Last Sunday, August 29, 2010, was the hardest day of my life. Even when my father made me promise that I would preach his funeral (which I did--twice: once in Indiana where he lived, and again in Florida where I live and where he is buried), that was not as difficult and gut wrenching as what I had to do last Sunday. Last Sunday, I retired as the pastor of the church that my wife and I founded 35 years ago: the Crossroad Baptist Church of Pensacola, Florida.

At America’s founding, the principles of Christian philosophy and ideology were universally accepted. The vast majority of the colonists were churchgoing, Protestant Christians who firmly embraced and respected the sacred principles taught in the Holy Scriptures. In fact, the reason most colonists placed such a high premium on education was so that children would be able to read and study the Bible for themselves.

This past week, my son and constitutional attorney, Tim Baldwin, wrote the following and then delivered it to his elementary age Bible class at our church. It tells the story of our brave forebears’ struggle for freedom and independence in a way that even children can comprehend. Oh! By the way, the class stood up and clapped after Tim delivered this address. I offer Tim’s lesson to my reading audience with the prospect that many of you may want to read this story to your children or grandchildren this weekend, as we celebrate our nation’s independence.

The Internet is abuzz with news that a US Senate committee has approved a bill that apparently gives the President authority to shut down the Internet. According to TechWorld.com, “A US Senate committee has approved a wide-ranging cybersecurity bill that some critics have suggested would give the US president the authority to shut down parts of the Internet during a cyberattack.”

As we approach Father’s Day this Sunday, I think it is necessary to once again draw attention to what has become one of America’s greatest problems: the dearth of masculine leadership in the home.

One does not have to be a prophet to know that we are on the precipice of some potentially catastrophic–or at the very least, challenging–days. In fact, most of us are already in challenging days, and some are already enduring catastrophic events. That is, if one would call being out of work, losing one’s home, facing life-threatening medical conditions without any prospect of medical insurance, several families being forced to live in one house due to homes being foreclosed, etc., catastrophic.

The Roman poet Juvenal (circa 100 A.D.) wrote regarding the way latter-day Roman emperors retained power and control over the masses that were seemingly more than happy to obsess themselves with trivialities and self-indulgences while their once-great-and-powerful empire collapsed before their very eyes.

People all over America are discussing freedom’s future. In short, they are worried. In fact, many are actually talking about State secession. In coffee shops and cafes, and around dining room tables, millions of people are speaking favorably of states breaking away from the union.

With much media fanfare, 9 members of a Michigan militia were arrested last March and charged with “seditious conspiracy”–specifically, plotting to murder law enforcement officers. Ostensibly, this was supposed to precipitate some kind of wholesale revolt against the government. Question: Have any of you heard anyone from the propaganda press corps (national news media) tell you what has been happening with this case? No? Did you not wonder why? Well, I’ll tell you why: the case has fallen apart.

I celebrated my 58th birthday this past Monday, May 3. Accordingly, it is time for my annual “Strictly Personal” column. I think it only fair that readers should have an opportunity to learn a little something about the person who writes the words they read. Today’s column is designed with that goal in mind.

In a report on its web site dated April 2010, entitled "Meet The Patriots," the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) profiled "36 individuals at the heart of the resurgent [patriot] movement."  The SPLC (founded by Morris Dees) sees itself as America's guardian against "right wing militias" and loves to label conservatives and libertarians that it doesn't like as "extremists."

Last Friday, I told readers of this column that I had come across a very disturbing government report and that I would be exposing that report during my Sunday address this past Sunday morning. I did exactly that.

One would have to be a blind man to not see that America is fast losing the fundamental principles of liberty upon which our once-great country was established. And, without a doubt, the single biggest reason for this decline is the lack of concern and effort on the part of today’s Christians and pastors to resist it.

The purpose of the Census is that of counting the US population in order to apportion among the states the number of representatives in the US House of Representatives. That’s it. Nothing more. Nothing less.

February 23 marks the anniversary of the beginning of the battle of the Alamo back in 1836. For more than 13 days, 186 brave and determined patriots withstood Santa Anna's seasoned army of over 4,000 troops. To a man, the defenders of that mission fort knew they would never leave those ramparts alive. They had several opportunities to leave and live. Yet, they chose to fight and die. How foolish they must look to this generation of spoiled Americans.

Today marks the 37th anniversary of the infamous US Supreme Court Roe v. Wade decision, which, in effect, legalized abortion-on-demand nationwide. The aftermath of this tragic ruling is the deaths of over 40 million (a very conservative number) innocent unborn babies. It is no hyperbole to say abortion is America's holocaust.

The White House Office of the Press Secretary released a report on the White House web site titled "President Obama Signs Executive Order Establishing Council of Governors." According to the press release, "The President today [January 11, 2009] signed an Executive Order establishing a Council of Governors to strengthen further the partnership between the Federal Government and State Governments to protect our Nation against all types of hazards. When appointed, the Council will be reviewing such matters as involving the National Guard of the various States; homeland defense; civil support; synchronization and integration of State and Federal military activities in the United States; and other matters of mutual interest pertaining to National Guard, homeland defense, and civil support activities."

Contrary to the rants of modern critics, however, Ventura's Conspiracy Theory is not "reality" television or "mindless, good fun." It is better investigative reporting than anything I've seen on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN or FOX NEWS in a long, long time.

I think we need to face it: 2010 is more than a new year; it is also part of a new era in which all vestiges of normalcy and common sense have been left behind. In other words, it is a madhouse out there. Let me give you some examples of what I'm talking about.

As we approach the celebration of Christ's birth, I am reminded of the wordsof John Quincy Adams. On July 4, 1837, he spoke these words:

"Why is it that, next to the birthday of the Savior of the world, your mostjoyous and most venerated festival returns on this day? ... Is it not that,in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolublylinked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in theprogress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration ofIndependence first organized the social compact on the foundation of theRedeemer's mission upon earth. That it laid the cornerstone of humangovernment upon the first precepts of Christianity, and gave to the worldthe first irrevocable pledge of the fulfillment of the prophecies announceddirectly from Heaven at the birth of the Savior and predicted by thegreatest of the Hebrew prophets six hundred years before?"