World Congress Backs Traditional Marriage, 'Natural Family'

The largest meeting of pro-family advocates is underway in Salt Lake City, with more than 3,000 attendees from 60 countries.

The 9th World Congress of Families kicked off on Tuesday at the Grand America Hotel and goes until Friday.

It's an international, interfaith conference designed to support life, traditional marriage and the "natural family," made up of a husband, a wife and children.

Evangelical leader Janice Crouse, executive director of this year's World Congress, told CBN News they're expecting demonstrations from liberal activists after the Southern Poverty Law Center labeled them a hate group for their conservative views.

"We do not hate anybody," Crouse told CBN News. "We do not promote violence. We do not condone violence. And so I think it's important that we convey that message."

"And, I'm praying that God will provide a shell of protection around us in SLC so that those who have spread false images of us will see that we are people who spread God's love," she said.

CBN News has a crew covering the event and will have a longer report next week after the conference concludes.