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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - America Is A Christian Nation | July 12, 2025
- ♪ music ♪
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- [narrator] from the pulpit of the first baptist church
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- Of dallas, texas,
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- This is "pathway to victory" with dr. robert jeffress.
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- Hi, i am robert jeffress
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- And welcome again to "pathway to victory."
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- In recent decades,
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- Our government has taken drastic measures
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- To ensure that church and state remain completely separate.
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- And while many have applauded these efforts
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- For upholding american values,
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- Our modern day interpretation
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- Of the separation of church and state
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- Actually goes against the vision cast
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- By our founding fathers.
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- I'll explain why america is
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- And always has been a christian nation
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- On today's special edition of "pathway to victory."
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- ♪ music ♪
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- ♪ mine eyes have seen the glory ♪
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- ♪ of the coming of the lord ♪
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- ♪ he is trampling out the vintage ♪
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- ♪ where the grapes of wrath are stored ♪
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- ♪ he hath loosed the fateful lightning ♪
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- ♪ of his terrible swift sword ♪
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- ♪ his truth is marching on ♪
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- ♪ glory oh ♪
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- ♪ glory, glory, hallelujah ♪
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- ♪ his truth is marching on ♪
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- ♪ music ♪
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- ♪ in the beauty of the lilies ♪
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- ♪ christ was born across the sea ♪
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- ♪ with a glory in his bosom ♪
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- ♪ that transfigures you and me ♪
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- ♪ as he died to make men holy ♪
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- ♪ let us die to make men free ♪
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- ♪ while god is marching on ♪
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- ♪ glory, glory, hallelujah ♪
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- ♪ his truth is marching on ♪
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- ♪ amen ♪
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- ♪ music ♪
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- (audience applauds)
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- [narrator] jesus declared you are the salt of the earth
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- And the light of the world.
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- With so much darkness creeping into our schools
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- And communities,
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- Now is the time to answer that calling.
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- Become the salt and light the world desperately needs
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- Through the "pathway to victory"
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- Salt and light matching challenge.
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- Your gift today doubled in ministry impact
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- Will empower "pathway to victory"
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- To proclaim the gospel and stand for biblical truth.
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- Push back and hold strong against moral decline
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- By joining the salt and light matching challenge.
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- ♪ music ♪
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- Listen long enough to the arguments
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- Of the american civil liberties union
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- Or the freedom from religion foundation
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- Or other left wing groups
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- And you'll come to believe that america was founded
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- By a wide diversity of people from many different faiths,
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- Some deists, some atheists,
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- And yes, a few christians,
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- But the founders had one goal
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- And that was to build a completely secular nation
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- That was devoid of any religious,
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- Especially christian influence whatsoever.
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- You'll be told that our founders wanted to erect
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- This unscalable wall around our country
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- That would keep any spiritual influence
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- From seeping into public life.
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- That version of american history
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- Belongs in the same category
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- As the story of george washington and the cherry tree.
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- It is an absolute myth.
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- As we're going to discover today,
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- The truth is america was founded primarily,
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- Not exclusively,
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- But primarily by orthodox christians,
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- And they founded this country upon the unchanging foundation
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- Of god's eternal truth.
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- And furthermore,
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- Our founders believed that our success
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- As a nation depended upon our faithfulness
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- To god's eternal word.
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- And though it is completely politically incorrect to say,
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- The truth is this,
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- America was founded as a christian nation
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- And our success as a nation
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- Depends upon our fidelity to god's worth.
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- Now today we are going to look at the historical evidence
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- By which we can say that america was truly founded
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- As a christian nation.
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- First of all,
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- Let's look at the spiritual beliefs of our founders.
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- Were they neutral toward christianity?
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- Hardly.
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- 52 of the 55 men
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- Who attended the constitutional convention
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- Were orthodox conservative christians.
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- Benjamin franklin believed that the continental congress
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- Should begin the session
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- Seeking the favor of god through prayer.
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- Franklin said, quote,
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- "i have lived, sir, a long time
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- And the longer i live,
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- The more convincing proofs i see of this truth
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- That god governs the affairs of men.
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- And if a sparrow cannot fall
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- To the ground without his notice,
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- Is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?
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- We have been assured, sir,
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- In the sacred writings that except the lord build
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- They labor in vain that build it."
