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Aug 13, 2024 · 49 minutes

Guest Host, Alex McFarland, leads "The Corner."

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Show notes

0:00 - 15:00. Guest Host, Alex McFarland, is joined by Dr. Holly Varnum, Director of Curriculum Development at Reasons for Hope, as they discuss the current cultural issues of gender confusion. 15:00 - 31:00. Johnathan Saenz, President & Attorney for Texas Values, joins Alex to talk politics and the upcoming election. 31:00 - 48:00. Pastor Mark Cowart, of Mark Cowart Ministries and Pastor of Church for all Nations in Colorado Springs, CO, joins Alex. To donate call : 877-616-2396

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Transcript

7,637 words, in two-minute parts. Made by machine, so a few words may be off.

0:0049:28

  1. 0:00

    Darkness is not an affirmative force. It simply reoccupies the space vacated by the light. This is the Hamilton Corner on American Family Radio. It should be uncomfortable for a believer to live as a hypocrite. Delivery people out of the bondage of mainstream media. And the philosophies of this world. God has called you and me to be his ambassador. Even in this dark moment. Let's not miss our moment. and now the Hamilton Corner. Good evening, America. Alex McFarland here sitting in for attorney, pastor, journalist, Abe Hamilton, the third. And this is the Hamilton Corner on the American Family Radio Network. I'm very privileged to be sitting in for Abe Hamilton and very honored that you are listening. And we have a really, really good show. We're going to visit with a couple of people that are leading opinion makers in conservative Christian circles. And I'm going to begin and queue up a guest that we have in just a moment. But I want to say a special thank you to the AFA family for a couple of things. As you may know, last week we had the Truth for Youth Bible campaign. Our friend and colleague Tim Todd of Revival for Our Ministry, the Truth for Youth Bible is a copy of God's Word that has the Scriptures. But it also has what what we're called graphic novels and you, the AFA audience, you gave money and purchased by your donating 63,000 copies. I was on a Zoom call earlier this week with evangelist Tim Todd. A couple of days ago it was like at about the 59,000 amount, but 63,000 copies of the Bible that are going to be put in the hands of American young people. And it's got the gospel and every year thousands of young people indicate that they've made a decision for Christ. So I just want to say glory to God and thank you for that.

  2. 2:01

    The other thing, and I'll mention this a couple of times in the show, but day after tomorrow, Thursday, August 15th, I will be in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. We've got two evangelistic events on Thursday, August 15th, one in North Myrtle Beach, one in regular Myrtle Beach, two different theaters, and the website for this. I want you to pray no matter where you are in America. Please pray. This website is curiousaboutChrist.com. CuriousaboutChrist.com. And they're evangelistic events. They're free, open to the public. And please pray and please promote. And if you happen to be in the realm of Myrtle Beach, I would love to meet you when we share the gospel twice in two different venues on Thursday. Now speaking about curious about Christ, I want to segue to our first guest, Dr. Holly Varnum, because God is using her work. She is a Director of Curriculum Development at Reasons for Hope, a ministry that I've had a long-term relationship with. But do you know what? 86% of teens and young adults say this. This is fascinating that, and these are teens that are not professed Christians and no church background necessarily, but research shows that almost nine out of ten say they would quote strongly consider attending a church service if they were invited by a friend. Isn't that something? People ever since COVID, people have a lot of spiritual curiosity and reasons for hope is a ministry that is doing so much in terms of worldview and apologetics, bringing people of many ages, but especially young people to Christ. And I'm interested in speaking with Dr. Holly Vornum because she is, I would say, an expert voice when it comes to how young people think and how males and females think differently.

