LESSON 7 - THE US CONSTITUTION

The US Constitution is oldest Constitution in operation in world history.   In 2014, it achieved 225 years of continuous use.

The US Constitution is also unique in all the world.  The United States Constitution is designed to restrain the power of government in order that it’s citizens can live most free.   Other Constitutions around the world grant a list of rights granted by government.   The US Constitution assumes that the people have all the rights given to them by God and only a few rights are given up in order to provide order to society.

The US Constitution, like the Declaration of Independence is another aspect of what traditionally was understood as “American Exceptionalism”.   A Constitution that is the “exception” to the what is normal in the rest of the world.

In these overview webinars you will learn about the importance of the first 52 words of the Constitution that frame the purpose of the Constitution and guide how the rest of the Constitution should be understood.   Additionally, on screen graphics will give you a feel for how the Constitution is laid out and that even in its layout there is an intended purpose that should guide our understanding.

• Understanding How the Declaration of Independence and Constitution Work Together – 5min
• Understanding the U.S. Constitution – 5 Key Concepts – part 1– 8min
• Understanding the U.S. Constitution – 5 Key Concepts – part 2 -7min

Additional Resource - [Note - this is streamed from an Amazon Video Server]

• U.S. Constitution – God’s Providences & Biblical Principles-19m

US Constitution Commentary - George Washington Farewell Address

Constitution Day is September 17, 1787, the day the US Constitution was ratified by the States. April 30, 1789 is actually when the US Constitutional System was put into operation when George Washington was sworn into office.

Washington would serve two 4 year terms in office.   As the end of his second term drew near, he used the 9 year anniversary of Constitution Day to publish his Farewell Address.   His Address was not a spoken message but appeared in newspapers around the nation on September 17, 1796.

The significance of this date cannot be overemphasized when you realize that the content of his Farewell Address serves as a literal commentary on the US Constitution including - why it should be cherished, how it should be protected from conniving men, and a review of the undergirding principles that make the United States a unique Constitutional Republic.

Studying Washington’s Farewell Address used to be one of the 4 pillars of US Civics Studies.

It has long been forgotten and been deemed too difficult to read and understand by today’s soft-minded citizens.   This video series is designed to change that. Here then is George Washington’s short course on the Constitution.

• George Washington Farewell Address 01 – Overview – Constitution Day Address – 9m
• George Washington Farewell Address 02 – Cherish the Constitution -Your Safeguard of Liberty – 14m
• George Washington Farewell Address 03 – Defend the Constitution – Cunning Leaders – 12m
• George Washington Farewell Address 04 – Guard Your Freedom – The Nature of Man – 6m
• George Washington Farewell Address 05 – Religion, Morality, Virtue -  Keys to Freedom – 4m
• George Washington Farewell Address 06 – Debt & Taxes -  Responsible Government – 7m
• George Washington Farewell Address 07 – Foreign Policy -  Based on Virtue – Guard Against Conniving Men – 9m
• George Washington Farewell Address 08 – Closing – Final Charge – Liberty Can Be Lost – Protect It – 5m

Downloads

• Handout - US Constitution - 5 Key Concepts Everyone Should Know
• The US Constitution – 1787-09-17
• George Washington Farewell Address – 1796-09-17
• The Pocket Catechism of the US Constitution - 333 Short Questions and Answers - 1828

LESSON 8 - THE US CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM

The US Constitution is a remarkable document that is designed to preserve the liberty and freedom of the people by keeping the power in check of those who fill the offices of the federal government. But to have a single focus on the US Constitution alone and not the whole US Constitutional System is a fatal mistake.   We have been living with the results of this fatal mistake in the United States for over 100 years.

The US Constitution provides for “checks and balances” and “separation of powers” that when applied serve as safeguards against designing men and women who seek to expand their power.

This is well and good, but it actually overlooks what the founders saw as an even more important tool for maintaining freedom and liberty and that is the “vertical separation of power”. That is the distribution of governing power beginning at the local level, to county, to state, to national level with each higher level of government having less and less power. Notably, the founders gleaned this model of distributed power from Exodus 18:21 where Jethro, Moses father in law, provided this advice.