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- That was benjamin franklin.
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- Consider also the state constitutions.
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- Every state had their own constitution
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- And almost all of the 13 colonies
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- Prior to the constitutional convention
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- Had a state-sponsored religion.
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- And you see this in the qualifications
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- That every state had to go to the constitutional convention.
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- For example, if you were from delaware,
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- Listen to one of the things you had to subscribe to.
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- Article 22 of the delaware convention said, quote,
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- "every person who shall be chosen a member of either house
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- Or appointed to any office or place of trust
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- Shall make and subscribe to the following declaration,
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- I do profess faith in god the father
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- And in jesus christ, his only son,
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- And in the holy ghost.
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- One god blessed forevermore,
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- And i do acknowledge the holy scriptures
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- To the old and new testament
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- To be given by divine inspiration."
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- Today we don't even require some seminary professors
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- To believe that,
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- But if you lived in delaware
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- And wanted to hold public office,
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- You had to believe that you know.
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- A few years ago,
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- Two professors from the university of houston,
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- Donald lutz and charles hyneman engaged in a
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- Research project to discover
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- Whom our founding fathers quoted the most.
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- And they thought if they could find out
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- Whom the founding fathers were quoting the most,
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- They could understand better their principles.
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- And so after 10 years
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- Of studying more than 15,000 documents,
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- These professors found
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- That the three men our founding fathers quoted most often
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- Were british philosopher, john locke,
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- French philosopher, baron montesquieu
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- And english judge, sir william blackstone.
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- However, they found our founding father cited the bible
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- Four times more than they quoted montesquieu or blackstone
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- And 12 times more than they quoted john locke.
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- Just listen, for example,
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- To george washington in his first inaugural speech,
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- He said, "it would be improper to omit
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- In this first official act,
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- My fervent supplications
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- To that almighty being.
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- No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore
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- The invisible hand
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- Which conducts the affairs of men
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- More than the people of the united states."
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- This is what john quincy adams said, quote,
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- "the highest the transcendent glory
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- Of the american revolution was this
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- That it connected in one indissoluble bond
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- The principles of civil government
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- And the precepts of christianity.
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- If it has never been considered in that light,
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- It is because its compass has not been perceived."
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- Do you hear that?
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- There is an indissoluble bond
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- Between the founding of our country and christianity.
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- That was john quincy adams.
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- You say, "well, pastor,
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- What about the wall of separation
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- Between the church and the state?"
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- Never once do you find the words,
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- "the separation of church and state,"
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- And yet today 69% of americans still believe
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- That that phrase is found somewhere in the constitution.
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- It's not in the constitution.
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- And we'll see in just a moment where that phrase originated.
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- In fact, the first mention of that phrase,
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- "the wall of separation between church and state,"
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- Doesn't appear in a government document.
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- It appears in a private letter
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- From newly elected president thomas jefferson
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- And a group of baptist in danbury, connecticut.
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- And listen to what he said.
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- "i contemplate with sovereign reverence
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- That act of the whole american people
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- Which declared that their legislature should
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- Make no law respecting an establishment of religion
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- Or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
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- He's quoting the first amendment.
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- "thus building a wall of separation
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- Between church and state."
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- Now i want you to notice the context.
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- The context had to do with the establishing
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- Of one christian denomination as the state religion,
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- Which people were coerced to support financially.
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- And it was in that context that thomas jefferson said,
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- "no, we are not to establish a state church
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- That coerces people to worship.
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- We're not to elevate one christian denomination
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- Over another."
- 00:12:16.859 --> 00:12:17.893
- That is clearly the context.
- 00:12:17.893 --> 00:12:20.095
- Look at the early court rulings
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- In addition to the utterances of our founding fathers.
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- I mentioned just several of these cases
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- That show that not only did our judiciary
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- Affirm our christian foundation,
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- But they also encouraged government support
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- Of the christian fate.
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- First of all, the case of runkel versus winemiller in 1799.
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- In that case,
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- The supreme court of maryland said in its decision, quote,
- 00:12:46.889 --> 00:12:49.592
- "by our form of government,
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- The christian religion is the established religion."
- 00:12:52.962 --> 00:12:58.300
- Now stop there and think about that.
