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Return America Rally stands up for marriage
Michael McEwen, BR Content Editor
October 06, 2014
4 MIN READ TIME

Return America Rally stands up for marriage

Return America Rally stands up for marriage
Michael McEwen, BR Content Editor
October 06, 2014

In 2006, board members of the North Carolina Christian School Association became concerned with the lack of knowledge and respect for Judeo-Christian values in America. As a result, Return America began in April that year.

This grassroots organization is building a network of churches and individuals to educate the public in Judeo-Christian values, as well as influence American government in these principles. One means of such mobilization comes in the form of public rallies, the fifth of which took place Sept. 30 at Halifax Mall in downtown Raleigh. Police estimated 2,200 people gathered from across the state to stand up for marriage.

Reading an excerpt from Charles Finney – American pastor in the Second Great Awakening – Chad Connelly, a former chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party, said, “If there is a decay of conscience, the pulpit is responsible for it; if the public press lacks moral discernment, the pulpit is responsible for it; if the church is degenerate worldly, the pulpit is responsible for it; if the world loses interest in Christianity, the pulpit is responsible for it; if Satan rules in our halls of legislature, the pulpit is responsible for it; if our politics become so corrupt that the very foundations of our government are ready to fall away, our pulpit is responsible for it.”

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BR photo by Michael McEwen

Around 2,200 people gathered Sept. 30 in Raleigh for the Return America Rally. “You and I are here this morning because we recognize the need for voices to stand up and be heard,” said Mark Harris, pastor of First Baptist Church in Charlotte.

Ron Baity, founder and president of Return America, said that in the early formative days of America, preachers known as the Black Regiment trained their congregations to fight.

“They would preach on Sunday, close their Bibles and take their men behind the church on Sunday afternoon to teach them how to fight; they came to be known as the Minute Men,” said Baity. “We need more Black Regiment preachers today who will stand in our pulpits and warn us to flee from the wrath to come and preach on the moral issues of the day.”

Return America held an April 2012 rally to encourage approximately 8,000 attendees to vote for the marriage amendment, which defined marriage between one man and one woman in the state of North Carolina. In early May 2012, 1.3 million people voted to pass the amendment, and 830,000 voted against it, a 61-to-39 percent victory for proponents of traditional marriage.

Pastor of First Baptist Church in Charlotte, Mark Harris told the crowd that God gave Nehemiah a vision, who then delivered that vision to the people of Israel.

“The first thing [Nehemiah] said to the people is that if you look around you’ll see the distress we are in – how the walls are torn down and the gates burned with fire. And then he cried out, ‘Come and let us rebuild these walls that we may no longer be a reproach or an embarrassment!’” said Harris.

“Ladies and gentlemen, before there were cities, before there were governments, before there were churches or tabernacles, there was marriage and there was family. You and I are here this morning because we recognize the need for voices to stand up and be heard,” he said.

The Return America board includes Richard Callahan, pastor of Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Archdale; Donnie Oates, pastor of Vandalia Baptist Church in Greensboro; Dwight Creech, principal of Calvary Christian School in Southern Pines; and Joe Haas, executive director of the North Carolina Christian School Association.

“The Left” has talked Christians out of the political arena, said Connelly. “They’ve been very good at saying, ‘You Christians do evangelism, missions and my kids love Vacation Bible School, but you shouldn’t be involved in politics, education and government. You might offend somebody.’”

He said research pollster, George Barna, discovered that nearly 40-50 million evangelical Christians did not vote in November 2012. Connelly said, “There’s a major disconnect when the people of God aren’t hearing from leadership, and I believe it is time for us as leaders to stand up.”

(EDITOR’S NOTE – To find out more about Return America, visit their website at returnamerica.org.)