From Where Do Our Rights Come?

As we reflect on the opportunities to select leaders in the months to come, we can remember what Jesus had to say in Mark 10 about the posture of a true leader, which is that of a servant. He stated:
(42)..."You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.
43 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.
44 And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

We live in an incredible country, and even though there have been some difficult times as of late, we can cherish the principles upon which our nation was built.

On the morning of July 4th, My wife, Beth and I, had an extraordinary experience. We were in Boston, which is so incredibly steeped in history. We gathered with thousands on the City Hall plaza for a ceremony featuring current members of the U.S. Military, as well as some individuals who were clothed in uniforms for the era of our founding.  After the opening ceremony, the annual city parade wove through the streets of the historic city, to the famous Granary Burial Ground, where wreaths were laid on certain graves.  

Finally, the parade concluded at the Old State House, where the Declaration of Independence was read from its balcony. The site of the state house was also where the Boston Massacre had occurred hundreds of years ago, where five individuals lost their lives standing for the cause of freedom.

I thought as I stood on the streets of Boston - how many people in this crowd have ever heard this reading or have read the Declaration for themselves?  Can they appreciate the sacrifices of our forefathers, who believed in a cause greater than themselves, inspired by Almighty God, courageously defying the actions of a tyrannical King.  When we think about the significance of those words and the dedication of its authors and signers, I think we can gain a greater appreciation of the wonderful gift our God has given to us in this country.

Jerry Newcombe of Providence Forum and Coral Ridge Ministries, wrote this recently in a column for Newsmax:

On July 4, 1776, Congress voted to accept by voice vote the final wording of the now-modified Declaration of Independence.

John Adams said about our national birth certificate, "I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty.

"It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."

"Illuminations" is another way of saying fireworks.

What makes the Declaration so revolutionary?

Above all, it says that our rights come from God.

In his article, Jerry Newcombe quoted from noted British theologian G.K. Chesterton, who wrote: "It enunciates that all men are equal in their claim to justice, that governments exist to give them that justice, and that their authority is for that reason just," adding, "It certainly does condemn anarchism, and it does also by inference condemn atheism, since it clearly names the Creator as the ultimate authority from whom these equal rights are derived."

Newcombe writes, "In that sense, America is and always will be one nation under God."

On the day before the Fourth of July, I had shared from a 2022 article from The Washington Stand, in which Kenyn Cureton wrote this:

Indeed, there is one key phrase from the Declaration that Lincoln referenced as the basis for his crusade to liberate people from slavery: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” According to the text of the Declaration, these enumerated liberties are not granted by government but are the gift of Almighty God. In fact, the Founders referenced God four times in the document as the Creator who 1) governs the universe according to law; 2) creates all human beings equal with inherent and self-evident rights; 3) functions as the Supreme Judge of the world; and 4) rules over His creation and creatures with a benevolent Providence.

Our devotion to God and the acknowledgement of His hand can be a source of strength for us when we encounter authoritarian leaders who want to strip those God-given rights. As the Declaration of Independence itself says, "The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world."

Within the next few months, we will go to the polls and select leaders.  We can be prayerful, we can be informed, as we make our selection.  We can examine those who aspire to lead us by applying Biblical tests: are they committed to life and liberty?  As best as you can tell, do they believe that rights come from God and not from government?  Does their experience show a respect for God and His principles?  We must guard against allowing tyrants to rule us and impede our freedoms: we must select those who will serve us and demonstrate their leadership by exhibiting the heart of a servant, just as our Savior did. 

After the Bullets

In our land today, a chill has set in, the aftermath of an assassination attempt on a former President of the United States, played out live on national television. There have been numerous platitudes spoken about the need for unity in our nation, and the Church has an opportunity to demonstrate love, grace, and hope in the midst of chaos and turmoil. Romans 12 exhorts us:
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.
20 Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head."
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Another instance of political violence has occurred in America. 

One could say that the man who was taken out by Secret Service after firing shots at the rally for Donald Trump on Saturday in an assassination attempt that wounded the former President and several others and took the life of a rally attendee was involved in an isolated act of violence.

But, I think you could rightly describe his act as the product of a more coarse, more violent culture.  Think about the hundreds of churches and pregnancy resource centers that have been attacked since the leak of a draft opinion in the Dobbs case; the Family Research Council, itself a victim of attempted terrorism, put that report together.  

