Did the Founding Fathers actually want Christianity out of government, or is that the biggest historical lie ever told? Pastor Josh Howerton sits down with Tim Barton of WallBuilders to go straight to the original documents.
From the Marxist roots of revisionist history to the founding fathers’ forgotten anti-slavery legacy, this episode will challenge everything you thought you knew about America’s founding.
Josh Howerton said this is the best book he has read in the last 5 years – The American Story: The Beginnings By Tim and David Barton Tim had a 1612 Kings James Bible – one year after it was written
America reads the Bible in DC – April 2026
Liberal media goes ballistic thinking that political leaders and presidents reading the Bible in their official government office is obviously out of bounds and is obviously out of step with the historic norms of our nation.
Every single president in American history said that America was a Christian Nation until President Barack Obama.
Dwight Eisenhower, when he became president, led his own prayer at his own inauguration.
George Washington – the first action he took after he was sworn in as president was to take all of the elected officials to a church service.
1777 – Congress approved the importing of 20,000 Bibles
1781 – The Aiken Bible was endorsed/approved by Congress
An ACLU attorney thought David Barton’s writings were awful and he went through them in order to show why they were wrong. After a year and a half the attorney only had one criticism; the facts were understated. And he became a Christian reading through all the documents.
Charles Finney was an atheist – while in law school, reading all the law books which contained massive amount of Bible quotes, he because a Christian.
Marxist
Teach people that they are oppressed – then cause them to rise up against the government.
Rewrite the past to control the future.
Christian theology divides the world on a sin-righteousness dividing line – If I believe that you’re just mistaken, then I can reason with you.
Critical theory divides the world by oppressed and oppressor
If I believe that you’re evil, I begin to feel a moral obligation to stop you and oppose you.
If I cast all the people who founded our nation as evil, wicked men, then by rewriting the past, I’m controlling the future and we need to reject whatever principles that they injected into our culture.
George Orwell wrote in 1984, “Whoever controls the past controls the present, whoever controls the present controls the future.”
Many in our nation have forgotten our starting place.
The most quoted source in the founders writings was the Bible (34%)
By 1815 there had been more than 1400 official government issued prayer proclamations done by governors, presidents or Congress.
1st amendment, establishment clause
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion
To interpret properly requires asking what evil was intended to be remedied
Government cannot establish a state church and require you to go there.
First grade text book used in America
The New England Primer
Used for at least 100 years starting in 1690
A totally Christian textbook.
Jefferson’s wall of separation statement
January 1, 1802 – Jefferson’s Letter to the Danbury Baptists – wall of separation between church and state.
January 3rd 1802 – Jefferson goes to church at the capital building, largest protestant church in America took place inside the capital building.
When Jefferson was asked why he attended church at the capital building, he replied, “No nation has ever yet existed or been governed without religion nor can it be.”
Jefferson’s choice as the primary reading text for schools – the Bible and the Watts Hymnal.
Jefferson was active in furthering Christianity among native tribes.
Benjamin Franklin – brought the constitutional convention back to prayer.
Slavery started clear back in Genesis, not from America.
By 1804 every northern colony had passed laws for the abolition of slavery. 1833 – Wilberforce ended slavery in the British empire. 1829 – Jefferson’s original draft of the Declaration of Independence – included a list of grievances, the longest was against the slave trade. The declaration needed to be unanimous so the slave grievance was removed because 2 of the 13 were for slavery – South Carolina and Georgia.
The secret counsel of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he reveals his covenant to them. (CSB)
The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant. (NKJV)
The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. (NIV)
The LORD is a friend to those who fear him. He teaches them his covenant. (NLT)
God’s best is only shared with those who fear Him.
If we desire God’s best counsel we probably need to take more seriously His directives with a commitment to obey.
John Bevere asked Jim Bakker in prison, “Jim, when did you fall out of love with Jesus?” He looked at John and said, “John, I loved Jesus, but I didn’t fear God.” Jim said, “John, this prison is not God’s judgement on my life but his mercy. I believe if I had continued on the path I was on, I would have ended up in hell!” There are millions of Christians in America who love Jesus but don’t fear Him, and it is the fear of the Lord that perfects holiness in our life.
Are we willing to share God’s best with those who have need of His truth? Or, are we more interested in being shallow friends? Thomas Sowell (very wise and respected author) said, “When you want to help people, you tell them the truth. When you want to help yourself, you tell them what they want to hear.”
Transformational discipleship is the real change that turns followers of Jesus into people who look, think, and live more like Him—day by day, from the inside out.
C.S. Lewis put it plainly: The State exists for one reason—to protect and multiply those moments when people become more of who they were meant to be. Everything else—laws, armies, economies—is wasted time if it fails at that. In the same way, the Church exists for nothing else but to draw people into Christ and make them little Christs. If it’s not doing that, all the buildings, sermons, programs, missions, and even the Bible itself become a waste of time. God became man for exactly this purpose.
