This past Sunday, my church celebrated Independence Day. I was asked before service if I could lead the congregation in the pledge of allegiance. I said yes and then two funny things ensued. First, I asked the church to place their hearts over their chests (your heart should already be in your chest). Now, everyone knows I should have said “hand over your heart,” but the more I think about it, I wonder if I wasn’t right after all. If you’re not going to say the pledge from your heart, why say it all. Secondly, I was late in saying the word “indivisible.” You might as well say I made the word invisible.
In our postmodern society, the next generation struggles with saying the pledge of allegiance, singing the national anthem, etc. In some ways, our nation’s symbols and values are becoming invisible. It’s not the next generation’s fault. What passes for being taught as history in some schools is not history at all. Our very constitution is being rewritten and revised to say something it never originally intended. This is why the next Supreme Court justice selection is such a big deal. We need Judges in office who will interpret the Constitution as it was written, not the way they want it to be said.
But we have got to do far more than select the right judges and teach American history to our children. We must teach the next generation biblical and church history as well! What is America after all without the Bible and our Christian heritage? Help them discover God! Tell them the stories of creation, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, the judges, kings, and the prophets. Tell them about the tabernacle, the temple, and Bible geography. Tell them about Jesus’ miracles, teachings, crucifixion, resurrection, and Pentecost. Tell them about the birth of the Church, missionary journeys of Paul, and the Revelation. Introduce them to the religious practices of Christians, Christian symbols, and the Christian calendar. Walk them through the time line of the history of the Church . . . destruction of the temple, fall of the Roman empire, the Crusades, the early reformers, the Reformation, the age of reason, and mass evangelists (many have never heard the name of Billy Graham). Talk to them about Christian missions and the Apostles’ Creed. Introduce them to Christian works of art, architecture, paintings, and music. Help them understand that science and the Christian faith are not enemies.
This takes time, but there are resources available to help you in the task. I recommend the Parent/Teacher Handbook series (4 volumes) by Dr. Edward Buchanan.
Have we all but forgotten the pledge to the Christian flag? Teach this to your children as well. There are many in our nation who would like to turn our red, white, and blue flag into a rainbow-colored flag. We must not. We cannot forget who we are, where we come from, and the price paid to get us where we are. American blood and the blood of Christ are what paved the way for the freedoms we enjoy today. History is after all His Story! Take time to study history and make time to share His Story with those you love.