They were known as the "Black Robe Regiment." They are credited with being one of the primary forces which brought liberty to the early American colonies. They were tough, educated, and zealous patriots who would bear arms when necessary and speak truth at any expense. Who were these men of valor? They were a loosely knit group of pastors that lived across the colonies and who represented virtually every Christian denomination at the time.

 

One of the leaders of the Black Robe Regiment was Lutheran pastor, John Muhlenburg. Muhlenburg was preaching a message from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 on the morning of Sunday, January 21, 1776 at his church when he concluded with these words: "The Bible tells us there is a time for all things and there is a time to preach and a time to pray, but the time for me to preach has passed away, and there is a time to fight, and that time has come now. Now is the time to fight! Call for recruits! Sound the drums!" At that moment, Muhlenburg took off his black clerical robe to reveal the uniform of a Virginia colonel. He grabbed his musket from behind the pulpit, put on his colonel's hat, and marched off to war. Incredibly 300 men in the church followed him and they became the first Virginia regiment.

 

While we are not bearing arms and marching off to war, we must understand that we are in a spiritual war nonetheless. It is time to fight! It is time for pastors across the nation and across denominational lines to form a new "Black Robe Regiment!"

 

It is not time to be silenced by those who say "pastors shouldn't speak about issues pertaining to politics" (which sounds eerily similar to when I was in communist Soviet Union in 1989) and it certainly is not time to simply go along to get along. "No," I say! Never! Instead it is time for pastors across this land to be the leaders God's appointed you to be, stand up and defend your values, proclaim God's redemptive message, and give our nation hope! We are counting on YOU and we need YOU!

 

Today, pray for pastors across America and specifically pray for your pastor. Pastors are some of the best people in the world and they have a huge mission before them! Personally I want to thank all pastors reading this email. I am grateful for your work and faith!