Conference continued from page 1      “The cool thing about this conference is it gives you a rational basis for what you believe and a way that you can explain it to others.”      “As a young person, I’ve really been encouraged that I can actually make a difference in my community.”      “I’m getting excited about going back and making a difference in my community.”      “I was thinking, ‘Why not run for office? Somebody’s going to. Why not?’”      “I’m chomping at the bit to get home!” Theme of Hope      Hope emerged as a conference theme. Despite recent disturbing Supreme Court decisions, “I believe we’re going to win,” Dr. Kennedy told the conference. He pointed out that the Church, worldwide, is “growing faster by far, by far, than ever before.” Hope for victory is needed to sustain the battle, Dr. Kennedy said. He quoted William Carey, the founder of the modern missions movement, who said “It is not possible to continue in a long-term endeavor without any hope of success.” _____________________________ “Our government officials need to know,” Moore said, “there is a God and we can’t divorce ourselves from Him.” _____________________________      Attorney Mat Staver, president of Liberty Counsel, echoed Dr. Kennedy’s optimism in his overview of the state of religious liberty in America today. Staver, who pointed out that the religious liberties litigation movement is just 15 years old, said he has a “vision to restore the culture one case at a time.” He is optimistic, he said, “because I know who wrote the last chapter.”      While reclaiming America for Christ is a long-term endeavor, conference speakers showed it is possible, if we take one step at a time and refuse to surrender when God-given rights to life and freedom of religion are threatened or taken away.      The conference kicked off with an inspiring message from Dr. Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberties

Warm Greeting: Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore explained how the courts have pushed God out of public life.   Commission. He reminded attendees that Jesus “called us to reclaim all of society. That’s what being salt and light is.”      Land emphasized the need for Christians to engage in an effective combination of evangelism and cultural involvement. He told those who think churches should not be “controversial,” that “a non-controversial Gospel is an oxymoron.” And to those who want to retreat into protected enclaves, Dr. Land said, “If the salt is over here and what needs to be salted is over [t]here, it doesn’t do any good.... Our light has to be close enough to the world that they can see the light and feel the heat.” Moore Cheered      The two-day conference ended with a brilliant address from Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore. Thunderous applause greeted Moore as he explained how the First Amendment has been twisted to remove God from public life.      Moore told the conference that “Our government officials need to know there is a God and we can’t divorce ourselves from Him.”      “We’re moving from separation of church and state to separation of the people from God,” said Moore. If that trend is not stopped, he said, “we’ll have no rights given by God, only rights given by the government. And what it has given, it can take away.”

Called to California

Dr. Gary Cass is on a mission. But not the one he originally had in mind. Cass, pastor of West Hills Christian Fellowship in El Cajon, California, and a speaker at Reclaiming America For Christ 2003, joined an evangelistic music group at age 20 to minister behind the Iron Curtain. While there, he was “exposed to a type of Christianity that shook the very core of my life. In America... [I]t’s so easy to make a decision for Christ. Over there, it was a life or death situation.”      He quickly embraced his role as a “musical Brother Andrew.” He came back to the U.S. to complete his education, but fully intended to return to ministry inside the Soviet empire. God had other plans.      Gary’s active involvement in the pro-life movement during seminary led him to realize that “We’re on the wrong side of the power curve in our culture.” He also realized that God was calling him to serve in America.      He saw that being right did not guarantee wins in the culture war. Instead, it was necessary to be right and do right to make a difference. Political Impact      Beyond his pastoral ministry, he has become, since 1998, an elected school board member for San Diego County public schools. That board now boasts a 4-1 conservative Christian majority. Several towns within the county have Christian mayors and Christian city councils. Many of his church members have run for office and been elected. In the last county-wide election 80 percent of the conservative Christians who ran for office were elected.      “I was going to be ‘God’s Smuggler,’” Cass remembers. “That’s what I thought ministry was all about. Little did I know that God would send me as a missionary to deepest, darkest California.”

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