Restoring America’s Godly Heritage — Part 7 (20260111 Pr Bill Brannan)

Why this inheritance matters

When I first discovered what America’s founding really was, it felt like discovering a treasure. The founding era was not flawless, but much of what shaped this nation grew out of a deeply held conviction about liberty of conscience, religious freedom, and a biblical social architecture. These convictions were not merely political maneuvers. They were the fruit of a cultural transformation that began with the life, death, resurrection, and reign of Jesus.

History shows that when the gospel truly takes root in a people, entire cultures change. Early church writers marveled at how groups once steeped in brutality were transformed into communities of prayer and compassion. That transformation is the backdrop for understanding America’s godly inheritance.

The distinctive founding: covenant, education, and liberty

A few core things drove early America: a covenantal identity, a high value on education, and the disestablishment of state religion. These together created an environment where freedom of belief and freedom of conscience could flourish.

Education in early America was intense and serious. Sermons were substantial, young people were taught deeply—some memorized the Greek New Testament by their teens—and even farmers wrestled with political philosophy. That intellectual and spiritual training shaped a people capable of sustaining liberty and resisting both tyranny and anarchy.

Disestablishment: freedom that increased faith

Alexis de Tocqueville noticed something counterintuitive: when religion was no longer legally enforced, Christianity spread more widely. The disestablishment of a single state church meant people embraced faith freely rather than by coercion. The result was genuine commitment and a societal flourishing that matched biblical wisdom about liberty.

We the people — the real foundation

The inheritance of America is not a government structure that mechanically produces virtue. It is the people themselves—mature, responsible citizens empowered to exercise liberty well. Laws matter, but laws alone cannot fix corrupt hearts. The long-term solution is raising up people who bear the character of the kingdom.

That is why a grassroots movement must begin in the local church. Historically the church turned the world upside down—where salt and light were present, society changed. If salt loses its savor or light is hid, the world begins to decay. So the work of restoration starts with the formation of people who live differently.

Faith and inheritance: lessons from Abraham

The Bible speaks of Abraham as the father of faith. Romans 4 explains that Abraham was promised to be an heir of the world — not through law, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. This reframes faith from a private ticket to heaven into a covenantal call to inherit and shape the earth.

For the promise that Abraham would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith… that the promise might be secure to all the seed… who is the Father of us all.

If inheriting the earth means influencing culture, then the culture that emerges will reflect kingdom values. The kingdom’s heroes are not the powerful and rich but the self-giving, forgiving, sacrificial servants who mirror Christ on the cross.

Being versus doing: fruit over frantic activity

Much of church life defaults to “do, do, do”—programs, campaigns, arguments, checklists. But the kingdom reproduces through fruit, not performance. The apostle Paul’s list—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control—captures the character that actually advances God’s rule on earth.

Practical question: are you producing fruit that blesses people and points to Jesus? Or are actions driven by guilt, manipulation, or a desire to prove spiritual worth? True kingdom work flows from identity: we are loved, forgiven, and empowered by the Spirit. From that place we bear fruit naturally.

How to tell the difference

• Motivation: Are you serving from gratitude or to earn approval?
• Result: Does your service produce humility and joy or pride and burnout?
• Longevity: Is it sustainable because it is Spirit-driven, or burdensome because it is performance-driven?

Practical disciplines that restore life

Start small, start local, and measure success by fruit rather than output. A few practical focuses:

1. 
   Root identity in what Christ has done. Know your worth is purchased by the cross. This frees you from shame and fuels compassion for others.
   
2. 
   Love people as people. Abraham’s witness was his life—he blessed others without coercion. Live with integrity, compassion, and humility.
   
3. 
   Prioritize spiritual formation and education. Encourage deep teaching and critical thought so citizens can responsibly exercise liberty.
   
4. 
   Bear the fruit of the Spirit. Let gratitude, joy, patience, and kindness be the measures of spiritual health.
   
5. 
   Aim for authenticity, not ritual. Wrestle honestly with bitterness, anger, or burnout and invite God to heal you rather than masking the problem.
   

Conclusion: a people who inherit

Restoring the nation’s godly heritage is not a political project. It is a spiritual and cultural work that begins in the hearts of people. When the church reclaims authentic faith—faith that produces kingdom fruit—liberty is renewed and blessing flows through everyone.

The strategy is simple and profound: be the people who reflect the kingdom. Bear the fruit. Love well. Educate wisely. Live in covenantal freedom. When that happens, the power that changed nations in the past will change our neighborhoods, workplaces, and public life again.