Denzel Washington: “Put God First”

Christianity,

The following blog post is by Family Council staff member Deborah Beuerman.

Each spring there are thousands of commencement ceremonies all around the country, and thousands of addresses to graduates.  One of the memorable ones this year was given by the actor Denzel Washington at Dillard University in New Orleans.

Mr. Washington offered four main points:

“Number one:  Put God first in everything you do. Everything you think you see in me.  Everything I’ve accomplished, everything thing you think I have – and I have a few things. Everything that I have is by the grace of God, understand that. It’s a gift. I didn’t always stick with him, but he stuck with me.”

“Number two:  Fail big. . . . Do what you feel passionate about.  Don’t be afraid to fail. . . .  Have dreams, but have goals. . . . To achieve these goals you must apply discipline and consistency. . . Hard work works.”

“Number three:  You’ll never see a U-Haul behind a hearse. . . . You can’t take it with you. . . .  It’s not how much you have, it’s what you do with what you have. . . . That’s where the joy is—in helping others.  That’s where the success is–in helping others.”

“Finally, I pray that you put your slippers way under the bed tonight, so that when you wake up in the morning you have to get on your knees to reach them.  And while you’re down there, say thank you.  for grace, thank you for mercy, thank you for understanding, thank you for wisdom, thank you for parents, thank you for love, thank you for kindness,  thank you for humility,  thank you for peace, thank you for prosperity.  Say thank you . . .

Mr. Washington intentionally made his speech short.  You can watch his speech below.

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Unpacking Pew’s New Study on Religion in America

2 CommentsChristianity,

This week the Pew Research Center released its latest study on America’s changing religious landscape.

The survey polled Americans in 2007 and 2014, asking them their religious affiliations along with questions about the importance of religion in their lives. The survey is making headlines primarily because it shows an increase in unaffiliated Americans (what some call the “nones”—people who do not identify with any religion) alongside a decrease in Christianity.

But are the stats really that simple? And what does this survey reveal about religion in America?

Not as Simple as it Seems

There is no doubt Pew’s survey is extensive. There is also no doubt the findings are troubling; Christians ought to be troubled by any evidence that people are leaving the faith. However, many are portraying these findings in very simple terms—as if people are simply ceasing to go to church and are turning to atheism. The truth is much more complicated.

(more…)

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Chuck Colson on Christianity and Patriotism

Christianity,

Independence Day might be behind us for another year, but a commentary posted by the Chuck Colson Center last week is still worth noting.

The commentary is one Chuck Colson recorded in 1997. It deals with the way Christians balance their faith and their patriotism.

Colson writes,

The Christian position is beautifully balanced. On the one hand, we don’t deify our country. We don’t wrap the flag around the cross. For we know that our ultimate citizenship is in heaven, and that’s where our ultimate allegiance is.

But at the same time, the only place for expressing that allegiance is in concrete loyalties God has called us to here on earth—including loyalty to country. We can’t love mankind in the abstract; we can only really love people in the particular, concrete relationships God has placed us in—in our family, church, community… and our nation. The Christian has the balanced understanding.

[audio:http://bit.ly/1vXP4A0|titles=Chuck Colson – Pro-Patria]

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