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Allen Jackson Ministries

Allen Jackson - Shaping Culture

January 12, 2026 | 28:35

Allen Jackson - Shaping Culture
Pastor Allen Jackson's mission is to help people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
#WordofGod #Gospel #Ministry #Loss #Culture #Authority #Politics #Prayer #Church #AllenJackson #RobMcCoy

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Allen Jackson Ministries | Allen Jackson - Shaping Culture | January 12, 2026
  • ...
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  • Allen jackson: you know, around the world people are searching
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  • For truth and together we're doing our very best to help them
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  • Find it.
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  • When you become a ministry partner with allen jackson
  • 00:00:07.957 --> 00:00:09.893
  • Ministries, you're joining a growing community of believers
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  • Who are committed to strengthening the church and
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  • Sharing god's word through every available channel, television,
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  • Radio, podcast, books, bible studies,
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  • Digital resources, conferences.
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  • Your monthly partnership helps us equip believers to reach new
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  • Audiences and to take the hope of jesus to people who may never
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  • Have heard the gospel otherwise.
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  • Together, we can stand firm in our faith and make god's truth
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  • Known right here at home and around the earth wherever god
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  • Opens the door.
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  • Let's keep gathering his people and building his church until
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  • The day our king returns.
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  • You can find more about becoming a ministry partner
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  • At allenjackson.com/partner.
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  • [music]
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  • [music]
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  • Allen: you know, occasionally i get to meet lots of people.
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  • It's one of the best parts, i suppose, of my assignment,
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  • But occasionally i meet someone and you recognize very quickly
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  • That they're a fellow traveler.
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  • Pastor rob mccoy has served the body of christ faithfully for
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  • Many, many years.
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  • And god trusted him enough.
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  • He gave him an assignment in a place that required
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  • Some diligence.
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  • He pastored at calvary chapel in thousand oaks, california.
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  • And he's been to the church before.
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  • He was here for the culture and christianity conference.
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  • You may have either been present for that or seen some of the
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  • Videos from it, but i am very delighted to welcome back pastor
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  • Rob mccoy.
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  • Will you help me give him a world outreach welcome?
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  • [congregation applauding]
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  • Welcome.
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  • We're gonna make a hillbilly out of you.
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  • There is evidence that there are christians in
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  • Southern california.
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  • [congregation applauding]
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  • Rob mccoy: amen.
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  • Allen: i mean, if we just watch the news, sometimes that seems
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  • Questionable, so, now, we are delighted to have you with us.
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  • I know the weekend before christmas is not an easy weekend
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  • To travel, so it's a sacrifice for him to be here, and we are
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  • Very delighted you're here.
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  • I wanna take a few minutes.
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  • You know, there's some craziness.
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  • If you just watch the news and follow the kind of the normal
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  • Channels, i think they're very anxious to pronounce the church
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  • Dead or at least that we're on life support and they've
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  • Called hospice.
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  • And there's some evidence of clearly obvious of some
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  • Fractures, but i'm of the opinion that the church is
  • 00:03:07.136 --> 00:03:09.405
  • Flourishing in the earth, that jesus is the head of the church.
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  • The last directive i saw he gave was that he said he would build
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  • His church and hell wouldn't stop it.
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  • And he sent us into all the world with a message and the
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  • Help of the holy spirit.
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  • So we're the 21st century edition of all of that stuff.
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  • So i'm curious, you live on the other coast, you've got a little
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  • Different window into this.
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  • I'm in the midst of hillbilly world.
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  • And you're just in the midst of craziness.
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  • Thousand oaks is just inland from malibu.
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  • Rob: exactly.
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  • Allen: such tough duty.
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  • So tell me what you see god doing in the church.
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  • I'll be anxious to hear your perspective.
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  • Rob: well, i'm in agreement with you.
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  • I believe that there is a revival occurring.
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  • I was working with david barton and george barna, and you know,
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  • You look at some of the news articles, major universities
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  • Across the united states, university of florida,
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  • University of arkansas, purdue, ohio state, thousands and
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  • Thousands of students coming to christ and coming out for
  • 00:04:07.830 --> 00:04:10.767
  • Events, and it's just remarkable what's occurring.
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  • [congregation applauding]
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  • In addition, there's been a 50% increase in bible sales.
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  • We've also watched now that 18 to 30 year olds, which was
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  • Charlie's sweet spot, these y and z generation, they've now
  • 00:04:26.616 --> 00:04:32.155
  • Encompassed and have become the largest segment of the church
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  • In america.
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  • There's an awakening with young people.
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  • [congregation applauding]
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  • And then finally, you know, there's been ten revivals in
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  • America, and all of them had an awakening attached to it up
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  • Until 1870.
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  • And that was d.l. moody,
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  • And then following that, every revival hasn't led to an
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  • Awakening, which means the church now changes culture.
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  • So we had the jesus movement with calvary chapels, and it was
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  • During the sexual revolution, and nothing changed.
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  • It didn't change culture.
  • 00:05:06.956 --> 00:05:08.324
  • I mean, people came to christ, but we didn't change culture.
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  • And this is a different one because charlie has discipled
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  • These young people and he's taught them in areas to contend
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  • For culture.
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  • And now that they're coming to the lord, they're the ones
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  • Driving this.
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  • It's the largest conservative movement in american history for
  • 00:05:27.176 --> 00:05:30.313
  • This age group.
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  • And they're gonna, that's an imprint of a chick to a
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  • Mother hen.
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  • They're gonna vote conservative the rest of their life.
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  • So this is an awakening and it's exciting.,
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  • Allen: amen.
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  • [congregation applauding]
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  • Well, you brought up a point that's been a talking point for
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  • Us for a while.
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  • I believe the church is intended to shape culture, not be shaped
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  • By it.
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  • And we haven't done that in every generation.
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  • That we can point out many of us, our lifetimes,
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  • And we've seen the church concede to culture,
  • 00:05:56.572 --> 00:05:59.876
  • But it does seem to me there's a shift.
  • 00:05:59.876 --> 00:06:01.544
  • So what are we looking for?
  • 00:06:01.544 --> 00:06:02.912
  • How do we recognize that? what are you anticipating?
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  • Rob: the shift to me, at least what i've witnessed, is
  • 00:06:05.648 --> 00:06:09.185
  • Prior to 1870, if there was an issue that the citizens of your
  • 00:06:09.185 --> 00:06:15.024
  • Community were dealing with, it would be a topic of a sermon
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  • That following sunday.
