Author: John Page 165 of 166

Titus 2:14: “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

Sadly, America and American Christians have become not particularly peculiar.  In fact, we have become characteristically common.  With that in mind, why should we expect to attract anyone?

Growing up unsaved, my biggest critique of Christianity came from my observation of ‘common Christians.’  These church-going people were no different than their non-church-going counterparts.  Without a certain level of distinctness, there was no reason to follow them.  Furthermore, a God too impotent to impart a change on someone’s life was not a deity worthy of my attention.  Logic demanded that real Christianity would have an impact on individuals.  Fortunately, later in life I discovered such impactful Bible-based Christianity.

Political scientist Joseph Nye Jr. coined the term ‘soft power,’ defined as a means of influence in which nations use attraction as a primary form of persuasion.  Unfortunately, America is losing its distinctiveness and its corresponding soft power as well.  This Christian-country is becoming not so different from its secular-country counterparts.  With diminishing peculiarity, we are becoming just another nation.

American Christians need to realize that the soft power of the gospel, reflected through a life that is indeed distinct, is the key to our influence.  Our nation desperately needs Christian influence within, in order to transform its waning influence without.  Please pray that we would return to being a people and a nation of peculiarity.

Prominent leaders, from John Winthrop to Ronald Reagan, have referred to America as “A Shining City Upon a Hill.”  They did so based on Matthew 5:13-16:

“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted?  it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.  Ye are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

For many decades, the United States was a savory nation that illuminated the path of right for others to follow.  As a nation founded on Biblical principles, codified in the Constitution, American exceptionalism thrived for an extended period of time.  Yet, such a nation could only maintain its attractive position as long as a strong core of Christians upheld the principles of salt and light in their individual lives.  After all, a nation (its government, its media, its entertainment, its churches, its schools, its communities) is a reflection of its citizens.

Have we, as the Christian core of this country, lost our savour?  Please pray that we would be the salt and light that the Lord intends for us to be.

Attached is the kickoff audio message for PLUS.

Leadership consultants remind us that “a crisis is a terrible thing to waste.”  The meaning behind this statement is quite simple — the worse the situation, the more incentive there is to reflect upon badly needed changes.  Failing to change course under such dire circumstances piles tragedy upon crisis.

Reflecting upon the situation in which our nation finds itself, it is difficult to describe it as anything but a crisis.  It is an economic crisis and a political crisis; it is a moral crisis and a  value crisis; it is a leadership crisis and a followership crisis.  Yet, while the situation worsens, the nation continues to diverge from God without considering the correlation because between our unfaithfulness and our unfruitfulness.

We need national-level healing in our land that comes from a permanent change of direction toward humility, prayer, faithfulness and righteousness.  Fortunately, the model of salvation-producing repentance should be familiar to us, one in which we reverse our direction away from the world and towards God.

II Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

During the development of this ministry burden, the Lord made it clear to me that the problems of our nation may be largely our fault.  We have bemoaned society’s shortcomings, but should first examine our internal shortcomings.  We as Christians have often failed in our basic citizenship responsibilities to be humble, prayerful, expectant, and pure.  If we fail to exhibit these characteristics, then why should we expect our nation to be more aligned with the will of God?  Consequently, II Chronicles 7:14 reminds us that the potential for national healing rests squarely on the shoulders of believers.  Will our shoulders bear this burden now better than in the recent past?  America needs them to and God wants them to.

The process that brought me to a realization of the need for PLUS was akin to that which brought me to understand my need for salvation eight years ago.  While our first resort in the midst of life’s challenges should be to turn to God, often it is our last resort.  Starting PLUS was an acknowledgement that I can do nothing to overcome the problems of our nation and instead should surrender completely to Him.  This path should be recognizable as the one on which we traveled to come to Christ.  Similarly, I hope that you realize the need for PLUS out of a spirit of desperation for our nation.

How can we powerfully demonstrate true Christian citizenship?  We can spend a few minutes at lunchtime in specific prayer for the United States and invite others to join us.