Who will speak if the Church is silenced? “And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard?

4. Who will speak if the Church is silenced? “And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” Romans 10:14-15

5. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution In America today, the government is moving aggressively to prohibit the free exercise of religion…to silence pastors … and to block the proclamation of the Truth.

6. Legal attacks pastors and church leaders are facing • Internal Affairs • The Employment Non-Discrimination Act, now moving through Congress, could give government the authority to tell pastors and other church and ministry leaders who they can hire/fire from staff positions. • This same legislation could effectively limit or curb church discipline of those who violate scriptural precepts.

7. Legal attacks pastors and church leaders are facing Equal Access Discriminatory policies are being used to deny churches equal access to public venues for worship services that other groups utilize without restriction or penalty.

8. Legal attacks pastors and church leaders are facing Land Use Zoning restrictions and land-use ordinances are being established that specifically discriminate against churches – restricting when and where services may be held.

9. Legal attacks pastors and church leaders are facing • Government Programs • Churches and ministries are being denied access to government benefit programs that are available to other private groups that work with the underprivileged. • Churches that do receive government assistance for ministry programs are being restrained from sharing the Gospel – lest they violate the so-called “separation of church and state.”

10. Legal attacks pastors and church leaders are facing • Pulpit Freedom • Threats of IRS audits and retaliations are being used to intimidate and silence pastors and church leaderswho want to speak to their congregations – from a scriptural basis – about the positions of political candidates on moral issues. •  The same pressures are being applied to pastors and church leaders who exhort their congregations to obey Bible teaching that conflicts with the dictates of an increasingly “tolerant” secular culture.

11. Legal attacks pastors and church leaders are facing State Campaign Finance Laws State governments are enforcing campaign finance laws that attempt to treat churches as political action committees if their pastors and church leadersencourage participation in political activities such as signing petitions.

12. Legal attacks pastors and church leaders are facing Intimidation and Harassment Anti-Christian groups and individuals are disrupting services, blocking parking lots, threatening or assaulting church members, and destroying or defacing church property.

13. The Alliance Defense Fund ADF has documented a number of cases in each of these areas – and successfully defendedchurches and ministries against all of these threats and intrusions.

14. We must defend Our First Liberty – religious freedom – against the increasingly aggressive efforts of government entities and anti-Christian organizations to exert undue, inappropriate, and destructive influence over pastors, church ministries, and the internal affairs of religious congregations.

15. Some pastors ignore or deny there is a problem. But the examples are everywhere.

16. The Examples are Everywhere In New Orleans, a church group providing free food for people who had lost their homes to Hurricane Katrina was ordered to stop its ministry because the group offered a voluntary prayer service and Bible study.

17. The Examples are Everywhere In New Jersey, state officials attempted to revoke the tax-exempt status of a worship pavilion owned by the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association of the United Methodist Church after they declined a request to hold a same-sex “civil union” ceremony there.

18. The Examples are Everywhere In New York City, the school board – denying equal access to public property – has been trying for nearly two decades to block churches from meeting for worship services in their public school buildings on Sundays.

19. All over America Christian liberty is under attack. The opposition is mounting. The need for action is critical.

20. The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) is a legal alliance defending the right to hear and speak the Truth.  We work diligently to foster and defend an environment where pastors are free to speak, act, and minister in accordance with biblical principles without fear of government censorship, punishment, unlawful regulation, or loss of tax exemption.

21. If your church is targeted by a secular organization, public officials, or government agency, contact ADF at 1-800-TELL ADF Our attorneys have a solid record of success in courtrooms coast to coast defending the constitutionally protected rights of churches and ministries like yours.

22. Having a strong defense is critical, but it isn’t enough. Those who oppose our faith will not hesitate to exploit every opportunity to intimidate, frustrate, and litigate against the church and its leaders.

23. Society will not long survive without a strong, vibrant, and fully engaged Church led by courageous individuals willing to speak, act, and minister the truth of God’s full Word.

24. What other pastors are saying: “The Church’s assignment is to be the moral and cultural conscience of the nation.” Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr. Church of Hope Beltsville, Maryland

25. What other pastors are saying: “It’s not enough to be an advocate of something… you must be an outward advocate.  We can no longer be silent. If we don’t speak up, no one is going to speak up.” Rev. David Jeremiah Shadow Mountain Community Church El Cajon, California

26. What other pastors are saying: “One of the challenges is being true to the Word of God and true to the culture into which you’re preaching it. You can’t preach the Word of God truthfully without preaching with courage.” The Reverend Dr. John Guest Christ Church Grove Farm Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

27. The souls of millions of Americans are aching to hear from leaders who are unafraid to preach the Gospel and freely minister the love of God in tangible ways.

28. The future of religious liberty in America depends on the willingness of pastors to speak up boldly for their God-given, constitutionally protected freedoms.

29. Join your fellow pastors and religious leaders across America in standing up for the Truth and in defense of religious freedom. Visit www.SpeakUpMovement.org to learn what you can do to preserve religious liberty in our nation.