  • 00:06:17.693 --> 00:06:19.796
  • They would say, "what does the bible have to say
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  • On immigration?"
  • 00:06:21.330 --> 00:06:22.665
  • And the pastor would give a lengthy sermon.
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  • You can see these, they're all archived.
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  • On the eastern seaboard, jonathan mayhew and whitfield,
  • 00:06:25.601 --> 00:06:29.305
  • All of these sermons dealt with topics pertinent to the day and
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  • What the bible has to say about it.
  • 00:06:32.442 --> 00:06:34.076
  • But in the 1870s, we went from the great commission, which says
  • 00:06:34.076 --> 00:06:37.079
  • Make disciples of all nations, to making converts.
  • 00:06:37.079 --> 00:06:41.217
  • We made it all about evangelism, where we, you know, he didn't
  • 00:06:41.217 --> 00:06:44.387
  • Say make converts, he said make disciples.
  • 00:06:44.387 --> 00:06:46.889
  • And we've avoided the tough topics, and we just say,
  • 00:06:46.889 --> 00:06:49.892
  • "oh i don't do politics, i just preach the gospel."
  • 00:06:49.892 --> 00:06:51.727
  • That's gnosticism.
  • 00:06:51.727 --> 00:06:53.362
  • And so, now you're watching these young people saying, you
  • 00:06:53.362 --> 00:06:55.865
  • Know, they go to these churches saying, charlie taught me all
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  • This stuff about transgenderism, homosexuality, abortion, what
  • 00:06:59.035 --> 00:07:01.637
  • The bible has to say about it.
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  • They come to churches, they go, "oh, we don't do politics."
  • 00:07:02.972 --> 00:07:05.641
  • Well, that's the difference between a revival and an
  • 00:07:05.641 --> 00:07:08.211
  • Awakening, is that we have to disciple these young people and
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  • We've got to make sure that we're contending in the culture.
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  • [congregation applauding]
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  • Allen: and that's our heritage.
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  • The church in america, the declaration of independence is a
  • 00:07:20.623 --> 00:07:24.360
  • Collection of ideas that began in the pulpits of the colonies.
  • 00:07:24.360 --> 00:07:28.998
  • That when the framers of the declaration got together to work
  • 00:07:28.998 --> 00:07:31.934
  • On that and then the constitution, the ideas they put
  • 00:07:31.934 --> 00:07:34.036
  • Down on paper, it wasn't some political theory that they
  • 00:07:34.036 --> 00:07:37.507
  • Distilled from europe.
  • 00:07:37.507 --> 00:07:39.342
  • It was biblical worldview issues that had to do with the
  • 00:07:39.342 --> 00:07:42.778
  • Authority over human lives that they had learned inside
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  • Their churches.
  • 00:07:46.282 --> 00:07:48.584
  • And i know they didn't teach you that in school, in your
  • 00:07:48.584 --> 00:07:51.587
  • History class.
  • 00:07:51.587 --> 00:07:52.922
  • And for a full confession, it's the bartons that have reminded
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  • Me of it.
  • 00:07:55.458 --> 00:07:56.959
  • I mean, i took history, but i didn't read all the things they
  • 00:07:56.959 --> 00:07:59.262
  • Read, and i didn't learn to talk as fast as they do
  • 00:07:59.262 --> 00:08:01.531
  • Either, but--
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  • Rob: it's like drinking from a fire hydrant.
  • 00:08:02.865 --> 00:08:04.267
  • Allen: it is, but it's our truth.
  • 00:08:04.267 --> 00:08:08.204
  • And you see, there's no other segment of our culture if you
  • 00:08:08.204 --> 00:08:10.339
  • Tried to separate from them from their heritage that our culture
  • 00:08:10.339 --> 00:08:13.342
  • Would stand before that.
  • 00:08:13.342 --> 00:08:14.877
  • If you took the native americans and said that their culture was
  • 00:08:14.877 --> 00:08:17.680
  • Illegitimate and shouldn't be recognized, there'd be a hue and
  • 00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:21.217
  • Cry that would be deafening.
  • 00:08:21.217 --> 00:08:23.452
  • And they come to those of us with a biblical judeo-christian
  • 00:08:23.452 --> 00:08:26.222
  • Worldview, and they try to deny it, they try to separate us from
  • 00:08:26.222 --> 00:08:28.991
  • Our history.
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  • Please don't walk quietly into that dark night.
  • 00:08:30.326 --> 00:08:33.296
  • So we should shape culture, we have shaped culture.
  • 00:08:33.296 --> 00:08:37.967
  • Rob: breitbart used to say that politics is downstream
  • 00:08:37.967 --> 00:08:40.670
  • From culture.
  • 00:08:40.670 --> 00:08:42.004
  • Well, the church should be driving culture, we should be
  • 00:08:42.004 --> 00:08:43.372
  • Driving politics.
  • 00:08:43.372 --> 00:08:44.707
  • Politicians are just actors performing a script written by
  • 00:08:44.707 --> 00:08:47.143
  • The audience.
  • 00:08:47.143 --> 00:08:48.477
  • We're supposed to be writing that script.
  • 00:08:48.477 --> 00:08:50.413
  • And that's so important for the church.
  • 00:08:50.413 --> 00:08:52.181
  • The church isn't the slave of the state, nor is it it's
  • 00:08:52.181 --> 00:08:55.051
  • Master, it's the conscience of the state.
  • 00:08:55.051 --> 00:08:57.787
  • And we have to push that and drive that.
  • 00:08:57.787 --> 00:09:00.289
  • Jonathan mayhew, the eastern seaboard pastor that our second
  • 00:09:00.289 --> 00:09:03.359
  • President, john adams, attributed the war of
  • 00:09:03.359 --> 00:09:04.994
  • Independence to, they were telling him, you know, you can't
  • 00:09:04.994 --> 00:09:09.966
  • Do this because romans 13 says we're to submit to all, you
  • 00:09:09.966 --> 00:09:13.002
  • Know, god appoints all positions of authority, we're to submit
  • 00:09:13.002 --> 00:09:15.304
  • To them.
  • 00:09:15.304 --> 00:09:16.639
  • And they were saying you can't go against king george.
  • 00:09:16.639 --> 00:09:18.608
  • Well, he's the one who coined the term disobedience to tyrants
  • 00:09:18.608 --> 00:09:21.277
  • Is obedience to god, because he said romans 13 says that those
  • 00:09:21.277 --> 00:09:25.648
  • Authorities are there for our good.
