Our Vision For North Carolina And Our Nation

This is family policy matters with NC family Pres. John Weston thank you for joining us today for family policy matters. It is my distinct pleasure to welcome Paul Weber to the program. Paul is the president and CEO of family policy Alliance family citizen link which is a public policy partner of Focus on the Family and one of NC families closest national laws and valued partners: our meeting today in beautiful Tucson, Arizona, as we are attending the annual family policy Council Directors conference which is organized by Paul and his great team that family policy alliance.

This is just one of the many collaborative programs, efforts and services provided by family policy Alliance to the network of nearly 40 family policy councils around the country were extremely grateful for Paul and his team for all they do, and we thought that this would be a great opportunity for you to hear from Paul about family policy alliance. The incredibly important role that FPA plays on the national scene and how we work together on a daily basis to promote family faith and freedom in North Carolina and across the nation. Paul welcome to family policy matters, John. It is a pleasure to be with you. Thank you for having me as we begin our conversation Paul, I just wanted to ask you to talk a little bit about the history of citizen link now family policy alliance and the changes that have taken place in recent years at this organization it is fun to talk about family policy alliance an extension of Dr. James Dobson's vision nearly 30 years ago Cantonment area at that time got together and saw over the horizon, the need for strong grassroots organizations at every single state level and over those 30 years through the starting up new state organizations are working with existing ones, and sort of bringing them into the alliance we've nearly gone to about 49 mission is to take us from 40 to 50 over the next several years.

I'm excited to do that and we are on a trajectory to do just that. But with the retirement of Dr. Dobson in the changes. Frankly, in our political landscape in our policy landscape. The Focus on the Family board and their wisdom understood that to really be effective. What was once Focus on the Family action then citizen link needed to spin out from Focus on the Family and become an independent organization working in politics and policy. So we did that about three years ago I came over from another ministry are well familiar with alliance defending freedom. I served as an executive there for 14 years but I never forgot my roots. John and I was recruited to this work through a state family policy Council 17 years ago and even I was working as an executive at ABF I was had a heart for the states for what you overdoing how effective you could be and what we did. Then this week we became an independent organization because we want to focus our sole mission on serving. Yes, we have a national perspective. Our vision is a nation where God is honored religious freedom forces were families thrive and life is cherished and our work is to do that in the political space in the policy space and in the communications media space. Okay, but why we have a national perspective we really are servant leaders to the states, we view ourselves as strategic support if you will, because I know no one can understand estate better than you do in North Carolina take a pause, so I give you a shout out John Ike. Our team working with you cannot be prouder of the work you've done in North Carolina to push back on the transgender issue this bathroom. Bill all this nonsense is going on and we want to give a shout out for your support of Gov. McCrory standing behind him is been an honor to come but behind you to serve with you to help Gov. McCrory see the effectiveness that he's having in his courage all across the nation. Well that is so true and that's just a prime example of the value of this alliance involves you all through your leadership and through the facilitation of this network have enabled us to reach out BMI North Carolina real North Carolina and to plead not that it takes much pleading, but I plead with our allies in all of these other states to get involved in to get engaged in this battle in North Carolina because we have been ground zero, you have on House Bill two bathroom issues and now we see a situation were 24 other states are joining in addition to North Carolina are engaged in litigation against the Obama administration to push back against the very same policies that the Charlotte city Council attempted to impose their and so by virtue of the relationship that we have through you all with the alliance of other family policy councils around the country.

They have been able to do calls to action to reach out to their constituents and say look this battle that's Taking Pl. in North Carolina is of critical importance not just for North Carolina but for the nation.

They are exactly right. And you're actually articulating a role very effectively. We we look at ourselves as sort of the conduit between all the states and making sure they will harmonize and work well together. That's what led to her name change.

Frankly, when we when we separated from Focus on the Family.

We recognize that the name citizen link really didn't mean anything, didn't have any impact. Nobody knew what we were. They assess are you are my cable company, believing that I've gotten that many times I know that would be CenturyLink for citizenry right so with that in understanding the role that we are working with and outlining with the state organizations. We said liquid alliance of family policy councils. Therefore were family policy alliance don't John Scripture calls us to be engaged.

It calls us where it were required to be engaged.

Verse 25, 26, is like a muddy stream or polluted fountain is a righteous man, that gives way to the wicked. That's a powerful proverb to us as a reminder to us that were called to be engaged in the political realm in a policy run in all realms of creation so the reason for the name change family policy alliance is just that, because when alliance of family policy councils. John what we want to do is do it. The name says we want to train young Christian people.

Men and women that want to be statesman.