Common threads in this disturbing trend include the evil within a human heart and the lengths to which some will go to establish their point of view, to the extent of silence others.  In an age of parents at school board meetings and pro-lifers, and faith groups being characterized as domestic terrorists, the real terror is seemingly coming from another source.  The Church is called to love our enemies, not take them out.  We have to make sure that our response as the Church is demonstrative of conviction with compassion, not being part of the problem, but presenting solutions Biblically.

Christian leaders shared their perspective in the aftermath of this tragedy. On X, formerly Twitter, Greg Laurie wrote:

America stands at a pivotal crossroads, and now more than ever, we need God, we need the Bible, and we need the redemptive power of Jesus Christ.

Jeff Schreve, responding to a Tweet by Richard Blackaby, wrote on X: "I am grateful that God spared Trump’s life yesterday, but deliverance for America is only found in our repentance toward God and surrender to Jesus Christ."  Blackaby had written: "Let's pray fervently that God would send revival sweeping across America and drive out the hate, pride, greed, and unforgiveness from people's hearts."

The Dr. James Dobson Family Institute issued a statement, which said:

Now is the time for Americans to come together and pray for our country's leadership. While we continue to engage in passionate debates and discussions about the issues and candidates in the upcoming election, we must do so in a manner that never forgets we are fellow citizens blessed to steward this amazing land of liberty. Let us pause today to remember the values that unite us as one people under God.

I certainly think it is incumbent on us to pray for Donald Trump.  And, Joe Biden as well, and Vice President Kamala Harris and newly announced Vice Presidential nominee, J.D. Vance.  Pray for the state of their souls, that they would be directed by Almighty God. As pastor Tom Buck from Lindale, TX tweeted out: 

After the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan, he said he realized God saved his life and wrote in his diary on March 31, 1981:

"Whatever happens now I owe my life to God and will try to serve him in every way I can." 

Pray that God will lead Donald Trump to this same place.

Even though Trump has benefited from evangelical Christian support and has made faith statements, one could say he or she does not really know the status of his relationship with Christ. According to Newsmax, he posted on Sunday morning:

"Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers yesterday, as it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening," Trump posted on Truth Social. "We will FEAR NOT, but instead remain resilient in our Faith and Defiant in the face of Wickedness. Our love goes out to the other victims and their families. We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.

"In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win. I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin. [prayer emoji] DJT"

Jack Hibbs responded to that post in his Sunday sermon, which was preached at his church, Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in California, as he declared on Facebook his message to be a "solemn assembly" and donned a robe in the style of Colonial preachers. He preached without notes and here's part of what he said...https://www.facebook.com/RealJackHibbs/videos/3793851804207276.

It has been pointed out that just a very small variance of the trajectory of the bullet meant the difference between life or death for President Trump.  I would certainly hope that this is a spiritual wake-up call for him.   But, what about our own souls?  We might be essentially a millimeter or centimeter, perhaps a second or a minute from some occurrence that could end our lives.  Our paths each day are fraught with danger - physical, certainly, but what about spiritually?  Are we using the resources that God gives us - His Word, His presence, His wisdom, in order to navigate the challenges of this world - or are we reliant upon ourselves to our peril?  We are not guaranteed tomorrow, so we should be living today with urgency and purpose in Christ.

We can also remember the acts of heroism that occurred in the light of the dreadful events in Butler, PA on Saturday.  None more breathtaking than those of Corey Comperatore.  He is the man who lost his life, and his daughter, Allyson, wrote these words about him, in a Facebook post that was circulated to thousands:

* He was the best dad a girl could ever ask for. 

* He was a man of God, loved Jesus fiercely, and also looked after our church and our members as family. 

* He loved his family. He truly loved us enough to take a real bullet for us. 

We can also be reminded to allow our trials to teach us. 

President Biden gave a short address from the Oval Office last night; The Christian Post related:

Biden cited the purpose of his remarks as to discuss “the need for us to lower the temperature in our politics.” He encouraged the American people to remember that “while we may disagree, we are not enemies, we’re neighbors, we’re friends, coworkers, citizens and most importantly, we are fellow Americans.”

This announcement was made in an interview with Salena Zito of The Washington Examiner, who wrote this:

Trump said people all across the country from different walks of life and different political views have called him, and he noted that he was saved from death because he turned from the crowd to look at a screen showing data he was using in his speech.

“That reality is just setting in,” he said. “I rarely look away from the crowd. Had I not done that in that moment, well, we would not be talking today, would we?”