  • 00:09:25.648 --> 00:09:27.483
  • And he said, when they cease to do good, they cease to be the
  • 00:09:27.483 --> 00:09:29.485
  • Authority, and that's why you have the declaration of
  • 00:09:29.485 --> 00:09:31.454
  • Independence, not for light or transient causes.
  • 00:09:31.454 --> 00:09:34.123
  • They go through all the violations of the word of god
  • 00:09:34.123 --> 00:09:37.126
  • That impelled them for this break from a tyrant king.
  • 00:09:37.126 --> 00:09:42.398
  • That's driving culture.
  • 00:09:42.398 --> 00:09:44.333
  • Allen: amen.
  • 00:09:44.333 --> 00:09:46.335
  • [music]
  • 00:09:46.335 --> 00:09:48.804
  • Allen: welcome to 2026.
  • 00:09:52.341 --> 00:09:53.976
  • Happy new year.
  • 00:09:53.976 --> 00:09:55.344
  • We've created a new book to help you.
  • 00:09:55.344 --> 00:09:56.812
  • It's called "turn up the light."
  • 00:09:56.812 --> 00:09:58.180
  • It's a devotional for the whole year.
  • 00:09:58.180 --> 00:09:59.815
  • It's a really simple idea.
  • 00:09:59.815 --> 00:10:01.183
  • I can join you for a cup of coffee in the morning.
  • 00:10:01.183 --> 00:10:03.986
  • We'll have a brief conversation with the spiritual principal to
  • 00:10:03.986 --> 00:10:06.822
  • Start our day, a scripture verse, a prayer, and then when
  • 00:10:06.822 --> 00:10:09.825
  • You're tired of me, you can close the book.
  • 00:10:09.825 --> 00:10:12.294
  • It's perfect.
  • 00:10:12.294 --> 00:10:13.863
  • In all seriousness, we do wanna turn up the light.
  • 00:10:13.863 --> 00:10:16.465
  • Let's not rage against the darkness.
  • 00:10:16.465 --> 00:10:17.900
  • Let's invite god into the midst of this year and then just see
  • 00:10:17.900 --> 00:10:20.770
  • What he will do.
  • 00:10:20.770 --> 00:10:22.138
  • Female announcer: pastor allen's new devotional, "turn up the
  • 00:10:22.138 --> 00:10:24.240
  • Light" is designed to equip you every single day of the year.
  • 00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:27.810
  • Inside, you'll find 365 short devotionals, each with
  • 00:10:27.810 --> 00:10:31.847
  • A scripture, teaching, and a prayer.
  • 00:10:31.847 --> 00:10:34.483
  • As you begin this new year, don't rage against the darkness.
  • 00:10:34.483 --> 00:10:37.753
  • Instead, choose to turn up the light.
  • 00:10:37.753 --> 00:10:39.989
  • You can request this book when you donate $25 or more today at
  • 00:10:39.989 --> 00:10:44.093
  • Allenjackson.com or by calling...
  • 00:10:44.093 --> 00:10:48.664
  • Allen: well, you have a unique distinction.
  • 00:10:52.635 --> 00:10:57.006
  • You were pastoring a congregation while you served
  • 00:10:57.006 --> 00:10:59.909
  • As mayor of thousand oaks.
  • 00:10:59.909 --> 00:11:02.812
  • Rob: mayor mccheese.
  • 00:11:02.812 --> 00:11:06.348
  • Allen: how did that come about?
  • 00:11:06.348 --> 00:11:07.683
  • And there's got to be some commentary from that.
  • 00:11:07.683 --> 00:11:11.020
  • Rob: well, i wasn't raised in a christian home.
  • 00:11:11.020 --> 00:11:13.389
  • My parents were conservative.
  • 00:11:13.389 --> 00:11:14.890
  • My dad was a navy captain and my mom was president of
  • 00:11:14.890 --> 00:11:17.193
  • Republican women.
  • 00:11:17.193 --> 00:11:18.527
  • I grew up, you know, politically, but i never went
  • 00:11:18.527 --> 00:11:20.596
  • To church.
  • 00:11:20.596 --> 00:11:21.964
  • I don't remember ever praying with my folks.
  • 00:11:21.964 --> 00:11:23.299
  • And when i came to christ, i thought everyone's involved in
  • 00:11:23.299 --> 00:11:27.503
  • Politics, 'cause that's part of being involved in your
  • 00:11:27.503 --> 00:11:29.572
  • Community, love your neighbor as yourself.
  • 00:11:29.572 --> 00:11:31.707
  • And so i started inviting candidates to come in and speak
  • 00:11:31.707 --> 00:11:34.677
  • Because i understood the constitution, that they rule,
  • 00:11:34.677 --> 00:11:37.947
  • It's our authority on loan to them, and the constitution
  • 00:11:37.947 --> 00:11:41.083
  • Constrains them from usurping that authority.
  • 00:11:41.083 --> 00:11:43.719
  • And i'd bring the candidates in because if they're gonna
  • 00:11:43.719 --> 00:11:45.654
  • Represent you, you need to know who they are.
  • 00:11:45.654 --> 00:11:47.456
  • Well, they did a front page article.
  • 00:11:47.456 --> 00:11:49.325
  • Pastor's getting political.
  • 00:11:49.325 --> 00:11:50.659
  • I'm like, "i thought everyone did this."
  • 00:11:50.659 --> 00:11:52.027
  • I was very confused, and it just got worse.
  • 00:11:52.027 --> 00:11:55.064
  • And so i realized i have to--i can't take people where i'm not
  • 00:11:55.064 --> 00:11:58.400
  • Willing to go myself, so i ran for office.
  • 00:11:58.400 --> 00:12:00.002
  • I ran for state assembly.
  • 00:12:00.002 --> 00:12:01.771
  • I won the primary, lost the general, and then my opponent
  • 00:12:01.771 --> 00:12:04.507
  • Vacated her seat to take the assembly, and she was on the
  • 00:12:04.507 --> 00:12:07.810
  • City council, so i ran for her seat and i won by 52 votes,
  • 00:12:07.810 --> 00:12:12.114
  • Which you know what they call someone who wins by 52 votes,
  • 00:12:12.114 --> 00:12:15.084
  • The winner, and that was me.
