“Spiritual Minutemen: A Call to Action”

The British Parliament accused America’s Colonial preachers of using their pulpits to fan the flames of liberty. The preachers of the “Black Robed Brigade” were as diverse as the colonist themselves—young and old, urban and rural, eloquent orators and plain-spoken country parsons, rough and rugged, educated and genteel. Yet, in spite of their differences, the preachers of the “Black Robed Brigade” agreed on one thing:

God would have men be free from the tyranny of a government that restricts the individual rights and freedoms He has given to men.

Colonial Americans admired the courage and independent spirit of their pastors.  John Adams, second president of the United States wrote concerning the pastors of colonial America:

“It is the duty of the clergy…to preach against such sins as are most prevalent, and recommend such virtues as are most wanted…”

Nineteenth century Evangelist Charles G. Finney rebuked America’s preachers with these words:

“If there is a decay of conscience, the pulpit is responsible…If the public press lacks moral discrimination, the pulpit is responsible…If the church is degenerate and worldly, the pulpit is responsible…If Satan rules in our halls of legislation, the pulpit is responsible…If our politics become so corrupt that the very foundations of our government are ready to fall away, the pulpit is responsible…”

One can only imagine the diatribe Finney would express to America’s 21^st century preachers. Christianity in general, and preachers specifically, have failed America and our nation is in crisis. We are politically divided, financially insolvent and our government has an insatiable appetite for controlling every aspect of our public and private lives.

In 1776, 98% of Americans claimed to be Protestant Christians and 52 of the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention professed to be Orthodox Christians.  Sadly, America is no longer a nation that aspires to the highest Christian ideals. We have forsaken God. We have rejected the fundamental spiritual truths that were the principles of liberty.

The political leaders of 21^st century America have rejected the Bible as their moral compass; preachers have betrayed their responsibility to unapologetically bear the torch of Truth and moral values; and Christians have abdicated their mandate to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16) in a society whose conscience has been seared by its own appetite for moral depravity.

What can we do?

1) Confess our own sins and failures (1 John 1:9).

2) Become the Salt and Light God has commanded us to be in the world (Matthew 5:13-16). We no longer have the luxury of silence, less we lose our right of free speech altogether.

3) Pray – Pray for our nation. Pray for preachers to faithfully, boldly and unapologetically preach God’s Word and for Christians to be intolerant of those who do not. Pray for one another that each of us will take our stand and give voice to our faith and moral values.

 Retreat is not an option!

The mission of spiritual minutemen during the American Revolution was to be ready to respond to the threat of an enemy. The enemy we face in the 21^st century bears ideals, not arms, and are intolerant of any expression of faith and moral values. The battlefront is both spiritual and political and we dare not shirk out duty to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and boldly declare God’s Word.

“We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness…”

–The Declaration of Independence