So how does that kind of deep transformation actually happen?
Picture this: You’ve been in the same church for years. Same seats. Same Sunday rhythm. Songs, announcements, a long talk from the front… and yet, when you look at your own life and the lives around you, real change feels rare. You know more facts about the Bible, but your heart, habits, and relationships haven’t shifted much.
Most churches excel at one-way information—a monologue from the pulpit. Knowledge goes out, but interaction stays low. Questions stay silent. Real conversation rarely happens.
Have you ever wondered why churches don’t try something different? Imagine a short, clear message followed by honest dialogue—people asking real questions, wrestling with truth together, listening to one another, and hearing the speaker respond directly. It’s the kind of open, back-and-forth format you see in lively town-hall settings. Why isn’t that more common on Sunday mornings?
True transformational discipleship isn’t just about hearing more information. It’s about obeying Jesus in everyday life, surrendering fully to His will, and letting the Holy Spirit reshape you into His likeness. It moves beyond head knowledge into heart-and-life change—becoming the kind of person who loves like Jesus, even loving enemies.
The question is simple and urgent: Do we really want this kind of transformation? Are we willing to move past comfortable routines and create spaces where people don’t just listen—but engage, question, apply, and grow together? Because that’s where real disciples are formed. That’s where lives actually change. And that’s the Church fulfilling its one true purpose.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
This is from an excellent podcast called the world and everything in it and their website is wng.org
The voice of one of our nation’s Founders still echoes across the centuries.
An elder statesman at the birth of the republic, he helped invent modern America—and warned it could not survive on human ingenuity alone.
Benjamin Franklin had an enduring belief that God governs in the affairs of men.
Franklin had just two years of formal schooling. But he became a polymath.
He made his first mark as a writer, publishing under the pseudonym Silence Dogood. He later founded the Pennsylvania Gazette and produced Poor Richard’s Almanac, still read nearly three centuries later.
By his early forties, Franklin had earned enough from printing to retire. Then he got busy.
He invented the lightning rod and bifocals. He helped found America’s first lending library, its first fire department, and the University of Pennsylvania. He improved colonial mail service. And through it all, Franklin showed a relentless curiosity about how the world works—and how societies hold together.
That curiosity shaped his moral outlook, too.
Former Secretary of State Tony Blinken once summed it up this way—quoting Franklin himself:
BLINKEN: No one knew better than Mr. Franklin the power of personal engagement, relationship building, and simply having a good time together—as he said, “Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better person.”
But Franklin’s most enduring work was not his inventions.
It was the country he helped bring into being.
Early on, Franklin hoped reconciliation with Britain was possible. But as tensions mounted, he became convinced the American cause was just. He served on the drafting committee for the Declaration of Independence and helped shape its language. And he understood the danger.
In a White House dramatization of the period, Franklin puts it plainly:
FRANKLIN: Nothing compared to the moment when I signed my name to our Declaration of Independence—knowing full well it might be my death warrant. “We must all hang together, or we shall most assuredly hang separately,” I quipped.
That line may be apocryphal—but the risk was not.
Franklin was older than most of the Founders—a steady, seasoned presence. During the Revolution, his diplomacy helped secure vital support from France. And at the Constitutional Convention, he often acted as a mediator when tempers flared and progress stalled.
He was a friend of evangelist George Whitefield, attended his sermons, and even published them.
Franklin understood something essential.
He understood Providence.
Late in the Constitutional Convention, after days of deadlock, the aging Founder rose and reminded his colleagues that nations do not rise by human effort alone. One dramatization captures his plea:
How has it happened that we have forgotten to humbly implore the Father of lights to illuminate our understanding? The longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth—that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall without His notice, is it probable that a great nation can rise without His aid.
Franklin was right.
After the Constitution was completed, Franklin was asked what the delegates had created.
A woman asked Franklin, ‘What have you brought us—a republic, a democracy, a monarchy?’ And Franklin replied, ‘A republic—if you can keep it.’
The episode “Immigration and the Church’s Courage Crisis” with Dr. Corey Miller on the Heidi St. John Podcast delivers a bold, timely call for Christians to stand firm.
Dr. Corey Miller—president of Ratio Christi, philosopher, theologian, and author — challenges the church to reclaim courage in a culture under siege. Drawing from Scripture and history, he confronts the immigration debate head-on. He wrote this book: The Progressive Miseducation of America.
Many religious categories are all about feelings but not about facts
Dr. Walter Martin asked: “Are you willing to do for the truth what others are willing to do for a lie?”
Borders aren’t cruel—they’re biblical. God established boundaries for nations in the Old Testament, and secure borders remain essential for ordered societies today. Jesus Himself respected human authorities and structures.
We can’t always ask “What would Jesus do?”. If I did what Jesus did I wouldn’t have three children.
We can’t hide behind “What would Jesus do?” on every modern policy. He didn’t drive cars, vote in elections, or run social media accounts—yet those aren’t sinful. The question is what Scripture requires of us now.