  • 00:12:15.084 --> 00:12:18.654
  • And i won re-election by thousands of votes, and then i
  • 00:12:18.654 --> 00:12:21.557
  • Became mayor of the city eight days before we had this horrific
  • 00:12:21.557 --> 00:12:25.361
  • Shooting where 12 of our young people were killed in a country
  • 00:12:25.361 --> 00:12:27.830
  • Dance hall.
  • 00:12:27.830 --> 00:12:29.165
  • And then we had fires that encircled the city.
  • 00:12:29.165 --> 00:12:31.500
  • And i remember anyone who felt like pastors shouldn't be in
  • 00:12:31.500 --> 00:12:34.670
  • Politics, that day they were grateful.
  • 00:12:34.670 --> 00:12:36.472
  • It was--there's a lot of ministry taking place in that
  • 00:12:36.472 --> 00:12:39.441
  • Moment, and i never faced persecution till i ran
  • 00:12:39.441 --> 00:12:43.579
  • For office.
  • 00:12:43.579 --> 00:12:44.947
  • So that should tell you something.
  • 00:12:44.947 --> 00:12:47.116
  • You know, we think we're not supposed to be there, that's
  • 00:12:47.116 --> 00:12:49.285
  • Exactly where we're supposed to be as christians.
  • 00:12:49.285 --> 00:12:51.320
  • If you love your neighbor, you're gonna wanna--
  • 00:12:51.320 --> 00:12:53.289
  • Good government happens with good people.
  • 00:12:53.289 --> 00:12:55.291
  • So that's why i ran for office.
  • 00:12:55.291 --> 00:12:58.327
  • Allen: you know, amen, that is so important.
  • 00:12:58.327 --> 00:13:02.898
  • We have been so impacted by the lie that our faith should stay
  • 00:13:02.898 --> 00:13:06.402
  • Inside a sunday morning event and not be integrated into
  • 00:13:06.402 --> 00:13:09.805
  • Our lives.
  • 00:13:09.805 --> 00:13:11.373
  • That we don't even recognize any longer the great deficit and the
  • 00:13:11.373 --> 00:13:16.145
  • Weakness it's brought because our faith is not present in the
  • 00:13:16.145 --> 00:13:19.281
  • Way it has been in those administrative authoritative
  • 00:13:19.281 --> 00:13:23.018
  • Places in our communities and hospitals and courtrooms and job
  • 00:13:23.018 --> 00:13:25.888
  • Sites, and any of those places are diminished where our faith
  • 00:13:25.888 --> 00:13:29.525
  • Isn't alive.
  • 00:13:29.525 --> 00:13:31.293
  • Everybody there doesn't have to choose to be a christ follower,
  • 00:13:31.293 --> 00:13:34.964
  • But they should not have the right to say that we don't have
  • 00:13:34.964 --> 00:13:37.633
  • The privilege of being there and having an opinion.
  • 00:13:37.633 --> 00:13:41.670
  • And that is not politics, folks.
  • 00:13:41.670 --> 00:13:44.206
  • That's being an advocate for what you believe.
  • 00:13:44.206 --> 00:13:47.676
  • You know, somebody saying to me i can't take jesus into some
  • 00:13:47.676 --> 00:13:50.446
  • Public setting is like them inviting me to an event and
  • 00:13:50.446 --> 00:13:52.915
  • Telling me kathy's not welcome.
  • 00:13:52.915 --> 00:13:55.384
  • That's not gonna work well.
  • 00:13:55.384 --> 00:13:58.053
  • And we have cooperated with it for so long that we've accepted
  • 00:13:58.053 --> 00:14:02.057
  • It as normal.
  • 00:14:02.057 --> 00:14:03.425
  • So it always makes me smile when i think about mayor mccoy.
  • 00:14:03.425 --> 00:14:08.964
  • Rob: you know, the very first speaker of the house was a
  • 00:14:08.964 --> 00:14:10.633
  • Minister, muhlenberg, and then his brother became, i think,
  • 00:14:10.633 --> 00:14:15.337
  • A governor or senator.
  • 00:14:15.337 --> 00:14:19.008
  • The supreme--and they used to meet in the supreme
  • 00:14:19.008 --> 00:14:21.010
  • Court chambers.
  • 00:14:21.010 --> 00:14:22.344
  • And then the marine corps band would lead worship.
  • 00:14:22.344 --> 00:14:25.180
  • The very first bible printed in america was by order of the us
  • 00:14:25.180 --> 00:14:28.717
  • Congress to evangelize indians.
  • 00:14:28.717 --> 00:14:30.119
  • So, you know, you won't talk about a separation of church
  • 00:14:30.119 --> 00:14:32.855
  • And state.
  • 00:14:32.855 --> 00:14:34.223
  • The point of the first 16 words of the first amendment,
  • 00:14:34.223 --> 00:14:36.525
  • "congress shall make no law respecting the establishment
  • 00:14:36.525 --> 00:14:38.694
  • Of religion, nor prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
  • 00:14:38.694 --> 00:14:41.830
  • The first 16 words was to keep the state out of the church, not
  • 00:14:41.830 --> 00:14:44.266
  • The church out of the state.
  • 00:14:44.266 --> 00:14:45.601
  • I don't check my faith when i go, that's exactly where my
  • 00:14:45.601 --> 00:14:47.937
  • Faith is to operate.
  • 00:14:47.937 --> 00:14:50.372
  • And if i might, the last thing is people call you a
  • 00:14:50.372 --> 00:14:52.241
  • Christian nationalist.
  • 00:14:52.241 --> 00:14:53.575
  • I go, "what's the alternative?"
  • 00:14:53.575 --> 00:14:55.144
  • Secular, progressive, globalist, you know, i can love two things
  • 00:14:55.144 --> 00:14:59.815
  • At the same time.
  • 00:14:59.815 --> 00:15:01.150
  • I can love the lord, and i can love my country.
  • 00:15:01.150 --> 00:15:02.618
  • Like, i love my wife, and i love the lord.
  • 00:15:02.618 --> 00:15:05.521
  • Yes, and god's a nationalist in that he created nations,
  • 00:15:05.521 --> 00:15:08.958
  • Boundaries, borders, compacts.
  • 00:15:08.958 --> 00:15:11.026
  • And so we want this nation, when it, you know, nations will be
  • 00:15:11.026 --> 00:15:14.096
  • Judged corporately, we'll be judged individually.
  • 00:15:14.096 --> 00:15:16.565
  • But will this nation be judged in the sense that its people had
  • 00:15:16.565 --> 00:15:19.668
  • Access to truth and freedom?