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- This is seven years,
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- Just seven years after the first amendment that says
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- Congress will make no law
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- Regarding the establishment of religion.
- 00:13:07.009 --> 00:13:10.946
- And now seven years later,
- 00:13:10.946 --> 00:13:12.514
- Maryland supreme court says,
- 00:13:12.514 --> 00:13:14.650
- "we have an established religion in this country.
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- It is the christian religion."
- 00:13:17.419 --> 00:13:20.289
- Were these judges ignorant of the first amendment?
- 00:13:20.289 --> 00:13:24.593
- Of course, they weren't.
- 00:13:24.593 --> 00:13:26.128
- They understood the first amendment better than you do,
- 00:13:26.128 --> 00:13:28.664
- Better than i do,
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- And certainly better than some liberal judge does today.
- 00:13:30.199 --> 00:13:33.269
- The founders were still alive,
- 00:13:33.269 --> 00:13:34.837
- The framers of the constitution.
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- If there was any question,
- 00:13:36.171 --> 00:13:37.706
- The maryland supreme court could have gone
- 00:13:37.706 --> 00:13:40.142
- And asked the founders what they mean.
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- No, they said,
- 00:13:42.311 --> 00:13:43.479
- "we have an established religion."
- 00:13:43.479 --> 00:13:44.813
- But look at the second phrase,
- 00:13:44.813 --> 00:13:46.282
- "and all sex and denominations of christians
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- Are placed upon the same equal footing
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- And are equally entitled to protection
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- In their religious liberty."
- 00:13:56.292 --> 00:13:58.160
- What they were saying was,
- 00:13:58.160 --> 00:13:59.995
- "yes, we have an established faith, the christian faith,
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- But no christian denomination
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- Is to be elevated over another christian denomination."
- 00:14:05.167 --> 00:14:08.671
- That again, was the intent of the first amendment.
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- One more i want to share with you,
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- Vidal versus girard's executors, 1844.
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- This was a very complicated case,
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- But the gist of it is this,
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- A man, very wealthy man in philadelphia died
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- And in his will,
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- He stipulated that the proceeds of his estate
- 00:14:29.358 --> 00:14:33.128
- Would be used to support a school for orphans.
- 00:14:33.128 --> 00:14:37.032
- They would call that a college back then,
- 00:14:37.032 --> 00:14:39.101
- But it was a school for orphans.
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- But he had one stipulation
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- And that is no christian clergyman
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- Could be allowed to teach in his school.
- 00:14:45.174 --> 00:14:48.711
- Well, the people of pennsylvania were upset by that.
- 00:14:48.711 --> 00:14:54.016
- They were upset that you would have a school
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- In which christianity couldn't be taught,
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- But the supreme court of the united states upheld
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- That man's will using this logic.
- 00:15:02.691 --> 00:15:06.095
- They said the fact that you don't have a christian
- 00:15:06.095 --> 00:15:07.629
- Minister teaching doesn't mean
- 00:15:07.629 --> 00:15:10.032
- The principles of christianity can't be taught
- 00:15:10.032 --> 00:15:12.768
- Or should be taught.
- 00:15:12.768 --> 00:15:14.136
- And this is what the supreme court said, quote,
- 00:15:14.136 --> 00:15:16.638
- "why may not the bible,
- 00:15:16.638 --> 00:15:18.807
- And especially the new testament,
- 00:15:18.807 --> 00:15:20.909
- Without note or comment,
- 00:15:20.909 --> 00:15:22.444
- Be read and taught as a divine revelation in the college,
- 00:15:22.444 --> 00:15:27.383
- Its general precepts expounded,
- 00:15:27.383 --> 00:15:29.752
- Its evidence is explained,
- 00:15:29.752 --> 00:15:31.720
- And its glorious principles of morality inculcated?"
- 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:35.958
- There is no reason not to teach the bible in this school
- 00:15:35.958 --> 00:15:39.962
- And to treat it as the word of god
- 00:15:39.962 --> 00:15:42.297
- And to teach its morality to students.
- 00:15:42.297 --> 00:15:45.234
- Likewise, the court said in the same ruling
- 00:15:45.234 --> 00:15:47.936
- That, "we don't have to worry about parody,
- 00:15:47.936 --> 00:15:50.072
- What effect such a ruling would have
- 00:15:50.072 --> 00:15:52.007
- On non-christian rulings."
