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We thank you for your prayers and your efforts to vote for Christian
values in the recent Federal election. We believe the seven days of prayer and
fasting leading up to the Federal election under the hashtag
#AusPrays2016 played a strategic role alongside other prayer
initiatives. We praise God that -
- an estimated 50 plus Sunrise Prayer Relay gatherings
took place across Australia.
- Vision Christian Radio quickly put
together a 'Pray for Australia in Election Week' and made changes to their
regular programming. Four times a day prominent Christian leaders were
interviewed and prayed on air to a nation-wide network of over 600 radio
stations.
- the Canberra Declaration Facebook team and others
supported these events with multiple postings of Australian Prayer
Network prayer points each
day.
We
stand amazed at how God has answered our prayers in this cliff-hanger election.
We can be very thankful that Malcolm Turnbull is positioned to form a
majority government. Labor has been blocked once again from
introducing same-sex marriage within 100 days of being elected. The promised
plebiscite can go ahead if there is not a gridlock in the still-to-be-decided
Senate. It also means that the insidious Safe Schools Coalition Australia
program will not receive further funding from the Federal
government.
Malcolm Turnbull, however,
only retained government by a slim majority. It has been humbling for him. Some
have called it a near-death experience and many questions are being asked. While
it is true that Labor had its second lowest primary vote in its history and the
support for the Greens went backwards, support for the Liberal Party also
declined. Voters spurned the major parties in record numbers and voted for minor
parties including those based on Christian values. The only major party to go
forwards was the Nationals who have maintained a strong adherence to Christian
values.
Here
we want to affirm that our hope for Australia is not found in any political
party or even in Christian values. Our hope is in Jesus who is the source of
Christian values, "for by Him all things were
created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones
or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him.
He is before all things and in Him all things hold together" (Colossians
1:16-17).
- Please
pray that Malcolm Turnbull will fully appreciate and accept the
conservative political traditions of the Liberal Party and the foundation of
Judeo-Christian values that have made Australia a great place to live.
The situation is serious.
GetUp!, an activist group founded in 2005 which promotes
so-called 'progressive' values, mobilised its network of nearly 1.1 million in a
six-month campaign to convince voters to not elect politicians who hold
conservative values. You can read more about this campaign below.
Thankfully, since Election Day there have been major
developments that relate to Christian
values.
6 July - Senator Cory Bernardi
launched
Australian Conservatives which he describes as a conservative
version of GetUp!. In an email he claims, "We cannot allow the
political left to keep eroding our values, undermining our culture and
diminishing our important institutions. Their success needs to be countered and
that means Australian Conservatives need to get organised."
Be part of the movement by signing up here. There are already over 20,000 Facebook likes!
Senator Cory Bernardi was the
winner of the 2013 Christian Values Award. This was given by the
Australian Christian Values Institute which also produces the
Christian Values Checklist that we shared with you prior to the
election. That same year Senator Bernardi, a bold advocate for conservative
principles and values, wrote a book entitled 'The Conservative
Revolution'. In this book he presents four pillars which he believes
represent the foundation of an enduring Australia. These are Faith, Family,
Australia's Flag and Free Enterprise.
12
July - Pauline Hanson, outspoken leader of One Nation which
stands to win seats in the Senate, announced that she will push the government for a
referendum to hard-wire a definition of marriage into the Constitution. She
warned that the approaches advocated by Labor and the Coalition could lead to
polygamy and child marriage.
We close with an encouragement
made yesterday by Col Stringer who was one of those who prayed on Vision Radio
during Election Week. He writes, "Keep believing that after the elections
the Lord will have His way - keeping Biblical marriage, removal of the sick
'Safe Schools' program and anything else that is not of
God."
Please keep praying for
the Senate results as they are still being counted. Pray that the new Senate
will not result in a gridlock blocking the plebiscite and other needed
legislation. You can follow the latest details here in the Australian
Electoral Commission Tally Room.
Thank you.
Yours for God-honouring election results,
David Rowsome &
Warwick
Marsh
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