  • 00:15:19.668 --> 00:15:21.837
  • And that's what i strive for every day as a minister and also
  • 00:15:21.837 --> 00:15:26.141
  • Caring about my community.
  • 00:15:26.141 --> 00:15:27.876
  • Allen: no, that's such a good reminder.
  • 00:15:27.876 --> 00:15:29.211
  • You know, we didn't get in this mess because the
  • 00:15:29.211 --> 00:15:31.947
  • Politicians flexed.
  • 00:15:31.947 --> 00:15:34.083
  • We got in this mess because we retreated.
  • 00:15:34.083 --> 00:15:37.386
  • Because we withdrew.
  • 00:15:37.386 --> 00:15:39.655
  • We were willing to compromise our faith or diminish our faith
  • 00:15:39.655 --> 00:15:42.391
  • Or tone down our faith to close a business deal.
  • 00:15:42.391 --> 00:15:45.661
  • Or because we were engaged in some ungodly activity and we
  • 00:15:45.661 --> 00:15:48.864
  • Wanted to pursue that more than we wanted to be obedient to the
  • 00:15:48.864 --> 00:15:51.100
  • Lord, or it's been the capitulation of the church, not
  • 00:15:51.100 --> 00:15:54.937
  • The aggression of those that hate us.
  • 00:15:54.937 --> 00:15:58.040
  • The enemy doesn't have the ability to overcome us.
  • 00:15:58.040 --> 00:16:01.577
  • Darkness doesn't overwhelm the light.
  • 00:16:01.577 --> 00:16:03.812
  • The light is dimmed and the darkness grows more intense.
  • 00:16:03.812 --> 00:16:07.416
  • So if we wanna know the way out of this place, it's to turn up
  • 00:16:07.416 --> 00:16:10.252
  • The light.
  • 00:16:10.252 --> 00:16:11.687
  • And as much as we want the politicians or the pastors or
  • 00:16:11.687 --> 00:16:14.523
  • Somebody else to do that, if we will do that.
  • 00:16:14.523 --> 00:16:18.193
  • I have heard you in multiple settings give presentations of
  • 00:16:18.193 --> 00:16:21.030
  • The gospel that were authoritative and convicting
  • 00:16:21.030 --> 00:16:26.135
  • And important.
  • 00:16:26.135 --> 00:16:27.469
  • It feels like to me we've got to come back in the church to that
  • 00:16:27.469 --> 00:16:30.172
  • Core conviction that jesus transforms lives.
  • 00:16:30.172 --> 00:16:34.209
  • He does more than give us a different ticket for eternity.
  • 00:16:34.209 --> 00:16:37.379
  • He changes our journey through time.
  • 00:16:37.379 --> 00:16:39.882
  • Am i understanding that correctly?
  • 00:16:39.882 --> 00:16:43.285
  • Rob: you're spot on.
  • 00:16:43.285 --> 00:16:45.154
  • When we contended with the governor in the county by
  • 00:16:45.154 --> 00:16:47.923
  • Keeping the church open during covid.
  • 00:16:47.923 --> 00:16:50.759
  • Allen: you were one of those. rob: yeah, and thanks.
  • 00:16:50.759 --> 00:16:54.663
  • [congregation applauding]
  • 00:16:54.663 --> 00:16:57.699
  • When we did that, i didn't know what was worse, the voice of my
  • 00:16:59.535 --> 00:17:04.940
  • Enemies or the silence of my friends during that time.
  • 00:17:04.940 --> 00:17:07.076
  • Although pastors would call me and say, "you're in violation of
  • 00:17:07.076 --> 00:17:09.311
  • Romans 13," and i'd say, "no, you are."
  • 00:17:09.311 --> 00:17:12.881
  • Because this is--he didn't have the right to call the
  • 00:17:12.881 --> 00:17:15.584
  • Church non-essential.
  • 00:17:15.584 --> 00:17:16.919
  • It's the bride of christ.
  • 00:17:16.919 --> 00:17:18.253
  • Why aren't you saying something?
  • 00:17:18.253 --> 00:17:19.621
  • And pastors think that peace is the absence of conflict, it's
  • 00:17:19.621 --> 00:17:22.091
  • Not, it's the presence of christ in the midst of the conflict.
  • 00:17:22.091 --> 00:17:24.326
  • So we would contend, and the interesting thing is, when we
  • 00:17:24.326 --> 00:17:28.163
  • Would contend and keep the doors of the church open, and then
  • 00:17:28.163 --> 00:17:30.566
  • After church we'd go to the businesses that remained open to
  • 00:17:30.566 --> 00:17:34.570
  • Support them, they started coming to church.
  • 00:17:34.570 --> 00:17:36.972
  • And we watched jews, mormons, agnostics, atheists all come
  • 00:17:36.972 --> 00:17:40.542
  • To christ.
  • 00:17:40.542 --> 00:17:41.877
  • We baptized four times as many people in the church as the
  • 00:17:41.877 --> 00:17:45.981
  • Attendance of the church was, you know, a year earlier, the
  • 00:17:45.981 --> 00:17:50.385
  • Church exploded in attendance.
  • 00:17:50.385 --> 00:17:52.721
  • People in this community are looking for a gospel, they're
  • 00:17:52.721 --> 00:17:56.558
  • Looking for a faith that actually transforms their
  • 00:17:56.558 --> 00:17:59.128
  • Community and cares about their kids, and people who are so
  • 00:17:59.128 --> 00:18:02.564
  • Moved by the god of truth that they would contend in the public
  • 00:18:02.564 --> 00:18:05.601
  • Square for the sake of their neighbor.
  • 00:18:05.601 --> 00:18:08.036
  • That moved them.
  • 00:18:08.036 --> 00:18:09.771
  • That touched me, it was profound for me.
  • 00:18:09.771 --> 00:18:12.407
  • Allen: i'm sure you had some people that left too.
  • 00:18:12.407 --> 00:18:15.177
  • Rob: yeah, and then they came back.
  • 00:18:15.177 --> 00:18:16.879
  • You know, it's like,
  • 00:18:16.879 --> 00:18:18.247
  • ♪ blessed subtraction, you are no-- ♪
  • 00:18:18.247 --> 00:18:20.415
  • But they always come back.
  • 00:18:20.415 --> 00:18:22.217
  • You know, the door swing both ways, and so.
