The Intersection Between the Gospel, Culture, and Politics

Let's look to God's word for wisdom is critical times stage for the line of fire with your host activist and author, international speaker and theologian Dr. Michael Brown your voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution Michael Brown is the director of the coalition of conscience have president of fire school of ministry getting to the line of fire valves like always 866-34-TRUTH that's 866-34-TRUTH your Jim is Dr. Michael Brown, a friend, this is Michael, just going to be a heads up. I am recording this broadcast on June 10, so if there's something major that is happened since June 10. If there's nothing major going on in the news today that won't be reflected on today's broadcast and I will be taking calls. Obviously, because this is prerecorded, and I can take your call several days before you call yeah can quite do that with technology.

It but I am teaching a class. So yesterday, today, tomorrow teaching a class at the Kings University. I would've been there in person doing it on contemporary anti-Semitism it's it's three day intensive class so this the second day and then we got one more day tomorrow so yesterday's broadcast was my interview with Prof. Greg Craig Keener about the gospel and racial reconciliation. Why that is such an important gospel issue. We talk about important truths today and tomorrow so don't miss a moment of these broadcast but if you're waiting for me to comment on news that happened like 10 minutes ago last night look to my writings look to my articles and blogs.

That's where you get that commentary okay friends I am first and foremost a follower of Jesus, I am first and foremost a preacher of the gospel. I am first and foremost a disciple. Everything else, be it radio host, be it columnist any sales that touches on culture, politics that flows out of my primary burden calling, so I am never going to be a conservative or liberal political pundit and obscene conservative my meetings. I am never going to be just another conservative talk radio host and and that's not why you're listening or watching their there plenty of folks out there on different sides. Given their commentary and articulate their educated their controversial sum you agree with some you don't agree with.

But there plenty doing their job. I'm here to be a voice in a different way I'm here is introduced every day to be your voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution. I'm here your voice of moral sanity and spiritual clarity in the midst of a society in chaos in the church.

All too often in compromise. I'm here to serve you by looking at the Scriptures with you. Looking at what God requires of us and then asking how do we live that out in this world. So the reason that I talk about cultural issues because they intersect with the gospel and the reason I talk about political issues as they intersect with cultural issues which intersect with the gospel, but are our emphasis on nothing anyone else is right or wrong doing what they do okay, but our emphasis here it is, is to be a voice that addresses culture that addresses politics that addresses world events based on Scripture and based on the perspective of Jesus first following him first being a disciple.

First, I tweeted this out earlier today so again that that would be on June 10 that I tweeted this out. But just as a simple little message that struck me because we get so caught up with the elections we get so caught up with being for this one are against this one we get so caught up with will our candidate get in or not or will we have the house are now the Congress and out of how things go ago that there was a shift in the Senate can be in a president and all these things are important, but step back and consider this prospectus. I was born in 1955 I and I tweeted this out there been many presidents in my lifetime. So just in my lifetime last 65 years. Eisenhower, JFK John F. Kennedy, LBJ, Lindeman, Johnson then Nixon for Carter, Reagan, George H. W. Bush then followed of course by Bill Clinton, George W Bush. Then Barack Obama now Donald trumps a how many 1-234-567-8910 1112 12 presidents, now JFK. Of course, assassinated his life cut short. Nixon having to step down second term for Carter don't have his full presidencies as others would have your card one term in Reagan to terms Bush 11 term Clinton to terms Bush to two terms Obama to terms from one term so far and will see what happens. But 1-234-567-8910 1112 different presidents in my lifetime the best and worst come and go but there is only one Savior. This is what I tweeted. So while Trump is my current president, Jesus jesus is my always Savior always so those last words and caps.

