|
Dear Student,
Is our nation still “under God?” Or is America now independent from God?
In America, forces are at work to completely divorce religion from the public sphere. As you know, the debate goes back to a letter written by Thomas Jefferson, in which he called for a “separation” between church and state. His meaning has been twisted through the years, until today “separation” has come to mean separation of the state from God.
So what are we going to do about it?
We need $233,150 to support Ligonier Ministries’ teaching and broadcast outreach for the next 30 days. We stand at a critical crossroad in our nation and truth needs to be heard.
This outreach will equip pastors and their people to stand firm for the truth of God’s word. We’ll help build up a force of articulate men and women who can play an important role in stemming the dangerous attempts of the state to supplant God.
Can I count on you for a gift to help make this possible?
Let’s take a look at Scripture for examples of why this topic of church and state is so important.
In the Old Testament, the roles of prophet and king were clearly understood. The prophet articulated the terms of God’s covenant with the nation and served as the conscience for the nation.
Prophets like Elijah spoke to the kings and called them from sin into righteousness. When we look at the New Testament, the same principle holds true. Paul wrote in Romans 13:1: “The authorities that exist have been established by God.” This chapter also teaches that government has a specific job given by God to protect, maintain, and sustain human life.
Today, the church has in many respects abandoned our culture to godlessness. While it is not our duty to establish a theocracy and make the state an extension of the church, it is our duty to charge the state to be an instrument of justice and righteousness.
You can see why Ligonier is concerned for Christians to think and act rightly on these issues. We work to be a voice calling out for the Church to reclaim its prophetic and guiding role as a God-ordained institution alongside the state.
Christians need clear, practical materials. Pastors throughout the nation need compelling Bible teaching resources on the church-state issue. Can I count on your gift to help put resources into their hands -- to preserve and strengthen the Church’s witness to an increasingly godless culture?
I appreciate your partnership and support.
Thank you, and God bless you.
Sincerely,
R.C. Sproul
P.S. Nothing less than the church’s witness to our nation is at stake. Please help us fill America’s churches with truthful insights into the vitally important Church-State question. Help us continue to serve as a leading voice in the proclamation of God’s truth by sending your gift of support today.
Donate Now
INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH
Expanding the outreach of Ligonier Ministries internationally has been a goal of the ministry for the last several years. Our desire is to continue to provide countries with Christian educational resources in their native languages that they too may be awakened to the holiness of God. Currently, 42 of Dr. Sproul’s books have been translated into more than 20 languages including Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, Korean, Romanian, Russian, and Spanish. Work is presently underway to provide additional teaching resources in six other languages, namely, Persian, German, Russian, Spanish, Turkish, and Ukrainian. These translations provide a tremendous opportunity to reach both Christians and non-Christians in foreign lands with the truths of God’s Word.
In addition to translation, Ligonier Ministries is also helping to provide the equipment necessary to print materials in these languages.For the first time in the history of Ligonier Ministries, we have begun several projects to translate and broadcast radio programs into several countries in their native languages. Renovando tu Mente, the Spanish version of Renewing Your Mind (RYM), began broadcasting via shortwave radio in February 2005. It can be heard in more than fifty countries in Central and South America. We have also initiated translation projects of RYM into the Farsi (Iran) and Ukrainian languages. In addition to the Spanish broadcast, Renewing Your Mind is now being aired throughout the United Kingdom via Trans World Radio.
MILITARY CHAPLAIN OUTREACH
As an extension of our mission, Ligonier Ministries is expanding our reach to military chaplains; both at home and abroad, so that they may be better equipped to minister to their troops. The primary objective of this outreach is to provide military chaplains with educational materials to help equip soldiers to come to a deeper understanding of the Gospel. Recognizing the significant financial limitations of military chaplains, Ligonier Ministries will provide a package of selected teaching materials on a quarterly basis to military chaplains, free of charge. It is our hope that these materials will be used in chaplain libraries, small groups, Bible studies, and personal study.
We worked closely with several chaplains to develop this program to ensure the materials would suit the unique ministry needs of chaplains as they minister to their troops. There has been an extremely positive response with more than 150 chaplains currently enrolled in this program. This is an exciting partnership, as the chaplains use these resources to minister to thousands of troops stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Sinai Peninsula, Korea, Germany, the United States and other regions throughout the world. |
|
|