  • 00:18:22.217 --> 00:18:26.321
  • Because they've been indoctrinated to believe that's
  • 00:18:26.321 --> 00:18:30.392
  • Not where the church belongs.
  • 00:18:30.392 --> 00:18:31.960
  • We're just supposed to get people to raise their hand, send
  • 00:18:31.960 --> 00:18:34.196
  • In the tithe check, and don't do anything controversial.
  • 00:18:34.196 --> 00:18:37.833
  • The church is controversial.
  • 00:18:37.833 --> 00:18:39.201
  • Jesus said, "i didn't come to bring peace, but a sword."
  • 00:18:39.201 --> 00:18:41.236
  • It's a sword of truth, we're contending for culture.
  • 00:18:41.236 --> 00:18:43.238
  • [congregation applauding]
  • 00:18:43.238 --> 00:18:48.844
  • And they'd come back and then my favorite was the folks i'd be
  • 00:18:48.844 --> 00:18:51.880
  • Baptizing, we'd do it on sundays, you know, people coming
  • 00:18:51.880 --> 00:18:54.149
  • Up, we're just dunking them in, and the whole service would be
  • 00:18:54.149 --> 00:18:55.984
  • About baptisms 'cause the line would be so long.
  • 00:18:55.984 --> 00:18:58.453
  • And one lady said, "you know, i came to church for the politics,
  • 00:18:58.453 --> 00:19:01.156
  • And i stayed for jesus."
  • 00:19:01.156 --> 00:19:03.692
  • And it's so funny that way 'cause that--charlie used to say
  • 00:19:03.692 --> 00:19:09.565
  • He saw politics as an on-ramp to a faith in christ.
  • 00:19:09.565 --> 00:19:13.502
  • If he could get these kids rowing in the streams of
  • 00:19:13.502 --> 00:19:15.537
  • Liberty, they'd come to its source.
  • 00:19:15.537 --> 00:19:18.173
  • The bible says, "where the spirit of the lord is,
  • 00:19:18.173 --> 00:19:20.442
  • There's liberty."
  • 00:19:20.442 --> 00:19:23.478
  • And that's what happened.
  • 00:19:23.478 --> 00:19:24.846
  • We were contending for freedom, we were contending for liberty,
  • 00:19:24.846 --> 00:19:27.716
  • And those things brought them into the streams of liberty and
  • 00:19:27.716 --> 00:19:30.452
  • Brought them to the source, which was the lord.
  • 00:19:30.452 --> 00:19:32.421
  • And all of a sudden it just was so exciting for them.
  • 00:19:32.421 --> 00:19:35.157
  • It was a community, and it blessed them.
  • 00:19:35.157 --> 00:19:38.293
  • Allen: i think 2020 in hindsight, was a huge
  • 00:19:38.293 --> 00:19:42.164
  • Transition point.
  • 00:19:42.164 --> 00:19:43.765
  • So, we'd heard about pandemics before, the bird flu and the
  • 00:19:43.765 --> 00:19:47.202
  • Swine flu, and they kind of fizzled.
  • 00:19:47.202 --> 00:19:52.007
  • But covid had some more momentum to it.
  • 00:19:52.007 --> 00:19:55.477
  • But, you know, from hindsight, it seems to have
  • 00:19:55.477 --> 00:19:57.512
  • Changed everything.
  • 00:19:57.512 --> 00:19:58.880
  • There's a whole set of new perspectives that have come
  • 00:19:58.880 --> 00:20:01.016
  • Since covid.
  • 00:20:01.016 --> 00:20:02.351
  • I mean, our relationship to authority and how we've gathered
  • 00:20:02.351 --> 00:20:05.120
  • People and the people we see gather with us and talk about
  • 00:20:05.120 --> 00:20:08.323
  • It, and it didn't stop with covid.
  • 00:20:08.323 --> 00:20:10.092
  • I mean, those changes have just continued right up until today.
  • 00:20:10.092 --> 00:20:12.728
  • It's like a, i mean, you and i have both served the church for
  • 00:20:12.728 --> 00:20:15.931
  • A bit.
  • 00:20:15.931 --> 00:20:17.799
  • And it's like so many aspects of what's happening today are
  • 00:20:17.799 --> 00:20:20.869
  • Different since 2020.
  • 00:20:20.869 --> 00:20:22.237
  • Do you see that too?
  • 00:20:22.237 --> 00:20:23.572
  • Rob: absolutely, i would hear people say that president
  • 00:20:23.572 --> 00:20:28.076
  • Trump is a divider.
  • 00:20:28.076 --> 00:20:30.479
  • I don't necessarily think he was a divider as much as he was
  • 00:20:30.479 --> 00:20:32.347
  • A highlighter.
  • 00:20:32.347 --> 00:20:33.815
  • He would take a stand, and then you could just see the room
  • 00:20:33.815 --> 00:20:36.118
  • Divided where everyone was on.
  • 00:20:36.118 --> 00:20:37.452
  • Allen: the bright orange highlighter.
  • 00:20:37.452 --> 00:20:38.820
  • Rob: yeah, yeah, and.
  • 00:20:38.820 --> 00:20:45.060
  • Allen: if he's listening, i mean that in a very loving way,
  • 00:20:45.060 --> 00:20:47.129
  • So i don't know.
  • 00:20:47.129 --> 00:20:50.132
  • Rob: and i think covid was the same way.
  • 00:20:50.132 --> 00:20:53.001
  • You would have pastors thinking that they're doing god's work by
  • 00:20:53.001 --> 00:20:55.771
  • Submitting to authority, but then they'd realize, and they
  • 00:20:55.771 --> 00:20:59.541
  • Would have the misconception of the separation of church and
  • 00:20:59.541 --> 00:21:01.743
  • State, but then they'd watch the church insert them--excuse me,
  • 00:21:01.743 --> 00:21:04.646
  • They'd watch the state insert themselves into the church.
  • 00:21:04.646 --> 00:21:07.949
  • And all of a sudden they were trying to be compliant, but they
  • 00:21:07.949 --> 00:21:10.719
  • Kept taking.
  • 00:21:10.719 --> 00:21:12.120
  • And rights are like muscles, if you don't exercise them, you
  • 00:21:12.120 --> 00:21:14.222
  • Lose them.
  • 00:21:14.222 --> 00:21:15.590
  • And they didn't know what those rights were, they didn't even
  • 00:21:15.590 --> 00:21:17.125
  • Know what it meant to be an american.
