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As we come to another Fourth of July weekend it is worth asking: “What is it that made America unique and great?” The truth is the founding fathers were Christians (half of them even had seminary or Bible college degrees) who took seriously the Scriptures and wanted to form a nation based on biblical principles where people could be free to worship without anyone forcing them to pick one denomination or another.

You might be saying, “Wait a minute, Clay. That’s not what I’ve been taught. I thought that many of the founding fathers were irreligious and they formed our constitution based solely and human wisdom and political philosophy.”

I hope you will hear my message this week, “The Truth About America,” because I will prove to you that our kids, by and large, are being taught lies about the founding of our country in the public schools today. It’s important that we set the record straight. Especially as we see our country going into decline in many ways. Because we have tried to take God out of public life we are becoming great in categories where we should be weak and at the same time becoming weak in categories where we should be (and once were) great!

I’m going to kick off the message with a video I made recently on the Island of Patmos where the disciple John was held prisoner for his faith and where he wrote the book of Revelation. If you’re in Colorado this Fourth of July, I hope to see you at one of our four worship gatherings, on Thursday or Sunday, in Berthoud or Loveland.

Selene and I recently returned from 10 days in Greece. What an adventure it was traveling with a group of 33 (the majority were Selene’s students) around the mainland and the islands. Because of the biblical significance of Athens, Ephesus and Patmos, I’ll be sharing some stories with you at church in the weeks ahead.

Yesterday at staff meeting I heard encouraging stories about lives that were touched last weekend by the John Burke’s message the testimonies of Bruce Newman (Loveland) and Roxanne Dye (Berthoud)—“God is For Us!” I saw colorful pictures of Vacation Bible School action and heard about the more than 30 children who raised their hands to accept Jesus. Did you know that the leaders wrote their own curriculum this year? Very impressive! Then I saw before and after pictures of the landscaping and painting transformations that happened by Grace Place crews during Sharefest at Berthoud and Thompson Valley high schools. 40-50 people worked very hard to show the love of Jesus in tangible ways. Way to go!

This weekend we conclude the One Prayer series with a message by Andy Stanley, “God is Certain.” I believe you will be moved to renew your trust in God regardless of whatever uncertainties you are currently facing in your life. We will celebrate the Lord’s Supper together and worship the Lord with fresh confidence and appreciation. At the end of the worship gatherings this weekend we will receive a special offering for the Windsor Community Church. Their church was wiped out in the tornado last year and even after insurance adjustments and significant giving by the congregation they are still short of funds to rebuild. We are joining other northern Colorado churches to help out. Please pray about what you might do over and above your regular giving.

Speaking of regular giving…it’s summer time which often means vacations for many. I see people on Facebook talking about fishing, camping, hiking, boating, visiting family and all types of trips. It’s a fun time of year (and especially green this summer in Colorado!). I notice that both attendance and giving have been quite low the past couple weeks. We have been running very lean this year so we’re hoping that we will not experience a prolonged summer slump. It used to be that you had to be at church to give or send a check in the mail… but not any more. You can give online. You can give from anywhere in the world. You can give once, or set it up as a regular giving pattern (as Selene and I have done). More and more people are giving online and finding it a convenient way to consistently support God’s work through Grace Place. Don’t forget your church as you travel!

What was Jesus’ one prayer for the church?  He prayed only one thing specifically for you and me: “My prayer is not for them alone [his immediate disciples]. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message [all of us who are Christ-followers], that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you…. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” (John 17:20-23)

Unfortunately, Christians have often been defined too much by what divides rather than by what unifies us.  At Grace Place we are in a series during the month of June called “ONE PRAYER.”  We are joining with hundreds of other churches and hundreds of thousands of other believers in multiple countries who are all praying for an answer to Christ’s prayer and linking with each other to SHARE, SERVE, and GIVE.  To join the conversation go to www.oneprayer.com

1. We are SHARING teaching from other influential and gifted communicators in this series.  The theme this year is “God is______.” We are emphasizing that God is GOOD; God is LOVE; God is FOR US, and God is CERTAIN.  I’m very excited about the three guest speakers that are joining me in this series (via video-cast messages):

Craig Groeschel, founder and senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv based in Oklahoma City—a multi-site church with 13 locations in 6 states!  Craig is an outstanding young leader (his church has been named America’s Most Innovative Church for two years in a row).  He’s written a number of helpful books including one that some of our staff leaders recently read together: It: How Churches and Leaders Can Get it and Keep it. Craig will give you a new way of understanding that God’s love is for you individually and personally.  For more on Craig’s ministry go to

John Burke, is the founder and senior pastor of Gateway Church in Austin, Texas.  It’s a fast growing church with 70 percent of the church in their 20s and 30s, and consists mostly of people who were unchurched before coming to Christ at Gateway.  He is the author the book No Perfect People Allowed: Creating a Come-as You Are Culture in the Church.  His message will challenge us to be a welcoming community and will encourage you to know that God is FOR you, not against you. For more on John’s ministry go to www.gatewaychurch.com

Andy Stanley, founder and senior pastor of North Point Community Church.  He is the son of the well known preacher, Charles Stanley, and pastors more than 22,000 in three campuses in Atlanta, not counting the 14 other partner churches they have planted around the country which also receive teaching from Stanley.  He has written many books, including one that really encouraged me: Visioneering. His message will encourage you to have confidence in the certainty of God even in the midst of hard and uncertain circumstances.  For more on Andy’s ministry go to www.northpoint.org

2. We are SERVING with other churches in “Sharefest” on Saturday, June 13, serving schools in the Thompson Valley School district by rolling up our lives and showing the love of Jesus by our actions.

3. We are GIVING this year by taking an offering on the weekend of June 28 to help a sister church in Windsor that was wiped out last year by the tornado.  I’ve really enjoyed meeting and getting to know the pastor of Windsor Community Church, Dan Harty, in recent days and look forward to an ongoing relationship.  Let’s see what we can do (above and beyond our regular giving) to help their building project in the spirit of unity and love. 

There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:4-6)