Ruling

/0 Comments/in , /by

Like millions around the country, the American Pastors Network is awaiting the historic U.S. Supreme Court decision that could either protect or redefine marriage in America. 

“Regardless of the outcome, this important decision—with biblical, historical and constitutional roots—will affect both pastors and churches,” said APN President Sam Rohrer, who also serves as the president of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network (PPN, www.papastors.net). “The fact that this issue even made it to the Supreme Court of the United States is an indictment against American Christians and against American churches. For too long, instead of being salt and light in the culture, our churches and, sadly, many of our pulpits have aimed to simply blend into the culture—not changing it but being changed by it. Now, the very institution of marriage literally stands on trial, and regardless of how the Court rules, this fact alone must serve as a wake-up call to the American church. 

“This is just the beginning, and as the culture continues to change—and move even further away from the truth of God’s word and from our constitutional roots—it is crucial that pastors and churches know the truth, speak the truth and live the truth, not just on Sundays, but 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”  

Attorney Jeff Mateer of the Liberty Institute, who was a featured speaker at PPN’s “U-Turn” conference this spring, attended SCOTUS’s oral arguments in April and called same-sex marriage “the issue of our generation.”

According to Mateer, several scenarios are possible:

  • SCOTUS could affirm the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit’s decision that the 14th Amendment does not require states to redefine marriage or recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.
  • SCOTUS could rule that states must recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states but not redefine marriage in their own state.
  • SCOTUS could rule that the 14th Amendment applies to same-sex marriage, and all states would have to recognize all same-sex marriages.

For the case, the Liberty Institute filed a brief on behalf of the National Religious Broadcasters, Billy Graham and Franklin Graham, Samaritan’s Purse, In Touch Ministries, along with several seminaries and theologians, stating that “for millennia,” we have believed in marriage between one man and one woman—and there has never been another definition of marriage.

The concern directed at the Supreme Court was, Mateer said, if the justices change the definition of marriage and mandate marriage be redefined and expanded beyond one man and one woman, they will eventually violate the religious liberty rights of many and intrude on the workings and beliefs of the church.

Above all, Mateer suggested that pastors and churches fervently pray over the coming weeks for the landmark decision, particularly for Justice Anthony Kennedy, who will likely be a deciding factor.

 

Same-Sex Marriage Support Reaches All-Time High

/5 Comments/in , /by

Support for same-sex marriage in America has reached an all-time high, according to a new Gallup poll, just as the U.S. Supreme Court is considering an historic decision on the redefinition of marriage in America.

The poll found that a record-high 60 percent support same-sex marriage in the United States, up five percent from last year and at its highest since surveys began to address the matter in 1996, according to Gallup pollsters.

The American Pastors Network (APN, www.americanpastorsnetwork.net) says the numbers are dismaying, as fewer and fewer are committed to preserving God’s definition for marriage as between one man and one woman.

“These are indeed sensitive topics, but pastors cannot allow fear or unease to sway them from God’s calling—to lead congregations according to God’s word,” said APN President Sam Rohrer. “Many pastors are afraid to ruffle feathers by talking about issues such as same-sex marriage, homosexuality, sex outside of marriage, pornography, divorce and infidelity, the breakdown of the family, abortion and responsible stewardship, among many others. But pastors have a biblical responsibility and a charge from God to address these sensitive issues with their congregations. Scripture is very clear in James 3:1 that those who teach will be judged more strictly, and leading congregations astray by ignore biblical truth is a dangerous step for pastors to take.”

Research has shown that pastors are purposefully skirting some controversial topics when preparing their messages for the pulpit, but Rohrer says churches and pastors must address these issues, no matter how uncomfortable it might be.

Last summer, George Barna, founder of the Barna Group, shared research that found a vast majority of theologically conservative pastors believe the Bible speaks to societal issues, but fewer than 10 percent of these pastors are teaching people what the Bible says on these topics.

The research, conducted through the American Culture and Faith Institute, asked pastors across the country about their beliefs regarding the relevancy of Scripture to societal, moral and political issues, and the content of their sermons in light of their beliefs.

“…When we ask them about all the key issues of the day, [90 percent of them are] telling us, ‘Yes, the Bible speaks to every one of these issues,’” Barna told American Family Radio during an interview. “Then we ask them: ‘Well, are you teaching your people what the Bible says about those issues?’ and the numbers drop … to less than 10 percent of pastors who say they will speak to it.”

Barna said many pastors are afraid to get involved in political issues because of the controversy it might create. And, he added, “Controversy keeps people from being in the seats, controversy keeps people from giving money, from attending programs.”

“Fear and trepidation about offending parishioners is not an excuse for shying away from tough topics,” Rohrer said. “Pastors are not doing any favors to their churches by allowing people to have a false sense of what’s right and wrong. The Bible is very clear on God’s design for marriage.”

As America Becomes Less Christian, Pastors Must Proclaim Truth

/2 Comments/in , /by

According to a new study from the Pew Research Center, the number of Christians in America is dropping—a wake-up call to pastors and churches across the nation, says the American Pastors Network.

The study, released last week, found that the number of Americans who “identify with Christianity has dropped substantially in the last eight years, while those who don’t affiliate with any religion continue to grow in numbers.”