Talking as he boarded his plane in Bedminster, New Jersey, for Milwaukee, where the Republican National Convention starts Monday and lasts through Thursday, Trump said his speech will meet the moment that history demands. “It is a chance to bring the country together. I was given that chance.”

This is a historical moment for our nation - and for the Church. We have the opportunity to lead and to communicate a message of hope in Jesus Christ.  We should never back down in our convictions based on Biblical truth, but we must always make sure that we are excellent ambassadors for our Savior.

Focused

The apostle Paul writes in 1st Corinthians 9 about striving for excellence, so that we may grow spiritually and that God might be glorified in our lives. He states:
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.
27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

After winning the U.S. Open last month, professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau, said this, according to the Instagram feed for Christhlete: “There’s more to life than golf. It’s been definitely eye-opening for me to have a close relationship with the Lord and just more importantly being happy with myself, too, and more importantly getting closer to Him..."

That was included in a Movieguide article, which also referred to previous coverage on the website, which noted:

In 2022, DeChambeau took a hiatus from the game of golf to get himself healthy from a lingering wrist injury which later required surgery.

During that time, DeChambeau was able to focus on himself and his relationship with the Lord.

“I’ve learned so much about me as a person and my faith and whatnot through golf having been stripped away from me,” DeChambeau told USA Today. “It’s been a difficult time for me the past seven months not being able to play golf the way I really want to. It still is a little tough every once in a while in the hand to hit golf balls, but for the most part I can’t tell you how excited I am to be back out here.”

That previous Movieguide article explored some of the golfer's faith journey.  It referenced a 2016 piece he wrote for a publication called, Links Players, stating:

“What it talked about all the way through was how to play sports like Jesus would play sports,” DeChambeau said of “Handbook on Athletic Perfection.” “It captured the dynamic between being ultra-competitive and being as gracious and kind as possible, and it resonated with me.”

He continued: “When I got to the tournament, I said to myself, ‘OK, I’m going to give my life to Christ and try to act like him in every single situation and do my best for him in every single situation, whatever comes about. If it’s a bad situation, I’ll look at it as an opportunity for me to show my patience, my resilience, my grace. Or if I do something great, I’m still going to be patient and graceful and kind and respectful to others.'”

As a result, he saw what he calls, "three amazing miracles," take place, according to the Movieguide piece: 

1) "DeChambeau was able to eat breakfast the morning of a tournament, something he is usually never able to do." 

Also, 2), he "experienced a sense of overwhelming peace." 

And, 3), he experienced greater self-control. He said, "I had never been good with my emotions on the course, and this came out in the way I talked. I would get angry and cuss. But now my emotions were held in check,” adding, “They were the correct emotions, the emotions that Christ would employ. Sure, I hit bad shots, but now I was gracious and kind and never said anything. I stopped cussing.”

This is a tremendous example of an athlete who has applied His faith in Christ to his craft at a very high level and has seen the results.  Paul referred to our focus and diligence in the Christian life, likening it to a what an athlete needs to do in order to excel.  We must be willing to do what is necessary in order to manifest the will of God in our lives. 

We can also recognize that just as Bryson DeChambeau is devoted to growing in His Christian life, he is using that growth as a catalyst to become a better golfer. I submit that we can be better in our profession as we apply God's principles, depending on His wisdom and the strength that He provides, so that Christ might be expressed in and through us.

Europe Ablaze With Revival

In a fallen world, where brokenness abounds and the needs are great, we know a Savior who has come to heal our broken hearts, to heal the relationship with Almighty God broken by sin, and to bring us salvation. In Luke 5, we read this setup to the narrative of an instance in which a man was lowered by friends into a house where Jesus was ministering, a man whom Jesus healed - the Scriptures say:
15 However, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.
16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.
17 Now it happened on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come out of every town of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was present to heal them.

Just a few weeks ago, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association presented its second stop in two weeks in its God Loves You Tour UK.  According to a press release from the Association on June 22nd: "Franklin Graham preached in Glasgow...where a crowd of 7,560 people filled the OVO Hydro for the God Loves You Tour UK."

The press release stated:

More than 320 churches throughout the region partnered with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and over 115 buses brought people from communities throughout Glasgow and beyond.

This came just a week after the tour visited Birmingham on June 15, where 8,300 people attended.  The Association noted on June 22:

Franklin Graham was originally scheduled to preach in the UK in 2020, but the events were canceled by the venues when the tour faced opposition. BGEA brought legal challenges to those cancelations based on religious discrimination, with the goal of preserving the opportunity for all Christians to preach the Gospel in the public square. As of this week, all of the legal disputes with the originally-scheduled tour venues have been resolved in ways BGEA considers favorable.