But select capable men from all the people–men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain–and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.

This is what makes up the strength and brilliance of the US Constitutional System.

This video set overviews the U.S. Constitutional System including the checks and balances at a federal level, but also the role of States, County, and Local governments in the vertical Separation of Powers.  Focusing on the entire “System” is intentional, as you cannot properly understand the Federal Constitution itself, if you do not understand how the whole “System” was designed to work.

• Constitutional Studies 01 – Designed to Protect Liberty ~ Checks & Balances of Power-15m
• Constitutional Studies 02 – All Three Branches Safeguard Constitution-7m
• Constitutional Studies 03 – States and People Final Authority-6m
• Constitutional Studies 04 – The American Constitutional System – Vertical Separation of Power-6m
• Constitutional Studies 05 – Vertical Separation – Diversity v. Conformity-4m
• Constitutional Studies 06 – Vertical Separation – The Beauty of Local Government – 7m
• Constitutional Studies 07 – Vertical Separation – Resisting the Accumulation of Power – 9m
• Constitutional Studies 08 – Vertical Separation – Example of State Supreme Court resisting US Supreme Court – 7m

Downloads

• Handout - US Constitution - 5 Key Concepts Everyone Should Know
• The US Constitution – 1787-09-17
• George Washington Farewell Address – 1796-09-17
• The Pocket Catechism of the US Constitution - 333 Short Questions and Answers - 1828

LESSON 9 - THE BILL OF RIGHTS

The Bill of Rights

The Bill of Rights was originally written to put further constraints on the federal government.    Today, the exact opposite has happened.   The federal government now claims it is the arbitrator what the Bill of Rights means and federal judges, elected officials, and non-elected federal personal regularly seek to force their opinion on the States and on the People

UNDER CONSTRUCTION !!!!! - CURRENTLY NO VIDEOS AVAILABLE

• Bill of Rights - An Overview - 0m
• Bill of Rights - Understanding the Preamble - 0m
• Bill of Rights - Understanding the First Amendment - 0m
• Bill of Rights - Understanding the Second Amendment - 0m
• Bill of Rights - Understanding the Third through Eight Amendments - 0m
• Bill of Rights - Understanding the Ninth and Tenth Amendments - 0m
• Bill of Rights - Perverted by Federal Courts Using the 14th Amendment - 0m
• Bill of Rights - The Change in the Philosophy of Law - 0m

The First Amendment - A more Detailed Look

It is safe to say there is a titanic clash in our culture today about the concept of “Separation of Church and State”.   Most Americans think that this phrase is found in the US Constitution. Nothing comes close.

The First Amendment of the Constitution does state that

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”

A thoughtful reading of this amendment makes it clear that it was simply and powerfully intended to keep Congress from making any religious laws. So if Congress makes no law, then there is absolutely no jurisdiction for the federal government to rule on anything in respect to how citizens of states, counties, and local government express their religious speech in public life.

So where does the phrase, “Separation of Church and State” actually come from? It comes from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist Association in Connecticut assuring them that they would continue to have religious freedom in their state.

In it’s proper understanding, Jefferson was actually making the case of “Separation of State from Church”   That the State should do nothing to micro manage the affairs of the church or in the affairs of a self-governing people to express their faith in all aspects of their life – including their civic life.

The founders never intended that God would be separated from government.

However in the 1940s the Supreme Court created a new political doctrine out of nothing by simply quoting the Jefferson letter out of context.

Moreover today, we have a complete violation of the first amendment where un-elected judges and officials have established “Secular Humanism” as the religion of the United States and forced this statute on all the public schools and local, county, and state governments.

