Sunday, August 7, 2011

Why Church - Part 2

Wow, I didn't realize how long I had gone without updating this blog. My apologies. Let's try to get us up to date...

In Why Church? Part 2 (July 4th weekend) we discussed the significance of the church in the founding of this nation. From Jonestown in 1607 through the American Revolution of the late 18th century, the church played an integral role in the establishment and growth of this nation.

Many of our state charters stated that their purpose was to spread the Gospel. Great universities like Harvard, Yale and Princeton began as either Christian institutions or at least operated by churches.

Our nation's founders has deep spiritual beliefs in the significance of what was happening in the establishment of the United States. Benjamin Rush (a signer of the Declaration of Independence) was a doctor and a teacher. During the 1793 outbreak of yellow fever in Philadelphia, when most other physicians fled for their own lives, he and a team of dedicated students remained to save the lives of others because it was the Christian thing to do.

John Adams (another signer as well as our second President) was an attorney. While a committed patriot in the rebellion against Britain, defended British soldiers falsely accused during the Boston Massacre because it was the Christian thing to do. Because it was what was right, he did not lose the respect of his peers.

John Jay, the first chief justice of the Supreme Court stated that we would be wise to elect only Christians to public office. Could you imaging the uproar if Justice John Roberts suggested such a thing today? We'd have Senate hearings and force him to resign.

The education system in America was founded by the church an the Bible was the primary textbook -- as the church saw the value in people being able to read the Bible.

The church was a great source of recruiting for soldiers during the revolution based on the Spiritual significance of England's crimes.

Benjamin Franklin, who was not widely considered a religious man, suggested our nations motto should be, "Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God." It was on his suggestion for our nation's seal.

A common refrain during the Revolution was, "No king but King Jesus."

In the years leading up to the Revolution the church brought about a tremendous revival. It saw that, in the rapid growth and expansion without a full infrastructure, that many cities had no churches. So they worked from 1740 to 1765 on a massive revival of the church -- which was instrumental in preparing this nation to fight for its independence.

The church saw the same problem in the 1830's when it brought about the Second Spiritual Awakening during the initial drive westward into Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio. This is where "Sunday School" was born. They were literally schools on Sunday where people were taught to read so that they could read the Bible.

The church has always been a part of identifying and fixing our nation's problems and needs to be once again!