  • 00:21:17.125 --> 00:21:18.393
  • The apostle paul knew roman citizenship, he could contend
  • 00:21:18.393 --> 00:21:21.296
  • For it.
  • 00:21:21.296 --> 00:21:22.664
  • Most americans have no idea how many articles are in the
  • 00:21:22.664 --> 00:21:26.802
  • Constitution or how many amendments there are.
  • 00:21:26.802 --> 00:21:29.237
  • You don't even--and america's not an ethnicity, it's an idea.
  • 00:21:29.237 --> 00:21:33.275
  • You know, you can look around the room and there's every race,
  • 00:21:33.275 --> 00:21:36.144
  • Creed, color.
  • 00:21:36.144 --> 00:21:37.512
  • And you're an american based on a set of ideas.
  • 00:21:37.512 --> 00:21:39.414
  • I can live in japan my whole life, become a japanese citizen,
  • 00:21:39.414 --> 00:21:42.951
  • But i'll never be japanese.
  • 00:21:42.951 --> 00:21:45.153
  • That's a difference with america, it's a set of ideas.
  • 00:21:45.153 --> 00:21:47.356
  • But if you don't know what those ideas are, what is an american?
  • 00:21:47.356 --> 00:21:52.194
  • And and that's so critical, because we're a nation conceived
  • 00:21:52.194 --> 00:21:55.864
  • In liberty.
  • 00:21:55.864 --> 00:21:57.232
  • We have this understanding four times in our birth certificate,
  • 00:21:57.232 --> 00:22:00.836
  • We list god.
  • 00:22:00.836 --> 00:22:02.337
  • That rights don't come from man, they come from god.
  • 00:22:02.337 --> 00:22:05.474
  • And that's why we must be diligent to preserve
  • 00:22:05.474 --> 00:22:07.909
  • That liberty.
  • 00:22:07.909 --> 00:22:09.244
  • And so i think covid has awakened people to realize
  • 00:22:09.244 --> 00:22:12.514
  • They're gonna do this again if i don't start understanding what
  • 00:22:12.514 --> 00:22:15.016
  • We've been given in the constitutional republic.
  • 00:22:15.016 --> 00:22:17.352
  • And i'm watching people become far more educated in that,
  • 00:22:17.352 --> 00:22:19.855
  • Especially in the church.
  • 00:22:19.855 --> 00:22:21.857
  • [applauding]
  • 00:22:21.857 --> 00:22:25.927
  • Allen: you know, next year is our 250th anniversary.
  • 00:22:25.927 --> 00:22:28.964
  • And we've already started gearing up.
  • 00:22:28.964 --> 00:22:30.298
  • I've started making video stuff.
  • 00:22:30.298 --> 00:22:31.633
  • We've got some things coming for you, 'cause i think we have
  • 00:22:31.633 --> 00:22:34.202
  • To change.
  • 00:22:34.202 --> 00:22:35.570
  • You know, we can't keep blaming the coach in high school that
  • 00:22:35.570 --> 00:22:37.706
  • Didn't teach us history.
  • 00:22:37.706 --> 00:22:41.309
  • We may have to actually like open a book or go ask rabbi
  • 00:22:41.309 --> 00:22:45.247
  • Google or something.
  • 00:22:45.247 --> 00:22:47.582
  • But it's our history, and we've got to know it, or we'll--
  • 00:22:47.582 --> 00:22:51.286
  • You know, your idea about being an american is absolutely right.
  • 00:22:51.286 --> 00:22:54.623
  • It's a set of values.
  • 00:22:54.623 --> 00:22:57.025
  • It's not about the way we look or the accent with which we
  • 00:22:57.025 --> 00:22:59.928
  • Speak or the nation from which we've come or our dna.
  • 00:22:59.928 --> 00:23:03.732
  • We were bound together by a set of ideals that have made us the
  • 00:23:03.732 --> 00:23:06.635
  • Most prosperous, blessed, free people in the history
  • 00:23:06.635 --> 00:23:09.438
  • Of civilizations.
  • 00:23:09.438 --> 00:23:11.673
  • And the church has an essential role in that.
  • 00:23:11.673 --> 00:23:14.376
  • Everybody won't want to be a part, but there's a core of
  • 00:23:14.376 --> 00:23:18.046
  • That, that we have an assignment to watch over.
  • 00:23:18.046 --> 00:23:21.316
  • And i thank you for those reminders.
  • 00:23:21.316 --> 00:23:23.151
  • Don't grow weary with that.
  • 00:23:23.151 --> 00:23:25.487
  • Rob: no, you think about it.
  • 00:23:25.487 --> 00:23:28.023
  • America represents 4% of the world's population.
  • 00:23:28.023 --> 00:23:30.892
  • And in the 6,000 years of recorded history, we've been on
  • 00:23:30.892 --> 00:23:34.763
  • The map for 250 of those years.
  • 00:23:34.763 --> 00:23:37.466
  • And we're the oldest country under one article of
  • 00:23:37.466 --> 00:23:39.801
  • Incorporation in the history, the 6,000 years of
  • 00:23:39.801 --> 00:23:41.736
  • Recorded history.
  • 00:23:41.736 --> 00:23:43.104
  • But with 4% of the world's population, we have more
  • 00:23:43.104 --> 00:23:45.040
  • Patents, nobel peace prize winners, more symphonies, more
  • 00:23:45.040 --> 00:23:47.943
  • Accumulation of wealth of any other nation in the history of
  • 00:23:47.943 --> 00:23:50.312
  • The world, not because we have more natural resources.
  • 00:23:50.312 --> 00:23:53.148
  • Canada far surpasses us, as does south america.
  • 00:23:53.148 --> 00:23:57.252
  • We were given freedom.
  • 00:23:57.252 --> 00:23:59.554
  • I mean, think about it, if you're enjoying electricity,
  • 00:23:59.554 --> 00:24:02.691
  • Lighting, it was invented by an american, air conditioning,
  • 00:24:02.691 --> 00:24:04.893
  • Invented by an american, riding an elevator, invented by an
  • 00:24:04.893 --> 00:24:07.629
  • American, flying an airplane, invented by an american.
  • 00:24:07.629 --> 00:24:10.098
  • Enjoy the internet, invented by an american, not al gore.
  • 00:24:10.098 --> 00:24:12.300
  • But this is all that stuff.