Jesus is my always Savior always so might my point is to constantly push us to him, but my point is, is to constantly have a gospel orientation that please delete be clear, there are many fine creatures on the air. You know the David Jeremiah's and others that have been on for decades, preaching the gospel teaching believers as so many too many to list every local Christian station you have some local pastors lent national ministries and their preaching the gospel and over the course of the year. They may not say a word about politics, they may be doing a study of the book of the Bible, or each month and we seem from the Bible and entered doing what God called them to do, and I've been preaching in and traveling and speaking and in that respect for years and have had radio and TV shows right just preach. I just teach that's wonderful that that's a basic gospel calling that's far more common than my calling. In other words, I would expect that the vast majority of those called to preach the gospel with almost entirely stay in that lane. And yes, it intersects with culture and yes intersects with politics but that will not be something to talk about all the time so I respect that. I honor that. And then there are those that are news reporters and and that are talking heads and that her radio host and they're doing what they do okay and there are plenty of them. You know there that the well-known national host, you know, the conservative, the Rush Limbaugh's and the Dennis Prager's and the others in some you may really like. In some you may differ with whatever they're doing what they're doing and I'm I'm not gonna put on Rush Limbaugh and expect to hear him give it a biblical exposition of something and point people to Jesus although he professes to be a Christian it is thank everyone for prayers during his battle with cancer or Dennis Prager is a conservative Jew a moment and look to him for articulation of the gospel or point people to Jesus or Ben Shapiro to do what they do and and they each have their all-time listing conservative series. You can see but but they each have their roles and you may agree with Amy disagree with them with it there and there particularly are lands different Lane and and only a few of us right now that are actively called to this particular light does mean it's better or worse than anybody else's. It just means there are less of us doing this so I will always friends unashamedly unapologetically points you back to the word of God. I will always unashamedly unapologetically point to Jesus .2 issue point to the Savior point to the Lord. I will always unashamedly and unapologetically say the root issues or spiritual issues. The root issues have to do with the condition of the human heart. The root issues cannot be solved with policies alone here. Think of this for a moment I just consider this with II talk to folks who are aggrieved right now with the protests over the death of George Floyd and that the cumulative grief and pain of many in the black American community and I say okay give me some solutions now that will fix everything under how brilliant you are unsure how sociologically a student you are not a fix everything they can fix everything, because the human heart. I remember in the one was this late 1970s early 1980s John Perkins came and spoke to the church.

I was part John Perkins was a well-known black Christian leader. He had been someone who had been an antiwhite racist himself.

As I recall his testimony he had been mistreated by the white community gets wonderfully saved and he becomes a great spokesman for the gospel and one that would really rock your boat a little bit. If you have them come into your church and you are so manly maybe a white suburbs church. You might might rock your boat a little bit with his message try memory came to our church, our congregation and he he was used to ministering with kind of a chip on his shoulder. You know, because he went he was gonna was gonna tell you what was wrong and and challenge you a bit and with a smile and with love. You know, but he could with us because we were ready there and we were doing so many things and in terms of of caring for the poor in our community in terms of standing for life in terms of of sponsoring refugees, helping needy import from other parts the world, but the needed sponsorship in America that were were standing against racism and and and he he just felt that he was among people of like heart and I remember I remember he said this, he said it all whenever he talks about things like this may be sent a rich white church and he says just a rich church in general.

He said you think I want you to take all your money given to the poor is no way know this John Perkins okay the mowers Dumbarton said no way is and you have a back to Valdez.

He got the first place I said with a smile really laughed but but the point. The point was, regardless of you may ranger your your living and your your your wealth by hard work by honoring the Lord by sacrifice by giving by. Be generous by helping all people and gods blessed you and is not is a sin to be wealthy and your wealth is helping many others, and in your wealth of rightly uses helping advance the gospel to God bless you with peace. Help you be wealthy that that's that's not a sin, nor is it a virtue to be poor. Okay, but the point is where just install this piece of legislation is to fix everything install this thought. In fact, a lot of things that were installed in place ultimately perpetuate a bad system and there are many who would say look the Democrats with us through the decades with a the party that the party of slavery. The proslavery party the paresis party MNL and the Democrats introduced a welfare reform in all this and and a lot of things in the 60s resistor waited for it to keep an oppressed class and oppressed us.

This is the argument of some the point is, when you buy that argument or not. Yes, where policy should be reform where things should be done to make things right; whatever it is, if it can be addressed legally you address it legally. It is a legal injustice to this is not ourselves is not to solve deeper problems here in America with shipping error on the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown. Your voice is more cultural and spiritual revolution there again is Dr. Michael Brown thanks for joining us today on the life I just need a reminder as you are watching and listening to this broadcast I am right now teaching a class for the Kings University, a three day intensive class for undergrad and grad students on contemporary anti-Semitism. It's all the class I would have been in Texas teacher right now if not for COBIT 19 epidemic pandemic. So I'm doing it by zoom this broadcast was prerecorded on June 10 so get on not taking calls today and it is breaking news on not commenting on it, but the things I'm talking about are evergreen.

