Resolution and Position Papers on Maintaining Religious Liberty; Restoring Foundational Covenants
The Congress gathered on August 29, 2015 to discuss Illinois' mandate to be an apostolic state. Research was presented concerning the history of Illinois, including places where she took apostolic leadership to lay solid foundations upon which the state and the nation could be built. Early covenants and constitutions were discussed and viewed from the perspective of whether or not those covenant were in keeping with God's everlasting covenant. Repentance was offered for where the state failed to acknowledge God. Where history affirmed that the state had worked in harmony with God's revealed will, affirmations for continuing covenantal faithfulness were decreed. The following resolution and position papers were prepared and presented at the Congress. To read the resolution, open the PDF below:
| resolution_c1508.doc |
Resolution and Position Papers on Minimum Wage
The congress gathered in August of 2014 to write a resolution concerning the biblical perspective on minimum wage. The resolution declared that wage control falls under the jurisdiction of free will contracts negotiated between employer and employees without partisan action from the civil sphere coercing either party by fear of civil sanctions. To read the resolution in its entirety, open up the PDF file below:
| biblical_resolution_concerning_minimum_wage_b1408.pdf |
In the exercise of the dominion mandate found in Genesis 1:26-28, each individual is given private property, which may include skills, intellectual capital, time, and earthly assets that he may manage by himself or in collaboration with others. Collaborative effort is the basis for the business sector and business is the engine of dominion. The basis of exchange of goods and services is free will. The following PDF file contains a paper that discusses the biblical function of free will contracts as well as what occurs when the product of work is taken by force, which is defined as plunder:
| position_paper_on_business_sphere_patti_amsden.pdf |
The proper use of government's God-given authority is to provide equal justice and equal protection for men to engage in free-will trade and free-will contract negotiations. The civil realm is granted power to create laws that protect the life and property of the individual, allow for mediation if transgression occurs, and determine and enforce restitution or punishment. The civil realm may not grant itself power to break the law nor grant itself the right to plunder. To read more of the position paper on minimum wage and the civil realm, open the PDF below:
| position_paper_on_civil_karen_woolard.pdf |
The predominant role of religion is two-fold: one, to restore men to God by preaching, teaching, and making disciples of men and two, to speak into the policies and practices of men. As the church is faithful in these two functions she fulfills the biblical commission to be the pillar and ground of truth (I Tim. 3:15). The following paper discusses the these two roles:
| position_paper_on_religion_sphere_joyce_geiler.pdf |
Resolution and Position Papers on Graduated Income Tax
The congress gathered in March of 2014 to write a resolution concerning the biblical perspective of graduated income tax. The resolution declared that a flat tax based upon a percentage of gross personal income tax and business revenue may be duly collected by the civil realm for the purpose of common defense, the general welfare, payment of debts, and administrative expenses of governance. The tax may not exceed the biblical tithe, which is owed to God. To read the resolution in its entirety, open up the PDF file below:
| biblical_resolution_concerning_graduated_income_tax_c1403.pdf |
Covenant between God and His appointed representative is the underlying theme of both Testaments - Old and New. In the context of covenant, God offers both protection and access to His assets. Biblical covenant and the included provisions are activated by the payment of a tithe. The tithe can legitimately be considered God's covenant tax and, as such, can provide keen insight into the biblical perspective of civil taxation. When the civil realm levies a tax upon it citizens, it is doing so as a covenantal exchange promising to provide a shield of protection and access to the national resources from which the citizen may be benefited. More on the biblical perspective of income tax is provided in the PDF below:
| position_paper_on_religion.pdf |
Taxation can be found within the Old Testament economy of the nation of Israel and is supported in Jesus words in the New Testament to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God that are God's (Mt. 22:21). although Jesus' comment may have affirmed the power to tax and the payment of the tax, He set the giving of the tax into the context of giving God what he is due. God is the supreme Sovereign and all subservient sovereigns must render to God the acknowledgement that they derive their power from Him and are accountable to exercise their administration under the jurisdiction of His providence. To further discover how taxation is defined and limited, read the position paper in the following PDF:
| position_paper_on_civil.pdf |
All increase is subject to both the tithe and the tax, whether that increase is personal or corporate. God collects tithe on the increase; the civil realm is granted authority to also collect taxes on the increase. All persons and all businesses are to be assess the same percentage making the obligation equal and fair to all persons in all income brackets. To move away from the afore mentioned principles leads to economic engineering political corruption. Read more in the following PDF:
| position_paper_on_business.pdf |
To gain a proper and biblical understanding of taxation, the issue must be viewed in the light of God's role for the family as producers and stewards of wealth. the civil realm must not trespass its God-imposed boundaries by adopting laws that ignore the God-assigned rights and responsibilities of families. The following position paper discusses the biblical role of the family, family-oriented wealth, charity, and covetousness:
| position_paper_on_family.pdf |
Resolution and Position Papers on Hydraulic Fracturing
The congress gathered in October of 2013 to write a resolution concerning the biblical perspective on hydraulic fracturing, . The resolution acknowledged the God has granted legitimate land stewardship and the release of the land's economic potential to the citizens of the earth. To that end, the resolution declared hydraulic fracturing to be a legitimate method of accessing the resources available within the State of Illinois. To read the resolution in its entirety, open up the PDF file below:
| biblical_resolution_concerning_hydraulic_fracturing_b1310.pdf |
Business includes the practices by which men co-operate as they work together to fulfill the original Genesis 1:26-28 mandate to be fruitful and fill up the earth. Business is the engine of dominion. Private property is boundaried and the development of that property is the right of the owner. The cost of developing along with the risk is borne by the owner, and the owner is allowed to reap the reward of his investment. Private special interest groups, such as environmentalists, may raise a collective voice and appeal to the civil realm if they deem the rights of the individual owner are infringing upon the rights of other citizens. To read more about business and hydraulic fracturing, open the PDF file below:
| position_paper_on_the_business_realm.pdf |
The civil realm has the right and responsibility to examine free-will contracts and enforce those contracts made between individuals or corporations. The civil may establish laws that prevent the contamination of a neighbor's or a group of neighbor's personal property, however the government's involvement is limited to that which breaches the boundaries of others. Concerning hydraulic fracturing, the civil is responsible to make a just determination of the contamination potential; but where contamination does not exist, the government may not create laws that prevent its practice. Read the complete article in the PDF below:
| position_paper_on_the_civil_realm.pdf |
The media is assigned the role of gathering and disseminating news thought various formats. An effective media does due diligence to gather all pertinent facts, establish the legitimacy of those facts, and publish the facts without bias or misrepresentation. The media also serves the public interest as society's eyes and ears in the manner of a watchdog. The primary role of media is intrinsically tied to truth; therefore the media may not league with the civil realm, the business sector, or special interest groups to propagandize the culture. Read more in the following PDF:
| position_paper_on_the_media_realm.pdf |
Resolution and Position Papers on Ekklesia
Those who gathered at the ekklesia convocation united in a resolution that the church in Illinois would establish an ekklesia for the goal of discipling nations and legislating God's eternal will into the state and the earth. That resolution may be found in the PDF below:
| resolution_c1603.pdf |
Five position papers were written to support the findings of the convocation on ekklesia. Those papers that are entitled "An Overview of Jesus' Declaration 'I will build my church'", "The Nature of Ekklesia Authority", "Convening for a Set Agenda." "Legislative Decrees," and "The Reformation Power of Legislation" are published in order below in PDF format:
| position_paper_by_patti_amsden_overview.pdf |
| position_paper_by_patti_amsden_the_nature_of_ekklesia_authority.pdf |
| position_paper_by_joyce_geiler_ed_2_convening_for_a_set_agenda.pdf |
| position_paper_by_patti_amsden_legislative_decrees_ed_2.pdf |
| position_paper_by_patti_amsden_the_reformation_power_of_legislation.pdf |
Prayer Decrees were written to coordinate with the position papers and were proclaimed and prayed during a time of corporate worship and intercessions. Those decrees may be view in the following PDF:
| prayer_decrees.pdf |