  • 00:24:12.300 --> 00:24:15.904
  • Because with freedom comes the ability for folks to dream and
  • 00:24:15.904 --> 00:24:21.476
  • The american dream.
  • 00:24:21.476 --> 00:24:23.111
  • But a government big enough to give you everything you want is
  • 00:24:23.111 --> 00:24:25.213
  • Big enough to take everything you have.
  • 00:24:25.213 --> 00:24:27.883
  • And so the titler cycle of history goes from bondage to
  • 00:24:27.883 --> 00:24:31.920
  • Faith, faith to freedom, freedom to abundance, abundance to
  • 00:24:31.920 --> 00:24:36.391
  • Apathy, apathy to dependence, dependence into slavery.
  • 00:24:36.391 --> 00:24:40.762
  • Anywhere in that cycle you can insert faith and reset it.
  • 00:24:40.762 --> 00:24:45.534
  • And the three legs of the stool of america for us to
  • 00:24:45.534 --> 00:24:49.738
  • Flourish is faith, virtue, and freedom, liberty.
  • 00:24:49.738 --> 00:24:56.378
  • Because when you have faith, it provides virtue.
  • 00:24:56.378 --> 00:24:59.381
  • Freedom is not getting to do whatever you want, freedom is
  • 00:24:59.381 --> 00:25:01.483
  • Getting to do what god wants you to do.
  • 00:25:01.483 --> 00:25:03.518
  • [congregation applauding]
  • 00:25:04.786 --> 00:25:08.223
  • Allen: it's absolutely true.
  • 00:25:08.223 --> 00:25:10.125
  • And somehow we got convinced in church world,
  • 00:25:10.125 --> 00:25:14.496
  • We took away those big rock ideas
  • 00:25:14.496 --> 00:25:16.398
  • And we started arguing about when we take communion
  • 00:25:16.398 --> 00:25:19.901
  • And the style of worship we prefer
  • 00:25:19.901 --> 00:25:21.770
  • And what's the dress code for the presenter on the platform,
  • 00:25:21.770 --> 00:25:24.973
  • And we stopped engaging the world we live in.
  • 00:25:24.973 --> 00:25:28.910
  • We were made irrelevant, we voluntarily made
  • 00:25:28.910 --> 00:25:31.513
  • Ourselves irrelevant.
  • 00:25:31.513 --> 00:25:33.181
  • So we've gotta walk that back.
  • 00:25:33.181 --> 00:25:35.617
  • And it's like starting a workout program when you've taken six
  • 00:25:35.617 --> 00:25:38.320
  • Months off.
  • 00:25:38.320 --> 00:25:39.955
  • That first week is awful.
  • 00:25:39.955 --> 00:25:42.824
  • 'cause your body doesn't change, but it's screaming at you for
  • 00:25:42.824 --> 00:25:45.493
  • Changing your habits and behaviors and patterns.
  • 00:25:45.493 --> 00:25:48.763
  • And if you decide to be an advocate for jesus, everybody in
  • 00:25:48.763 --> 00:25:51.299
  • Your sphere of influence won't cheer for you.
  • 00:25:51.299 --> 00:25:54.603
  • In the first few days you start that journey, you may not see
  • 00:25:54.603 --> 00:25:57.839
  • The outcomes that you're looking for.
  • 00:25:57.839 --> 00:26:00.609
  • But honoring the lord isn't about comfort and convenience
  • 00:26:00.609 --> 00:26:03.111
  • And ease and always feeling good.
  • 00:26:03.111 --> 00:26:05.447
  • It's about pleasing the king.
  • 00:26:05.447 --> 00:26:07.449
  • [music]
  • 00:26:07.449 --> 00:26:12.454
  • Allen: i love the promise of a new year, all the opportunities
  • 00:26:12.454 --> 00:26:15.557
  • That it holds.
  • 00:26:15.557 --> 00:26:16.925
  • We wanna begin that on purpose, so we've created a new tool.
  • 00:26:16.925 --> 00:26:19.427
  • It's a book.
  • 00:26:19.427 --> 00:26:20.795
  • It's a devotional, 365-day devotional built out of those
  • 00:26:20.795 --> 00:26:23.999
  • Digital devotionals that you're familiar with.
  • 00:26:23.999 --> 00:26:26.334
  • The intent is just to give you a bit of a spiritual beginning for
  • 00:26:26.334 --> 00:26:29.070
  • The day, a little vitamin, spiritual vitamin for your day,
  • 00:26:29.070 --> 00:26:31.539
  • A prayer, a scripture verse.
  • 00:26:31.539 --> 00:26:33.208
  • It's easy to share.
  • 00:26:33.208 --> 00:26:34.576
  • You know, i've often said to you, don't rage against the
  • 00:26:34.576 --> 00:26:36.211
  • Darkness, turn up the light.
  • 00:26:36.211 --> 00:26:38.146
  • We very creatively entitled this devotional "turn up the light."
  • 00:26:38.146 --> 00:26:42.083
  • Get a couple of copies, share one with a friend, maybe a
  • 00:26:42.083 --> 00:26:44.452
  • Family member.
  • 00:26:44.452 --> 00:26:45.820
  • Let's do it together.
  • 00:26:45.820 --> 00:26:47.155
  • God is moving in the earth.
  • 00:26:47.155 --> 00:26:48.523
  • Don't let your attention be drawn to the darkness and the
  • 00:26:48.523 --> 00:26:50.992
  • Chaos and the confusion.
  • 00:26:50.992 --> 00:26:52.794
  • Let's focus our hearts on the lord.
  • 00:26:52.794 --> 00:26:54.462
  • Ask him to turn up the light and raise our hands, and let's just
  • 00:26:54.462 --> 00:26:57.866
  • See what he will do in our lives.
  • 00:26:57.866 --> 00:26:59.834
  • Let's pray.
  • 00:26:59.834 --> 00:27:01.202
  • Father, i thank you for a new year for the strength to meet
  • 00:27:01.202 --> 00:27:03.304
  • This beginning.
  • 00:27:03.304 --> 00:27:04.639
  • We wanna invite you into the midst of our homes, our lives,
  • 00:27:04.639 --> 00:27:07.409
  • Our journeys.
  • 00:27:07.409 --> 00:27:08.743
  • May christ in us truly be a light in this world this year.
  • 00:27:08.743 --> 00:27:12.080
  • In jesus's name, amen.
  • 00:27:12.080 --> 00:27:14.082
  • [music]
  • 00:27:14.082 --> 00:27:14.082