That same day, Franklin Graham declared that the ministry would begin the new Billy Graham Defense Fund. He said, “We took a stand for the Gospel and for freedom of religion in the UK. Now we’re going to use these funds that came from this battle against cancel culture to help other Christians who may be threatened into silence..."

He added, “There are so many problems in our society and people are looking for hope. We know that true hope can only be found in Jesus Christ, so we need to support one another in getting the Good News of Jesus Christ out, whatever it takes. It is my prayer that this will encourage Christians across the UK to keep living out and sharing their faith freely and boldly.”

The gospel of Jesus Christ brings hope - and the proclamation of the gospel brings the power of God.  That is being seen in other European locations, as well. As the CBN website related back on June 3: "... more than a thousand people made decisions to follow Jesus Christ – this time in Hungary and Italy."

These events featured evangelist Jean-Luc Trachsel, who noted that "the power of the Lord" was evident. On social media, he wrote: "Fire of revival is spreading everywhere in Europe to hungry and thirsty people," adding, "Stop to watch and dare why it's not coming to your place. Go to your knees and cry out to The Lord of the harvest to save your region." That article also stated:

As CBN News reported, Trachsel delivered a message in Paris, France for the "March For Jesus in France" a little less than two weeks ago where 25,000 people praised Jesus in front of the Eiffel Tower and heard an encouraging word from God.

It also stated:

Trachsel shared that a "fire of revival" also occurred at the "This Is the Day!" worship event at DVTK Stadium in Miskolc, Hungary. That stadium can hold more than 15,000 people, and it was filled with souls hungry for God. Trachsel reports 1,300 people gave their lives to Christ...

Chris Tomlin was one of the worship leaders for the event in Hungary.

It's very easy to be consumed with negative reports out of Christianity.  With very real reports of moral failures and religious freedom challenges, we can, of course, recognize that the enemy wants to mute the message of the Church.  But...we also know that God is filling a spiritual hunger that is evident from college campuses in America to large-scale revival meetings in Europe. We live in a world in crisis, but we know that where people are in trouble, Jesus has come to rescue and save. 

When we hear or see reports of God moving in a miraculous way, we can think about the words of Luke 5:17, that "the power of the Lord was present to heal them."  If we want to see the power of God move in and around us, we have to put ourselves in a position to see such a move - we have to be humble, to be hungry, and to honor the presence of the Lord. We cannot be flippant or cavalier in our attitude toward the Lord or the things of God, but we should allow Him to ignite a fire in our hearts.  Yieldedness - the willingness to surrender to God - is a catalyst for revival. 

Welcoming the Stranger

God has been so merciful to us - He sent His Son who gave His life as a gift of love, so that we might be saved. And, our willingness to humble ourselves before Jesus and to obey Him can speak powerfully to the people with whom we come in contact. Colossians chapter 3 states:
12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.

Anthony was a homeless man who went to church one Sunday a few months ago, but his behavior while he was there was, well, out of the ordinary.  It occurred at Community Bible Church in San Antonio, where Ed Newton is the pastor. 

As CBN.com related the story:

...Anthony yelled expletives toward the pulpit during an April church service, leaving Newton and parishioners in a bit of shock.

Anthony wasn’t angry, though. He had reportedly noticed the pastor’s shoes and yelled out a curse — an inappropriate reaction inside a church — to express how “cool” he thought they were. The scenario put Newton in a strange position as a pastor on stage, mid-sermon, in front of a massive audience.

Newton said, “We were actually preaching through our core values, and the core value of that weekend was ‘celebrate life change,'” adding, “We [had] … just baptized like over 200 people, and so we celebrate.”  The article went on to say: "After Anthony interrupted, the pastor went back to talking about the story of the parable of the lost sheep found in Matthew 18 and Luke 15, and how the Pharisees were critical of Jesus."

And, Anthony, well, interrupted again - and cursed again.  Pastor Newton reminded Anthony that "little ears" were present and reminded Anthony that he was loved.

Then, as the article noted: "Anthony spoke aloud again and revealed that another man in the audience named Michael had brought him to church that day — and had saved his life."  Turns out that Anthony was planning to take his own life that very morning.  The CBN story stated:

The viral video shows the preacher, who was deeply moved at the pulpit, inviting Anthony and Michael up to the stage, where he embraced Anthony and learned more about his story and how Michael came to encounter him.