  3. 4:01

    But without further ado, Dr. Vornum, thanks for being with us tonight on the Hamilton Corner. But most of all, thank you for what you're doing for our nation and for the body of Christ. Welcome. Oh, thank you. It's my pleasure. For those that may be unaware, tell us about Reasons for Hope and what the ministry's website is. So, Reasons for Hope is an apologetics ministry. Our mission statement is to train and equip a new generation to boldly stand on the word of God. We are dedicated to reaching teens with the truth and supporting their parents as they raise these teens in a godless culture. Our website address is rforh.com. R-F-O-R-H.com. You know, kids have a lot of questions about spiritual issues and they've got a lot of questions about gender. And I think one of the things that is very important, and I know you speak to this, is telling young people the truth about male and female, gender, of course morals and marriage and the things that are so foundational to life. But there are so many false voices out there in the world today, aren't there? Absolutely. And Alex, I always, you know, we always go back to scripture when we're talking to the teens and we always start in Genesis where it all began. Genesis 127 as we know says so God created man in his own image in the image of God He created him male and female he created them and I think it starts with helping kids Understand and realize that they are created in the image of God Why do you think the LGBTQ trans?

  4. 6:04

    You know and by the way folks this ever lengthening acronym, LGBTQ Trans plus plus. Now, Holly or Dr. Vornum, I should say, I see this 2S as in two-spirit, and that's a whole nother topic. I mean, people being oppressed or possessed. But why do you think the LGBTQ Trans movement has been so insistent in abolishing gender distinctions? Well, I think again, it goes back to that verse, Alex. They're denying they vehemently deny God, some of them the existence of God, but they certainly don't want God to be an authority over them. And they're not admitting they're created in the image of God and acknowledging that God created mankind to be binary, male and female. And so, man in his quest for his own truth, not relying on the truth of God's word, is going to seek every other way to find meaning and hope and pleasure. And they keep going down this path darker and darker. You know, irrespective of the insistence of a fallen world, little boys and little girls are different, men and women are different, male and female. It's not uniform. There are objective differences, aren't there? Absolutely. In fact, just the sexual binary of the XX chromosome and the XY chromosome, it is expressed differently in at least 6,500 genes of the body. And that expression can't be changed by hormone therapy or surgery. It permeates the cells of the body.

  5. 8:07

    And we see it exhibit itself through the brain tissue itself, through how the brain is organized, how it functions, the processing of emotions and behavior. The musculoskeletal system, every muscle fiber, every bone cell has that expression of the X, Y, or the X chromosome immune function, susceptibility to different types of diseases, and then responses to medication and pain. So many more things that I can mention, those are just a few, but that it is very obvious in science, not just observation, not just scientific influence, but in the empirical evidence that binary, male and female are outwardly observable, but inwardly obvious. What do you think churches should be doing as far as, you know, maybe in their discipleship or their teaching. And frankly, I have to say, and Dr. Vornum, I mean, I love the church. I care about the American church. And I do a lot of traveling, but I'm not hearing churches really address this. And I think we have a responsibility to speak to where the battle is raging. So churches, let me encourage you, bravely, spiritually speak about sexual, moral, gender issues. But what do you recommend that churches do, Dr. Varnam? Well, I know it is scary. It's scary for parents to address the issue because many of them aren't aware of the research that's been done, of the scientific evidence out there to show that the whole LGBTQ platform is not just unnatural, it's ungodly.

  6. 10:13

    They know it in the arts, but they don't know much of the information that's out there. And that's one of the things that the Lord has really put on my heart to do teaching and training about this. There's a gentleman named Dr. Daniel Amen, who runs clinics all over the country. And he is the foremost world expert on analyzing specced scans. Specced scans are brain scans that show the activity in the brain. And he's done over 200,000 of these in 155 countries. But he's done 46,000 of those are to show distinctions between the male and the female brain. And the world would have us believe that there's really no difference. I think it would behoove churches and parents to do a little research. I mean, honestly, you can go on YouTube and do a search for differences between males and females. And Dr. Daniel Amman, that's spelled A-M-E-N. Yes. Did you ever happen to see a book by a neuroscientist at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine, Dr. Francis Jensen? She's written a lot. I picked this book up about a year ago. It's called The Teenage Brain. And part of the reason I bring up like renowned neuroscientists and surgeons is look folks in saying that gender is binary, male and female. This is not merely some preacher on a soapbox, although the Word of God is certainly our source for truth. But Dr. Francis Jensen said, and I quote, that males and females are neurologically different is quote indisputable. And I mean, I could give volumes of quotes how here's a scientist practically crying out, male and female are objective categories of being.