- 00:15:52.007 --> 00:15:53.542
- Listen to this again, amazing.
- 00:15:53.542 --> 00:15:55.277
- "it is unnecessary for us, however,
- 00:15:55.277 --> 00:15:57.880
- To consider what the legal effect
- 00:15:57.880 --> 00:15:59.748
- Of a device in pennsylvania for the establishment
- 00:15:59.748 --> 00:16:02.484
- Of a school or college for the propagation of judaism,
- 00:16:02.484 --> 00:16:06.655
- Or deism, or any other form of infidelity.
- 00:16:06.655 --> 00:16:13.262
- Such a case is not to be presumed in a christian country."
- 00:16:14.496 --> 00:16:21.970
- Now that is how the early court felt
- 00:16:22.771 --> 00:16:25.441
- About the christian faith.
- 00:16:25.441 --> 00:16:27.109
- This was the spiritual foundation
- 00:16:27.109 --> 00:16:30.145
- On which our nation was built.
- 00:16:30.145 --> 00:16:32.381
- So the natural question is what happened?
- 00:16:32.381 --> 00:16:35.751
- What happened?
- 00:16:36.118 --> 00:16:37.453
- How do you explain this seismic shift
- 00:16:37.453 --> 00:16:41.490
- In the attitude toward faith in the public square
- 00:16:41.490 --> 00:16:43.926
- That we've witnessed in these last decades?
- 00:16:43.926 --> 00:16:47.796
- Well, first of all,
- 00:16:47.796 --> 00:16:49.331
- The first stone that was laid
- 00:16:49.331 --> 00:16:52.167
- In the erection of the wall of separation
- 00:16:52.167 --> 00:16:55.237
- Between church and state
- 00:16:55.237 --> 00:16:57.072
- Actually happened in 1947.
- 00:16:57.072 --> 00:17:01.410
- This was a supreme court case,
- 00:17:01.410 --> 00:17:03.846
- Everson versus the board of education.
- 00:17:03.846 --> 00:17:06.582
- This is the first time the words,
- 00:17:06.582 --> 00:17:09.384
- "separation of church and state,"
- 00:17:09.384 --> 00:17:11.220
- Were ever mentioned in a supreme court decision.
- 00:17:11.220 --> 00:17:14.523
- This case dealt with the state of new jersey
- 00:17:14.523 --> 00:17:17.759
- Using tax dollars to support religious schools.
- 00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:22.231
- Now remember back then all religious schools
- 00:17:22.231 --> 00:17:24.967
- Were catholic schools.
- 00:17:24.967 --> 00:17:27.269
- Remember that.
- 00:17:27.269 --> 00:17:28.670
- The chief justice of...
- 00:17:28.670 --> 00:17:31.240
- The justice of the supreme court
- 00:17:31.240 --> 00:17:33.208
- Who delivered that decision in the everson case
- 00:17:33.208 --> 00:17:36.044
- Was justice hugo black
- 00:17:36.044 --> 00:17:38.947
- And hugo black in that decision
- 00:17:38.947 --> 00:17:42.151
- Talked about his desire to build
- 00:17:42.151 --> 00:17:44.620
- A high and impregnable wall of separation
- 00:17:44.620 --> 00:17:47.923
- Between the church and the state.
- 00:17:47.923 --> 00:17:50.926
- He wanted to keep the catholic church
- 00:17:50.926 --> 00:17:52.794
- From receiving any support whatsoever.
- 00:17:52.794 --> 00:17:56.031
- In fact, justice clarence thomas said this, quote,
- 00:17:56.031 --> 00:17:59.368
- "this doctrine..."
- 00:17:59.368 --> 00:18:00.969
- Of the separation of church and state, he's talking about.
- 00:18:00.969 --> 00:18:03.338
- "this doctrine born in bigotry should be buried."
- 00:18:03.338 --> 00:18:09.211
- But there you have the first stone in 1947.
- 00:18:10.112 --> 00:18:14.149
- Then built upon that was the second stone in 1962,
- 00:18:14.149 --> 00:18:18.520
- Engel versus vitale.
