TNPN’s ‘Stand in the Gap for Truth Rally’ on Sept. 17
Will Address Pressing Issues for Tennesseans
The Tennessee Pastors Network (TNPN, www.tnpastors.net) is joining several local lawmakers to call on Gov. Bill Haslam to implement emergency rules for Tennessee abortion providers.
A Joint Government Operations Fact Finding Hearing earlier this month exposed gaps in the abortion process, and now state senators Mae Beavers (R-Mt. Juliet), Kerry Roberts (R-Springfield), Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma), Dolores Gresham (R-Somerville) and Paul Bailey (R-Sparta) have issued the request to the governor in a three-page letter, according to a statement from Tennessee Eagle Forum.
“We applaud these legislators who are taking steps to protect the unborn from inhumane activity by urging the governor to enact rules for abortion providers in our state, especially in the wake of the series of extremely disturbing videos that have exposed the ugly underbelly of Planned Parenthood,” said TNPN President Dale Walker. “Our upcoming rally and conference on Constitution Day is our battle cry to state leadership urging them to defend both the unborn and the mental and physical health of women in our state. We pray that the governor will move to defend the unborn, and that pastors and churches around the state will motivate and empower their congregations to stand for life.”
The hearings revealed that safeguards to prevent the illegal selling of fetal body parts or tissues are inadequate or non-existent, the Tennessee Eagle Forum reported. It was also revealed that the Tennessee Department of Health has no investigative authority over the illegal selling of fetal body parts or tissues.
The legislators, backed by TNPN, are asking the governor to take three immediate steps:
- Enact emergency rules to provide a “chain of custody” from the procedure until the disposal of the remains
- Expand the Abuse Registry to include an abuse hotline for the reporting of illegal activity at abortion clinics
- Authorize an investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation into whether and to what extent abortion clinics are engaged in activities that violate Tennessee state law.
“As legislators, we strongly request that our state agencies step up their efforts to make sure abortion clinics are not illegally profiting from the slaughter of unborn children,” said Sen. Beavers in a statement. Added Sen. Roberts, “During the hearings, it became obvious the Tennessee Department of Health cannot provide Tennesseans any assurance whatsoever that illegal selling of aborted baby parts is not taking place.”
Further, the senators pledged to file legislation giving the Attorney General investigative and prosecutorial authority over illegal selling of aborted fetal parts, organs and tissues.
“Safeguards need to be in place at all abortion clinics so the immoral and illegal practice of selling organs and tissues cannot and will not occur in Tennessee,” according to Sen. Bowling, with Sen. Gresham continuing, “It is easy to say that the abhorrent practices shown in the Planned Parenthood videos are not happening here, but that is a terribly naive belief given the history of Planned Parenthood. We must investigate.”
Sen. Bailey concluded, “The disturbing videos cannot be ignored. The fact is that illegal activity could be taking place in Tennessee so we are calling upon the governor to take action.”
Lawmakers around the country are taking similar actions in their states, as the Center for Medical Progress has released eight undercover videos exposing barbaric practices at Planned Parenthood, pointing to the possible sale of baby parts and in-tact fetuses for research.
TNPN will address issues that are crucial to Tennesseans and equip them to defend religious liberties and the sanctity of life at the “Stand in the Gap for Truth” Rally and Conference in Nashville on Sept. 17.
Starting at 11 a.m. on Constitution Day, the rally will take place at the Legislative Plaza, 301 6th Ave N in Nashville. Local pastors who are part of TNPN will partner with state legislators to host the event that will engage and empower Tennesseans to address issues such as conventional marriage and family, a lax immigration system, weak terrorism laws, education, health care, religious liberties protections and the blatant violation of the U.S. Constitution.
The rally, in response to many months of judicial and political decisions that have taken away states’ rights and stripped Americans of their religious liberties, will give Tennesseans a voice and equip them to call for change.
Following the “Stand in the Gap for Truth” Rally will be the Tennessee Pastors Network’s annual conference, which will welcome Bishop E.W. Jackson and Rafael Cruz, father of presidential hopeful Ted Cruz. For the evening event at Hillcrest Baptist Church, 621 Hartsville Pike in Lebanon, Tenn., dinner begins at 5 p.m. (space is limited and registration is necessary; information is available at www.tnpastors.net/events or by emailing patriotpastorstn@gmail.com). The conference, which is free on a first-come basis, will begin at 7 p.m. at the church, and rally speakers will be present to give an in-depth account of what Tennesseans can do to protect and speak up for the Volunteer State.
“We hope that thousands of Tennesseans will set aside just one day for their religious freedoms, and what better day than Constitution Day to let their voices be heard at our rally,” added TNPN Vice President Ben Graham. “Come to the Capitol, stand for religious freedom and send a strong message with your presence. Throughout the day, residents will be encouraged and motivated to take action on the issues we can no longer ignore and visit with their state lawmakers. And that evening, hundreds of pastors will come together for our annual dinner and conference. What better way to wrap up Constitution Day than in the House of the Lord to hear from heroes who have stood for religious freedom?”