APN President Sam Rohrer says the findings are evidence of the greater impact pastors and churches must have on society.

“These statistics should alarm every Christian in America, yet they should serve to motivate every pastor and Christian to greater biblical obedience,” Rohrer said. “In the early Church, Christians ‘turned the world upside down’ because their faith in Jesus Christ had been put to the test and they experienced firsthand the transformative impacts of the Gospel and unconquerable power of the truth of God’s Word. Our nation is in desperate need of pastors and Christians with the early Church’s passion.” 

Pew also reported that between 2007 and 2014, the number of Americans identifying as Christians fell from 78.4 percent (178.1 million people) to 70.6 percent (172.8 million people). And the number of religiously unaffiliated Americans rose from 16.1 percent to 22.8 percent in the same time frame—or about 60 million unaffiliated (including atheists, agnostics or those who claim “nothing in particular”) Americans in 2014.

The decline in Christianity is exhibited across nearly all demographics, as the Pew report added, “While the drop in Christian affiliation is particularly pronounced among young adults, it is occurring among Americans of all ages. The same trends are seen among whites, blacks and Latinos; among both college graduates and adults with only a high school education; and among women as well as men.” 

“The decline in Christianity in America is a call not simply for Americans to return to church but for the church itself to return to God’s Word,” Rohrer continued. “We know from research that too many pastors are not preaching the whole counsel of God’s Word as it relates to societal issues, holy living and true discipleship. Therefore, many Americans are leaving the church because the church has left the authority of Scripture. It’s past time for pastors to take a stand for obedience to biblical truth if we are to see God’s blessing to return to our nation.”

According to research reported last August, many theologically conservative pastors believe the Bible speaks to societal issues, but fewer than 10 percent of these pastors are teaching people what the Bible says on these topics.

What Birthday Gift Can America Give Israel?

/3 Comments/in , /by

On May 14, 1948, Israel officially became a nation, recognized by the world in one of the most important pages of history. Now, 67 years later, Israel is a significant global presence, making headlines for peace processes, relationships with other nations and the protection of Jews everywhere.

Sam Rohrer, president of the American Pastors Network (APN, www.americanpastorsnetwork.net), says that despite waning support for Israel from some of America’s leaders, and even some Christians, America’s pastors and churches must continue to stand with Israel. 

“The simple reason we must support the State of Israel is because God does,” Rohrer said. “The Jews are His chosen people, and He gave His promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that He would not only bless them but also bless every nation that blesses them and curse every nation that curses them. It was through the Jews that God brought the Messiah—Yeshua. The entire plan of redemption and all of Scripture came to us through the Jews. Throughout history, God has miraculously protected the Jewish people although the nations around them have sought to annihilate them. God forbid that America ever becomes a nation that Israel needs protection from.”

 APN Board Member Gary Dull echoed Rohrer’s thoughts. 

“God promised Abram in Genesis 12:1-3 that those who bless Israel will be blessed by God and those who curse Israel will be cursed by God,” Dull said. “All true believers today recognize that covenant is still active. The conviction of every real Christian is that the fundamental component for the Church to be strengthened and used by God is for the Church to have a genuine love for Israel.”

As Israel celebrates the 67th anniversary of its statehood, Rohrer says the best gift America can give to the nation’s strongest ally in the Middle East is the sincere pledge of unwavering friendship and support in the face of growing anti-Israel sentiment not only internationally but also, disturbingly, among America’s own leadership.

American Pastors Network Encourages Pastors, Churches to Be Part of National Day of Prayer

/0 Comments/in , /by

The American Pastors Network  is encouraging pastors and congregations around the country to participate in a National Day of Prayer event in their community and come together to pray on May 7 for the country in a time of turmoil. 

“The prayers of Christians have been critical throughout the history of our nation, and they continue to be so today,” said APN president Sam Rohrer, who is also president of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network (PPN, www.papastors.net), “It is so important that pastors encourage their congregations to pray for America, and the National Day of Prayer on May 7 is a time when Christians can come together in agreement and humbly repent of our sins, both individual and national, and petition God for his mercy and guidance for our nation. Find an event in your community, join the faithful in your neighborhood, and lift up our nation to God, that we would return to the biblical and constitutional principles on which our great country was founded.” 

To find a National Day of Prayer event in your community, visit http://nationaldayofprayer.org/event-finder/, where events can be searched by zip code or city. The National Day of Prayer is sponsored by the National Day of Prayer Task Force.

For the 2015 Day of Prayer observance, the theme is “Lord, Hear Our Cry,” centering on I Kings 8:28: “Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day.”

“God has promised to listen to a people who come to him in humility and repentance,” Rohrer continued. “Our nation—including many who claim the title ‘Christian’—has arrogantly turned its back on God and on his word, and unless we humble ourselves before the Lord and reject our sinful ways, we will experience the judgement of God, which has already begun in America. Prayer is not a means to get God on our side; prayer is a means to align ourselves with God’s purposes, plans and will. We are running out of time in America to do this before God will remove his hand of blessing from our nation.”

The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance on the first Thursday of May, inviting people of all faiths to pray for the nation, according to the National Day of Prayer web site. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. The National Day of Prayer Task Force communicates the need for personal repentance and prayer, creates Day of Prayer materials and resources, and mobilizes the Christian community to intercede for America’s leaders and their families.