This series explores this in great detail 

• Separation of Church and State 01 – What The Constitution Actually Says and Means–8m
• Separation of Church and State 02 – Where the Phrase Comes From–Short–3m
• Separation of Church and State 03 – Where Phrase Comes From–Long Version–10m
• Separation of Church and State 04 – A New Political Doctrine Created by Judges–13m
• Separation of Church and State 05 – Secular Humanism as a Religion–4m
• Separation of Church and State 06 – Secular Humanism Militant–5m
• Separation of Church and State 07 – Secular Humanism The Loss of Freedom–4m
• Separation of Church and State 08 – The Established Religion of Public Schools–6m
• Separation of Church and State 09 – Secular Humanism vs Founders Worldview–4m
• Separation of Church and State 10 – Fear-mongering for Power–3m

Downloads

• The Bill of Rights – 1791-12-15

L10.Government

L11.Christian Citizenship

LESSON 11 - CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP - WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

Christian Citizenship

• Being Salt and Light - 0m
• Being Salt and Light II - FRC Insight -0m
• The Truth Unleashed - 0m
• The Witness of Salt and Light - Einstein - 0m
• The Nehemiah Life - 0m
• A Godly Call to Action - 0m
• The Power of Cultural Impact Team - 0m

Voting As An Act of Stewardship

This landmark video training series is designed to transform a citizens view of how they are to be a careful steward of their vote for themselves, their neighbors and for future generations.

Believers are called to be stewards of the talents God has given them. Being a citizen in the United States comes with special blessings that God has given us – the ability to carefully consider who we select for office based on their honesty, character and philosophy of government.

Many believers do not exercise their right to vote and their neighbors and our nation suffers under civil leadership that is subpar, inadequate, and self serving. It gives pause to wonder if Jesus would categorize these non-participants as being aligned with the “lazy and wicked servant” who failed to be a steward of the “talents” that the master had given him and buried them instead.

This series is truly transformational for all who view it and consider it’s ramifications.

General Audience

• Voting 01 - A Sacred Duty of a Free People – 5m
• Voting 02 - For Those Who Understand the Purpose of Government – 4m
• Voting 03 - For Those Who Cherish the US Constitutional System – 5m
• Voting 04 - For Those Who Understanding the Nature of Man 4m
• Voting 05 - Select People of the Highest Character for Office -5m
• Voting 06 - Black American - Voting Character over Party – 4m
• Voting 07 - Where to Find People of Character – 3m
• Voting 08 - The Character of Government Reflects the Character of the People – 2m
• Voting 09 - Don’t Be Careless With Your Vote – 2m
• Voting 10 - Bad Character Will Ruin Good Government – 2m
• Voting 11 - Watch out for the Cunning, Deceitful, Ambitious – 5m
• Voting 12 - Ancient Wisdom – How the Wrong People Get in Office – 2m
• Voting 13 - Ancient Wisdom – Requirements for Excellent Civic Leadership Final – 3m
• Voting 14 - Knowing the Difference Between Politicians and Statesmen – 2m
• Voting 15 - Liberty Lost Will Not Be Regained – 3m
• Voting 16 - Real Character - A Challenging Poem – 2m
• Voting 17 - Don’t Be Ignorant- 4m
• Voting 18 - Being A Steward of Your Vote – 4m
• Voting 19 - Gamesmanship vs Stewardship - The Terrible Damage It Does – 9m

 

For Churches and People of Faith

• Voting 20 - Do Christians Really Care – 5m
• Voting 21 - Knowing the Purpose of Government– Extended Version– 4m
• Voting 22 - A Prescription for National Health - 2m
• Voting 23 - Being a Steward of Your Vote – 2m
• Voting 24 - Not Voting Means You Endorse What Government is Doing – 3m
• Voting 25 - Christians Responsible for Wise Men or Fools in Office – 2m
• Voting 26 - God has Put A Sacred Trust in Our Hands – 3m
• Voting 27 - The Church Must Preach on The Issues of the Day – 4m
• Voting 28 - The State of Culture is the Responsibility of the Church – 3m
• Voting 29 - Failure of the Church Means National Failure – 3m
• Voting 30 - Four Principles of Voting Based on the Declaration of Independence – 4m
• Voting 31 - Being a Biblical Steward of Your Vote – 4m
• Voting 32 - Action Items for the Church – 4m

Downloads

[coming soon]

L12.Christian Statesmanship

LESSON 12 - CHRISTIAN STATESMANSHIP