Minnesota Family Institute

STRENGTHEN THE FAMILIES OF MINNESOTA BY ADVANCING BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES IN THE PUBLIC ARENA.

MINNESOTA FAMILY INSTITUTE (MFI) ISSUED INFORMATIONAL UPDATES AND COMMENTARIES SENT OUT TO THOUSANDS OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES VIA EMAIL AND DIRECT MAIL. THESE COMMUNICATIONS FEATURE INSIDE INFORMATION ON LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY DURING THE SESSIONS, CULTURAL ANALYSIS AND INSIGHTFUL PRO-FAMILY PERSPECTIVE ON NEWS AND ISSUES IMPACTING THE FAMILY IN THE PUBLIC ARENA FROM A CHRISTIAN, BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW PERSPECTIVE. MFI PARTNERED WITH HUNDREDS OF CHURCHES AROUND THE STATE THROUGH OUR CHURCH AMBASSADOR NETWORK TO EQUIP PASTORS AND CONGREGANTS WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF BIBLICAL CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP ON ISSUES THAT AFFECT THE FAMILY IN THE PUBLIC ARENA, IN ORDER TO ENGAGE AS A WINSOME, "SALT AND LIGHT" INFLUENCE IN ELECTIONS AND POLICY. PRIMARILY VIA ZOOM DUE TO COVID-19, MFI FURTHER EQUIPPED PASTORS WITH HISTORICAL AND BIBLICAL INFORMATION ON THEIR KEY ROLE AS MORAL AND SPIRITUAL LEADERS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND ENGAGED THEM WITH LEGISLATORS IN OBEDIENCE TO THE COMMAND OF 1 TIMOTHY 2:1-4, TO PRAY FOR LEADERS AND ALL WHO ARE IN AUTHORITY. THESE EFFORTS HAVE BEEN A TREMENDOUS ENCOURAGEMENT TO BOTH PASTORS AND LEGISLATORS.DUE TO COVID-19 RELATED RESTRICTIONS, PLANS HAD TO BE PUT ON HOLD ONCE AGAIN FOR MFI'S EIGHTH SEASON OF ITS MN STUDENT STATESMANSHIP INSTITUTE, REBRANDED AS LEAD, A ONE-WEEK HIGH SCHOOL LEADERSHIP CAMP FEATURING SPIRITUAL CHALLENGE, BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW TRAINING AND PRACTICAL HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE. STUDENTS ROLE-PLAY AS STATE REPRESENTATIVES, SENATORS, AND JOURNALISTS BY ENGAGING WITH EACH OTHER IN A HANDS-ON, FUN-FILLED, EXCITING SIMULATION! STUDENTS LEARN CRITICAL THINKING AND TEAMWORK SKILLS, BUILD CONFIDENCE TO LEAD WITH BOLDNESS, AND ARE CHALLENGED TO GROW IN BIBLICAL CHARACTER AND IN THEIR PURSUIT OF CHRIST. IN PLACE OF OUR IN-PERSON SUMMER CAMP, WE BEGAN DEVELOPMENT OF A SERIES OF ISSUE VIDEOS ADDRESSING QUESTIONS STUDENTS WRESTLE WITH, PROVIDING INFORMATION AND ARGUMENTS FOR LEAD ALUMNI TO RESPOND TO THEIR PEERS' QUESTIONS WITH GRACE AND TRUTH.THE NATIONAL VERSION OF MFI'S ACCLAIMED PARENT RESOURCE GUIDE CONTINUED EDUCATING AND EQUIPPING PARENTS SO THEY CAN ENGAGE POSITIVELY AND CONSTRUCTIVELY WITH THEIR CHILD'S SCHOOL OFFICIALS REGARDING THE TRANSGENDER TREND, BOTH NATIONALLY IN THE U.S. AND INTERNATIONALLY, WHERE IT HAS BEEN TRANSLATED AND ADAPTED FOR USE IN OTHER COUNTRIES. THE PARENT RESOURCE GUIDE CLARIFIES CONFUSING TERMINOLOGY, DESCRIBES THE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF THE TRANSGENDER TREND, DEBUNKS POPULAR MYTHS WITH SCIENCE AND LEGAL FACTS, AND OFFERS A WEALTH OF CONSTRUCTIVE IDEAS FOR PARENTS WHO WANT TO WORK WITH THEIR SCHOOLS TO FOSTER A GENUINELY INCLUSIVE SCHOOL CLIMATE BASED ON TRUE COMPASSION.MFI DEFENDED BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES OF LIBERTY AND JUSTICE IN THE COURTS THROUGH ITS LEGAL ARM, TRUE NORTH LEGAL, AND AN ALLIED NETWORK OF CHRISTIAN ATTORNEYS TRAINED TO COUNTER GROUPS LIKE THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION AND OTHERS TRYING TO SILENCE CHRISTIANS IN THE PUBLIC ARENA OR RESTRICT FREE EXERCISE OF THEIR FAITH IN VIOLATION OF THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS, AND EQUIPPED CHURCHES AND CHRISTIAN CITIZENS TO FULLY EXERCISE THEIR FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS. THIS HAS PROVED ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR DEFENDING INDIVIDUALS AGAINST RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION WITH RESPECT TO VACCINE MANDATES AND PARENTS RIGHTS TO DIRECT THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, MFI HAS PUBLISHED COUNTLESS VOTER GUIDES, A NON-PARTISAN COMPARISON OF CANDIDATES' VOTING RECORDS AND POSITIONS ON ISSUES, TO EDUCATE MINNESOTANS PRIOR TO ELECTIONS AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO APPLY BIBLICAL CRITERIA TO THEIR SELECTION OF POLITICAL LEADERS TO REBUILD A FOUNDATION OF GODLY LEADERSHIP IN THEIR STATE. OUR INFLUENCE HAS GROWN WITH OUR NUMBERS AS MORE AND MORE MINNESOTANS HAVE BECOME AWARE OF MFI AND HAVE LEARNED TO TRUST THE INFORMATION AND INSIGHTFUL ANALYSIS MFI PROVIDES.