  7. 12:26

    not gender fluid, but there are objective differences continue. Absolutely. So, Alex, something that you actually brought up at a recent equip camp that we were both at in South Carolina were four of the main reasons that young people will go through this, what is deemed gender dysphoria. And I've actually talked to people. So when you gave these statistics, I was like, that's exactly right. So that reason stem back to their early childhood where they could have been sexually molested, never really bonded with the parent of their same set. Both to pornography at an early age, or there was some other kind of traumatic event that happened. And so the research does show that gender dysphoria can often be attributed to mental illness, which caused by these same traumas. Well, and forgive me for jumping in here. And by the way, folks, the precipitating factors, they're often called antecedent factors. I learned when I was in a master's program from a prof from UCLA medical school, but hey, time fleets away, Dr. Vornum, tell us briefly if you would about the debunked videos. Folks, these are like broadcast quality. I've seen so many of these. Carl Kirby and so many of the staff like, you know, evolution is true, no debunked. How can people, Dr. Varunam, find the debunked videos? Well, they are available through our Reasons for Hope website, our soh.com, as well as our free downloadable app. Just look up Reasons for Hope on your App Store. But the bunk videos are three to five minutes, very fast paced videos that address I must use hot button issues and I hope to protect them.

  8. 14:36

    Kids love them. Hey, forgive me. I'm sorry to jump in there, but we've got to pull out for a break. We'll get you back soon. Folks, Alex McFarland on the American Family Radio Network. Stay tuned. Jonathan signs from the Texas House of Representatives. Talk a little bit about politics in the upcoming election. Stay tuned. The Hamilton corner is back after this. I'd like to take a minute and have a heart to heart with you. If you're able, place your hand over your heart. Can you feel it? My strong heartbeat reminds me that I'm alive. See, it's the same for an unborn baby. The heart begins to form at conception, and at just three weeks is already beating. At five weeks, a baby's heart can be heard on an ultrasound. That's where preborn steps in, rescuing 200 babies every day from abortion by simply providing a mother with a free ultrasound and allowing her to hear her child's heartbeat and see their perfectly formed body in the womb. By six weeks eyes are forming. By 10 weeks, a baby is able to suck his or her thumb. Preborn needs our help to save these precious babies. For just $28, you could be the difference between the life or death of a baby. All gifts are tax deductible to donate, just dial pound 250 and say the key word baby. That's pound 250, baby. or donate securely at preborn.com. That's preborn.com. Shining light into the darkness, this is the Hamilton Corner, an American family radio. Welcome back to the program. You know, it's been a great summer because, and I want to say by the way, thanks for all that have been praying for me. We've done seven youth camps this summer, and then I spoke at a couple of others, and we have another youth camp, and we have had over 150 teenagers pray to get saved, to put their faith in Jesus Christ.

  9. 16:40

    And you know, at our camps, we say the Pledge of Allegiance. We teach kids not only about the gospel, but about America and why we should care about America. And I just wanna say a big, big thank you to the really dozens of emails I've got in the summer from AFA listeners, people say, hey Alex, we're praying for your camps. And so I give God the glory. And then one of the very special things that I got to experience this summer, I was at the RNC in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the Republican National Convention, met a lot of people, had a wonderful couple of conversations with people like Eric Trump and Laura Trump and a lot of people, but from Texas, I met an attorney, an elected official, a leader, president of Texas values Jonathan, signs, Esquire. Texas values is a nonprofit group led to preserving and advancing family values in the state of Texas. And I just found him to be very, very insightful, absolutely well informed individual on everything related to God and country. And he's been very gracious and accessible. And I wanted to bring him on to talk about a number of things, but just one of the blessings of this summer being at the RNC and meeting Jonathan signs his website is TX values.org as in Texas TX values.org. Sir, thank you for being with us again and welcome back to the American Family Radio Network. Hey, Alex, it's good to be back with you. You know, I enjoyed our time together at the RNC as well. Yeah, you know, several people, I know three weeks have gone by and I don't want people to miss this. Everybody asked me what was that event like. To me it felt like a revival meeting. I mean didn't you think that there was just some energy and just joy everywhere you turn it seemed like people were praying and I felt like I'm just going to say it. The Holy Spirit was in that place energizing the hearts and minds of people. Did you feel that way? Absolutely. And I think it's very accurate to say that there was a spiritual awakening and it was a spiritual experience being there. You know, I'd never participated as a delegate at the RNC. I did this year was my first time, but in 2016, I was at the RNC. It was a little different vibe, so to speak that year, because Trump did not secure the nominee. Well, he had just secured the nomination. A lot of people from Texas were still adjusting to the fact that senator cruises campaign for president was ending and so it's a different environment but i also think we were just two days after one of our president almost died by the shot and bullet of an assassin i mean so for i think that issue is very raw at that moment to write a month to just forty eight hours i mean i got on a plane less than twenty four hours after our president was almost dead and i think president because i know that trump is running for president but let's not forget he previously was the president of united states yes tell me the last time that we had a president or former president assassinated or even shot i mean you have to go back to ragan and that was what you know forty years ago if not forty five and um so for most people they have no connection or awareness and so I think that was allowing a lot of people to check their own faith and go where am I with my own faith where I'm in my life because in a moment it could change and not just you and I and the people there president Trump was experiencing that as well.

