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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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