“A Call to Action!”

A new book by Gary Brown, Founder and President of Reach America

“Gary Brown’s story is inspiring and consequential.  A Call to Action is a must read for anyone who is concerned about the future of our youth and our country.  My prayers are with Gary and with those who will read this powerful narrative.  If you do not yearn for a challenge, do not read this book!”

Mr. Michael Schwartz, Chief of Staff for Dr. Tom Colburn, U.S. Senator, Oklahoma 

We Believe Christ Can Bring America Back Through Us!

In 1990, God dynamited me out of my cushy chair from behind my desk in my pastor’s office, right into the middle of a war for the hearts and minds of our nation’s youth and for the soul and the very survival of America. 

There is nothing special about me.  In 1990, I was an average pastor, serving a great but average congregation in a small community.  Seriously, all I did was answer the phone and then God’s call.  In 2011, at the time of the writing of this book, I am still only an average pastor, but now I have anything but an average a story to tell.  Mine is a story of how God can use average, ordinary people to accomplish extra-ordinary things.

As I engaged the culture I witnessed, first hand, the truth of John 10:10. “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy.”  Folks, there really is a lion out there who is seeking to devour our children, and our government is an accomplice.  I also discovered the reality of the second half of the verse, “I (Jesus) have come that they may have life!” 

My journey as a pastor has been unique to say the least!  I began as a pastor.  I never dreamed I would become an abstinence educator, a teacher trainer, a national educational consultant and an advisor to many on Capitol Hill.  Along the way, I witnessed time and time again that when the truth is brought into the public square, God does show up!

“We believe Christ can bring America back through us” is more than a slogan; it is the heartbeat of everyone involved in Reach America.  Our question to Christians throughout the Inland Northwest and America is, “Do you believe?” 

If you do believe that Christ can bring America back, I invite you to read “A Call to Action” and join us as we bring Christ to the public square!

Order “A Call to Action” by sending your minimum donation of $15 to PO Box 683, Rathdrum, Idaho, 83858.  Please make checks to: Reach America, For: A Call to Action.

Artist Rendering of the New WTC

 This special 9/11 presentation is by one of Reach America’s young leaders, Ethan Funk.  Watch this inspiring slide show by clicking on the link below.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuxF0WpTCNw

We believe Christ can bring America back through us!

Would you like to join us?

This fall God has given us four ways through which Christ can bring America back through us.

Let’s Reach America! Radio Show!

Tonight, Tuesday, September 13th, we are talking about the new Christian Leadership Club that is starting at the CDA Charter School.  Tune in and meet the young people who are launching this exciting club and what it is all about!

We are excited to annouce the beginning of a Christian Leadership Club at the CDA Charter School!

The Mission

The Christian Leadership Club is a student-led club whose purpose is to assist Christian students in reaching their full potential through education, leadership training and mobilizing to positively impact the school campus and the community.

We achieve our mission through:

• Educating (Science, Technology, History, Social Sciences)
• Teaching leadership skills
• Serving the campus and community

We are starting a “Truth Project” group in Post Fall, Idaho on Sunday, September 18 at 5pm.  If you are interested in attending this exciting study, please contact us ASAP at gary@letsreachamerica.org. There is a limited number of people who can attend!

Have some Morning TAG with your Morning JOE!

Gary Brown is now writing a daily devotional called Morning TAG or “Time Alone with God.”  Each morning stay in tuned with God and with what God is doing to impact America through Reach America.

To start receiving your Morning TAG email Gary at gary@letsreachamerica.org.

[A Note: If you would not to receive this Update, please click “UNSUSCRIBE.” Please do not click “SPAM.”  Thanks.]

Listen to our LIVE radio show, “Let’s Reach America!” TONIGHT at 7PM PST/8PM MST

The show where we bring Christ and Christ-Centered Solutions to our communities and our country!

Tonight, we will be discussing:

• IN THE NEWS:
  • The liberal Democratic response to the debt compromise passed by Congress and signed by President Obama
  • The Obama Administration’s efforts to have birth control for women paid for by tax payers.
• The Founder’s view of government welfare.
• What does the Bible say about these issues?

Our Reach America monthly meeting is THIS SUNDAY at 6PM at Grace Bible Church, 152 W. Prairie Ave in Coeur d’Alene.

You will not want to miss this month’s meeting.  We will cover:

• Update the progress on the launch of our Youth Leadership Program.  Let’s just say God is blessing beyond our expectations!
• Discuss the details of our fall strategy to impact the educational system in north Idaho and Eastern Washington.
• Announce the details of our first Christian Educator Conference.

