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Levi gives an update of what he’s been up to in Northern BC.
Two chapters pulled off successful fundraising dinners! We are so thankful for all of the hard work you do!
The Government of Alberta working to affirm that parents have the right to choose the kind of education they feel is best for their children,
An inspiring example of action in BC recently as residents of Smithers launch a letter-writing campaign to the town council
We are thankful to God for the support we continue to receive from you, our supporters!
Links:
Read the article about the grassroots action in Smithers – https://staging.arpacanada.ca/news/2020/06/16/smithers-residents-launch-letter-writing-campaign-to-town-council/
ARPA Canada is a registered non-profit organization. We rely on donations from individuals and businesses to allow us to fulfill our mission. – https://staging.arpacanada.ca/donate/
You are ARPA. ARPA is you.
This tagline from ARPA’s intro video means that ARPA isn’t just made up of the staff members who work full-time for the organization. ARPA, fundamentally, is a grassroots network of people who take political action to bring a Biblical perspective to our civil authorities.
ARPA members and supporters in Smithers last week demonstrated what effective political action looks like.
A few years ago, the town of Smithers agreed to install a rainbow crosswalk to promote the LGBTQ cause. At the time, local ARPA supporters and staff voiced their concern about this advocacy by the town. Unfortunately, the town council ignored our concerns and proceeded to install the crosswalk.
Fast forward 5 years. At their April 14th meeting, the town council raised the issue that maintaining the crosswalk and repainting the rainbow every year was expensive. Maybe it would be best to scrap the rainbow crosswalk in favour of something that required less effort and money to maintain. The council decided to put the discussion on hold for two months, solicit suggestions from the community, and brainstorm new ideas to replace the rainbow crosswalk.
The mention of the rainbow crosswalk caught the attention of members of the local Bulkley Valley ARPA chapter. They saw another chance to voice concern about the promotion of the LGBTQ cause in general, and a great opportunity to provide positive recommendations for change. Chapter members immediately began writing letters to their town council and encouraged their friends to do the same.
By the time of the next town council meeting on June 9th, the council had received 29 letters from members of the community. Every single letter was written by an ARPA supporter. Bravo!
These letters made several arguments against the rainbow crosswalk. Governments should not be in the business of political advocacy. Governments should not encourage immoral behaviour. Governments should promote values that unify the community, not that divide the community.
Every letter was written respectfully and tactfully. Conversations about gay or transgender lifestyles and advocacy too often devolve – on both sides, unfortunately – into accusations of bigotry, unkind words, and even vandalism. Not so here. Each letter respectfully laid out heartfelt concerns, and many letters proposed constructive alternatives that would represent the values of all Smithers residents, not just those who support a gay or transgender lifestyle.
Unfortunately, the town council continued to promote the cause of sexual minorities to the exclusion of other interest groups by deciding to fly a rainbow flag instead of repainting the rainbow crosswalk. Council left the door open to reconsider the issue again next year.
One concerning element of the council’s decision was that it explicitly called the LGBTQ cause a human rights issue. Yet, when a discussion arose about what the council would do if residents requested a pro-life crosswalk or flag, they did not consider abortion to be a human rights issue. Council’s conversation reveals their – and society’s – misunderstanding about human rights.
A Christian understanding of human rights is rooted in God’s law. According to Professor John Witte Jr., God’s law outlines duties and subsequent rights and liberties for every individual. For example, God’s command against murder imposes a duty on every member of society not to murder their neighbour and gives everyone else a related right to life. The pre-born have that right to life as well.
There is no human right to practice a gay or transgender lifestyle because these lifestyles violate God’s law and His standard for humanity. The seventh commandment against adultery, along with other sexual laws in Scripture, provide some sexual duties and liberties. All humans have the liberty to marry one member of the opposite sex, to be free from sexual assault, and as a married person to be free from the sexual advances of another. However, the Bible does not provide the liberty or right to engage in behaviour that God forbids, such as having an intimate relationship with a person of the same sex, with a married person, or with multiple people.
Although we were disappointed with the decision of the Smithers town council, the level of concern, the respectful tone, and the political activity displayed by members of the Bulkley Valley ARPA chapter should inspire us all. These members reminded their elected officials of the Truth of God’s design for all human behaviour.
They are ARPA. And so are you!
Levi Minderhoud is the British Columbia Manager for ARPA Canada
Oxford ARPA Chapter is in court with the city of London, Levi talks about euthanasia panel discussions, Ed is in Calgary standing with a whole crew of people, and our carenotkill.ca materials are flying out the door!
“It is a rather audacious title for a conference – God & Government,” remarked Rev. Rob Schouten as he opened the inaugural BC God & Government. Although the title did apparently cause some consternation for the BC Humanist Association, the approximately 55 attendees who took part in this event were edified by quality training that, when translated into action, will be a blessing to our governments and the broader public (including those who think they are better off when God and government do not mix in any way).
