SAN FRANCISCO- Initiated by a group of Chinese evangelicals in Bay Area, the second pro-family conference was held on Saturday, June 10, on which churches once again are warned of the huge crisis over traditional marriage across the nation.
At the America Chinese Evangelical Seminary (ACES) in Sunnyvale, California, Rev. Thomas Wang, chairman of Great Commission Center International (GCCI); Peter Henderson, Director of Public Policy from California Family Council; Dr. Melvin Wong, a California-based Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Rev. Lawrence Chan, chairman of ACES, have given keynote speeches.
During the morning session, Henderson spoke on the theme "The Battle over Marriage". The informative lecture entails the development of homosexual movement in the state of California since 1996 as well as its impact on families and children. The legislation of same-sex marriage has been proceeding under the control of liberals in the state. Protectmarraige.com - California’s largest pro-family organization- was founded in April 2005 to challenge the same-sex marriage legislation. Till now, several lawsuits against such legislations are also filed to San Francisco Supreme Court.
In the midst of the critical battle, Henderson urges Chinese churches to take actions to stop the homosexual movement. He suggested that they must pray for those who are in authority, to elect God-honoring representatives, to lobby the elected representative, to maintain their own marriage and to educate the children on family values.
Rev. Thomas Wang was invited to respond to the speakers. Wang said the battle today has started since the time of Adam and Eve. The Satan has tried his very best to destroy the work of God’s creation through homosexuality because the Satan knew that he has no power to win God, according to Wang.
"In one of the articles in the book called ‘America, Return to God’, Jerry Falwell said that perhaps silent Christian leaders should bear the greatest responsibility of the way the society is today. He called them ‘do-nothing Christians’," Wang lamented. He felt sorry for the church has "eradicated its responsibility and given this world to the devil."
Through the book ‘America, Return to God’, Wang aims to wake up all Christians and encourage them to take up the responsibility to change the society. Till now, 450,000 copies have been sent to American leaders of all levels and of all professions. Some Christians, however, suggested that the book has given little impact to the society and a follow-up revival prayer meeting is needed.
Wang has announced the nationwide prayer rally in September for ‘America, Return to God’ to be held in nine major cities, including Dallas, Arlington, Greater Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay Area, New Jersey, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and New York. The theme is set to be "Repentance, Revival, Restoration".
For San Francisco, one Chinese-speaking and one English-speaking prayer meeting will be held on Sept. 10 and Sept. 16 respectively. Peter Henderson, Director of Public Policy from California Family Council and Rev. Timothy Tzeng, former director of the Asian American Center are the key leadership for the English-speaking one.
"We will see America coming back to God and a god-fearing nation and continue to be used by god to serve the whole world. We would like to see the Chinese churches and American churches to participate together. We have no time to lose. We choose September to coincide with 9/11 incident, because it will remind us a sense of urgency.
"If America doesn’t repent, there is no hope. No matter how rich she is, how much power she has, it doesn’t help. If God is kicked out of the court and the public, there is no hope. America has to repent, the repentance has to begin from God’s church and the household of God," Wang gave the last exhortation.