They want to go to legislator they would legislation and legislatures, and they want to understand the art of biblical statesmanship that you don't win by pounding your hand on a table and yelling at people, you win through diplomacy, through relationship, through articulation of truth with grace. So we recruited 26 people and you felt in your peers. It helped see. We don't know these people like you do. So this is where the that the synergy comes between organizations you identifying these young people were bringing into our statesman Academy were infusing biblical principles into them and knowledge into them, but most importantly, his relationship for life you can have relationship with these young people for the lifetime of their career and in politics and watch them grow. Imagine if we could identify the next Ronald Reagan under 25 years old, and help them get all the way through their career. You're listening to policy matters of resource from to listen to our radio show online and from what resources that will be a voice of persuasion in your community to our website only electing to go back to something that you mentioned earlier and that is your vision statement yeah and I love this vision statement and in fact we love it so much I letter Lana that we have adopted it for it for our own praise God that vision statement is a nation where God is honored religious freedom flourishes families thrive in life is cherished. Yes, we repeat that for listeners does not think this is so important and it really shows the heart of family policy lines and what the focus of this organization is a nation where God is honored religious freedom flourishes families thrive in life is cherished and unpacked out a little bit for us.

John is really this simple that's a nation where I want my kids and your kids to live in our grid to be better than that initial God is honored religious freedom forces families thrive in life is cherished. That's the type of nation we want this America to be once again and we can make America great again by Mary Kate making Americans great again is by infusing those principles into the church donate money impact that just a little bit tight to great vision. How do we get there we get there by working together in alliance with 40 state-based organization, someday 50 working with a common vision okay but working in the policy sphere making sure that you're equipped with good legislation that you can advance at your state level and not just for North Carolina for all the states making sure that were involved in politics personnel is policy as well as training these young people here because we want to help them get elected.

So personal's policy, politics is essential. Then, once people are elected. We want to mobilize the body of Christ to engage in the political process, not just in voting but in between elections. We want the body of Christ to be engaged in contacting their legislatures knowing the issues with this is where you come in in the local level okay and then we went a couple that with communications strong communications that support politics, policy and mobilization those for what I call pillars are essential to accomplishing that vision in lockstep with all the states was a very leveraged idea what that's great.

And that's a very succinct description of something that our listeners can really grab a hold of and understand which is wonderful and Paul on that. There's a lot going on in our nation politically on critical issues like sanctity of life, religious liberty and of all things we discussed already bathroom access rights but where do you see things going in the next few years and what words of advice and encouragement can you offer to our list yet so very quickly are two things one is work were coming gaze very directly in the state levels and national levels on protecting religious freedom, freedom of conscience.

For by the body of Christ there coming under assault all over America for their values, their conscience, Christian business owners being sued and find and so on so forth. So we have to be engaged in the here and now. Okay, but we have to also have our view on the horizon. So part of that is good to be what we start doing proactively to promote religious freedom, sanctity of life and the values I see the taken place in two primary areas one is in promoting school choice across America. We have to engage in making sure that parents can raise her children the way they want to raise and have them educated want the with the why do I not want them educated and this is an issue the cross as it crosses all lines absolutely select still school choice is critical. And that's when the training programs will be offering here today. The next thing is we have to work his body together to resolve the problem of unaccountable unelected judges, excellent judges or legislate from the bench. We need to work together to push back against judges legislating from the bench and finally in the life area were making great strides with life. First and foremost, the culture of life is changing. Young people are pro-life were working on life from not only conception to to reduce the number of abortions to ultimately overturn Roe versus Wade because there's a case that was again handled by judicial activism, but also the quality of life. At the end of life. There's organizations that are trying to up promote physician-assisted suicide were pushing back on that with a vengeance well is we should be and I think those issues that you mentioned especially the judicial overreaches while the elections will elections are critical in the fall are so important angelic.

Do we have time to jump into that right so me to say that there is a trail around the country. We know who's running for president notes a critical election this year, the state elections are just as critical absolutely need the body of Christ to understand what's going on. The state and that's where you come in by providing your voter guides is so critically important that folks are educated, yet they understand where the candidates stand on the issues and that they exercise their right and their responsibility to get out and vote and that's why we encourage folks in North Carolina so strongly to access or voter God to make sure they know where the candidates stand in then during early voting or on election day that they go to the polls. They get out and vote because they're far too many Christians across this country that that don't exercise that right and responsibility to vote, politics and policy is not a dirty word is not an area that Christ led left to the secular world. He was involved in that just as much as everything else even say be salt and light only here and not there so it's it's important thing right Paul, I know our listeners are very interested in learning more about family policy.

Lots were can I go simply family policy alliance.com policy alliance.com and you can see all about us there and and there were honored to be here with you today. John Gray, Paul. It's been a pleasure having you all and thank you so much for sharing your heart you insights and is all about family policy alliance.

I do want to encourage your listeners to visit the website@familypolicyalliance.com and lend your support to family policy and family policy councils in your state. I know there will be people who are listening to this program from other states and we want to encourage them to get involved. If you're not already with the family policy Council in their state and folks above all please pray for us. Pray for Paul.

Pray for his team. Pray for family policy's offer and see family and our colleagues all around the country. The stakes are incredibly high this year and Jonathan exhort your listeners to please support you.

Please support the North Carolina family policy Council and all the work that John is doing because he really is the hero on the front lines of thank you, thank you for all we give God the glory. And thank you so much for all that you do so grateful for you and are just excited to continue to have the opportunity to work with you in your great team and we pray for you in which you like them very much. God bless you listening to family policy matter production and see family to listen to our radio show online and more valuable resources and information about issues important to families in North Carolina. website@family.org on Twitter and Facebook and