“Religion” is not a word that has a good ring to it, because so much bad religion has owned it. But the Bible tells us exactly that good religion is, by telling us what it does. And what it does is the most beautiful thing ever: it cares for the needs of the most vulnerable people in the world—parentless children.

Broken trust—by means of wrongdoing on the part of those who are in political, financial, and religious power—will lead to the complete collapse of the world system. Bible prophecy warns that the consolidation of power and wealth will inevitably lead to the backlash of revolution and violence.

On April 4, 1968, a shot was fired in Memphis, Tennessee, and a prophet of God was killed. In this message we remember Martin Luther King Jr by revisiting the horrific history that led up to the Civil Rights movement and we identify what made Dr. King such a powerful figure in the movement: a singular combination of prophetic clarity and nonviolent love.

The Christ Child was born to die. It was inevitable that His character and principles would pose a threat to the powers that be. And yet, even as they crucified Him, they were unwittingly crowning Him the rightful king of the world. His death was the victory they did not see coming.

As soon and the Christ Child was born, the powers of evil flew into a murderous rage and sought to end Him before He even got started. They failed and He proceeded to launch a kingdom unlike any the world has ever known.

The Christ Child was born to our world, not to make sure people get to go to heaven, but to overturn all coercion-based empires and launch a new government based on justice for the establishment of eternal peace.

“God is dead, and we have killed him,” declared Friedrich Nietzsche, the famed German philosopher. Western civilization has murdered the idea of God. Atheism is on the rise. And yet, we can’t escape our longing for a love that transcends all this world has to offer. People are running from religion and returning to God by the droves.