 Good afternoon Pastor David. Hey John. Well, it's been a while since we've been together to do unfiltered. Yeah We missed everybody and so thank you for tuning in and we had a great trip though Yeah, we did and really want to encourage those that those who have been thinking about going to Israel We're thinking about dates of next year I want to encourage the church to come out, but it's good to be back Yeah, we're looking to go possibly at the end of February or the very beginning of March of 2023 I didn't hope to do that. I want to invite you guys. What a great weekend we had with Good Friday services and Sunday It was just amazing to worship the bible teachings. It really was a great great. It was a good time great weekend Yes, well a great theme right? I mean Jesus's resurrection So no, it was wonderful. I look forward to seeing what the Lord's going to do As we move forward and you know, and we don't lose momentum with this the past weekend We continue to build on what what we've done and And so I'm excited about what the Lord's going to do, you know pastor with that I came across an article from a well-known pastor and And he wrote this what I want to read to you and I wanted to get your feedback as a pastor In response to what this pastor mentioned And he says when a local church becomes preoccupied with saving America At the expense of saving americans It is it has forsaken its mission What's your response to just even coming off such a big weekend on the resurrection? And and then this I come across this article that From a pastor's perspective, how do you see that pastor? Saving america, which I would assume having not read that particular quote known I would assume what he was saying is saving america would be I would assume it would be in reference to trying to reform the political system or Trying to restrain evil through laws and things of that nature Well, let me read a little bit. It says when church leaders grow comfortable with save america rhetoric That alienates some americans. They are derelict in their duty When pastors and churches intentionally or unintentionally Subjugate winning people to winning elections. They have already lost. Okay. Yeah, so it is so it's a political statement And I'd have to say I I agree with what he's saying if the emphasis of the church Becomes american christianity or even christian america and attempting to to To politicize the gospel and make our Our church services political rallies You know, yeah, we've we've certainly gone in the wrong direction. I mean this last sunday was easter sunday We did not celebrate the the creation of the united states we celebrated the resurrection of jesus christ which led to the creation of the body of christ, right so Yeah, I think that the church has Certain responsibilities, of course good citizens and And all make a nation a better place, you know, being wise in our our votes making sure that we vote Obviously, I think the church needs to be more involved in that a lot of christians aren't even voting Millions aren't voting And I think that the that's a dereliction of of a right that we have that was won In a hard fought kind of way. I mean we We owe our freedom to jesus christ But we thank god for those who have been in the military or in law enforcement and all who Who secure those freedoms that we have and so on the one hand? yes, I would say that That we as christians have a great responsibility to do our civic duty And that we're derelict when we don't on the other hand I don't know that the the pulpit is a place for me to to try and bring a brand of american christianity into Into every sunday service because frankly that may fly here But if I went somewhere another country somewhere even as close as canada or mexico and I I preached an american brand Of faith it wouldn't fly well because it doesn't translate well to other cultures You know so So that may fly well here with americans They may cause people to get excited about the possibility of bringing in righteousness through our votes and all of that or We need to remember our christian heritage and and everything and in some ways there's a a myth of The righteous nation and all of that we've we've got a wonderful nation a nation under god and and and I love this nation I served in the military in this nation I would have given my life up for the freedoms of americans In this nation if called to do so and I don't think there are You know, excuse me. There are not that many people that can point back to To their past and say that they would have been willing to do that Especially from my generation. So with all that said john I I still know that the gospel is to be preached because it's the only message that transforms lives and it's the only message That transforms nations So the american church in general not just any church but in general in general there there has been a almost like this paradigm shift where as this article was was referencing that Uh, it's almost overtaken the message of the gospel and I started thinking about that as your Sharing is that how would that play out the same for example in our church? That it was centered on the political agenda or How would that have played out for a resurrection Sunday? People don't come to this church for me to tell them who to vote for People don't come to this church to hear some politicians spew his rhetoric to them to try and