Foundations of Freedom

As the celebration of our independence draws near I think it is important for us to remember why our founding fathers threw caution to the wind, "pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor," to this cause we call Liberty.

The American Revolution centered around one key principle, "throwing off the yoke of an oppressive government." The growth and prosperity of this new Republic was being threatened by a strong central government that imposed oppressive taxes and sought to control the freedoms and liberties of the people. We often forget that the threat these new colonies faced was from their own government (the primary reason we have the 2nd amendment - to protect us from our own government, not invading armies).

Today we are faced with the same threats. A strong central government that is taxing the life out of the citizenry, laying the burden of their own excesses on the backs of our children, while failing miserable with the most important mandate given to federal powers - protecting the citizens they serve. Terrorists and illegals flood across our borders, almost every month we hear of a new attempt by terrorists on our own soil and many of our leaders talk about the "rights" of our enemies.

Most of the signers of the Declaration of Independence did sacrifice their lives, their fortunes, but never their sacred honor. They fought and died for freedom. The spent their fortunes in defense of liberty. They honored their commitments to the greater good and the chorus of freedom and liberty spread across the globe.

As the sun was rising over Lexington, Massachusetts on April 19, 1775 the first shots of the revolution were fired. "The shots heard round the world." Our founding fathers were willing to fight and die for freedom from an oppressive government, they made personal sacrifices for the cause of liberty, they were committted to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

As our national day of independence rapidly approachs, the question is what will we sacrifice to fend off an oppressive government? What actions will we take to insure that the financial burdens of our nation are not thrust on the backs of our children? Who will join me in pledging their lives, fortunes and sacred honor in defense of freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?

Why I go to church (or don't go sometimes).

The picture to your left is the reason I go to church. No, its more than the Spring Meadows Church of Christ that calls me to worship, but the things I experience when I am there. I have gone through a lot of different phases on my spiritual journey. There have been times I have just been plain tired, frustrated and discouraged. I have felt it would just be easier to stay home and get my religous fix from a wavy-haired tele-evangelist on a 42 inch flat panel screen.

As I look over my past I realize I have had lots of different motives for going to church. My parents made me attend, or deal with the consequences! I went out of fear, knowing that skipping church was the fast-track to a hell-fire and brimstone reprimand. I have heard "forsake not the assembling of yourselves together..." so many times I thought it was tattooed on my forehead. Then there was the guilt factor - I was the minister, I had to set the example, but I really didn't feel like dealing with the people.

So, for me it is time to be real about our worship time together. Why do I go to church - to experience God and the love of family. Sometimes I fear we so focus on "doing church" right that we leave the "Spirit" out of the spirit and truth passage (John 4:24). I am frankly tired of people using terms like "reverence" and "decently and in order" to choke the life out of our worship experience.

I understand that there are acceptable and unacceptable forms of worship. We have those who embrace every new idea and crazy ism. There are folks whose minds are so open their brains fell out. I also know that worship is to be experienced, cherished and shared. It is a time to rejoice, sing praises and pour out our spirits to God.

Why do I go to church? I go to be with my Father and spend a joyous time together with my family. The real point of this is not "why do I go, or not go" - but what draws others to worship and why should they stay.

Trent Wheeler

The Price of Freedom

William Paca - Maryland, Josiah Barlett - New Hampshire, Ceasar Rodney - Delaware, and Francis Hopkinson - New Jersey were just a few of the brave men we find who "pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor" to a Declaration of Independence from the oppression, taxation and the depravation of their mother country.


Most of us remember the names of John Hancock, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson or John Adams, but there are 56 names that appear on the Declaration of Independence. We often forget that these men signed this document knowing the price they might have to pay. The British fleet was already anchored in New York harbor, John Hancock had a bounty of $500 on his head and Franklin stated clearly, "Indeed we must all hang together, otherwise we shall most assuredly hang separately." In most cases these were men of substantial means who understood the declaration to pledge their lives, fortunes and sacred honor were more than glowing words on fresh parchment - they were a pledge to die for their country, their freedom and their colonies.

What was the price these men paid for freedom from tyranny? Richard Morris a merchant from Philadelphia met General Washington's needs over and over depleting his personal fortune and losing a 150 merchant ships at sea in funding the revolution. William Ellery saw his home and property burned to the ground. Thomas Nelson ordered the revolutionary armies to fire on his own home and plantation to drive Cornwallis' headquarters from his estate. When he raised and pledged 2 million dollars to the cause, the newly formed government defaulted on his loans and he forfieted his personal wealth and died impoverished at age 50.

Of those 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence, nine died of wounds or hardships during the war. Five were captured and imprisoned, in each case with brutal treatment. Several lost wives, sons or entire families. One lost his 13 children. Two wives were brutally treated. All at one time or another were the victims of manhunts and driven from their homes. Twelve signers had their homes completely burned to the ground. Seventeen lost everything they owned. Yet not one defected or went back on his pledged word. Their honor, and the nation they sacrificed so much to create, is still intact.

The question for us today is - what price do we put on our freedom? What sacrifices will we make to defend our country and our sacred honor? Do we have the courage, the resolve, that sense of sacred honor essential in defending our freedom. I believe those words penned centuries ago are relevant to us today, "Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it"