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A Personal Message


October 6, 2008


I realize by sitting down to write this message that I will be alienating some people who believe those of us in public life should always remain silent, when politics are involved. However, the stakes for our nation, our fellow citizens, and more importantly, our children, are simply too high for anyone of conscience and conviction to remain silent.

Let me begin by relating that just one week ago, I heard a well-respected Pastor give a statistic that simply startled me as a Christian. The statistic was that "fifty percent of Evangelical Christians are not registered to vote in the upcoming Presidential Election." As someone who takes the responsibility to vote very seriously, I was really dumbfounded by the statement. I could not believe that people who "believe" we have the responsibility to positively effect change on the world through the hope we have in Christ, would not see voting as one of the most simple ways to make our voices heard and our influence felt on a national level. That statistic is what prompted me to seriously think about writing this letter to you.

Please allow me to get right to the point... in several states, today is the LAST day to register to vote in the upcoming Presidential Election. As this week goes by, the deadline will come in other states as well. If you are eighteen or older and are not registered to vote...DO IT TODAY! There is no reason or excuse to fail in your responsibility as an American citizen and as a Christian to exercise this fundamental freedom and responsibility. If you can't physically "go" somewhere to register, call a friend, or your church, and ask someone to bring you the necessary paperwork for you to register. It's quick and simple, and it is your responsibility and duty.

If you have already registered, prepare yourself to vote responsibly by learning about each of the candidates, and compare their stated policies and positions, and their voting records, to your beliefs and convictions. While it's true that this election will more than likely hinge on the economy, as Christians, we have values and beliefs that go deeper, and are more important, than our wallets.

Our first question should be...what are the candidates positions on the value of human life? Many people who would call themselves Christians would say this is a "non-issue" in this election, since the President can't force their views on this issue on anyone. If you're one of those people, let me respectively tell you that you are sadly mistaken. Our next President will be replacing at least two, and maybe three Supreme Court Justices during his term in office. If you keep up with politics at all, you know the Supreme Court is the most powerful entity in the government, as they "interpret" the laws passed by the Congress, and, in essence, have the power to "make" law. It was the US Supreme Court that over-turned a State law in the famous "Roe v Wade" decision that made abortion-on-demand a "human right", resulting in the deaths of tens of millions of innocent Americans over the last thirty-plus years. Earlier this year, Senator Barrack Obama said "If one of my daughters makes a mistake, I wouldn't want her to be punished with a child." That statement, along with his voting record as an Illinois State Senator, is a clear and undeniable statement on his position concerning the basic human right of "life". His election will result in the continued killing of untold millions of living, unborn people. There will be no chance of a turn-over of the Supreme Court decision that took away the rights of the States to allow their citizens and elected officials to have a voice regarding the practice of abortion. There is no debate on this fact. Senator John McCain, has a consistent pro-life voting record in both the US House and Senate. He opposes the procedure known as "partial-birth" abortion, while Senator Obama sees it as a "right" not to be infringed upon. If you do not understand this procedure and would like more information about it, click here. Be aware, it is disturbing.

Sadly, in the upcoming election, many Christians will cast their vote based purely on their long-standing politics. I personally know people who vote Republican because they've always voted Republican, while I know others who will vote Democrat because they've always voted Democrat. Could anything be more ignorant? I've actually heard people in churches say "my grandfather was a Democrat, my daddy was a Democrat, so of course, I'm a Democrat." I've also heard the very same argument from Republicans. To me, that statement makes as much sense as a murderer saying "my grandfather was a killer, my daddy was a killer, so of course, I'm a killer." I'm sure you don't believe that argument would stand up in a court of law as an acceptable excuse, and in the same matter, I don't think we can hide behind our political lineage to justify our voting record when we stand before the Great Judge.

The bottom line is... on November 4, VOTE for the candidates on the national and local level that best represent your values and convictions, first as a Christian, and secondly, as an American.

"If My people, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, THEN, will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Let's agree to pray for our nation during this critical time in our history, and pray that God would use us to spur a revival that will sweep the country. The root of all the problems we face is spiritual, not economic.


Blessings,

Gerald Wolfe

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Our Featured Artists ....... Greater Vision, with songs from their brand new CD called "Not Alone." This is the first recording Greater Vision has done since changing tenors. Jacob Kitson fits right in, preserving the sound very much as it's been for years. The difference, of course, is where he's featured solo on a few songs. But the overall "feel" remains the same. This particular CD is strong lyrically, something for which Greater Vision has long been known. Their current radio hit, "I Want To Know That You Know," shares a concern that each of us should have for everyone we know, especially family members. I especially enjoyed the message of "You Were Faithful Yesterday," a song praising God's faithfulness — yesterday, today and forever. Rodney Griffin's story about why his song, "It Pays To Pray," became so special to him after he wrote it was a touching reminder of the value of persistence in prayer. What I like about Greater Vision, too, is that they've been blessed to take their music into many of the nation's largest churches, thereby exposing an ever-larger number of people to good Southern Gospel music.

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"Not Alone" named a "Top Ten" CD
Greater Vision's Latest CD among top recordings for 2008

Greater Vision's latest CD, "Not Alone" has been named one of Christian Music's Top Ten Recordings for 2008 by the Staff and Senior Music Editors of the Gospel Music Channel. The writers and staff of the Gospel Music Channel described the recording by saying... "Great harmonies and poignant, powerful lyrics have always been the backbone of Greater Vision's music ministry and it's those qualities that make Not Alone one of the best discs of the year in any genre. Principal songwriter Rodney Griffin has a special gift and, once again, his lyrical genius makes this album a stand-out."