National Speakers Join Houston Pastors Championing Religious Freedom
Houston, TX, March 11, 2015 –Today, pastors from Texas and around the nation joined together at the Family Research Council’s Stand Summit. The event’s purpose is to equip Pastors to stand for Biblical morality in the pulpits and in their communities. With pastors under attack for speaking on issues such as marriage, it is critical that they defend their rights to address moral issues and exercise their religious liberties. Proposed legislation to protect religious freedom has been in the news lately, including SJR 10, by Senator Donna Campbell, that is modeled after federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act that was signed into law in 1993 by President Bill Clinton.
Speakers for the event included Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council, former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran, the Benham brothers, Pastor Hernan Castano, Pastor David Welch of the Texas Pastor Council, former Senator Rick Santorum, former NFL player Craig James, and Jonathan Saenz of Texas Values.
Kelvin Cochran is the former Atlanta Fire Chief recently fired for writing a book about his religious beliefs on marriage. The Benham Brothers, successful business entrepreneurs, lost their HGTV reality show because they were committed to traditional values. Pastor Hernan Castano was subpoenaed by the Houston mayor for speaking about traditional marriage and sexuality from the pulpit. Craig James, former NFL player and Senate candidate, was fired from Fox Sports as an analyst after the network learned he made statements supporting marriage between one man and one woman, based on his religious beliefs.
“As a Houston pastor that suffered persecution from the Houston mayor, we clearly need strong religious freedom protection in our state so these violations do not continue to occur,” said Pastor Hernan Castano.
“We are very inspired to see pastors come to Houston from around the nation again, this time to hear practical action steps they can use to stand together in their city for basic truth, decency and freedom,” said Dave Welch of the Texas Pastor Council.
Jonathan Saenz, President of Texas Values, made this statement, “We are here to stand with the pastors of this state and nation who continue to feel that their religious freedom is under attack.”
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins added: “We stand with the efforts of Texas Values and Senator Campbell to ensure that the government leaves people free to live and work according to their religious beliefs. Everyone’s freedom is at risk when the government is empowered to interfere in private affairs and more easily burden religious belief.”
About Texas Values
Texas Values is a non-profit organization dedicated to standing for faith, family, and freedom in Texas. More information is available at txvalues.org.