VCY America

Psalm 130 calls believers to cry from the heart, confess sin, and trust God's forgiveness. Even Christians struggle with iniquity, but immediate confession restores fellowship. Waiting on the Lord builds patience and hope, assured that His mercy and redemption bring relief, guidance, and ultimate restoration, both personally and for Israel.

In Erfurt's monastery, Luther sought salvation through strict vows and monastic rigor but found no peace—ultimately discovering only Christ's righteousness saves, echoing Hus' legacy and igniting a world-changing Reformation.

This week's news was highlighted by the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis where 2 children were killed. Jim provided additional related stories as well as the following: --On Wednesday, the FBI said they're investigating the Minneapolis church shooting as domestic terrorism and a hate crime and that the person said to be responsible (Robert (Robin) Westman) was a transgender person born a male but who self identified as a female. --The issue of transgender mental illness and violence has quickly moved front and center in the media and online. In fact, the term trending on X is "trans terror." --Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has announced that there will be new studies launched into the effects of some anti-depressant drugs and their use by those who turn out to be killers. --Robert (Robin) Westman's mother is allegedly not cooperating with law enforcement. --Comments from the father of one of the two victims who died in the Minneapolis shooting. --Former White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki offered comments criticizing prayer in regard to the shooting in Minneapolis. --The University of Michigan hospital system is suspending its gender transition practices on minors. --On August 30th, Children's National Hospital, in the nation's capital, will become the latest institution of its kind to cease offering all remaining gender transition drugs to minors thanks to the Trump administration's rules for federal health dollars. --Parents are outraged after a Massachusetts school district allegedly forced students to take a survey that their parents had recused them from.

Fred Pry is Vice President of Administration for Child Evangelism Fellowship, an international, nonprofit, Christian ministry that is dedicated to see every child reached with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, discipled and established in a local church. Sadly, every 47 seconds, a child is abused or neglected. Also, every 3 hours and 33 minutes a child or teen ends their own life as suicide is the 8th leading cause of death among children ages 5-11. What is bringing such desperation to the lives of some children? Fred pointed to the loss of hope and the influences of the world that provide hollow answers that don't last. There's also the issue of social media. Fred indicated that 40% of children ages 8-12 use social media. This means that these children are impacted by peer pressure, the messages claiming they deserve certain things or that they should look or act in a certain way. Worse yet is the fact that social media can become an addiction and in the end, when the world doesn't deliver, anxiety and depression can set in. As a response, in partnership with local churches, Child Evangelism Fellowship offers its Good News Clubs. Fred described these as one day a week, high powered Sunday schools that meet throughout the school year. While there are over 4,000 such clubs in the U.S. operating in public schools, there are over 70,000 public elementary schools in the U.S. This means your help is needed so that many more children will hear the Gospel. As Jim noted, if we don't reach children, the world's system will.

Our Christian Heritage goes "On Location" with Randy Melchert to a Princeton, NJ cemetery to find the grave of America's Founding Pastors: Jonathan Edwards, Samuel Davies, and John Witherspoon. Explore the intertwined histories of Princeton University and the prominent religious figures who shaped its early development. It highlights the legacies of Jonathan Edwards, Samuel Davies, and John Witherspoon, demonstrating how these influential ministers – pivotal figures in the Great Awakening and champions of religious freedom – also served as presidents of the institution and profoundly impacted the intellectual and spiritual landscape of America. The narrative underscores the original purpose of Princeton as a training ground for ministers dedicated to spreading the Gospel, and connects these academic leaders to the broader narrative of American patriotism and the founding of the nation.

Andrew Arthur is Resident Fellow in Law and Policy for the Center for Immigration Studies. He began his legal career as a clerk to an Administrative Law Judge at the United States Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review. Crosstalk receives daily updates from the Department of Homeland Security listing the arrests of what they call: The worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens. Jim listed a number of recent offenders originating from South Korea, Colombia, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Laos. Supporting such individuals are governors and mayors who are "digging in their heels" and who apparently would rather sacrifice the safety and security of their residents than remove those individuals who are here illegally. In addressing this issue, Jim had Andrew comment on a wide variety of concerns. For example: The legitimacy of asylum claims and whether this is overwhelming the judicial system. What we can learn from the news story of the illegal alien who made a U-turn that took the lives of 3 people while driving an 18 wheeler in Florida. How the Biden administration's border policies had border patrol agents so overwhelmed, personnel were very limited in terms of what they could do to stop illegal drugs from crossing the border. The latest on Kilmar Abrego Garcia, obstruction attempts such as those to shut down "Alligator Alcatraz," unaccompanied alien children and much more.

So many of us have not only one copy of the Bible, but several, with some of those often doing little more than collecting dust. We go to church and most everyone has a copy or one is available. Bookstores regularly have them as well. We take this for granted yet in other parts of the world, many people long to have their own copy of the Scriptures. In such places, sometimes their pastor doesn't even have a copy! Jason Woolford is out to change that. He returned to Crosstalk to reacquaint listeners with information about Mission Cry where he's president. It all began about 70 years ago when a junk dealer found a Bible in the garbage and didn't want to throw it out. He kept collecting used Bibles and before long he had a box full which he sent to India. All these years later, Mission Cry has sent nearly 500 million dollars worth of donated Bibles and Christian books to over 180 nations around the world. You may be wondering what good could possibly come from sending used English Bibles to a foreign nation? What things can you do in order to obtain used Bibles to send to Mission Cry? Can you hold a Bible drive at your church? Are there testimonies that show the effectiveness of this ministry? These and other questions are answered on this exciting program, showing how you can be a world missionary without even leaving your area!

Jeremy Beller's father, the late James Beller, is the author of America in Crimson Red, a study in early American Baptist History The interview explores the enduring legacy of Baptist Christians who, throughout history, prioritized faith over personal safety and comfort, exemplified by figures like Patrick of Ireland and Shubal Starnes. It emphasizes that persecution and sacrifice are inherent aspects of a life devoted to Christ, and that these individuals, rather than seeking recognition, lived out their faith, leaving behind a powerful testimony of resilience and commitment. The narrative underscores the importance of defending biblical doctrine, championing the right model for the church, and upholding principles of religious liberty, ultimately revealing that Baptist history is a story of unwavering devotion to Christ and a courageous defense of faith in the face of adversity.

Pastor Erwin Lutzer takes us to the Johann Sebastian Bach Statue in Leipzig, Germany. "Two hundred years after the Reformation, Johann Sebastian Bach was at this church. All of us not only know him by name, but we've enjoyed his music. I think, for example, of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring." You have to understand that because of the Reformation, there was this belief that music can be sacred and can be God-honoring. Bach actually believed that when he wrote music, he was, in a sense, mirroring the Trinity, because the Trinity was unified. It was in harmony."

At salvation, every Christian receives the Holy Spirit, making their body God's temple. The Spirit comforts, teaches, and guides believers into truth. Daily reliance on Him ensures spiritual growth and effective service. This indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the supreme manifestation of new life and union with Christ.