A Letter to Signers of the Manhattan Declaration

Thank you for your continuing support of the Manhattan Declaration. The timing of our movement is providential. We couldn't have realized when we released the Manhattan Declaration what threats to life and liberty we would soon be facing with the passage of the healthcare bill. At this critical moment for our nation, we give thanks to God that nearly half a million Christians have pledged to stand strong in defense of the most fundamental moral principles of a just and good society. God bless you for making this commitment.

We are reminded by this legislation that we must redouble our efforts. We must equip ourselves to defend winsomely the truth in the public square. The timing of the upgrading of our website is providential as well. We originally released the Manhattan Declaration last fall with a website literally assembled overnight. We realized a couple of months ago that we needed a better facility that could provide more resources to help people to better connect as this movement grows and develops. On the new website you'll find a wealth of resources that will help you to fight this battle. Please visit www.manhattandeclaration.org. You'll find news of the work going on at the grassroots level. For example, a few weeks ago we addressed by phone a group of pastors and lay leaders in Frankfort, Kentucky, who were preparing to present the Manhattan Declaration to their legislature. They did so, and the result was a resolution passed by the Kentucky House endorsing and urging support for the Manhattan Declaration. It was sponsored by 45 members and adopted by voice vote. (www.manhattandeclaration.org/pdfs/KY-bill.pdf)

Just imagine what might happen to our politics and culture if state legislatures across the country were to copy what Kentucky has done. Can you urge your legislators to do so?With the battles going on in Washington, we must intensify our efforts. The three of us want to do exactly what our supporters in Kentucky did, but at the federal level. When we have one million signatures, we will ask for a meeting with the President. Any document this strong, pledging not to compromise our faith, signed by a million people coming from the three great historic traditions of the Christian faith, will make a huge impact. Please help us accomplish this: Here are some things you can do:

Circulate the declaration through your church. One church in eastern Washington did this and got all 470 members to sign on. That made local press. www.manhattandeclaration.org/, www.manhattandeclaration.org/sign.aspx

If you haven't already done so, ask your pastor to refer to the Manhattan Declaration from the pulpit. Remember, too, there's a great Bible study that goes with it which you can download free from our website. Here are some resources your pastor may find helpful: PowerPointChurch Bulletin ArticleStart a Bible study in your home. Speak in any public forum where you have the opportunity. We are doing this and getting a great reaction. I (Chuck Colson) have asked people to raise their hands if they've not heard of the document. Astonishingly, half the people do. Once I explain it, they give it thunderous applause. Despite all the press and internet exposure, many people are still unaware of the Manhattan Declaration. That's why all of us have to work to spread this message. www.manhattandeclaration.org/pdfs/ManhattanDeclarationStudyGuide.pdf

Don't forget letters to the editor of your local newspaper. There are 80,000 of you who have put this on Facebook. Let's do more. Movements today advance by social networking. http://www.facebook.com/ManhattanDeclaration Finally, forward this to your friends and ask them to sign on. If each of us gets just one friend to sign, we'll have nearly one million signatures.

Many of you have written asking what you can personally do. The answer first, is to pray. Second, you can help us with the costs of maintaining the website. To make the significant upgrades, two of our member organizations put up the initial funds. We are not in the fundraising business, but we would welcome support, because we will have continuing costs of maintaining the website and providing resources to fuel this movement. If you choose to help, you can send gifts, which a number of people have indicated they want to do. In due course there will be a button on the website to facilitate this, but for the moment those who wish to help can send a gift to Manhattan Declaration, P.O. Box 1396, Ashburn, Virginia 20146.

It is nothing less than a miracle that we have been able, with virtually no budget, to accumulate in four or five months almost a half million signers. Some organizations that have been working to build their lists for 30 years haven't done much better than that. God will continue to do the miracles - and we will do our part as well. As the great missionary William Carey said, "Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God."Thank God He is raising up hundreds of thousands of Christians to draw a line in the sand at this time of ominous challenge to the fundamental principles of justice and truths of our faith - principles and truths which are the very foundation of our nation and of every society that values human dignity and the common good.

God bless you.
Dr. Timothy George
Dr. Robert George
Mr. Charles Colson