When we are legislating, we are always legislating someone’s perception of morality
Nations without borders aren’t nations. Politics flows from ethics, so Christians have every reason—and duty—to engage. When human laws command what God forbids or forbid what God commands, civil disobedience becomes obedience to the higher King.
How can you be a Christian and vote for a Democrat? None in Congress are pro-life.The platform supports killing babies up to the point of birth, chemically castrating boys, removing the breasts of girls. etc. Are Republicans perfect? Of course not but the Democratic platform is diametrically opposed to Christian values.
Should Christians be involved in ethics in current events? absolutely
Politics determines policy; Policy shapes nations. Why would God’s people abandon the arena where nations are formed?
Dr. Miller warns we’re witnessing a soft revolution—a long march through institutions that has captured education, media, and culture.
Compared to the Greatest Generation, this one risks becoming the most misguided.
These can be turned around; it has happened in the past and it can happen again.
We need to pray but we also need to do something.
Every Christian must consider themselves in the middle of the cultural revolution.There is something that everyone can do.
The solution isn’t retreat—it’s reclamation:
Parents and pastors must urgently train children and congregations to think biblically and stand boldly.
We are called to be salt that preserves and light that exposes.
Strategic action matters: engage education, policy, and institutions with truth and courage.
The liberal fear is authoritarianism. The conservative fear is anarchy.
Scripture offers a better way: ordered liberty under God’s authority.
The church was never meant to sit on the sidelines. This is our moment to rise with clarity, conviction, and courage.
Pastors aren’t required to be political commentators, but when biblical truth is directly under attack in the culture, faithful shepherds warn the flock.
Jesus Himself sharply rebuked religious leaders who neglected justice, mercy, and faithfulness. Paul publicly called out cultural compromise. The early church didn’t stay silent on idolatry, immorality, or injustice in Roman culture. If pastors today avoid these topics out of fear of division or loss, it can resemble the priests who cried ‘peace, peace’ when there was no peace. Loving confrontation is sometimes necessary to protect the sheep.
When leaders consistently avoid addressing clear biblical commands or warnings on issues affecting souls, it’s fair for Christians to ask why and even express concern.
If pastors are silent where Scripture isn’t, that can leave the church unequipped. Questioning is part of being Bereans who examine everything against God’s Word.
Every pastor isn’t asked to preach politics every week, but if the culture is shaping the church more than the church is shaping the culture, silence can contribute to that.
Why is it that many people appear to worship this idea that teachers from the pulpit must only do line by line, precept upon precept? How many line by line teachers just happen to be on a line in the Bible that just happens to match what is going on in culture at that present time. So unless the teacher momentarily steps outside the line by line teaching they will rarely address what is happening in their city, their county, their state, their nation, or the world. Also, why is it that so many teachers think that long monologues without interaction or dialogue are required for making effective disciples? Attention span peaks at less than 20 minutes, unless you are listening to a gifted communicator which most teachers are not? So why do many go on for close to an hour, with most going beyond 20 minutes? Long monologues do not promote any deep processing, critical thinking, application, or behavior change. So I think there is a better way to make disciples how about you?
I choose not to attend—or recommend—a church that remains disconnected from the real-world battles shaping our families, freedoms, and faith.
Many churches today quietly withdraw from culture, focusing only on timeless Scripture while avoiding the urgent issues of our day. Yet bold, Bible-teaching leaders like Gary Hamrick, Jack Hibbs, Allen Jackson and Rob McCoy prove it’s possible—and powerful—to faithfully preach the Word while directly addressing cultural realities, equipping believers to live as salt and light.
Imagine a church that inspires:
Where the pastor celebrates effective communicators like Charlie Kirk, who use genuine dialogue (not just monologues) to reach everyday people with truth about God and society.
Where opportunities to screen eye-opening films are welcomed, not ignored; for example The 1916 Project which revealed the hidden roots of today’s culture of death or Truth Rising which was a call for Christians to stand with clarity and courage.
Where youth grow through active Scripture memory, discussion, and real engagement—not just passive listening to extended sermons.
Where leadership humbly explores proven tools, like the transformative Every Man a Warrior discipleship program that’s dramatically changed thousands of lives, even in African prisons.
Where voters are equipped with non-partisan guides, parents receive strong resources for godly education amid school challenges, and people are encouraged toward valuable parachurch ministries.
Where the church opens its doors to live presentations, guest speakers, conferences, and fresh voices—rather than staying closed in a routine of the same voice every week.
Jesus and the early disciples modeled courageous conversation, confronting the issues of their time head-on. They didn’t retreat; they advanced with truth, love, and boldness. The signers of the Declaration of Independence risked everything for freedom rooted in biblical principles—would today’s leadership show that same courage?
You deserve a church that equips you to thrive in this moment, not one that leaves you unprepared. If you resonated with this list, consider exploring a fellowship that’s actively engaging culture with biblical confidence. Your faith—and our generation—will be stronger for it.