Top-name speakers at the rally will include:
- Rafael Cruz, father of presidential hopeful Ted Cruz. Cruz is a powerful example of the American dream. Born in Cuba, he lived and suffered under a cruel, oppressive dictator, began fighting the regime as a teenager, and was imprisoned and tortured for his role in that fight. He arrived in Texas on a student visa, worked his way through college, learned English and built a business. Today, Cruz is an ordained minister and president of Kingdom Translation Services. He travels the country sharing his story and speaking on the biblical foundations of the nation, while encouraging Christians to return the country to the principles that made America exceptional.
- E.W. Jackson, president and founder of STAND (Staying True to America’s National Destiny), a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Judeo-Christian values and bringing Americans together across racial and cultural lines. He is also the 2013 Republican Nominee for Lt. Governor of Virginia. After service with the U.S. Marines, Jackson was ordained a pastor in 1979 and consecrated a bishop in 1998. He is the author of “Ten Commandments to an Extraordinary Life” and is a senior fellow with the Family Research Council.
- Dr. Richard Land, president of Southern Evangelical Seminary and past president of The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, the Southern Baptist Convention’s official entity assigned to address social, moral and ethical concerns. In 2005, Land was named as one of Time Magazine’s “25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America.” He was the 2013 Watchman Award recipient from the Family Research Council for his leadership on moral and cultural issues, in 2014, he was appointed as a Senior Research Fellow of the ERLC’s Research Institute, and in 2015, was in the top 15 of Newsmax’s “Top 100 Christian Leaders in America.”
- Rep. Judd Matheny (R-Tullahoma), who serves District 47, in Coffee and part of Warren counties. He is an eight-year veteran of the U.S. Army and the Tennessee Army National Guard and an eight-year veteran of state and local law enforcement. Matheny is a member of the House Health Committee, the House Insurance and Banking Committee and the House Health Subcommittee. He is chairman of the Coffee County Republican Party and a past chairman of the Davidson County Crimestoppers, as well as a member of the Tennessee Farm Bureau, National Rifle Association, Master Mason and Tullahoma Rotary.
- Sam Rohrer, former longtime legislator and president of the American Pastors Network (APN, www.americanpastorsnetwork.net
). The former candidate for Pennsylvania governor and U.S. Senate is the host of several APN radio programs, “Stand in the Gap Minute,” “Stand in the Gap Today” and “Stand in the Gap Weekend,” which are collectively heard on hundreds of stations throughout the country. APN is uniquely providing the structure and encouragement for pastors to speak biblical truth with a united voice into family, the church and civil government.
TNPN is a state chapter of APN, the largest national network dedicated to equipping pastors to be a voice for truth in the public square. For more information on the rally or the conference, visit www.tnpastors.net.
TNPN and APN 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 abortion, apologetics, creation, the culture war, economics, education, the environment, history, homosexuality, Islam and marriage, along with many others.
The Tennessee Pastors Network encourages pastors to bring together biblical and constitutional principles in their sermons and provides resources to pastors throughout the state. For more information on TNPN, visit its Facebook page or call (931) 267-0816.
TNPN is a group of biblically faithful clergy and church liaisons whose objective is to build a permanent infrastructure of like-minded clergy who affirm the authority of Scripture, take seriously Jesus’ command to be the “salt and light” to the culture, encourage informed Christian thinking about contemporary social issues, examine public policy issues without politicizing their pulpits and engage their congregations in taking part in the political process on a non-partisan basis.
The American Pastors Network is the largest, national network of pastors who believe in the authority of scripture; who boldly preach the whole counsel of God with a disciplined application of a biblical worldview to public policy; who are building a permanent infrastructure of biblically faithful pastors and lay leaders; and who are mobilizing congregations to participate in the political process on a non-partisan basis. For more information on APN, visit www.americanpastorsnetwork.net
The American Pastors Network is a Ministry Program Affiliate of Capstone Legacy Foundation (a 501(c)(3) non-profit Christian Public Community Foundation registered nationwide). APN’s daily short radio feature, “Stand in the Gap,” airs on more than 40 stations, and the American Family Radio Network airs the one-hour “Stand in the Gap Weekend” on 140 additional stations nationwide. A live one-hour program launched in 2015, “Stand in the Gap Today,” airs on several Pennsylvania radio stations.
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To interview Dale Walker from the Tennessee Pastors Network or a representative of the American Pastors Network, contact Deborah Hamilton at 215-815-7716 or 610-584-1096, ext. 102, or Beth Harrison at 610-584-1096, ext. 104, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com.