After a week in Atlanta for the 2019 Statesman Academy, I am proud to be back in the Land of Enchantment to share some of the highlights of our week.
At Kansas Family Voice, a critical component of our mission is equipping and electing statesmen, and our annual Statesmen Academy has become one of our nation’s premier training ground for on-the-rise Christian legislators and aspiring policy makers. Each year, the Academy provides rigorous training from world renowned thought leaders and experienced Christian legislators, and produces graduates bonded in an enduring fellowship of mutual encouragement, accountability, spiritual strength, and political wisdom. This year was no different.
Last week, we welcomed over 30 men and women from 15 states, including New Mexico. Among them were pastors and business owners; attorneys and law enforcement officers; educators and engineers; nurses and farmers; and others. But titles, careers, and backgrounds aside, these individuals all shared one very important characteristic—and that was their professed faith in Jesus Christ.
Our program included sessions with esteemed faculty members, including Dr. Wayne Grudem of Phoenix Seminary; Dr. Matthew Spalding of Hillsdale College; and former U.S. Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma. We also heard from the Governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, who recently signed the “Heartbeat Bill,” which protects preborn children from abortion once a heartbeat is detected.
To say that the week was encouraging is an understatement. Besides the privilege of meeting and visiting with national leaders, I was most encouraged by the statesmen themselves—Christian men and women who are committed to advancing biblical truth in government, without the hyper-partisan, devisive tone that tends to dominate our conversations. In fact, one of the common themes and edifications that arose throughout the Academy was our biblical mandate to love.
During a devotional I had the privilege of leading with our statesmen, I shared a personal observation—that sometimes, it is easy for us to get caught up in our calling as public servants to promote good, that we neglect our responsibility as Christians to do good. However, given the character and dedication of our Statesmen Academy Class of 2019, I am more confident than ever that the good Lord is raising up honorable leaders in our states and nation who will not only talk the talk, but walk the walk, as we seek to fulfill His greatest commandments—to love Him and to love one another.
To our ministry partners who helped make our participation in the Statesmen Academy possible, I thank you again for helping us train and equip the current and future generation of leaders. I also thank you for allowing me to lead this local effort as we work for a state and nation where God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, families thrive, and life is cherished.
Sincerely,
Vince Torres
President and Executive Director