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‘Mayday for Marriage’ rally goal: 1 million on D.C.’s National Mall


WASHINGTON (BP)–Seattle pastor Ken Hutcherson has a vision: one million Christians marching on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., in support of the traditional definition of marriage.

He hopes to see that accomplished Friday, Oct. 15, when a rally — “Mayday for Marriage” — will take place in the nation’s capital. James Dobson, Tony Perkins, Chuck Colson and Richard Land are among the pro-family leaders scheduled to speak.

Hutcherson, pastor of Antioch Bible Church in Seattle and a former pro football player, hopes the event serves to unify Christians in the legal and political battle against same-sex “marriage.” He also hopes it will serve as a wakeup call for the nation.

“The rally is just for one thing — it is to bring the church together, to allow us to know that we are in this fight together as a church,” Hutcherson told Baptist Press. “And we want the politicians to know, ‘Don’t mess with God’s people.’ We have been pushed against the wall far enough, and when you start trying to change the definition of marriage, you are completely pulling the whole foundation of America out from under us.”

The rally was organized in reaction to court rulings across the country. In May, Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex “marriage,” thanks solely to a court order. And in recent weeks, a pair of judges in Washington state issued rulings overturning that state’s ban on same-sex “marriage.” Including Washington, nine states are being sued by those seeking to legalize same-sex “marriage.”

Pro-family leaders say that a marriage amendment to the U.S. Constitution is the only way to preserve the traditional definition of marriage.

“As an African American, I know what it means to stand up,” Hutcherson said. “… I want to awaken the church to the responsibility that we have. God has put us here as the salt of the earth. No other institution, no other people group is called the bride of Christ except the church. And if the bride of Christ is not standing up for what God has ordained, we should be most miserable and ashamed.”

Hutcherson organized a similar rally May 1 in Seattle that drew more than 20,000 people. Organizers had only 30 days to put that rally together, and Hutcherson is hoping for larger attendance in Washington, D.C. The rally will take place some two weeks before the Nov. 2 election.

“We felt that we wanted to continue on to Washington, D.C., to let everyone know … that the church is going to be voting,” Hutcherson said. “And as a politician, you better watch what you vote for and how you vote, because if you don’t vote right on this issue, we’re going to change your view from your office on Nov. 2.”

To help pay for the rally, crimson-colored “Mayday for Marriage” T-shirts will be sold. The color was chosen for a specific reason.

“When you take a picture, it’s going to look like the blood of Christ has covered the D.C. mall,” said Hutcherson, who played football for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers and Seattle Seahawks before an injury forced him to retire in 1977.

The rally is scheduled to take place from noon to 3 p.m. Eastern time.

Scheduled speakers include: James Dobson of Focus on the Family; Tony Perkins, Family Research Council; Alan Chambers, Exodus International; Alan Keyes, Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in Illinois; Rabbi Daniel Lapin, Towards Tradition; Richard Land, Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission; Samuel Rodriguez, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference; Anne Graham Lotz, AnGeL Ministries; Dennis Rainey, FamilyLife; Ken Hutcherson, Antioch Bible Church; and Chuck Colson, Prison Fellowship.

For more information about the rally visit www.maydayformarriage.com.
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For more information about the national debate over same-sex “marriage,” visit http://www.bpnews.net/samesexmarriage

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  • Michael Foust