The Family Policy Institute of Washington, the 32nd state policy council fully associated with Focus on the Family, is up and running.
“God has brought this organization together very quickly and with a solid foundation," said John Paulton, manager of special projects for Focus on the Family Action. "We’re delighted to be associated with the Family Policy Institute of Washington (FPIW), and we look forward to partnering with them on some critical battles.
“The development of this new organization couldn’t come at a better time. Washington state is a pivotal state right now on several fronts, particularly on the defense of marriage.”
With local elections this year and governor and Legislature races next year, Executive Director Larry Stickney said his work is cut out for him. Gay-rights supporters in the Legislature intend to rewrite the state's Defense of Marriage Act — maybe as soon as next year.
"They seem to have a bit of a swagger," Stickney said, but he and his team will be ready. "We will have a full-time lobbyist on the ground next year. We intend to be on the map."
Larry and Pollyanna Stickney had wanted to go into full-time Christian work for a while. "(We want to) give everything we have to the most important issues of the day." He said the FPIW is "exactly what's been lacking here for years."
But their road leading to the Aug. 1 kickoff was not an easy one. At age 35, Larry Stickney found himself with two failed marriages. "As I was stripped bare in front of my God and confronted my personal sin, I was broken," he said at the kickoff event. "It was then when I finally made my peace with God and gave my life — my whole life — to Jesus Christ.
"From that point on, my life has been characterized by personal and spiritual growth, increased maturity and self-control and a strong sense of purpose."
And he's hitting the ground running in Washington. His team is working to build a state-of-the-art database of values voters. So far, they have 50,000 names.
He's also trying to get out the vote. In the 2006 general election, just 12 percent of values voters showed up at the polls, he said.
"This is why we've lost so much ground here. We see our work cut out for us, as reinvigorating the conservative Christians."
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