It turns out Michael had come to an earlier service, heard Newton’s message about transformation, and promptly went out to feed the homeless.

“He came to the 8 [o’clock service], heard the message and … bought … somewhat of a breakfast meal to give to a homeless person,” Newton said. “And when he went to go give it to her, she wasn’t there. And then, he saw Anthony.”

After the two chatted, Anthony essentially “invite[d] himself to go to church with Michael.” So, the faithful parishioner headed back to church with Anthony to hear the message. Newton said he was truly struck by Michael’s decision to live out the sermon message so selflessly.

The pastor stated, “Michael was the sermon...He lived it out.”

After this conversation, people began to bring money to the stage - $5000 were raised for Anthony.  And...35 decisions for Christ were made.  The article related that the church had helped in numerous ways, including medical care for Anthony.

Pastor Ed Newton's sermon was interrupted that Sunday morning, but it was a divine interruption, and an alternative sermon resulted.  The pastor didn't call for security, he didn't ignore the cries for help veiled by cursing.  The pastor responded in love, and the Holy Spirit took over.  And, this man's life was saved.  Our willingness to demonstrate the love of Christ, I believe, activates the power of the Holy Spirit, and we can find ourselves being used of God as we surrender to His promptings. 

And, don't forget about Michael - he responded to the pastor's sermon and went out to feed the homeless. He, as Pastor Newton noted, "was the sermon."  We can walk in a state of yieldedness to God, being willing to be used of Him.  Our selfless expressions can speak powerfully into the lives of the people we encounter.  Rather than reject people for their outward appearance, we can accept them in the name of the Lord and be willing to reach out with the love of Jesus.

Deprioritization

The Bible speaks powerfully to the concept of the institution of marriage, a male-female relationship that reflects Jesus and His Church, His bride; Ephesians chapter 5 states:
28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.
29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.
30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.
31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."
32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

In certain areas of the United Kingdom, there are over 100,000 of them that seem to be missing, according to statistical data - relevant, important building blocks for a functioning society - gone, due to COVID, or, better said, the reaction to the COVID pandemic.

The UK's Marriage Foundation reports on its website that the Office for National Statistics recently released marriage figures for the years 2021 and 2022 in England and Wales in the U.K. The article states:

The figures show a significant rebound from the 61% fall in 2020. Britain’s lockdown policies led the biggest drop in weddings in Europe. By comparison, our neighbouring countries in Western Europe saw a drop of just one quarter.

It goes on to say:

Although ONS report that marriage rates have rebounded to pre-pandemic levels in 2022, there remains a significant shortfall over the combined three-year period 2020-2022 compared to 2019.

In total, we are still missing some 115,000 weddings, which equates to more than half an entire year’s worth of cancelled marriages.

Of course, the central question is this, as the article poses: "What has happened to these couples?" Whatever the reason, the piece noted at the time:

Perhaps it’s not surprising that half a year’s worth of couples have given up. The public messaging from our political class is that marriage doesn’t matter really – although most think its important for their own private lives. Its now a decade since any cabinet minister mentioned marriage in a major speech.

The Daily Citizen published a piece a few months ago featuring comments from noted researcher Brad Wilcox; it stated:

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Citizen, Dr. Wilcox shared from his experience interacting with young people at the University of Virginia. “I’m a lot more worried today about young adult’s marriage prospects,” he said, “because what we’re seeing across the developed world is that marriage rates and fertility rates are falling.”

“I talk about the closing of the American heart,” he added, “because young people are having more difficult dating, marrying, and finding someone who’s worthy of marriage.”

The article goes on to say:

As Dr. Wilcox noted, our society has witnessed a dramatic decline in marriage rates. According to the Pew Research Center, 25% of 40-year-olds in the United States today have never been married. This is compared to 20% in 2010 and just 6% in 1980.

Why is this?  Wilcox offers some possible explanations:

“In part, it’s because our culture has turned in a more individualistic direction,” Dr. Wilcox said. “Young adults also often prioritize education and work over love and marriage.”

“Additionally, there’s a lot of young adults who are struggling,” he added. “They’re not stably employed and there may be drug issues in play. They’re not particularly appealing or attractive as candidates for marriage.”