get their votes People come to this church because they need the water of life. They need the bread of life They need to know what forgiveness is they need to know what restoration is They need to know what the healing Uh, that that healing is possible for the broken souls They need to know that there's there's hope and there's peace They need to know that there's a place where they can be loved and all of that goes into the foundations of their life As they live it out in front of the world all of those, you know I'm preparing a study for tomorrow night and uh In Ephesians 4 where uh versus 11 through 16 where where paul says that he gave some to be pastors teachers He well apostles prophets evangelists pastors and teachers for the equipment of the saints For the work of ministry and he goes on to speak concerning the fact That uh, we're being equipped to do work And that that god's holy spirit is to work within us So that we can be shining lights in a very dark world And that we can bring the the word of truth to the people who are still in darkness And none of that's going to come about if I stand up and I start saying The election was stolen or you know or you know this next time you need to go out there because we've got to save america by By re-electing trump or whatever. I mean You know, I I would not vote for the candidates in the democratic party because their philosophy is Is just not in line with how I believe in yet at the same time I I don't know that anybody like trump or any other is necessarily going to be The model christian or whatever either I But I do believe this I do believe that that I have a responsibility to to vote as it pertains to the things that are Most closely aligned to my philosophy and what I understand biblically And I do think that uh, americans need to wise up and wake up No doubt about it, but every sunday every sunday telling them This this and that or bringing in politicians or having special seminars That that my church has identified as a political party now and not as a place of healing No, I I look out in my church john and you know this you you minister here. You see this just like I do I see a a woman off to my side who was just widowed because her husband died of covet I I look off to the other side over there perhaps and I see a A man whose whose wife left him I I look over here and I see a woman who's suing for divorce He's moving out of the the state having to go live with her her children. I see these things I see the the abandoned Families and the broken people and and the hurt and that's that's what ministry is and so You know for them to come with their broken hearts and for me to stand up and say You know, this is now what we need to talk about you need to vote I can't do that now if somebody else feels that he's honoring god by doing that john That's between him his conscience and his god But I I I think that American patriotism is a wonderful thing. I'm a patriot myself. I believe But the idea that that I'm going to take a 45 minute to an hour of their sunday to share with them anything other than the unvarnished truth of the gospel and For them to leave without hope and without peace many people who go to these political rally churches leave angry They're angry at the people that are in charge. I had a woman say this too Recently and it came back to me where she said for the first time I've been able to go to church on a sunday morning And not walk out of the church hating the president of the united states isn't that interesting But she'd been in a fellowship that was constantly pummeling them with With uh all the bad that's going on and god knows we see the bad. It's not like we're blind But for them to come to church for me to tell them things that make them angry to make them Not love their neighbor I can't do that john and so in principle that quotation and the explanation is something I align with Well pastor, thank you so much because I mean I was looking at it and it's get a lot of responses And uh, and again, I started thinking about the blessings that we have here at our church where Where you teach the word weekend and week out and and again as you mentioned we do look out into the crowd and see the broken How's that going to Help or bring hope and so So pastor, well, thank you so much for giving your insight on that and uh, thank you so much for being faithful to our church And and thank you guys for tuning in. We do have communion tomorrow After our service at the end of services Pastors you're teaching us how to fusions chapter four. Yeah versus 11 through 16 And uh, I know you brought something as a tidbit as a teaser Something you mentioned on the equipping Of and uh, you guys you guys want to come in here this And then we have communion afterwards So it's a great time church family to get together and mid april 29th of friday night We have our mince barbecue Invite your your guy friends and your families to come out and join us as we Worship and get it to god's word and at any hamburgers. It can't be that it'll be great It'll be a friday night out in the courtyard under the stars And so we have a lot of going on you guys and and just want to invite you guys to our church services And look forward to actually seeing you tomorrow evening on our wednesday night Uh, so pastor, thank you again for your time. Amen. Thank you guys. God bless you. Thank you for tuning in