Finding faith at Freedom Fest

SANDPOINT — The first Inland Northwest Freedom Festival was a success Saturday with about 450 guests inspired and entertained by speakers from around the country.

"The event went phenomenal — we are already getting people asking about next year," said event organizer Lee Lancaster.

With a theme of "Revitalizing America's Patriotic Christian Heritage," the purpose of the event was to bring the Christian community together and promote the values of freedom and liberty on which the nation was founded.

The event was envisioned by Steve Bradshaw, pastor of the Cocolalla Cowboy Church, nearly 20 years ago, so this year he got together with several others to organize the festival at the Bonner County Fairgrounds.

Bradshaw himself spoke at the festival with the topic of "The days in which we live." He discussed the Bible, truth and lies, and the fact that people make the choice of what to believe and what not to believe, therefore some make the choice to believe lies.

During an earlier interview with the Daily Bee, Bradshaw said it is a time when "so much" of the information being taught about the United States Constitution is inaccurate, leading people to believe Christianity was not involved in the writing of the document. And during his speech Saturday, he received a thundering applause from the crowd when he said pastors have lost the courage to tell the truth.

"It's time for God's people to become the church, not go to church, not be at church, but be the church," he said. "The pastors that showed up for this tells me a lot about that pastor. There's pastors in this community that would not be here because they don't want politics to be connected to their bullpen."

Nine others spoke throughout the day on topics of freedom, liberty, the Constitution and Christianity, including Michael Farris, co-founder of the Convention of States project, which is growing support around the country. Farris told the Daily Bee he wants to give people hope that there is a way to limit the power of the federal government.

Some of the other highlight speakers were Rick Green of Wallbuilders, an organization "dedicated to presenting America's forgotten history and heroes, with an emphasis on the moral, religious and constitutional foundation on which America was built," and Pastor Paul Van Noy from Candlelight Christian Fellowship in Coeur d'Alene. Lancaster said Van Noy did a "great job" and guests were thankful for the message as he spoke directly to pastors and church leaders.

The festival began at 8 a.m. and went throughout the day and late into the evening as the band "Red Roots" performed. Lancaster after the triplets' performance there was an altar call and several people accepted Jesus Christ as their savior.

"That was the highlight of the day," Lancaster said. "Every single minute we put into it, every sore muscle, every dollar spent was worth it — it was incredible."

The overall success of the event has organizers looking toward another festival next year.

"People who didn't show up really missed out on some great speakers," Bradshaw said.