  10. 20:29

    When we heard him speak a couple of times before he took the big stage you could just the emotion and you know the the realness and the fragility you know the fragileness of all that was hard for him to mask in any way, but I think it allowed people to see him in more so as this real person, this human person, just like them. I do think that's one of the reasons that God's name was mentioned. The name of Jesus was mentioned so often, every single day, and so many different speeches, and so on. don't like it when tragedy you know it relates to or as a response to people talk more about their faith but uh... we wouldn't design it that way itself okay to rejoice that people are seeking the lord more after that instead of going the opposite direction yeah uh... well and we need to seek the lord because um... i believe but i i want you to articulate uh... why you believe this if you believe and I'm sure you do. This, I know we always say this, but folks, this election in just 85 days is, I believe the most consequential, most significant election of our lifetime. Why do you think so much hangs in the balance? And what about our future is up for grabs right now, Jonathan? Well, look, there's a lot of tension, there's a lot of crisis going on in America And because of social media and the explosion of technology and everybody's got a video camera on their phone, we're able to see more of that. Sometimes for good reasons and sometimes it can be tough to see all those different things. But there's no doubt the evidence is all over the place. I was in BC the week after the RNC just a few steps away from Union Station. When it was attacked by some pro-Hamas, pro-teras, everyone had described these people that were trying to crop up the uh... the aggressiveness of of palestine and they were saying a lot of negative things about america they were burning the american flag several american flags right they did all kinds of damage to some property and some you know uh...

  11. 22:49

    some monuments and around union stations and things that we care about better clear symbol some of them were sort of smaller versions of things like a liberty bell and and so on that we hold your in this was in a protest you know and i don't think people should be burning the american flag but this is different than somebody saying I'm exercising my concern with America. It's one thing to say, America needs to get better. They're saying death to America. This is an act of aggression. This is an act of war almost. That was just a few steps earlier. I was in that space with two of my kids, because they were with me on this trip for some conferences at DC. I was at the speakers office and out on the speakers balcony, and Washington DC later that night. But it's all around us. and we and look i mean that the byton seem like you know he might have been in his own last day because of his health i think that that has made america look weak other country i fear have sort of capitalized on that uh... not to mention the sexuality and in transgender and all these different explosions of things are kids being you know have anything shoved in their face uh... so often i think uh... you know has really brought a lot of people You know, on the left, if you will, it's not even a matter of issue of right and left, it's about common sense. But I will tell you, personally, this election has felt like it's meant more to me because I'm closer to the process than I ever been. And I've been involved in this work in this space for 20 years, but I've been a little bit more closer for some of the work I've done recently. But also, my oldest son is going to be voting for the first time in November, just graduated from high school, moving away for college soon and you know I'm trying to see it from his eyes and his perspective and it's made me even more concerned about you know if you will the world that I'm sort of putting in his hands or that he's walking into and you know I'm just like a lot of people I'm very concerned and so I think there's a lot riding on this election. Oh yeah I mean for real and you know I'm concerned that pastors, for one thing, pastors that speak every week into the lives of 120 million adults, pastors could be doing more to inform and motivate their people. And I'm concerned that they're not talk to it for a second if you would, either spiritually, politically, just from any vantage point you choose what do you think is going to happen come November I mean well I'll go ahead go ahead no that's fine I appreciate it mean to interrupt you Alex look Texas values is a Christian organization so everything we do comes from that perspective as a Judeo-Christian organization and those are my personal beliefs as well and you know we put principle over policy we put principle over politics. But that doesn't mean that Christians don't have a role to play, right? We have a very important role to play. And so, you know, we don't pledge allegiance to one particular party or electric official, but we have no problem letting people know what the differences are and how clear the choice I feel like is this election cycle, not only at the presidential level, but up and down the ballot, right? Now, we have a separate organization, Texas Values Action, that's a 501c4. We've endorsed President Trump. We endorsed him quite a long time ago, making it clear and letting our friends and so on know. We also have a great resource called iVoterGuide.com. If you go to that website iVoterGuide.com, you can buy great information, and we're partners with American Family Association on that project.

