In 1787, delegates from around the country gathered in Philadelphia for over three months to decide how America would be governed. It was during this Constitutional Convention that the United States Constitution was drafted, and on September 17, 1787, it was signed and distributed to states for ratification. During the grueling process, Benjamin Franklin requested that each day of the convention begin with prayer. “The longer I live,” he stated, "the more convincing proofs I see of this truth: that God governs in the affairs of men.” Franklin also contended that “Without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel.”
Years later, John Adams wrote a letter to the Massachusetts Militia putting into words the widely held sentiment among the Founding Fathers that a constitution will not guarantee freedom unless it is supported by moral people. “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
Now, as we look across our great Nation today, we can clearly see that these words were more than a warning, they were prophetic. Corruption has deeply penetrated the institutions we once held dear. Communities are falling apart. Americans are turning their backs on the very principles that America was built upon, and what was once considered immoral, unethical, shameful, and reprehensible is embraced, celebrated, and championed.
How did we get here?
It did not occur overnight. This shift was a slow cancer that quietly took root many decades ago and it has since eroded and decayed the moral foundations of our country. Throughout America’s history, pastors were the key players and champions of preserving religious and civil liberty, but now those who once helped guide the moral compasses of their communities are now quiet for fear they may lose their audiences and, with them, their financial backing.
In 2014, George Barna, founder of the evangelical Christian polling firm The Barna Group, spoke with American Family Radio about a two-years long research project in which pastors across the country were surveyed about the relevancy of the Bible regarding modern day cultural, moral, and political issues. The results of this research were astonishing. When asked about key issues of the day, over 90% of pastors said that the Bible speaks to every single one of these issues. When these same pastors were then asked if they are preaching on these issues to their congregations, and specifically what God’s Word has to say about them, less than 10% of those pastors were willing to preach on those issues. The motivations behind this lack of teaching will not shock anyone - it would negatively impact the success of their churches. “Success” was defined by five factors: attendance, giving, number of programs, number of staff, and square footage (ie: the size of the church building).
Pastors have a responsibility to explain what is occurring in society from a biblical perspective. If they are prioritizing “success” over discipleship, or believe that addressing serious cultural and governance problems somehow opposes God’s word, they are failing their congregations. They are failing to teach the basic moral and Godly principles clearly defined by the Word of God. They are failing to shepherd their flocks, and they are failing to give courage to those who God has called to oppose sin and wickedness and defend faith, freedom, and our unalienable rights granted to us by our Creator. They are failing to create Biblical Citizens.
Today’s church should be at the forefront in the fight for morality, and instead of standing up for what is right and true, we have allowed ourselves to be affected by external circumstances. We have silenced ourselves and have failed to defend what is morally right because we are afraid of condemnation, of being attacked and “canceled”, and we are afraid of disturbing our comfortable lives. America, we have become the Lukewarm Church Christ spoke of in Revelation: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing - and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3:14-17)
While our circumstances seem impossible to overcome, hope is not lost. God has promised us that “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Faith was the force that formed our Nation, and it is what is holding it together still. If we want to correct the corruption that is plaguing our society then we must fight to re-establish God’s moral values in America. It is time for pastors to stand up and shepherd their flocks. To teach their congregations biblical principles and to oppose sin and wickedness. Teach them what it means to be a Biblical Citizen: a citizen of God’s kingdom and of the United States of America. Teach them that how they vote and interact in their community influences both society and governance. Be bold, let go of comforts and take up their cross - defend morals, defend families, defend children, defend freedom.
If you belong to a congregation that speaks to today’s moral and societal issues, thank your pastor. Thank them for defending morals, families, and children. Thank them for defending what is right.
If you find yourself as part of a church where success is measured by offering amounts and square footage, then we encourage you to speak with your pastor and share this article with them. Challenge them to speak boldly on morality in America, to take a firm biblical stance on issues we are facing, and to put their faith into action and join the fight to turn our society, our culture, and our Nation around.
If we don’t bring back moral values, we are lost as a society. Pastors and their churches have various opportunities to become “catalysts for restoring Biblical values” in our Nation. Biblical Citizenship courses, offered by Patriot Academy, teach how Christian principles were the foundation of our Nation’s government, that we are called to be salt & light in a world of darkness and sin, and how to better understand the documents our Nation was founded upon. Liberty Pastors, a network of pastors who work together to engage the culture by preaching the Gospel, host conferences where pastors around the Nation receive pivotal training and the tools needed to address the challenges of our time. Citizens Defending Freedom is proud to partner with Liberty Pastors and Patriot Academy to help usher in a change in the modern-day church and preserve the America we love.
President Ronald Regan once said “Without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure. If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.” Let us heed this dire warning, so that it will remain just that: a warning.
DID YOU KNOW... ?
Citizens Defending Freedom offers FREE Biblical Citizenship Classes through Patriot Academy.
To sign up for one online or an in-person event near you, visit: https://www.patriotacademy.com/coach/find-a-class
To host a class at your church please contact us at communications@ccdfusa.com
Please forward this email to your church leadership and encourage them to host a class!!