This article was written in 1993.

At my home congregation, we recently viewed the video series called "Children At Risk" by Dr. James Dobson and Gary L. Bauer. There is a companion book by the same title which is available at local Christian book stores. The subtitle is "The Battle for the Hearts and Minds of Our Kids." I highly recommend this book and video series to anyone who has the same concerns for our nation as I do. As I set there and listened to Dr. Dobson and Mr. Bauer talk about the excesses which are so prevalent in our nation today, I kept asking myself, "Where are the Christians?"

When I was growing up in Ohio in the 50's, I can remember going to school as a first grader and listening to my teacher read a Bible story each morning. I know for sure that my first, second, third and fourth grade teachers read Bible stories each morning. We also recited the Lord's prayer as part of our opening exercises. I can remember Thanksgiving programs, Christmas programs, and Easter programs all having Christian themes. I recall as a high school student in the early 60's my English teacher reading from the Bible as part of the class. I became a teacher myself in 1969, and I too had the students recite the Lord's prayer in the opening exercises. The United States Supreme Court decided that to have prayer in the classroom was a violation of the separation of church and state. And since then, things have gotten exceedingly worse. Today, in 1993, it is evident that the humanists are determined to eradicate all evidence of Christian values and practice in both public education and government. Every time a new attack is made on the church by the humanists, I wonder, "Where are the Christians?"

I recall when I was a youngster one never heard profanity on television. Nudity on television was simply unheard of. The television programs in the 50's and early 60's were wholesome. Programs like "Leave It To Beaver," "Ozzie & Harriet," and "Mr. Ed" were the norm. Now you can not turn on the television without being exposed to profanity of the grossest nature and nudity is commonplace. Extra martial affairs are promoted every day on the "soaps." Violence of every kind is exhibited night after night on almost every channel. The talk shows which are on every evening exploit the most bizarre subjects, all in the name of educating the public. Again, as I set in my family room and flip through the channels with my remote control trying to find something decent to watch I wonder, "Where are the Christians?"

When I was a teenager and learned what homosexual meant, it was something that was scorned as a perverted life style. I can recall how people would talk about various movie stars that were reported to be homosexual, and how terrible it was that a person that was looked up to by so many would live like that. I did not personally know anyone who was homosexual. Now it seems that homosexuality is not only openly accepted by the "establishment," it seems as if it is being promoted daily. Program after program on television is designed to tell us that homosexual behavior is just an alternative life style. The President of the United States is promoting homosexual behavior by attempting to force the armed forces to openly accept homosexuals. "Gay Rights" groups are being treated by the media and many in government as the "good guys" while Christian opponents are painted as the "bad guys." Whenever I get the opportunity, as an educator, I speak out against homosexual behavior, and I find that these comments are received with contempt more and more often. Again I wonder, "Where are the Christians?"

Pornography is known to cause serious psychological problems later in life when it is available to and used by children. Yet these books and films are extremely easy to get, even by children. Not only are women exploited in this perverse material, but children as well. It is truly a sick mind that will take innocent children and photograph them in this manner, and an equally sick mind that gets pleasure from seeing those photographs. Need we ask, "Where are the Christians?"

Sex education is now being taught in almost every school district in the United States. In many cases the "education" that the children are getting is promoting "safe sex" as the appropriate way to guard against life-threatening diseases such as aids. Children in elementary school are being taught how to put condoms on. Condoms are being distributed in high schools all across America under the guise of "protecting our youth." I have even heard that different methods of sexual activity are being taught. And if all this is not bad enough, our children are being taught that homosexual and bisexual conduct is normal and just an alternative to heterosexual conduct. Are you beginning to wonder, "Where are the Christians?"

Have you listened to the music that many of our children are listening to? The "hard rock" music which is being fed to today's youth in mega-doses is laced with devil worship, death and suicide messages, suggestions that killing police officers is good, and drug use as a desirable form of recreation. Without sounding redundant, "Where are the Christians?"

I have just about run out of room for this article and I have not even touched on abortion as a form of birth control, the decline of the family, dropping church attendance, the abuses of America's institutions of higher education, media bias, government bias, and euthanasia. To give each of these topics just the cursory mention that I have given the other topics would take more space than I have left in this article. I wonder if Jesus is asking, "Where are the Christians?"

After reading all of this, I hope that you are as angry as I am at the shape our country is in. How did we let this happen? Where have we, the Christians, been during the last thirty years while all this has been developing? Could it be that we have become so complacent that we won't even make an effort to complain about this mess? Or is it that we have been so busy making all that money that we have been blinded to reality? Or is it that we now put party politics (Republican or Democrat) before our Christianity? And here is the clincher: How much worse does it have to get before we wake up and start doing something about it? For the last time, I ask YOU, "Where are the Christians?"

You may be thinking that there is not much, if anything, that one person can do to correct this mess. However, that is not true. Especially when we consider the millions of people who claim to be Christian. So, what can you and I do?

First, we need to start immediately praying for our nation, its problems, its leaders, and its Christians each and every day. God hears and answers prayer! What if millions of people went to God every day and prayed as I have indicated? Great things would certainly have to happen. Remember, "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." (James 5:16b)

Second, it time to get serious by making our voices heard with the "powers that be." We should be continually writing our U.S. Congressmen and Senators and speaking out on the issues that concern us. We need to continually be writing letters to the news media that support the perverse life styles of the homosexuals and the like. We need to write letters to sponsors of programs which we feel are inappropriate to be broadcast during family viewing times. We should refuse to purchase goods from companies that refuse to listen to our concerns. We should refuse to support any candidate for any office that holds views that are anti- Christian or conducts themselves in a manner which is not consistent with our Christian beliefs. If there are no candidates from either major political party which we can support, then it is time to get Christians to run for office and go all out to support them.

And third, it is time to start putting pressure on our Christian friends, family, and neighbors to join in this fight. It is time to hold the leaders of our congregations responsible for organizing our churches in this effort to bring Christ back to a position of honor and glory in America.

And finally, it time for each one of us that claim Christ as our Lord and Savior to stand and be counted in this effort. Let's look at some of what the Scriptures have to say about this: "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad." (Matthew 12:30); "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand." (Matthew 12:25b); "if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." (II Chronicles 7:14); and one of my favorite Scriptures, "...choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15).

Brothers and sisters in Christ, if the Christians in America do not take a stand and start fighting for what we believe, America as we know it (or have known it) will soon cease to exist. We must start today, NOW, and not quit until we have taken back our country from the humanists. Do we have the courage to be like Isaiah? "Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me.'" (Isaiah 6:8)

All scriptures quoted are from the New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

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