Missouri's nickname is the Show Me state, and tomorrow Missourians will be
able to show the rest of the world what they believe is the true definition
of marriage. On Tuesday, a state constitutional amendment that protects
marriage will be voted on in Missouri

My message to those attending today's conference at the First Baptist
Church in West Monroe is that we cannot expect a renewed culture in America
unless the church is actively involved in that renewal. For many pastors,
that means changing the way they think about Christian involvement in
politics and the public square.

Looking for....

Voters in the 'Show Me' State Prepare to Vote on Marriage


Missouri's nickname is the Show Me state, and tomorrow Missourians will be
able to show the rest of the world what they believe is the true

of marriage. On Tuesday, a state constitutional amendment that protects
marriage will be voted on in Missouri, the first of up to 13 states to

on such an amendment this year. Gay activist groups and other amendment
opponents are pulling out all the stops to defeat Missouri's efforts.
Well-financed national homosexual rights groups are spending well over
$100,000 to influence the amendment vote, but the will of the people must
and will prevail. The large presence of these groups shows that they
understand what is at stake.

This vote will very likely set the tone for the rest of the nation on how
the marriage issue will play in elections across the country this election
year. Opponents of the Missouri amendment tried to schedule the vote

the state's Democratic primary in hopes that such a maneuver would help
defeat the amendment. But as polls have consistently shown, protecting
marriage is one thing that unites both Democratic and Republican voters.

I strongly encourage our Missouri readers to vote tomorrow and I ask
everyone else to not only pray for a successful outcome but also to
encourage their family and friends in Missouri to vote. The Show Me state
will hopefully show us all - marriage matters.


Shock Jock 'Mancow' Drops Lawsuit Against David Smith


Chicago "shock jock" Erich "Mancow" Muller has dropped a $3 million

against local decency advocate David E. Smith. Smith, a former Witherspoon
Fellow at the Family Research Council, has filed seventy complaints with

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over the last four years, charging
Muller with broadcasting indecent content on his "Mancow's Morning

radio program. The complaints (half of which are still pending) have

resulted in six findings of indecency against Muller, who has paid $42,000
in fines to the FCC.

Muller's lawsuit had charged Smith with violating his free speech rights.
However, because radio frequencies are limited, the government must

their use; and those licenses require compliance with FCC rules

indecent broadcasts. In the end, it was Muller who sought to stifle

rights as a citizen to petition the government. U.S. District Court Judge
David H. Coar described Muller's claim as "frivolous" and "insubstantial."
Smith is now senior policy analyst with the Illinois Family Institute,
having previously worked for a Chicago alderman. However, his work on the
indecency complaints has been done as a private citizen and volunteer with
Citizens for Community Values. FRC applauds David Smith for living out the
principles of civic involvement he learned here in the Witherspoon
Fellowship.


Encouraging the Church in the Heartland


Today and tomorrow I'm speaking at two "Pastor and Spouse Gathering"

in Louisiana cosponsored by Focus on the Family and the Louisiana Family
Forum. My message to those attending today's conference at the First

Church in West Monroe is that we cannot expect a renewed culture in

unless the church is actively involved in that renewal. For many pastors,
that means changing the way they think about Christian involvement in
politics and the public square. It means taking a stand against those who
threaten to silence the church and it means praying consistently for our
nation and its leaders. I'll be delivering this same message at the New
Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary tomorrow.