THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 5, 1995 TAG: 9510040215
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 08 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TRUDY CUTHRELL, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
MARSHALL FOSTER is a crusader, a man with a message for America: ``Remember the mighty acts of God . . . then repent and pray that God might bring about a restoration in our great nation.''
Foster challenged local congregations at Nansemond River and First Baptist churches on Sept. 24 with a riveting look at the hand of God throughout history. ``History is simply His story,'' Foster pointed out. ``And God is still in control.''
Foster orated spellbinding stories about men like John Gunther of Scotland, William Brewster of Eng-land and Governor William Bradford of Plymouth Colony. With historical sketches, Foster outlined how the chain of Christianity was brought to America and how this nation is ``a link on the chain, a vessel for God's use.''
Foster encouraged his listeners, ``Stop being apologetic about your Christian faith and heritage . . . know it well and share it with those around you.''
Foster points back to the Mayflower Compact of 1620 as ``America's first great constitutional document.'' In his best-selling book, ``The American Covenant: The Untold Story,'' Foster documents from original sources America's Christian history showing its relevance to the nation's future.
``The unchanging major lesson of history,'' Foster states, ``is that long term, voluntary obedience to the Bible and its liberating truths is the only strategy that has brought liberty and justice to the world.''
For 28 years, Foster has researched the biblical and historical foundations of liberty. A 1967 graduate of the University of California at Santa Barbara, Foster received a bachelor's degree in economics. After completing graduate and doctrinal studies, he was ordained in 1973.
Foster served as first chaplain of the Los Angeles Rams from 1973-1976, and taught as a Bible college professor at Christian Associates Seminary where he trained leaders to impact America in the fields of law, public policy and pastoral ministry.
In 1976, Foster and his wife, Trish, founded the Mayflower Institute, a nonprofit educational foundation dedicated to teaching the biblical foundations of Constitutional government, the free enterprise system and traditional education. Headquartered in Thousand Oaks, Calif., this institution has become a major force in the movement to restore the nation to its Judeo-Christian heritage.
Foster has spoken to business conventions and religious gatherings throughout the nation. He co-founded the ``World Changers'' Youth Conferences and is a popular speaker for ``Promise Keepers,'' a movement of Christian men which now numbers nearly one million nationwide.
``We were very, very impressed with his message,'' noted the Rev. Tim Piland, pastor of Nansemond River Baptist Church. ``Foster is extremely informed about history and his references are firsthand and factual, not something someone else said.''
Members of the congregation at First Baptist where Foster spoke agreed. The Rev. Charles Thompson called Foster ``God's man for these times.''
``He was at work trying to keep this nation on a righteous course when too many Christians were asleep,'' Thompson continued. ``He believes that God will hold the church accountable for the downfall of this nation unless there is revival and restoration because America has the truth, the hope and the light.''
In the spring, Nansemond River Baptist plans to host a four-day Bible conference featuring Foster as guest speaker. ILLUSTRATION: Marshall Foster, author of ``The American Covenant: The Untold
Story,'' recently spoke at Nansemond River and First Baptist
churches.
by CNB