Dear Friend,
Approximately 248 years ago, as brave men and women fought valiantly for our country's freedom, Thomas Paine wrote these familiar words that still possess profound relevance:
These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value.1
Sadly, the grand experiment called America, our sweet land of liberty, is again in great crisis, and to shrink back in a time of such tremendous need is not an option. Our nation is at a spiritual crossroads and is steadily turning the wrong way. As this blizzard of malevolence rages across our nation, we cannot become a country of summer soldiers.
The Lord has positioned us at this specific time in history for a purpose, and JDFI is doing all we can to extend biblical truth and grace in a culture that has lost its spiritual and moral basis.
Today, I am elated to share a significant part of JDFI's ministry plan to address this existential crisis—the launch of the Dobson Culture Center (DCC).
I'm also pleased to introduce you to Dr. Owen Strachan, who will lead this key ministry initiative. He is a man God has remarkably equipped for this challenging assignment. Dr. Owen has previously served in various ministry leadership roles, including as the president of The Council of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, and as a senior fellow with the Center for Biblical Worldview of Family Research Council. He is also a gifted teacher and author of theology with over 15 year's experience, and has written numerous books on cultural issues with a keen biblical worldview understanding and application.
I've asked Dr. Owen to share a few words with you.
What a joy to begin my time with JDFI. I am grateful to Dr. Dobson, Joe Waresak, and the JDFI board for entrusting this stewardship to me. It is a delight to play a small role in extending Dr. Dobson's legacy in the public square.
It is difficult to properly estimate Dr. Dobson's effect on our country. A personal anecdote might aid in this respect. When I had the privilege of visiting the JDFI offices a few years back, I rounded a corner and came upon a beautiful oil painting of Winston Churchill. Taken aback, I asked Dr. Dobson about it and found that he loves "the last lion" of Britain as much as I do. Now, as I look back on Dr. Dobson's public work, I believe he has been a "lion," a force for God's grace and truth in a fallen world.
As in Churchill's day, we are at war—a spiritual one. The devil has gained a real foothold in our culture, and he has effectively cast a spell over many, causing them to believe lies. Here are some of these lies as they stand today:
• The lie that babies in the womb are just fetal tissue, nothing more
• The lie that boys can become girls (and vice versa), changing their identity
• The lie that "transgender" people should enter the opposite sex's restrooms and locker rooms
• The lie that the government's vision of "science" and "health" is unquestionable
• The lie that tells parents they are not equipped to train and lead their children into adulthood
• The lie that a person will find happiness if he or she embraces homosexuality or gender identity that contradicts one's biological sex
• The lie that marriage is a human venture void of God's covenantal design
• The lie that we should "follow our own heart," not God's truth
These lies—and many more—prey upon all of us today. Taken as a group, they represent an alternate claim of universal truths in our time, a pagan "morality" that has no definitive morals. Because godlessness is advancing all around us, many Christians feel like they are living in Babylon. We are tempted to give in to despair and anxiety, and to buy a one-way ticket out of all this chaos.
But here is the honest truth: God wants us here for such a time as this. In the New Testament, Jesus called his people to be "salt and light" in this world (Matthew 5:13-16). This mandate drives our mission at the Dobson Culture Center. Numerous wicked philosophies threaten Christianity and the Judeo-Christian values that founded America and its governing framework in our time. But we should not despair over this. We will continue to listen to Jesus, preach the gospel, pray, and work.
The purpose of the Dobson Culture Center is to equip believers to live in just this kind of way.
• We will distinguish biblical truth from Satan's lies in our articles, videos, resource packages, and other media.
• We will stand for the dignity of every person, even as the culture of death hunts babies in the womb.
• We will celebrate the goodness of marriage, even as secular humanism attempts to deconstruct it.
• We will honor the family as central to human flourishing, even as Marxism seeks to "abolish" it (to use Karl Marx's phrase2). As the apostle Paul wrote to the Roman church, we will stand on Scripture and let every man be a liar (Romans 3:4).
This will be hard work. But I am excited to do it!
On a personal note, I was prepared for tough assignments growing up in Maine. Raised on the coast, it was a hard country in spiritual terms. Being a believer singled me out and made me peculiar. I experienced a lot of pushback for my Christian faith from my peers. When I went to Bowdoin College, one of Princeton Review's most secular schools, the intensity only increased. But I loved the challenge of that hard place. It enlivened me.
In 2024, much of America qualifies as a hard place. But none of the spiritual evil before us has thrown God off. None of it has unseated Jesus from His place at the Father's right hand.
Standing on the gospel that saves and transforms us, we aspire to point the light of Christ toward the opposition to gain souls for the Kingdom. In faith, hope, and love, we dare—as William Carey once said—to "Expect great things of God. Attempt great things for God."
If you haven't seen Dr. Owen's introductory video for the Dobson Culture Center, please use this link watch it. You will quickly realize why I am excited to have Dr. Owen leading this essential JDFI ministry initiative. After watching his video, don't forget to sign up for the culture center's weekly updates, and be ready to join us in lighting up this world with God's grace and truth.
As we celebrate our nation's 248th birthday this July, I pray that we can renew our commitment to be the "salt and light" of Jesus—to put our faith into action in every sphere of life. We, as the body of Christ, have an extraordinary opportunity to share God's love and eternal hope, and the gates of hell will not prevail against us! Will you join Dr. Owen Strachan, the Dobson Culture Center, and JDFI as we pursue this important calling?
Before ending this letter, I have one last thing to share. The summer months for our ministry can often be financially challenging, and this year is no different. We're currently running short of our budgetary revenue needs. If the Lord has positioned you to give at this time, we would greatly appreciate it. There is much good work to be done, and we consider it an honor to serve alongside you in this ministry effort.
Blessings to you and your family as you celebrate our nation's freedom and independence this month!
Joe Waresak, President
Dr. James Dobson Family Institute
1 Paine, Thomas (December 19, 1776) The American Crisis, Penn Journal, Web.
2 Marx, Karl and Engels, Friedrich (February 21, 1848) The Communist Manifesto, Communist League, Chapter II. Proletarians and Communists, Web.
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