By AlaskaWatchman.com

Three Republican members of the Alaska House of Representatives are set to participate in a multi-day training session to ensure they are equipped to effectively engage the culture from a Judeo-Christian perspective.

Representatives Jamie Allard (Eagle River), Frank Tomaszewski (Fairbanks), and Stanley Wright (Anchorage) will take part in the 2024 Statesmen Academy, which provides recently-elected pro-family legislators with the training, mentorship, support and coordination necessary for effective, Christ-centered public service.

All three Alaska legislators who are attending the upcoming training began serving in the State House in 2023, and they are facing Democratic challengers in this year’s election.

The program, which will be held July 22-26 in Washington D.C., begins with a rigorous training program and continues with a vibrant alumni community and ongoing partnership with Family Policy Alliance. The training program will focus on the Christian worldview and America’s founding principles. It will also include words of wisdom from experienced statesmen and public relations professionals, and in-depth knowledge of hot-button policy issues.

Participants in the annual Statesmen Academy are selected based on recommendation from local groups in their respective states. Alaska Family Council has been partnering with Family Policy Alliance since its founding, and worked to identify and recruit public officials to attend the 2024 Statesmen Academy.

“Christian legislators can feel alone in today’s hostile political environment, and in the face of a combative media,” the Statesmen Academy website notes. “Politicians who hold traditional Judeo-Christian moral values — especially those who aspire to higher positions — encounter tremendous pressure to compromise and shed their principles. As a result, many do — and many more tire from the pressure and leave public office.”

Current Alaska Rep. Sarah Vance (R-Homer) is a recent graduate of the Statesman Academy.

“The Statesman Academy equipped me with model legislation that supports family values, equipped me with the practical tools to help me engage with the media on issues of life and more importantly encouraged me in my faith as a lawmaker,” she noted. “We heard from national leaders tackling the lie of transgender surgeries, lawmakers who won on school choice and organizations training young people on Biblical values. It was so impressive and memorable. I feel like it has given me tools as a chairman in Judiciary and the ability to help other lawmakers.”

Established in 2016, the Statesmen Academy aims to empower Christian lawmakers to thrive amidst this adversity by connecting them with like-minded legislators from across the nation. The focus is on legislators who are early in their public careers.

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Incumbent Alaska legislators to be trained on how to let faith inform politics

Joel Davidson
Joel is Editor-in-Chief of the Alaska Watchman. Joel is an award winning journalist and has been reporting for over 24 years, He is a proud father of 8 children, and lives in Palmer, Alaska.


12 Comments

  • Paul Hart says:

    They have to be “trained”? I suspect they will be indoctrinated.

    • M says:

      I really hope the taxpayers are not paying for this training. Its called honesty… just be honest, transparent. Follow the constitution. Do you need biblical training for that?

  • DaveMaxwell says:

    The joke and fraudulent activity in regards to this “ Christian world view training “is seen if you are willing to lift up the snake known as the contemporary church today and look at the underbelly. The “ church “has failed at teaching a Christian world view for at least a generation now. What were left with is nipple sucking dis functional religious people needing therapy! George Barna confirms this in his studies on the subject! We are in desperate need of a revival and I do not mean one that creates more infants. Christians today are useless and are a pathetic conscience for a society that is flailing away with no way of returning to what some might declare as “normal “! Christian leadership is directly to blame! Own up to it if your man enough, which I doubt! Your leading us into utter destruction!

  • jon says:

    The United States allows practice of any religion or no religion at all. Trying to make us a Judeo-Christian nation is hogwash.

  • Petra Clark-Durkee says:

    I am excited for them to be able to attend. It will help them to remain strong in their Christian values as we are continually battling evil in our politics.

  • Tami says:

    M: Yes! The founders of this country were statesmen versed and founded on Biblical truth. Dave: I agree with you; the “church” has embraced the world and its comforts and liberal philosophy. Paul warned the Colossian church about this saying, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philiosphy and empty deceit, according to the traditions of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.” (Colossians 3:8 NKJ) We as Christians have been warned and commanded to “not be conformed to this world”, and are encouraged “not to use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” (Galations 5:13 NKJ) This is not to say that there are not Churches and believers that are true to the Gospel and the Word and keep it, there are. And God is doing mighty works through them. I think the American “Church” has a refining and purification coming and will be accountable for their apathy, willful ignorance, deception and disobedience.
    I am thankful that this training is available, that our reps. are willing to attend and gain knowlege and skill to combat and survive the swamp. TGBTG!!
    :

  • Tami says:

    The difference we are needing to amend, is creating disciples vs converts. We have a screen slide at our church that reads, “We will not fix the world by going to church, we will fix the world by being The Church.”

    • Friend of Humanity says:

      Excellent saying, ““We will not fix the world by going to church, we will fix the world by being The Church.”” Thank you for sharing this Tami!

  • Tami says:

    (Sorry, my computer ate my previous comment.) M: Yes! The founders were well versed in the Bible and knew very well that the constitution would only work for a moral society. Without God, there is no basis for absolute truth, no clear definitions for right and wrong and no standards for a moral society.
    Dave: As a Bible believing born again Christian, I agree with what you are saying. In general, the church in America has fallen into complacency and apostasy that mirrors the churches in Revelation. We have not stood our ground against a culture that continually tries to eliminate God, have not applied God’s Word to our daily living, and have invited secular world view into our churches. We have been commanded to “not be conformed to this world” but we accept and encourage it by our acquiescence. Paul warned the Colossian church not to be lead astray by secret and vain philosophies and the wisdom of men, but to hold fast to the truth of the word of God. I think the American church is poised for a purging and purification, and will account for her faithlessness and disobedience. This is not to say that all individual churches have caved, but way too many have: Female pastors, redefining marriage and the family, sanctity of life issues, sexuality and sexual sin, discounting and excusing scripture: not honoring it as the expressed divine revelation of God: The Word, and even refusing to call sin out for what it is. These are things expected of the world, but they are in our churches.
    The church, as I see it, should be a bible school, training and equipping the saints, and a hospital for the broken and needy. (Which includes us all) We have let government and secular agencies step in and take over the functions that should be the church in action.
    I am glad that this training exists and that these reps. are willing to take the time to become equipped to work and survive in the swamp. DC is known for eating Christians alive with its contingencies and compromises. Better they prepare now that cave later.

  • Mark and Jeff says:

    “Eliminate god”. That’s weird. How could any mere muggle do that? Plus how do you eliminate something that doesn’t exist? Also, I am neither broken nor needy.