Why It’s Time to Become a FaithBlazer

March 3, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For decades, many people of faith felt they had to check their beliefs at the door of the schoolhouse or the city hall. We were told that the “separation of church and state” meant the total removal of faith from public life. But the tide has turned.

Thanks to recent landmark victories at the Supreme Court, we now have more religious liberty in America than we have had in half a century. The legal barriers have fallen, but the cultural ones—fear, hesitation, and habit—remain. This is why the Alabama Policy Institute has launched the FaithBlazers initiative.

The FaithBlazers initiative combines our partnership with Christians Engaged: an invitation to pray/vote/engage, the Corrie Coalition: a unified front of policy leaders and community stakeholders (named in honor of the courageous spirit of Corrie ten Boom) designed to provide a rapid-response network for individuals facing religious discrimination or seeking to implement faith-based displays, the Gatekeepers Association: a fellowship for clergy and faith leaders designed to provide biblical clarity on modern policy issues and provide pastoral care to lawmakers. Gatekeepers are also equipped with resources to lead their congregations in civic engagement/stand as watchmen over government, and perhaps most importantly, we are anchoring this movement with a statewide intercessory prayer group called FaithBlazers. We believe that while policy changes the law, prayer changes hearts and minds.

Being a FaithBlazer isn’t about being confrontational; it’s about being courageous. It’s about a student feeling empowered to start a prayer club during lunch. It’s about a city council feeling confident in displaying our national motto, “In God We Trust,” on its walls. It’s about pastors speaking the truth with biblical clarity without fear of government reprisal.

Our rights are like muscles: if we don’t exercise them, they risk atrophy. For too long, we have let our religious liberties sit idle. Through FaithBlazer Challenges, we are giving every citizen a roadmap to bring the history and traditions of faith back to the public square.

We invite every Alabamian who values our God-given rights to join us. It is time to stop apologizing for our faith and start blazing a trail for the next generation. By joining these efforts, you aren’t just a spectator – you are a FaithBlazer shaping the future of our state.

Stephanie Smith, President & CEO of the Alabama Policy Institute stated, “Alabama Policy began as Alabama Family Alliance almost 40 years ago. We’re returning to our roots with the implementation of FaithBlazers. Operating our organizations with an undergirding of our shared values enables us to stand boldly and speak truth when others won’t and gives us the opportunity to empower and encourage faith leaders and lawmakers alike.”