Council Grove Christian Church

1/28/26
Servants of God,
 
“Let the record show that you have a
Vice President that practices what he preaches”
-Vice President J.D. Vance
 at the annual March for Life
 
Children matter. They belong to God. There is no higher calling than the care and nurture of a child to the glory of God. I am saddened by Americans who believe children are a burden and not a blessing. Are they expensive and time-consuming and sometimes a challenge? Oh yes! But they are also curious and delightful and wonderful to know and serve. When God commanded humans to be fruitful and multiply He was granting a blessing not speaking a curse!
 If Josiah and Abiah had stopped at twelve children, American history would have been quite different. Their thirteenth and last child honored his parents by erecting a grave marker. On that marker he engraved an important message. In part it reads:
“…without an Estate or any gainful
Employment,
By constant Labour, and honest Industry,
(With GOD’s Blessing)
Maintained a large Family Comfortably,
And brought up thirteen Children and
Seven Grand-children Reputably.
From this Instance, Reader,
Be encouraged to Diligence in thy Calling,
And distrust not Providence.
He was a pious and a prudent Man,
She a discreet and virtuous Woman.
Their youngest Son,
In filial Regard to their Memory,
Places this Stone.
 
That youngest son was the man history knows as Benjamin Franklin.
When Vice President Vance announced a few days ago that he and his wife Usha are expecting their fourth child (and third son), many Americans gasped and some even ridiculed. From the time he first entered politics to run for a senate seat in Ohio, Vance has been a strong voice for life. As he alluded to at the March for Life in Washington D.C. a few days ago, he does more than talk. He and his wife are laying their lives on the line for four little human beings. That is what responsible parents do and there need to be more Americans like the Vance family. They are being diligent in answering God’s call and trusting His Providence. America needs more families like them.
We are daily reminded that all of us are both leaders and followers in some capacity. Our congregation is blessed with good leaders. We are surrounded by men and women who not only talk about following Christ, but who truly walk the walk. Yesterday, I was reminded of how several of our church families are leading the rest of us in caring for “the least of these.” I am speaking about the families who have made the momentous decision to foster or adopt a child.
 I was privileged to be with a group of pastors who gathered at Life Choice ministries in Manhattan for a special prayer time. We prayed generally for the ministry but we prayed specifically for the new ultra sound portion of their ministry. They are in the final stages of getting nurses trained to operate the machinery. Soon, God willing, pregnant clients will be able to see the image of their unborn baby in the womb. That fact can influence a mother to not kill her unborn child. The ultrasound image can be a weapon in the fight to save unborn babies.
We live in a confused age. Many Americans do not have the good sense to distinguish between a violent criminal who is unlawfully in our nation and a normal, law-abiding American citizen.  Elected officials (governors and mayors) refuse to enforce laws because they feel “compassion” for people who have come to our nation in violation of federal laws. They feel virtuous because they offer “sanctuary” to murderers, rapists and thieves. Individuals who push, shove, and strike federal officers are surprised when they get arrested. They impede the arrest of drug traffickers and believe they are champions for the powerless. This is insane.
Could it be that Christians need to lead in recovering the nation’s sanity? It is shameful that marriage has fallen into disrepute in the nation and even in our churches.  Ben Franklin’s parents were married for fifty-five years. Christians need to lead by  modeling godly self-control in male-female relationships. We must birth and adopt children. Even more, we must nurture and bring loving discipline and godly teaching into the lives of the children God grants to us. Christians need to challenge the educational systems (pre-school through professional school) that rob students of the ability to read, think critically and act righteously to the glory of God.
What an honor we have as a congregation to support ministries like Life Choice. What a privilege to be able to encourage young men and women to get married, have babies and bring them up in the fear and admonition of the Lord. And what an absolute privilege we have to walk with our brothers and sisters who are doing the noble work of fostering and adopting!
Blessings,
Pastor John
Coram Deo