You can listen today you could listen a month you can listen to year 10 years. What I'm saying remains directly relevant. One of our most watch videos and one of the most powerful what I've gone out and played it in other churches with rousing amen some clauses is our video that asked the question, why don't more pastors speak out. Talk about moral and cultural issues in the video I make plain that the primary calling of a pastor is to nurture the flock to to build them up in the Lord to keep them strong protective Samaritan and then obviously is the creation you reach out to lost in your community.

The primary calling of a local pastor is not to be a politician. The primitive is called to be primarily a politician and he should move into politics. The primary calling for local pastor is not to be a culture warrior. However, the gospel intersects with culture and the gospel intersects with politics here, but let me ask you a question. Did the gospel intersects with politics in Nazi Germany. If if more Christians were living out their Christian values with a nod of oppose the policies of Hitler would they have voted for him if they saw who he really was and where things were going.

Of course these things intersect not intersect. It's one thing if you're in a situation where you have a king, an absolute ruler, and their current dictatorial situation where there is nothing you can possibly do other than seek to live out your Christian life.

And if you die for you die for you go to jail for your Gail Ford know where to mount situations where people get to vote for someone in both someone out for certain policies against certain policies and certainly you would agree that when things trickle down to where you live that because of unjust laws. You lose your job for having a Christian conviction or because of of of ungodly policies, your kids get indoctrinated with pornographic filth called sex ed programs that has to do with what the local school Council voted for and then it is always ignored that. That's is politics right so we understand is an intersection, we agree that the primary calling of of pastors and leaders is to preach and teach the Scriptures. Christian leaders read preach and teach the Scriptures and build up the body and and ward off error prepare God's people to go into the world with acts of service, and preach the gospel. We understand that, but the concern was this we pointed to couple polls done by the Barna Institute George Barnett believing Christian pollster in America and Barna asked pastors around America and they did it. I think 2014 was the first one when I was in tract within. They said they had done another one a couple years later with the identical results. Whatever the years were 2014 2016 something like that. They asked pastors do believe that the Bible addresses all of the controversial moral cultural issues of the day like abortion like homosexuality bike the meaning of marriage just those kinds of things do you believe the Bible addresses the most controversial moral cultural issues of the related racism that overwhelmingly overwhelmingly think over 90% said yes yes it does. They were then asked how often to use the Bible to address the systems that let me reiterate, I do not believe your average pastor is called to do what I do write your average pastor is not called to be writing five op-ed pieces we commenting on what's happening in the culture around us. Your average pastors is not called to be addressing political issues on a regular basis. The way we did irreverence pastors not called to be attacking all the controversies we do every day of a talk radio show the Sau Jarvis pastors called the Lord I want to burden them with that or think they should hate. Let us be your voiceless help, but his productivity is, let us address the issues.

Let us read the articles will be resources for you and if you agree share with others or or take them and use them wonderful, wonderful. But let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater. When these pastors were asked how often do you use the Bible to address the moral cultural issues of the day. How many of you do that 10% said they did regularly use the Bible to address the controversial moral cultural issues of the day so over 90% agreed that the Bible intersected with these issues. Think of being a gospel based preacher in America during the days of slavery as the gospel address those issues. Course it does. Course it does so that's the shocker, roughly 90% say yes the Bible does address these issues.

Roughly 10% say that we use the Bible to address these issues.

Why Barna found that there were a number of major factors and they basically come down to a man fearing man pleasing spirit.

One reason was more loose people address the controversial.

This is a controversial Sinhalese news people. Those them always money. I was people others money. Another was always influence real the building. We have losing Madden that the look, I understand that loss of money is a very complex issue. For example you just hired a new children's pastor and wonderful couple husband-and-wife for kids just relocated just put them on staff you budgeted things output the markets you really want to point your children in a full-time way or there is a soup kitchen in the city and you are the primary supporters of that soup kitchen or you give very generously to support missionaries in different parts the world and for some, you are their primary supporters. So, loss of income could mean loss of money for missionary on the front line or could mean you no longer get to underwrite that soup kitchen, or could mean that you have to lay off this couple with their family.

They just relocated to serve the church knowing that they have an income doing so. So it's not just a matter of churches sitting on millions of dollars in their bank accounts, like we don't touch that we know anything to threaten that it's not a matter of getting rich off the gospel, but it is a matter of lack of trust in God. In other words, if I'm convinced that this is God's work.