  12. 26:29

    Amen. But we see it all around us, Alex. We see the attendance and churches going down. I get a call from a state-based media every year around February asking me what I think about the fact that the new data is out that less people are going to church. But look, I'm at the Capitol all the time in our state Capitol and it's very true. Government belongs to those who show up. So if we want to make a difference, we have to show up at the ballot box. But if we're not hearing it from pastors, if we're not hearing it from our church leaders, where are Christians more likely to hear it? So we've got some great tools on that website, ivoterguide.com, what your legal rights are, how it's legal to have a voters guide, to have candidates come to events to talk about their differences, to just make a pulpit announcement, right? That says there's an election coming up in a couple of weeks, you know, look at the difference between the two parties and the candidates. Or to hold a prayer meeting. The Bible says, that's right. I have a prayer meeting. We have, we've had several events like that where we've had elected officials on both sides the I also speak that we prayed over. And let me just say this to every pastor, every church member, every church staff member, look, I'm an ordained minister. I've pastored two churches. I've spoken in 2000. I worked for the North American Mission Board. Jonathan, pastors have said to me, they'll say, oh, but I can't do it. It's against the law. No, it isn't. It is not against the law for you to to get in your pulpit and talk about what the Word of God says about life, marriage, morals, the nation of Israel. But even if it were against the law, which it's not, since when do you only proclaim God's truth if it placates sinners? I mean, I feel like the pastors need to speak and motivate people. Or one thing, your vote is a stewardship issue, really. And the Apostle Paul, he would use the recourse of his Roman citizenship when it was necessary.

  13. 28:35

    When it was useful and beneficial, he would leverage his Roman citizenry. So don't you think to vote and to talk about these issues, that's just legitimately legally using the recourse that we have here in this we hope free republic but you're absolutely right you know i've been like the practice law in the state of texas for over twenty years my work has been primarily focused on the type of issues constitutional issues religious freedom and a lot of that work has been dedicated to letting pastors and church leaders know how strong the protections are that exist for them to talk about elections to even talk about the differences in the candidates to mention them by name if they choose to have a vince where they raise awareness to have a voter registration drive at your church there are so many things that churches can do now that we respect the right of churches decide what they want to do into what level but they should be doing something right decide what fits best and please do not step back from these issues and uh... making people aware of uh... this critical election because you think you're gonna face a lawsuit it just doesn't happen now there will be threats from time to time from groups like americans united for separation church and state and others if you get one of those letters please call us email us we'll back you up or will connect you with the group in your state or folks like a line-defending freedom and first liberty institute to get that protection because none of those things that ever go to court and if they do the church always wins there's just no evidence of it but but we see those intimidation tactics all the time. So I understand how some churches may think or feel that way, but the reality is the legal protections that churches and pastors, church leaders have to talk about the elections to make people aware of it in so many ways is strong and robust. But you've got to exercise that right. And we need to turn out from Christians at a very high level because we're missing things. I'd say President Trump mentioned this at RNC. They did a private showing for a documentary that's coming out about him and some of his history and he mentioned that.

