Pastor passionate about votes

By Bill Harlan, Journal Staff Writer | Friday, October 13, 2006

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RAPID CITY -- A Rapid City pastor is taking a 40-day leap of faith to mobilize Christian voters on three South Dakota ballot measures - the abortion ban, the repeal of video lottery and a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage and civil unions.

"I'm passionate about a 'yes' vote on all three," Dale Bartscher said Thursday.

Bartscher resigned Oct. 1 as senior pastor at the First Christian Church in Rapid City, where he had served for 21 years. On the next day, he started his 40-day assignment with the Sioux Falls-based South Dakota Family Policy Council. He will work through the Nov. 7 general election.

This week, Bartscher is organizing and promoting the council's "Protecting Life and Marriage" rally that will be Monday at South Canyon Baptist Church. (See the box.)

The main speaker will be conservative commentator and author Alan Keyes, who in 2004 was the Republican candidate for the Senate in Illinois. (He lost to Democrat Barack Obama.) Keyes is an outspoken opponent of abortion and homosexuality.

The other speakers are:

n Rick Scarborough, a former Houston pastor, who is the author of "Enough is Enough" and "Liberalism Kills Kids." Scarborough also founded Vision America, which he created to "mobilize America's clergy."

n Pastor Lawrence White of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Houston, author of "Life with God: A Survey of Biblical Doctrine."

Bartscher said the three men often share stages at rallies and other events. "They're passionate about encouraging the Christian community to be bold in speaking out and speaking up in protection of innocent human life and the sanctity of marriage," Bartscher said.

Bartscher believes three ballot issues in South Dakota could be a "crossroads for the nation."

Referred Law 6 would ban almost all abortions in the state.

Amendment C would ban gay marriages, civil unions and "quasi-marital" relationships.

Initiated Measure 7 would repeal the state video-lottery law.

"We believe the direction we take will influence the rest of the nation," Bartscher said.

The rally Monday in Rapid City - and rallies in Aberdeen on Tuesday and Sioux Falls on Wednesday - will focus on the bans on gay marriage and abortion," Bartscher said. He expects the 800-seat auditorium at South Canyon Baptist to be full Monday night. "There's quite a buzz about it," he said.

Bartscher said colleagues at the First Christian Church fully supported his decision to leave his ministry to work full time on election issues. "I've got such a great amount of support for what I'm doing," he said. He calls the church elders who gave him their blessing "my magnificent seven." The church even allowed him to continue using his office.

Bartscher, 52, is originally from Mitchell. He and his wife, Jan, have two grown daughters. He said his wife supported his career change, though he added, laughing, "I did tell her to keep her day job."

After the election, he hopes to find a new ministry in the Rapid City area. "Our home is not on the market," he said.

For now, he's happy in his 40-day job, which, as of Thursday, was down to 27 days. Bartscher said he didn't have plans beyond the election.

"On Wednesday morning, November 8th, I'll take a deep breath and say, 'OK Lord, what would you have me do?'"

Contact Bill Harlan at 394-8424 or at bill.harlan@rapidcityjournal.com