If I'm convinced that this is God's word if I'm convinced that this is God's truth. If I'm convinced that these controversial issues are important to the Lord. Then I've got to address them, speak the truth in love, speak the truth with wisdom. I've got to do that other otherwise I'm in compromise.

Otherwise, I'm looking to man instead of looking to Ghana looking to people rather looking to the Lord. So that the other thing that was so ironic in these polls is that Barna found in in churches that have conservative biblical values and and that are on some level, politically active, so they're not just know that's that's of another world. We don't touch the little that something like 90% of the congregants that we want our pastors to address these issues. Look when when God burden the to begin to address issues having to do with gay activism.

He then began to break my heart for the people gave your word. The kind of brought a lot of stuff together in my heart gave your word in. In January 2005. Reach out and resist reach out to the people with compassion resist the agenda with courage as I began to speak on these things more light on them. II got asked more and more and more around America and then around the world to come and speak to these issues, at least part of my time there can address these issues. Can I talk about can you began Christian, can I can I speak to this and invariably when I would do a message and then we have time for Q&A afterwards or I'd be able to stay around a little bit and meet people there would be a line of people waiting to talk to me. Many of them in tears want to tell me what happened, that a woman tell about how her husband left turns with another man or couple wanting wisdom embryo what to tell their son just came as transgender one after another and I am of course I was happy to speak with them and give them whatever wisdom I could but I'm thinking why you have to wait till I Got here whatever churches there were in the community of the local church row speaking. Why want these things being addressed already and that's that even a matter of taking up a political issue is much as the needs of people.

When mega-church pastor and major city in America told me years ago on thinking maybe 10 years ago quite a while ago that he was the only mega-church pastor and his sitting he was friends with the other guys was the only mega-church pastor and his city would even address homosexuality from the pulpit, even in terms of of sexual brokenness or sexual issues that even the political side of things just considered too hot to controversial friends. We honor God or you fear people. Yes, we need to have wisdom. Yes, when things are volatile. We need to remember the many different people that could be listened.

Yes, we need to be filled with the love of God and filled with the spirit of God and yes I agree that most pastors are not called to do what I do in terms of the amount of time that we spent addressing cultural and political issues friends. Just as I literally everything back to the gospel. The gospel touches all these areas need address the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown in the line of fire now going to 866-34-TRUTH your exam is Dr. Michael Brown five you just tuning in, I am right now is your listening to me. I am teaching a class for the Kings University in Dallas, Texas, three day class on contemporary anti-Semitism. So this broadcast has been prerecorded want to give you the date it was recorded it was recorded on June 10 right which happens to be the birthday of our oldest daughter, Jen, recorded June 10 so that means if something earth shattering happened on June 12. I'm not talking about earlier today if you want to Dr. Brown document, what happened this morning because I prerecorded the broadcasts that we could bring you a quality up to date broadcast is not display a repeat from a year or two ago like a euro an interview we did a special broadcast. We did, but something that is as close to being alive as possible but not totally live so not taking calls and I can't elicit I could have prayed in by a miracle. God could have given me the headlines for the next few days but doesn't happen to be yet so I was expecting it to happen to me now okay believers in politics.

Believers in politics there are obviously extremes. We can go to with everything at every every subject every area of life. Every discipline in life of every activity in life, every belief system. Every a cab extremes. That's just human nature and you take a good saying and goad in either extreme direction with it and make it into a bad thing. I so when he comes to believers in politics. The two extremes would be one complete dropping out.

I've had it with the system, enough with the system. Everybody's corrupt can't trust anybody. However, we elect as many flaws is good qualities they do as much harm as good.

I am a bother with my vote. When you think about it, I'll pray for God's will to be done selected. I'll pray for God to work in their lives and save them. Given wisdom to to govern rightly but I'm getting it told him and Paul. They say will likewise that such a bad thing.

I mean, Jesus did say in John 18. His kingdom is not of this world. In Philippians 3 it says that our citizenship is in heaven.

In Colossians 3 it says that were seated with him in heavenly places. Also Ephesians 2 it tells us that and and and Jesus prays for us and says were in this world but were not all of it right as a theme reemphasizes the Johnson team within reemphasizing first John, so why even get involved. On the one hand, when Jesus speaks of the world are John speaks of the world.

