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Year End 2025 – The FAMiLY Leader

By January 8, 2026January 13th, 2026No Comments

2025 Year in Review: A Year of Impact at The FAMiLY Leader

In 2025, The FAMiLY Leader continued its mission to empower the Church at the intersection of faith, family, and government—inspiring biblical engagement, impacting elections, influencing policy, and igniting partnerships to transform the heart of America.

Here are a few highlights of the year:

1

The 2025 FAMiLY Leadership Summit was held in July in Des Moines.

This premier Midwest event drew pastors and church leaders from across Iowa and beyond, featuring powerful messages from national influencers including:
  • Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Arkansas)
  • Governor Kim Reynolds (Iowa)
  • Dr. Tony Evans
  • Steve Deace
  • And our own President & CEO, Bob Vander Plaats
Attendees experienced inspiring teaching, networking with like-minded Christians, and a renewed commitment to cultural transformation through God’s design for family, church, and government. The Summit’s vibrant atmosphere and record participation underscored the growing network of churches equipped to lead with conviction.
2

On the policy front,

Iowa advanced key pro-family victories in which The FAMiLY Leader played a supportive role, including the passage of the Sex and Gender Clarity Act—making Iowa the first state to remove gender identity from its civil rights code—and the strengthened fetal heartbeat bill, passed with an even wider margin. Additional wins included the signing of the Prenatal Human Development Education Bill (the “Baby Olivia” bill), affirming life and family values.
3

Other milestones included

the Family Champions Dinner honoring Iowa legislators who championed family values, and the launch of a new partnership with Communio to restore marriage and shift culture.

Through these efforts—and ongoing work equipping churches, encouraging godly leadership, and advocating for righteousness—2025 marked another year of faithful progress. As we move into 2026, we remain committed to going All In to Win, trusting God to continue using His Church to shape Iowa and the nation.

Thank God for His faithfulness, and for the partnership of so many who stood with us in 2025! Together, we press on.

Inspire the Church.
Impact elections.
Influence policy.
Ignite partnership.

—The FAMiLY Leader Team

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