Radio talk show host Dennis Prager is fond of saying that “boredom, affluence and secularism” have produced a nonsensical and selfish society.

You and I know that this selfishness—along with a strong dose of apathy—has also affected the Christian community.

You and I also know that Christian conservatives could have a greater influence on our culture and the political process if only more of us were willing to engage in prayer and activism.

Scripture exhorts us to do both: Pray for our leaders (1 Timothy 2:1-7), and live out our faith (James 1:22).

I believe that if every conservative Christian did this, our state and nation would not be submerged in the cesspool in which we currently find ourselves.

But the reality is only a small number of our readers took us up on the opportunity to join the IFI Prayer Team when we announced it back in 2013 and then again in 2016. (Maybe you didn’t see those emails and would like to join today?).

Here we are, smack dab in the middle of the winter of 2021 still smarting from the challenges of 2020. As we enter this season of Lent, it is important that we practice the disciplines of prayer, confession and fasting.

We also have to recognize that God calls His children to a spiritual warfare. Each one of us are called to fight this battle in different ways, but we are all expected to fight each battle on our knees and in fervent prayer. We need God to strengthen us, to defend us, and to give us wisdom. We cannot do it without His help.

Of course, this includes the public square and the political arena. Christians have got to become serious about praying consistently for our political leaders. Not only are we instructed to pray for our leaders in 1 Timothy 2:1-3, but we are taught that God can change the heart of a king just as easily as He turns a stream of water in Proverbs 21:1. And in James 5:16, we are told that the earnest prayers of God’s people are powerful and effective.

Throughout the legislative session, we send subscribers email alerts, and throughout the entire year we send cultural alerts (e.g., the Target Boycott alert), asking our supporters to use our turn-key Action Center to send emails or faxes to key decision-makers. The entire process takes between 60-90 seconds to complete. Are we so busy that we don’t have 90 seconds to engage in the process that may help reverse prevent the passage of laws and policies that undermine human flourishing in Illinois?

It is simple, convenient, and quick to use. Increased use of our Action Center could be the difference between winning and losing a legislative battle by one or two votes.

In an effort to change that trend, we launched an initiative that we call “Gideon’s Army.” We are looking for Christian men and women who have a heart for truth, and a deep concern for a culture that continues to buy the lies of the Left—a debased culture that we are leaving as our legacy to our children and grandchildren.

We are looking for subscribers who are willing to commit to the battle in the public square by committing to prayer and action on every alert we send out.

Will you volunteer to be part of IFI’s Gideon’s Army?

As we work to educate and encourage key lawmakers on these issues in the hope they will vote the right way, it is imperative that residents back home in their respective districts also speak out on these issues. Believe me when I say that most lawmakers sit up and take notice when they get a significant response to any legislative proposal. When Christians fail to be bold and take action choosing instead to remain silent, humanists and atheists fill the void with their voices and often win the day.

After a quick survey of some of our subscribers, we heard two main excuses why like-minded Christians do not act on our action alerts:

1.) We assume others are doing it.

2.)  We don’t have the time.

Well, after reading this article, I hope you understand that most others are not responding to our calls for action. It is incumbent on us to act!  You and I need to do it.  We all need to do it. And it takes only 60-90 seconds of your time.

I know you are concerned about the degradation of our society on many fronts, but we must do more than feel concerned. We must respond in prayer and action. God requires it!

IFI does all the homework on these issues for you. We tee up these action alerts for you. It will take only 90 seconds of your time to say a pithy prayer and take action!

If you are tired of the deafening silence coming from our churches, you are the type of activist we are looking for to fight for children, the family, religious liberty, and decency alongside us in the public square.

Judges 7 tells us the story of Gideon’s Army. God assembled 300 soldiers to take on 135,000. I am hoping that we are able to enlist significantly more who are willing to stop the rapid erosion of truth.

If you and other subscribers will commit to take action on our email alerts, we trust that we can win more battles for the hearts, minds, souls and lives of real people!

Surely you have the time to spend a few minutes a couple of times a week to make your Christian voice heard. There’s so much at stake!

As a member of IFI’s Gideon’s Army, we are asking you to commit to responding to every action item we send out as soon as you get it.

Take ACTION:  Click HERE to sign up for IFI’s Gideon’s Army! If all of our subscribers prayed and took action on each and every call to action we sent out, we firmly believe our state would change!

I realize the tone of this message is strong, but it needs to be.  We need your help. We need your involvement.

And we need the encouragement your participation in this effort brings to us! Our work here in Illinois can at times be discouraging. When IFI subscribers respond to our action alerts, we are encouraged and energized.  It is good to know that we are not alone in this battle.

And if you know any like-minded, God-fearing, truth-proclaiming, disciple-making believers, please recruit them to this cause by encouraging them to sign up for our email alerts. Send them HERE.

Thank you for your partnership and for prayerfully considering joining Gideon’s Army!