NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)–On the eve of Senate debate on the Federal Marriage Amendment, churches across the country will participate in an Internet and satellite simulcast July 11 with the goal of educating and mobilizing evangelicals on the issue of same-sex “marriage.”
The Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is co-sponsoring the simulcast as part of “Protect Marriage Sunday.” Pro-family organizations are encouraging pastors to preach on marriage on the morning of July 11 and for churches to host the marriage simulcast that evening. The U.S. Senate is scheduled to debate the Federal Marriage Amendment beginning July 12.
The simulcast, which is titled “The Battle for Marriage: Imminent Vote,” will originate from Bellevue Baptist Church in suburban Memphis, Tenn.
Confirmed speakers for the event are Focus on the Family Chairman James Dobson, Prison Fellowship Chairman Charles Colson and Washington state pastor Ken Hutcherson, who organized a large pro-marriage rally in May in Seattle. Bellevue Pastor Adrian Rogers and Family Research Council President Tony Perkins also will appear.
The simulcast is the first of three to be held during the next four months. The others will be Aug. 29 from Louisville, Ky., and Oct. 24 at a site yet to be announced. The August simulcast, titled “Reconnecting God and Government,” will include Southern Baptist Theological Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. and Wellington Boone, founder of the Fellowship of International Churches. Confirmed to speak during the October simulcast, titled “Every Vote Counts,” are ERLC President Richard Land and radio talk-show host Janet Parshall.
The simulcasts are the result of a partnership between the ERLC and FRC, in association with Focus on the Family and the National Association of Evangelicals. A similar simulcast was held May 23.
Information on the simulcasts is available online at www.wevotevalues.com. The website also has questions and answers about same-sex “marriage,” promotion flyers as well as resources that can be used for pastors in sermon preparation (available by clicking on “Products-Resources link,” then the “Click Here” icon).
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For more information about the national debate over same-sex “marriage,” visit
http://www.bpnews.net/samesexmarriage