Come meet some of the youth and their families in our program and hear all about what God is doing through us in the Inland Northwest!

We are going to have the winners of the 2011 Barnabas Awards in the studio.

One of the best kept secrets in north Idaho takes place in the Lakeland School District each spring.  It is the Barnabas Awards sponsored by Redman and Company Insurance who is the sponsor of our program.

Barnabas was a companion of the Apostle Paul.  He is known in the scriptures as “the son of encouragement.”

The Award is given each year at Lakeland (Rathdrum) and Timberlake (Spirit Lake) high schools to four students who are outstanding examples of encouragement.  At each school a small group of students are nominated by the teachers and voted on by the students.  The winners are announced at a school-wide assembly.  Each winner receives a monetary award.

We will have the Lakeland Winners in studio with us this evening.  The Timberlake awards will not be awarded until 6PM, so we will talk with the Timberlake winners by phone from Spirit Lake.  Our North Idaho Field Correspondent, Amy Redman, will be conducting the interviews on site.

The Barnabas Award fits perfectly with our objective for this show and for our youth leadership development program.  Encouraging others is an important facet of effective leadership.

We train students to live a leadership lifestyle.  In short, a leader, LEADS

Look and see   ” When people look at my life, do they see Jesus?”

Encourage and serve     “Whom am I going to serve today?”

Adjust my life  ”God is always at work.  Am I willing to adjust my life when I see God at work in someone?”

Develop a growing relationship  “Am I developing a growing relationship with Christ and those I am leading?”

Success!   “Are those I am leading, leading others?”

You can tune in this evening on 89.9FM, listen on line at www.kymsradio.com at 7PM PST, or you can listen to the program at your convenience beginning tomorrow on our website at www.letsreachamerica.org.

As I have traveled throughout north Idaho (specifically, Kootenai, Latah, Shoshone, Bonner and Boundary counties), I have discovered there are many different shades of “red” or “conservative.”  But one nugget I unearthed in my travels is that, politically, most conservatives in north Idaho agree about 90% of the time.

Politically speaking, I have discovered most of the shades of red are defined by faith, how parents educate their children and church membership or doctrine.

Some of the political shades are expressed through membership in certain organizations.  In north Idaho we have Pachyderms (Panhandle and North Idaho), Reagan Republicans, Libertarians, Campaign for Liberty, the John Birch Society, Constitutional Party members, Republicans and the Tea Party (North Idaho Patriots and Bonner/Boundary County Patriots).  I am sure I forgot somebody.  Many people are involved in two or three of these groups.

Our shades of red are further defined by the way parents are educating their children.  In north Idaho I have discovered that youth are educated in the public schools, charter schools and Christian schools and are home-schooled.

Faith is also a factor in the conservative ranks.  I have met Christians, Jewish folks and Mormons.  Only a handful of people claim no religious affiliation.

From my experience, from those I have met one thing is abundantly clear.  North Idaho conservatives, regardless of their shade, are passionate about America.  Most are passionate about their faith as well.

This is a good thing.  Let me repeat, this is a good thing.  This is America.  Independence is encouraged. 

From the standpoint of patriotism, all conservatives are needed and we should embrace all!

We might not all attend the same church or have the same faith.  We may not share the same doctrine or eschatology.  We may not educate our children the same way.  At times, we might not support the same candidates.  Politically, we may disagree 10% of the time but times are too important to let the 10% divide us.

So, with that said, where does Reach America fit into the picture?

As much as I would love to be all things to all people, I can’t.  Like you, I must follow my heart.  I believe God formed Reach America as an organization to reach American Christians; to empower American Christians, ages 29 and under, to take Christ to America and into the public square.  As Christians, we are called to be salt in a bitter world and light to a nation lost in darkness, literally to occupy until he comes!

Reach America is launching an American Christian youth movement.  Our mission is to “Reach the next generation of Great American Christian Leaders, Our Youth.”

Today, I updated our new website to include the following…

• We are losing our youth
• Our Doctrinal Positions (What we believe)
• Our Summer Program (Summer, 2011)
• I introduce our two Summer Interns (Meet our Interns)

Please view the new material at www.letsreachamerica.org.

At Reach America, we will do our part to empower Christians to become a part of the broader conservative movement.  Any and all are invited to our community events such as the recent Shahram Hadian conference.  All are invited to hear Judge Roy Moore on May 20 or 21.  The information is on the home page of our website.