- 00:18:18.520 --> 00:18:20.322
- In this case, this court ruled
- 00:18:20.322 --> 00:18:22.090
- That students in new york city could no longer recite
- 00:18:22.090 --> 00:18:25.727
- This simple 22 word voluntary prayer, quote,
- 00:18:25.727 --> 00:18:30.165
- "almighty god, we acknowledge our dependence upon thee,
- 00:18:30.165 --> 00:18:34.369
- And we beg thy blessings upon us,
- 00:18:34.369 --> 00:18:36.672
- Our parents, our teachers,
- 00:18:36.672 --> 00:18:38.607
- And our country."
- 00:18:38.607 --> 00:18:40.609
- Can you imagine saying that's unconstitutional?
- 00:18:40.609 --> 00:18:43.679
- But the court said even though
- 00:18:43.679 --> 00:18:45.214
- It was a to whomever it may concern prayer,
- 00:18:45.214 --> 00:18:47.783
- Not addressed to any particular god,
- 00:18:47.783 --> 00:18:50.052
- It was still breaching the quote,
- 00:18:50.052 --> 00:18:52.321
- "constitutional wall of separation
- 00:18:52.321 --> 00:18:54.890
- Between the church and state."
- 00:18:54.890 --> 00:18:56.825
- The third stone was laid in 1963,
- 00:18:56.825 --> 00:19:00.128
- Abington school district versus schempp.
- 00:19:00.128 --> 00:19:03.765
- This is a case that said,
- 00:19:03.765 --> 00:19:06.635
- "no longer could students voluntarily read
- 00:19:06.635 --> 00:19:09.871
- 10 verses of the bible
- 00:19:09.871 --> 00:19:11.607
- At the beginning of each school day."
- 00:19:11.607 --> 00:19:14.343
- The prosecution brought in so-called expert testimony
- 00:19:14.343 --> 00:19:18.247
- That said that if portions of the new testament
- 00:19:18.247 --> 00:19:21.750
- Were read without exclamation,
- 00:19:21.750 --> 00:19:23.518
- They could be psychologically harmful to the students
- 00:19:23.518 --> 00:19:27.389
- And therefore you can't do it.
- 00:19:27.389 --> 00:19:29.591
- Despain versus dekalb county in 1967,
- 00:19:29.591 --> 00:19:34.529
- This is a court case
- 00:19:34.529 --> 00:19:35.964
- That let stand a lower court ruling in 1966
- 00:19:35.964 --> 00:19:40.135
- That said a kindergarten teacher could not any longer
- 00:19:40.135 --> 00:19:44.706
- Allow her students to recite this simple poem.
- 00:19:44.706 --> 00:19:49.111
- "we thank you for the flowers so sweet.
- 00:19:49.111 --> 00:19:52.814
- We thank you for the food we eat.
- 00:19:52.814 --> 00:19:56.084
- We thank you for the birds that sing.
- 00:19:56.084 --> 00:19:59.221
- We thank you for everything."
- 00:19:59.221 --> 00:20:03.225
- The court said,
- 00:20:03.592 --> 00:20:05.627
- "you can't say that anymore in a school."
- 00:20:05.627 --> 00:20:08.030
- Why?
- 00:20:08.030 --> 00:20:09.398
- Because even though this poem does not mention god,
- 00:20:09.398 --> 00:20:13.268
- It might cause the children to think about god
- 00:20:13.268 --> 00:20:16.638
- And that is unconstitutional.
- 00:20:16.638 --> 00:20:19.975
- The culminating ruling,
- 00:20:20.475 --> 00:20:22.277
- 1980, stone versus graham.
- 00:20:22.277 --> 00:20:25.547
- This is a case involving the display
- 00:20:25.547 --> 00:20:28.884
- Of the 10 commandments in the halls of kentucky schools.
- 00:20:28.884 --> 00:20:32.421
- Thou shalt not steal,
- 00:20:32.421 --> 00:20:34.056
- Thou shalt not lie,
- 00:20:34.056 --> 00:20:35.691
- Thou shalt not murder.
- 00:20:35.691 --> 00:20:37.793
- Why did they say that was no longer constitutional?
- 00:20:37.793 --> 00:20:40.996
- Listen to what the supreme court said,
- 00:20:40.996 --> 00:20:42.931
- 1980, stone versus graham.