Their time in a world system of evil, not not primarily politics that permanently government which Paul says in Romans 13 is been established by God and in terms of governing authority but worldliness in the system of this age which is under the dominion of Satan's ingredients for for the god of this age, the God of this world is one of the minds of those who do not believe so is not something talking about politics as a whole or government as a whole is "the world although there's much of the world.

In it, and much of it is dominated by quote the world. But the problem with the total dropping out mentality. Aside from the fact that the Bible doesn't call us to do that and Jesus does say give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and although it's not an obligation. In America you could say it is a privilege that we have a great privilege that much that much of the world through history is never known memory the privilege of voting having a voice that's part of giving to Caesar and I'm gonna pay taxes. Romans 13 tells me I should. And that's also part of giving to Caesar if I'm going to pay taxes and those textiles really go for certain causes and I can vote for an official it's good to use that money righteously or unrighteously you can say it's it's a sacred responsibility, if not an absolute obligation of the problem is if believers in America quickly drop out and just stop voting for good voting were done locking about all. Then we talk about the massive moral, social collapse of America almost overnight were talking about the most extreme policies been put in place. We were talking about things that would make persecution of the gospel in an everyday offense in America persecution would just be the norm in preaching the gospel would be an everyday offense and you might not be able to meet his churches unless you renounce certain biblical beliefs that you have an and you might as is happen. Other countries have your children taken from you because your homeschooling and Christian values. Yes, this might happen is that's extreme, not if tens of millions of Christians don't vote.

It's not extreme to think like that at all, then what are we going to do but just take it on the chin. Okay. Just take it on the chin when your kids are taken away by when you leave your wife a virtual will is your in jail and you're in your enabler suit to support or help her anyway. If you stood by biblical convictions A's take on the trip is one thing we have a choice is one thing were persecuted for face.

We rejoice in and we take that as as an honor to be treated the way Jesus was there. He tells us to rejoice and be glad in it were our reward in heaven is great. Matthew 510 through 12 in many other passages in an we know for example that when the apostles were flogged in acts 541 but they left the Sanhedrin rejoicing because their comment worthy of several reproachfully for the name of the Lord. So a man taken on the chin suffer gladly.

But you do not willfully by negligence allow assistant to be set up at least your direct persecution know there's a man in Canada. Dad in Canada that I met last year and and and here he is the 14-year-old daughter Mims 15 now, and she decides that she really believes she's a boy and wants to get in the hormone treatments and to get ready for sex change surgery so the father poser is the father mother separated the father posted in the courts upheld the daughters right in oceangoing news 14 years old against her father's wishes, but hang on the course also said if you do not refer to her by her chosen name and if you refer to her as her rather than he. Then you go to jail in the privacy of your home. If you can't do it you're going to all you want that in America less what happens of Christians by God because there are radical elements of society, pushing an agenda that looks just like that II go on and on and on and on and on and on and on with examples. The other extreme is where politics is it that shrubs are man robot is our man Republican Party Democrat party and you put as believers all it's is we've got to get this one of this was not the end and that's how we feel, my guess is that level of passion and endlessly raising funds for this and does matter how nasty the ads always can keep the bad guys out there to keep Hillary out that he by now getting Sanders out there fighting as Obama's agenda. That's if you're conservative.

And if you're on the other side. You got it Rita Tromp you're fighting as the Bush agenda and so on. You keep cruise out. You keep his other guys out so I assume the great majority of you listening would be conservative and majority view would be Tromp voters, many would not be a federal listening to different perspectives of politics becomes so over exalted in our energies are passions we get so gripped and you cannot be a Christian if you don't over dump. You cannot be a Christian of you do vote for Donald around around it goes and it gets so passionate and so intense, and we think visit is is the most critical election of our lifetimes, and we hear a teacher but one of my friends and I think this could be the latest of Jesus comes at each election is even more critical than the one before. There may be some truth to it. On the one hand, but on the other hand, gosh, where is God in all of this was the power of the gospel. All this where where is that the recognition that whoever is elected can only impact the country to a certain degree, CLU, but if we can get enough people in the courts.

Okay, so prison trumps them a great job an outstanding job of appointing conservative justices which were the most bargainable values important to many of us that's big, that's big okay so let's say he gets booted out. And let's say there's someone soon. So much of a backlash against Tromp that you get someone to the left of Joe by Melissa Job.

I'm guessing his replacement.