I believe that what we are seeing is a deprioritization of marriage - that leads to a culturally-pervasive decline in stability.  Without marriage and families, an individualistic spirit grows, and with individualism, selfishness can grow.  Without the moorings of strong families - and I would add, strong families who draw strength from the Lord - lives go adrift.  We need to be anchored in the principles of Scripture and the practices of our faith. 

The sanctity of marriage and the priority of strong families should be championed by influential people across our society - that extends to our governmental leaders, those who have a platform on social media, and throughout the Church. The Church has a real opportunity to impact culture by addressing one of its key building blocks - marriage. 

But distraction and distortion seem to get in the way.  People put career advancement ahead of entering into marriage; the whole definition of marriage is changing, unfortunately; and, people have perhaps observed that it didn't work for their parents, other family members, or friends around them.  We need to reclaim marriage for the incredible union that it is - two people, a man and a woman, who love one another and desire to put the needs of the other person first, entering into a mutually beneficial, one-flesh relationship.  That is worth prioritizing!

The Church Has Left the Building

For quite some time, there are lawmakers and judges who have restricted the freedom of religious expression for which brave Americans have laid down their lives. But, our culture is in such a sad state right now that we need the presence and principles of Almighty God. Proverbs 29 states:
2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.
3 Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice, But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.
4 The king establishes the land by justice, But he who receives bribes overthrows it.

OK, public officials decided that a church in Dillon, Colorado that had been holding Sunday services at a local amphitheater could no longer use the facility.  You know, separation of church and state.  So, by denying this usage, the church's First Amendment rights have been violated.  Why create a crisis when there may not have been one in the first place?

CBS News reported on its website:

For years, the Dillon Community Church held Sunday services at the Dillon Amphitheater, but the legality of the practice is being questioned.

The town's now-former attorney Kathleen Kelly advised Dillon Town Council to change its policy regarding the church to avoid violating freedom of religion protections. The council initially ignored this advice but has since reversed course, now halting the church services and looking into a new policy for amphitheater use among nonprofits.

Of course, you don't have to look very far to see the Freedom from Religion Foundation attempting to pull some strings. The article notes:

The Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter to the town, highlighting its vulnerability to lawsuits if the church truly is being given special treatment compared to other nonprofits. The FFRF argues that other nonprofit groups should have the chance to rent the amphitheater and that the church should pay the same rental rate, if there is a cost at all.

Summit Daily reported:

Back in April, Kelly and Dillon events and recreation director Jessie Klehfoth brought this to the Town Council’s attention, suggesting that the town formalize a policy for religious, political and other outside groups looking to rent the amphitheater. Klehfoth at the time said the amphitheater has grown to be “widely popular” and that many different religious, political and private groups have asked to use the space.

The council rejected a "draft proposal" that would have limited use of the facility to events that are sponsored by the town. After initially voting to continue to allow the church to use the amphitheater, it reversed course and decided that while this new policy was being drafted, there would be no further rentals.  

Citizens gathered in a council meeting to voice their opinion; the article notes that, "At least one public speaker noted that another legal group, the First Liberty Institute, had sent a letter to the Town Council, opining that the decision to allow the church to use the amphitheater doesn’t violate the First Amendment."

This is yet another example, apparently, of a church being singled out for engaging in religious activity. Under the guise of "separation of church and state," which is not a phrase that appears in the U.S. Constitution, as it's been repeatedly pointed out, religious speech and activities have been curtailed simply because the nature of the expression is religious. We see it here, we've seen it in graduation speeches, and saw it in the case of a football coach who demonstrated his love for God by praying at midfield after games. 

In an excellent commentary on The Meeting House recently, Nicole Hunt of Focus on the Family and The Daily Citizen, shared how the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in favor of Coach Kennedy's religious speech has completed a shift in jurisprudence regarding what is an unconstitutional expression of religion and what is not - the shift came in the Kennedy case to allow for "historical practices and understandings." This has, as she related, opened the door for Louisiana and potentially other states to require the Ten Commandments, which is a basis for American law, to be posted in public school classrooms. 

For the believer in Christ, we should not shy away from expressing ourselves.  If we believe that our governmental officials are wrongly clamping down on religious speech and activities, we can make our appeal to our civic leaders, and if they will not listen, then contact a Christian legal organization that makes free speech a priority.   

We need a Biblical, moral voice in our culture now like never before - when dealing with a host of issues from crime in our streets to immoral materials in libraries to preserving the sanctity of life and marriage, we can be actively pursuing the promotion of Biblical morality - collectively, in our society, we need it.