- 00:20:42.931 --> 00:20:45.701
- "if the posted copies of the 10 commandments
- 00:20:45.701 --> 00:20:48.770
- Are to have any effect at all,
- 00:20:48.770 --> 00:20:50.906
- It will induce the school children to read,
- 00:20:50.906 --> 00:20:54.009
- Meditate upon,
- 00:20:54.009 --> 00:20:55.444
- Perhaps venerate and obey the commandments.
- 00:20:55.444 --> 00:20:58.947
- However desirable this might be
- 00:20:58.947 --> 00:21:00.882
- As a matter of private devotion,
- 00:21:00.882 --> 00:21:02.951
- It is not permissible state objective
- 00:21:02.951 --> 00:21:07.122
- Under the establishment clause of the first amendment."
- 00:21:07.122 --> 00:21:11.360
- Why may not the new testament
- 00:21:11.360 --> 00:21:14.262
- Be read and taught as divine revelation
- 00:21:14.262 --> 00:21:17.099
- And its principles of morality inculcated?
- 00:21:17.099 --> 00:21:20.402
- How do you that with the words of john adams who said,
- 00:21:20.402 --> 00:21:24.072
- "our constitution is made for a moral and religious people.
- 00:21:24.072 --> 00:21:29.511
- It is totally inadequate to govern any other people."
- 00:21:30.612 --> 00:21:33.215
- And yet now the supreme court says,
- 00:21:33.215 --> 00:21:35.050
- "you can't even tell students they're not to lie,
- 00:21:35.050 --> 00:21:38.019
- Steal and kill."
- 00:21:38.019 --> 00:21:40.822
- How do you explain this shift?
- 00:21:41.456 --> 00:21:43.558
- What has happened in the last 60 or 70 years?
- 00:21:43.558 --> 00:21:47.295
- Has the constitution changed
- 00:21:47.295 --> 00:21:49.664
- And somebody didn't tell us?
- 00:21:49.664 --> 00:21:51.533
- No.
- 00:21:51.533 --> 00:21:52.634
- What happened is this,
- 00:21:52.634 --> 00:21:54.403
- We've allowed the atheist,
- 00:21:54.403 --> 00:21:56.605
- The secularist,
- 00:21:56.605 --> 00:21:57.939
- The infidels to pervert our constitution
- 00:21:57.939 --> 00:22:01.710
- Into something our founders never intended.
- 00:22:01.710 --> 00:22:05.247
- And we cannot allow that to happen any longer.
- 00:22:05.247 --> 00:22:08.550
- It is time for us to stand up and say without apology,
- 00:22:08.550 --> 00:22:12.421
- "america was founded as a christian nation."
- 00:22:12.421 --> 00:22:16.725
- (audience applauds)
- 00:22:16.725 --> 00:22:19.394
- Consider god's warning to his own people,
- 00:22:19.394 --> 00:22:22.130
- The nation of israel,
- 00:22:22.130 --> 00:22:23.932
- A warning that is just as applicable to us today
- 00:22:23.932 --> 00:22:27.736
- As it was 3000 years ago.
- 00:22:27.736 --> 00:22:30.272
- In hosea four, verse six, god says,
- 00:22:30.272 --> 00:22:32.874
- "my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
- 00:22:32.874 --> 00:22:37.746
- Because you have rejected knowledge,
- 00:22:37.746 --> 00:22:40.148
- I will also reject you from being my priest.
- 00:22:40.148 --> 00:22:43.585
- Since you have forgotten the law of your god,
- 00:22:43.585 --> 00:22:46.354
- I will also forget your children."
- 00:22:46.354 --> 00:22:51.827
- God is no respecter of people or nations.
- 00:22:52.727 --> 00:22:56.932
- The nation that reverences god will be blessed by god.
- 00:22:58.033 --> 00:23:02.671
- The nation that rejects god will be rejected by god.
- 00:23:02.671 --> 00:23:07.676
- The choice is ours.
- 00:23:08.143 --> 00:23:10.846
- ♪ music ♪
- 00:23:11.179 --> 00:23:15.450
- May god be honored and may our country prosper
- 00:23:16.351 --> 00:23:19.521
- As we declare our allegiance to god and god alone.