  14. 30:49

    How strong of a voting block, the Christians are, the Christian conservatives and so on and how valuable that can be and it can be a difference maker. Look, the presidential year's turnout is always higher because more people are paying attention and there's more things going on to make people aware of it. We have an opportunity to raise that level even more, right? And we do have people move around more, people forget to, you know, to update their registration. And so, but if you go to iVotarguide.com, a lot of information about churches and elections and your rights, if you're in the state of Texas, our website is TXValue.org. It'll also work if you type in Texas values.org. We've got a lot of great resources. We can come out to your church or come to your event. We can send you some videos or some one-pagers, so you make sure you have the right information So you can be that leader in your community, in your congregation, and from your pulpit, and be confident that you've got legal protection when you do this. World view issues aside, just skills, competency, intellect. You think Kamala Harris has what it takes to be the president? I do not. I think that, you know, I think it's fine to acknowledge that if you're in those positions, You're gonna have, you're gonna work hard. You're gonna have to work hard. So I don't doubt that she would put effort into whatever position she's in if she were to be elected, but I'm not confident that she would do the job the way we need it. And you're talking about the president of the United States. I mean, this is the most visible, arguably the most powerful, the most focused on political position and elected position in the world. And really in many ways, in all of history, I mean, the significance that America and our culture has had is hard to compare to anything else. Forgive me, we're almost out of time. Jonathan signs of Texas values.

  15. 32:49

    Thank you so much. We've got to pull away. This is Alex McFarland, the American Family Radio Network. Stay tuned more after this brief break. On the Hamilton Corner, don't go away. We're back after this. Deuteronomy 6 verses 4 through 8 direct us to display scripture in our homes and other faces. It says you should decorate with the Word of God and that you are to fill your hearts and minds with these words. There's no greater cause than for those of us who know Christ to share him and God's Word. Get the full article God's Word on display by Joseph Parker on the stand.net and join the movement to put God's Word on display at 10laws.us. the Hamilton Corner on American Family Radio. Welcome back to the program, Alex McFarland here. So, I wanted that you're listening. What a privilege to be able to spend a few moments with you this evening. Hey, by the way, I've got a very special colleague and friend that I want to bring to the mic. But before I do, I want to remind everybody, please tell your friends about curiousaboutChrist.com. Like I said, we've got, well, Thursday, August 15 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, one of America's number one resort cities, Myrtle Beach. We have got two evangelistic events. We've rented two theaters and we're going to be sharing the gospel. Right now, even as we speak, I've got airplanes going up and down the coast, we'll flying these banners, curious about Christ. Question mark, because studies show that like almost nine out of ten people are asking questions like this. These are among the most googled searches since COVID.

  16. 34:52

    Is there life after death? What happens when we die? Does God exist? So if you would, number one, pray for us because we're going to be sharing the gospel, how to be born again, how to be saved. But we're hoping people will come out and they'll go to the website curious about Christ and They'll get answers to their questions about their soul, about Jesus, and about eternity. Well, right now I want to change gears a little bit and bring on someone who really for 20 years, he's been a friend for 20 years, but really more than anybody else in the last two decades of my life has been a mentor in terms of leadership and in terms of effective outreach within the local church. His name is Dr. Mark Cowart. the pastor of church for all nations, just one of the great churches. And I want you to be aware of this church because people are always asking me, I mean, literally I get this email every week, you know, Alex, our church is not growing. What can we do? How can we have a children's ministry? How can we reach millennials and younger? And I love to recommend there are a lot of good churches around America, but one, they're just doing it. I mean, God is using them. They're doing everything with excellence. They are literally equipping the saints for the work of the ministry as Ephesians foretells us to do. It's Church for all nations. Their website is spelled just like it sounds. ChurchForAllNations.com. Incredible people led by Pastor Mark Cowart. And he is with us now. Pastor Mark, thanks for making time to be with us on the American Family Radio Network. As always, it is so good to be with you, my brother. I love our time together. Well, I appreciate you so much and I love to try. I urge people to make a trip to one of your campuses and just observe and you don't mind it if people watch what you guys are doing and take it home and replicate it. Yeah, I guess the old saying imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. You don't mind that, do you?