He passes away at God for bid. I'm not prophesy that but is an older man with a passageway during sermons got even more radical vice president. And let's say that Democrats control that that the house and and the Senate. So Congress is now democratic and and you got the extreme left elements and and and and Bernie Sanders what one seems extreme. After a while and just miss Anna not okay, and then whoever's in appoints a whole bunch of their judges for the next terms and and then pushes the Supreme Court maybe if you're the conservative justices retire purchases of Supreme Court or liberal way and and then policies are instituted in schools and and all the pro-life legislation of Tromp is overturned, and so on. Okay, look, but the fact is his tips. One way to facilitate swimming tubes in a yeah while I'm responsible for voting on a boat to tip things in the way that I feel is right. This is everybody's vote.

Everybody's opportunity, whoever you are, you be an atheist Satanist who thinks that that AOC Alexander Kaiser Cortez is his way to conservative and you get to cast your vote and your vote casts counts just as much as a traditionalist Catholic always said alas the mass in Latin and thinks the current pope is way too liberal, you will get about and I get my but we each get our vote, but of course vote in a way that's gonna try to tip things in the right direction, but that is not what America primarily needs America primarily needs a gospel revolution by which I mean revival in the church bringing awakening in society that then produces a moral and cultural revolution. The gospel spreading like holy fire through the nation as millions of people are born again and millions of others come alive in faith. That's what Cecil cast my vote phone is just a small part.

The boat is a small part fact is we talked about on on the broadcast. We did live on June 10.

Hundreds and hundreds of comments we received on Facebook about most important ways to change America very few put voting in the top five. I believe that hell for both counts. Let us put things in life on the line of fire with your host Dr. Michael Brown voice of moral cultural and spiritual revolution. Here again is Dr. Michael Brown thanks for joining us on this mission recorded, broadcast with you soon again. I've been teaching this week at the Kings University in Dallas, Texas but have to do it remotely because of the things that sees me being fully back on schedule after virus and shutdown things like that so do it remotely. But that means I do pre-record this broadcast so recorded this June 10 just to give you context for the broadcast and to let you know than anything to happen after June 10. I'm not talking about today.

I will encourage your friends as I've been emphasizing that the gospel, the gospel, the gospel lived out is the ultimate solution for America's deepest problems. The racial reconciliation esteem in the life of the unborn being fighting against injustice. Restoring a healthy family structure. Whatever it is the gospel, lays the foundation in 1957 in New York City quite unexpectedly and in a suspiciously prior revival began, there was a retired businessman now doing missions work on the street, Jeremiah Lanphier and get a burden to call for people to pray during lunch break so from noon to one. He called the people gathered a certain location, certain day, handful gathered 10. 12. Whatever was limited to the in the next day or handing out pamphlets on the street and getting the word out. The social media obviously in those days, 1857 and grew grew grew until across the nation. There was a prior revival broke out 1857 1858 and even though you have prominent preachers at the time of Charles Finney, a powerful evangelist.

This was not associated with a major leader you associate great awakening with men like Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield you associate the Welsh revival with Evan Roberts you associate different revivals with different key leaders know the Hebrides with Duncan Campbell and Azusa Street with William Seymour Brown's revival Steve Hill and others. Even though God used many different people there still key leaders whose names will often come to mind key historic revivals by black. This one was was more so the happen among the people and he did not have as much of a a a hierarchical structure similar happen organically. Now their estimates are message hard to bring precision to this that 1857 1850. Prayer revival that about a million new converts were added to the church and met a million backslidden believers made new professions of faith. That's what I've read from her Bible historians had a profound impact and then within the church, which is much were influential in the culture at that time.

In many ways and played a bigger role in cultural education and things like that that just the reviving of believers are committed ready as a profound and dramatic effect. James Edwin war was the foremost evangelical revival historian of the last generation painted a vivid picture of what happened during the prayer revival and it was in a northern state it may have been Minnesota forget that. But what would happen was many places of business which shut down from 12 to 17, all over America is that they have a prayer meeting during the time so one building is packed, it's noon. The buildings packed for prayer. That alone is a phenomenon, something is going on the buildings packed for prayer and there's a minister local pastor is going to be leading and and this is before we begin want to take prayer requests and he said there's a prayer request from one sister she said.