- 00:23:19.521 --> 00:23:24.226
- Blessed is the nation whose god is the lord.
- 00:23:24.226 --> 00:23:28.830
- Well, in closing today i need to give you an urgent reminder
- 00:23:30.031 --> 00:23:32.400
- That midnight tonight is the deadline
- 00:23:32.400 --> 00:23:35.170
- For counting your generous gift
- 00:23:35.170 --> 00:23:37.172
- Toward the pathway to victory
- 00:23:37.172 --> 00:23:38.640
- Salt and light matching challenge.
- 00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:41.076
- Tonight, this extraordinary opportunity
- 00:23:41.076 --> 00:23:43.478
- To double your impact ends.
- 00:23:43.478 --> 00:23:45.881
- We're living in a world that grows morally
- 00:23:45.881 --> 00:23:48.483
- And spiritually darker by the day.
- 00:23:48.483 --> 00:23:51.119
- But remember what jesus declared.
- 00:23:51.119 --> 00:23:53.488
- "you are the salt of the earth
- 00:23:53.488 --> 00:23:55.824
- And you are the light of the world."
- 00:23:55.824 --> 00:23:58.393
- Jesus didn't say you should be or that you ought to be.
- 00:23:58.393 --> 00:24:01.930
- He said, "you are right now."
- 00:24:01.930 --> 00:24:04.533
- Your generosity doubled in ministry impact
- 00:24:04.533 --> 00:24:07.636
- Will help us push back
- 00:24:07.636 --> 00:24:09.337
- Against the moral decline in our nation.
- 00:24:09.337 --> 00:24:12.140
- Saul preserves what is good and godly and delays the decay.
- 00:24:12.140 --> 00:24:16.478
- Light drives out the darkness,
- 00:24:16.478 --> 00:24:19.080
- But only if we fulfill our purpose.
- 00:24:19.080 --> 00:24:21.516
- So please, before midnight tonight,
- 00:24:21.516 --> 00:24:24.519
- Seize this window of opportunity
- 00:24:24.519 --> 00:24:26.922
- To double the impact of your gift to "pathway to victory."
- 00:24:26.922 --> 00:24:31.126
- Thank you so much for partnering with us
- 00:24:31.126 --> 00:24:33.228
- To be the salt and light
- 00:24:33.228 --> 00:24:34.963
- Our nation and our world urgently need now.
- 00:24:34.963 --> 00:24:38.500
- Stay right there.
- 00:24:38.500 --> 00:24:39.801
- I'll be back with more "pathway to victory"
- 00:24:39.801 --> 00:24:42.003
- In just a moment.
- 00:24:42.003 --> 00:24:43.438
- [narrator] the moral decline in today's world
- 00:24:44.339 --> 00:24:45.941
- Can feel overwhelming,
- 00:24:45.941 --> 00:24:47.442
- But god calls us to shine his light
- 00:24:47.442 --> 00:24:49.811
- And make a difference for him in a world
- 00:24:49.811 --> 00:24:51.980
- That has lost its way.
- 00:24:51.980 --> 00:24:53.548
- In his brand new book, "shine the light,"
- 00:24:53.548 --> 00:24:55.750
- Dr. robert jeffress shows you
- 00:24:55.750 --> 00:24:57.419
- How small faithful acts like teaching,
- 00:24:57.419 --> 00:24:59.854
- Serving and encouraging can restore
- 00:24:59.854 --> 00:25:02.223
- And renew christian values in your family,
- 00:25:02.223 --> 00:25:04.526
- Your church and community.
- 00:25:04.526 --> 00:25:06.294
- The bible teaches that our primary purpose in life
- 00:25:06.294 --> 00:25:09.497
- Is to influence the world with the gospel.
- 00:25:09.497 --> 00:25:12.801
- And in my new book,
- 00:25:12.801 --> 00:25:14.035
- I'll show you how to live purposefully
- 00:25:14.035 --> 00:25:16.304
- And leave behind a legacy of faith,
- 00:25:16.304 --> 00:25:18.974
- Wisdom and compassion.
- 00:25:18.974 --> 00:25:20.976
- [narrator] the world may seem lost,
- 00:25:20.976 --> 00:25:22.544
- But god's light has not dimmed
- 00:25:22.544 --> 00:25:24.546
- And neither has yours.