  17. 37:00

    Not at all. You can log on and watch us. Everything we do is archived. And so if it comes from the Lord, it belongs to everybody. Amen. Amen. Hey, I want to get into, you've got a conference coming up, but before I do, you and I talk about which way the wind blows spiritually. Is America in the midst of a spiritual battle right now, in your opinion? I believe it is, Brother Alex, one of the most intense and critical we've ever been in to date. I believe that there are things we could even learn from history that give us indicators. We're in a very precarious situation. You know, I'm sure you've heard this where the word crisis, the Asian word for it, means dangerous opportunity and I believe that we are facing unprecedented danger but I also think we're facing unprecedented opportunity and you know our good friend mutual friend Bill Federer says in times of crisis people turn to Christ and we are seeing things but we are also in the midst of a of a great awakening. And there are things that are in front of us. And so it is a dangerous time, but it's a very exciting time. And there's unprecedented opportunity. So, I feel like when it comes down to issues and the political divide could not be more clear. I mean, we're talking about life, marriage, our relationship with the nation of Israel, families being able to keep the money they earn, the rights of parents, and now gender and should children be coached into mutilating their body without the parents consent. I mean, it's not hard for a rational adult to see its darkness versus light.

  18. 39:07

    So that being said, what would you like to see churches doing the next? We've got 85 days. The future of our country is going to be decided in an election, 85 days from now. What should the 350,000 American churches be doing? Well, in this case, America is a nation blessed above all others. others. I'm quick to add that that doesn't make us better than anyone. But it does give us a greater responsibility. And we're blessed to be born in America and many that may be listening are citizens of America. And what we need to do is go back to our origins, our beginnings, and how our nation was birthed. We are a Christian nation. And yet we're acting like a post-Christian nation, but because of our founders and the covenants that were made, the trust in the Lord, so back to your question, what should we be doing? Well, you and I've talked about this a lot. You know, there is something that I didn't know about till probably 10 or 15 years ago called the Black Rogue Regiment. I had no idea what that was. I thought it could be judges, they were Black robes, but I found out it was a backhanded comment by the British against the clergy of the day when the war for independence broke out. And basically what they were saying, if it hadn't been for the Black-Roe Benjamin, we'd have won this war. And historians, as you know, came along later secular and said had pastors, preachers, and clergy not preached, there never would have been a revolution. And then they determined if the revolution had somehow broken out, it wouldn't have been sustainable without the involvement of pastors and preachers. Now, brother, I'm a pastor. I love pastors. I also understand the unique world that they live in. So I have compassion, but we have a clergy. We have a pastor in this era that are afraid to speak up on issues that the Bible is very explicit about and very clear. And I believe is the church goes, so goes the nation, but it's the pastor goes, so goes the church. And so, so then he's got to get back to the work. Very good. Say it again, please. Yeah, as the church goes, so goes the nation, but as the pastor goes, so goes the church. And you know, in Revelation, in the first three chapters, there's letters written to the seven churches.

  19. 41:56

    And basically it says to the angel of the church of Ephesus, to the angel of the church and calls out all these different ones. Actually, that is to the pastors because, you know, there's, there's affirmation of the good that the churches were doing, but there was also rebuke and five of the seven of those churches were in trouble with the Lord. And so for instance, he rebuked one because he said, you've let that spirit of Jezebel in, which is sexual immorality. Well, an angel can't allow that in a church. It's a pastor that allows that. He rebuked the church at Laodicea for being lukewarm. An angel can't be lukewarm. Pastors can be. So brother, we've got to get back to our foundations. And it's to the word because the scripture tells us in the Old Covenant, the Lord sends his word to what? Heal us and deliver us from our destruction. Amen. Second Chronicles 714, if my people, which we call by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my faith and turn from their wicked ways, then he'll heal our land and forgive our sin. Amen. If you're just tuning in folks, Alex McFarland here, we're talking with Pastor Mark Cowart from churchforallnations.com. Hey, September 15 through 19, there's a conference they're doing called equipping for the days ahead. Now folks, I'm gonna let Dr. Cowert tell you what that is, but I wanna say having been to Colorado Springs a thousand times, probably. It is super easy to navigate. I'm saying this because maybe you wanna go to this conference. Maybe you wanna see one of the churches in America that God is using in a mighty way. Angie and I have been there countless times, so we really consider it our home church in the western states. But September 15 through 19 equipping for the days ahead, it would be worth your while.