I pray that each of us will work to reach our part of the conservative movement.  If you are Jewish, work within the Jewish community to engage them in the broader conservative movement.  If you are Mormon, work within your Ward to bring Mormons aboard.  The same call goes out to all the political organizations.

Let’s all work hard to bring those within our spheres of influence into the conservative movement.  America needs us.  America needs us now!

If we do not pass down the Christian values on which this country was founded to our youth, everything, we, adults know and believe about America will go to the grave with us.

I know that was blunt, but I can’t think of any other way to say it.

Last week, I was engrossed in planning for the spring and summer.  Through my youth leadership non-profit, Reach America, we are making plans to impact hundreds of youth this summer.  When I got to the end of the week, it hit me; I didn’t put out an IVA Update!

After experiencing a momentary twinge of guilt, I put it behind me.  Simply put; the need to empower today’s youth is immediate.  If this is the only column I write this week; so be it.  I believe our country will make it without a few words published from Gary Brown.  I am not so sure America stands a chance without our youth.

For example, today’s high school juniors and seniors will be voters in 2012.  Conservative groups on our Idaho College and University campuses are forming, now.  I have been speaking to more youth groups and visiting individually with youth; they want to lead their generation and they want to be trained and supported, now.

Through Reach America, we are taking action, now.

On February 19th, I sat in my living room with five young adults who are Idaho’s and America’s present.  That right, I said “present” not future.  I will no long refer to the generation, ages 29 and under, as our “future.”

They are ready, now; and frankly, we need them, now.

This Saturday, March 12th, I will sit in my living room with a dozen or more young leaders.  These young people, ages 29 and under, are committed to reach their generation.  They are ready to lead their schools, their communities, this state and America back to Christ and to America’s founding Christian principles.

To jump start this movement, Reach America is hiring two summer interns.  Our two interns are University of Idaho students, Tyler Smotherman and Rachael Hackwith.

Tyler graduated from Coeur d’Alene High School in 2010.  At CDA High, Tyler had a cumulative GPA of 4.226; he graduated third in this class and was Student Body President.  At the University of Idaho, Tyler majors in Political Science and International Studies; his minor is Military Science.   Tyler’s GPA at U of I is a 4.0.

Rachael was born in Idaho, but spent the majority of her childhood years in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Rachael graduated from high school in 2010 as the Valedictorian of her class.  She was a member of the National Honors Society and participated in Varsity Mock Trail.  At the U of I she majors in Political Science and Spanish; she an International Studies Minor.  Like Tyler, Rachael is a 4.0 student.

No doubt, Tyler’s and Rachael’s resumes are impressive.  But what impresses me most about these two is their love of Christ, their peers and their country.  Both have a servant’s heart.  Their humility and dedication to Christ and America, frankly, humble me.

We must take action and the next six months are critical to 2012.

Through the years, as a pastor, I have had many (too many) visits with troubled teens and their parents facing teen drug and alcohol addiction problems.  Lately, my conversations with parents have been very different.  Christian, conservative parents are concerned about their children’s liberal leanings.

In the past few weeks, I have met with several Christian, conservative parents who are raising their children to follow Christ and love this country but have discovered that their children do not hold Christian or American values.

Even youth raised in good homes are not getting it!  It is time to raise up young leaders.

Folks, Gary is now 51 years old.  Sure, youth can still love older adults.  Youth will love and respect anyone who loves and respects them.  But youth need someone their age to reach out to them.  I am in no way discounting the tremendous influence of parents, family, pastors and mentors.  But, as they grow into their teen years, youth need solid, peer leaders.

God has led us to two young leaders who are growing into the kind of young adults we all want our children and grandchildren to become.

Is God leading you help us?

We want to provide our interns with some funds to help them through their college years.  The Reach America Board has approved a stipend of $3,000 for each of our interns.  We would like to raise another $4,000 for programming.  We want to conduct two retreats and a large event this summer.

We are moving forward with our plans.  We hope to train up 50 strong leaders during the summer, impacting hundred’s of youth across Idaho.

For a gift of $10,000, or a number of gifts totaling $10,000, we can get the job done.  I know times are tough, but I believe we all would agree that we are quickly losing our youth.

FACT: the generation ages 29 and under put Barack Obama in office.

If we do not impact this generation, now; removing Obama in 2012 is futile.  Should we succeed in 2012, they will just elect another “Obama” in 2016.

Want to contribute? Make your check out to Reach America, designated to Summer Interns.  Remember, your contribution is tax deductable.  Then mail your check to:

Reach America

PO Box 683

Rathdrum, Idaho

83858

Thank you very much!