- 00:25:24.546 --> 00:25:26.081
- Request your copy of "shine the light"
- 00:25:26.081 --> 00:25:28.249
- When you give a generous gift
- 00:25:28.249 --> 00:25:29.851
- To the pathway to victory salt and light matching challenge.
- 00:25:29.851 --> 00:25:33.121
- And when your ministry gift is $100 or more,
- 00:25:33.121 --> 00:25:36.157
- We'll also send you the complete
- 00:25:36.157 --> 00:25:37.859
- Shine the light teaching series on dvd and audio disc.
- 00:25:37.859 --> 00:25:41.563
- Light is of little value in the light.
- 00:25:41.563 --> 00:25:44.532
- If we're going to be effective,
- 00:25:44.532 --> 00:25:46.234
- We're effective for christ
- 00:25:46.234 --> 00:25:47.535
- Not when we're around other light sources,
- 00:25:47.535 --> 00:25:50.405
- Other christians.
- 00:25:50.405 --> 00:25:51.506
- It is when we are in the darkness.
- 00:25:51.506 --> 00:25:54.109
- Light has to confront the darkness.
- 00:25:54.109 --> 00:25:57.178
- [narrator] remember,
- 00:25:57.178 --> 00:25:58.480
- Your gift today will have twice the impact
- 00:25:58.480 --> 00:26:00.215
- Thanks to the pathway to victory
- 00:26:00.215 --> 00:26:01.816
- Salt and light matching challenge.
- 00:26:01.816 --> 00:26:03.952
- Thank you for partnering with "pathway to victory"
- 00:26:03.952 --> 00:26:06.621
- As we boldly proclaim the gospel
- 00:26:06.621 --> 00:26:08.790
- And equip believers to shine god's light
- 00:26:08.790 --> 00:26:11.192
- In a world that has lost its way.
- 00:26:11.192 --> 00:26:14.829
- Today's liberal elite have twisted
- 00:26:15.563 --> 00:26:17.799
- And distorted american history
- 00:26:17.799 --> 00:26:20.001
- Attempting to disguise or even conceal
- 00:26:20.001 --> 00:26:22.671
- Our nation's obvious christian foundation.
- 00:26:22.671 --> 00:26:26.207
- But there's no mistake,
- 00:26:26.207 --> 00:26:27.742
- America was indeed founded as a christian nation
- 00:26:27.742 --> 00:26:31.546
- And that's a heritage we can be proud of.
- 00:26:31.546 --> 00:26:34.649
- Well, disciple and discipleship
- 00:26:34.649 --> 00:26:37.352
- Are words we throw around the church pretty often
- 00:26:37.352 --> 00:26:40.121
- Without really understanding what they mean.
- 00:26:40.121 --> 00:26:43.091
- So who really is a disciple
- 00:26:43.091 --> 00:26:45.293
- And what does a disciple look like?
- 00:26:45.293 --> 00:26:47.829
- Stay tuned for a preview of our next series
- 00:26:47.829 --> 00:26:50.432
- "7 marks of a disciple."
- 00:26:50.432 --> 00:26:53.601
- As you read through the whole of the new testament,
- 00:26:54.636 --> 00:26:57.439
- Can you really say that all god really wants for me
- 00:26:57.439 --> 00:27:00.608
- Is to receive that free get out of hell card
- 00:27:00.608 --> 00:27:03.778
- And that's all that really matters.
- 00:27:03.778 --> 00:27:06.414
- Does he care about anything else?
- 00:27:06.414 --> 00:27:09.784
- Again, the stakes are too high to get this wrong.
- 00:27:09.784 --> 00:27:13.388
- [narrator] set your dvr
- 00:27:13.888 --> 00:27:15.056
- And join us next time for the message,
- 00:27:15.056 --> 00:27:16.991
- The heart of discipleship,
- 00:27:16.991 --> 00:27:18.927
- Part of a new series,
- 00:27:18.927 --> 00:27:19.994
- "7 marks of a disciple"
- 00:27:19.994 --> 00:27:22.063
- Here on "pathway to victory."
- 00:27:22.063 --> 00:27:24.332
- ♪ music ♪
- 00:27:24.666 --> 00:27:24.666