  20. 43:57

    Fly to Colorado Springs, the church is 10 minutes from the airport, or if you even fly into Denver, it's just an hour. I've been there super easy to get in, get out, you will not be disappointed. Pastor Mark, tell us about this conference. September 15th through 19, what is equipping for the days ahead? Well, I am particularly excited because I believe the Lord has really directed us to do this. And I am one of those, Alex, that I had felt like the last thing we need is another conference. Because, you know, I've been to so many and we get excited, we get riled up, but then what does it translate into? Does it translate into action? Is there fruit that'll be born? I'm convinced this will be, but basically I have had an urgency and a concern in my spirit, my heart, very troubled between now and the election. And I believe there are some very evil and wicked plans. Now you and I know we're not wrestling against flesh blood, but against principalities, powers, rubles of the darkness of this world. So it's difficult, and it takes the Holy Spirit to recognize people are not our enemies, but we're in a battle right now, and this next election is going to determine some very serious things for good or for evil. And so we believe people need to be equipped, and we have begun to pray at another level here, church for all nations. And so, by the way, everything I'm talking about, you can go to churchforallnations.com. That's our church website. Slash conference. There's no charge for this conference, but you must register. I'll kick it off Sunday morning, September the 15th. And I'll be talking about prayer because Mark 11 17, Jesus said, my house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations, but he said, you made it a den of thieves.

  21. 46:07

    And that word thieves in the great means to pirate something. In other words, use it for something other than what God intended. And then that evening we'll have guest speakers and we have an incredible lineup. We have Bill Federer, our mutual dear friend. Amen. He, and you, you preach for us many times, brother. So you know these pastor Calvin Johnson. Oh, yes. My dear, dear brother, we have a retired general Kurt Ford. He happens to be a member of church for all nations, but he's very close friends with our mutual friend, General Jerry Boynton. General Boynton. And he's a man of God. Yeah. And general for a hero, American hero, fought for our country, was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame in the United States Army. I have also Fred Market, we have him coming. One of the most strategic minds that I know concerning the Great Commission, and I think I told you this, yeah, I'll actually offer to him a PhD. If he He would write a paper on the unipolar, multipolar, bipolar world. He's going to talk about this because he had to read over 600 books, but in 6,000 years of history, we've only been at the place we're at right now 26 times. And the safest world and place to preach a gospel was a unipolar world, a single superpower like the United States. Yes. But right now we're hanging in the balance and we don't know how close we are. So Fred will be talking about that to the strongest prophetic voices I know. My dear friend Ed Trout and my good friend Joseph Z. And it's like the Lord hand picked these people. And then we've got special worship by Melody Noel and she's going to be leaving worship the entire time. So we kick it off Sunday morning. We're having morning and evening meetings. And there's no charge now Sunday morning. That'll be our regular church service and conference attendees.

  22. 48:19

    But I'll kick it off from the evening on. They need to be registered and they can go do that. And there's no charge whatsoever for it. Wonderful. You know, I'm excited. Right now I'm thinking, I got to look on my calendar and see if I can attend folks. Alex here and so glad you're listening to the American Family Radio Network, our very special colleague and friend, Dr. Mark Cowart, churchforallnations.com slash event, the equipping for the days ahead. Look, I don't know if you know all these names. This is Power House and an election is coming, our future is before us. We must pray. And we're almost out of time. Pastor Mark, thank you and I look forward to when you and I can visit again very soon. Thank you, Brother Alex. God bless again the September 15th through 19th equipping for the days ahead. Let me encourage you pray for our nation, stay bold, stand strong, influence people, tell somebody about AFR but most of all tell everybody about Jesus. The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family Association or American Family Radio.

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