Please pray for my husband he is hardened to the gospel. He's he's insensitive. He's spiritually, like a coldhearted group pray for his salvation is just an anonymous prayer request from one before he could go on a man raises his hands as Sir, that's me. I'm that man and I want to get right with God today. Before he can finish another man raises a no no. I'm the one she's talking about.

I want to get saved today I think was seven or eight different men raise their hand, not all it's me that you think wall first. What were they doing there in a prayer meeting happens during times revival we witnessed every week for years in Brownsville were nonbelievers would come to meetings at last like six hours of leftist and online for 12 hours to get into the building to get a seat in the main building. I imagine that whether that why there are lost people coming this. What happens come across them draws so why even there. And then how deep is the conviction for them to want to be saved on the spot.

This spread across America and brought profound change with it it it also jumped over to Ireland parts of England were affected.

Scott and I believe that.gov moved in these different ways. Major ministries ended up coming out of this season. DL Moody and Hudson Taylor and William Booth that you could ultimately trace back their ministries to being burst out of this prayer revival and then of course great shaking in a people in America. The Civil War less than a decade later and and that is obviously where things got to a breaking point so that the abolition movement taking on ground and bring about change, it was glad it was terrible because there was not just a deeper response to the message of repentance. Charles Finney had warned that if we put abolitionism first abolitionism. First, and preach the gospel.

Second, he said will have a bloodied national war is an exact quote, but it's very close. He said as if we put preach the gospel in revival first and abolition second because Finney was a strong abolitionist himself very strong abolitionist himself in an Oberlin College where he was president for number of years was actually an escape route for slaves fleeing from the South and if, as I read if you were in his church of your members church in New York City and and you were's slave holders. Obviously, not New York City, but involve the slave slavery slave trade.

Anyway, you can partake of communion. So Finney was a very strong outspoken abolitionist, but he knew gospel first revival first gospel for survival first gospel first revival first and by emphasizing that he said we could avoid bloodied Civil War millwrights. If the gospel could so spread through the society in a spirit of revival so awakening the church that the believers would have to turn away from this horrible practice because there were tons of Christians in the South. Yes, there are tons of born-again Christians were involved in slavery in the South is, how can that be. It was a a blind spot. It was something ugly but they inherited from previous generations. They bought into a theology that the black race was somehow inferior to the white race and and that the subject them to slavery was fine plus here in America they would get to hear the gospel and be Christianized we could be better for their eternal souls and they rationalize and some was just a matter of greed have to wonder if they really did know the Lord but all of us have blind spots to 1° or another, which is where we come in humility before the Lord and when we go to correct others that that we search our own souls as well right so so I'm saying now is that while we stand up for what is right and is the nation's torn apart by questions of race and racism don't do it, the world's ways of said before I'm I'm not bowing the knee someone else's agenda not bowing the knee to the provocation of the media. I'm certainly not down the need to the radical leftist black lives matter movement led a Stanford black closet or stand for other lives but a stand for justice list after righteousness because were followers of Jesus, not because were being provoked by the media, not because were following someone else's agenda, but we must have origin and while we don't ignore politics of sin to the broadcast. But we don't ignore the social cultural issues become of the gospel based solution and friends here on the be really simple. We've got to get to prayer and fasting. We've got to get the personal repentance got to get to sharing the gospel.

We got to see an army of evangelists raised up and sent out all over America and we've got to get to planting churches to house churches be they become mega churches ever, but throughout the nation and if we do that and bring in our message a consciousness of how the gospel intersects with culture and how the gospel is a gospel of reconciliation. Then we can see results. Then we can see this content and we cast our votes and we do the other things we do we put first things first.

Hey friends, very, very important announcement we are releasing a book that is one of the most important books ever written. And it's urgently important right now. It's called evangelicals at the crossroads we passed the Trump test.

If you are an ardent trumpet supported you need this book. If you are an ardent trumpet opposer you need this book. If you consider yourself a devoted follower of Jesus and care about the direction of America.

You need this book we are going to be sending out evil asked with a very very special offer is reporting this book out through equal time books on publishing arm you'll hear about it by being on our email list.

So take a moment now if you don't get my emails would you take a moment ago to ask Dr. Brown.org SK DR Brown.org go there, sign up for the E blast. This way every week.

You also know about our latest articles are latest videos.

You also about other special resource officers offers when you sign up you will immediately get a free brand-new saffron is a great resource. Seven sequences of real Messiah. But most important announcements of a special sign up