Not only was the title audacious, it was also a lofty goal to attract people who would be willing to give up a full spring Saturday to dig deeper into some challenging political topics that most people prefer to stay clear from.
The day-long event was organized by the two Fraser Valley ARPA chapters. Conference organizers included Matt VanderGaag and Levi Minderhoud. Levi has recently accepted the position of “BC Manager” for ARPA Canada and is set to officially start June 1st. Both Levi and Matt attended ARPA Canada’s signature God & Government conference in Ottawa last year. After seeing an Ontario ARPA group host a mini-version in their town following that, they wanted to do something similar in BC.
Levi was very encouraged by the outcome. “I received many comments about how the speakers not only spoke on subjects that are of concern to Reformed Christians, but also how each speaker brought a new and very useful perspective to that issue.” For example, “Tabitha Ewert took the decades-old topic of abortion and provided a fresh perspective on the need for parental consent laws. Paul Dirks demonstrated how we can staunchly oppose SOGI not only on biblical or moral grounds but also on empirical grounds.”
Levi was also impressed with the attendees. “People remained engaged and conversational throughout the entire event, regardless of whether it was during discussions after a speaker’s presentation, during the breaks, or during the mock and real meetings with MLAs.”
“It was also encouraging to see so many people from so many backgrounds and from so many different locations in BC. We had everyone from political veterans, such as school trustees from Chilliwack, to people who were just beginning to become interested in politics from Vancouver; we had teenagers still in middle schools to seniors enjoying their retirement; we had people from a variety of Reformed Churches across the province as well as from Catholic or non-denominational backgrounds. While we were primarily targeting Reformed Christians throughout BC, it was encouraging to see so many other people interested in the work of ARPA and eager to attend the conference.”
Rev. Schouten’s opening devotional included practical lessons that we can draw from the doctrine of the providence of God and apply to political engagement. He reminded us that the king’s heart is like a stream that God can channel (Proverbs 21:1), an assurance that all political developments are under God’s sovereign hand and care.
Tamara Jansen followed this by sharing her inspirational story of the work that was done by the Fraser Valley ARPA chapters in response to Fraser Health’s directive to force hospices to allow euthanasia and assisted suicide in their facilities.  Their successful events generated quality media attention and a lot of letter-writing, which all seems to have culminated in a positive change of course by Fraser Health.
Tabitha Ewert, legal counsel for We Need a Law, delivered a powerful talk about the consequences of current abortion laws and policies on women. Although done in the name of choice, she explained how one effect is that women are often forced to deal with a very distressing situation with little help and assistance. This is especially the case for teen girls, who can have an abortion without their parents even being aware.
Pastor Jason VanderHorst shared a brief lunchtime devotional, connecting to the theme of the providence of God and speaking more particularly to the institution of the family.
After a hearty lunch, the attendees were treated to a fascinating analysis of research about sexual orientation and gender identity by Paul Dirks. He drew from 500 studies on the topic, sharing surprising findings that even the secular academic community is beginning to come to terms with.
The delegates were then split into small groups and given an opportunity to practice meeting with government officials. ARPA’s hope is that all of the equipping will result in communication with MLAs on these issues well beyond the conference.
After an encouraging talk by a current MLA about “hope for social-conservatives,” the attendees were treated to small-group meetings with three Lower Mainland MLAs, providing an opportunity to learn first-hand about their experience as sitting government officials.
Levi was very pleased with the result of all the planning that went into the day. “The speakers conveyed information well and provided examples or suggestions for concrete action afterward. The breakout sessions also prompted attendees to think of how they could apply the information they just learned to real life. The conference did an excellent job of balancing the need for political knowledge and the need for political action. We wanted attendees to not only be hearers of the word, but doers as well.”
ARPA Fraser Valley East and ARPA Langley chapters are hosting a one-day BC God and Government Conference that will be held on Saturday, May 4th from 8:30-5:30, at Aldergrove Canadian Reformed Church. Reformed Christians from across the province are invited to attend.
At the event, we will be hosting several speakers from ARPA, the community, and the BC legislature to talk specifically about provincial issues–such as SOGI and parental rights–and how to become more involved in provincial politics.
We have invited MLAs to a social hour at the conclusion of the day, where conference attendees can put to use some of the information they received through the day as they engage MLAs in conversation. Registration is open until April 15th, 2019
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Following the presentation, a small group met to relaunch an Edmonton ARPA chapter. These local groups are so valuable for community engagement and activism, and we are confident that the 15 people signed up are committed to keeping the local momentum going. ARPA Canada works closely with these groups to serve and lead in grassroots activities across the country. The first official meeting of the Edmonton chapter took place on February 20 at the Cornerstone United Reformed Church in Edmonton. Three board members were chosen and a number of short-term goals were decided on, one of which was a decision to host a Reformed prayer service for the Edmonton March for Life which takes place in early May.
