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J. Falwell: Address to Rally of Hope VI
Written by Pastor Jonathan Falwell, Senior Pastor, Thomas Road Baptist Church, Lynchburg, VA, United States
Sunday, May 9, 2021
Address to Rally of Hope VI
May 9, 2021
Today, I would like to talk about some definite needs for our world. As you know, there is much division in our world today, and clearly more than ever, we need common ground for people of faith, patriotism, education and service. This Rally of Hope aims to meet that need, as a call for prayer, for unity and for courage in the face of unprecedented challenges. I want to thank UPF and Dr. Moon for making these events available throughout the world, and I thank all of those who are viewing this event together in this digital environment.
May you all be blessed with God’s grace and God’s wisdom as we attempt to make this world a better place.
Today as we all reflect on what this world needs, one word seems to stand out more than any other, and that word is “hope.” I thank the UPF and Dr. Moon for giving us the opportunity to talk about this from many different backgrounds, in different nations, in different beliefs—to come together to talk about a common goal, and that goal is peace. Now I know that it is our desire, and I also know that it is God’s will for us to point people to him as the only source of hope.
I have always been grateful for the voices within our world that are dedicated to bringing truth to a world that needs it so desperately. I know The Washington Times and other organizations that you have founded have stood as a strong voice to this nation for freedom and for family and for faith. And I am grateful for how it has been used to inform and to educate our world today.
Many too are grateful for the idea of a global working group of experts called Think Tank 2022, which is calling for experts globally to support peace on the Korean Peninsula. I am particularly inspired that you see the role of faith leaders as critical to bringing peace, along with heads of state, members of congress, businesspeople, and those in the media and academia. I know that UPF and the Rallies of Hope are building a global movement to support the peaceful reunification of Korea, the last vestige of the Cold War.
Now, I understand that the Rallies of Hope have been reaching tens of millions of participants on all continents with important messages from many different leaders, from many different perspectives, for the purpose of helping to foster understanding, hope and peace in our world today. I would like to say congratulations on the launch of the Think Tank 2022, a bold and a wise effort, to gather scholars and thought leaders and experts from major fields of influence to create a road map for peace in Northeast Asia, focused on the Korean Peninsula. We all know the fragility in this region, and we know how wonderful it would be for peace to reign throughout our world.
Where we can find unity
There are three important areas that serve as a common ground, I believe, for all of us. And I know for certain that my dad was committed to this purpose, along with a passion for the gospel. Now we care about the importance for America to turn back to its roots, and its biblical values and principles. Second, we want to see America strengthened and fulfilling her leadership role for the world. And we are deeply committed to educating future generations to help bring peace to the nations and to make our world safer and stronger.
Now first let us talk about how we can turn America back to biblical values, to a biblical worldview, biblical lifestyles. The world looks to America for leadership in so many different ways, and for that reason, America needs to be restored. We need to understand our founding, not based on a rewriting of history that excludes the importance of God, and the Gospel, but rather to impress upon all that America was founded on Judean Christian principles, which flow clearly from God’s word, the Bible. In doing so, I believe we will see a clear return to the biblical family, a picture of God’s ideal for the family based on God’s plan, on his word and his desire. The Bible is clear on what God desires for his people, clear on how he wants us to live. And the Bible is God’s inspired, inerrant and infallible word and has been given so that we may understand his love, to know how we should live, and as a call to action for all of mankind. God is the same yesterday, today and forever, and we must stand on his word and in his truth. And we must see a return to truth, not only in the pulpit but in the public square—with organizations such as The Washington Times that champion freedom, family, faith and service dedicated to educating citizens.
We also need to talk about America’s leadership role for the world, among the family of nations. During the Cold War, we saw the world unified behind a common idea of freedom, as the best hope for everyone. In a world that was clearly divided, we saw leaders rise up to take a stand for freedom and then defend it no matter what. Just as during the Cold War era, there is a need for leadership based on the founding principles upon which all free nations are based. Just as we often pray that America can be one nation under God, so also, we can now pray that we can come together as one world under God, as a human family with God as our father. That is the key to lasting peace, and that is the purpose for which Jesus came.
Finally, the importance of education of the heart, the character, the mind, the body... This is why we must all join together in this common commitment to educate the next generation in truth. Dr. Moon, we share a biblical and a moral commitment to raise future generations to be men and women of godly character, to form healthy families and to serve mankind in the light of God’s will for the sake of a truly peaceful world. When Jesus was asked, “What is the most important command?” his answer was clear: to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind and strength. He went on to say, “The second command is like it: to love your neighbors as yourself.”
Today let us all commit to becoming people who have real hope based on our faith and to share that hope in service to others. Thank you today for this opportunity, and may God bless all of those who are tuning in to this Rally of Hope.
Pastor Jonathan Falwell is senior pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church, Lynchburg, Virginia.
To go to the Dialogue and Alliance: Toward a Unified World of Peace, Part Two, click here.